Established in Righteousness (Part 3)

The Great Exchange

10.29.2023

Review

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NLT)

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

We need to live from a firm foundation of who we are in Jesus!

I’ve been talking about the standing before God called Righteousness that Jesus has given us in the New Birth.

Proverbs 28:1 (NKJV)

The wicked flee when no one pursues,

But the righteous are bold as a lion.

Isaiah 54:14 (NKJV)

In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

Isaiah 32:17 (NKJV)

The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

Righteousness – Definition

The ability to stand before God without the sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority, just as though you had never done wrong!

Seven important things we need to know about righteousness.

1. Guilt and condemnation are the main enemies to a strong relationship with God and a positive change in your life!

2. Knowing that you are righteous in Christ can give you an inward confidence that will boost your spiritual life.

3. Righteousness produces a personal confidence and assurance that brings peace into your daily life.

4. Righteousness brings two kinds of peace into daily living.

Peace with God.

The Peace of God.

5. When you are established in Righteousness, Satan and others can no longer control you!

• You will no longer be demotivated by your past mistakes and failures
• No one will be able to gaslight you and make you their problem.
• You will be able to own your mistakes and not blameshift.

Today:

6. There are 6 words in the New Testament that refer to Righteousness.

1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV)

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

Just, justify, justification, right, righteous, righteousness

They all are derived from the same Greek word.

Justification and right standing with God go together.

And these four words go together: sanctify, sanctification, holy, and holiness go together.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NKJV)

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 17 Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. 18 I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,” says the LORD Almighty.

People get these two things mixed up!

Sanctification doesn’t make you right, or your rightness or righteousness would be by works.

Justification doesn’t make you holy, or you would have nothing to do to make changes in your lifestyle.

Justification is a work that Jesus did on the cross by shedding His blood.

Sanctification is a standing before God that makes you stand out from the world and that places you in a position where you can change!

 

Definitions:

Justification:

The action that acquits or frees from the penalty of sin and that places to your credit Jesus’ standing before God.

 

Righteousness:

The ability to stand before God without sin, inferiority, or condemnation, as though sin never existed.

Scripture:

Romans 3:23-26 (NKJV)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

 

Romans 4:5-8 (NKJV)

But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, 6 just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: 7 “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, And whose sins are covered; 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”

 

Romans 4:23-25 (NKJV)

Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25 who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

 

Romans 5:1 (NKJV)

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

 

Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

 

Romans 5:16-19 (NKJV)

And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

 

Romans 8:29-34 (NKJV)

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NLT)

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

Titus 3:4-7 (NL

But—”When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, 5 he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”

 

7. Righteousness does two major things for you:

1. Delivers you from the penalty of sin (hell)

 

2. Gives you Jesus’ same standing before God – Righteous!

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

 

2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

 

Jesus bears and personally pays my sin penalty for me. Once it’s paid, it is no longer owed!

 

My sins are expunged!

 

All evidence of sin and wrongdoing are completely wiped out, as though they never existed!

 

Illustration

Man in Canada

 

No sin is forgiven without first being judged.

God forgives sinners, but judges sin!

 

All sin must be paid for if God is to be completely just!

 

Our forgiveness is based on God’s justice. Our punishment for sin was placed on Jesus and paid for when He went to the cross.

 

Action Points:

1. Are you challenged with guilt, condemnation, and inferiority?

2. Are you confident in your relationship with God, or at times do you question where you stand with Him?

3. Do you experience peace in your relationship with Jesus, or do you still struggle with thoughts and feelings of insecurity?

4. Are you established in your right standing with God, living with a confidence in God that produces stability in your personal relationships?