2025 ITEROF Message Eight

Scripture reading:

Matt. 5:20 For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall by no means enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

Phil. 3:9 And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is out of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is out of God and based on faith.

I. The Father’s kingdom is the reality of the kingdom of the heavens today, that is, the reality of the church life today, and it is also the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age—Matt. 5:3; 13:43: (Monday)

A. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also—Matt. 6:21.

B. No one can serve two masters:You cannot serve God and mammon—Matt. 6:24:

1. 1. The center of the universal struggle is whether man will worship God or mammon—Matt. 4:9-10; 6:24.
   2. Being delivered from mammon is the most basic and fundamental condition for serving God—Matt. 6:21, 24; Luke 16:13; Heb. 13:5.

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C. “Do not be anxious for your life… for all these things the Gentiles are eagerly seeking… do not be anxious for tomorrow”—Matt. 6:25a, 32a, 34a. (Tuesday)

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D. The kingdom people should never live in tomorrow but only in today—Matt. 6:34. (Wednesday)

E. Concerning our living, we have the heavenly Father Himself caring for us; when He cares for our material needs, He dispenses His element into us—Matt. 6:32-33; John 16:27a; Eph. 1:3.

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II. The Father’s righteousness is the righteousness manifested by keeping the new law of the kingdom; this righteousness is the Christ lived out by the kingdom people—Matt. 5:20: (Thursday)

A. Righteousness is the outward expression of Christ as the life-giving Spirit living in us—2 Cor. 3:9, 18; 1 Cor. 15:45b.

B. Righteousness is a matter of the kingdom of God—Matt. 6:33:

1. Righteousness is of God for His administration and is therefore related to God’s dominion and rule—Psa. 89:14; Isa. 32:1.

2. Righteousness first brings in the image of God and then establishes the kingdom of God—Rom. 8:4, 29; 14:17.

C. To be right with God in our being means that our inner man is transparent and as pure as crystal—1 Cor. 15:34; 2 Cor. 5:21; Rev. 21:11.

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D. There are two aspects of Christ becoming the righteousness of the believers—Rom. 3:24-26; James 2:24; Matt. 5:20: (Friday)

1. 1. 1. The best robe typifies Christ as the righteousness given by God to the believers, covering them outwardly as their objective righteousness before God—Luke 15:22-23.
      2. The fatted calf typifies Christ as the righteousness given by God to the believers as their supply of life, enabling them to live out God in Christ as their subjective righteousness—Luke 15:22-23.

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E. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—2 Tim. 4:8a. (Saturday)