LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
A Righteous Christian
Before one gets saved, he is dead in sins and transgressions. He knows nothing about righteousness. But after he gets saved, he gradually begins to know by degrees God's holiness and goodness. However, herein lies the danger for a young believer which arises with the new knowledge he has gained after new birth.
What is the nature of this danger and how does it manifest itself? The young Christian can become over-righteous in his attitude and action and demand more of others. With his new light, he becomes more sensitive to the difference between good and evil, and then he begins to measure other people against this new understanding of his. During this period, he may even become quite angry with normal Christians. When he sees something untoward in others, he is quick in condemning them by saying: “How can so and so be such as this or such as that? Why does he act like this?” This is often being done by young believers.
Believers who “stand for justice” are usually people who have not received much grace of God. Had they advanced in the way of the Lord and were their spiritual lives more built up, they would be more gracious towards others. In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord is seen as having already taught us that we believers should not demand righteousness from others. He does not want us to demand righteousness from people who beat us, force us or defraud us.
His command and teaching to us is to endure and repay with kindness. We need to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. He gives rain to the unrighteous as well as to the righteous. Let us beware, lest we be criticized by the world for not following our Master's teaching.
Christians should be righteous themselves but be gracious to others. We must not demand our rights or request to be righteously treated. This is Christian generosity. Christians need to be righteous themselves but they do not demand righteousness from others. It is by walking this path that we can reign with our Lord. (Watchman Nee).