“His will is the rule of righteousness and righteousness is the rule of his will.” –Elisha Coles
“In the LORD I take refuge.” (Ps. 11:1a, ESV) Such a simple and straightforward statement and yet able to convey so much comfort. How the saints, through the centuries, have looked to the Lord for consolation, protection, and guidance and he has failed them not. He protected David and his unchanging character guarantees that he will shelter you today. (See Hebrews 13:8) The practical question remains how does one take refuge in the LORD?
A partial answer to that question may be found in verse seven, “For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” God only allows the ‘righteous’ to have communion with him. To be in the presence of God is to be on holy ground. “The LORD is in his holy temple.” (Ps. 11:4a, ESV) We are able to enter into his presence only when we are righteous. This is a tall order for two reasons. First, all of mankind are sinners by nature and sinners by choice. Our sin separates us from God. Second, the standard of God is the perfect standard. Fortunately, the righteousness which God’s righteousness requires is the righteousness of Christ.
This righteousness of Christ involves his person and his work. He is our mediator because he is both fully man and fully God. He is the Son of Man who perfectly kept the commands of God. He is the Son of God who bore our sins on the cross. His righteousness he shares or imputes to us. His righteousness becomes our own when we trust him, not because we trust him, lest his righteousness be gained by a deed of our own! The apostle Paul writes, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself… For our sake he [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5:17-21, excerpted) The ‘him’ in that verse is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Pastor Henry Smith describes Christ’s work as follows, “He hides our unrighteousness with His righteousness. He covers our disobedience with His obedience. He shadows our death with His death that the wrath of God cannot find us.” (Puritan Golden Treasury, 162)
David, in verse three, asked an urgent question, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” This is what they can do. They can trust Christ and in him find the refuge and comfort that they seek. Have a blessed week and we will Zoom with you on Sunday!
Privileged to serve,
Pastor Dale
Skip to content
Skip to footer