Your True Identity (part 7)

2Corinthians 5:21 says  “For He (God) has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Righteousness is an amazing gift from God. A gift we receive by simply putting our faith in Jesus Christ! Our Heavenly Father has made the plan of redemption so simple yet so powerful. I don’t have to work to be in right standing with God. My best efforts are useless compared to His righteousness. Isaiah 64:6 says, “All our righteousness are like filthy rags.” We will never be able to pay our own debt! However, I love the “but God” of the Bible. God made a way for me and you to come back into union with Him. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works less any man should boast.” Boast in what? Boast in his own efforts and best works. Stop trying to make it to God on your own! Stop putting your confidence in your ability to live right and holy. Start relying on God’s grace and strength and begin to see your self from a different place- the place of righteousness. Now by no means does this mean that we can live any way we want to live. When we became a child of God we put away the “old man” forever! No longer do I live a double standard life! I live unto God! Romans 6:1 says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” Verse 12 says, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.” You the spirit man, the real man on the inside is supposed to control the flesh and renew your mind to the Word of God! notice your mind is your POSSESSION. You are a spirit, your have a soul, you live in a body. Righteousness is WHO YOU ARE. Let God’s righteousness effect the rest of you. Renew your mind to God’s Word, control your body and don’t let it do the things it wants to do and you will see victory in your life every time!

Your True Identity (Part 6)

2Corinthians 5:21 says  “For He (God) has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Relationship vs. fellowship. There is a difference. If we mess up and make mistakes from time to time relationship with God does not cease to exist. If you had an argument with you mom or sibling, you  don’t cease to have a relationship with them do you? At the end of the day you still love them because they are your family. It is the same with our Heavenly Father. If we sin, relationship is not broken. You did not cease to be a Christian or child of God. Fellowship is what has been broken. Fellowship can be thought of in simple terms as communication. If you ever had fight with a relative, maybe somebody said some things that cause you two to go your separate ways for a time. However when you get ahold of your emotions, you go and mend everything. Well our God is waiting to mend things with us! Our Heavenly Father made us for fellowship and desires to have that with us everyday. So we need to see things from a different perspective, the Bible perspective. God wants to fellowship with me! God isn’t keeping you out in the dog house until you feel bad enough. No! God wants to restore you and strengthen you! It is our own human spirit – the voice of our conscience that convicts us. The Holy Spirit, the third member of the Godhead, who lives in us, is there to help pick us up and comfort us! John 14:16 says He is the COMFORTER. In my own personal experience I have found Him to be very good at too. So when you mess up, confess it to God, run to God, come boldly to His throne of grace to obtain MERCY and GRACE to help in time of need(Hebrews 4:16)!

Your True Identity (Part 5)

2 Corinthians 5:21 says  “For He (God) has made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ.”

Christ came to restore righteousness to all men. Restore all that was lost and stolen. Man was made to rule and reign in life. Humanity was made to fellowship with the Creator of the universe  from a place of right standing. We were made in the image of Almighty God!   Remember back in the book of beginnings how it all began for man? In Genesis 1:26        God said “Let us make man in our image after our likeness.” So you see we were made to be like God. The Lord breathed the breath of life into Adam and made him to be as close to Himself as it was possible to make a being. Man is not an animal. He didn’t come from the apes. No, man is a being made in the image of God. If you continue reading the book of  Genesis we find out the satan came to deceive Adam and Eve right out of their position. They didn’t have to yield, but they chose to of their own free will. (You see, man has a free will given to him by God). Man chose to turn over his position, authority and dominion to satan by sinning. By doing so, it caused him to lose his righteousness and freedom. With sin also comes feeling of guilt and shame. Sin conscience replaced righteousness. Man fell from the place God intended for him to live. However we can rejoice for Jesus! Thank God that wasn’t the end of us. Our Father God had a plan of redemption. Jesus came to restore righteousness to humanity! Romans 5:19 says, ” For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” Jesus Christ set aside His glory and became a man. By His redemptive work on the cross, we are made righteous if we choose to accept Him as Lord and savior. I’m so grateful that the  Gospel is so simple yet powerful! I have been made the righteousness of God in Christ!