Δικαιοσύνη, For Heaven’s Sake

WHAT’S THAT YOU SAY?!

“Δικαιοσύνη!? Speak plain, man!” That was as plain as the noses on the faces of the First Century Roman man or woman ranging from common man digging a ditch; the slave under the whip of his master; and to the prince with a golden spoon in his mouth in the Imperial Palace—all speaking and understanding the universal language of the Roman world—the Koine Greek language.

WAIT! ROMANS WERE NOT GREEK!

In the overarching sovereignty of God who sees the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), this dynamic of Roman culture, war, and commerce harked back to one of obligatory requirements introduced to the entire conquered world through policies of Hellenization (“making all things Greek”—including language, religion, and, for Jewish young men who wanted to fit in at the Olympic Games, cosmetic surgery to reverse their circumcisions since men participated in the games nude) all authored by the worldwide Emperor, Alexander the Great.

THE EARTHLY MOTIVE OF THE EMPEROR OF THE WORLD

From Alexander’s perspective, this was one of several measures attempting to solidify into one unified Grecian Empire what would have, otherwise, been a scattered, impossibly diverse melting pot of languages, religions and cultures of multiple nations he had conquered. Yet, God’s overarching and divine control of the universe caused the spread of the Koine Greek language by using Alexander the Great as a tool in His hand.

The Grecian Emperor was raised up by God the Father for His sovereign purposes to bring down the Medi-Persian Empire as described metaphorically in Daniel, chapter 8, and in a vision in Daniel, chapter 2. Read it and be amazed that what happened in documented history was determined in eternity by the Sovereign of the Universe!

THE DIVINE MOTIVE OF THE HEAVENLY EMPEROR OF NATIONS

Yet, little could Alexander have imagined that such empire-driven motives were all being woven into the fabric of God the Father’s eternal plan to send His Son in the fullness of time born of a woman—born under the Law (Galatians 4:4; cp. Daniel 2, 7, 8, 10-12)! For the same Koine Greek language that Alexander required the world to read and speak becoming the language of commerce and war was the exact language that was universally understood in the Roman Empire that eclipsed the Grecian Kingdom of Alexander through which God the Father elected to breath into (inspired) His Apostles and prophets of the New Testament church His final, complete, an inerrant revelation.

It was in that “dead language” with all the meanings of the word frozen forever and delivered down to the 21^st Century and until the end of time with the unchanged nuances and precise meanings when they were first breathed into the inspired Apostles and prophets of the New Testament church on which the eternal church kingdom is founded with Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone (cp. Ephesians 2:17-21).

Thus, that same inerrant, word-for-word, inspired message that came from the mind of the Father; breathed into those inspired men; written on the original and inspired papyrus scrolls; and protected by God forever was aimed at preaching Christ to the lost world from the First Century and, yea, until Jesus returns.

The content of that gospel message was not and is not to be compromised, added to, modified, modernized, or tweaked concerning Jesus of Nazareth (the incarnate Son of the Living God) who defeated Satan by living a perfect life under God’s universal moral LAW (the exact battlefield on which were all have been totally defeated); was buried; and, bodily resurrected to totally reverse the curses of sin introduced by First Adam (spiritual and physical death) to make available to all with no discrimination regarding of gender, socio-economic levels, or age—the work of Jesus (the Second Adam)!

The Apostle Paul wrote regarding the power of Jesus Christ to restore a broken humanity through imputed righteousness (Δικαιοσύνη; cp. Romans 1:16, 17; 3:21-25a; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and the resulting indwelling of the Holy Spirit writing, For since by a man death came, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive (I Corinthians 15:21, 22; Acts 2:22-40, esp. v. 38; I Corinthians 6:19, 20; cp. John 1:1-4).

THE RESTORATION OF SPIRITUAL LIFE

When culpable humans reach the age of accountability under LAW (cp. Romans 7:9; cp. 2:14, 15; 1:18 – 3:20), one violation of the universal moral LAW of God written on Tablets of Stone for the Jews (Romans 2:17 – 3:20), but, equally written on the hearts of non-Jews from the Fall in the Garden of Eden until the end of time (cp. Romans 2:14-16; 1:24-32; Amos 1, 2) caused the Holy Father (who cannot fellowship no sin, whatsoever) to withdraw His fellowship instantly causing the LAW violator to die spiritually being cut off from the Source of spiritual LIFE (cp. Habakkuk 1:13; Romans 3:23). Since the LAW is an extension of the very essence of the Righteously Perfect and Infinitely Holy Father who is metaphorically described as LIGHT (see Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1; I John 1:5), He cannot so much as look upon sin bringing the curse of spiritual death for one violation for LAW breakers who do not just break one of his “rules,” but, spiritually, offends His very nature (cp. Galatians 3:10; James 2:10)!

WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO

Once said violation (sin) was (is) accounted to the offender against God’s moral LAW, nothing in the history of mankind has ever been able to remove the sin by paying a sufficient price to release the violator of the resulting debt of spiritual death demanded by the justice of God, including good works (cp. Romans 3:20); animal sacrifices (cp. Hebrews 10:4); circumcision (cp. Romans 2:25-29); ancestry (cp. John 8:31-44) or, LAW-keeping (cp. Acts 13:38, 39).

Δικαιοσύνη was what Adam and Eve lost instantaneously when they touched and ate from the forbidden tree in the midst of the Garden of Eden. It is what vanished from you and I suddenly when we committed our first violation of God’s moral law (sin) written on our hearts the split second we reached an age of accountability understanding what was right and what was wrong by instinct somewhere in our maturation from infantile innocence toward youthful maturing until the moment of LAW recognition being culpability before God (cp. Romans 7:7-24). This was as true of Israelites under the codified LAW of Moses as it was of non-Jews who by instinct transgressed the universal moral LAW written on their hearts (cp. Romans 1:24-32).

THE PERFECT LAW WAS WEAK THROUGH THE FLESH

The LAW of God was (is) “holy, and righteousness, and good…” (Romans 7:12), but its only weakness was in the flesh of man unable and/or unwilling to meet its demand for continuing fellowship with the Holy Father—absolute, flawless perfection. Hence, what was impossible for fallen humanity, that is, getting back into fellowship with God by human power, was accomplished by the Father Himself by executing His eternal plan to send His Son (the Second Person of the Godhead) through the power of the Holy Spirit (who played the male role) placing the “Seed” of God (cp. Galatians 3:16) into the womb of the virgin Mary created the “God-baby.”

As we envision Christ laid in a Bethlehem feeding trough visited by wise men from the east following a “Star” foretold by the Prophet Balaam (Numbers 24) presenting Him with gifts appropriate for the Prophet, the Priest, and the King, four hundred years of Inter-testimonial silence was broken with these powerful words of hope spoken to ceremonially unclean shepherds watching over the flocks by night—“Fear not, for unto you this day is born a Savior, Christ the Lord!”

Why was it necessary for God to make His First Advent into human history? The inspired Apostle Paul was moved to write to the Galatians churches to answer the query of the eternal mystery, In the fulness of time, God sent forth His Son born of a woman; born under the LAW (Galatians 4:4). Why did God become human (Jesus the Christ—Immanuel, Mt.1:23) and enter on the pre-stage of the same battlefield where all humanity had lost and shall every lose the battle with Satan—GOD’S MORAL LAW? Paul brings into the noon-day of understand the answer writing to the Corinthians, The sting of sin is death and the power of sin is the LAW (I Corinthians 15:56).

Do you mean that sin got is power for the holy, righteous and good moral LAW of God? HOW? Paul answers once again writing to the Roman Christians, What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? Far from it! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not ^[^l^]covet.” But sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead (Romans 7:7, 8).

ILLUSTRATED BY SATAN WRESTING ADAM & EVE FROM FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD

To see this principle still active today, we ask, “What if Satan had dropped by the Garden of Eden; looked around; and, then approached God and said, ‘God, I met this man and woman you made and I want them, so I am going to get them by the hair of the heads and drag them out of your fellowship!” Of course, such would have been and shall ever be impossible! Yet, did Satan, nonetheless, get Adam and Eve out of fellowship with the Fountainhead of their spiritual fellowship with God causing them to forfeit spiritual and, eventually, physical life? Absolutely.

Consider the anatomy of how the prince of the power of the air accomplished such a feat of destruction (cp. Ephesians 2:1-3). Knowing from experience that His seeking the very throne of God himself and being cast out of heaven for one violation of rebellion (cp. Jude 6), Satan was a great student of how things worked in the spiritual world up to a point. Although he could not think of overpowering, He who had all power to steal Adam and Eve from God by force, he decided to exploit the infinite integrity of God and the perfect LAW of God to lure Eve to break God’s LAW committing the first violation of the same (sin) and automatically resulting in the Holy God withdrawing His fellowship from Eve. Eve was deceived, but Adam violated God’s LAW not to touch the forbidden tree with eyes wide open. Paul wrote to the Evangelist Timothy, For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a wrongdoer (I Timothy 2:13, 14).

ADAM, WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING?!!

Why would Adam have eaten the forbidden fruit knowing full well what he was doing and that dead would result? What sense can possibly be made of such a seemingly ridiculous scenario? Moses recorded the inspired answer from God Himself. Then to Adam God said, Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, “You shall not eat from it”… (Genesis 3:17).

Now, let us understand, Adam, there were two voices which spoke to you. The first voice was that of God, your Creator, who said, Do not eat of, not touch the tree in the midst of the garden…, and, then, there was the voice of your knock-out beautiful wife that said, in effect, Honey, this fruit is so pleasing to my eyes; it pleasant to the my taste, and will make me as wise as God, so, sweetie, give it try. Right?!

SATAN WORKED WITH WHAT WAS PERFECT GOOD TO CAUSE TO BIRTH OF WHAT WAS PERFECTLY EVIL!

Adam was created perfect and put in a perfect world in fellowship to his Creator where there was no sin, spiritual or physical death, disease, demon possession, nor the IRS (sorry, had to drop that in!). And, as the crowning and finishing act of God’s perfect world, Eve was created from a rib taken from Adam’s side (yes, I believe every word) and brought unto Adam to be a co-ruler with him to dress and keep the Garden. As someone has said is a colloquial slogan, IT DON’T GET NO BETTER THAN THAT!

Yet, the father of lies used the perfect couple luring them to violate God’s perfect LAW and destroyed perfect fellowship between them and God who once walked with them in the Garden in the cool of the day.

LIGHT SHINING THROUGH THE DARKNESS OF THAT DAY

Before Adam and Eve were separated from the Garden and from fellowship with God due to sin, God made a promise and cast a picture. The PROMISE was the SEED of woman will crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15; cp. Galatians 3:16; Genesis 15:1-6; 2 Samuel 7:11-17; Matthew 1:1-17) and the PICTURE was God clothing the shame (for sin brings shame) of Adam and Eve’s nakedness with animal tunics (Genesis 3:21).

You mean animal skins from the animals Adam and Eve had coexisted with in the Garden of Eden to which Adam (with a perfect intellect) characterized by naming each specie? Yes, those animals.

WAIT, DID YOU SAY GOD COVERED THEM WITH ANIMAL SKINS?

Is that what you are saying! Well, they should have called the Animal Rights Advocates! Remember it had just become a fallen world, so not Eden Advocates could have overpowered the consequences of the sin of man! And, not advocate of gender confusion; or, give-me-a check-with-me-working; nor, no God is going to tell me how to live—for when the Moral Governor of the Universe judges, no human force, military power, or government agent can possibly counteract the decision of He who overrules all things, nations, and peoples.

Yes, animal skins! But, doesn’t an animal have to die to surrender its skin? YES! So, get the horrifying scene. The very pets that Adam and Eve coexisted with in the Garden of Eden were, no doubt, brought before them by the offended God who struck them with death blows while Adam and Eve stood naked and horrified before those precious animals heaving for their last breathes in death-rigors being shocked beyond description with their first experience with death! Then, those dead animals laying in the blood-bath of their own blood were stripped of their hides and Adam and Eve were covered with the bloody tunics driving home a scene repeated through the rest of the Bible the eternal principle—THE INNOCENT MUST SUFFER FOR THE GUILTY!

That unforgettable and horrifying scene was a SHADOW of an event that God th Father would bring about in the fullness of time when HE, himself, through the hands of lawless and wicked men would crush His own Son to pay the debt we have all incurred by the violation of His universal moral LAW—the debt of DEATH! The wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23a). In order for a SHADOW OF THE crucifixion to be cast from Eden to Calvary, Calvary had to have already have been accomplished before the foundation of the world in the Eternal Purpose of the God who knew man would sin; would be separated from Him with no human way of recovery; and, that He, GOD, would do what man could not do—SEND HIS SUBSTITUTE TO PAY A PRICE HE DID NOT OWN TO PAY A DEBT MAN COULD NOT PAY (cp. Acts 2:22, 23; I Peter 1:17-21; Romans 8:28-30; Revelation 13:8).

Eight hundred years before the God-baby would be laid in a Bethlehem feeding trough, Isaiah the Prophet was inspired to writing of the eternal plan (a mystery to the good angels; to Satan; and to the Old Testament Prophets) how God had already in the cases of all the men and women faith from the Fall in the Garden of Eden all the way until simply Galilean fisherman on the Day of Pentecost (33 A.D., Acts 2:1ff) would be inspired with what God the Father had had on His mind forever that Christ was the ONLY means of lost humanities being reconciled to Him by the blood of the perfect LAMB of God who takes away the sin of the world and fellowship restored through the indwelling of His Holy Spirit (cp. Acts 2:22-38, esp. v. 38; I Corinthians 6:19, 20).

Isaiah prophesied:

However, it was our sicknesses that He Himself bore,
And our pains that He carried;
Yet we ourselves assumed that He had been afflicted,
Struck down by God, and humiliated.
But He was pierced for our offenses,
He was crushed for our wrongdoings;
The punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him,
And by His wounds we are healed.
All of us, like sheep, have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the wrongdoing of us all
To fall on Him.

(Isaiah 53:4-6)

THOSE BAD OLE’ ROMANS AND EVIL JEWISH LEADERS!

Given man’s free moral agency, (without a twitch of anti-Sematic feelings whatsoever), it was the Jewish hierarch driven especially by the Sadducees elements of the Jewish Sanhedrin who pulled the string on the Roman puppet, Pontus Pilate, to turn Jesus over for crucifixion.

But, was God the Father behind it all working through the hands of wicked men to put His own Son to death?!! Peter, moved by the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (33 A.D, 10 days after Jesus’ ascension back to heaven) preached on that day of Old Testament consummations, this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of ^[^x^]godless men and put Him to death (Acts 2:23).

But, I thought Pontus Pilate, Herod, the Jews, and the Gentiles were exercising their own freedom of wills in killing Jesus? THEY WERE! But, where was God the Father in the whole crucifixion ordeal?

The Jerusalem saints gave the inspired answer immediately after the Apostles Peter and John reported to them how the Jewish Sanhedrin had threatened them for preaching in Jesus the resurrection of the death. When the church heard their report and inspired by the Spirit shouted the revealing of the mystery as recorded by Luke, the Evangelist, classic historian, and physician these words bringing into the noon-day light of proclaimed understanding for all time how that God the Father had eternally planned to reconcile the world to Himself through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son (the saving gospel, cp. I Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16, 17; 6:1-6) the only means by which lost humanity could have Δικαιοσύνη (the “state of him who is as he ought to be, righteousness, the condition acceptable to God,” or, to be look upon as if said true believer has never violated God’s LAW a single time, Thayer).

What role did God the Father have in the crucifixion ordeal. EVERYTHING!!

Luke records regarding the threatened Peter and John and the church’s corporate prayer of praise in these words.

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy ^[^t^]servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the ^[^u^]Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and purpose predestined to occur.

(Acts 4:27, 28)

This places in relief the unsearchable love of God for the world this consummating of words.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

(John 3:16)

GOD’S LOVE MADE REAL

Δικαιοσύνη (“righteousness”) lies at the heart of the Gospel message. God, in His providence, used even the ambitions of Alexander the Great to spread the very language that would proclaim His Son, Jesus Christ, as the source of true righteousness. But we, having fallen short of God’s glory through violating His law from the outset, could find no way back to Him on our own. Yet, in His immeasurable love, God provided the way – Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice, who took our place and bore the punishment we deserved.

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the gift of Δικαιοσύνη is freely offered to all who believe. This is not a reward for our efforts or a theology of salvation through works, but a gift of grace, clothing us in His righteousness and reconciling us to a holy God. The cross, a testament to both human sin and divine love, stands as a beacon of hope, revealing the lengths to which God would go to redeem His beloved creation.

All that is left is for you to receive this gift of Δικαιοσύνη and embrace the love of the Father, offered freely through the sacrifice of His Son. Will you? Are you? Remember Christ’s command in the Sermon on the Mount.