God's righteousness and the believer

Born in righteousness when born again, made a new creation, consider 2Cor5:17 “17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

How can you practice righteousness?

We are created and clothed in righteousness when we believe (Eph4:24)

Ephesians 4:24 NASB95

24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

If God imputes righteousness, how can we clothe ourselves in it? Think about that, write down your thoughts.

So, pursue righteousness as a believer (ref: 1Tim6:11)

His righteousness is what is needed, what we hope for (gal5:5)

Galatians 5:5 NASB95

5 For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.

May we hunger and thirst for it (Mt5:6)

listen to this verse Mt5:6 “6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”

(Transition) One of the verses of a song I sing often and I think I have used before is

Righteousness, righteousness is what I long for; Righteousness is what I need.

Righteousness is what You want from me!

So, Take my heart and mold it Take my mind, transform it Take my will, conform it To Yours, to Yours, Oh Lord

(Transition) So, God’s righteousness needed, God’s righteousness provided, God’s righteousness in the life of the believer will be God’s righteousness that will be through the believer!

God’s righteousness through the believer

God’s righteousness needed, provided, received and now displayed.

It is an instrument in you and through you (Rom6:13)

Romans 6:13 NASB95

13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

It is a weapon for good, righteous purposes (2Cor6:7)

2 Corinthians 6:7 NASB95

7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

Now that was written speaking of a tool that the apostles were using, but it surely is a tool that we too can use, but maybe better put in context too.

2 Corinthians 6:4–5 NASB95

4 but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger,

2 Corinthians 6:6–7 NASB95

6 in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left,

2 Corinthians 6:8–9 NASB95

8 by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death,

2 Corinthians 6:10–11 NASB95

10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. 11 Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide.

Paul and the other apostles suffered many things so that we may come to know the righteousness of God, receive the righteousness of God and allow it to work in us and through us!

For we need it

It is a part of our spiritual armament needed (Eph6:14; 2Cor10:3-6)

Ephesians 6:14 NASB95

14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

it is needed for the spiritual battles that we face as noted in 2Cor10:3-6 “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, 6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

How do we do this, apply this, by allowing God’s righteousness in us to be God’s righteousness that works through us!

It is the way of escape (2Pt2:20-21)

2 Peter 2:20–21 NASB95

20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.

God’s righteousness in you and through you produces fruit (Heb12:11, Eph4:9; Php1:9-11)

heb12:11 says “11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

God’s righteousness produces Godly fruit!

Ephesians 5:9 NASB95

9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth),

Php1:9-11 says “9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

(Transition) God’s righteousness working through the believer because God’s righteousness at work in the believer.

God’s righteousness at work

It is by how we live (Rom1:17)

Rom1:17 “17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.””

It is how we are justified (Rom3:21-22)

Rom3:21-22 “21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;”

It is how we are utilized as instruments (Rom6:13)

Romans 6:13 NASB95

IT is how then we verbalize it (1Cor1:26-31)

1 Corinthians 1:26–27 NASB95

26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,

1 Corinthians 1:28–29 NASB95

28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no man may boast before God.

1 Corinthians 1:30–31 NASB95

30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

It is what we share (Rom1:16-17)

This brings us back to the theme for book of Romans.

Romans 1:16–17 NASB95

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

God’s righteousness is mentioned 30 times in the book of Roman’s, so it is a big deal.

May we consider when it comes to God’s righteousness:

How do we get it? - by the hearing and believing the gospel message

What do we do with it? - we believe and surrender by obedience to the calling through the gospel.

Do we need to do something with it? - Yes, for without it you are not His and if you are not His then the wrath of God will come upon you.

How do I do something with it? - believe, receive and walk in it by joyful obedience. And share it then with others!