The Cross, The Church, and the Kingdom # 44

The Triumph of Righteousness (continued)

Now we shall pursue that in an inward way again - as to what it means; but this time, on the other side of righteousness. You notice that we read: "Of the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God ..." Do not draw mechanical lines between the kingdom of the Son of God's love and the kingdom of God. It is the same thing in meaning and value and effect. "Delivered us out of the power (authority) of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of His love" (Col. 1:13). What kingdom is that? "Thy throne, O God," He saith of the Son, "is forever and ever" - an everlasting kingdom: the same phrase as is used in the Old Testament of the kingdom of the Most High God (Daniel 4:3). "The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee..."

Righteousness the Expression of the Righteous One

Now, if the kingdom of satan is based upon sin, and if sin is what we have said it is - rebellion, perversity, with all its outworking: pride: self in all its forms; unto enmity against God, separation from God, and utter impotence and helplessness to redeem itself - if that is the basis of the kingdom of satan, then the kingdom of God is based on righteousness; that is, upon that which is exactly the opposite of sin. If satan is the embodiment of sin, then Christ must be the embodiment of righteousness, when rightly understood. The point is that it is something personal, not abstract or something in itself. Do not talk about sin as some abstract thing. Sin is the expression of a person. satan is sin, and all that emanates from him is sin. In like manner, Christ is righteousness,and the righteousness which is of God is Christ, Who is made unto us from God righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30). He is "the righteous One" (Acts 3:14). It is personal. We need to say that and emphasize it, so that we shall not get any kind of mentality that we are dealing with things. We are dealing ultimately with persons, and therefore with kingdoms. Oh both sides it resolves itself into "Who?" not "What." Who is going to have the kingdom?

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 45)