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[Sermon Note] Why do we need God’s righteousness?

Pastor Stephanie

Slides


What is righteousness?


Righteousness and the word righteous appear 540 times in 520 verses in the Bible. ...


A layman's definition of righteousness is simply, RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD.


Righteousness is the CONDITION of being in right relationship with the Lord.

That is ACCEPTABLE to God.

This can only happen through total faith and dependence upon Christ.


RIGHTEOUSNESS as defined by E.W. Kenyon is the ability to stand in the presence of God and the devil without fear, guilt, shame, condemnation and inferiority.


Besides faith, grace, we also focus on Character and integrity. We carry Christ inside us.


Was Adam created righteous?


GENESIS 3:5-6 NKJV

For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”


So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate.

She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.


GENESIS 3:7 NKJV

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves COVERINGS.


GENESIS 3:8 NKJV

And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife HID THEMSELVES from the PRESENCE of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.


Righteousness is the ability to stand in the presence of God


GENESIS 3:9 NKJV

Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”


GENESIS 3:10 NKJV

So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was AFRAID BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; and I hid myself.”


Fear of punishment. The guilty conscience. Fear to approach God


The Pharisees think they need to be righteous by keeping the law. No matter how good or right people are in this world, you were born guilty.


To hide from God is like hiding from the One who loves you most.


GENESIS 3:11 NKJV

And He said, “WHO TOLD YOU that you were naked?

Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”


Who told you that you were naked? It is all about who tell you?


Who are you having a conversation with?


Peter asked Jesus don’t go to the cross. Jesus said to him,” get behind Me satan”


Part of being a child of God. The one actively preaching the gospel, there will be persecution.


GENESIS 3:21 NKJV

Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and CLOTHED them.


Naked - no more glory around them. They were exposed.


God has to clothed them. The glory is the covering of righteousness that they had.


When we go to a place of virus, it cannot touch us.


The satan could not touch Jesus until He Himself laid down His life.


He has no sin and He has the glory around Him.


Glory surrounds you. The righteousness. No one can harm you. Nothing bad can harm you.


God sent up certain rituals for atonement for Israel.


They had to atone using the blood of the lamb


GENESIS 3:22-23 NKJV

Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil.

And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken.


GENESIS 3:24 NKJV

So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.


THE TWO KINDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

  1. God’s righteousness


JEREMIAH 23:1-2 NKJV

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them.

Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.


Jesus is the ultimate Shepherd

You need some guidance.


You take time to feed on milk, than under shepherd will remove bones.


JEREMIAH 23:3-4 NKJV

“But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.

I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.


God put the robe of righteousness on us. He sees only the white garment of righteousness


You don’t lack when you have this righteousness.


JEREMIAH 23:5 NKJV

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a BRANCH of RIGHTEOUSNESS;

A King shall REIGN and PROSPER, And EXECUTE JUDGMENT and RIGHTEOUSNESS in the EARTH.


When you know you are the righteousness of God in Christ, you reign and prosper.


The king has to make decision between right or wrong.


The justice of God that demands sin must be punished.


Why did Adam hide? He had fear


God already settled the problem of rejection. We are accepted in Christ. We are His beloved.


JEREMIAH 23:6 NKJV

In His days Judah will be SAVED, And Israel will DWELL SAFELY;

Now this is HIS NAME by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.


THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS Heb. - JEHOVAHTSIDKENU

Jehovah (is) our right


Jesus is your righteousness. Is your Advocator . Is your shield and your Defender.


  1. Man’s righteousness - Self righteousness


ISAIAH 64:5 NKJV

You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for WE HAVE SINNED —

In these ways we continue;

And WE NEED TO BE SAVED.


I came to save sinners.

Only a sinner need a Saviour


Listen to a sermon many times to be able to finally get it. Not one time.


ISAIAH 64:6 KJV

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS are as FILTHY RAGS; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.


H5708 FILTHY

Original: עד

Transliteration: ‛ÊD

Phonetic: ayd

BDB Definition:

menstruation

filthy rag, stained garment (figuratively of best deeds of guilty people)


Strong's Definition: From an unused root meaning to set a period (compare H5710 and H5749); the menstrual flux (as periodical); by implication (in plural) soiling:- filthy.


It is dirty blood from body that stain the cloth. It is so dirty, our righteousness


H899 RAGS

Original: בּגד

Transliteration: BEGED

Phonetic: behg'-ed

BDB Definition:

treachery, deceit

garment, clothing


Strong's Definition: From H898; a COVERING, that is, CLOTHING; also treachery or pillage: - apparel, cloth (-es, -ing), garment, lap, rag, raiment, robe, X very [treacherously], vesture, wardrobe.


You cannot cover your sins with rags.


The gospel reveals God’s righteousness


ROMANS 1:16 NKJV

For I am not ashamed of the GOSPEL of CHRIST, for it is the POWER of GOD to SALVATION for everyone who BELIEVES, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.


ROMANS 1:17 NKJV

For IN IT the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD is REVEALED from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”


His righteousness is the One that can saves us from sin.


Totally new cloth. No stain of sin. This is the only one that can save us from sin.


G1343 RIGHTEOUSNESS

Original: δικαιοσύνη

Transliteration: dikaiosunē

Phonetic: dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay

Thayer Definition:

in a broad sense: STATE of him who is AS he OUGHT TO BE,

righteousness,

the condition acceptable to God

the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God

integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking feeling, and acting

in a narrower sense, justice or the virtue which gives each his due


Strong's Definition: From G1342; equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification:- righteousness.


Only Jesus Christ qualify

When we have Christ we have this condition.


Perfect righteousness - the state of no sin.

Right believing produces right living.

Now we are right before God.


This is the condition we cannot attain by doing.


ROMANS 3:21-22 TPT

But now, independently of the law, the righteousness of God is tangible and brought to light through Jesus, the Anointed One.


This is the righteousness that the Scriptures prophesied would come.

It is GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS made visible through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.

And now all who believe in him receive that GIFT.

For there is really no difference between us,


Everyone can see Him. He was made visible, the Word of God.


God has to give us His righteousness as a gift.


ROMANS 3:23 TPT

for we ALL HAVE SINNED and are in need of the glory of God.


ROMANS 3:24 TPT

Yet through his powerful declaration of acquittal, God freely gives away his righteousness.


His gift of love and favor now cascades over us, all because Jesus, the Anointed One, has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin!


Righteousness bring forth favour.

He has to make us as righteous as His Son


ROMANS 3:25 TPT

Jesus’ God-given destiny was to be the sacrifice to take away sins, and now he is our mercy seat because of his death on the cross.


We come to him for mercy, for God has made a provision for us to be forgiven by faith in the sacred blood of Jesus.

This is the perfect demonstration of God’s justice, because until now, he had been so patient—holding back his justice out of his tolerance for us.


So he covered over the sins of those who lived prior to Jesus’ sacrifice.


When we are wearing this gift of righteousness we have His favour.


God’s righteousness is the ability to stand before God without shame, condemnation, inferiority


Receive this gift and put it on.


Instead of coming to God with fear, we come to Jesus and He becomes the mercy seat.


Today we are all made righteous.

The temple of the Holy Spirit is you and me.


God cannot dwell in your body if you have not received Jesus.


ROMANS 3:26 TPT

And when the season of tolerance came to an end, there was only one possible way for God to give away his righteousness and still be true to both his justice and his mercy—to offer up his own Son.

So now, because we STAND on the FAITHFULNESS of JESUS, God declares us righteous IN HIS EYES!


God has to be just.

There is a part of God that is justice and mercy. In His mercy, He absorbed the punishment.


God declares us righteous in His eyes.

He declares us righteous. His death on the cross is already completed. You are righteous. You don’t need to save yourself.


He already see us right


ROMANS 3:27 TPT

Where, then, is there room for boasting?

Do our works bring God’s acceptance?

Not at all!

It was not our works of keeping the law but our faith in his finished work that makes us right with God.


ROMANS 3:28 TPT

So our conclusion is this: God’s wonderful declaration that we are righteous in his eyes can only come when we put our faith in Christ, and not in keeping the law.


ROMANS 3:29-30 TPT

After all, is God the God of the Jews only, or is he equally the God for all of humanity?

Of course, he’s the God of all people! Since there is only one God, he will treat us all the same—

he eliminates our guilt and makes us right with him by faith no matter who we are.


ROMANS 3:31 TPT

Does emphasizing our faith invalidate the law?

Absolutely not.

Instead, our faith establishes the role the law should rightfully have.


ROMANS 4:1 TPT

Let me use Abraham as an example. It is clear that humanly speaking, he was the founder of Judaism.

What was his experience of being made right with God?


ROMANS 4:2 TPT

Was it by his good works of keeping the law? No.

For if it was by the things he did, he would have something to boast about, but no one boasts before God.


ROMANS 4:3 TPT

Listen to what the Scriptures say: Because Abraham believed God’s words, his faith transferred God’s righteousness into his account.


Righteousness was transferred to Abraham’s account as a gift.


ROMANS 4:4-5 TPT

When people work, they earn wages. It can’t be considered a free gift, because they earned it.

But no one earns God’s righteousness.


It can only be transferred when we no longer rely on our own works, but BELIEVE in the one who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in his eyes.

It is FAITH that transfers God’s righteousness into your account!


It is a gift. When people work they earn wages. It cannot be considered as gift.


No one earns God’s righteousness


I have done wrong but i take your gift of righteousness


Believe in the One who powerfully declares the ungodly to be righteous in his eyes.

It is FAITH that transfers God’s righteousness into your account!


Human nature will want a person to change first.


It has to be by faith. Believe in the One who is powerful.


There is no way we can be right with God. It has to be a gift.


ROMANS 10:8-9 TPT

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

that if you CONFESS with your mouth the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE in your HEART that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be SAVED.


Believe is in your heart.


ROMANS 10:10 TPT

For with the HEART one BELIEVES unto RIGHTEOUSNESS, and with the mouth confession is made unto SALVATION.


G4991 SALVATION

Original: σωτηρία

Transliteration: SŌTĒRIA

Phonetic: so-tay-ree'-ah

Thayer Definition:

deliverance, preservation, safety

deliverance from the molestation of enemies

redeemed from all earthly ills


Strong's Definition: rescue or safety (physically or morally):- deliver, HEALTH SALVATION, save, saving.


SOZO - to save, that is, DELIVER or PROTECT:- HEAL, preserve, save (self), do WELL, be (make) WHOLE.


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.


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.


2 CORINTHIANS 5:21 NLT


PHILIPPIANS 3:7 TPT

Yet all of the accomplishments that I once took credit for, I’ve now forsaken them and I regard it all as nothing compared to the delight of experiencing Jesus Christ as my Lord!


Self righteousness takes a lot of credits.


Today if you don’t have Christ, what are all the achievements in the world.


PHILIPPIANS 3:8 TPT

To truly know him meant letting go of everything from my past and throwing all my boasting on the garbage heap. It’s all like a pile of manure to me now, so that I may be enriched in the reality of knowing Jesus Christ and embrace him as Lord in all of his greatness.


The wonderful glory of knowing Him


PHILIPPIANS 3:9 TPT

My passion is to be consumed with him and not clinging to my own “righteousness” based in keeping the written Law.

My “righteousness” will be His, based on the FAITHFULNESS of JESUS CHRIST—the very RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT COMES FROM GOD.


You cannot cling to both things that are opposite.


Paul forsake his self righteousness and let it go. He clung both hands and embraced His righteousness


The very righteousness that comes from the Lord


The biggest baggage is our self righteousness


PHILIPPIANS 3:13 KJV

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are BEFORE,


Jesus healed the woman with blood issue of 12 years.


G1715 BEFORE

Original: ἔμπροσθεν

Transliteration: EMPROSTHEN

Phonetic: em'-pros-then

Thayer Definition:

IN FRONT, before

before, i.e. in that local region which is in front of a person or thing

before, in the presence of, i.e. opposite to, over against one

before, in the sight of

before, denoting rank


Strong's Definition: From G1722 and G4314; IN FRONT OF (in place [literally or figuratively] or time):- against, at, before, (in presence, sight) of.


We cannot move forward if we are still clinging on our own righteousness


Without His righteousness, who is in front of you? The devil.


PHILIPPIANS 3:14 NKJV

I press toward the goal for the prize of the UPWARD CALL of GOD in CHRIST JESUS.


We are a reflection of Him. Press towards is run forward


Don’t go backward. Always go upward go forward. Boast of Him, our wonderful Lord Jesus!

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