The wrath of God brings demise to all creation. Creation includes both mankind and the one that is kept under their authority. Sin and its entities bring forth the wrath of God. Perhaps the simplest way of describing sin is working against the ordinances of God. Any work that does not comply with the righteousness of God is sin. Christians of all must be most aware of it. Their unrighteousness can never demonstrate the righteousness of God. And, the God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous. So, how does one do works that comply with His righteousness? It is simple; he or she must obey every word that comes from Him. The godly people of former times truly had this judgment in them when they said, “Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, so that there will not be wrath against the kingdom of the king and his sons” (Ezra. 7:23).
Many have become averse to the things that were written in the aforetimes. They assume them as non-essential. On the contrary, they are the school master to those who seek to understand Christ. He who understands and embraces them greatly realizes who or what Jesus is to them. They realize that He is the God that came to be with them. But if one ignores the school master and still professes to know Him, he or she is everything, but wise. They do not know the intricate details of sin that causes wrath. Therefore, in their ignorance they continue to do works that do not display the righteousness of God. They suffer in quite a few ways. Still, they regard and profess their sufferings as glory to God. Who is being deceived? Not God and not those who display His righteousness, but they themselves. The wrath of God not only has the power to destroy instantly the men of unrighteousness, but also has the mighty power to punish them to make them a by word and a proverb to the nations.
If the Law and the prophets have become essential for Israel to be led to Christ, it cannot be that the rest should be averse to them. For by them God called Israel to be His light to the nations; without them Christ, by whom we see God, would not be known to us. The Spirit of Christ also informs the churches the importance of the things written in earlier times. He again elsewhere indicates through Paul that no Scripture is short of being inspired by God. For what did He say through Ezra, the priest? Every word commanded by God must be performed with zeal for the house of the God of heaven to escape His wrath. In the Scripture lies the secret of displaying the righteousness of God through us. When we understand the power existing in it, i.e. the Spirit of Christ, we receive the word from it at its relevance to us or receive what God inspires us to realize from it. Let it be known to the churches that the God of the people of the former times is no different from the God of Christ by whom they are His sons. Then, they will understand His nature, power and works, and live. “For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion” (Eccl. 9:4).
But if they do not understand the power of the Scripture, though they profess to be the kingdom of His Son and to be His sons, they will face His wrath. To have hope is to be one with all the living by displaying God’s righteousness. What good are the wisdom, knowledge and the brain power of the men of the churches when they do not recognize the Scripture born of the Spirit? (For the Scripture is the source to have an intimate relationship with God). They are as good as the power of a dead lion. Their fierceness is laid waste before the living, which they regard as the weak. It has become non-essential to God. Everyone that works by the ordinances of God are essential to Him and He shall add them to His living. But when men bring their intellectual capacities of the flesh before God, they are, in reality, waging war against Him. What is the outcome? Wrath of God. It is for this reason Jesus said to the unbelieving Jews that tax collectors and prostitutes will enter God’s kingdom before them. The Christians that recognize the Scripture by understanding its relevance to them receive a blessing from God. “For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, So that they will be mentioned by their names no more” (Hos. 2:17).
For it is only by this blessing that men and women are made better than the dead power of the intellectual. Then, they effortlessly overcome the churches and their men that are walking according to the world. When God has fulfilled His promise of removing all uncleanness from you, there is nothing that will stop you from displaying His righteousness. Since you receive from Him, or to be precise, since He guides you intimately, you cannot do anything that is against His ordinances. You will be called by the names that are born of righteousness. This is by the sanctification of the Spirit of Christ that inspired the Scripture. God changes the perception of people toward you. He tunes their senses to acknowledge your transformation. They marvel at your change and begin to accept your reasoning for sanctification, “because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them” (Rom. 1:19).
They will know about God through you and it will be evident in them. Each time they see you or meet you the God in you and His works toward you will reflect on them. They will see the things pertaining to the nature of God; God makes it evident to them. You become the mirror that reflects God. This is a result of your transformation by sanctification. And, it is the work of the Scripture inspired by the Spirit of Christ. You become a vessel for God to display His power; therefore, you display His righteousness. He displays His power by the works He gives you. As peculiar as they at times may seem to those observing you, because of the fruit they produce they become to them a source to believe in God. This fruit to them is the knowledge of God. What they have seen they cannot reject, though some may choose to ignore it. What then shall we conclude? That he who receives knowledge and believes will display God’s righteousness and he who does not believe shall receive His wrath. And as for you, you are on course for the imperishable prize. So, Paul by the Spirit encouraged Christians saying, “and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake” (Phile. 1:6).
It is obligatory that the people hearing or seeing you come to the knowledge, which is the success of the fellowship of your faith. Such knowledge is only possible when you understand the Scripture’s relevance to you. Relevance of the Scripture gives you the faith that provides the knowledge of every good thing. As you grow in faith it increases your knowledge of good things. Not all works are bad. Yet, they all do not profit. Especially, some works give you honor, but may not give glory to Christ. So, if you have faith to glorify Christ, let it be known by the works God inspired you to realize from the Scripture. Then, you are indeed called to display His righteousness to glorify Christ. His works are unique, though they may seem customary. They maintain their uniqueness, as they reach fulfillment by the power that is not of this world. Because of such power, none can regard them as non-essential. In fact, men will seek to imitate your faith that they too may obtain the knowledge of good things.
For the Lord God began calling men through the Scripture that men may imitate them to know Him. And, He appointed leaders, priests, kings, prophets and now the whole administration of the church. He began placing in them the knowledge of Him and displayed His righteousness in them to bring many more sons to Him. In doing so, He not only brings many sons to Him, but also resolves or seeks an occasion to bring His wrath upon the unbelieving and the unrepentant. For He says, “‘And just as He called and they would not listen, so they called and I would not listen,’ says the LORD of hosts” (Zech. 7:13). The time of their realization went past His patience.
Nevertheless, this curse changes or will be nullified in those that see and believe the reflection of God in you. Or, to be accurate, you can avert this curse in many people’s lives for a blessing, if you display His righteousness. For the power that works in you through the Scripture will make evident to them the true God. Then, you truly serve the God of Christ. Many Christians are living as if the end will not be near. This is hazardous to their soul. The only way they shed their foolishness is when they see God’s righteousness working in you. His righteousness gives you the power of His Spirit to convince them of sin, righteousness and justice. They shall realize the effort that God has put in to save them. Many will be saved by the mercy of the Lord; as for you, a vessel for God’s glory, your joy and blessings will be untold. And the Scripture that is inspired by the Spirit of Christ is not broken. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jer. 1:5).