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RIGHTEOUSNESS: REVELATION AND MOTIVATION

For the rein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

God sees you in Christ, but you must see yourself in Him. Mark Hankins

It is important to understand that the Gospel of Christ is a revelation of righteousness.  Understanding righteousness is fundamental to Christianity. Understanding righteousness also enables us to win the fight of faith. The Apostle Paul’s letters help us to understand that righteousness is a free gift. His letters also help us to see ourselves In Christ.

Righteousness gives us right standing with God. Righteousness sets us free from sin, guilt, and shame. Since we are free from the motivating power of shame, we are now under a new motivating power of righteousness. The power of righteousness is the revelation of all true victory. We are no longer haunted by a sense of inadequacy or inferiority. God has given us First class righteousness in Christ!

Confession: I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I have right standing with God. I am free from the motivating power of shame. I am now under the motivating power of righteousness. I have victory in Christ!

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SHAME-FREE LIVING

For the scripture saith, Whosever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 10:11)

We must consistently see ourselves in the light of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Mark Hankins

Many people try to fix their behavioral problems with more and more doses of shame and guilt. Instead of curing the problem, shame perpetuates the problem. The Complete Life Encyclopedia makes this interesting statement about shame:

“Shame is the issue that drives almost every compulsive, self-defeating behavior known to the human race. Shame is at the root of all addictions.”

The cure is at the cross of Jesus Christ. On the cross, God was working in Christ, but He was working on us. Jesus took our condition and we were engrafted into Him. Now, God sees us through the blood, through the cross, and through the resurrection!

Confession: I reign in life through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness through one man Jesus Christ! I am free from guilt, shame, sin, death, and the curse! (Romans 5:17)

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A HAPPY MAN IN CHRIST

I think myself happy, King Agrippa… (Acts 26:2)

You can think yourself happy or you can think yourself sad! Mark Hankins

The Apostle Paul could be shipwrecked, snake bit, beat in the head, left for dead, or confined in prison and still say, “I feel like singing right now because the Greater One is in me.” How would you like to be chained to Paul for about a year and a half? Paul was not some confused, lonely, bitter preacher. He stood before King Agrippa after thirty years and said, “Oh, king, I think myself happy.” (Acts 26:2)

King Agrippa, his sister Bernice, Governor Festus, all the military leaders, lawyers, and other prominent people were there when Paul came in. They wanted to mock him, but you cannot ridicule a happy man. He probably had the least reason to be happy of anybody in that whole crowd. But when he entered he said, “I am a happy man.”

The king said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.” (Acts 2:28) King Agrippa may be the most upset man in hell because he had a testimony from the greatest preacher other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet he refused to become a Christian!

Confession: I think myself happy! I am righteous. I am a new creature. I am redeemed. I am blessed!

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GRACE VS. LEGALISM

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace where in we stand… (Romans 5:2)

The mystery and the glory of the believer’s life is that your life is one with Him. Mark Hankins

Salvation is the reuniting of God and man. God’s does not work on you while you are isolated from Him. He doesn’t gradually render you fit to be reunited to Him. Legalism teaches that God operates on you apart from Himself, but grace begins by uniting you to God. Through that union, He supplies the life and power necessary to bring you into His holiness.

Grace is the opposite of legalism. Legalism says that you are not good enough and will have to live in sin-consciousness for the rest of your life. Grace, however, says because of what Christ has done, your spirit is instantly joined to Christ.

God welcomes you because of faith in Christ. He takes you right in and gives you His righteousness. Consider the depth of this principle of the Gospel when it is applied: you are united with Christ!

Confession: I have access by faith into the grace of God. I rejoice in hope of the glory of God because of what Christ has done for me. I am dead to sin and alive unto God!

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BEFORE YOU DIE

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)

For your faith to be effective, you must acknowledge those things with the words in your mouth. – Mark Hankins

I heard Jesse Duplantis tell this story about his grandma’s birthday. She had been poor all of her life, so they bought her the most beautiful dress they could find. They said, “Granny, won’t you wear it to church?”  She replied, “I can’t wear that dress. It’s too pretty. It’s just too beautiful. I can’t wear it. I’m going to keep it in the closet. I want to be buried in it.”

That is exactly the way most Christians are. As soon as you receive Christ, God gives you beautiful new clothes–robes of righteousness. Most Christians look at them and say, “Oh, I couldn’t wear that. I am unworthy, so I’ll hang it in the closet and wait until I am dead. When I die, I’ll be righteous.”

You are righteous now. You are righteous before you die! You are made righteous through faith in Christ!

Confession: I am made righteous through faith in Christ! God has reconciled me to Himself.  I am winning the war against my flesh and my mind because I am acknowledging who I am in Christ!

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