Sabbath: The Blessings of the Righteous
Read for This Week’s Study: Proverbs 10:1–14, Matt. 19:19, Proverbs 11:1-12:28, John 3:16, Proverbs 13:1-35.
Memory Text: Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but violence covers the mouth of the wicked
(Proverbs 10:6, NKJV).
As the title suggests, this lesson looks at the blessings of the righteous. The Hebrew wordzaddiq, for righteous,
is the key word in our texts. Zedeq (also translated justice
), from which it is derived, appears in the introduction of the whole book: The proverbs of Solomon . . . to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice [zedeq] . . .
(Prov. 1:1–3). What the book of Proverbs is telling us is that wisdom is righteousness, and righteousness
means to walk according to God’s commands — to walk in faith and obedience to what the Lord has called us to be and to do. Righteousness is a gift, one that comes from God. The opposite is folly and unfaithfulness. Wisdom is justice, or righteousness; folly is sin and wickedness — and in the verses we will study, the contrast between them is stark.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 31.
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With so many competing ideas in our world where does the Righteous look to find wisdom or truth or righteousness? Can they seek wisdom where there appears to be blessings, such as economic prosperity or social advancement?
Wisdom or truth has one source – God. However truth is expressed through various avenues. By contemplating the life of Christ we behold truth in practice (John 14:6). And by prayerfully and earnestly studying scripture we receive truth and its sanctifying effects (John 17:17).
We understand also that the Holy Spirit impresses the mind with truth (John 16:13). The same Spirit who inspired the prophets of old (2 Peter 1:21) also inspired the end-time prophet, EGW. So through the testimonies of spirit of prophecy we may perceive truth. As well the Holy Spirit speaks through other messengers in sermons and even in a blog discussion.
How then do we identify the righteous avenues? We test them for consistency with the sure word (2 Peter 1:19). Blessings may at times be counterfeited, having its source in the enemy of souls, or they might be simply misread. However if wisdom or truth is sought first the appropriate blessings will follow, and they will probably bear resemblance to the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22, 23).
Hello everyone,
On the Sabbath afternoon part of this weeks lesson it says that, "Righteousness is a gift, one that comes from God."
Could someone please help me elaborate on this particular phrase
Thanks in Advance
We have no righteousness of our own and must be clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness. This happens when we surrender all to God acknowledging that when it come to sin, we cannot save ourselves. This is where justification comes in. Justification means "just-as-if-ication" meaning that when we accept Jesus as our Saviour we stand before God JUST AS IF we had never sinned! (see 2 Cor 5v21). Christ became sin for us so that in Him we might become His righteousness. This quote from Desire of Ages makes this point so clear:
"Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. “With His stripes we are healed.”{DA 25.2}"
Even more than this God after justifying us actually sanctifies us and this is a lifetime process where day by day we grow in righteousness and holiness becoming more like Jesus as we learn of Him daily. For this to happen we need to continue to choose Him (i.e. surrender anew to Him daily even moment by moment) just as we did when we first accepted Him as Saviour (see Col. 2v6) so that He can continue to lead us by the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome ALL our inherited and cultivated tendencies to evil.
Righteousness (justification and sanctification) therefore is indeed a gift from God.
I hope that helps! Stay blessed!
read colosians;2v1-9 treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Christ and the Father(v3)
it is true that sin deserves punishment.No sin is without penulty.Christ took upon himself the punishment of my sins which is non other death.He died in my place so that i should have life. he clothed me with the garment of his righteousness, a prerequisite of heavenly candidates.clothed in christ's righteousness i am fit for heaven.