"Just and Righteous"
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The Expectation of Righteousness
To a congregation clearly identified as believers, the Apostle Paul wrote that we "wait for the hope of righteousness by faith" (Galatians 3:2-3; 5:5). That is, to those already justified by Christ, Paul nevertheless references a righteousness that awaits us in the future.
We may view this matter from two perspectives. First, we wait for righteousness in the sense of our glorification. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to the earth, believers will "put on incorruption" and "be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (I Corinthians 15:53; I John 3:2). The dead in Christ and the living in Christ will rise to be with the Lord Jesus, and we shall be perfectly righteous not only in our spiritual union with Him, but also in mind, will, emotion, and body (I Corinthians 15:43-44). This involves the ultimate and the eternal when the redeeming work of the Lord Jesus on our behalf will have its full effect on every aspect of our being. We wait for this hope of righteousness by faith.
In a more temporal sense, however, we also wait for the hope of righteousness. We live expectantly regarding today and tomorrow that the righteous Christ who dwells within us by His Spirit will work in us so that we not only live in the Spirit, but we also walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). We believe in a present, involved, and active Lord Jesus who promises, "I will dwell in them and walk in them" (II Corinthians 6:16). Such confidence in Christ makes far more likely our overcoming of devilish, worldly, and fleshly challenges and temptations. Specific choices of faith and submission to God must still be made, of course, but we are far more likely to make them as "the hope of righteousness by faith" prepares us to walk justly and righteously through the enabling of a just and righteous Christ.
We must not allow past failure, present sense of weakness, or trepidation regarding the future to hinder our confidence in the Lord Jesus, or in the relationship we have with God through Him. Indeed, should believers expect to obey or disobey our Lord? We know that the latter is possible, and we would all confess has too often been actual in our lives. The former path of faithfulness, however, must shine brightly in our hearts as our hope and expectation. Through Christ, believers exist as super-charged vessels of righteousness - "we shall live with Him by the power of God" (II Corinthians 13:4). No excuse exists for unbelief and disobedience, and no basis of low expectations can be justified in the sensibilities of those made just and righteous in Christ. Just as we wait for the hope of righteousness in our ultimate glorification, we wait in the same Christ-centered anticipation regarding the living of life in this and in every earthly day.
"As You Go"
I wait for you, My child, wherever you may go.
I'll be there when you arrive,
I'll be with you as you go.
We live our life together, you venture not alone.
Our hearts made one forever,
united in My Son.
I wait for you, My child, I'll be with you as you go.
I made you for such grace, to be My Spirit's home.
Oh, look into My face,
and with assurance know
that we'll always be together, you'll never be alone.
We'll be as one forever,
each other's love to know.
I wait for you, My child, I'll be with you as you go.
Forever beckons to us, as does this day, this hour.
My Spirit's peace imparts
the presence and the power
for you to journey with Me, in darkness or in light.
I am in your heart forever,
and in this day, this night.
I wait for you, My child, I'll be with you as you ago…
I'll be with you as you go.
"The Lord thy God, He it is that shall go with thee."
(Deuteronomy 31:6)
"My expectation is from Him."
(Psalm 62:5)
Next - Conclusions
Weekly Memory Verse
He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved.
(Psalm 62:6)
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