Sermon XIV - Rules and Aids to Christian Meekness - Matthew 5:6
SERMON XIV
OR Rules and aids to Christian meekness "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." - MATTHEW 5:6
On the last day, you may recall that we discussed the conclusion of the third beatitude mentioned by Christ: "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." We concluded with an exhortation to embrace this blessed and precious grace of meekness. We provided various rules to promote the cultivation of meekness. I do not intend to reiterate what was previously said. Instead, I will add one more crucial point that greatly aids in developing meekness, particularly for those who are godly.
Sixteenthly, the absence of this grace brings great dishonor to individuals and their profession. Let those who lack meekness remember their own prayers and expressions before God. This recollection would greatly contribute to our meekness. Consider how you have acknowledged your own unworthiness before God during prayer. You freely express to God how vile, sinful, and wretched you are, recognizing that your sins deserve God's eternal wrath. You wonder how you have escaped damnation. You may continue in this manner during prayer or even in the company of others, speaking humbly about yourself. Yet, as soon as someone crosses your path, you become as froward and angry as anyone else. Are you the same person who, not long ago, stood before God acknowledging your vileness, sinfulness, and wickedness? Did you express astonishment
at your deliverance from hell? Are you that individual? If so, when faced with opposition in the world, are you unable to endure it? You claim that you deserve hell, but if a child, servant, wife, husband, or friend opposes you, you cannot tolerate it. If only you could reflect on your expressions before God during prayer, it would cause you to view yourself as despicable and humble your heart when your anger begins to rise. You, who possess a passionate and froward heart, either pray to God in the morning or do not. If you neglect prayer, you reveal yourself to be atheistic. If you do pray, I assume that a significant part of your prayer involves acknowledging your wretchedness, sinfulness, and vileness. Why do you engage in such morning prayers if, when faced with temptation during the day, you yield to anger? If you possessed the self-control to think about your prayer and how incompatible your conduct is with those acknowledgments you made regarding your sinfulness and wretchedness, it would subdue you in the midst of your unruly passion.
Various groups of people should strive for the grace of meekness, but I will address only those in an afflicted condition. In the Hebrew language, the same word signifies both "afflicted" and "meek." This illustrates that those who are undergoing affliction should possess meek and quiet spirits, as God's hand is upon them. However, it is quite the opposite in reality. Often, the most afflicted individuals are the most froward. For instance, many sick people, when ill, become more irritable and froward than at other times, whereas they should exhibit more meekness, quietness, and gentleness under God's hand.
Similarly, among the impoverished, reviling communication is often heard. When crossed in any way, they resort to railing and reviling, displaying a proud, froward, and passionate spirit. If God has afflicted you with poverty, it is (if He loves you) to keep your spirit low. If your heart were low, it would also be meek. However, we will
move on from meekness and proceed to the following verse, which states, "Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness." This notion appears contrary to worldly opinion. The world would rather say, "Blessed are those who are full" rather than
"those who hunger and thirst." Yet, the Holy Spirit pronounces a blessing upon those who hunger and thirst, and a woe to those who are full. In Luke 6:25, it is written, "Woe unto you that are full."
Many believe that the greatest happiness lies in having full tables, dishes, cups, and purses. However, the Holy Spirit does not regard such abundance as true happiness. Instead, He pronounces a woe to those who are full, while declaring blessedness upon those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.
Some interpret this hunger and thirst literally, especially when comparing it to what Saint Luke says (as I mentioned at the beginning of this sermon, despite the various objections against it, it appears to be the same sermon) in Luke 6:21. Luke does not mention the word righteousness, but only "ye that hunger now," opposing hunger to those who are full. Therefore, they believe it is meant literally. They understand it as follows: Blessed are those who are godly (this must be understood), who lack bread and drink. They are in such extreme circumstances that they do not have bread to eat or water to quench their thirst. It is as if Christ is saying, "Do not be troubled if you are pushed to such an extreme that you lack basic necessities. This will not hinder your blessedness. You can still be blessed." When you are in great need, you may be inclined to look at those who are well-fed and have abundance and consider them blessed. But do not be deceived. Woe to those who are full! However, you are blessed in your great need and extremities. Some interpret this blessedness as being drawn from the Old Testament, just like the previous beatitude of meekness, which is taken from Psalm 37:11. In a similar manner, this beatitude of hungering and thirsting is derived
from Isaiah 65:13. However, my purpose is not to dwell on this interpretation. Therefore, we must go further.
The object of their hunger and thirst in this context goes beyond physical needs. They hunger and thirst after righteousness. However,
I confess that even learned interpreters and godly men, such as Calvin and Musculus, do not take these words any further than this:
Blessed are those who, in their extreme circumstances, simply hunger and thirst to have what is right and just. They are godly individuals who find themselves in lowly and oppressed conditions, longing for righteous dealings in the world. Their interpretation does not go beyond this point. Calvin, as you know, usually captures the essence accurately and provides a spiritual interpretation. However, in this case, he limits his interpretation to this understanding.
Hunger and thirst clearly signify earnest desires that arise from a sense of lack. These desires intensify due to the acute awareness of the absence of the desired object. There are no desires as strong and earnest as those of a hungry or thirsty person. Therefore, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness long for righteous dealings, desiring to be treated justly. Some interpreters believe this interpretation is sufficient. They only speak of hungering and thirsting for their own righteous dealings and the presence of righteousness. However, I believe we can go further in interpreting this righteousness. We can understand it as a hunger and thirst for righteousness to prevail in the world. I truly believe that this is one significant aspect intended by the Holy Spirit. Christ looks upon His disciples and, as if speaking to them, says, "You are likely to encounter many unrighteous dealings in the world. You will witness the prevailing injustice and unrighteousness. However, it will pain and grieve your souls to observe the unrighteousness in the world.
You will long for a time when righteousness will prevail and govern among humanity." Blessed are you! Do not involve yourselves in
their unrighteous dealings. Instead, when you witness such injustice in others, let your desires be for the time when righteousness will prevail in the world. Blessed are you for hungering and thirsting in this manner. I firmly believe that this is a significant aspect Christ intended when pronouncing this blessedness. Therefore, I must not gloss over it as many do when discussing this blessedness.
I acknowledge that the other interpretations, particularly the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the power of righteousness in one's own heart, are more excellent in themselves. Yet, I doubt whether
Christ had those in mind initially, especially when speaking to His disciples who were likely to be in poor and lowly conditions. He begins with those who are poor in spirit. We have already interpreted the meaning of that. Therefore, although you are likely to encounter many unrighteous dealings, you are blessed if you are content with the condition you may face and yet lift your desires to heaven, appealing to God to vindicate your righteousness. It is as if Christ says, "The world will accuse and revile you, calling you troublesome, factious, and turbulent. But you are blessed. Can you appeal to God for your righteousness? Can you desire that while the world reviles and accuses you of hypocrisy, making a show of religion without having any truth within you, God will judge your righteous cause?
Blessed are you if you can do so. Do not be overly troubled by these accusations. Instead, hunger and thirst for the time when the Lord will make your righteousness evident." If the world accuses you of self-seeking, implying that all your actions are driven by self-interest, you can appeal to God regarding the righteousness of your heart in those matters. You long for the time when God will reveal the secrets of all hearts, making it evident whether you sought self or His glory.
Blessed are you if you can hunger and thirst for the manifestation of God's righteousness in this manner. Even if the world accuses you of partiality or wronging others, you hunger for the time when God will
vindicate righteousness. It is common for the wicked to cast aspersions upon the saints of God, seeking to tarnish their holy profession with some form of evil. Yet, if you patiently endure such accusations and long for the time when the righteous God will reveal your righteousness, blessed are you for hungering and thirsting in this way.
Blessed are you, for:
First, you have the testimony of your own consciences when people accuse you.
Secondly, you have the testimony of God. God bears witness for you.
Thirdly, blessed are you, for God is working on your behalf while you endure these accusations.
And one day, you will be satisfied. God will clear your righteousness, and He will make it shine brightly like the noonday sun. Currently, you are being smeared with accusations by wicked individuals. But in Revelation 19:8, it is written that to the Church, it was granted to be clothed in clean, white fine linen, which represents the righteousness of the saints. Although it primarily refers to the righteousness of Christ, it may also have a connection to the righteousness I am speaking of. It is similar to a respectable woman walking on the street and being dirtied by mad people. When she returns home, she has clean linen to put on. Likewise, though the saints may be covered in dirt and have their names tarnished in the world, Jesus Christ has fine linen to clothe them with. They will appear righteous before the saints, angels, and the entire world one day. In Matthew 13:43, there is a promise that the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. They will indeed shine forth with great glory, in addition to receiving a great reward in their Father's
kingdom. Currently, they reside in the kingdom of the world, where darkness prevails. But when they enter the kingdom of their Father, they will shine forth like the sun. This pertains to all forms of righteousness, whether it be the perfect righteousness of Christ that they will be adorned with or the perfection of sanctification. It also encompasses the righteousness by which they will be vindicated from all cast aspersions. Blessed are they, for they will be cleared.
Yes, blessed are they, for they will be filled. You will be recompensed for the unjust accusations that are hurled at you now. Your reward will be even greater, increasing your glory. Therefore, consider yourselves blessed when you are unjustly deemed unrighteous, for you will be honoured all the more. This is evident in the notable
Scripture in 1 Peter 4:14: "If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." God will certainly compensate you for all the suffering you endure in this manner.
Furthermore, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness do not merely desire God to clear their righteousness (though that is one form of righteousness they long for). They also yearn for righteousness to prevail among all people. Blessed are those whose hearts ache when they witness unrighteousness in the world. They are grieved by the sight of this unrighteousness and long for God to appear and establish righteousness as the governing principle in the world. They are pained by the unrighteous dealings among mankind.
This is what Christ aims at when He says, "Indeed, you will witness a great deal of unrighteousness, but it will trouble your hearts, and you will long for the time when righteousness shall prevail. Blessed are you."
Firstly, the people of God cannot help but feel anguish in their hearts when they witness unrighteous dealings in the world. This pain is as intense as that of a person who lacks bread. It troubles them more than all their persecutions and afflictions. There is nothing they long for more than the coming of Jesus Christ, not only for their own salvation, but also for righteousness to prevail.
Firstly, when the saints observe unrighteous dealings in the world, they recognize that it greatly diminishes the honour of God. They reason within themselves, "Is not God a righteous God? Then what a dishonour it is to Him for there to be so much unrighteousness in the world."
Secondly, this unrighteousness among men is contrary to their own spirits, for the Lord has instilled righteousness in their hearts. To witness individuals in positions of power or those professing religion behaving unjustly causes them pain. It contradicts the gracious disposition that God has placed within their hearts.
Thirdly, through this unrighteousness, they witness the suffering of the righteous, how precious servants of God are trampled upon, and how wicked and ungodly individuals prosper. It grieves their hearts to see such disorder.
Fourthly, the unrighteousness they observe in the world presents numerous temptations to commit evil. At times, these temptations even prevail over the truly godly, as they did with David, whose righteous soul faltered when he saw the prosperity of the wicked and the afflictions suffered by the godly. When the righteous witness others behaving unrighteously, yet succeeding in their designs, while those who walk according to righteousness suffer greatly, it becomes a significant temptation. They long for the time when this temptation will be removed, along with the dishonour brought upon God, the
incongruity with their spirits, the suffering of the saints, and the elimination of this temptation. They cry out, "O Lord, if righteousness were to prevail, then You would be honoured more than ever. We would experience the joy of our hearts, and Your saints would no longer suffer as they do. Deliver us from these temptations."
Fifthly, through unrighteousness, they witness how the wicked are burdened in their hearts. The saints find it grievous to see those engaged in unrighteous ways prosper and become hardened, assuming that God is like them. They long for righteousness to prevail so that the wicked may be ashamed and confounded.
Sixthly, they observe that many become atheists due to unrighteousness, doubting whether God truly rules in the world.
Therefore, they plead, "O Lord Jesus, manifest Your governance over the world."
Seventhly, through this unrighteousness, they witness the establishment of Satan's kingdom and the hinderance it poses to the righteous kingdom of Christ. They question, "Lord, will the kingdom of Satan always prevail in the world? O Lord, when will the righteous scepter of Jesus Christ reign among mankind?"
Lastly, this unrighteousness tends to lead to wickedness, ruin, and confusion. They comprehend that unless God appears in His righteousness to rectify these disorders resulting from the unrighteousness of men, everything will descend into ruin and chaos.
Therefore, they implore the Lord to hasten and reveal Himself as a righteous God. This is how the saints hunger and thirst after righteousness—to witness righteous dealings in the world. Now you understand what causes their hearts pain, the evil in unrighteousness, and the excellence they perceive in righteousness.
They hunger and thirst after righteousness. They have great desires and offer many prayers to God. They cry out for God to hasten the coming of righteous times. They send up strong pleas to God for righteousness to prevail in the world. How long, how long will it be holy and true, etc.? They send up powerful prayers to God for righteousness to triumph throughout the world. And for their own part, they refuse to engage in any unrighteous ways. They would rather endure any misery than be associated with or partake in any unrighteous actions. Even if they hold public positions with many advantages, they would rather lose everything than involve themselves in unrighteousness.
A righteous heart craves righteousness more than bread or drink. Therefore, they will have nothing to do with unrighteousness. Though they live in an unrighteous world, they say, "God forbid that I should be involved in unrighteousness. No, it is righteousness that my soul craves. I will hunger and thirst for it. Therefore, even if I lose all my friends, my wealth, and my material possessions, I will keep my conscience clear and remain a champion for righteousness throughout my life. I will demonstrate that I am not merely playing games with God by hungering and thirsting for righteousness while being unrighteous myself. I will strive to promote righteousness as much as I can so that it may prevail in the world. Blessed are these individuals.
Firstly, they bear the image of God upon themselves at present. If you possess a righteous heart, you have the image of God. Your heart is just like His. The Lord is a righteous God, and so are you. Blessed are you of the Lord because you bear His image.
Secondly, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness bear witness for God in this unrighteous world. Although they live among others who are unrighteous, should the great God have no one to testify on His behalf? Yes, there is a generation of people who stand
up to bear witness to God's righteousness. They desire nothing more than righteousness. Oh, blessed are you of the Lord! You are witnesses unto God.
Thirdly, you are blessed because your hunger and thirst for righteousness deliver you from many temptations that others succumb to. Other individuals may have some resolve not to be unrighteous, but when they witness the unrighteousness of others, they are overcome. Their hearts are not as firmly set against unrighteousness as yours, which hungers and thirsts for righteousness. Consequently, when your heart is grieved by the unrighteousness in the world and longs for God's righteousness, you are delivered from temptations that ensnare others. It is a blessed thing to be delivered from temptation.
Fourthly, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed because they are suitable for public service. They are not individuals who would manipulate righteousness to further their own ends or seek personal gain from public affairs. What use are they? However, those who hunger and thirst above all else for the establishment of righteousness in the world are suitable to be employed in public service. The Lord takes pleasure in employing such individuals. When people realize that their hearts are set on righteousness, they will be eager to employ them. Although some may initially become vexed and irritated by those who strive to maintain righteousness, let these men continue on their unwavering path of promoting righteousness. Eventually, they will receive honour from men. All who interact with them will regard them as blessed individuals who are fit for public service.
Fifthly, they are blessed because they stand against the current of unrighteousness and prevent it from flooding the world. Blessed are
those who are willing to resist the stream of unrighteous dealings to prevent its overflow. They bring about much good for others as well as for themselves. The Scriptures affirm the blessedness of such individuals in Psalm 12:5: "For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him." Truly, the Lord blesses the righteous. Their actions against unrighteousness prevent it from overtaking the world. They are instruments of great good.
Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed because their desires will be fulfilled. In Proverbs 11:23, it is said, "The desire of the righteous is only good." It is good, and God approves of it. He will fulfill it. There is a time coming when all those who love righteousness will witness the punishment of unrighteousness and the rewarding of righteousness. Currently, you may see some instances where unrighteousness is punished and righteousness is rewarded, but that does not completely fulfill you. There will come a time when you will witness the punishment of all unrighteousness in the world and the rewarding of all righteousness. In Psalm 58:11, it says, "Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth." The time will come when all people will be compelled to acknowledge that there is indeed a reward for the righteous, and that God is a just judge. This will fill the hearts of the saints with joy. When God brings every person to account and punishes all unrighteousness in the world, and when He rewards all righteousness, it will bring great satisfaction. Furthermore, all the disorder caused by unrighteous dealings in the world will be set right. God will transform the chaos of confusion into a beautiful and orderly arrangement. You will witness everything being brought into a splendid and harmonious order. Will that not fill you? In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon speaks of injustice in chapter 3:16:
"Moreover, I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that
wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there." In the very places where I expected to find justice, wickedness was present, and in the places where I thought righteousness would prevail, I found iniquity. What then? I said in my heart, "God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work." Those righteous ones who hunger and thirst after righteousness should cherish this text: "You will be filled." There will come a time when God will judge the righteous and the wicked. There is a time appointed for every purpose and work, and you will be filled.
Moreover, all the desires of every righteous person from the beginning of the world will be satisfied. From Abel, who was killed by Cain, to all the patriarchs, apostles, prophets, martyrs, and saints throughout generations, they all hungered for righteousness.
Righteous Abel and the others—yes, their blood cries out to the righteous God to manifest righteousness in the world. "O God, my righteousness," says David and others. When the time comes for every prayer of every righteous servant of God to be heard and granted, surely it will be a blessed time that will fulfill them. Will it not satisfy you to have every prayer of every righteous servant of God from the beginning of the world fully answered and all their desires fulfilled? Surely, this will satisfy you. Blessed are you, for you will be satisfied.
And for the satisfaction of the righteous who cry out to God against the unrighteous dealings in the world, consider some texts of Scripture. There are many well-known scriptures pointing in this direction, that there is a time coming when righteousness shall prevail in the world. In Isaiah 1:26, it says, "And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counsellors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the faithful
city." And in Isaiah 3:10, it says, "Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings." Mark, say to the righteous that it shall be well with them. You who are righteous may be concerned that things will not go well, but I say to the righteous, it shall go well with them. For they shall reap the benefits of their righteous actions. If you continue on a righteous path, committing your righteousness to God, be content and patient.
You shall enjoy the fruits of your deeds, and you shall be satisfied.
Here is a promise to nourish you when others treat you unjustly. It would be endless to speak of all the scriptures that demonstrate how righteousness will prevail in the world. In Isaiah 11:4, it speaks of Christ coming to judge the world with righteousness. In Isaiah 60:17, it says, "I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness." In Isaiah 61:10, it says, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." I could name nearly twenty scriptures from the prophecy of Isaiah that prophesy a glorious time of righteousness, where violence and oppression shall be abolished. My brethren, let us find comfort in this. Despite the violence and wrongdoing that exists, we hope and believe that the Lord will deliver His people from violence, wrongs, oppression, and all unrighteousness. The exacter shall be righteousness. In chapter 60:17, the Lord makes a gracious promise to His Church. He will turn brass into gold, iron into silver, wood into brass, and stones into iron. He will make the officers instruments of peace and the exactors embodiments of righteousness. This is a prophecy of the times of the Church. There will come a time when the officers who deal with the people of God will bring nothing but peace, and those exacting from them will be righteousness itself. They will be as righteous as the people desire.
Isn't it a blessed time when all individuals in positions of power will bring nothing but peace to the saints of God and no longer wrong
them? The Lord will make them righteousness itself. No wonder Christ expresses this in terms of hunger and thirst, for it will be a glorious time. Christ knew that a glorious time was coming when righteousness would prevail in the world. The people of God in those times knew it even more than we do now. They knew that such times were coming. Justin Martyr, one of the earliest Christian apologists, affirms that every Christian believes in the coming of these glorious times. He speaks of the glorious times of the Church and the people of God, in which they will be delivered from the violence, wrongs, and oppression of ungodly men. Every Christian believes it. This interpretation of hungering and thirsting after righteousness may not be common among you, but I am confident that those in the early days of Christianity would have readily embraced it. In 2 Peter 3:13, it says, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." This description of the glorious condition of the saints indicates that there will be not only new heavens but also a new earth where righteousness will prevail. According to the promise in Isaiah 65:17,
"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. This is a time of the restoration of the Church. A verse or two before this, in the same chapter, is the scripture from which my text is taken. It says in verse 13, "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed." My servants who hunger now will be satisfied, while you who are full will hunger. It is evident that Christ referred to such times. Those of you who hunger and thirst for these times, when you search the scriptures, you find promises that although the Lord may allow wicked men and unrighteousness to prevail for a while, there are glorious promises in
the scriptures that righteousness will be exalted in the world. You long for these times. Oh, that these times would come! Well, blessed are you, for they will come. They will surely come, and you will be satisfied. It is as if he is saying, there will be times as glorious as you can imagine, and righteousness will prevail to the fullest extent. You will be filled. And in Micah 7:9, it says, "I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness." The church laments the severe suffering they endure in those times. The best among them is like a brier, and the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge. They describe the unrighteousness prevailing in those times. They say,
"Trust not in a friend, put not confidence in a guide, keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth in thy bosom. For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house." But then they declare, "Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me." And in verse 9, they say, "I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me." As if to say, Lord, I will not complain, but I will wait for You. I have sinned against You, and even though I do not deserve such unrighteous treatment from men, I acknowledge that I deserve Your use of them as instruments to afflict me. Therefore, I will wait upon the Lord. He will bring me forth into the light, and I shall behold His righteousness. This text should provide us with comfort in the face of unrighteous dealings that occur now. It leads us to the application of it all. Let the consideration of this point remove the stumbling block that causes people to stumble, namely, that God allows unrighteous men to prevail as they do. Do not be offended by this, for there will come a time when righteousness will reign, when the Lord Jesus Christ will
appear in His glory and take His throne. He will judge the world in righteousness, as it says in Acts 17:31. This meditation greatly helps the godly individuals I am speaking to. Whereas others, who are not acquainted with this, when they see the unrighteousness prevailing in the world, they will join in and support it. But the saints will continue to stand for righteousness and be on its side. They know that a time is coming when righteousness will prevail. The scriptures speak of the root of the righteous that will prevail and the fruit of righteousness that will come forth from that root, even in the midst of storms and tempests. Secondly, if those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are blessed, then certainly those who are unrighteous are cursed. Cursed are those who seek after unrighteousness. What will Jesus Christ declare over those who seek to promote unrighteousness in the world? If there is anyone here whose conscience tells them that they love unrighteous ways, that they seek to increase their wealth through dishonest means, that they are willing to gain unjustly, know that you are joining forces with this unrighteous world to uphold the kingdom of darkness. Be aware that Christ pronounces a curse upon you. This is implied when He blesses those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Those who hunger and thirst after unrighteousness are cursed. If you hunger and thirst after ways of unrighteousness and care not how you acquire wealth, you should tremble with fear. The servants of God whom you have treated unjustly cry out to God and report all your unrighteous dealings. God has promised them that their cries will be heard and answered. When these servants of God express their desires to heaven, saying, "O Lord, I have suffered unrighteous treatment from this man or woman," know that these cries are recorded in heaven and will be answered one day. What will become of you then? We read in Acts 24:25 that when Paul preached about temperance, righteousness, and the coming judgment before Felix, even though
Paul was a poor prisoner standing before Felix, who sat as a judge,
Felix trembled. What was Paul's sermon about? It was about righteousness and the coming judgment. It was as if Paul said,
"Though you think you have me in your hands and can do as you please, there is a righteous God who will call everyone to account."
Felix, being aware of his unrighteousness, shook and trembled, even when listening to a poor prisoner at the Bar. Now you are here, listening to a poor minister of God proclaim that righteousness will prevail. What will become of you then? Remove from some wealthy individuals all that they have acquired through unrighteous dealings, and they will be left poor indeed. Cursed is an estate and its possessions obtained through unrighteousness. You must relinquish it all. Therefore, let the Lord strike your heart, so that you may be willing to restore and undo your unrighteousness to the best of your ability. Become a friend of righteousness by restoring what you have wrongfully gained and laboring to undo your unrighteousness. Find comfort in the day of Jesus Christ, when He will come to reveal righteousness before men and angels.
And then the final point should have been this: to encourage all the servants of God to continue in the ways of righteousness, to pursue righteousness, and to seek righteousness. In Revelation 22, around verse 11, it says, "He that is righteous, let him be righteous still." Are there any among you whom the Lord has planted the seed of righteousness in your hearts, whose hearts now cling to the love of righteousness? You can say, "Well, let God do with me as He pleases,
I will walk in righteousness, I will walk according to the standard.
Even though God has placed me in a generation where I see that the majority of men and women are unrighteous, I am determined to walk by the rule of righteousness and entrust everything to God."
Take comfort, for you will be satisfied and remain righteous. The Lord, the righteous God, is with you, and Christ, who is your righteousness, is with you to fill your soul with that which will satisfy