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Jehovah-Tsidkenu


In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6) 


JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU “The Lord our righteousness"
        This is one of those things that blows my mind. We've all heard of guilt by association. Anyone who voted for Mr. Trump is hateful, phobic, etc. Anyone who voted for Mrs. Clinton is hateful, corrupt, etc. We can probably provide evidence that one or more of those statements is true. But, God works in the opposite direction. He attributes righteousness by association. Abraham believed God, and it was attributed to him as righteousness. The nation of Israel was told over and over that God didn't choose them because they were righteous - because they weren't. He was their righteousness just as Christ is ours today. It's not that we do nothing wrong. It's not even really that we are learning to do what is right (though I hope we are.) It is all about His righteousness and His grace. He picked you for His team, therefore all that is true of His team is true of you, even when you fail. 
        This doesn't excuse our failures. We can't claim His righteousness and think our sins don't matter. God will deal with those failures as He knows to be appropriate. His goal is for us to grow into the righteousness He envisions for us - which means that He has hope for us, not based in what we can do, but based on what He has done and continues to do for us and in us.

       

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