Thursday, August 17, 2017

Eternal Fire Protection – Part 2 – God’s Righteousness


Isaiah 25:7-8 “And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.”

COntinuing Michael's message: Two things shall be swallowed up. The first is the Vail that separates us from God. This is the shroud that covers up God's glory. “For who can endure the "everlasting glory of God's consuming fire?"  Psalm 24 says, the one that shall live and endure in the presence of God is "he that is righteous and walks in the way of the righteous."  The Vail that separates mankind is the grace and the mercy of God. Without the Vail all men would be consumed by the fire of God's glory.

Death is the second thing that will be swallowed up. Death and destruction is the result of sin. It causes "corruption" in this world. Without the covering of death, we would face the fire of God's glory without a "Vail." We can either be prepared or unprepared for the fire. We need to change our works from (figurative) combustible material: wood, hay, and stubble, to incombustible material:  gold, silver, and precious stones. Therefore, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, our robe of righteousness. Clothed in His righteousness we are protected from the consuming fire of God's glory. Death to the old nature of sin, and death gives us the opportunity to be clothed in the robes of the righteousness of Christ.  

The decision to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will allow us into God's eternity. For the old nature of sin and death was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live (in the Spirit,) yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the one who loved me and gave himself for me – Galatians 2:20The conclusion of Hebrews 12 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

The lyric to a great hymn says, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand ... Clothed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne!" Praise the Lord!

May God richly bless you,
Your brother in Christ, Michael

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