Welcome everyone
Today we’re going to talk about righteousness and God.
You’ve spent an amount of time with me. You know i touch on this a lot and that’s because it’s extremely important to live righteous unto God.
You know there’s a lot of “fly by night” Christians that really don’t understand the truth of who God is, they don’t understand what his mercies are.
They don’t understand that he loves us. They don’t understand that romans 2 vs 4 says it’s God goodness and kindness that leads us to repentance.
But as a Christian and as a holy spirit-filled Christian, we are instructed and commanded to live righteously.
The confusion comes in when we don’t understand what is righteousness in God.
How do we achieve this righteousness and this is also what confuses the world because we have us as human beings, who have this grace.
This authority, this anointing of who the Lord is to minister through us and minister to us and that’s how we grow.
Let’s touch on “Is righteousness important as a Christian?
We are gonna go right out of second Thessalonians chapter one verse three, where the writer says,
“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
[4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
[5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
[6] Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;”
Here the writer is saying, listen you’re being persecuted, you’re being essentially crucified because you’re living righteously.
2 Thessalonians 1:7-11;
“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
[8] In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
[9] Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
[10] When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
[11] Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”
I’m not a doom and gloom preacher. I’m not preaching doom and fire and brimstone however, there is truth in this.
There is truth according to the word of God. we’re instructed to preach the full counsel of God.
It says they will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord for all of those who refuse to obey the good news of our Lord.
What is the good news? The good news is that we are saved by grace through faith.
As a believer, we walk in that daily ,that’s how we obtain righteousness.
If we go over to Galatians chapter 2 and verse 15, it says:
“We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
[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.”
We too have put our faith in Christ that we may just be justified by faith, Christ and not by works of the law.
Because no one who tries to justify themselves by the law will be justified.
So essentially you know.
1 John 1:8-9:
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
what is happening is we are laying down our our life, daily we’re being crucified daily and verse 19 in galatians 2 says,
“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
[21] I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Righteousness is important in Christ. we can’t obtain this righteousness of God by doing works.
we can’t get there by saying we’re better than somebody or acting like we’re better than somebody.
Each servant is on a sliding scale to his own master whether that be the Lord or whether you be mastered by e.g. money.
If you’re an entrepreneur, maybe you’re struggling, anxious and just confused and you don’t understand how to do what you have to do in order to go well. Cast your burdens on the Lord and he will guide you.
when you give it to the Lord then you become righteous.
it’s not in your own struggles or in your own effort that you can achieve this and that’s exactly what the writer is saying in galatians 2 vs 20:
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
if we go back to thessalonians, we were talking about understanding that God is a flaming fire and he’s going to inflict vengeance on those who don’t obey his law.
what we can conclude from that if the word of God is true and it’s the ultimate truth then we understand that there’s going to be afflictions on those who don’t obey the law.
It’s ultimately every believer’s choice, it’s a free gift right?
when we’re preaching, teaching and sharing the gospel of Christ, we’re not sharing it from a standpoint of i’m better than you.
we’re sharing it from a standpoint of ultimate authority.
It is the reason that if you have an atheist or a buddhist or a muslim or somebody that’s not following the word of God, they are not following the ultimate authority.
Your life is to be a ,written letter, you are to be a living testimony.
You’re supposed to lay your life down daily that you may grow in who God is.
Let us take a look about living in this righteousness.
we’re going to go right over to romans chapter 12 verse 1:
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behaviors or the customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think, then you will know God’s will for you, which is good, pleasing and perfect.
You know everybody says,
How do i hear the voice of God?
how can i talk with God more?
how can i conversate with God?
how can i understand where to go
what to do?
and where can i move?
The Bible says in him we live and we move. when you’re in Christ, when you’re doing the things according to romans 12, you are living your life as a holy sacrifice.
what does that look like? Be not just hearers but be doers of the word.
We have to consistently strive in grace to say Lord here i am.
psalm 46 says be still and know that i am God.
we can’t get there by ourselves, we can’t grow a business in our own merit.
You may be able to grow it to some point.
There are a lot of Godless people who are millionaires and billionaires but the word of God says specifically that the wealth of the wicked is stored up for the righteous.
when we trust in God and build our foundation on a firm ground — we build on jesus who is the rock — then we grow, walk and live in righteousness.
we don’t have to be ashamed, the Bible says show yourself or study to show yourself approved, one who rightly divides the word oftruth that you not need to be ashamed.
do you know the word?
Are you in the word?
are you praying?
Are you meditating?
Are you saying Lord here i am?
This a pleasing and acceptable way to serve it to serve God.
According to romans 12, what happens when we do all those things? Is there a blessing?
Yes, because according to the word, it says don’t copy the customs of this world.
Don’t do all this crazy stuff that’s not pleasing to God. You have to choose who you are you’re going to serve.
That is why we have to die daily, but is there a reward?
Yes. verse 2 says then you will learn to know God’s will for you.
That’s very personal.
“Which is good and pleasing and perfect. His good pleasing and perfect will. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, i give each of you this warning, don’t think you’re better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluations of yourselves”
Aree we honest with ourselves?
“measuring yourselves by the faith that God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body and we belong to each other. In his grace God has given us different gifts for doing different things”
Your gifting is not the same as my mine but i have to do what God has appointed me to do and you also have to do what God has appointed you to do because that is how you find out what his perfect will is.
that is how you lay down your life daily and we have to think of ourselves with sober judgment.
We have to look and evaluate our lives with who God is and his word not judging one another.
There is no judgment and condemnation in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8 says now there’s no condemnation in Christ because we have been set free by the spirit of life.
The holy spirit has set us free so we don’t have to be judged. We don’t have to judge each other.
we have to look and say,
“God, judge me. search my heart and find any wicked way in me. if there be any way, remove it.”
This is what the writer is talking about. Verse 7 says in Romans 12:
“if your gifts is serving others, serve them well. If you’re a teacher, teach well. if your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. if it is giving, then give generously. If God has given you a leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously and if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others.”
This is how we understand what that perfect will is and this is why living in righteousness is important.
Because when you are living in righteousness, you can understand the heart of God, you can talk with God and commune with him.
If you’re living in unrepentant sin, as believer, we are not supposed to live in unrepentant sin.
If we’re in unrepentant sin, we have a difficult time understanding who God is.
let’s go to verse nine,
“Don’t just pretend to love others, really lovethem. Hate what is wrong, hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope, be patient and keep on praying.”
“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Bless those who persecute you, don’t curse them but pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other, don’t be too proud and enjoy the company of ordinary people and don’t think you know it all. Never pay back evil with more evil,do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.”
“Dear friends, never take revenge, leave that to the righteous anger of God for the scriptures say i will take revenge. i will pay them back says the Lord. Instead if your enemies are hungry, feed them. if they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals to shame on their heads. Don’t let evil conquer you but overcome evil by by doing good”
That is the importance of righteousness. Walking righteously with God is walking in a first love relationship, saying “Lord i recognize i’m a sinner who is now repentant, by your grace i am made righteous and pure.”
You’re no longer a sinner, you don’t have to live in sin. You don’t have to say God i’m a sinner.
if you’re a sinner that means you’re sinning.
It is by his spirit we’reborn,behold we’re a new creature.
It is either you’re a new creature and you’re walking righteously and in purity or you’re a sinner.
You have to decide which one do you want to be. Do you want to keep stumbling? Do you want to keep falling? or do you want to say:
“hey, by the faith and grace of God and by his mercies because they are new every day, I will declare by his grace that i am righteous and who he is.”
By doing so, you are activating your faith and God is moved by faith.
When you move God, you are blessed. That is exactly what Romans 12 says when you move God in faith, you become blessed and you’ll understand what his perfect will is.
So to answer this question, Is righteousness obtainable? Is it important as a believer?
Without righteousness, the believer won’t
see God and i’ll leave that up to you to decide when you bite the dust because it’s appointed for man to die and then judgment.
Do you want to get caught up in the once saved always saved argument?
or do you want to say Lord, i live righteously unto you by you through faith and i’m gonna do this every single day.
Because though a righteous man falls seven times, he gets up.
You have redemption now.
If you are walking in sin or if you’ve struggled
with some type of addiction and issue, whatever it is, the Lord will search your heart and I want to offer you today to come out of that.
what we’re going to do is to say a prayer in your own heart.
Let’s pray.
Father, forgive me for all my sins. Forgive me for any issues or anything that i’ve done that has not pleased you.
Teach me your word that i may understand how to better serve you and not put to shame.
Lord, open my heart to understand wonderful things in your word, that my ways will be would be blameless and steadfast,understanding your statutes.
Thank you for your mercy and grace that’s new everyday.
Thank you that your goodness and kindness draws me to repent.
Thank you Lord that you’re not mad or angry with me but that you love me and that you give me chance upon chance.
Father, this time that i take this chance and i pray in faith and say yes that you will sustain me.
You will not cause the righteous to be forsaken and I’m choosing today to trust in you and i receive that in Jesus name.
Amen.
I love you so much.
I hope you got something from this. Leave a comment and do share it.