Righteousness Study

On Wednesday nights we have changed our service format. We have put our chairs in a circle and we gather together and study and worship in a very intimate setting. We are studying Righteousness. Following are some thoughts from one of our studies.

Rom 1:17
17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
2 Cor 5:17-21
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.  20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus had to become what we were so we could become what he was.
Confession of Faith: Jesus became sin for me so I could become righteous like Him.

We do not grow in Righteousness.

We are made Righteous, and Righteousness is credited to us.
 
2 Corinthians 5:21... For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Romans 4:9-...9 Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness.
10 Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them.

God Himself is our Righteousness and He made Jesus to be Righteousness unto us.
There is no such thing as growth in Righteousness. There is growth in the knowledge of what Righteousness means.
 
There is growth in acting upon our Righteousness.
There is growth in faith in our Righteousness.
 
Until we have confidence in our own standing before the Father, in our own Righteousness in Christ, we will never have faith that will bring blessing to ourselves and others.

 Faith is destroyed by Sin Consciousness.
 Faith is built up and made invincible by Righteousness Consciousness.
 This entire problem rests upon our estimation of the Word.
 If we have a low estimation of the Word, then we will have a low estimation of         our Righteousness in Christ
  
If we have a low estimation of the Word, our faith will be weak and vacillating. But if we believe the Word, rest on the Word, know that every Word from God is true and that God cannot lie, then our faith becomes strong.
 
When we say that God cannot lie we mean that the Word cannot lie.
 
It is the Word with which we are dealing. The Word is the contract, the Covenant, the legal instrument
 
        The word is a living document.
 It becomes a living force in our lives as we act upon it.
 A low estimate of the New Covenant or the New Testament will bring a low estimate         of the work that Christ did.
 
A low estimate of the Word and of the work that Christ did is bound to react in our lives.
 
This leads to weakness that cannot be covered up, it will be evident in our lives
 
        Our Attitude Toward the Word is Our Attitude Toward Jesus
 The Word of God has power and authority
 (JUST LIKE JESUS)
 It is alive and powerful 
 (JUST LIKE JESUS)

Hebrews 4:12...For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
 

The word will renew your mind but it agrees with your spirit because the Spirit of God resides there.
 
The Word by the Spirit can do all the person of Jesus can do.

John 1:1...In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Romans 4:25...25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
   
This is what we believe and this is what we will have manifested in our lives!
 
People will sense it in our conversation. But if we doubt the power of His finished work, every phase of our life will show it.
 
The reason people live in lack is because of a low estimation of the Word and of the finished work of Christ. 
 
When we have the proper estimation of the finished work of Jesus Christ we will know that every word of God is true and it is true for me!
  
All this trying to be worthy, trying to be Righteous, crying and agonizing before the Lord, is the product of a low estimation of the integrity of the Word of God.
  
When we know that the Word is true, that we are what the Word says we are, and that we can do all the Word says we can, we begin at once to take our place, assert our authority, and enjoy our privileges in Christ.
 
We Live By Faith.

Hebrews 10:38...But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him."
 
He speaks of us individually as His righteous one.
 
If we draw back into the Sense Realm of dead works, we rob Him of the joy that belongs to Him.