KEY SCRIPTURE: Rom 5:18 KJV” Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.”

In our previous study, we considered the fact that our Lord Jesus came to justify men. This in actual fact is a gift to as many who believe in Him. We also realised that to be justified is the same as being made righteous. It, therefore, implies that God our father gives righteousness to us as a gift. This is the ground on which God expects a high standard of uprightness from all His children.

Unfortunately, this point has not gotten home to many professing Christians. They are still struggling to be righteous. There is a righteousness that comes through man’s efforts, and it is called righteousness by the law. There is also the righteousness that comes as a result of faith in Jesus. Phil 3:9 KJV “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” The righteousness which comes by our effort is what creates an egocentric righteousness, in which culprits compare themselves to others and judge them. This is a religious righteousness, and has nothing to do with Christ.

Jesus imparts His own righteousness to our spirit and we receive it by faith. This gives no grounds to boast or judge anyone.

Those who have encountered the righteousness of God have encountered the resurrected life of Christ that enables them to live above sin, and other satanic influences. The Bible says sin should no longer have dominion over the man who has Jesus Rom 6:14. The child of God must acknowledge without a doubt that He is the very righteousness of God.  This he must daily affirm and also reflect over. He should cast away from his mind and reflection on any form of sin consciousness. Sin has a strong hold over you when you accept that a particular wrong act holds sway over you. If you accept that bad temper is your uncontrollable master. Change that thinking and accept that you are the righteousness of God. If you can see yourself as the righteousness of God, then that old sinful life would soon lose its grip over you.

You may be able to do this by saying to yourself, over, and over, again, that you are God’s very righteousness. Say it till you realise you are walking in that life.

CONFESSION.

I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. Sin, sicknesses and the by-products of sin cannot manipulate me in any way. I do not compare myself with anyone, for I am what I am by the grace of God.

FURTHER STUDIES

Rom 3:22 KJV “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”

Rom 10:3 KJV “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”