The Grace Life (Part 2)

The Grace Life (Part 2)

Sunday Message Summary, 19 June 2022

Why is righteousness important according to the grace life? Grace instructs us to deny unrighteousness, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age (Titus 2:11-12). Jesus gave Himself that He may redeem us from every lawless deed, so we must have eagerness and determination to live according to what the Bible says, according to how we are instructed in the Scriptures (Titus 2:13-14).  When we are born of GOD, we are as GOD is, and because we are as GOD is, we also ought to practice righteousness, just as He is righteous (1 John 3:7). There is therefore a polar difference between believers and unbelievers. The life that results from the new birth is the righteous life. Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of GOD and is not a child of GOD (1 John 3:10). The children of GOD practice righteousness while the children of the devil practice unrighteousness.

Jesus was made sin so that we may be made righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), so the righteousness of GOD has been imputed into us. Righteousness comes through faith in Christ Jesus, not by the things we do for righteousness (Romans 4:5-6). Righteousness is a gift that is given to us, works not considered, because no one can be pleasing before GOD by the things that they do. There is nothing we can do by which we can be justified before GOD. We are justified only by the grace of GOD. Jesus became our righteousness, so righteousness is the Person of our LORD, Jesus Christ, living in our hearts. Righteousness came and abode in us and we became Him. We became righteousness. For a believer, righteousness is the life of Christ within us growing out into every part of our being, working out that which GOD has worked in. Righteousness is thus a reality state of being in Christ, because the only life GOD knows from a believer is the life of His Son in a believer.

There is nothing wrong with works of righteousness, but what matters is the source. Righteousness comes from GOD, so what makes us righteous is GOD Himself. The Righteousness who is in us bears the fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11), so practicing righteousness has nothing to do with our own works. It is Jesus who produces righteousness out of us. Righteousness is from the heart, from a changed character that leads to changed conduct. Practicing righteousness is therefore that which flows from a transformed heart. Holy Spirit transforms a believer into the Person of Jesus and into the life of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:18). It is thus the Holy Spirit who leads us to live right (Psalm 23:3).

Righteousness is the spiritual reality of being in GOD. So, if we have the Spirit of GOD abiding in us, the life we are living ought to be led, directed, and guided by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:25). It is not a life of trying to be, but He leads, and we follow. What pleases GOD is everything that we do as led by the Holy Spirit. This is living in utter surrender to the Holy Spirit being led, guided, directed, and prompted by Him. Righteousness is the outworking of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. The Holy Spirit cannot prompt us into unrighteousness, so the frustrations that we go through come because of our own leadings and not by the leadings of the Holy Spirit.

Righteousness is from the heart, from a changed character, that leads to changed conduct.

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