Righteousness and God's Blessing

If I am wicked, woe to me.  Job 10:15 NKJV

Today’s Scripture is probably the sentiment of most people.  We equate punishment or blessing to our performance.  If we are “good” we expect to receive God’s promises but if we are “bad” as Job stated, “Woe to me” (Job 10:15).  Even before Christ came, people were intuitively aware of the fact that good should be rewarded and wickedness should be punished.  That is the reason Job had a lengthy discourse with his friends in the Book of Job.  They repeatedly suggested that Job must have done something wicked to bring the calamity on himself that occurred in the first chapter of Job (Job 4:7-8) but Job contended that he was righteous (Job 6:29).  

As New Testament Believers under the dispensation of grace, we are entitled to God’s promises.  This entitlement is not based on our performance, but our unchangeable position of righteousness in Christ.  The Bible states that “if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).  Since He is righteous, we are righteous!  Google defines the word “advocate” as “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause.”  The Greek word for “advocate” also means intercessor.  Jesus essentially intercedes for us and is the biggest supporter of our respective causes!  God’s blessing upon our lives is not based on our performance.  Even, when/if we miss it, we maintain our position of righteousness because Isaiah 54:14 says that in righteousness we are established!  Expect to see the manifestation of God’s promises in your life knowing that you are righteous!