Tuesday, May 21, 2013

The Spiritual Garments of Wrath: A Devotional Study of the Majestic Righteousness of Christ alone of Zechariah 3 in light of the Self-Destructive Righteousness of the Religions of Men



CONTENTS

Chapter 1:                    Agnostism
Chapter 2:                    Atheism
Chapter 3:                    Buddhism
Chapter 4:                    Christian Science
Chapter 5:                    False Reformed Theology
Chapter 6:                    Hinduism
Chapter 7:                    Islam
Chapter 8:                    Jehovah’s Witnesses
Chapter 9:                    Mormonism
Chapter 10:                  New Prespectivism
Chapter 11:                  Oneness Pentecostalism
Chapter 12:                  Romanism
Chapter 13:                  Scientology
Chapter 14:                  Did Someone Say Joshua the High Priest?

Chapter 1:  Agnostism

            Here a man who is confident in his scheme:  he reasons that his lack of knowledge of God is the way he will escape the just fury of God. 
            But ignorance is sin, and that sin without Christ as Savior and Lord, will not be blotted out.  It forever remains, because there is no cleansing of Christ.  Where there is forgiveness or cleansing by Christ, there is no spiritual hope. 
            God calls us to learn about His truth, because He has given us minds to apprehend His divine truth.  That truth is better then gold, and better the money, because it is eternal, and forever written in heaven.
            The garment of the agnostic is ignorance, but whence does this compare with His beloved righteousness which comes from Christ Himself? 
            Such ignorance does not cover anyone, but in his scheme he thinks he can reason out of Him who is all-wise.  Is that true human reason?  Such is flawed, and foreign to the wisdom of God in His Word. 
            His people must see themselves as responsible before God in apprehending the knowledge and wisdom of the Word of God.  Those who plead ignorance as a virtue are devoid of the light of His wisdom of Christ’s life and death as availing righteousness!

Chapter 2:  Atheism

            Atheism comes claiming reason for its position about the rejection of God.  He says in his heart that there is no God. 
            According to God’s Word in Romans 1, He reveals to all men His presence, but the reprobative humans suppress that knowledge in all unrighteousness.  All atheists are living testimony of a flesh that loves spiritual death rather then spiritual life. 
            So the atheist cloths himself in mere human wisdom: it is clothing of what seems right to them that does not seem right to God.
            The garment of “God is dead” is a testimony of spiritual filth, and all manner of rebellion.  These garments appear dark to God: black as soot and as cold as ice.  Their garments do not avail before God the Father: He does not accept them as availing righteousness in light of His perfect standard. 
            The “righteousness” of human wisdom is flawed: it recognizes the beauty of God’s creation but rejects the One who is beauty itself in all majestic holiness.  Moreover, it recognizes the One who was Divine Wisdom in human flesh, but rejects the teaching of Christ about Himself, because it does not correlate to mere men.
            The Dark One loves the “righteousness” of atheism: to him it is foolish but all the more entertaining to hear educated idiots speak about the denial of Creator that created them.  To Satan these people are far game: easy targets for his criminality.  He preserves their foolishness by his own foolishness: creatures devoid of God-righteousness.
            The atheist receives his “righteousness” by the instrument of intellectual foolishness, and not by faith alone.  Such ways mock God; such ways permeate sin and a view of non-dignity of man by the denial of being created in His image. 
The atheist might affirm the dignity of man, but it is surely not consistent.  The atheist might affirm a standard of morality, but it has no basis in their thought.   Therefore, such are clothed with the blackness of darkness: garments of hell prepared by sin, and yet always unprepared for the reality of eternal hell. 
I know atheists have seen spiritual realities, but they have rejected it, because they call their “reasoning” freedom, and yet, what is this “freedom” if it is really  lawlessness?
The atheist will not stand on the Last Day: he will be judged for rejecting the God that made him, and he will be judged for all His sins, and there will be no advocate for him, and his scheme will destroy himself.  That “high” reason of atheism will result in the bottomless pit of hell: where then is the legitimacy of atheism?

Chapter 3:  Buddhism

            Here another man comes, and pleads Karma and rebirth for his garments of success.  Will such save a man?  Will God accept religion as a preference or a way of life?  Will sincerity save the damned?
            God rejects the teaching of Karma, because He has not written that men have past lives, and He has not written that we are impacted by these past lives.
            Does the garments of past lives of cause and effect save sinners before God?  Will God accept that which He forbids?  Only the garments of His unified righteousness will avail before God the Father, and no garments of Buddhism will ever meet the standard of His perfect law. 
            God’s people are given the unified righteousness that is confirmed (not by reincarnation) but by Jesus’ bodily resurrection.  By this verification, Christians have His righteousness by faith alone. 
            When the Buddhist stands before God the Son as Judge, he will judge him because the Buddhist is a sinner, and no one is a pleading of innocence.  The only way to become innocent is to have Christ as the One who is the object of the Father’s wrath in one’s place.  Here is the way of true, eternal life!

Chapter 4:  Christian Science

            Here comes another man, and he denies that there is sin, and affirms that Christ is a divine idea.  Here are his robes or garments: he is devoid of the truth of the Word of God.
            Christ is not a divine idea, but He is the God-man, and the Incarnate Second Person of the Trinity.  Because sin is denied because it is denied it can have pain or pleasure.  Will these garments save a sinner who cannot please God in the flesh?
            A divine idea never saved anyone nor the denial of actual sins.  Only the divine Son of Man can provide the unified righteousness: heavenly garments of His life and death that were guaranteed by His resurrection. 
            Sin is conquered by Christ at the Cross in His taking upon sin in behalf of His people before God the Father.  There is no redemption except by the Cross.  The Savior and Lord can only free us from the bondage of sin. 
            At the Last Day Christ will not see Himself as a divine idea, because He is a living Person (distinct from the Father and the Son).  At the Last Day Christ will not view sin without have consequences, but will deal with the ramifications of sin with punishment for the reprobates or goats, and acquit those who have Him as Savior by way of His unified righteousness by faith alone.

Chapter 5:  False Reformed Theology

            There is a fake Reformed Theology: they speak words of life but have hearts of death.  They can say all the right things but do not possess the truth.  They even seen passionate for what they believe, but God abhors their mouths, minds and hearts. 
            He hears their singing, but it is a stench.  He hears their sermons, but it is not to Him but to satisfy their foolishness.  He watches their lives, but it bares no resemblance to His law.  He watches their secret lives, but it is not to God’s glory as touching His mercy, but His indignation. 
            Here comes this man with the presumption of folly, and the testimony of abominations.  He has no repentance unto life, and if he did have it he would use it for corruption, lawlessness, and malice ways.  He seeks repentance with tears, but it is after the manner of Esau. 
The ways of Reformed Antichrist will not conquer the church, because Christ has blessed me as I stand against them with many multitudes.
            The garments of the false Reformed Theology will not avail before the Judgment seat of Christ.  The “righteous folly” will be cast down because it bears no equality with Christ’s unified righteousness.
            Those who speak the truth of Reformed Theology, harm the congregation because of their hearts of death.  Does Satan send you for no reason?  He sends you so by words of truth you damn souls, even as Balaam came to curse God’s people.  You met God on His own terms, but He finds you detestable, and a dunghill that will not be covered. 
            The days of the ministries of condemnation will come to end: your days are numbered, and justice shall be once restored to the heights of purity! 
            These of the “Reformed” pigpen will be cast out of His church under the authority of Christ, and there garments of deceit will end by the righteousness of Christ in all ways: damned souls have no reason to pastor a church. 
            May Christ glorify Himself by the rejection of these pretenders from Rome, and honor Himself by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone by faith alone with a heart that does not commit recklessness!  Even so, amen.

Chapter 6:  Hinduism

            Here comes a man who says reincarnation will is the key to life.  He thinks it will avail for me, because he trusts in the inspiration of man. 
            Will reincarnation save him?  Will it remain a sure garment of success before God?  It fails at every level, because it does not bare witness to the truth of Christ in the unified righteousness of Christ by faith alone.
            The bodily resurrection of Christ was accomplished by the Three Persons of the Godhead.  The God who raised Christ from the dead does not share reincarnation as a true view of life but abhors it because it denies resurrection.
            Shall the righteousness of Christ avail?  By all means!  Shall the “covering” of reincarnation meet the standard of God’s perfection?  By no means!
            Let us submit to God’s approved righteousness through God the Son.  Here is the true way, and here is eternal life.  Amen.

Chapter 7:  Islam

            The female Muslim comes by advocating the unilateral forgiveness of Allah, but it is devoid of the Meditation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
            Where in redemptive history has God ever unilaterally forgave anyone?  God forgave Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in light of the Cross.  The God of Abraham forgives on the basis of Christ alone, and only a divine Christ could satisfy divine justice.
            The Muslim comes with presumption of forgiveness, but there is no real forgiveness of sin, because there is no real Mediator, Redeemer or God-man. 
            Will the presumption avail before God as garments of righteousness?  Tell me, what is the covering upon the Muslim?  He is devoid of heaven, because he is devoid of God’s authentic righteousness.  His righteousness alone avails before the God whom Christ hails.

Chapter 8:  Jehovah’s Witnesses

            The Jehovah’s Witness comes with an improper view of who Christ is, because of the organization to which he submits.  Is Christ an exalted angel?  Is Christ God and man in one person or is the Watchtower right?
            He comes thinking he has divine approval of what he believes, but it is foreign to Christ and His righteousness.  Can an exalted angel meet the requirements as God?  Can an exalted angel forgive sin as the God-man does?  Only the God-man can remit sin, and only the God-man can give His righteousness alone by faith alone, but the “righteousness” of an exalted angel fails at every level, because it lack Godness in His righteousness. 
            At the Last Day the Jehovah’s Witness does not have the proper righteousness to avail before our heavenly Judge.  God only accepts God’s righteousness and no imitation will avail but perish in eternal hell.

Chapter 9:  Mormonism

            The Mormon comes claiming Jesus is the spirit-brother of Lucifer, and where then is his availing righteousness?  If Jesus is not God the Son, what value is the righteousness of His person to the believing ones? 
            He basis it on his church, but his church has led him astray.  And another Mormon of the reorganized way; says Jesus may have wanted to commit sin.  Such teaching also blemishes His perfect life and perfect death, because a desire to commit sin, is sin, and if that were the case Jesus would have been an actual transgressor.
            Whose righteousness will avail?  Only the impeccable One, the God-man, and His righteousness avails in the place of His people!  With His righteousness, there is no blemish; with His righteousness there is no sin, because God does not have the capacity to sin, but if He did He would be mutable.  Therefore, choose the immutable, impeccable God-man who has the purest of all righteousness!  Even so, amen.

Chapter 10:  New Prespectivism

            Here comes a novel teacher, claiming it is a Reformation teaching?  Such is twisted and foreign to the teaching of the perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ.  These say, “no, but works!”  Such takes away from the One who did all the work, that is, Christ Himself.
            Justification is by works alone.  What do I mean?  The divine Lamb of God not only died for His people, but He lived for His people.  Denying this simple truth is denying yourself heaven itself, and submitting to works salvation which has never saved anyone, but does condemn and send to hell. 
            This teaching is hardly a Reformation teaching, because it is devoid of what the Reformers taught by solo Christo!  God’s people need the works of perfection where no sin is, and God’s righteousness alone is worthy of the title “merit.”  Only teachings of foolishness advocate what is opposed to the Reformation principle of Christ alone.

Chapter 11:  Oneness Pentecostalism

            This view is often mistaken for Christianity, but it is the heresy of Modalism (that which denies the distinctions of the Godhead).  Those who deny the distinctions of the Godhead deny the God of the Bible. 
            Only the distinct Son of Man can save, because it is from His work that we believe by the Spirit, and if Christ is reduced to a Man He is insufficient for redemption, and cannot save anyone. 
            The teaching of God the Son as the Second Person of the Trinity as distinct from the Father and the Spirit will save: heaven is full of those who embrace Trinitarianism, and no Modalist ever entered heaven. 
            If Christ’s deity is reduced to the Father, He is an inadequate Substitute, but the Christ of the Bible is the One who provides the divine righteousness of the God-man alone as the distinct Member of the Godhead, and this is the true robes of heavenly uprightness, purity and holiness.

Chapter 12:  Romanism

            This is also mistaken for Christianity as Roman Catholicism, but it is the heresy of Popery.  Will the teaching of faith and works avail before God’s standard of perfection, law and sinlessness? 
            Will the excess of “merit” of imperfect saints help you?  How can imperfection and the tainting of sin avail in anyway for the sinner who is already under God’s wrath?  Behold, the ways of men which led to death!
            His righteousness alone from Himself is sufficient for the sinner: as His righteousness is all-sufficient, so to, is His grace and Word.  You need not seek righteousness from saints of old: they would cry out if they knew, and here I speak for them: submit to the complete righteousness of Christ by faith alone! 
            The awesome light of God’s righteousness is the light of Christ in heaven: only those who partake of Christ’s holy and grace-born righteousness will ever avail before the heavenly Judge.  Amen.

Chapter 13:  Scientology

            Here comes a man who advocates the teaching of the rejection of repentance: did Christ advocate men who did not repent?  What is repentance all about? 
            Everything must be governed by righteousness: practical righteousness dictates to me a doctrine of accountability to God, and where sin is, is where we need to repent.
            If you see the heart of man, and you see wrongdoing what is your response to amend that which is against God’s law?  We must be committed to the righteous repentance of God, and such is well-pleasing to God, because His people have His reckoned righteousness; a righteousness not born of the law; a righteousness not born of “clear” but a heavenly robe adorned for His children! 
            Let us be about submitting to everyway righteousness.  Those who posses His righteousness apprehend salvation before God the Trinity by faith alone.  Will you stand before the King divine in His robes of undeniable light?  Such is my prayer for you!

Chapter 14:  Did Someone Say Joshua the High Priest?

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. He spoke and said to those who were standing before him, saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him " Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes." Then I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the LORD was standing by. And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here. ‘Now listen, Joshua the high priest, you and your friends who are sitting in front of you--indeed they are men who are a symbol, for behold, I am going to bring in My servant the Branch. 'For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua; on one stone are seven eyes Behold, I will engrave an inscription on it,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 'In that day,' declares the LORD of hosts, 'every one of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree.'"  (Zechariah 3 NASB).

            We all come as Joshua the High Priest: we come with filthy garments which need washing before God the Father.  It’s the garments of wrath, because Satan comes to accuse God’s people of our sin. 
            When this happens we can stand our ground by Christ our righteousness.  We ought to admit that we deserve death and hell because as sinners who deserve nothing, but in light of God’s free mercy, He gives us the grace of His righteousness to stand before Him in robes of radiant righteousness! 
            When Satan comes to accuse us, he has no basis because we have a righteousness of God the Son, and our old filthy garments were placed on Christ, and He bore our sin.  He did not bore our sin so we could sin more, but He bore our sin so we could be conformed to His image in holiness that is brighter then a star! 
            Those who have His imputed righteousness ought to live a life in His ways, in His commandments, in His laws, in His teachings. 
            I pray that you become another Joshua!  Are you a Joshua that God has covered with His heavenly garments?  Do you possess it by faith and a life of obedience as evidence of God’s holy, precious and sacred righteousness?
            Do we not see the need of Christ and His holiness?  Do we not see the need of His ways given to us?  The religions of men fail, but God’s way is sure and true!
            May Almighty God rise up many Joshua’s so we might stand before Him in the utter preciousness of His immaculate holiness in all purity!  Amen.