5 Minute Lessons on the Kingdom of God
Grace
Righteousness Without You Working for It
Read time: 4 minutes
Downloads
Audio Lesson
00:00
00:00
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Even though we have been freed from sin and sin no longer is our master (Romans 6:7, 18), even though we have the hope of seeing Jesus as He really is (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2), and we purify ourselves (or turn from sin) because of that hope (1 John 3:3), even though we are a new creation and old things are passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17), to presume that we are saved by anything except God's grace (Ephesians 2:5) is to error greatly.
If our righteousness can be derived by anything of ourselves (our acquittal before God produced by our actions), then why did Christ have to die (Galatians 2:21)?
At my best, I still need His grace (2 Corinthians 12:9), at my best, I certainly need His righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). At my best I cry, "God be merciful, in my flesh I am a sinner!" (Luke 18:13; Romans 7:18). But "he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV).
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! (Romans 5:9)
I am thankful for God's undeserved kindness (grace), through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, that made righteous the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
King David is now beginning to describe how blessed and happy a person will be when God puts to his account something that he did not have before. And what is it that God put to his account that he did not have before? It is righteousness. The Scripture further states it is a GIFT of righteousness (Romans 5:17), it is God's righteousness freely given without a person working for it (Romans 4:6).
Would you like to see a description of this person? This is the person whose iniquities and sins are forgiven and covered by Jesus' blood (Romans 4:7; Romans 3:24‑25). I was having lunch with some people, when I suddenly turned and said to a young man, "Do you ever sin?" "Oh, yes." "What do you do about it?" "I ask God in Jesus' name to forgive me." "Does He forgive you?" "Oh, yes." "Then can you see that you are saved by grace?" He gave you righteousness, right standing with Him, without you working for it.
Romans further tells us that this forgiven person is so blessed because God will never hold this sin against him.
In any relationship, we make corrections by confessing our faults or asking forgiveness to our spouse, etc. But the real point here is, it is not our confession that makes us right with God, it is our faith in Him.
If our righteousness can be derived by anything of ourselves (our acquittal before God produced by our actions), then why did Christ have to die (Galatians 2:21)?
At my best, I still need His grace (2 Corinthians 12:9), at my best, I certainly need His righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30). At my best I cry, "God be merciful, in my flesh I am a sinner!" (Luke 18:13; Romans 7:18). But "he (God the Father) hath made him (Jesus Christ) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in him" (2 Corinthians 5:21 KJV).
Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! (Romans 5:9)
I am thankful for God's undeserved kindness (grace), through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, that made righteous the unrighteous (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 5:21).
"1Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What were his experiences concerning this question of being saved by faith? 2Was it because of his good deeds that God accepted him? If so, he would have had something to boast about. But from God's point of view Abraham had no basis at all for pride. 3For the Scriptures tell us, 'Abraham believed God, so God declared him to be righteous.'" (Romans 4:1‑3 NLT)
"4When people work, their pay is not given as a gift, but as something earned. 5But people cannot do any work that will make them right with God. So they must trust in him, who makes even evil people right in his sight. Then God accepts their faith, and that makes them right with him." (Romans 4:4‑5 New Century Version)
"6Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works," (Romans 4:6 KJV)
King David is now beginning to describe how blessed and happy a person will be when God puts to his account something that he did not have before. And what is it that God put to his account that he did not have before? It is righteousness. The Scripture further states it is a GIFT of righteousness (Romans 5:17), it is God's righteousness freely given without a person working for it (Romans 4:6).
Would you like to see a description of this person? This is the person whose iniquities and sins are forgiven and covered by Jesus' blood (Romans 4:7; Romans 3:24‑25). I was having lunch with some people, when I suddenly turned and said to a young man, "Do you ever sin?" "Oh, yes." "What do you do about it?" "I ask God in Jesus' name to forgive me." "Does He forgive you?" "Oh, yes." "Then can you see that you are saved by grace?" He gave you righteousness, right standing with Him, without you working for it.
Romans further tells us that this forgiven person is so blessed because God will never hold this sin against him.
In any relationship, we make corrections by confessing our faults or asking forgiveness to our spouse, etc. But the real point here is, it is not our confession that makes us right with God, it is our faith in Him.
"7...Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:7‑8)
8Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:7‑8)
Questions
-
Have you received God's gift of righteousness?
Answer
We want to hear from you!
We would love to hear your feedback on these lessons and how you use them in your own study or in discipling others. If you have any thoughts, stories, testimonies, comments, or questions we would love to hear them!
Next Lesson:
An Open Letter to a Bible Student