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I was reflecting on Romans 10:1–4 during this morning’s online Bible study, and as I dug deeper into the text, I was struck by how profoundly it speaks to some of the most fundamental truths about life on earth, and how relevant it is to us today. Here’s the passage that stirred me:

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not according to knowledge. Since they were ignorant of the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end [telos, aim, goal] of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:1–4)

There is a haunting danger in assuming we are right with God simply because we have made a promise, prayed a prayer, or entered a building. Ancient Israel fell into this delusion—and we do too. They trusted in the temple while ignoring the Torah—the instruction set. We trust in a decision for Christ while ignoring a life aligned with Christ.

“Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!’” (Jeremiah 7:4)

What does it truly mean to be righteous?

THE ROOTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

The word righteousness in the New Testament is the Greek dikaiosynē (δικαιοσύνη), a word with rich etymological depth:

• Dike (δίκη) – justice, judgment, order
• Dikaios (δίκαιος) – just, upright
• Dikaiosynē (δικαιοσύνη) – the state of being just or right

The idea began in Greek philosophy as a vision of cosmic justice—order woven into the universe, harmony among the gods, and balance within the city-state. But when Paul uses the word, he immerses it in the depths of Hebrew covenantal thought. In essence, we might say it’s all about alignment—for there can be no true harmony, divine or otherwise, without alignment with God.

To believe otherwise is self-delusion.

SECOND TEMPLE CONTEXT: RIGHTEOUSNESS AS COVENANT FAITHFULNESS

In Second Temple Judaism, righteousness was not understood primarily as abstract moral perfection, but as covenant membership—a relational status. To be righteous meant to be part of the people of God, those whom God had chosen and set apart. It was less about flawless ethical conduct and more about being recognised as belonging to the covenant community. And that belonging was demonstrated through visible markers: Torah observance, ethnic identity, circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, dietary laws, and temple worship.

To be “righteous,” then, was to be “in”—secure in your identity as a Jew, descended from Abraham, shaped by the Law, and loyal to the covenantal customs passed down for generations.

But this was Israel’s tragic misstep. They equated ethnicity + external observance = righteousness. They mistook the signs of the covenant (like circumcision or temple attendance) for the substance of it: a heart submitted to God, walking in humble trust and obedience.

Paul grieves this distortion:

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:1–2)

This wasn’t a lack of passion—if anything, their zeal was fervent. But it was misdirected. They were ignorant of God’s righteousness—a righteousness that comes not from ancestry or law-keeping, but through faith in Christ.

“For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.” (Romans 10:3)

Here lies the core problem: self-established righteousness is always a rejection of God-given righteousness. Israel clung to identity markers as badges of salvation, while refusing the very Messiah who fulfilled the covenant.

Paul’s warning rings true even today. We too can fall into this trap—mistaking Christian culture, moral effort, or denominational affiliation for saving faith. But righteousness has always been about right relationship—and that is only found in Christ, who is “the end [telos, goal, fulfilment] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4).

PAUL’S RADICAL REDEFINITION

Paul doesn’t merely tweak the old system—he turns it inside out and upside down.

“For Christ is the telos [τέλος] of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
(Romans 10:4)

The Greek word telos means aim, goal, culmination, completion, or fulfilment. Jesus is not the one who cancels the law—He is the one who embodies its purpose and brings it to its fullest expression.

The author of Hebrews echoes this revolutionary shift:

“In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” (Hebrews 8:13)

The Torah—God’s law—had always pointed forward, like a shadow cast by a greater reality. It disciplined, preserved, and revealed. But it could not perfect. Its rituals were placeholders. Its sacrifices were reminders, not removers, of sin.

In Christ, the shadow meets the substance, and is its fulfillment.

PAUL’S TWO-FOLD VISION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS: POSITIONAL & PRACTICAL

Paul presents righteousness as both a legal status and a lived reality—two dimensions that are distinct, yet deeply connected:

1. FORENSIC RIGHTEOUSNESS (POSITIONAL ALIGNMENT)

In the heavenly courtroom, God declares the believing sinner “not guilty” for the crime of rebellion against God. This is justification: a legal act whereby we are acquitted, cleansed, and counted as righteous because of Christ’s atoning sacrifice. Thus we, brought back into alignment i.e. justified (think word processor).

“Therefore, since we have been justified [realigned] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)
“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near [aligned] by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13)

We are brought into alignment with God—positionally—without earning or deserving it.

Justified = just as if I’d never sinned.
Righteous = made right with God.

This is reconciliation. The relationship is restored.

2. RELATIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS (PRACTICAL ALIGNMENT)

But this divine declaration is not the end of the story—it is the beginning of a journey.

Righteousness is also relational. It is not merely about being acquitted, but about being welcomed into the household of God, where we are called to live in faithful obedience, intimacy, and the resulting transformation. We are not only declared righteous—we are re-formed to live righteously.

Jesus said:

“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
“We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand…” (Romans 5:2)
“Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” (Hebrews 10:19–22)

Through the blood of Jesus, the door has been opened. We are not only invited in—we are summoned to remain, to walk, to dwell. This is our spiritual duty of righteousness—to live in active alignment with the God who justified us.

FORENSIC RIGHTEOUSNESS: LEGAL STATUS, INSTANT TRANSFER

This aspect of righteousness addresses our standing before God. We are not gradually made acceptable; we are instantly declared acceptable because of Christ. His perfect obedience is credited to us. This is positional and irreversible—it happens once, through faith.

It’s the Judicial Shift:

• From condemned ➝ acquitted
• From guilty ➝ justified
• From far off ➝ brought near
• From unaligned ➝ realigned

It’s like a passport stamped with citizenship—not earned, but granted.

But to stop here is to miss the heart of God.

RELATIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS: COVENANT LIFE, DAILY SURRENDER

This second layer is the lived expression of that legal shift. We are now invited to live as beloved sons and daughters, not just as pardoned criminals. The goal of justification is not a sterile acquittal, but a vibrant life of union with God.

This requires spiritual recalibration—continually aligning our mind, body, and soul with God’s Spirit. This is what Paul calls walking in the spirit (small ‘s’, Galatians 5:25), and to do that requires activating our regenerated spirits through spiritual practice i.e. prayer, worship, scripture meditation etc.

We now live in covenant—a marriage-like bond of fidelity. As the bride of Christ, we are called to offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), faithfully serving the One to whom we now belong.

“He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:15)

RIGHTEOUSNESS IS BOTH A GIFT AND CALLING

Aspect	Forensic (Positional)	Relational (Practical)
Status	Declared righteous	Living righteously
Action	Rest	Active Spiritual Service (Rom. 12:1)
Moment	Instant upon belief	Ongoing, daily discipline
Emphasis	Justification	Sanctification
Access	By faith in Christ alone	By obedience and submission
Goal	Peace with God	Partnership with God

---

Righteousness is more than a courtroom verdict—it’s a covenantal way of life. We are justified by faith, yes, but we are also called to walk by faith, but faith without ACTION is dead.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works [corresponding action], is dead.” (James 2:17)

We’ve been brought near, but now we must abide, that is stay “close” (John 15). We’ve been declared righteous—but now we must live in spiritual alignment through maintained spiritual connection.

WHO WILL SAVE US?

Athens and Jerusalem stand out in the surrounding world they inhabited.

Jews and Greeks represent two enduring approaches to understanding the world and achieving “salvation.” Athens embodies rational inquiry, logic, and philosophical reasoning, as seen in thinkers like Plato and Socrates, who believed that the mind could attain “salvation.” Jerusalem, in contrast, represents the tradition of law, grounded in the Hebrew Bible and Talmud, where salvation was pursued through external laws that governed behavior, but without addressing the internal state of humanity.

Greek philosophy, especially through figures like Plato and Socrates, emphasised rational inquiry, logic, and the use of the mind to understand the world. Philosophers like Plato believed that through knowledge and reason one could achieve a higher state of being e.g., aligning with the Forms.

The Talmud symbolises the entirety of the traditions Jesus said they used to “nullify the word of God by the tradition they have handed down. And they did so in many such matters” (Mark 7:13). The Talmud, which is a central text in Rabbinic Judaism, is a compilation of discussions, debates, and interpretations of the Torah and the oral traditions that were passed down among the Jewish sages. These oral traditions are often referred to as the “Oral Torah” and were intended to explain and expand upon the written Torah (the first five books of the Bible). However often it seems to present a “workaround” to avoid the requirement of the laws of God imposed under the the Mosaic Covenant.

Although these oral traditions were handed down and eventually recorded in the Talmud, calling them Oral “Torah” is a mistake in my view.

In the time of Jesus, there was a significant focus on interpreting and applying these oral (handed down) traditions, which were held in high regard by the religious leaders of the time. Some of the traditions Jesus challenged or critiqued were rooted in these teachings. Specifically, Jesus often clashed with the religious leaders of his day—such as the Pharisees—over their adherence to what he saw as human-made traditions that obscured or contradicted the spirit of God’s law.

MAIMONIDES ON THE MAN-GOD

While Greek thought emphasised intellectual ascent, prioritising the cultivation of reason and logic to reach higher truths, and Jewish tradition sought to tame the unruly physical nature of humanity through legal restrictions and covenantal observance, the rest of the world took a much darker and more authoritarian approach to human governance. By embracing the serpentine doctrine of self-rulership and divinity, many societies instead turned to the establishment of god-kings—divine rulers who claimed to embody the gods themselves.

These rulers were not merely political leaders; they were often worshipped as gods, believed to have divine right and cosmic significance. The power they wielded was absolute, and their rule was marked by brutality and oppression. This model of governance mirrored the tyranny described in the Old Testament, where rulers, like Pharaoh, were not just kings, but representations of divine authority—tyrannical gods in human form. The history of civilisations like those in Egypt, Babylon, Persia, and later Rome, is littered with such figures who sought to solidify their control through divine claims, suppressing their people under the weight of authoritarian rule.

Rather than fostering harmony or human flourishing, these regimes led to brutal dictatorships, where the people were treated as mere subjects—often enslaved to the whims of rulers who claimed godlike authority. There was no room for dissent or freedom of thought, and the well-being of individuals was sacrificed for the sake of maintaining the power of the god-king.

Maimonides’ interpretation of the serpent’s promise in Genesis 3:5—“You shall be as gods [Elohim], knowing good and evil”—provides insight. The term “Elohim,” contrary to popular belief, in Scripture does not exclusively denote God, but can mean, and often is translated as “rulers” or “judges.”

In a tragic twist of irony, Adam and Eve did in fact receive what they were promised—they became, in a sense, “like gods” not in divine essence, but in assuming the role of moral governors over a fallen world.

The problem with wanting to be god is that you have to actually be god and control the chaos around you.

Maimonides thus interprets the serpent’s promise and the subsequent fall in a way that connects the desire for divinity to the role of rulers:

Maimonides elaborates on this in his Guide for the Perplexed (Part 2, Chapter 35), writing:

“The Hebrew word Elohim is frequently used in the Scriptures to mean rulers or judges, and it does not always denote God. Thus, the serpent’s promise was fulfilled in that Adam and Eve became rulers and judges [elohim] of the world. However, they were not gods in the sense that the serpent implied, but they assumed dominion over the earth, and with this dominion came the responsibility to govern the chaos that followed the loss of divine order.”

Before the fall, there was no need for law as we understand it. In Eden, divine order reigned effortlessly, sustained by the immediate presence of God. There was no law because there was no rebellion; no need for external control, because divine communion ordered all things harmoniously. But once expelled from the Garden, where divine harmony reigned because of God’ presence, Adam and Eve entered a world now severed from that perfect order. They entered the chaos reigning outside of the garden, without God’s influencing presence and had to tame it themselves. The burden of governance—of judgment, of naming right and wrong—fell upon them.

The problem of chaos, external in the world and internal to the human soul, immediately asserted itself. The firstborn son of this new order, Cain, murders his brother Abel. It is the first act of rule without God—and it is one of violence. Without divine presence, man must impose law to restrain chaos, but he is also vulnerable to becoming the very source of it.

Maimonides’ insight suggests that Adam and Eve’s desire was tragically fulfilled: they became rulers, but rulers without anchorage, marooned in a world they now had to order on their own terms, in their own strength. Their transgression was not just disobedience—it was the audacity to redefine the boundaries of life and knowledge apart from God. this is reminiscent ot he maxim,

Be careful of what you wish for, you may just get it.

THE LUCIFERIAN DOCTRINES OF “YOU SHALL BE GODS” AND “SAVE YOURSELF”: A SEDUCTIVE FORCE IN MODERN SOCIETIES

This echoes in modernity’s own attempts to play god. Scientists, emboldened by progress, once approached God in a parable, declaring:

“We don’t need You anymore—we can now create life ourselves.”
God replies, “Very well, show Me.”
The scientists eagerly stoop to gather a handful of soil.
But God halts them with a smile:
“Ah… get your own dirt.”

In that moment, the illusion shatters. Even at our most advanced, we remain borrowers of glory, not its originators. Like Adam and Eve, we are still reaching for the fruit of knowledge, hoping to become gods—yet always reminded, if we are willing to hear, that the soil itself is not ours to command without god’s power backing us up.

The doctrines of “you shall be gods“ and “save yourself“ are deeply rooted in Luciferian ideology, and they continue to infiltrate our societies, subtly shaping cultural narratives and personal identities. These doctrines promote the exaltation of humanity to divine status and the self-sufficiency that rejects God’s authority and grace. Their presence is often hidden beneath the guise of modern ideologies, technologies, and self-empowerment movements, but they reflect the ancient temptation of Lucifer: the desire to make man the measure of all things and to assert autonomy from God. This is of course an illusion at best.

The first instance of the “you shall be gods“ doctrine is seen in Genesis 3:5 when the serpent tempts Eve with the promise that by eating the forbidden fruit, she would become like God, knowing good and evil. This false promise, uttered by Lucifer, lies at the heart of Luciferianism: the belief that humanity can ascend to divinity through knowledge, power, or self-effort—knowing right and wrong with every decision. It does make one wonder if the true goal of AI, combined with transhumanism, isn’t an attempt at omniscience. The drive to merge technology with human biology and create machines capable of processing vast amounts of data may stem from a desire for ultimate control and knowledge. This vision reflects humanity’s age-old pursuit of god-like powers—an attempt to transcend natural limitations and, perhaps, reach a form of omniscience that goes beyond human understanding.

The serpentine doctrine echoes the prideful ambition of Satan, who sought to exalt himself above God (Isaiah 14:12-14).

These doctrines, self-salvation and self-deification, have deep roots in Luciferian ideology and continue to manifest in various forms across modern society. These ideas, centered around human autonomy and the rejection of divine grace, permeate cultural, technological, and spiritual trends, fostering the illusion that humanity can save itself and even achieve god-like status through its own efforts. From ancient rulers claiming divine status to modern ideologies that elevate human ability to god-like levels, no one has been immune to this.

This idea continues to thrive in modern society, often under the guise of self-reliance, self-help, and humanism:

1. Self-Salvation Through Achievement: Modern culture glorifies personal achievement and self-made success, creating the belief that individuals can rise above circumstances and save themselves through sheer willpower. This ideology ignores the biblical truth that salvation is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9), not something earned by human effort.
2. Religious Humanism and Syncretic Beliefs: Religious humanism and syncretic belief systems promote self-salvation through personal effort, rituals, or moral codes. These systems teach that salvation is attained through human wisdom and power, reflecting the Luciferian belief that man can overcome his fall and achieve divinity without divine grace.
3. Technological Transcendence: The transhumanist movement advocates for using technology to transcend biological limitations, achieve immortality, and become gods through advancements like mind uploading. This reflects the Luciferian ambition to overcome God’s limitations and reach for divinity on human terms.
4. Self-Empowerment Movements: Self-help and new age spirituality promote the idea that individuals can shape their reality and manifest their desires through willpower and positive thinking. These ideologies encourage seeing oneself as a “god” capable of controlling the environment and shaping the future, undermining the biblical truth that true power comes from submitting to God’s will.
5. Technocratic Deification: Sigmund Freud described modern man as a “prosthetic god“, augmented by technology and wielding god-like power through tools like satellites and the internet. This technocratic deification fosters the illusion that humans can become divine through technological advancement, while lacking the moral weight of divinity.
6. Ideological Tyrannies: Totalitarian regimes (e.g., Mao, Stalin) sought to elevate human ideology to the level of divine law, with leaders assuming god-like authority. These regimes were neo-Pharaonic, where man-gods were enthroned through materialist dialectics or national mythologies, controlling society through ideology.
7. Nietzsche’s Übermensch: Friedrich Nietzsche’s Übermensch (superman) concept calls for the rise of a “superman” who creates his own values, shapes his own destiny, and ascends above divine morality. Nietzsche’s Übermensch is another manifestation of the Luciferian ambition—a “man-god” who seeks to control and shape society, placing man as the ultimate authority, unaccountable and autonomous.

These ideologies, all of which promote the idea that humanity can transcend the need for divine grace. However, the biblical truth remains that salvation is a gift from God, and true freedom comes through submitting (aligning with) to Him and acknowledging that we are not gods, but humble recipients of His mercy and grace.

Why? Because all the chaos, dysfunction and suffering in the world is a direct result of un-alignment with God.

In political systems, the idea of leaders as saviors or ideological movements as absolute truths further promotes the Luciferian ambition to replace divine rule with human will. The rejection of God’s sovereignty in favor of human-centered ideologies places society on a path of rebellion and self-destruction, as history has shown time and again.

The Bible offers a clear response to these Luciferian doctrines. God alone is God, and humanity is not meant to exalt itself to divine status (Isaiah 45:5-6). Salvation is not something we can achieve through our own power; it is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9). The Luciferian drive to make man god and to save oneself apart from God leads to enslavement, while true freedom comes from submitting to God’s will and authority.

Ironically, throughout history, every attempt by humanity to save itself or become gods has resulted in an ironic and tragic consequence: the very oppression, suffering, and slavery that we sought to escape from in the first place. When we reject the truth of divine authority and the grace of God, we inevitably place ourselves under the tyrannical rule of self-imposed idols, systems, and ideologies that seem to promise freedom but ultimately lead to greater bondage.

Ultimately, the doctrines of “you shall be gods“ and “save yourself“ are deceptive lies that keep humanity in a state of rebellion against the Creator. They promise freedom, but they lead to enslavement—not just of individuals, but of entire societies. Why? Because, apart from God, we cannot tame the dragon of chaos. The true path to freedom is not through self-deification or self-salvation, but through submitting to the transcendent authority of God, who dignifies us by offering His grace and mercy. In the end, only in God can true liberty and fulfillment be found.

THE WORLD OF “MAN-GODS”

Across the ancient world—outside the small but significant outposts of Hebrew covenantal life and Greek civic experimentation—societies were dominated by a singular, consuming idea: the divinisation of human rulers. These were the ages of the “man-god”—civilisations structured around the worship of a human being exalted to divine status, or at the very least, cloaked in divine right and cosmic destiny.

PHARAOH: THE EMBODIMENT OF DIVINE POWER

In Egypt, Pharaoh reigned not simply as a monarch but as the embodiment of divine order. His image was sculpted in monumental forms, his name engraved into eternity. As Dr. Howland notes, Egyptian society revolved around the monumentalisation of Pharaoh. Every pyramid, every procession, every law bore witness to a theology of power centred on a single human figure—a god walking the earth. The very structure of Egyptian society, from architecture to governance, was designed to reinforce the idea that the Pharaoh was not a mere mortal, but a divine being whose authority was absolute and unquestionable.

IMPERIAL DOMINION: FROM BABYLON TO PERSIA

This ideology was not unique to Egypt. The Persian emperors, Babylonian kings, and Roman Caesars also ruled as incarnate divinities, or at the very least, as those chosen by heaven to bear the weight of the cosmos. Power was not merely political—it was sacral. Sovereignty was embodied in the flesh of men who bore titles like “Son of Heaven,” “King of Kings,” and “Pontifex Maximus.” These rulers were seen as mediators between the divine and the earthly realm, enforcing cosmic order through their supreme and divine rule. Their reigns were justified not merely by force, but by a perceived divine right that was interwoven into the fabric of their empires.

THE HEBREW AND GREEK CHALLENGE

Against this backdrop, two traditions emerged that sought to break the mould. The Hebrews, under divine command, rejected the deification of kings and instead reoriented their political life around a transcendent, unseen God. Their story—especially the Exodus—redefined liberation: not the absence of masters, but allegiance to the One true Master. The Israelites were not freed to serve no master, but to serve the living God who offered them true freedom in His justice. Similarly, early Greek city-states, such as Athens and Sparta, sought to limit power, dispersing it across councils, assemblies, and constitutions in a bid to preserve human dignity and civic freedom. They understood that the concentration of power in the hands of one person was a threat to the freedom and autonomy of the people.

Together, these traditions proposed a radical and counter-cultural idea, however they too are subject to the same ultimate powerlessness against chaos in a world separated from God: man is not God, and true freedom is found not in submission to other men, but in submission to divine justice and reason.

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: ALIGNING BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT

Human beings, by their very design, are wired to seek connection, guidance, and leadership. This intrinsic need for connection shapes the foundation of our lives, as we are never meant to live in isolation. We are created to serve—whether consciously or unconsciously, actively or passively. As Paul highlights in his epistles, particularly in Romans 6:16, we are either “slaves to sin” or “slaves to righteousness,” making us all servants of something. “Do you not know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). We are designed to serve, and in doing so, we align ourselves with either God’s righteous leadership or the deceptive rule of darkness.

We will always “serve something or someone.” It is the intrinsic design of connection with and empowerment by God.

THE DANGEROUS DUALITY: CHOOSING WHO OR WHAT WE SERVE

In life, we are presented with a choice—whether we make it consciously or not. This choice, however, is not neutral. The decision to serve one leader or another has eternal implications, both in our lives here on earth and in the spiritual realm. The stakes are high, and as Paul teaches, this decision is not just a matter of passive choice; it actively shapes who we become. When we choose to serve God, we acknowledge His divine right to lead us, and in turn, we are led toward freedom, purpose, and life. But when we reject His leadership, we automatically open the door to other influences.

In the absence of God’s rule, there is only one other option: Satan. This is not merely a theological concept but a lived reality. When we choose to reject divine leadership, we embrace another form of authority. Whether we acknowledge it or not, in choosing to live without God, we find ourselves unknowingly submitted to the powers of darkness. These are not abstract forces, but real and tangible powers that influence our thoughts, decisions, and actions. The Bible makes it clear: if we do not actively submit to the leadership of God, we are susceptible to the leadership of Satan, who seeks to deceive, enslave, and destroy.

THE WESTERN WORLD’S CHOICE: APOSTASY AND THE RISE OF APOSTATE IDEOLOGIES

In the modern, post-Christian, post-truth, post-modern era, Western civilization has made a distinct choice. As a society, we have largely chosen to abandon the foundational principles that have shaped our societies for centuries—the belief in a transcendent God, absolute truth, and objective morality. In their place, we have embraced a worldview that is increasingly atheistic, relativistic, and indifferent to spiritual matters. We have rejected the divine leadership that guided our ancestors and instead chosen self-determination, moral ambiguity, and secularism.

This apostasy, however, has not been a neutral or harmless shift. The rejection of God’s authority does not lead to a vacuum of leadership; rather, it opens the door to Luciferian ideologies—systems of belief that elevate human autonomy and the pursuit of personal power while denying the sovereignty of God. These ideologies, often masked in secular terms such as humanism, relativism, progressivism and liberalism have at their core a denial of the divine order and an embrace of self-deification. The belief that humanity can save itself, determine its own moral compass, and elevate its own power without God is a form of modern-day Luciferianism, a rebellion against the Creator in the name of human empowerment.

But as history has shown, societies that turn away from God’s leadership invariably descend into oppression and chaos. In our modern world, the erosion of faith and the rise of secularism have led to a culture where personal autonomy is prized above all else, but this freedom comes with a price. The oppression in this society is not always physical but psychological and spiritual. With the absence of absolute truth, individuals are left to grapple with their own emptiness, seeking meaning in a world that offers none. And when people are left to their own devices, the result is often a dehumanising system of control, where those in power impose their ideologies on others, whether through cultural norms, political structures, or economic systems.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF REJECTING GOD’S AUTHORITY

The consequences of choosing to reject God and adopt secular or Luciferian ideologies are dire. In rejecting divine truth, we trade the light of wisdom for the darkness of deception. We trade freedom under God’s rule for slavery under self-made gods—whether those gods are individualistic desires, political ideologies, or technological advancements that promise salvation apart from God.

Moreover, as we see in our contemporary world, rejecting God’s authority leads to oppressive systems of control that crush human dignity. Rather than lifting people up to their divine calling, these systems enslave them in the pursuit of power, identity, and self-preservation. Those who rise to positions of authority in such systems often do so at the expense of others, manipulating and controlling for their own gain.

The ultimate consequence of living in a society that rejects God is spiritual death, both for the individual and the collective. Just as the Bible warns, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), so too is the outcome of a society that turns away from God—oppression, suffering, and ultimately, the destruction of the human soul.

Let us not forget—wages are what one receives in return for servitude under bondage, the compensation of an indentured soul.

Let us not forget—wages are not the reward of the free, but the compensation of the bonded. In the ancient world, wages were given to indentured servants, not sons, and certainly not brides. This is precisely why Paul, in Romans 6:23, writes, “For the wages of sin is death…”—because sin makes us slaves, and the only payment we receive for our bondage is death. But in stark contrast, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” A gift is not earned; it is given in love, like a bride-price for a cherished wife.

FROM EXILE TO BRIDAL RETURN: FINDING REST IN THE HOUSE OF OUR HUSBAND

In the book of Ruth, Naomi blesses her daughters-in-law with a poignant prayer:

“May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest in the house of another husband.” (Ruth 1:9)

This word “rest” is more than just a place to sleep—it speaks of security, provision, and belonging. It is the rest found under the covering of covenant, the sanctuary of being known and cared for, the intimacy of a shared life and purpose.

When humanity was cast out of Eden, we lost that very rest—the shelter of God’s house, His presence, His divine order. Eden wasn’t just a garden; it was a temple, a dwelling place, the original oikos—the Greek word from which we derive economy and ecology.

• Oikos (οἶκος) means “house” or “household,” and by extension, it refers to the structure of provision, relationships, and responsibility that flows from it.
• Our English word economy comes from oikonomia (οἰκονομία), meaning “household management.”

In Eden, God was the head of the household. We were His children, His beloved, living under His perfect order and care. But in choosing independence, we forfeited His covering and were thrust into toil—labouring to clothe ourselves, feed ourselves, and save ourselves. We exchanged rest for restlessness. Peace for striving. Communion for survival.

But the gospel tells a different story—a love story. It tells of a Bridegroom who came to redeem His bride. A Second Adam who invites us back into covenant. Jesus does not just save us from sin—He calls us into union with Himself. He offers us His name, His covering, and His house. In Him, we return home.

Just as Ruth lay at Boaz’s feet and asked him to spread the corner of his garment over her, saying, “You are a guardian-redeemer of our family” (Ruth 3:9), so we come to Christ and say, “Cover me—redeem me—bring me into Your household.”

But covenant is not one-sided. While we often expect God to fulfil His duty toward us—providing, protecting, blessing—do we remember the duty we accepted as His bride?

Paul writes:

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Marriage is not merely romantic sentiment—it is covenantal service. A giving of oneself. When we entered into union with Christ, we became His body—His hands and feet on the earth. To be His wife is to serve Him with our bodies, our time, our gifts, our very lives.

Just as a faithful wife tends her household, aligns with her husband’s vision, and honours his name, so we are called to steward Christ’s house—His economy, His kingdom order, His household management. We no longer live for ourselves, striving to build our own households in toil and fear. We are now under His roof. Under His rest.

And in that rest, we do not grow idle—but faithful.

Like the Proverbs 31 woman, we “rise while it is yet night” to serve. But not out of burden—out of love. Out of devotion to our Bridegroom King.

CHOOSING TO SERVE GOD: THE PATH OF TRUE FREEDOM

In contrast to the Luciferian doctrine, the path of submitting to God’s leadership is the path of true freedom. Jesus Himself proclaimed, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). True freedom is not found in rejecting divine authority; rather, it is found in yielding to it. When we serve God, we align ourselves with His will, and in doing so, we find a higher purpose, a deeper sense of fulfillment, and a society that thrives on justice, love, and truth.

The choice is clear: we must either actively choose to serve God, or we will, by default, serve something else far more sinister. The consequences of our choice are grave, not only for our own lives but for the trajectory of society as a whole. As we look around at the increasing darkness of our post-Christian world, it becomes evident that we are reaping the consequences of our collective rejection of God’s authority. But there is still hope. As individuals, we can choose to align ourselves with God’s truth and reignite the light of faith in a world that desperately needs it.

Righteousness must echo in the way we live. Spiritual practice is how we align our inner belief with outward behaviour, our words with our walk.

The ancient world felt this fracture deeply:

• The Jews sought to tame the body with law—circumcision, food restrictions, ritual purity.
• The Greeks tried to tame the mind with philosophy—logic, meditation, self-mastery.
• But Jesus came to tame the spirit—by regenerating it.

The spirit is the root. Jesus doesn’t merely reform behaviour or refine thoughts—He resurrects the innermost part of us. And from there, life flows outward.

ALIGNMENT IN PRACTICE

The truly righteous life is not just about belief—it is about embodied alignment. When our spirit, soul, and body are brought into agreement with God, we walk in His rhythm. These practices don’t earn righteousness—they anchor us in the righteousness already gifted to us in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Here’s how we cultivate that alignment:

• Confession (Greek: homología) – Declaring what God declares: To confess isn’t merely to admit wrong, but to speak in agreement with God’s truth—about Himself, about us, and about the world. “Since we have a great High Priest… let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14)
• Meditation – Saturating the mind with God’s Word: Meditation means to chew on Scripture until it becomes part of our thinking, our imagination, our instincts. “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.” (Psalm 119:99)
  “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)
• Obedience – Acting on what we know, not what we feel: Alignment demands that we live out truth, even when feelings lag behind. Faith is perfected in movement. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)
  “Do not merely listen to the word… Do what it says.” (James 1:22)
• Worship – Offering ourselves entirely to God: True worship is more than a song—it is a surrender of our bodies, our thoughts, our time. We live as living sacrifices. “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God—this is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
• Repentance – Returning daily to the truth: Repentance is not a one-time act but a daily recalibration—returning to God’s presence through prayer, and to the plumb line of God’s Word. “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)

These rhythms don’t make us righteous, but they keep us in sync with the righteousness we’ve been given—just like tuning an instrument to match the pitch of heaven.

THE DANGER OF EMPTY CLAIMS

The Jews said, “We have the temple!”
Today, we say, “I prayed the prayer.”

But the sobering truth is this: spiritual heritage does not equal spiritual vitality. Righteousness is not a relic we inherit, nor a one-time decision we check off a list. It is a living alignment—a daily, Spirit-led walk, full of surrender, obedience, and transformation.

“Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’” (Jeremiah 7:4)

Israel had the covenant, the promises, the rituals—but their hearts were far from God. Their zeal was real, but it was disconnected from truth. Paul wept over them, not because they were irreligious, but because they were deeply religious yet deceived:

“For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2)

They confused proximity for purity, ritual for relationship, privilege for righteousness. And we risk doing the same.

• We boast of being “born again,” but we resist spiritual practice.
• We wear the title of Christian, but do we carry the Christian cross?
• We speak of grace, but do we walk in godliness?
• We say, “Jesus is Lord,” but is He truly Lord of our lives—our desires, our decisions, our dollars, our daily choices?

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)

The danger of empty claims is not that they are loud, but that they are hollow. They echo with conviction, yet lack the weight of surrender.

It is not enough to have the appearance of godliness—we must possess its power (2 Timothy 3:5).
It is not enough to know the right words—we must be transformed by the Living Word.

Jesus didn’t die so we could recite a prayer and return to life as usual. He died and rose again so we could be born into a new kind of life—a life crucified with Him, and raised to walk in the Spirit.

So the question remains:

Have we truly given Him our lives—or just an empty promise?

DEVOTIONAL PRAYER

Lord of Righteousness,

I do not want to trust in buildings or promises, emotions or memories. I want to be truly aligned with You.

Search me. Reveal where my life has drifted from Your Word. Bring my body, my thoughts, and my spirit into harmony with Your truth.

Saturate my inner man. Tame my spirit, not with rules or reasoning, but with the power of Your Spirit. Let me not merely be declared righteous, but let me become righteous in my walk, in my worship, in my witness, in my devotion to You

Thank You that in Christ, I am not only forgiven—I am transformed.

Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

1. In what ways have I trusted in religious identity (church attendance, past decisions, rituals) instead of active alignment with Jesus?
2. How do I understand righteousness—only as a legal status, or also as a way of life?
3. Am I regularly practising confession, meditation, and obedience in my spiritual walk?
4. Which part of me needs realignment most right now—body, mind, or spirit?
5. How can I shift from passive belief to active participation in the righteousness of God?

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