Hello and God Bless you this fine week of July 2011. How have you been? I hope you have had a wonderful week. Full of new revelation with the LORD! You know, we often find ourselves backed into a corner with no where to turn for the best. No ways seems the right way. When you have a relationship with the Lord, Your Heavenly Father is waiting to direct your path. He is waiting to say “ This way my child, this way”. Just as a decent parent does to their own child. They would direct their child’s path. Helping them avoid any pit falls if possible. Even if there was a pitfall, a decent parent is right there picking up the pieces rebuilding, restoring, encouraging, with a no matter what attitude. Children often make mistakes in their childhood. It’s a process of learning; learning what is wrong and what is right. This is the process of LIFE And GROWTH! Adults are not exempt they too make mistakes but its what you do with them that counts! They either learn from their mistakes and make a point of never going down that route again and if they are WISE they not only learn from any mistakes made and they use the experience to help others do the same! Or they stay the same and continue to make the same type of mistakes time after time denying there is a problem to themselves and blaming others. This is a serious deception! Great news is where the LIGHT of GOD is deception or misleading intentions will be brought into the LIGHT! If you know the Lord as your savoir, you will know that you no longer have to be backed into a corner with anything. You no longer have to except circumstances as they are and in fact you can reach out and receive precious help and direction from the best of the best. The King of Kings! With Jesus and His love by your side you can have your path rebuilt, restored, encouraged and no matter how many times you make a mistake He is ALWAYS faithful to forgive and move on quickly. He loves you no matter what you could ever do. His son died for you so that you could know this very FACT! He is waiting to help you or direct your path away from bad times or mistakes into pure love and protecting. He will be there if you hit any pit falls or if you choose go your way rather than His that wont stop him from staying with you, holding you, lifting you if you fell. Instead of being backed into a corner as we sometimes find ourselves lean on Him, we don’t know it all in fact I think you will find the more you think you know the less you actually do! And you will be amazed at the level of care you receive. God bless you this week In Jesus Christ Name.
This week we will have a little look at what Righteousness means. This is in continuation of last weeks blog. Once we have completed this we will then go on to finish 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and the series on Receive Gods free gift of LOVE! It has been important in looking at Truth and what this is and now taking a look at RIGHTEOUSNESS. Which is this weeks subject.
In the Old Covenant, righteousness had to be attained through keeping the law perfectly see Deuteronomy 6:25. From the amplified bible.
“ And it will be accounted as righteousness ( conformity to Gods will in word, thought and action) for us if we are watchful to do all this commandment before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us”
It was the righteousness of man because it was to be attained through man’s effort. No one succeeded in the near 2000 years. It was the blood of animals that covered the sins of men until Christ came.
Approximately 600 years before our Savoir (Jesus) was born in Bethlehem, Jeremiah the prophet predicted in Jeremiah 23:5-6
"Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King ( Jesus) shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS".
In the New Covenant, which is the covenant we are in now with Christ. That is anyone who has accepted Him as their Lord and savour. It is a covenant of LOVE, HIS righteousness is included in this gift of love look at Romans 5:17 ( amplified bible)
“ For if because of one mans trespass (Adams lapse, offence) death reigned through that one ( through satan gaining control), How much more surely will those who receive God’s over-flowing grace ( unmerited favour) and the free gift of righteousness ( putting them into right standing with himself) reign as kings in life through the one man Jesus Christ ( the Messiah , The Anointed ).
Righteousness ( pureness) is a precious and wonderful Gift just like the gift of love God gave us, Just like the gift of Salvation from eternal death and separation from God, just like the Holy Spirit and His gifts as we have seen in previous blogs.
Jesus said in Mathew 5:6 “ Blessed, fortunate, happy, and spiritually prosperous ( in state in which the born again child of GOD enjoys HIS favour and salvation) are those who hunger or thirst for righteousness ( uprightness and right standing with God) for they shall be completely satisfied.”
Righteousness is more than just a gift it is for our own benefit to be blessed happy spiritually prosperous, to be completely satisfied! Thank you LORD!
It is not something that we can earn. We are no longer in the old covenant, we are in the New covenant a Covenant of LOVE! We are given the righteousness of God because Jesus kept the law and gave us His righteousness see Romans 10:3-4 and Phil 3:9. It is given by grace ( un merited favour) and received by faith.
What is Righteousness?
English Dictionary definition is:
Characterized by uprightness or morality ( good Character and Morals) : a righteous observance of the law ( observing and upholding what is right in accordance with Gods will).
There are two types of Righteousness; Biblical Righteousness as in your position in Christ. Righteousness is attained by faith in Christ. It is probably one of the most important revelations you can have knowing who you are once you have accepted Christ. Lets take a look at
Romans 3:20-25
“ For no person will be justified ( Made righteous, acquitted) in His sight by observing the works prescribed by the Law ( old covenant)
For (the real function of) the law is to make men recognize and be conscious of sin ( Not mere perception, but an acquaintance with sin which works toward repentance faith and holy character).
But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the law, although it attested by the law and the prophets.
Namely the righteousness of God which comes from believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ ( the messiah) ( and it is meant) for all who believe. For there is no distinction.
Since all have sinned and are falling short of the honour and glory which God bestows and receives.
All are Justified made right and in right standing with God freely and gratuitously by his Grace ( his unmerited favor and mercy) through the redemption which is provided in Christ Jesus.
Whom God put forward ( before the eyes of all) as a mercy seat and propitiation by His blood ( cleansing and life giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation to be received through FAITH. This was to show Gods righteousness because in His divine forbearance He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment."
This passage of scripture written by the Holy Spirit through Paul the apostle is probably one of the most important scripture passages you can read. It shows you exactly what Righteousness was obtained by and that was Christ. And anyone who believe in Him through FAITH is then made righteous and free from separation from God and in right standing with him again. SIN is GONE FOREVER! Praise His HOLY NAME!
We do not have to obtain righteousness like the old testament prophets and people did under the law. Instead we are given this precious gift FREELY for all who chose to accept Jesus into their heart and life.
You have then been made:
2 Corinthians 5:21 “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus”
Romans 5:1 (Amplified bible) I have been justified (Declared Righteous).
“Therefore, since we have been justified ( declared righteous and given right standing with God) through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”
Jesus imparts His Spirit, The Holy Spirit to you as a gift when you accept Christ
Romans 8:9-10
“ But you are not living a life of flesh, you are living the life of the spirit, if the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you ( directs and controls you) But if anyone does not possess the HOLY SPIRIT of CHRIST, He is none of His( he does not belong to Christ, is not truly a child of God)
But if CHRIST LIVES IN YOU( Then although) your natural body is dead by reason of sin and guilt, The spirit is ALIVE because of the RIGHTEOUSNESS (that He imputes to you)
Romans 8:15 says this. “For the spirit you have now received is not a spirit to slavery to put you once more into bondage to fear but you received the spirit of adoption by which we cry Abba Father” ( you are you Fathers child now) He loves you and has so many gifts to give you. This scripture really did set me free!
And having Christ’s spirit living in you, so you too are now righteous whether you feel it or not. You are Righteous no matter what you do or behave like as it is a legal position that you are now in Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 1:30
“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption”
This is one major important facts to understand when you first come to Christ. That no matter what you have done or how you see yourself or how others say you are. It will not change the TRUTH that you are now NEW and RIGHTEOUS and NO ONE can take that away from you. No one can say you have no right to stand in Gods presence. You do and God says that you being righteous can come boldly to him in Prayer and guess what? He is Faithful to answer you as well. AND HE WILL! Hebrews 4:16
The other type of righteousness is the “Righteousness by nature and character“.
Remember that no matter what YOU are already Righteous when you accept Christ into your life. This is Your legal position in HIM
However, As a Child of God you are expected to behave in a good and moral way. This is nothing out of the ordinary anyway as Gods children behave well anyway. It is foreign to them to behave badly towards others or the world. This is what we have seen regards good people in the world and bad people. We know that the bad ones are from their father the devil and what makes them so is their own free will of choice in behaving that way. A child of God automatically loves to walk in a righteous way. Praise God! Just a NOAH did back in the old testament see Genesis 6:9, Just as LOT did in the old testament 2 Peter 2:7-8
But for some people, who were not of righteous ( moral) Character naturally they may find this difficult to do. To behave in such a way. This is where Gods spirit enables the person to do so, this is where the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS is so important.
This is just part of being Gods child. You are NOT righteous in position because of your works but because of Faith In Christ. Jesus put you in right standing with almighty God and in doing so gave you a position as righteous.
But when you behave and conduct yourself right, you are Righteous in deed and character, being moralistically good and pure and holy and God loves this so much. Why? Because this is how HE is.
Lets see Hebrews 1:8-9 “But as to the Son, he says to Him Your throne O God is forever and ever and the sceptre ( ruling power or authority) of Your kingdom is a sceptre ( ruling power or authority) of righteousness
You have loved righteousness and you have hated lawlessness" ( injustice and iniquity)
Jesus spoke to many when He did the sermon on the mount. He talked about Food and clothing and such things and said this: Mathew 6:33
“ Seek first of all HIS KINGDOM and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and then all these things will be added onto you”
Two things we are to do FIRST, seek All His kingdom and all His righteousness, Then when we have done so Jesus said to us that all the other things will be added unto us.
What things?
All of Gods promises, God promises, Health, Prosperity in all things, all of them are yours for the taking once you are His child. You are now an heir to the throne and a joint heir with Christ Romans 8:17
One of the seven redemptive names of God is Jehovah Tzidkenu “ The Lord is Righteousness”
He adores people who behave in a righteous way as we shall see here:
Psalm 11:7 "For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright."
Psalm 146:8-9 "The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down."
In Psalm 34, we see that He hears the cries of those who are righteous:
Psalm 34:15-17 "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry, The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles."
God upholds those who are righteous:
Psalm 37:17 "For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, But the LORD upholds the righteous."
Another definition of righteousness is:
Acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous ( PURE).
Morally right or justifiable and Righteous indignation. ( You can be righteous and still have indignation for wrong doing) just Like Jesus did in JOHN 2:13-17. Jesus went into the temple in Jerusalem. The temple is his Fathers House. Bit like a church today except back then they did not have the choice to be born again and have the Holy Spirit come live inside them as we can today and in doing so you then became the temple of the God Praise God one of His Gifts!. Instead back then people only had a building to go and be with God. The Holy House was there for the good of the people, for their benefit for the people to be with God and worship etc but instead of respecting this and Gods HOLY presence the people were buying and selling. Instead of using Gods Holy Temple with respect, reverence and holy they infiltrated it with worldly, lustful stuff. They were stealing from the poor doing dirty deals and such ( to make a profit from money, wheeling and dealing etc) Instead of using the place to worship and pray ( have a relationship with God) in his holy temple the people used it like a market with no respect and spreading evil rather than goodness. Jesus is and was the ultimate of Righteous and yet in his Righteousness He could not let the badness continue in his Father’s temple so he cleared them all out. He shooed them all out telling them why and showing them it was wrong and unacceptable. This did not make him unrighteous, This was Justified. Anything that is bad needs addressing. Its how is done that counts. Jesus showed in His holiness that although He is Holy and righteous if something was a insulting or disgraceful to God then it was address and dealt with. Justifiably!!! Righteous people are NOT push over’s just seekers of Truth, who walk in the light and truth and NO OTHER!
As we have just seen The righteousness of God is given to all believers once you have accepted Christ in to your life and heart, it was attained through Jesus keeping the law sinless. (Our sacrifice/attonement) It is given by the Grace of God ( un merited favour and mercy/love) and received by your own faith. It not doing Gods law, as they did in the old testament and failed it is a gift given when you accept Christ into your heart and life. You are in right standing LEGALLY with God. How good is that! That sorts the sin problem out once and for all, so even though Adam and Eve messed up through satan tempting them and doing it. We are redeemed, brought back, but brought back by the one and only one who could CHRIST JESUS.
Jesus paid the price once and for all as we see here in
2 Corinthians 5:21 “Him who knew no sin God made to become sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” ( Righteousness of God in Christ) This is the actual nature of GOD that He has given to us ( His spirit coming to LIVE in US)
God loves us and wanted to redeem ( bring us back to him and He did so through sending his Son to die for us as we have already seen in previous blogs) Jesus had never sinned and yet had the whole weight of mans sin put on him and He actually had to become sin itself in order to save us from the enemy satan’s camp! Aren’t you glad He did this? I am, Because Him doing so enables me to stand in my Fathers presence washed clean from sin that I did in this life ( being born into sin and through my own free will ) and now I am able to come boldly to him sinless, forgiven, righteous ( Gods nature abiding in me) instead of sinful and unclean as I was born thanks to Adam, Eve and my free will!
(When we hear of the word sin we think of something terrible when in actually fact we have been learning in this series that sin is the smaller things too like how you behave or think, your actions towards others, not walking in love holding a grudge etc.
This means you are able to stand in Gods presence without guilt or feeling inferior. This makes you pure once again, makes all of us pure and able to be with God just as He intended us to be all along. Satan lost as we have already seen in previous blogs; we have learnt already what his intentions are in John 10:10
Jesus said “ satan comes but to kill steal and destroy but I have come that you might have life and have it in all its fullness” (That’s all of Gods promises) God won! God Our Heavenly Father got His precious mankind back should they want to have a relationship with him. Should they want to receive the free gift of love. His LOVE.
Gods “free gift of righteousness” and LOVE is part of your Heavenly Fathers AGAPE ( unconditional) love for you! Yet people think He doesn’t care and is this God causing all the problems people face today. WRONG! He is the one who wants to help you sort them out and I can tell you from personal experience they go back GENERATIONS. Well before you were born! God is the all powerful God and He can and will sort this out for you if you will put your faith and trust in him; lean on him and not your own understanding. It takes faith and sometimes patience. But with God you cannot and WILL NOT FAIL!
When Jesus rose from the dead by Gods power, He was the first born from among the dead scripture says in Colossians 1:18, When we accept Christ we too are re born we have already seen this, Justice was served by God and He was Justified in spirit 1 Timothy 3:16 and He was made alive in spirit 1 Peter 3:18
In Colossians 1:13-22 Paul an apostle of the Gospel of Jesus Christ says
“ The father has delivered us out of the control and the dominion of darkness has transferred us into the kingdom of the son of his love in whom we have our redemption through his blood which is the forgiveness of our sins"
Then in verse 21-22 it say “ and although you at one time were estranged and alienated from him and were hostile in attitude of mind in your wicked ways yet now has Christ reconciled you to God in the body of his flesh through death in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His Fathers presence”
|Once in Christ you are now Justified ( Righteous) and alive in spirit again! ( no Longer dormant/separated from God )
So when Jesus enters into your heart and life; You become a new creation just like He did, You become Justified and alive in Spirit also, What a gift!
2 Corinthians 5:17 “ Therefore if any person is in Christ he is a New creation; the old has passed away behold, the fresh and the new has come but these things are of GOD who reconciled us to himself through Christ.”
How do you become New? The only way is through CHRIST. There is no other way to salvation ( meaning to be saved/ set free/ bought back/)Your spirit is the part that has been renewed, It is re born/ re awakened to Gods spirit. We have seen this in previous blogs;
Scripture says that you are a NEW CREATION, that means old things are passed away.
That is your spirit, past and who you where before. (so even if a very bad person comes to Christ, Repents (meaning turns away from his/her badness) and asks for forgiveness it is done to them! ( this is Gods love). That which they did previously is GONE FOREVER ( any mistakes, badness, wrongdoing) and they have now become RIGHTEOUS in GODS sight! Their spirit that was once dormant is now a NEW SPIRIT (a New creation). Which basically means “ A New species of being that never existed before”. They are now made alive in spirit and are now justified in spirit like Christ was.
I can understand how that is confusing to some as you are still the same. You feel no different, act no different, look no different. What has happened is in the spirit realm; and unless you have been given that ability by God you are unable to see into this realm but it doesn’t alter the FACT it has happened! The Holy Spirit who now lives in you will confirm things to you in many different, beautiful and supernatural ways! After all He is the Spirit of TRUTH as we saw last week. ( reminder:- there is also a deceiver, the enemy who accommodates anyone wishing to delve into the spirit realm so PLEASE do not go down that route. You are wide open to the most horrific, satanic attack that could quite well destroy you and He is just waiting for someone to delve into it through private readings from so called Psychics and the like! The bible is full of stores of people oppressed and possessed by demons, Spirits of divination ( Foretelling Future events etc) This is the TRUTH and people have no CLUE about it. Some deny it exists, other brush it under the carpet and others embrace it some with caution and intrigue; while others with open arms. Do an exercise ; Count up on your telly the amount of stuff relating to the supernatural and I think you will be absolutely astounded at the amount that is on telly, so much of it is being feed to your children, the wrong stuff, witch craft spells and the like. It is real make no mistake!
The spirit realm is like this: Just as you can not see the wind, you can feel it and hear it. The spirit realm is REAL, you may not be able to see it, sense it or hear it however it is there and it is where you end up after this life!. We have already learnt that God is a spirit and he breathed His breath into Adam the first ever made human being. Genesis 1.
John a disciple of Jesus Christ was translated to the spirit realm as was many other different men of faith. (Search the bible with a concordance and see how many people went to the spirit realm or saw in the spirit realm it should be an interesting study) It is a place that is just as real as you and me. Many people are in for a shock and I have had many people call me all sorts because I have seen into the realm myself. It should be settled if the bible, the oldest book of all time talks about it but instead the world system today tries to hide the fact that it is a reality and makes out people who talk about such things are NUTS! Again a DECEPTION of the enemy! BIGTIME! People find it difficult to believe unless they actually see for themselves. Jesus said “blessed are they that believe and have not seen” in Mark 8:31
We Know that your spirit is eternal, (meaning it lives on) and when you accept Christ into your heart it has now become NEW. Re Born, Your body is still the same and so is your mind and your emotions. Scriptures says you are to renew these things by Gods word and in doing so it then will line up with Your NEW SPIRIT, God spirit residing in you. You have to feed your spirit man as you do you physical body and mind.
Its pointless in renewing yourself to the world and its junk, why? Its poison to your spirit instead the word of God is its food and just as a seed grows when fed and watered with food and light so to will your spirit grow and grow strong. Just as Jesus did. Scripture says “Jesus grew strong in the spirit from a child onwards” in Luke 2:40
Your old life style will want to hang on to you and want you to do as you did before but instead the NEW spirit inside of you draws you closer to God and what is the TRUTH. So when you accept Christ You are new Creation and You are now in right standing with GOD almighty; where as before accepting Christ into your life and heart you were separated from him as we have seen in previous blogs.
Having become a New creation in Christ Jesus you are now automatically Righteous you are now in legal position of right standing with Almighty God.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
"Therefore, since we have been justified ( made righteous/pure) through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,"
So we see that the gift of biblical Righteousness is so that man can once again fellowship with God. This has always been Gods primary Goal for mankind ever since satan stole all rights from mankind through deception with eve back in Genesis 3.
Another definition of righteousness is: that which is in accord with the nature and will of God.
God wants you to be free from sin guilt condemnation, the enemy wants guilt and condemnation to eat you up. (that’s if you are good character) as their are many who are of their own father the enemy who simply don’t care at all and have no guilt shame or feelings on the matter!(we have seen this in previous blogs).
You can walk free of guilt and shame no matter what you have done or will ever do. People who are now in Christ Jesus still miss it sometimes, they make mistakes. But God is faithful, and will help you sort this out. His nature is in you. It will direct you
Romans 8:1-4
“Therefore there is NOW no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus ( the law of our NEW BEING) has freed me from the law of sin and death."
For God has done what the law could not do ( its power) being weakened by the Flesh( entire nature of man without the Holy Spirit).
Sending His own Son in the guise of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin ( god) condemned sin in the flesh ( subdued overcame, deprived it of its power over all who accept that sacrifice)
So that the righteous and just requirement of the law might be fully met in us.
Lets take a look at the scripture from 2 weeks ago referring to TRUTH and in conjunction with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “ Loves does not delight in evil but rejoices in TRUTH”
1 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”
Lets continue with the end of the scripture, which says All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for instruction in righteousness.
So we can see that scripture is given for your benefit in Righteousness. It is instruction in how to behave in a righteous way. But it also most importantly shows you that once you are in Christ you are given the GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS which is part of who God is. “Jehovah Tzidkenu The Lord my Righteousness.”
For it is not by works that you are saved lets look at Ephesians 2:8-10
“ For it is by FREE grace that you are saved through faith and this is not of yourselves but it is a GIFT of GOD, Not by works ( what you have done for God) lest any man should boast.
For we are Gods own handiwork ( his workmanship) recreated in Christ Jesus ( born anew) that we may do good works which God predestined for us ( taking paths which He prepared ahead of time), that we should walk in them ( living a good life which He prearranged and made ready for us)
Who ever you are God has given a window of opportunity. 2000 years window that is drawing to a close very soon indeed. Just like Noah back in the old testament. God gave people 120 years while Noah (a preacher of righteousness) as scripture says built The Ark. He told all who listened to him about the flood as God told him. Do you know how many actually listened? There were 8 people in the Ark. 8 people who survived. 8 righteous people. Don’t make the same mistake as the people who died in the flood did. Receive Gods free grace into your life. You don’t know it all in fact you know very little indeed. The things of this earth and all going to pass away. They will be no more soon enough. The world is reliant on the economy and its governments systems, what will you do when this falls? And it will, look at the news now! The bible is very clear as are the signs happening all over the world right now in what will happen to this world and its people who are not in CHRIST.
God loves you, How many more times do you need to hear that? Accept Gods free gift of LOVE. His word says God wishes that NON should perish but all should come to know He has a plan and purpose for your life. He predestined this before you were born. It is no coincidence you are reading this now. Even if you are with Christ and you have fallen away a little . That’s ok. God is calling you back right now. He wants you to call to him and spend more time with him. He loves you. He has much for you do for him and his Kingdom.
Question is are you ready for the TRUTH? And are you ready to WALK in the TRUTH?
God bless you this fine weekend. Be blessed. We will finish of the series of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 next week.
God loves you, Jesus Loves you, The Truth shall set you Free.
Love Lisa
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheShekinahLove
1 Corinthians 1:18
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God".
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