Living in the Balance of Grace and Faith Pt4
Dead to Sin, Alive to Righteousness
Wednesday, March18, 2015
I. Understanding the Gift of Righteousness
A. What is Righteousness?
1. What is righteousness? Righteous (dikaios) means acquittal; clearance from all guilt; right standing and right relationship with God. (justified, just, justification)
a. When you receive Christ you receive God’s very own righteousness as a gift. (2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:12AMP, 18-19)
· Do people become sinners by committing sins?
· Do people become righteous by doing right?
b. This righteousness is not obtained by keeping the deeds of the Law. It is received by faith in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 3:19-28; 9:30-32; 10:1-4)
c. The gift of righteousness is eternal and irrevocable. (Rom. 6:17-18)
2. “Pastor, what’s the big deal with all this righteousness? I’ve got Jesus, why can’t I be righteous by the Law too?”
a. (Gal. 2:21; 3:9-11; [5:4KJV]) Christ becomes of NO EFFECT to those who seek righteousness by the Law because you have fallen from grace and live under the curse!
b. (Gal. 3:13-14, 29) We are redeemed from the curse of the Law through Christ and heirs of the promise.
c. (Rom. 4:13-15, [16 AMP]) Heirs through the righteousness of faith and not the Law.
3. Why is righteousness so important? Righteousness gives us access to all of the benefits and promises of God.
a. (Isa. 32:17-18) Peace and rest!
b. (Ps. 5:12) Blessed with favor as a shield!
c. (Ps. 34:15, 17, 19-21) God delivers the righteous!
d. (Ps. 35:27-28) God pleasures in the prosperity of the righteous.
e. (Ps. 37:16-19) Satisfied in famine!
f. (Ps. 37:25) Righteous never forsaken!
g. (Pr. 10:3, 24; 11:8, 21) Blessing and favor!
· (Prov. 15:6 Amp) Priceless treasure…
h. (Matt. 6:33) “…seek first the kingdom of God…
· What is the kingdom of God? (Rom. 14:17)
i. (Rom. 5:17 Amp)