We must understand through Godly wisdom,
that righteousness administered through a human, is a figment of our imagination. According to the Word of God, no man or woman is in a position to judge sin. The Word says, “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ.” Romans 3:22-24 In Psalm 14, verse 1-3, David said, “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Genesis Chapter 18 speaks to the level of sin that has risen up to a completely Just God. Instead of bringing a flood, or taking away a common tongue, like in the days of Noah or Pigsah, the Lord brought fire down. After the three men, who came from Heaven, finished communing with Abraham, they looked down toward Sodom. The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised.” The Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know. The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord.” Then Abraham approached and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” Abraham proceeded with his plea. “What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?” In this moment, the Lord showed grace, because He once told Job, who was “the most righteous” - “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him? Let him who accuses God answer Him!” Job 40:2 The Lord said to Abraham, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Then Abraham spoke up again. “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” The Lord responded, “If I find forty-five there, I will not destroy it.” Once again Abraham spoke to Him, “What if only forty are found there?” The Lord said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.” Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” The Lord answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” The Lord said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.” Then Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” The Lord answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.” When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.” Genesis 18:16-33 It's hard to believe the Lord entertained Abraham's questions for so long! Abraham, like Jacob, all of us, wrestle with the Lord. Those who remain and see God face to face, have their life spared. Is it not the same question we have today. How could a good God execute His judgment, on humans? Humans whom we believe are morally just, and full of righteousness, in our eyes? As we know, the scripture says no one is righteous - not Abraham, Sarah, Issac or Jacob. Not Moses, Aaron, Joshua or Caleb. Not even the virgin Mary, the one who gave birth to God's son. The only thing that saves these men and women from the eternal grave is their faithfulness. “And it was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.” Romans 4:13 “Without weakening in his faith, Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about 100 years old - and Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness - for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:19-25 Let us remember how the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said, “Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Would you discredit my justice? Would you condemn me to justify yourself? Do you have an arm like God’s, and can your voice thunder like his? Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor, and clothe yourself in honor and majesty. Unleash the fury of your wrath, look at all who are proud and bring them low, look at all who are proud and humble them, crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the dust together; shroud their faces in the grave. Then I myself will admit to you that your own right hand can save you.” Job 40:6-14 The fact that we live today, and continue to take physical breath, shows how much God loves us. We are not the creator. We are the creation - completely unjustifed - except by faith in Jesus Christ that God counts as righteousness.
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