Thirsting for Righteousness

Thirsting for Righteousness by By Gary Glass

     When Jesus was on the cross he said, "I thirst". (John 19:28) It was at this moment that the sins of the world

came upon him, and he became sin. (2 Corinthians 5:21).

       I think Jesus showed us at the cross the lost condition of man and the fact that we are spirtually thirsty without

God. The lost condition of man is like a person in desert place who yearns and needs water, but can never find it.

We try to fill the void with other things like money, power, success, etc, but it never lasts and we thirst for more.

     "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." ( Matthew 5:6). The

word righteousness means to be morally good or to have a right standing before God. To know God's righteousness

we need to look at the Law or the Ten Commandments. Paul said, "... I had not known sin, but by the law".

(Romans 7:7). However, Paul had a big problem. The Law demands perfection, and Paul fell short. He concludes,

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowlege of sin."

     So, Paul realized that the Law cannot produce eternal life. He said, "And the commandment, which was ordained

to life, I found to be unto death." (Romans 7:10)

     Paul realized that all his righteousness is like filthy rags compared to God's righteous standard. Paul needed God's

righteousness, and thirsted for it. Paul finds it in Christ. "But now the righteousness of God without the law is

manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus

Christ unto all and upon all them that believe." (Romans 3:21-22) Therefore, the righteousness of God is a free gift

by receiving it by faith.

     Finally, there are a lot of thirsty people in the world. It is my prayer that they will hear the words of Jesus, "I am

Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is thirsty of the fountain of the water of life

freely." Revelation 21:6

God Bless,

Gary