Keep Your Robe Spotless White

 

        

The little white ermine in his spotless coat permits nothing to soil it. Hunters, well acquainted with this fact, take unsportsmanlike advantage of him. They do not set traps but daub filth within and around the entrance of his home.  As the dogs are loosened and the chase begins, the little animal turns to his one place of refuge. But on seeing the filth, turns to face the yelping dogs, thinking it is better to be stained by blood than soil his white coat.

On the road to Damascus (Acts 9), Paul gave his life to Jesus. As a result he lost his prestigious religious position and other things. In 2 Corinthians 11: 23-27, he gives a list of the problems he had encountered since that day. Some years later he is writing the book of Philippians from a Roman prison. After years of experience, what does he now think about his decision? He wrote, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ...that I may gain (win) Christ and be found in Him” (Phil. 3:8).

 A runner at the Olympic Games strained every nerve to win the race and gain an earthly crown whose glory was short-lived (1 Cor. 9:24-27). Paul compares his Christian life to a race and he says “I do not run aimlessly”. He has a prize to win; he is ready to lose everything, strain and discipline his body, in order to “gain Christ and be found in Him”. Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ, is life eternal (John 17:3). Such a prize is worth all the effort.

To gain Christ means to become completely united with Him. To be found in him (Christ) points to the closest possible union between Christ and the believer. This truth is beautifully expressed in Paul's declarations "for to me, to live is Christ” (Phil 1:21); “it is no longer l who live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20); in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17: 27-28).

One day Jesus said to his disciples “in a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know I am in my father and you in me and I in you...If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:18-23) Believers are intertwined in an eternal, unbreakable covenant bond of love with Christ.

Paul’s desire was that when he finally stands before the Great Judge of men, he will be found in Christ, clothed in his righteousness, faultless to stand before his throne.  In 1 Corinthians 9:27 he says “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”. Paul the great Apostle disqualified? After all the sacrifice he made and his great achievement?

Paul knew and he wanted us to know that it was not enough to start a race, finish successfully was most important. One can get disqualified in the course or at the end of the race. Ecclesiastes 7: 8 says “the end of the matter is better than the beginning”. Paul wants to ensure that he completes his spiritual race successfully. His advice is “run in such a way as to get a prize” (1 Cor. 9:24). Don’t run aimlessly, train, be focused and stick to the rules.

Our motivation towards hard work and godly living is our expectation of Jesus return and an eternal life in Heaven. Peter writes that we should live in a state of preparation. Our priority must be to make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him (2 Peter 3:14).

 As AMPC Bible version puts it, our aim should be that when Jesus returns for us, he will finds us Justified, made upright and in right standing with God (Rom 3:24); Dead to sin and our relation to it broken but alive to God, living in an unbroken fellowship with him (Rom 6:11); Consecrated, purified and made Holy in him (1Cor 1:2); Faultless and irreproachable in his presence (Col 1:22).

There is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins (Ec. 7:20). All our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away (Isaiah 64:6). The human approach is to either ignore sin or to justify ourselves by rationalizing that we are as good or even better than others.

However, God does not ignore or rationalize concerning sin. The wages of sin is eternal death. There is only one way to maintain a right standing before God. When we sin, we must confess our sins; He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Though our sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (Isa. 1:18).

David faltered in many ways, he lied, committed adultery and murdered. Why then did God say that he had found in him “a man after my own heart” (1 Sam, 13:14). Even though David committed many sins, whenever he sinned he would go before God. And in great honesty and brokenness he would repent. Psalm 51, his prayer of repentance after sinning with Bathsheba, gives us an example of how he did this.

The thought of being thrown out of God’s presence was dreadful. Was there a possibility that this great man could have been cast out of God’s presence if he had not repented? Yes, God is not a respecter man (Acts 10:34). He does not ignore or change his standards for anyone. Paul feared disqualification and David feared being thrown out of God’s presence. These were great men; we need to learn a lesson from them.

God forgave David of all his sins but not without a high price. For example, the prophecy “The sword shall never depart from your house” (2 Samuel 12:10) was literally fulfilled. God always disciplines his children when they sin (Heb 12:5-11). Chastening yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness but it can be very painful (Heb. 12:11). When we sin we should cry to God forgiveness. His compassion never fail; they are new every morning (Lam 3:22-23).

However it’s best to stay away from sin. Walk in the way of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous (Prov. 2:20). God is righteous; his right hand is filled with righteousness (Psalm 48:10). Everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him (1 John 2:29). No one who lives in Him keeps on sinning; no one who continues to sin has either seen Him or known Him. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous (1 John 3:6-7).

In Psalm 24:3-5 David asks “Who may stand in His (God) holy place? he who has clean hands and a pure heart. He shall receive blessings and righteousness from the God of his salvation”. If you are born again, you have received righteousness from the God of your salvation. He has clothed you with garments of salvation. He has covered you with the robe of righteousness (Isa. 61:10-11).

Paul’s heart’s desire and prayers for the Israelites was that they may be saved. They were zealous for God, but their zeal was not based on knowledge.  Since they did not know the righteousness of God they sought to establish their own; they did not submit to God’s righteousness. The righteousness that is by faith says: The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart” (Rom.10). Do you know the righteousness of God or are you clothed in your own that will not be accepted on the day of Christ?

The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way (Prov. 11:5). God says “Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the Lord until He comes to showers his righteousness on you (Hosea 10:12). Pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace (2 Tim 2:22). For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men (Rom 14:17-18).

God has given these wonderful promises to those who will live a righteous life- Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless (Prov. 13:6). Ill gotten treasures have no lasting value but righteousness delivers from death (Prov. 10:2). He who is steadfast in righteousness will attain to life (Prov. 11:18-19). And the work of righteousness shall be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever (Isa. 32:17).

He who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall (Mal 4:2). He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain and shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who shuts his eyes from looking upon evil; He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given him, His water will be sure (Isa. 33:15-16). How blessed are those who keep justice, who practice righteousness at all times! (Ps.106:3).