THE FORCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS | UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS @ LDH with Pastor Kemi-Rich Raji скачать в хорошем качестве

THE FORCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS | UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS @ LDH with Pastor Kemi-Rich Raji

UNDERSTANDING RIGHTEOUSNESS “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people (Proverbs 14:34) The Scriptures describe a person who is saved by grace through faith as having the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). Without this righteousness, God will not bless even an entire nation. Proverbs 14:34 states, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to all people.” A collective disposition towards sin will bring judgment and hinder the progress of a land. However, God's mercy will manifest when the people turn away from sin and seek Him. As stated in Second Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” If God were to build His blessings upon unrighteousness, it would compromise His integrity and values. The principles of His righteousness form the foundation upon which He pours out His blessings, favor, and joy into nations and the lives of individuals. The Lord Jesus provides clarity on seeking a righteous foundation. In Matthew 6:33, He says, “But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His (God’s) kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.” It is important to note what the Lord Jesus did not say: He did not instruct us to seek other things first to have the Kingdom of God added to us. Seeking anything before God’s Kingdom (His way of doing and being) contradicts the message He intends to convey. He did not say, “...to seek first the kingdom of God and your righteousness,” but rather to seek God’s righteousness. Seeking God’s righteousness means desiring to be in right standing with Him. We should value everything that Christ accomplished to make us righteous in the sight of a Holy God. Prioritize the matters of God's Kingdom and strive to fulfill His purpose on Earth. As recorded in 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He (God the Father) hath made Him (God the Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Amen!” (Emphasis added) This passage refers to Christ’s imputed righteousness. Our sins were laid upon Him when He died on the Cross, and His righteousness is credited to our account. We are saved from sin and Satan’s dominion, becoming redeemed children of God through His atoning sacrifice. We are made right before God when we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation. Our own righteousness cannot save us. What we may perceive as our righteousness, moral integrity, and ethical behavior are viewed as worthless in the sight of God. Isaiah 64:6 states, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Emphasis added) No amount of good works we perform on our own can negate the power of sin or overcome Satan's dominion in the human spirit. Nothing we do can compensate for the severe consequences of sin, including the inherited nature of sin from Adam, known as the ‘Adamic’ nature, and the ongoing acts of unrighteousness we engage in daily. The consequences of sin are severe; they result in a threefold death: spiritual death, physical death, and eternal death. God's judgment against sin is eternal damnation in hell. Regardless of how trivial a sin may seem, it can eternally condemn a person to hell. James 2:10 tells us that whoever keeps the whole law of God but offends in one point is guilty of all. No one on Earth is free from this. Ecclesiastes 7:20 emphasizes, “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.” (English Standard Version) Everyone falls short of God's commandments in one way or another. This is why we don't need our own righteousness, but rather God’s righteousness for salvation. Only Christ lived a sin-free life. His righteousness is the foundation for receiving God’s grace and blessings. He paid the full price for our sins at death. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 6:20, “For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body...” and in 1 Corinthians 7:23, “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men...” These passages refer to the price of Jesus Christ's blood. His blood was the complete payment for our redemption from sin, Satan, slavery, death, and judgment. Revelation 5:9 explains the price that the Lord Jesus Christ paid to buy us from the slave market of sin and Satan, bringing us to God, our Heavenly FATHER, as free-born citizens of His Kingdom. It states: “Worthy and deserving are You to take the scroll and to break its seals; for You were slain (sacrificed), and with Your blood, You purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Amplified Bible)