HE IS - I AM : LIVING OUT OF MY IDENTITY IN CHRIST!
HE IS RIGHTEOUS—I AM RIGHT.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21.
Apr 11
He is - I am. Righteous -with no self deception, it’s a PURE GIFT
What an incredible birthright. p.52HIIA
My nature is to do the will of the Father. p.49HIIA
In Christ my Father God has the final say. His blood covers every evil, and answers every allegation. His claim and his word are final. They cannot be contested or revoked or threatened or challenged. I stand in His righteousness, And I will stand in His righteousness forever. it is my place, it is my privilege, it is my position, always. p.48 HIIA
Romans 10:9
because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved
Romans 5:18
Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone
Romans 5:15-21
15 But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. 16 And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.
18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
20 God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 3:22
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are
Bible Story: Genisis 25, 27 and 33:10 Story of Esau and Jacob
Reflection:
Sometimes it feels like what Jesus offers us is just too good to be true. The fact of the matter is that it is too good to be true, but it is…TRUE! I become the righteousness of God when i place my faith in Jesus.
When Laurie in He Is.. I am, speaks of our righteousness being “an incredible birthright” I felt the story of Jacob and Esau highlights how incredible the Gospel of Jesus Christ is. In brief the first son (Esau) sells his birth right as first born for a bowl of soup. Then he losses the first born blessing (which he had already sold) when Jacob deceived his father into believing he was Esau. Jacob got Esau’s blessing. Jacob, deceived his father by putting on his brothers clothes and some “hight tech” make up. The plan works and Jacob is now forever one of the founding fathers of Israel’s journey with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!
The fact that our God seems ok with this act of “deception” to get the blessing of the first born—seems so way out there. Our God who is righteous, extends his rigteousness to Jacob. It feels almost as radical as this Scripture:
Romans 3:26
God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus
We in some sense, like Jacob, “put on Christ” and get all his benefits of the first born son of God! “He makes sinners right”…. we need to see righteousness is a pure gift form God. And unlike Jacob’s story, in the Gospel, our righteousness from the Father does not come through and act of deception. God is not deceived by who we are or what we do. He knows and still he bestows his righteousness upon us when we trust in what He has done in Christ. Crazy amazing!
I have to say, don’t ever let the legalist, Satan, or your own thinking make you feel like your don’t measure up to God’s standards. That somehow you are a fraud at the table of righteousness. It’s not about performance its about relationship! Remember any righteousness that you can get on your own, through what you do only leads to self-righteousness, not God’s righteousness. So let’s learn to walk in the righteousness of God. Let our lives reflect His righteousness. Sincerely revealing to others how “He makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus” It’s crazy. But it is crazy good news for those who believe.
One final point I pray Holy Spirit will anoint. I’ll put it to you in a question. If God’s Love and now His Righteousness is not based on my performance, how then does God’s righteousness shape my relationship with God and those around me? …. pray on it. And may kingdom revelation abound! Love you!