The Kingdom of God XI - No Condemnation II

He is our righteousness!  How many believers have awakened to righteousness?  When we come to our Father in prayer do we thank Him for the righteousness that we have in Christ Jesus?  I am afraid the answer to this question for many is no.  I am afraid that we struggle with sin consciousness.  We are aware so often of our inabilities, but NOT AWARE of HIS ABILITIES!

Just as our sin was laid on Jesus Christ, He was also made our righteousness.   I believe many of struggle to live righteously and try to measure this though the law of Moses.  I want us to fully hear what the law of Moses does.  It shows us our sin.  Look at the following two scriptures closely.  

Romans 3:20 "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." niv

Romans 7:7 "What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet.""

Through the law is the awareness of sin.  Not only is it an awareness of sin, but an awareness that sin is at work in me.  I am concerned that every time I look to myself to overcome sin or unrighteousness I find failure and disappointment.  That is because my salvation is not in myself.  It is in Christ Jesus.  He became my sin offering.  He took my iniquities.  My inabilities were laid on him.  Jesus died for the ungodly.  Glory to God!

Now not only is He the answer to my sin.  He is also the answer to my righteousness.  We are made righteous through Him, and we live righteously as we know HIM.  He is the solution to all!  Not I but Christ!  Glory to God!

Romans 3:21-27  "But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23 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: 26 for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus. 27  Where then is the glorying? It is excluded. By what manner of law? of works? Nay: but by a law of faith." 

1Corinthians 1:30-31 "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption: 31 that, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.:

Jesus has been made our righteousness.  Now as I say this I am sure it rises up in many that are we saying you can live anyway you want and be saved?  I would say no!  As Paul said, "Shall we sin that Grace may abound?" The answer then was no.  It is still no.  Read Romans 6 and notice what else Paul says.  He brings US into union with HIM, Jesus Christ - His death, His burial, His resurrection.  Ultimately that we live unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord!  In this living, we live there through Him.  

WE come to union with HIM.  In the seeing of this union this is where we begin to love our brother as ourselves.  We see our Brother in this same Christ that we see our self in.  We begin to see the Church as HIS BODY.  This is where the empowerment of righteous living comes from.  It comes from Him, and the seeing and knowing of Him by the Holy Spirit He has given us.  This does not abound from ourselves but through the relationship we have with Christ.  Through the knowing of Him we will want to bring no harm to our brother or sister or anyone else for that matter.  Rather we will want to build up and edify in Christ Jesus our Lord!

The beauty of seeing our relationship with Christ is that if we do fall or make mistakes He is faithful and just to forgive us!  We are in a relationship of Love, not condemnation.  This LOVE of God is shed abroad in our hearts and ministers one to another through the Holy Spirit of the Lord.  God does not leave us in the shape we were in.  He has made us a New Creation in Christ Jesus.  This is where we need to find ourselves, IN HIM, and not only ourselves but the entire Body of Christ!  Blessings!