FROM Pastor’s Desk – June 9, 2024. Topic: Believers are Righteous Before God. Romans 4:15-25; 2 Corinth. 5:20-21 Believers are righteous before God seems audacious, however, that is what the Bible says, 1 Corinthians 1:30. Believers being righteous does not mean they do not sin, or fall from the expectation of God, I John 1:8-10. However, their righteousness is imputed on them by God, from the perfect life of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ liv, if they have faith in Him, 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 3:23-26. Believers are those who responded to our Lord Jesus Christ invitation and obeyed His commandments, John 3:16; Mathew 7:24-27. Just like Abraham did, he believed in God and was imputed to Him as righteousness, Romans 4:3-5. Ephesians 2:8-10; said that we are saved by faith through grace for good works. Grace can be described as unmerited divine favor in the salvation of the sinners and the divine influence operation in individuals for their regeneration and sanctification. Righteousness can be defined as a quality of being right in the eyes of God based on His standard. And as the Bible says, it is more than abstaining from murder or adultery, for example, it is also loving, not getting angry with your brother, not lusting in your heart, etc.
We need this righteousness imputed on us because we on our own has no power to live a righteous life, Our Lord Jesus summarized the laws to us in two commandments: we should love God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Is there anyone who can say that they fulfil these laws/? As Apostle Paul said his righteousness is like a filthy rag, Philippians 3:7-11; Isaiah 64:6. And as our Lord and Savior elaborated on the requirements of the law, in the Beatitudes Matthew 5:22-24, calling one’s brother a fool is a sin, lusting in the heart, and wishing ill of someone is tantamount to murder in the heart.
Benefits of righteous living are enormous and includes living a victorious life and looking forward to eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, John 3:16.; Proverb 4:18; Romans 8:37; having peace with God, Romans 5:1-2; being guided and lead by the Holy Spirit; 1 Corinthians 5:21; John 16:13, etc.
To have this righteousness imputed to us, we need to accept the invitation and be determined to stay connected. We can only live this life through the power of the Holy Spirit surrendering everything to God, trusting Him, being steadfast in prayers, Proverbs 3:5-7; Galatians 2:20; John 16:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
God counts our righteousness based on our faith, not on our inherent righteous living, but because we are clothed by the imputed righteousness of Christ by faith. God will continue to bless, guide, and protect us in our victorious lives in Jesus’ name. Remain blessed in the Lord, Pastor Olumuyiwa Fajolu,
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