The Gospel

Praise be to God!

The Lord is blessing us with spiritual revelation that is transforming us and reviving us. Hallelujah! This afternoon the Lord spoke to us about His righteousness and this is what He showed us:

The problem

• God's righteousness is divine.
• God's righteousness is unattainable by human effort.
• Jesus revealed the standard. Mt. 5:20; 5:48
• There is no one righteous. Rom. 3:9,10,20
• Man's nature determines his righteousness.
• Man has a sinful nature because of Adam's disobedience and not because man sins. Sin is the fruit of the sinful nature. Rom. 5:12-18
• Man is by nature an object of wrath because of his sinful nature. Eph. 2:3
• Legalistic righteousness cannot attain God's righteousness. Phil. 3:3-7

The solution

• The Gospel is the good news that God's requirement for righteousness to be reconciled to Him is fulfilled in Christ by grace through faith and not by works or human effort. Rom. 1:16,17
• The Gospel reveals "righteousness apart from works." Rom. 3:21-26
• Christ is our righteousness because He fulfills the righteous requirements of the law in us. 1 Cor. 1:30; Rom. 8:3,4
• God's righteousness is a gift and not a reward. Rom. 4:4,5; 5:17
• Faith in Christ means submission to God's righteousness. Rom. 10:1-3

The problem of self-righteousness

• Jesus dealt severely with the self-righteous religious leaders.
• Trying to earn God's righteousness "sets aside God's grace." Gal. 2:21
• Self-righteousness makes one legalistic, judgmental, mean and miserable.
• The "offense of the cross" is based on the fact that the flesh, rooted in pride, does not want to "simply" believe but wants to be involved in earning righteousness. Gal. 5:11

The benefits of submitting to God's righteousness. Justification.

• Because we have received God's righteousness we are justified. Rom. 5:18,19

Access to God.

• Because we are justified we have access to God. Eph.2:18

Union with God.

• Because we are righteous in Christ we are reconciled and joined to God. Rom. 5:10,11,17,20,21; Eph. 2:5; 2 Cor. 5:18-21

Sealed with righteousness.

• Because we are righteous, we are sealed with righteousness. Rom. 4:11

Object of blessing.

• Because we are righteous we are objects of blessing. Eph. 2:3-9

Grace can reign.

• Because we are righteous grace can reign. Rom. 5:21; Gal. 3:1-5

God is glorified.

• Because God has made us oaks of righteousness, we are planted by Him to reveal His glory. Isa. 61:3

We praise God for this awesome good news of the gift of God's righteousness given to all who believe in Jesus.

This week 2 of our leaders will be attending the Kingdom Faith leaders' conference which is always an inspiring and exciting time and strengthens our covenant relationship with KF.

This Saturday the women are meeting together with God and one another as they "taste and see that the Lord is good."

Quote of the week:

"They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendour." Isaiah 61:3

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