The Cunning Temptation of Satan to Be Righteous
Contents
The cunning Satan who persuaded the first Adam's wife into transgression also tries to persuade the last Adam's wife to transgress again. If you are already in Christ through faith in the gospel, you are tempted to become righteous again even though Christ itself is the righteousness of God.
Already in the gospel, “the righteousness of God is revealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17). I'm trying to get you into a slump.
This is to induce those who are in Christ to betray their faith in the gospel by tempting them to become righteous again, so that they may fall into the eternal sin of disobeying the righteousness of God. The righteousness of man, that is, the righteousness in the law, does not submit to God's righteousness and only leads to destruction. It is the same as the evidence of the truth that it is written, “You who are seeking to be justified by the law have been cut off from Christ and have fallen from grace” (Galatians 5:4). They have not obeyed the righteousness of righteousness” (Romans 10:3).
Regarding Satan's deceitful temptation to justify, the Bible says, "If we try to be justified in Christ and appear as sinners, is Christ the one who causes us to sin? (Galatians 2:17-18).
If you are in Christ, you are clothed with Christ, and the garments of Christ are the garments of God's righteousness. Only the shield of faith can resist the temptations of Satan who attack against the righteousness of faith.
For this reason, the Bible testifies, "Above all things, taking the shield of faith, by which you are able to quench all the spears of the wicked, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:16-17).
The temptation to be justified in Christ has led many to retreat and fall into ruin. But the children who are awake in the word of faith and have received the love of God are protected by the one who has been born of God, and the evil one cannot touch them. Therefore, it is written, “We are not of those who retreat back and fall into destruction, but of those who have faith to the salvation of souls” (Hebrews 10:39).
The Bible testifies about God's righteousness, saying, "God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
God's righteousness must be fulfilled only in me, that is, in Christ. Anyone who does not become the righteousness of God cannot dwell in the new heavens and new earth. It is the same as the words of the testimony, which are written, “According to his promise, we look forward to new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13).
For this reason, the Bible says, “You are of God and are in Christ Jesus, who came from God to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that as it is written, He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord. ’ (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
According to the testimony, Jesus came from God and became to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, there can never be another wisdom, another righteousness, another holiness, and another redemption.
If there is another righteousness in Christ, it will be another Jesus, another Spirit, another gospel. It is Satan who can pretend to be Jesus and another Jesus. It is written, “It is no wonder that Satan also disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not a great thing for Satan’s servants to disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, but in the end they will be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:2). 14-15) It is the same as the words of evidence.
There is no other righteousness than Christ. That is why we will always pray, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Thy are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen)" (Matthew 6:13). Thank you Lord.