Scripture reading: Psalm 15:2
It is not possible that Satan or his angels can work one ounce of righteousness. They can only do evil, they cannot do good. It is necessary to understand that two persons can do the same action, and yet one would be good and the other evil. Let us take an example: Two persons were anointed of God to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of these turned it into a big business, using the Gospel as his stock-in-trade in order to make millions, the other preached with no other desire than to please God and to do His perfect will. The difference between these two is Motive. Both were anointed of the Lord, and both preached, but one was using God while God was using the other. To one it was unrighteousness and to the other righteousness.
We see therefore that “working righteousness” is more than just doing works. There is a lot being done in the name of the Lord that is not in His nature. The word, “the name of the Lord”, is a specific phrase which means the Nature of God. I once heard a preacher say he would “buff someone in the name of the Lord”. That is an extreme case but I am sure we all have heard and seen such paradoxes.
Righteousness is the nature of God, it is not just works, but it must glorify God in intent and purpose and must be motivated of God himself. Sometimes we hear prophesies – “Thus saith the Lord,” but the Lord did not say; it was more like what someone thought the Lord should say. Speaking the name of Jesus or of the Godhead or of the Holy Ghost in itself is not sufficient evidence to classify the speaker as one working righteousness. We must then be careful of our motive in doing works.
It is sometimes very difficult to decide whether a prophecy is of God or not – but the deciding factor is whether it glorifies God or is leaning towards human glorification in its emphasis. In works of charity it is sometimes much easier to see a double motive or just Christ. If we should open a hospital as a work of God, it would have to be dedicated to the poor who have no money to pay for their care. If it must be financially profitable, then if could not be of God. To be of God it would have to be absolutely of faith. “Faith without works is dead”, but dead works are without faith.
We must remember that righteousness is the nature of God and must glorify God and be motivated of God.
(Excerpt from The Omega Message, August 1983)
Thought for today: Working righteousness is more than just doing works.
