This righteousness, the gift given to us in Romans 5:17 is very very important to your success as a believer. Righteousness from the Greek means to be made innocent, guiltless, faultless, and holy. This is the free gift of righteousness given to us. Jesus paid the price for all our sin, and gave us His righteousness. His innocence.
Today we want to look at how vitally important righteousness is to us, and how religion has twisted the scripture to get us to devalue the precious gift of rightousness given to us through the cross.
Romans 3:28 tells us: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified (declared righteous) by faith apart from the deeds (works) of the law.” No works righteousness here only righteousness by faith.
Religion has taught most of us that the Holy Spirit was sent to convict us of our sin, or point out our sins to us. That statement alone contradicts what Jesus finished at the cross. If He forever forgave us all our sins, and Hebrews tells us that our sins and iniquities He remembers no more, then How could the Holy Spirit remind us of What God has forgiven and forgotten?
Let’s look at what that verse actually says in John 16:8 “And when He (the Holy Spirit) has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin because THEY do not believe in me; (THEY is referring to the world or non-believer) of righteousness because I go to my father and YOU see me no more; (YOU is referencing the disciple or the believer) of judgement because the ruler of this world is judged.” Did you see that? The Holy Spirit convinces you of righteousness not sin. That makes all the difference between you being sin consciousness or righteousness consciousness. The sacrifices of the old testament, Hebrews 10 tells us, could not make us perfect vs 2 “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshippers, once purified would have had no more consciousness of sins.” The only way our conscious could be clear from sin according to Hebrews is if there were a perfect once for all sacrifice for all of mans sin. Jesus is that perfect sacrifice.
Notice the Holy Spirit doesn’t convince you of healing, He doesn’t convince you of prosperity, and those are good things but unless you are convinced of righteousness you will struggle with the rest. Your righteousness describes your new identity with Christ, what He has done for you. Can you see just how important this is to you?
So instead of trying to have faith for everything, understand and have faith for your righteousness and He will add all things to you (Mat 6:33). Your righteousness will cause you to reign in life through Christ (Rom 5:17).
The notes from “Why The Mirror Translation Bible” states it beautifully this way: “Your belief in God does not define him; His faith in what He knows to be true about you defines you. In Mark 11:22. Jesus says, ‘have the faith of God’. Unfortunately most translations say, ‘have faith in God’; there is a vast difference. God’s belief in you gives substance to your faith. Jesus is what God believes about you!”
Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to free the world. Religion has majored on guilt and will-power driven sentiment which engaged man in futile efforts to save and improve himself. Jesus gives you His free gift of righteousness (innocence) and there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. That stain of guilt you’ve carried has been removed by His gift of righteousness, now you can be more conscience of your right standing with God in Christ, than your sin. Because Jesus has removed the guilty stain! Now go reign in life!
