Righteousness by faith. This is a must read
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RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH (Series 1)
Hello friends.
For some time now I’ve
wanted to share some scriptural realities but I’ve not been permitted until
now. Thank God for light through the spirit of revelation in the knowledge of Christ.
Now I will say that this series is not for those that do not
believe in the authenticity of the word of God – The Bible yet. So I will advise
that the knowing Jesus series previously posted should be read before reading
this article. Also, to clear any doubt on your mind as you read this, you may
want to get your bible and follow through. We will be using the New
International Version (NIV) basically and making special reference to the
Amplified Bible (The Amplified bible combines more versions in it and makes
references to some concordances, like the Strong Concordance with translations
of Greek/Hebrew bibles from lexicons like the Joseph Thayer’s Greek-English
lexicon).
Along the line of this study,
some may feel uncomfortable, but I implore everyone to follow this series to
the end.
Now let’s get started!
Talking about Easter
Some months ago, I’d hear Jesus speak to me about his suffering,
his
death on the cross and resurrection. He’d say to me, ‘For you, for you’.
I’d wonder at that statement and remember whenever I made mistake as a Christian,
and cry bitterly, thinking it was out of condemnation. I knew then that it was
time for me to follow more closely and intimately in my relationship with him
to know him better. Well, I am not done knowing all about him, but few months
later, I understood that it was out of deep love and tender care he told me these
things. It is with great joy I write these articles in series, sharing my
little discovery yet (out of his abundant gracious generosity) on the real
essence of his suffering, his death on the cross and resurrection.
Now in the book of Luke
chapter 18, Jesus Christ telling some parables to teach prayer, in the same
context talking about faith- how childlike it sounds and then righteousness and
later moved on to show his disciples an example of healing by faith in the same
chapter will serve as a solid start-up for our discussion on this series. How
we let guilt of sin stand between us and our heavenly father. How we think he hates us and punish us for the
sins we’d committed because of how grievous we think they are.
You know late last year after I came into a deeper
understanding in this light, the last two concerts I ministered in as a music
minister, I couldn’t help but saying to the audience briefly a little of what I’m
about to share. I started introducing the songs by telling the crowd, ‘The Lord
is good’, and they’d reply, ‘All the time’ then I got to know that many
activities in church are followed religiously rather than getting into the core
of the reasons why we do some things in the church through establishing
doctrine (Interconnectivity of the scriptures to establish) in the Bible. After
all, we believe in the word of God. Many claims God is good yet they believe God punishes them
for their sins by not answering their prayers, which is even for the few that
struggle to run to God with guilty conscience.
‘Let
us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of
need.’ - Heb 4:16
We are to come boldly – with confidence to the throne of
grace. Not looking at our good works or evil works. Jesus brought us grace so
we need to go through Jesus (the giver of grace) to our heavenly father – God.
Looking at any sin committed makes our approach void of confidence. Moreover
Romans 4:4-5 says:
‘Now when a man works, his wages are not
credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as
righteousness.’
In
that text, we see ‘the wicked’ no matter how wicked you think the things you have
committed are, GOD JUSTIFIES THE WICKED.
I didn’t write these texts, these are texts from the word of God!
Remember
to follow this write-up to the end and not conclude anything just yet. God’s
grace was never a free license to sin and it will never be. There as been
misconception about grace so much more that so many Christians despise the real
meaning of GRACE. Nevertheless, grace still remains Gods utmost plan for the
salvation of man.
In
Luke 18:17. Jesus said
“I
tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a
little child will never enter it."
Rom. 14:17
“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking,
but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”
So
can we be childlike enough to receive God’s own righteousness and quit trying
to figure it out by our strength? Like many Christians, I use to think the
Bible contradicts himself. But he really doesn’t. In Matt. 6:1, every ‘act of
righteousness’, Jesus instructed they should be done secretly. No good deed by
man that is self seeking receives a single reward. Jesus taught to make
reliance in the Holy Spirit easy when God sends the Holy Spirit. Every teaching
and parable was an insight to trusting in the spirit. In this same passage of
the bible, he taught about how to pray, the approach was OUR FATHER and followed by the first personal request Thy Kingdom come then Thy Will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Isn’t it amazing
that Christ talks about righteousness by faith and prayer simultaneously? God’s
will for every man is to come to him, being made righteous by faith through
total trust in the Holy spirit- That is the kingdom of GOD. It is not location
based. In John 14:6 Jesus said “I am the way
... no one
comes to the father except through me” There
is no other basis of righteousness than in Christ’s
work of righteousness and all we need to do is believe in it.
2 Cor
5:21
For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [ endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of
God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right
relationship with Him, by His goodness].
Gal
1:3-4
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil
age, according to the will of our God and Father
Righteousness does not come by
conscious work of mans effort in trying to keep the law - Ten Commandments.
Being conscious of your mistakes in the flesh brings guilt and trying to work
it out by your effort and determination not to do them again brings
frustration. You know you really have tried and cried yet you fill tied to this
addiction and you later conclude that you are a sinner? Come on child of God,
you are born again! So you are no more a sinner. God calls you his
righteousness 2 Cor. 5:21
That guilt is an instrument of
the devil that makes you want to stay bound to sin and settle for it. You are
not a sinner because you made that mistake you are still as saint as Christ is.
Christ took away your sins. Every punishment you think you will receive, Christ
received it on your behalf. God doesn’t see that sin in you anymore. God sees
you as a saint – sinless and blameless.
You think you have sinned
because you broke the law – the Ten Commandments. But we don’t operate that way
again because if we do then you need a blood of bull or goat to wash away your
sin pending the time you commit the sin again, because those are the Old
Testament ordinances before Christ. If righteousness was based on dos and don’ts,
then really no one can be righteous because you not doing anything at all can
be sin too. But thank God for the gift
of a helper, the long awaited promise – The Holy Spirit.
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