VB145 God’s Gift of Righteousness
You Are the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus
God’s Gift of Righteousness
[Rom 5:17,21; Eph 1:7; 1Pet 2:24; Jn 3:16-17; 2Cor 5:21]
We have talked about the fact that there are two kinds of righteousness; God’s and man’s. Now we’ll see that God’s righteousness is a gift.
The Bible says that those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. That is awesome news, my friend! It comes from the famous verse 17 of Romans chapter five.
Rom 5:17 (ESV) –For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
The word “death” thánatos[G2288] has the sense of destruction, perdition, misery, implying both physical death and exclusion from the presence and favor of God in consequence of sin and disobedience, but never as extinction. This is the opposite of zoe[G2222], life and blessedness.1
Adam’s sin caused death and Hell to reign and rule over mankind. This is not just talking about a funeral. Men became slaves to death all their physical lives, and the spiritual realm is eternal. But it is a far greater thing that through another man, Jesus Christ, men by their acceptance of His abundant, amazing grace and righteousness, can live all their lives with authority like kings!
Life in the midst of death! We reign in life now. His love, joy, peace, and glory fill our hearts even in the middle of all the heartaches and pressures of the sinful world system.
Eph 1:7 (NKJV) –In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
There are many in the church today who will say their sins are forgiven, but they don’t believe they are righteous. But this verse and its context is saying this gift wasn’t just salvation (forgiveness of sins), but our position of right standing (righteousness), with God as a gift. This is foreign to many Christians, but it is the foundation of grace reigning in our lives (See, Rom 5:21).
Rom 5:21 (NKJV) –so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Reign: (basileúo);[G936] Paul’s usage: to reign or have predominance (Rom 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12). to exercise the highest influence, to control. To exercise kingly power, to reign, from (basileús),[G935] a king. To reign, rule, be king.2
Bob Yandian says, concerning this verse. “The nature of the flesh has full reign in a person who is spiritually dead. But righteousness can have full reign in a person who is spiritually alive, born-again, walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.”3
Notice that we must receive the abundance of God’s grace AND the gift of righteousness to reign in life. Receiving grace is absolutely essential, but it won’t support reigning until it works through our righteousness in Christ and all the privileges that come with that.
This is another difference between a man’s self-righteousness and God’s gift of righteousness. Self-righteousness represents itself. God’s gift of righteousness can boast in the completed work of Christ. The power to reign in life and have dominion over sin is awesome (cf. Rom 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12).4
Every child of God has an equal and right standing with the Father, because every Christian receives the gift of righteousness when they are born again. Learn who you are in Christ, and live like you have the gifts of God!
The human race owed a tremendous debt of sin. Because mankind was unable to pay this debt, God sent His own Son to pay it (1Pet 2:24).
1Pet 2:24 (NKJV) –who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.
The term “bore” is used of a sacrifice in Lev 14:20; James 2:21.
Jesus is your substitute. He took your place. He paid an awful price for your sin because He loves you (Jn 3:16).
Jn 3:16-17 (NASB) – [16] “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. [17] “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.
“God so loved” This verb “gave”), speaks of a completed act in the past (i.e., God sent Jesus). Verses 16-17 deal primarily with the Father’s love (cf. 1Jn 4:7-21; Jn 3:9-10). “Loved” is the term agapaô. It was not used much in Classical Greek. The early church took it and filled it with specific meaning. In certain contexts it relates to the Father’s or Son’s love, however, it is used negatively of human love (cf. Jn 3:19; 12:43; 1Jn 2:15). It is theologically synonymous with hesed in the OT, which means God’s covenant loyalty and love. In Koine Greek of John’s day, the terms agapaô and phileô are basically synonymous (cf. Jn 3:35 with 5:20).
Interpreters must keep in mind that all words used to describe God carry human baggage. We must use words that describe our world, our feelings, our historical view in an attempt to describe an eternal, holy, unique, spiritual Being (God). All human vocabulary is to some extent analogous or metaphorical. What has been revealed is surely true, but not ultimate. Finite mankind struggles to grasp ultimate reality.
Where it says, “to judge the world,” there are several places in John that tell us that Jesus came as Savior, not Judge (cf. Jn 3:17-21; 8:15; 12:47). However, there are other passages in John that assert that Jesus came to judge, or will judge (cf. Jn 5:22-23,27; 9:39; as do other parts of the NT, Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2Tim 4:1; 1Pet 4:5).
Some theological comments are in order here.
1. God gave judgment to Jesus as He did creation and redemption as a sign of honor (cf. Jn 5:23).
2. Jesus did not come the first time to judge, but to save (cf. Jn 3:17), but by the fact that people reject Him, they judge themselves.
3. Jesus will return as King of Kings and Judge (cf. Jn 9:39).
Now that the debt is paid, you are given a right standing with God. It is actually the right standing that Jesus earned as a result of His obedience unto death. You are reconciled!
Your spirit receives His righteousness the moment you take Him as Lord and Savior. Holiness and sanctification come gradually as the mind is renewed (salvation in present tense).
2Cor 5:21 (NKJV) –For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
If Christ dwells in your heart, you have been given the righteousness of God. You have become the righteousness of God in Him. Your spirit is no longer contrary to God and His Word. You are right-wise with the Father!
Prayer:
Lord, reveal by your Spirit, your word today. Open the eyes of the lost and draw them to the power of salvation by Your Word. Illuminate believers to the reality of their right-wise-ness in You.
Decree over the 2024 election:
Spirit of darkness, I charge you in the name of Jesus, BACK OFF! The blood of Jesus is against you! Spirit of anti-Christ, BACK OFF! It is not your time yet! King Jesus has triggered, not just a landslide, but an avalanche of righteousness to rule in our election process! Evil and lawlessness will be crushed by boulders of truth and righteousness. The gates of Hell will not prevail over the United States of America!
God bless you my friend,
1Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study New Testament, KJV (Chattanooga: AMG, 1992), ref. G2288.
2Thayer, Joseph. A Greek-English Lexicon, ref. G936.
3Yandian, Bob. Romans: A New Testament Commentary (Tulsa: Harrison House, 2015).
4Zodhiates, Spiros. The Complete Word Study New Testament, KJV (Chattanooga: AMG, 1992), ref. G936.
