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August 2016 Printable .pdf (139 KB)

The July 2016 article discussed the ways in which understanding our rights as sons and daughters of God is vital to walking with the greatness of the power of God. In that article, we focused on one of our Sonship rights - Redemption. Please note: In the Bible, sonship refers to both son and daughter.

Jesus Christ made the freewill choice to give his life for us. Jesus Christ legally fulfilled all the Law requirements so that today we can walk without sin and without sickness. When God's only begotten son had paid the price, God raised him from the dead. God paid that ransom for us by sending Jesus Christ so he could shed his own life's blood by freewill choice. As Psalms 107:2 says:

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom He had redeem from the hand of the enemy.

Our response to God's great act and gift of love in Christ is to believe, and that starts with Romans 10:9, and continues by speaking in tongues. From there, we build our lives so that one day God will say "These are my beloved sons and daughters in whom I am well pleased." It's the same thing He said about our brother Jesus Christ, as recorded in Matthew 3:17, 17:5 and 2 Peter 1:17:

This is my beloved son whom I am well pleased.

This month's teaching will focus on our Sonship rights of Justification and Righteousness that we have in Christ.

What is Justification?
Bullinger defines justification as "the product or result of making things right and just. It is also used for the deeds by which one is set forth as righteous, . . .the act of justification accomplished in the sinner" (A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament. 1975. p. 429).

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Justification (theology) May 2012 Article, defines it as "in Christian theology, is God's act of removing the guilt and penalty of sin while at the same time declaring a sinner righteous through Christ's atoning sacrifice."

In other words, justification is the legal side of righteousness. Justification is our God-given liberty from the consequence of sin, and righteousness is our God-given freedom from sin.

We are currently living in the Grace Administration wherein God has given His children the Sonship rights of justification and righteousness in Christ Jesus. This is in Romans 3:21-24:

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 unto 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.

In these vibrant and power-packed verses, the believer is set forth as justified and righteous. Remember, justification is a judicial (legal) act of God in which He publicly declares on the grounds of the finished work of Jesus Christ that all the requirements of the Law with regards to the sinner are fulfilled. The sinner, having accepted Jesus Christ as his substitute, is no longer subject to the penalty of the Law. This is clarified in Galatians 2:16:

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Man cannot be justified by his works in the sight of God. The faith of Christ is the only way man can be made righteous in the sight of God. He can't earn it, it's by God's grace! Ephesians 2:5 tells us:

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).

Jesus Christ was delivered for our sins. Ladies and gentlemen, it is so easy and so simple. Let's look at Romans 4:25:

Who was delivered for our offences [old text reads "for our sins"], and was raised again for our justification.

All we must do is believe what Jesus Christ accomplished! Romans 5:1 tells us more:

Therefore, being justified by faith [by believing what Jesus Christ accomplished]. . ., we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whenever you read the word "therefore" in God's Word, you should ask yourself, "Why for?" In Romans 5:1, the "therefore" refers to previous verse, Romans 4:25. In other words, Jesus was delivered for our sins and raised again for our justification.

Christ died for us and saved us from the wrath to come! Look at Romans 5: 6-9:

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

Adam's sin brought sin and death into the world, but thanks be to God for His gift by grace of His only begotten son Jesus Christ. Romans 5: 12, 15-17 tells us:

Wherefore, as by one-man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Folks, we have received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, and we shall reign in life by Jesus Christ. The only way we can reign is by believing and carrying out Romans 10:9:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

If you do not have the spirit of Christ, you shall not reign in life. If man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he will not reign or have control in life. That's what it says in Romans 8:9:

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

God so loved us He gave His only begotten son. The least we can do is believe in him and have everlasting life.

What is Righteousness?
Righteousness is the God-given justification whereby a person stands in the presence of God without any consciousness of sin, guilt or faults. Romans 8:33 says:

Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

Righteousness is what God imparts to us when we are born-again, and when we confess Romans 10:9. When God says He has justified us and made us righteous in Jesus Christ, then we are! 2 Corinthians 5:21 says:

For he [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

God made Jesus Christ to be sin for us. Jesus knew no sin. But he took our sin upon himself so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Even through believers receive righteousness when they were born-again, many Christians, for lack of teaching, still think that they are unworthy to receive the goodness of God. Or they believe they are not good enough because of their past. They think they can earn it by good works. This satanic belief of focusing on you and your past works keeps the Christian from seeing that Christ has made us worthy.

Righteousness is obtained from God through the faith of Jesus Christ. God doesn't see you (the flesh); He sees the Christ in you, the hope of glory (see Colossians 1:27)! We are made the righteousness of God in Christ! God's Word says we were made righteousness. Then we are what? Righteousness! Philippians 3:9 tells us:

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith [believing].

Ladies and gentlemen, your tears, your good works and your prayers will avail nothing. You cannot earn righteousness! I know some denominations have wrongly taught that a person can be righteous one minute and unrighteous the next. They teach that if person does not become righteous before his death, he will miss heaven and go to hell. This is not accurate. When the Spirit of God in Christ is born within us, we are at that moment and forevermore righteous. Because we are born-again of God's incorruptible seed, that remains forever. 1 Peter 1:23 confirms this:

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth [remain] forever.

How long does righteousness remain? Forever! If it remains forever, then it is what? Forever, people.

When you believe the Word of God, you know that your life is in Him. With this knowledge, no fear, worry, and guilt can irritate and defeat you.
We must renew our minds to say what God's Word says and do it! Let's put in our hearts and minds Romans 12:2:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Because of our justification and righteousness, this exhortation of God in Romans to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we "may prove what is that good, and acceptable [well-pleasing], and perfect, will of God." The blessings available from believing the Word about our righteousness are worth changing our thoughts and actions to line up with God's Word.

Ephesians 4:22-24 gives us additional specifics:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

This new man is after who? God. Created in what? Righteousness and true holiness. 1 John 3:7 gives us further confirmation of this Sonship right:

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

What is it to do righteousness? The word "doeth" is the Greek word "poieo", which means "to practice a skill such as a professional surgeon, painter or musician." Christians are to put body, soul and spirit into disciplined training to practice the will of God our Father and to learn the skill of righteous living. We must confess our righteousness. In the Bible, Job was a man who confessed the word regarding his righteousness despite the demanding circumstances that surrounded him. In the Old Testament, before the accomplishments of Jesus Christ made the Sonship right of righteousness available, God reckoned righteousness to those who believed Him. Job's bold confession of truth was written for our learning and an example to us all. Let's look at Job 27:6:

My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Job held God's Word in his mind and continued to confess the truth about himself. He faced tremendous challenges with his family, friends, business, and health. Yet through it all, the truth of God's Word regarding his righteousness was foremost in Job's mind above all his challenges and circumstances. Job controlled his thinking and did not conform to the circumstances around him. Man, oh man! What a magnificent example! To claim our righteousness, there is another truth to hold in mind in Romans 8:1:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Have you ever noticed that the Word never directs God's children to condemn themselves? Why not? Because we are spiritually righteous! There is no condemnation. Jesus Christ paid the price for sin and the consequence of sin. Even if our hearts condemn us, God's Word says God is greater than our hearts. Look at 1 John 3:20-21:

For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence toward God.

We cannot always trust our thoughts, feelings, or experiences, but we can always trust God's Word. People, we MUST have confidence towards God, when we pray to Him. When we sin, we can confess our broken fellowship to God and receive His forgiveness (see 1 John 1:9). Remember, God in Christ in you is Sonship. Remember it's seed and you cannot lose it (see 1 Peter 1:23)! You in Christ is fellowship, which is our walk on God's Word.

When we stumble in our walk as believers, we can confess our broken fellowship, and God is faithful and just to forgive us our broken fellowship. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, as is written in 1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins [broken fellowship], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [broken fellowship], and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Our Father always goes above and beyond to ensure His children can stay in fellowship with Him. Why? Because it cost God His only begotten Son.

Romans 3:21-24 tells us:

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 unto 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.

1 Corinthians 5:21 says:

For he [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Men and women cannot be justified and righteous by their works in the sight of God. The faith (believing) of Jesus Christ is the only way men and women can be made righteous in the sight of God. You can't earn it; it's by God's grace! Remember, Ephesians 2: 5 states:

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)

Our response to God's great act and gift of love in Christ is to believe, and that starts with Romans 10:9. We must say what God's Word says we are! Because we are what the Word of God says we are, and we can do what the Word of God says we can do! Ladies and gentlemen, we must say what God's Word says and do what God's Word says if we want to live a life that is more than abundant.

In summary, understanding our rights as sons of God is vital to walking with the greatness of the power of God. We have focused on two of our Sonship rights - Justification and Righteousness. Justification is our God-given liberty from the consequence of sin. Righteousness is our God-given freedom from sin. Justification is a judicial (legal) act of God in which He publicly declares on the grounds of the finished work of Jesus Christ that all the requirements of the Law with regards to the sinner are fulfilled. The sinner, having accepted Jesus Christ as his substitute, is no longer subject to the penalty of the Law.

Next month's teaching will focus on our Sonship right of Sanctification that we have in Christ.

In the Lord,

Ministry of Reconciliation
Son of God through Jesus Christ
Ambassador for Christ

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