A few of them are:. We do not deserve the righteousness that God has given us, but we must believe that we have it and accept our righteous position before God. The Bible clearly declares that Christians are righteousness before God, so why do so many people have trouble accepting that they are righteous? The primary reason is that most Christians believe their feelings instead of what the Word of God says. Our sin and shortcomings produce feelings of guilt and shame, and it is good that they do, because our guilt often prompts us to quit sinning.
Unfortunately, those same feelings of guilt make us feel unaccepted by God. Our sin and feelings of guilt are real, but so is the righteousness God has given us. Some Christians teach that our righteousness is the ability to stand before God without any sense of guilt, sin, or shortcoming. In other words, those Christians teach that a truly righteous person should not have feelings of sin and shame in his life. That is not correct, and misses the point that our righteousness is a gift from God.
Certainly it is true that if we do righteous acts we will not feel guilty about them. The problem is that we all sin, and do unrighteous things. Thankfully, the book of Romans is very clear: Our righteousness comes, not by what we do, but because we have faith in Christ.
Unfortunately, that is the case with many people. Hardened criminals are well known for their seared consciences, and they can do very evil and hurtful things without feeling any shame or remorse. Sadly, there are Christians who have seared consciences in certain areas, and no longer feel any sense of guilt or shame when they sin in those areas. For example, a Christian who has become so wrapped up in pornography that he no longer feels any guilt or shame about it, may feel very guilty if he steals something. God is a God of grace and mercy, and many people with seared consciences have been restored to wholeness and tenderness by obedience and prayer.
The lesson each Christian needs to learn is that our God-given righteousness is not necessarily connected to our feelings. We sometimes feel unrighteous even though we are righteous before God, and we may feel good about ourselves while doing things that are not godly. You may not feel at-one with God, but if you are a Christian, you are. That means we are to live by trusting what God says and not by what we see or feel. We have to trust that what God says is true, and that any feelings to the contrary are lying to us.
Remember the record of Adam and Eve? We may feel that Christ will never return, but he will. We may feel like the evil on this earth will never be removed, but it will. We Christians must learn to think about ourselves the way God thinks about us. If you are feeling unrighteous, go back to the Word of God, study what it says, and pray to clearly understand the gift of righteousness that has been freely given to you.
Then take captive your thoughts of unrighteousness 2 Cor. Say it out loud if you have to. Your feelings of unrighteousness come from deep within you and from your earliest experiences. It may take a lot to change those feelings, but God will help you.
Righteousness – Every Christian’s Gift from God
Very Inspiring and expository. May our good Lord bless you great deal even as you win more souls for him, Amen. I have gained alot from your wide explaination of being ritheous in God. No more feeling of guilt again because Jesus has paid the price. I am in fact happy to read this website posts which consists of plenty of helpful information, thanks for providing such statistics.
Thank you for sharing this it meant a lot to me all I did was google righteous and led me to your article I enjoyed reading it and I learned a valuable lesson on righteousness may God continue his good fruit in you god bless you and your family and whoever you come across god is love love is God through His Son Jesus love is all god bless all.
My life will never be the same again. This teaching of Righteousness is wow!.
- Vancouver, BC (Canada) Travel Guide - Sightseeing, Hotel, Restaurant & Shopping Highlights (Illustrated).
- Robinson Crusoes Economic Man: A Construction and Deconstruction (Routledge Frontiers of Political Economy).
- Yajnavalkyas Gesetzbuch (German Edition).
- Righteousness - Undeserved Privilege by Brian Tunstall;
- Madeleine Claire and the Dinosaur!
May God increase you. Every day we learn and we never end learning. The words in this article really blessed me righteousness is now clear for me.
May the Lord almighty continue to bless you and your family. I realy thank God that theirs people like you,who has a lot word of salvation about being righteous before our jehovah shama the omen king among all kings on earth whose is jesus christ the saviour amen. Thanks for the teaching. I have read that if Christ had died early in life without living a full life of obedience to the father, christian would have received partial salvation. What does this means.
How come all the comments here are in complete agreement with your opinion? I find this rather monotonous and boring. Does it mean no single individual has disagreed with you so far? Or are you deliberately refusing to publish posts that disagree with your opinion?
You should welcome differing opinions and even criticisms. I thank God for this teaching. God bliss u sir for this reveal knowledge u have imparted. Also christian must abstain from sin, a man thus quote it is not a sin to sin but it is a sin to remain a sinner so be warned!!. This is a wonderful teaching, thank you sir for this explaination of the two Righteousness in the Bible. May His grace continue to empower you more. You have made my day, thanks. Thank u for this it really helped me realize errithing i waz doing wrong now ima get the girl of my dreams back.
We must add what Galatians 5: Love love love it. For readers who may want to study further. I however am a bit confused at the part of the seared conscience and would want more explanation s regarding when is it that we will be donning against Hod. The assurance of righteousness lies in the acceptance of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Then comes our salvation. What a great gift!!!
Righteousness - Every Christian's Gift from God | Truth Or Tradition?
You can only be totally righteous before God by accepting Christ. Very thankful for this article. It is very clear, easy to understand and would be very helpful to explain to people you come in contact with who were just born again. You did well with the scripture. As many read this exposition they will be inspired the more. I am really blessed this morning. May God reward you aboundantly. Your email address will not be published. May 10, at 7: June 22, at 3: June 30, at August 18, at August 18, at 3: June 11, at July 10, at 1: August 12, at 2: October 5, at 7: October 8, at 9: October 13, at 2: October 23, at 7: February 6, at 1: February 6, at 2: Pst Cyrus Stepney says: February 20, at February 24, at 6: Thou shalt be quickened, from the death of sin into the life of righteousness.
And if thou endure to the end, believing in Jesus, thou shalt never taste the second death; but, having suffered with thy Lord, shalt also live and reign with him for ever and ever. Now, "this word is nigh thee. The moment "thou believest in thine heart" in him whom God "hath raised from the dead," and "confessest with thy mouth the Lord Jesus," as thy Lord and thy God, "thou shalt be saved" from condemnation, from the guilt and punishment of thy former sins, and shalt have power to serve God in true holiness all the remaining days of thy life.
What is the difference then between the "righteousness which is of the law," and the "righteousness which is of faith? The essential, unchangeable difference is this: The one supposes him to whom it is given to be already holy and happy, created in the image and enjoying the favour of God; and prescribes the condition whereon he may continue therein, in love and joy, life and immortality: The other supposes him to whom it is given to be now unholy and unhappy, fallen short of the glorious image of God, having the wrath of God abiding on him, and hastening, through sin, whereby his soul is dead, to bodily death, and death everlasting; and to man in this state it prescribes the condition whereon he may regain the pearl he has lost, may recover the favour and image of God, may retrieve the life of God in his soul, and be restored to the knowledge and the love of God, which is the beginning of life eternal.
The covenant of works, in order to man's continuance in the favour of God, in his knowledge and love, in holiness and happiness, required of perfect man a perfect and uninterrupted obedience to every point of the law of God. Whereas, the covenant of grace, in order to man's recovery of the favour and the life of God, requires only faith; living faith in Him who, through God, justifies him that obeyed not.
The covenant of works required of Adam and all his children, to pay the price themselves, in consideration of which they were to receive all the future blessings of God. But, in the covenant of grace, seeing we have nothing to pay, God "frankly forgives us all: Thus the first covenant required what is now afar off from all the children of men; namely, unsinning obedience, which is far from those who are "conceived and born in sin.
Thou by sin art fallen short of the glory of God; yet there is mercy with him. Bring then all thy sins to the pardoning God, and they shall vanish away as a cloud. If thou wert not ungodly, there would be no room for him to justify thee as ungodly. But now draw near, in fill assurance of faith.
He speaketh, and it is done. Fear not, only believe; for even the just God justifieth all that believe in Jesus. These things considered, it would be easy to show, as I proposed to do in the Second place, the folly of trusting in the "righteousness which is of the law," and the wisdom of submitting to "the righteousness which is of faith.
The folly of those who still trust in the "righteousness which is of the law," the terms of which are, "Do this, and live," may abundantly appear from hence: They set out wrong; their very first step is a fundamental mistake: For, before they can ever think of claiming any blessing on the terms of this covenant, they must suppose themselves to be in his state with whom this covenant was made. But how vain a supposition is this; since it was made with Adam in a state of innocence! How weak, therefore, must that whole building be, which stands on such a foundation!
And how foolish are they who thus build on the sand! Neither do they consider, who are thus seeking to establish their "own righteousness, which is of the law," what manner of obedience or righteousness that is which the law indispensably requires. It must be perfect and entire in every point, or it answers not the demand of the law. But which of you is able to perform such obedience; or, consequently, to live thereby? Who among you fulfils every jot and tittle even of the outward commandments of God?
Are you able to "love God with all your heart? You should farther consider, that the righteousness of the law requires, not only the obeying every command of God, negative and positive, internal and external, but likewise in the perfect degree. In every instance whatever, the voice of the law is, "Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy strength. It excuses no defect: It condemns every coming short of the full measure of obedience, and immediately pronounces a curse on the offender: It regards only the invariable rules of justice, and saith, "I know not to show mercy.
Who then can appear before such a Judge, who is "extreme to mark what is done amiss? For, suppose we did now keep every commandment with all our strength; yet one single breach which ever was, utterly destroys our whole claim to life. If we have ever offended in any one point, this righteousness is at an end. For the law condemns all who do not perform uninterrupted as well as perfect obedience.
So that, according to the sentence of this, for him who hath once sinned, in any degree, "there remaineth only a fearful looking for of fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" of God. Is it not then the very foolishness of folly, for fallen man to seek life by this righteousness? What stupidity, what senselessness must it be for such an unclean, guilty, helpless worm as this, to dream of seeking acceptance by his own righteousness, of living by "the righteousness which is of the law!
The Righteousness of Faith
Now, whatsoever considerations prove the folly of trusting in the "righteousness which is of the law," prove equally the wisdom of submitting to the "righteousness which is of God by faith. But, to wave this, the wisdom of the first step hereto, the disclaiming our own righteousness, plainly appears from hence, that it is acting according to truth, to the real nature of things.
For, what is it more, than to acknowledge, with our heart as well as lips, the true state wherein we are? And is not this the very state wherein by nature we are? To acknowledge this, then, both with our heart and lips, that is, to disclaim our own righteousness, "the righteousness which is of the law," is to act according to the real nature of things, and, consequently, is an instance of true wisdom. The wisdom of submitting to "the righteousness of faith" appears farther, from this consideration, that it is the righteousness of God: I mean here, it is that method of reconciliation with God which hath been chosen and established by God himself, not only as he is the God of wisdom, but as he is the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, and of every creature which he hath made.
Now, as it is not meet for man to say unto God, "What doest thou? Let him do what seemeth him good. It may be farther considered, that it was of mere grace, of free love, of undeserved mercy, that God hath vouchsafed to sinful man any way of reconciliation with himself, that we were not cut away from his hand, and utterly blotted out of his remembrance.
Therefore, whatever method he is pleased to appoint, of his tender mercy, of his unmerited goodness, whereby his enemies, who have so deeply revolted from him, so long and obstinately rebelled against him, may still find favour in his sight, it is doubtless our wisdom to accept it with all thankfulness. To mention but one consideration more. It is wisdom to aim at the best end by the best means. Now the best end which any creature can pursue is, happiness in God.
And the best end a fallen creature can pursue is, the recovery of the favour and image of God. But the best, indeed the only, means under heaven given to a man, whereby he may regain the favour of God, which is better than life itself, or the image of God, which is the true life of the soul, is the submitting to the "righteousness which is of faith," the believing in the only-begotten Son of God.
Whosoever therefore thou art, who desirest to be forgiven and reconciled to the favour of God, do not say in thy heart, "I must first do this; I must first conquer every sin; break off every evil word and work, and do all good to all men; or, I must first go to church, receive the Lord's Supper, hear more sermons, and say more prayers.
Receiving Undeserved Righteousness
Thou art clean gone out of the way. Thou art still "ignorant of the righteousness of God," and art "seeking to establish thy own righteousness," as the ground of thy reconciliation. Knowest thou not, that thou canst do nothing but sin, till thou art reconciled to God? Wherefore, then, dost thou say," I must do this and this first, and then I shall believe? Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Propitiation for thy sins.
Let this good foundation first be laid, and then thou shalt do all things well. Neither say in thy heart, "I cannot be accepted yet, because I am not good enough. Was ever any child of Adam good enough for this? And as for thee, thou art not good at all: There dwelleth in thee no good thing. And thou never wilt be, till thou believe in Jesus. Rather, thou wilt find thyself worse and worse. But is there any need of being worse, in order to be accepted? Art thou not bad enough already? Indeed thou art, and that God knoweth.
And thou thyself canst not deny it. All things are now ready. Now is the time to wash thee white in the blood of the Lamb. Now he shall "purge" thee as "with hyssop," and thou shalt "be clean: Do not say, "But I am not contrite enough: I am not sensible enough of my sins. I would to God thou wert more sensible of them, more contrite a thousand fold than thou art. But do not stay for this.