Hungry

You know all the Beatitudes, right? No? Well, I'm sure you're familiar with this one. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Matt 5:6) Note the quote marks; I'm quoting Jesus. So Jesus said that those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness" will be "blessed" because "they shall be satisfied." I don't think I've said anything tricky, shifty, or controversial here. But ... do you?

We have lots of plans in life. We want a better car, better job, better relationships. We want to be successful, fulfilled. We may want to contribute to society or to be useful or to make our family and friends happy. We may want to help the poor or share the gospel or ... all sorts of fine and decent goals. Is "righteousness" one of them? Because Jesus said it ought to be.

It's coming up on December. "What do you want for Christmas?" is a popular question. What about you? Do you want righteousness? I think it's a good question for Christmas because Christmas is the celebration of the only source of righteousness available to us.

Paul really wanted this. "I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord," he wrote (Php 3:8). He longed to "be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith" (Php 3:9). Paul said he had not arrived. He had not attained perfect righteousness. "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus" (Php 3:12). Paul understood "applied righteousness" -- being declared righteous on the basis of Christ's righteousness (Rom 4:1-5; 2 Cor 5:21). Paul, then, was talking about a personal righteousness, a living righteousness that reflected the imputed righteousness. He said, "Let us hold true to what we have attained" (Php 3:16). That is, "You've been declared righteous on the basis of faith in Christ; now live it."

What about you? Are you more concerned about "stuff," earthly success, "keeping up with the Joneses," personal satisfaction? Or do you hunger for righteousness, a living righteousness that reflects the righteousness applied by God from Christ? Do you long to work out your salvation so that God may be glorified? Do you wish to be blessed for thirsting for righteousness? That's what I want ... from Christmas.