Be Established in Righteousness
The cross of Jesus is a public demonstration of how God accounts or transfers the
righteousness of Christ to all those who trust in Him (Romans 4:22-25) “and
therefore it was imputed to him (Abraham) for righteousness. Now it was not written
for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him. But for us also, to whom it shall be
imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who
was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification”.
Out of concern for the salvation of His people and the establishment of His
everlasting kingdom, God reveals His righteousness in sending of His beloved Son.
The coming of Christ marked an era of renewal of His relationship with people. The
covenant was renewed by the Son of God, who came “to fulfill all righteousness”
(Matthew 3:15). Individuals cannot attain this righteousness by their own merits, it
is a gift from God (Romans 3:21-25) “but now the righteousness of God without the
law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and upon all them that
believe for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God. Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God”. Also in Romans 5:17-21 which says “for if by one man’s
offence death reigned by one (Adam); much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation,
even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men to justification
of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that
the offence might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
That as sin has reigned to death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord”.
There is no righteousness apart from Jesus Christ. The Father requires
acceptance of His Son as His appointed means of justification. God declares
people to be righteous when they put their trust in His Son (Romans 8:33-34).
We are told to no longer look at man in the flesh (II Corinthians 5:16-19) “wherefore
hereafter know we no man after the flesh; yea, through we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now hereafter know we Him no more. Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are
become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus
Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespassed to them, and
has committed to us the word of reconciliation”. You have to see them as “the
righteousness of God in Christ” even though they may come short.
We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God see us a
righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son. The devil is the
accuser of the brethren, so when people look at their brethren and accuse them,
they are being used of the devil. We are to pray for each other (James 5:16)
“confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. When you
are aware of the unrighteousness of others, you are being conscience of
unrighteousness. Paul opened his letters with blessings and grace to each church;
and prayed for them (Ephesians 1:16-19) “cease not to give thanks for you making
mention of you in my prayers. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him. The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And
what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to
the working of His mighty power”. Also in Philippians 1:2-6 “grace be to you, and
peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making
request with joy for you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Being
confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you, will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
People can’t say “I am the righteousness of God in Christ” and at the same time
focus on the unrighteousness of others. We are told to be led by the Spirit of God,
and that the “just shall live by faith”, yet when people focus on the unrighteousness
of others they are being led by the devil and living by sight. The devil wants people
to look at each others self righteousness, as to keep condemning each other. The
Bible says “touch not My anointed” (I Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15). Everyone
that accepts Jesus is anointed. Don’t fall in the devils trap, by speaking against
your brethren. Psalms 34:12-14 says “what man is he that desires life, and loves
many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from
speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it”. Are
you sowing grace and righteousness? The Bible says “give and it will be given to
you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall
men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal, it shall
be measured to you again”. Most of the times that this is preached they are talking
about money, but that is a principle of God.
Remember that Jesus prayed for us (John 17:21-23) “that they all may be one; as
You Father, are in Me, and I in You that they also may be one in Us; that the world
may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory with You gave Me, I have given
them; that they may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, that
they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent
Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me”. This is why the devil uses
people to curse each other. Even when people do things to you, you have to
decide how you are going to react. I think a good idea is to take some time and
consider what you will say before you open your mouth and remember
(Deuteronomy 30:19) “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that
both you ad your seed may live”. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the
power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. James 3:9-18
says “therewith bless we God, even the Father and therewith curse we men, which
are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing
and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Does a fountain send
forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear
olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and
fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show
out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have
bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This
wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where
envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Speak what God says
about us and not what we see and trust God, remember that “Jesus is the author
and finisher of your faith”; and that God calls things that be not as they are
(Romans 4:17).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 20, 2008
The cross of Jesus is a public demonstration of how God accounts or transfers the
righteousness of Christ to all those who trust in Him (Romans 4:22-25) “and
therefore it was imputed to him (Abraham) for righteousness. Now it was not written
for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him. But for us also, to whom it shall be
imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Who
was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification”.
Out of concern for the salvation of His people and the establishment of His
everlasting kingdom, God reveals His righteousness in sending of His beloved Son.
The coming of Christ marked an era of renewal of His relationship with people. The
covenant was renewed by the Son of God, who came “to fulfill all righteousness”
(Matthew 3:15). Individuals cannot attain this righteousness by their own merits, it
is a gift from God (Romans 3:21-25) “but now the righteousness of God without the
law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all and upon all them that
believe for there is no difference. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory
of God. Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God”. Also in Romans 5:17-21 which says “for if by one man’s
offence death reigned by one (Adam); much more they which receive abundance of
grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by One, Jesus Christ.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation,
even so by the righteousness of One the free gift came upon all men to justification
of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the
obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that
the offence might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
That as sin has reigned to death, even so might grace reign through righteousness
to eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord”.
There is no righteousness apart from Jesus Christ. The Father requires
acceptance of His Son as His appointed means of justification. God declares
people to be righteous when they put their trust in His Son (Romans 8:33-34).
We are told to no longer look at man in the flesh (II Corinthians 5:16-19) “wherefore
hereafter know we no man after the flesh; yea, through we have known Christ after
the flesh, yet now hereafter know we Him no more. Therefore if any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are
become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus
Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To say, that God was in
Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespassed to them, and
has committed to us the word of reconciliation”. You have to see them as “the
righteousness of God in Christ” even though they may come short.
We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God see us a
righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son. The devil is the
accuser of the brethren, so when people look at their brethren and accuse them,
they are being used of the devil. We are to pray for each other (James 5:16)
“confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much”. When you
are aware of the unrighteousness of others, you are being conscience of
unrighteousness. Paul opened his letters with blessings and grace to each church;
and prayed for them (Ephesians 1:16-19) “cease not to give thanks for you making
mention of you in my prayers. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in knowledge of Him. The
eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. And
what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe, according to
the working of His mighty power”. Also in Philippians 1:2-6 “grace be to you, and
peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you. Always in every prayer of mine for you all making
request with joy for you fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Being
confident of this very thing, that He which has begun a good work in you, will
perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”.
People can’t say “I am the righteousness of God in Christ” and at the same time
focus on the unrighteousness of others. We are told to be led by the Spirit of God,
and that the “just shall live by faith”, yet when people focus on the unrighteousness
of others they are being led by the devil and living by sight. The devil wants people
to look at each others self righteousness, as to keep condemning each other. The
Bible says “touch not My anointed” (I Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15). Everyone
that accepts Jesus is anointed. Don’t fall in the devils trap, by speaking against
your brethren. Psalms 34:12-14 says “what man is he that desires life, and loves
many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from
speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it”. Are
you sowing grace and righteousness? The Bible says “give and it will be given to
you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall
men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal, it shall
be measured to you again”. Most of the times that this is preached they are talking
about money, but that is a principle of God.
Remember that Jesus prayed for us (John 17:21-23) “that they all may be one; as
You Father, are in Me, and I in You that they also may be one in Us; that the world
may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory with You gave Me, I have given
them; that they may be one, even as We are one. I in them, and You in Me, that
they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent
Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me”. This is why the devil uses
people to curse each other. Even when people do things to you, you have to
decide how you are going to react. I think a good idea is to take some time and
consider what you will say before you open your mouth and remember
(Deuteronomy 30:19) “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I
have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that
both you ad your seed may live”. Proverbs 18:21 says death and life are in the
power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. James 3:9-18
says “therewith bless we God, even the Father and therewith curse we men, which
are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing
and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Does a fountain send
forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear
olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and
fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him show
out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if you have
bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This
wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where
envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is
from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. Speak what God says
about us and not what we see and trust God, remember that “Jesus is the author
and finisher of your faith”; and that God calls things that be not as they are
(Romans 4:17).
Study by: Harriet Bond
Date: May 20, 2008
