When we profess faith in Jesus and receive Him as Savior and Lord a process begins that many cannot understand. Isaiah prophesied these words in Isaiah 61:3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. There is a great trade and part of that trade is to be able to draw closer and closer to God in our relationship with Him. God cannot get any closer to us because His ultimate sacrifice to make us close and right with Him is complete and fully done. But we can, and should get closer in our walk with God and continue to spend more time with Him in our daily walk. Those who aren't born again cannot see and grow in a relationship with God because the veil of sin keeps that from happening. That is why when a sinner repents and turns to God they are changed immediately from lost to saved. That change begins a process that makes that person seek God more and more, and we would actually have to make a concentrated effort to keep God at arm's length. James wrote in James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. We are compelled in our spirit to draw near to God and that helps us realize God's presence in our life even more.
When we draw near to God we begin to see God for Who He is and that quickly affirms a resolve in each of us to draw closer and closer and the end result is the Spirit makes us More and More like Him. This is known as righteousness. But not our righteousness. God is the only one who is righteous. Paul wrote about it this way in 2 Corinthians 3:18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. More and More like God? Yes! We continue to grow in our faith and the end result is more of God is seen and less and less of us. Even John the Baptist spoke this great truth as he said in John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
So More and More of God means less and less of me. That kind of righteousness will make a difference in the world we live in. Our self righteousness means nothing and does not glorify God, so put the competition aside and surrender to God's righteousness and find peace. True peace. Quit trying to be right with God because you were made eternally right when you accepted Jesus. Stop trying to impress God with what you do, but do it out of what He has done for you. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says it well 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. As we learn More and More of God we realize how little our efforts at being righteous really mean unless we are growing More and More in our walk with Him. All our righteousness is found in Him and Him alone.
I love this scripture about the culmination of this whole process and I will end my blog with it. Colossians 3:1 Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.3 For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.4 And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.
The Pilgrimage Continues......
David Warren
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