Not Thy Righteousness, But Their Wickedness #12

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

“Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Deuteronomy 9:5 KJV).

May we have the proper perspective of wickedness versus righteousness….

Commoners, pastors, and teachers can all learn something from today’s Scripture. Inflated egos—the same in the Israelites’ hearts—can easily dominate and ruin us. Graduates of “Christian” institutes of higher learning might conclude that they “deserve” to be in ministry because they are brilliant scholars, loyal denominationalists, and articulate speakers. Even the most spiritual believers are not immune to adopting the erroneous supposition that they are “God’s gift to man,” “Heaven’s favorite.”

Sure, we can lift our noses high and sniff, and stick out our little chests and bellow, but let us remember the people who demanded Jesus’ crucifixion were… extremely religious. See for yourself in Matthew 27:20-22; Mark 15:9-15; Luke 23:20-24; John 18:39,40; John 19:12-15; Acts 3:12-18; Acts 4:8-12; Acts 5:26-32; and Acts 7:51-53. Those chief priests and commoners were the products of 1,500 years of mindless works-religion instead of heart faith in JEHOVAH God who gave them that Mosaic Law system!!!! It was their self-righteousness that led them to believe they had no need for the Saviour. Saul of Tarsus was one such “goody-goody” (see Philippians 3:1-9 and 1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Believe it or not, Hell abounds with “good” people—and countless billions more souls have yet to arrive. The underlying supposition is how their limited, insubstantial works in the energy of their flesh somehow supplement or replace Jesus Christ’s sinless blood. Regardless of what they do, once they leave this life upon physical death, they will always be “in Adam.” That nature will remain with them throughout the endless ages to come, and their punishment is hence without end (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 and Revelation 14:9-11).

“For he [Father God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we [through faith in Him alone] might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is not our righteousness, but God’s righteousness in Christ!