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Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsJesus Christ provides the perfect righteousness that satisfies humanity's spiritual hunger and thirst. This righteousness fulfills the fourth beatitude in Matthew 5:6, where those who hunger and thirst for righteousness shall be filled, offering God's remedy to the spiritual longing that physical hunger and thirst only faintly reflect. The first three beatitudes establish the need for poverty of spirit, mourning over sin, and meekness, leading directly to this hunger for a righteousness that humans cannot achieve on their own. Jesus Christ is the source, as He is identified as the Lord our righteousness, the one who worked out complete obedience to God's law as substitute and surety. Through His flesh He abolished the enmity of the law's ordinances, reconciling people to God and granting access by one Spirit. This righteousness is received by faith, not by human effort or self-righteousness, as Paul describes in Philippians 3:9 the desire to be found in Christ with the righteousness from God rather than one's own. It is also presented in 1 Corinthians 1:30 as Christ becoming wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for believers. The hungering and thirsting is both initial, drawing the sinner to Christ, and continual, producing an ongoing longing for greater conformity to Him as the Bread of Life. Those who respond receive filling with Christ Himself, experiencing justification before God and the blessed life outlined in the Sermon on the Mount, while rejecting any attempt to substitute partial human goodness for God's perfect standard.
The Christian Paradox (Part One)
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughSalvation is not merely self-identifying oneself as a saint, but it involves rigorously working with God in an arduous process of transformation.
Four Views of Christ (Part 3)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughThe dominant emphasis of Matthew is the kingly qualities of Jesus as a descendant of the royal house of David, representing the Lion of Judah.
Philippians (Part Eight)
Sermon/Bible Study by John W. RitenbaughWe must willing to yield to God's shaping of us, willing to be corrected and changed as He sees fit. If we become self-satisfied, He cannot work with us.
Those Who Hunger and Thirst
Sermon by Richard T. RitenbaughIn the Beatitude, hungering and thirsting for righteousness are present tense active participles signifying continuous longing for God's righteousness.
Saved By Faith Alone?
'Ready Answer' by Earl L. HennProtestantism is based on Luther's insistence that Christians are saved by faith alone. But is the really true? It is true of justification, not salvation.
The Mystery of Melchizedek Solved!
Herbert W. Armstrong BookletLittle is said about Melchizedek, the "king of righteousness" and "king of Salem," but the few clues we have point to a critical role.
Righteous Lot?
Sermon by Bill OnisickWhile Lot's decisions may seem grievous to us, the repetitious references to 'righteous' indicates that God penetrates through to the heart.
Ecclesiastes Resumed (Part Twenty-Three)
Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)Psalm 73 describes someone seeing the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer, but it is not true that people in the world are leading superior lives.
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Four)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughJustification does not 'do away' with the law; it brings us into alignment with it, imputing the righteousness of Christ and giving access to God for sanctification.
Confidence in the Flesh Versus Faith
Sermon by Martin G. CollinsWe must turn from our own gossamer righteousness to God's solid righteousness, accepting a higher standard than the rest of society.
Eternal Security (Part 2)
Sermon by John W. RitenbaughAll people will be judged according to the quality of their works after they make the covenant with God. Works are required and rewarded.