THE SIFTING

Table of contents: -God’s sovereignty over evil - God created evil - Jesus perfected by evil - The knowledge of the Lord - Do you know Jesus’ Father? - How God reveals His nature - A parable of the Kingdom of God - A day of deception - Are you called? - The garment of righteousness – being chosen - Are you chosen? - Being taught in the fire - God’s chosen Son(s) - God’s sovereignty over evil in the life of His Son(s) - Can you hear His counsel? - God resists the proud – Discretion - The ornament of knowing God’s sovereignty - Nothing can separate us - This knowledge will cost you everything...

THE SIFTING


And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me (Lk.22:31-34).


We see here that Jesus is revealing something to Peter that he doesn't yet know. Namely that Satan has a desire to have Peter and to sift him. We see here that Jesus takes it as a given that the access has been granted because He goes on immediately to talk about how Peter should respond after he is converted.

After he is converted...What?! I thought that Peter was converted already! He was hand picked and chosen by Jesus Himself. He traveled with Him throughout the countryside witnessing the many miracles and hearing all His teachings on the kingdom Of God. He was even on of the three chosen to be with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration and saw Him transformed in glowing brightness. He was on of the three named the sons of thunder. Yet. AND YET, he wasn't converted. He wasn't turned, he wasn't changed, and he wasn't really made anything new from the inside. How could this be?

We also see Peter in this verse declaring that he will never forsake the Lord; that he would even follow Jesus to prison or to the grave. He really had a love for his Lord. When he was asked by Jesus "who do you say that I am", he was the one that got it right by saying that Jesus was the Son of God (Matt. 16:16).

So, how can it be that this one that had the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God still not be converted? What is this conversion? Aren't we converted and saved when we accept this revelation of Jesus as the son of God, as our Savior?

We will see in this study that true conversion comes after the falling away from your Lord. AFTER and only after you have come to know Jesus and have walked away are you able to be truly converted. Yes this is a divine process of God that all of His called out servants must go through.
Let me ask you...Do you, like Peter, love Jesus? Have you, like Peter heard His words spoken through the many messages of countless preachers declaring the Kingdom of God? Have you had the revelation, like Peter, that Jesus is the Son of God? Then, Satan has desired to sift you as wheat.

The sifting of wheat is not a bad thing, but is necessary to separate the wheat from the chaff, the edible from the waste. Jesus prophesied (prophecy always lines up with the will of God) this process over Peter and gave him instructions of what to do after the process was completed.

What?!! Was it God's will that Peter be sifted by satan? How could a good God allow Peter to go through such a thing? And yet, through the prophetic knowledge of Jesus Christ we can see that Satan only has power to bring forth God's will in His called, chosen servants. We can see that the assignment given to satan to sift Peter was known, allowed and necessary in the plan of God for His called and chosen vessel.



GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER EVIL


Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?(Job 1:6-8).

We can see here that satan wasn't even thinking about Job. He was only talking about walking up and down in the earth. It was God that pointed Job out to Satan! Get this; God brought the attention of Satan to focus on Job. God basically challenges satan to consider the uprightness of Job.

Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? Hast not thou made a hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face (Job 1:9-11).

Satan then retorts in response to God that Job is indeed blessed, and that there is a hedge around him, but, challenges God to put forth His "hand' and touch all that Job has and that he would deny Him.

And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD (Job 1:12). Then, God grants Satan the permission and the power over everything that Job has.

Tell me....was it God that put forth His "hand" to touch Job or was it the devil? It was both! (Job 1:9-12).

God uses the devil to perform His will in sifting His servants. The devil was created perfectly as God intended and can only perform exactly what God intends and allows.

The devil has no ability to operate on his own and is deceived to think so (And it is deception to think that the devil can ever attack us without God knowing it...in fact, true conversion starts here - when we recognize the true nature and character of God and how he operates as the SOVEREIGN RULER of the universe).

And so the sifting trial of Job goes on and through that trial he is taught to trust in God. God's nature is revealed to him in his broken state. God pointed Job out, satan desired to sift him as wheat and the access was granted. Satan was used to bring about God's will in blessing Job with more in the end than he had in the beginning.

So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses (Job 42:12).

We can say that Job was truly converted during this experience. He was truly humbled and broken before His Maker. He received revelation of God's sovereignty and His mercy. He understood God's judgments and God's blessing. He learned that He was no match for the power of God and learned to submit himself to God whether He gives or takes away. He was truly sifted by the Devil in accordance with the will of God. (Job 1:21)




GOD CREATED EVIL

Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD (Isa. 54:16-17).

I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things (Isa. 45:5-7).

Looking at these verses we can clearly see that God is the one that creates evil and all of the instruments of judgment in the earth. He is SOVEREIGN! He has power over all and He specifically created the devil to test and sift His servants...Why?

Does this allowing of the devil to sift God's servants then make Him evil?? The answer is NO. Evil must submit to the purpose of God bringing many sons unto glory. If God created evil with no purpose, then He wouldn’t be righteous. But God created evil to fulfill a very specific, yet temporary purpose in time.




JESUS PERFECTED BY SUFFERING EVIL


For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:10).

Jesus was perfected by His experience of evil. Evil was necessary for Him to fulfill the will of God. He was perfected through the things which he suffered. He understood the authority of His Father as SOVEREIGN.
If evil isn’t the will and way that God perfects His servants, then why did Jesus submit to it? Why didn’t He defend Himself righteously and destroy it? Jesus had knowledge. Jesus was wise, and He understood the temporary need for evil in the plan of God and so submitted to evil as coming straight from the Hand of the Father. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: (Isa. 53:10a).

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;(Heb. 5:8-9)



THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD


From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men (Matt. 16:21-23).

Jesus understood the will of the Father; that He would have to suffer and die in order to be glorified, raised from the dead. He understood the sovereignty of the Father and He loved His Fathers’ ways more than the ways of man. He did not try to avoid evil, but faced it head on because He knew the righteous character of God. …by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities (Isa. 53:11b).

And yet, here a few verses after Jesus said that Peter was blessed with the revelation of Him as the Son of God and gave him great authority with the keys of the Kingdom (Matt.16:16-20), this same Peter is seen trying to rebuke the Lord and convince Him not to go to the cross. Trying to convince Him that He doesn’t need to suffer evil and be crucified. Trying to convince Him that the suffering of evil isn’t the will of God; that evil couldn’t possibly be useful, but was to be avoided. Peter didn’t understand the sovereignty of God or God’s purpose like Jesus did! Jesus called Peter an offense to Him because he didn’t know, understand or love the ways of the Father.



DO YOU KNOW JESUS’ FATHER ?


Let me ask you…. have you, like Peter received the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God? Do you really understand His ways? Or are you an offense to Him? Sometimes we can spend much time resisting the very the very sifting test that the Father God sent our way to promote us; not knowing that He is SOVEREIGN and uses evil to perfect us in Jesus Christ.

Is the god (little g on purpose) in most North American "churches" the God of the Bible? Volumes have been written on the goodness of God and the 'badness' of the devil.

Often it is taught in such a way so as to leave the impression that God and the devil oppose each other as equals on the same playing field. It is taught that God is good and never does anything 'evil', including cause pain. It is taught that suffering, pain and evil have no purpose in the plan of God, and all the devil wants to do is cause you pain and misery (which isn’t God’s will).

If we were to take this view of God we would have to admit, after looking at all of the pain, misery and evil around us, that God must not be very powerful, or He must not be a very loving Father to let this human tragedy to continue. NO! NO! NO! The God of the Bible is Almighty! The devil is not His equal!! And God does have a purpose for all pain, suffering and evil on this planet.

Unlike the North American 'church', the Bible does not make excuses for God's authority and Sovereignty in creating evil. Many try to take the responsibility off of God, not really even understanding His purpose and will in Jesus Christ.




SEEK THE TRUTH OF THE LIVING GOD


The True and Living God is intimately involved with everything and everyone on a level that the human mind cannot grasp, but that He will reveal to your spirit if you have ears to hear. He does this through his Word.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9).

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:(1Pet. 4:12)

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:(1Pet. 5:6).

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin (1Pet. 4:1);

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you (1Pet. 5:10).


Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered (Heb. 5:8); (this is the second time repeating this verse in this chapter…must be very important huh?)

Although Jesus is the Son of God, He had to learn obedience through the things which he suffered. The obedience of Jesus was based on an understanding of the character and nature of the Father as the SOVEREIGN RULER of the universe and understanding His plan and allowance for evil and suffering. In this knowledge He could fully submit to evil and declare Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin (Jn. 19:11).

Thus the very evil that the people were doing in crucifying Him is exactly what fulfilled the will of God.


But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (1Cor. 2:7-8).

Notice that none of the princes of this world understood the wisdom of God in this. To all outward appearances it looked like Jesus was defeated. It looked as if evil had won the battle and triumphed over the Life of God’s Son. All of His disciples fled and denied Him. He was left alone, and yet He wasn't alone because the Father was with Him.

Again, God is the ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN RULER of the universe and the devil cannot do anything that God Himself doesn't know about and ordain. Evil is actually How God brings His purpose into manifestation. Wow!! Did you hear that??



CONCLUSION PART 1


So, we see here that Peter was in a place where he declared that he wouldn't deny the Lord; and yet he did. He denied Him and fell away. He had to be sifted by the devil. No matter how much he loved Jesus and wanted to stick by Him, it was ordained that Jesus be left alone to suffer for the sins of the whole world. And Jesus knew and prophesied that Peter would deny Him. Jesus knew Peter better than he knew himself.

Before conversion, which starts with an accurate understanding of the character and nature of God as sovereign, Peter is found resisting the will of God and asserting the false belief that he could walk with Jesus and never deny Him. Peter was wrong. No matter how good his intentions were. This very process of denying the Lord was necessary, as we shall see in section 2, for Peter to be in the place of true conversion.


QUESTIONS worth asking: Do we boldly proclaim in our zeal that we will never deny Jesus? Do we try to resist evil, not knowing that it was specifically sent by God to sift us so that we can become useful? Are we really converted, understanding the character and nature of the Father and His plan; or are we just full of religious knowledge?

May God grant us grace to see Him as he is and not after the traditions and doctrine of men! But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him (Jn. 4:23).






THE SIFTING
part 2 - RIGHTEOUSNESS


In the last chapter we explored the concept of God creating and allowing evil in order to sift His servants and bring forth His will in their lives. We saw that Peter in exercising his "free will" by claiming that he wouldn’t forsake Jesus and would even die for Him still was destined to fall away before he could be converted, regardless of his knowledge and revelation of Jesus as the Son of God. We saw that there was still something that God wanted to reveal to Peter before he could be converted and useful in the Kingdom; namely, His authority as the SOVEREIGN RULER and Peters’ dependence upon His plan and will.


In this chapter we will continue to explore the fact that God does His choosing of His servants in the midst of firey judgments, tests and trials that are beyond their control, but are nonetheless, His ordained will for their lives; and that in these trials and tests the true nature of God as Sovereign is revealed.



HOW GOD REVEALS HIS NATURE


When Jesus was on the earth He spoke in many parables in order to relate the kingdom of God to those that had eyes to see and ears to hear.

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world (Matt. 13:34-35).

PARABLE

PAR'ABLE, n. [L. parabola; Gr. to throw forward or against, to compare to or against; as in confero, collatum, to set together, or one thing with another.] A fable or allegorical relation or representation of something real in life or nature, from which a moral is drawn for instruction; To represent by fiction or fable.

After consulting Webster's dictionary we see that a parable is a story that could be understood on the surface, but had a deeper meaning under the surface that told a moral or revealed a hidden lesson not apparent on the surface.



A PARABLE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD


And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:1-14).


In this parable of the kingdom Jesus was speaking to His audience about their apostasy and their rejection of the King at His invitation to a wedding feast. His primary audience was the religious Jews, the chief priests and the elders(Matt. 21:23).

He spoke this in a series of parables basically saying the same thing (that the Jews had been called to the Kingdom of God), but that they made light of the invitation and stayed focused on their daily routine and personal business.

And that even some of them (the remnant) killed the prophets that were sent to give the invitation to them and so God brought forth judgment and correction for them while turning His attention to the highways to gather both good and bad to come to His feast.

Then we see all the guests there and the King comes in to greet them and is puzzled with one of the guests. He has no wedding garment on and is kicked out of the wedding feast. It was apparently a common knowledge to all that were invited that you had to have a wedding garment while attending the wedding. The king was displeased at this lack of respect.

This person showed up to the wedding with apparent disrespect because THEY WEREN'T PREPARED for the wedding. They truly were called and invited, but were not chosen.



A DAY OF DECEPTION


Many are called... Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23).

Many are called…. And yet will be cast out once they appear before the King because, few are chosen.

We see in this parable and this verse that some will stand before the Lord and point to their works (“have we not prophesied in your name? And in your name cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works?”) as proof of why they should be in the "wedding feast". They will at that time reveal their apparent deception of thinking that because they preached, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works it will make them acceptable to God, the King.

The same deception has infected most of the “churches” in North America. Most believe that “going to church, tithing, fasting, Bible study, prayer, etc. is what is required to be a “Christian” and make them acceptable to God.

The Word of God is clear... For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20).

The Scribes and the Pharisees were the "religious" people of Jesus' day. They were initially invited to the feast, but were afterward rejected. Even though rejected, they still held the idea and belief that they were in a right relationship with God. Why did they think that?? They tithed, fasted, prayed, studied scripture, went to "church" (synagogue), sang the song of Moses and held it in high esteem to minister as a priest of God in the Temple. Yet. And yet, they shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven! SHALL NOT ENTER!






ARE YOU CALLED?


Let me ask you...Has God called you to His Wedding Feast? Do you really have on a wedding garment so that when you see Him He doesn’t say “depart from me, ye that work iniquity?”

How do you know for sure? Are you trusting in some formula like the "religious" people of Jesus' generation by tithing, fasting, praying, going to "church", and reading the bible?? Thinking that this is what is required of a “christian” and that this makes you acceptable to God?

Contrary to modern day, apostate christianity these things will not gain you access into the Wedding Feast. In fact these things are called iniquity by Jesus Christ; “ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:23). What??? How can that be?? Aren't we supposed to do these things??? Yes, but there's more.

For many are called, but few are chosen (Matt. 22:14).

This sums up the parable that Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God, but leaves us with a couple of questions... What does it mean to be chosen? What was the wedding garment the man was missing and how can I be sure that I have one on when I appear before the King?



THE GARMENT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - BEING CHOSEN


So, now we know that there is nothing that we can do that will “clothe” us and make us right before God. There is no "religious" works that could ever make us acceptable enough to come to His Wedding Feast.

But wait a minute….That’s not bad news, but good news! Halleluiah! God, Himself has provided clothing for the feast!

Let's first start by looking at the father of the faithful, Abraham. God called Him out of his own country and gave him a promise that He would inherit a land and that his seed, which would be as the stars of the heaven and the sand on the sea shore in number, would possess it. Abraham left his house based on that promise.

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable (Heb. 11:8-12).

Abraham's faith was released toward God after he spoke His Word of Promise to him. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness (Rom. 4:20-22).

Abraham's faith was strong as he gave glory to God. How did he give glory to God in his life? In vs. 21 we see a core issue in the inner workings of Abraham. We see his true stability in a very basic belief that caused him to give God glory.

What was it? The belief that God is the Absolute Sovereign! He was fully persuaded and convinced that GOD WAS ABLE TO PERFORM WHAT HE HAD PROMISED.

Abraham's faith was not in himself to bring forth the the will of God. He let the responsibility rest with the One that made the promise. His focus and attention was on God's ability as a Sovereign ruler of the universe to bring to pass what He said.

He didn't always have this knowledge though. If we study the life of Abraham we will see that he was severely tested and didn't always pass the test. He wasn't perfect. At one point in his life he even fell away and tried to fulfill God's will himself by having a child with his wife's maid. What?? The father of the faithful fell away?? YEP! Just as every servant of God that is called and chosen will do!

Through all of this God never says that Abraham lost his position or promise...but only continues to teach him about His Sovereignty. He teaches him time and again that one truth. GOD IS SOVERIGN AND IS ABLE TO DO WHAT HE SAID HE WOULD DO. To believe this is the righteousness of faith. Abraham, through his failures looked beyond himself. Through his tests and trials he learned to trust in the Sovereignty of God. God was the Author of his life and there wasn't anything that Abraham could do to stop the purpose of God from coming forth! This caused him to give glory to God! Halleluiah!

God is able to fulfill His promises regardless of our failures. In the place of failure and having walked away from God, trying to provide our own "righteousness" in whatever form, is the exact place that God chooses his servants to become sons.

The called become chosen in this place because the nature of God as a Sovereign Father is revealed. We become his friends.

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God (Jms. 2:23).

But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend (Isa. 41:8).

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained (Gk. - placed in a humble broken state of being) you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you (Jn. 15:15-16).

When the Father reveals Himself to you it is the time of choosing. He only chooses those that have been called and broken from their false concepts and "religious" notions that they can somehow bring forth the will of God in the earth by some formula of “self will”. Nope!

God is Sovereign and as we shall see He will send us through firey trial after firey trial to purify us of this horrible concept of "self will".

God is the Author and HE ALONE is able to fulfill His Word! A knowledge of this Sovereignty is the first step in being clothed with "a wedding garment" of righteousness that is acceptable to God.

ARE YOU CHOSEN?


Let me ask you, have you ever tried to do good "religious works" and tried to be accepted by God on that basis? Are you still trusting in your ability to do certain "religious" observances and practices to make you more spiritual? Have you failed God yet? Have you been through the fire of testing that yields the knowledge that you are totally lost without God's sovereignty overruling your failures? Or, do you think that tithing, fasting, praying, going to “church”, etc., etc. is enough to make you acceptable with God? AWAKE!






BEING TAUGHT IN THE FIRE


I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent (Rev. 3:18-19).

These are the words of Jesus Christ. In this passage we are told that He has something for us to learn and to gain from Him that can only be found in the FIRE: gold which represents our faith being purified, eyesalve which represents true vision, and white raiment (a robe or a garment) which represents righteousness. In this study we will only deal with the clothing, the robe of righteousness.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Rev.19:7-8).

Here we can see clearly that the clothing on the bridal saints, those that will be united to Jesus Christ forever, is a clean, white linen representing righteousness. This righteousness is only given to those who hear the voice of Jesus. As we have seen Abraham was counted righteous because he HEARD the voice of God and believed Him.

The voice of Jesus is calling out to us today; He's standing and knocking at the door with counsel for us. There is something that He wants to teach us and that we must learn before we are able to enter the marriage feast of union with Him. This something is only found IN THE FIRE. That's where the counsel of Jesus is -IN THE FIRE-; that's where righteousness is given as a garment -IN THE FIRE-; that’s where the called become the chosen - IN THE FIRE-.

Just what exactly does “in the fire” mean?? Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction (Isa. 48:10).

The fire of affliction, pain and suffering, the fire of tests and trials of our faith. Tests and trials that are beyond our control; beyond our "free will"; beyond our ability to resist or understand except in the light of God's purpose in conforming us into the image of His Son. And in the fire He is trying to speak to us.

Have you been going through tests and trials?? If so, listen for the voice of Jesus....These tests were designed and ordained by the Hand of God in love for As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent (Rev.3:19).



GOD’S CHOSEN SON(S)


God does his choosing in the fires of affliction. He is looking to see if you will listen to His voice. Will you listen? His love has sent this judgment. His love has sent this test!

What?? Would God really send me through all of these problems? I thought that it was the devil doing all this stuff to me! NOPE! The devil can only do what God ordains and instructs him to do to fulfill His purpose in bringing many sons to maturity. Every good father corrects and trains their children. When God does this training it is called chastening.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons (Heb. 12:2-8).

If you endure chastening then and ONLY then will God deal with you as a son. Look at the life of Jesus Christ...This is the life of God's Son lived out before our very eyes. God scourges (whips, beats) EVERY son whom he receives.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Heb. 5:8).

How did Jesus learn to obey?? He learned the things which He suffered. When he was lied about, He suffered and learned. When He was despised and rejected, He suffered and learned. When He was betrayed, He suffered and learned. When He was beaten bloody, He suffered and learned. When they pulled His beard out, He suffered and learned. When they put a crown of thorns on His head and beat Him with reeds, He suffered and learned. When they spit in His face and pierced His hands and feet to the cross, He suffered and learned. When they taunted Him and gambled for His clothes, He suffered and learned.

What did He learn?? I mean, what could someone possibly learn from such a horrific, humiliating death? He learned obedience! He fully manifested His Sonship. He was clothed with a right relationship (righteousness) with the Father. He learned to listen to the Fathers voice and to trust in Him alone as the Absolute Sovereign of His life.

For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1Pet. 2:19-25).



GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER EVIL IN THE LIFE OF HIS SON(S)


Tell me, WHO BRUISED (killed) JESUS? Was it the devil? And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel (GEN. 3:15). Or, was it God the Father? Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand (Isa. 53:10).

It was both! God used the evil in the enemy to bring forth His purpose. It was the Father's pleasure to allow Jesus to be crucified in the flesh so that He might bring forth the manifestation of His glory in resurrection power. Jesus was clothed in righteousness. He understood the purpose for evil; and in His apparent submission to evil He conquered it. He learned. He obeyed.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities (Isa. 53:11).

By the knowledge that Jesus has He is able to bring many (Gk. = the populated multitude) into righteousness. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings (Heb. 2:10).

This knowledge that Jesus had (God’s sovereignty over evil) is the same knowledge that He comes to counsel us with IN THE FIRE! Nowhere else will you find the Son of God choosing and justifying. All righteousness begins here with revelation and an accurate understanding of the character and nature of God as ABSOLUTE SOVEREIGN! Evil doesn't have power over His sons, but must submit to the purpose of God and work to bring forth His will in conforming us to the image of Jesus Christ.

Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:33-39).

In Jesus Christ nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God that will test us, try us, and purge us from everything that is not His voice. Many are called into this high calling of God in Jesus Christ, but few are chosen.

God chooses in the fire. God always, and I mean always brings His chosen THROUGH the fires of affliction so that the righteousness of the Son can be brought forth in their lives!

The righteousness of the Son is that He listens to the Father and obeys His Will in love and trust based on His knowledge of God's sovereignty. The knowledge of God's sovereignty over evil, yeah in fact, creating and using evil to bring forth His Life in us is a marvelous treasure; for in this knowledge lies the mystery of His manifest righteousness in His sons.


For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (2Cor. 4:6-11).



Can you hear His counsel?


Can you hear His voice? Can you hear Him call out to you in the midst of the flames of troubles, and tribulations in your life? He is calling...He has counsel for you...He has sent these tribulations to actually promote you! He has sent these tribulations to promote His life in you! All sons partake of chastening. And these firey tests are righteous. They are sent to bring forth His Life in you and to clothe you with His righteousness.

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer (2Thess. 1:4-5).

And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God (Zech. 13:9).

All of God's chosen will be tried just as gold is tried - IN THE FIRE. In the fire you can call upon God and he will hear you. He's been waiting. He's ordained it. He has prepared this fire with you in mind and has something to show you!

Can you hear His voice? You can trust Him in the fire! What?? How can I really trust God in this fire? How can I know that through this test and firey trial that God will be there with me? I tell you a truth, God is nowhere else other than IN THE FIRE.....

For our God is a consuming fire (Heb. 12:29).

Our God is the consuming fire. Our God ordained this test for you!! Can you hear His voice?

The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts (PR. 17:3).

The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? (Isa. 33:14).

For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many (Isa. 66:16).

God pleads with us by His fire and His sword, His presence and Word. The Lord is pleading with you now! He is knocking at the door. He has something to say. He wants to counsel you, to reveal Himself to you and clothe you in His righteousness so that the shame of your nakedness doesn't appear.
He is choosing among His called in this hour. He is calling among His chosen. Can you hear His voice?

But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (1Cor. 11:32).

Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it (Ps. 94:12-14).

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed (Heb 12:11-13).

God's goal is healing, maturity, and manifestation of his righteous sons in the earth. This starts with a clear understanding of His Sovereignty (His control and oversight of everything and every event in the universe). In His Sovereignty He has called us and through the firey trials that He sends, he chooses to reveal His character and nature as a Father bringing forth sons into His glory. In His sovereignty He uses evil to accomplish this task.




























THE SIFTING (part 3)
Man's wrath vs. God's righteousness


For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (Jms. 1:20).

In this one simple verse of scripture we are able to see a clear line drawn between two totally distinct beings; man and God. In this verse we see the totality of what man can bring forth of himself without the Life of the Son inside, wrath. Anger, excited passion based in the carnal nature of fallen man trying to make sense of and control his life and environment.

The limited mind of man cannot even grasp the biological miracle of breathing, much less understand his reason for existing, or even more so, what to do with his existence. Natural man, without the Life of the Son of God inside cannot make sense of the seemingly chaotic universe in which they live. There is no real purpose for the tests, trials and sufferings of this life. There is no vision in them beyond their present circumstance. Oh, they may dull the pain in self deception in one form or another, but at the root is a person that is not in control and is angry about it.

This is the heart of the issue of anger -CONTROL. Regardless of what all the popular magazines and TV shows tell us, man is not the author of his destiny. God alone is Sovereign! God alone rules over the farthest reaches of this universe in its’ vast expanse of space and yet the tiniest atom exists only by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3). GOD IS IN CONTROL!
GOD RESISTS THE PROUD IN HEART


Mankind in his natural state is self centered, focused on the needs, desires and demands of oneself. All his perceptions are tainted because of this. And when he doesn't get what he wants, and can't control a situation, he gets angry.

This wrath, anger of man, trying to control, cannot work the righteousness of God. As we shall see, God has provided a way for us to be delivered and decentralized from self, so that we can work (manifest) His righteousness.

The first step in that direction is again a revelation of the Sovereignty of God. A brokenness that comes after continual self effort to "be in control" only to fail again, is fundamentally vital in this revelation of the One who is in control.

God wants to clothe us with His righteousness (a right relationship with Him), and fill us with His peace, but we must acknowledge that we need to learn about His Sovereignty and how all the suffering of this age fits into His plan. Suffering without purpose produces wrath and anger in man, but in the knowledge of God's righteousness we can understand and make sense of all that comes our way in this life, especially suffering.

Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble (Jms. 4:6b).





DISCRETION


The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression (Pr. 19:11).

Discretion is translated in other places in the scripture as wisdom, or knowledge. And the word glory has behind it the meaning of "an ornament", beauty, honor and majesty. This verse tells us that there is a certain wisdom and a certain knowledge that will defer the anger and wrath of man, and that when man has this knowledge and learns to pass over the transgressions and sins of others it will "hang" upon our lives as an ornament.
This knowledge will adorn (add an ornament onto) us with beauty, honor and majesty instead of the carnal anger and wrath of man.

He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly (Pr. 14:29).

So, what is this understanding that we must have? What is this knowledge that will deliver us from the deception of being in control and the anger that comes with it, and bring us into the freedom of being "adorned" with the honor and majesty of God? What is this wisdom that we must have to come into God's righteousness and be able to make sense of all the suffering of this present age?





THE ORNAMENT OF KNOWING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY


For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously (1Pet. 2:19-23).

The word thankworthy in these verses carries basically the same meaning as our previous word 'glory', meaning "an ornament" of beauty, honor, majesty and favor. To endure grief and suffering in this life, while keeping a clear conscience before God, adds an "ornament" to our lives. It is acceptable with God that we suffer according to His purpose in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus suffered, He didn't respond in the flesh. He had no spirit of retaliation and anger that comes from self-justification. He did not threaten to get even with those that were murdering Him. Why not? Was He powerless to do so? Definitely not! He had wisdom, he had this knowledge of God's Sovereignty.

:by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities (Isa. 53:11b).

In the knowledge of the father's sovereignty (that God sees all and He alone is Judge), Jesus Christ was able to submit to a horrible tribulation of mocking, beating and crucifixion. This is supernatural! This is the "ornament" of God's favor upon Him.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (Jn. 10:17-18).

With the knowledge of the Father's Sovereignty, Jesus was able to lay His Life down. This is "thankworthy". This knowledge allowed Him to forgive and pass over the transgressions of the ones persecuting and killing Him. He didn't seek to avenge Himself, but committed Himself to the One who judges righteously. Jesus stayed conscious of the Father as the Absolute SOVEREIGN RULER and submitted to evil and suffering as part of God's will in bringing forth His righteousness.

When we retaliate with wrath and anger towards those who hurt us, we cannot work the righteousness of God. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God (Jms. 1:20).

The righteousness of God = a right relationship with God based on an accurate understanding of His character and nature as Sovereign.

When we respond in the carnal nature of the wrath of man we lose the consciousness of God; we are no longer conscious of Him or His purpose. Only by understanding the sovereignty of God in our lives are we able to lay our lives down without anger and fleshly retaliation toward those that hurt us.

When we submit to the Father's Sovereignty in allowing what “seems to be” evil to come against us we are well on the pathway to understanding salvation. For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation (Ps. 149:4).

There is an "ornament" that comes on those that commit themselves to the One that judges righteously. There is a beauty on those who have come into the place of allowing God to work His purpose in their lives (knowing that he uses tests, trials, and suffering) to bring forth the Life of His Son in them.

Every time that we are falsely accused, slandered and suffer evil at the hands of others we can submit to the righteous judgment of God and understand that He will justify us.



NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US

God justifies his children by bringing forth the Life of His Son in them! The Life of the Son is one that looks to the Father and commits everything into His hands instead of reacting in carnal anger and retaliation. A son knows that he is not in control, but that his Father is in control and will train him unto maturity.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom. 8:16-19).

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:28-39).

When we love God and are called according to his purpose (to be conformed into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ), He will cause all things to work together for our good. That is, he will cause the evil of this present age to submit to His purpose of bringing many sons forth in glory.



THIS KNOWLEDGE WILL COST YOU EVERYTHING

The Sovereignty of God ensures us that NOTHING can stop the purpose of God from being accomplished! He ordains evil and suffering to accomplish his purpose!

This knowledge (of God's Sovereignty) releases joy in the midst of tribulation. In fact there is a sweet fellowship with the presence of God within us when we face persecution and difficult situations knowing that God's plan is perfect and will not fail.

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death (Phil. 3:8-10);

Paul, the Apostle, understood this knowledge. He left behind his carnal anger when he was called by Jesus Christ. He got a glimpse of the Sovereignty of God, and he changed from being a self righteous murderer into a child of God. He did the tally and counted up all that his life was worth before He knew of Jesus, and said that it was dung, refuse, a waste.

He let go of his anger and counted it as a loss in light of the Lordship of a Sovereign God. He could no longer justify himself with a set of rituals and commandments of obedience (which produced anger and frustration, because the law cannot be kept perfectly) in the light of Jesus Christ risen from the dead with True Authority over death and the grave.

The apostle, in receiving the knowledge of God's sovereignty, was able to understand the mystery of suffering and enter into a fellowship that was deeper and more real than the suffering itself.

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:6-11). Paul called this knowledge a treasure.

God's entire plan and purpose for the ages is to bring forth the life of His Son in the children that He created, and He does this through suffering and death.

No, your accuser doesn't have the final word - God alone is Judge! No, your employer, a thief, your wife (husband), the IRS, the police, your utility company, your landlord, the person that assaulted you, your religious affiliation, or the president do not have the final word in your life! God ALONE is Judge! And he ordains the tests and trials of this life to bring us into dependence on His Sovereignty; to bring us into a revelation of His authority over evil in the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ.

The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all (Ps. 34:18-19).

In the midst of brokenness we are delivered from the anger of our carnal nature. When we realize that we are not in control of our destiny, but our Heavenly Father is (and that he ordains evil to perfect his purpose in us), we learn to look to Him and commit our spirit into His hands.

We learn to trust Him as the Only righteous Judge and allow His process of bringing the carnal nature of man to death so that His new creation (His Son in us) can come forth.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed (Heb. 12:2-13).

Knowledge of this process brings true deliverance from the carnal wrath of man and brings us into a right relationship with God. We look unto Jesus and see the life of a righteous Son committing his Life into the hands of the Father and allowing evil to perfect him unto glory.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him (Heb. 5:8-9).

This path of suffering in this life is the ordained path for every son that God has. Because God loves us He allows evil of all kinds to come against us so that He can decentralize our focus from self and cause us to look to Him. Looking to Him is Real Life. Trying to justify ourselves is death!

If y0u endure this chastening by committing yourself to Him in the midst of the tests and trials of this age then God will deal with you as a son. He will put on you "an ornament" of the Life of His Son and we will manifest a right relationship with Him.

This is the righteousness of God manifest in our lives. His judgment on the anger and wrath of man is just! And His exaltation of those who look to Him for justification is just!

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together (Rom. 8:17). And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2:8-11).