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FIRST CLASS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Whom God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. (Romans 3:25)

There is no Economy class righteousness. All of the God-kind of righteousness is First class righteousness.
Mark Hankins

I do a lot of international flying and know that you can fly Economy class, Business class, or First class. When you board the plane in First class, the attendant will immediately greet you and make sure you have everything to you need to be comfortable. You are offered something to drink or eat. They will take your coat, make sure you have a blanket or pillow, and help you put up your belongings.

In Economy class, however, they almost act irritated that you are there! The seating isn’t so comfortable. Don’t ask for anything special–they’ll tell you to get it yourself. If you have an aisle seat, you can look up the aisle and see into First class. You develop a real economy mentality as the person next to you goes to sleep and snores and slobbers.

However, God spoke to me through all of this and said, “There is no Economy class righteousness.” All of the God-kind of righteousness is First class righteousness!

Confession: I have the God-kind of righteousness – First class righteousness!

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UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:16-17)

The Gospel is the revelation of how God makes man righteous.
Mark Hankins

Understanding righteousness and understanding redemption are essential to your faith working mightily. The main theme of the book of Romans is righteousness. The Apostle Paul begins by saying that the Gospel of Christ is fundamentally a revelation of righteousness.

Righteousness simply means “right standing with God.” It is living in a state of divine favor or being pleasing, accepted, or approved by God. Righteousness is a gift.

The Gospel is a revelation of how God makes man righteous. Jesus took your sinful condition so you could receive His righteous condition. He took your place so you could have His place.

Confession: 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. I am the righteousness of God in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

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THE CENTER OF THE GOSPEL

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)

The Gospel contains the power that God released in Christ
two thousand years ago.
Mark Hankins

The center of the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus told the disciples, “Go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are eternal God events. We give them a date and place because they are historical events, but they are more than just history. They are supernatural, eternal God events, and they can be visited at any point in time as though they were happening right then. The same power that God released in these events is in the message.

The Gospel produces faith. The Word of God is a living thing. Christ hath redeemed you! The Gospel is not the good news that God can help you. It is not the good news that God wants to help you. It is the good news that God has already helped you in Christ.

Confession: The price has been paid. I am no longer a prisoner to sin; I am free. The curse of sin and Satan has been broken in my life by the blood of Jesus!

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THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

The law put a curse on us. But Christ took away that curse. He changed places with you. Christ put himself under that curse. (Galatians 3:13 | Deaf)

The Gospel is the good news that man has been given eternal life through Jesus Christ.
Mark Hankins

Jesus demonstrated the Gospel by healing the sick and setting the captives free in this world. Paul preached the Gospel, and the crippled man at Lystra received faith to be healed as he heard the message. (Acts 14:7) Paul said with a loud voice, “Stand upright on thy feet.” The man leaped and walked. The people thought Paul healed the man, but it was simply the demonstration of the power of the Gospel.

To see what the curse of the law is, you need to turn to Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This list includes everything from sickness and poverty to disaster in the family and the nation. You can see the reverse of the curse by reading Deuteronomy 28:1-13. All these blessings shall come on you and overtake you. Christ hath redeemed you from the curse! Even now the curse is broken!

Confession: I am blessed in my family; I am blessed in my body, and I am blessed in my business because Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law!

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YOU ARE REDEEMED

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. (Galatians 3:13)

It is an insult to God for you to stay in prison when Jesus paid the price for your release!
Mark Hankins

There are three simple, yet powerful statements made in Galatians 3:13. Let’s take a closer look. The first is the fact that you are redeemed. The second is what you are redeemed from — the curse of the law. The third is what you were redeemed by — Christ was made a curse for you. Christ took your curse so you could go free.

The center of the Gospel is what God has done for you in Christ. The curse of the law has been broken, not for just a few select individuals, but for “whosoever” will hear and believe in the Gospel.

Jesus paid much too high a price for your freedom for you to stay bound. It is an insult to God for you to stay in prison when Jesus paid the price for your release. Satan cannot hold you. Sin cannot hold you. The past cannot hold you. Remember our first fact: YOU ARE REDEEMED!

Confession: Christ hath redeemed me now — not just when I go to heaven. Satan cannot hold me. Sin cannot hold me. My past cannot hold me! The curse of the law is broken in my life. I am redeemed!

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