Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high (Hebrews 1:3).
To understand what sin is, you must first understand the nature of God and His righteousness. God is holy and absolutely righteous. His nature is righteousness. His nature of righteousness distinguishes Him as perfect, infallible, inerrant, just, and good.
God reveals and demonstrates His righteousness to man through His words and acts of love. Sin, therefore, as taught by Jesus, is any act or deliberate thought that contravenes His righteousness as revealed in the Scriptures.
Good or evil, right or wrong, are judged by the very nature of God. You can’t tell what is good or evil, right or wrong, except by the nature of God. That’s why judgment cannot be left to society, as it constantly changes. For instance, society may claim that certain lifestyles or practices are right. But their conscience tells them it’s wrong, yet they attempt to suppress that voice. The conscience is the voice of the human spirit, and when they ignore it, they carry a burdened and dirty conscience for a long time. Some, sadly, even die in that state.
The nature of God is the standard for judging good or evil, right or wrong. To express righteousness and goodness, God reveals His nature and will to men. Therefore, righteousness is the expression of the will and nature of the Father. This simple yet extraordinarily profound definition encapsulates all the other definitions of righteousness. Our righteousness, therefore, is our expression of the will and nature of the Father.
This is exactly what Jesus came to do: to express the will and nature of the Father. The word “express” means to show, evince, manifest, articulate, and demonstrate. Hebrews 1:3 declares Jesus as the express image of the Father—the perfect imprint and character of the Father. He gave perfect expression to the will and nature of the Father.
Likewise, God’s plan and purpose for us is to give expression to the will and nature of the Father. This is true righteousness. Imagine if you lived your life giving expression to the will and nature of the Father everywhere and in all matters and events. What a ministry. What a life! Make these your cogitations. Hallelujah!
Prayer / Confession
Dear Father, I thank you for revealing your nature and will to me through your Word and your acts of love. I’m the expression of your righteousness, giving perfect demonstration to your will and nature in all I do. By the power of your Spirit, I walk in alignment with your purpose, manifesting your glory and righteousness to my world, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further study
2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 1:3 AMPC; 1 John 4:17
1-year bible reading plan
Luke 2:21-52; Deuteronomy 13-15
2-year bible reading plan
Matthew 24:12-22; Exodus 28
