Christ Our Rightousness
God came in the flesh in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, and did what He did at the Cross in His death, burial, and resurrection so that He, Himself could come into be our soul and be our righteousness.
Now how good is that!!
The buck stopped at the Cross. "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." (Romans 10:4) "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" (1Corinthians 1:30) "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2Corinthians 5:21)
It so totally does me in that God came in the flesh and gave Himself as a sacrifice so that He could be in us as our righteousness.
"Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." (Romans 8:33-34)
If you are born again God can't condem you because He is your righteousness. Nothing you will ever do will exceed the righteousness that Christ is in you. REST for your soul.
Thus "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28).
Thus "And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. (Luke 19:40)
Out of This World:
Our righteousness is out of this world. It existed before this world was created. It is Christ, the Son of God, the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. Our righteousness far exceeds any righteousness that anyone could attain in this world. Yet, that truly being the case, Christ, our righteousness, is in our souls in the here and now..
Righteousness is a GIFT
"For if by one man's offence(Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ..
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Romans 5:17, 1Corinthians 1:30, Matthew 11:28
God's gift of righteousness is Christ in your soul.
The "much more" in Rom 5:17 is Christ being made unto us what we cannot be.. The "labour and heavy laden" in Matt 11:28 is trying to be something you absolutely cannot be/working to be righteous and still under condemnation.
The Simple Equation of Salvation
Life = Righteousness
Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. (Galatians 3:21)
So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. (Galatians 3:24)
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life"... (John 14:6)
...I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.(John 10:10)
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. (1Corinthians 1:30)
Life and Righteousness are one.
When we are born again, Christ who is life is made righteousness unto our souls.
The law could never give life.
Its purpose was to bring us to Christ.
When that happens the law is fulfilled.
Easter Message 2021: The Big Question
When is the prayer that Jesus prayed in John 17, for the closest possible relationship with God, "... that they may be one, as we are," applied to the soul of a believer? First of all, Jesus could teach his disciples to pray the "Lord's Prayer" but He could not teach them to pray the John 17 prayer. He alone was the only One qualified to pray that prayer because He alone had a perfect one relationship with God. He declares in this prayer the intention of God from the foundation of the world, "... that they may be one, as we are." (John 17:11). This was the purpose of the "tree of life" in the garden of Eden and the purpose whole of the Old Testament. Furthermore, not only is Jesus the only One who could pray this prayer but He is the only One who could be the answer to the prayer He prayed in John 17. Even His trying to find a way out for Himself being the answer to this prayer failed three times. (Matthew 26:39-44) Jesus therefore became the answer to His John 17 prayer in His death, burial, and resurrection. In doing so, He Himself became the embodiment of this "...they may be one, as we are" relationship with God. So when Jesus says, "Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28), He is referring to bringing a soul into this perfect relationship with God that He Himself is now the substance and the evidence of. Therefore, when anyone receives Jesus Christ into their heart of hearts (their soul) that person's soul is immediately brought into this perfect relationship that Jesus Christ now in them is. "I in them, and you in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them, as you have loved me." (John 17:23) The answer to the Big Question is when someone is "Born Again" (Born of God, John 1:13). Right then Jesus becomes the Resurrection and the Life of that soul. That soul is now "...one, as we are." There is alsolutely no way that this soul can in any way become any closer to God than "...one, as we are." The journey of a born-again person thereafter is all about seeing the perfect relationship with God that entered into their soul right when they were born again: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you shall find rest for your souls." (Mat 11:29) It's no wonder Jesus says "Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born again." (John 3:7) Paul could therefore say without reservation, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3)
Self-Righteousness
Becoming your own sacrifice for your sins or the sins of others will never pay for your or other's sins. Likewise, just doing things, even very good things, will never make you righteous. Only the sacrifice of Christ (Christ & Him crucified) pays for not only our sins but the sin of the whole world. (John 1:29) Without Jesus, there is no sacrifice for our sins or anyone else's. Likewise, Jesus Christ is made unto us our righteousness (1Corinthians 1:30). Christ is made unto our soul both the sacrifice for our sin and our righteousness. If any man be in Christ, old things are passed away, behold all things are become new 2Corinthians 5:17. Your sins are gone forever and you have Christ Himself as your life with God as His very body. When someone is doing things as a sacrifice for their sins and therefore to attain unto righteousness, they just don't know that Jesus is the only Way to attain unto both sacrifice for sins and righteousness. lf someone tells you, you must do this or that as a sacrifice for your sins and if you don't do this or that you therefore are not righteous, this person is making him or herself a substitute for Christ and exalting him or herself above Him. This not knowing what true righteousness is leads to self righteousness. This is a great deception. This is the venom that comes from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that caused Cain to kill Abel and nailed Jesus to the Cross. Self righteousness will so blind you that you cannot discern who God is when He is right in front of you. Jesus said "Ye- blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and - swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:24). And that's what happened to Jesus.
This self righteousness will lead to a very rude awakening. All illusions stop at the graveyard. There you have to face death, darkness, and fire all alone if you are not born again (have Christ in your soul). Without Him who is Life, Light, & Glory, you lose BIG. Your soul is engulfed with death, darkness, and fire forever. On the other hand, if Christ is in you, your soul is engulfed in Light, Life, and Glory. When you die, you are no longer in control of anything. Your thoughts don't count; all arguments come to an end, and what you did or did not do makes no difference except Christ be in you. Therefore if you do something, do it because old things are passed away and all things are become new, not to get rid of old things (sin) or to make things new (righteousness). This will create false hopes and illusions that will abruptly come to an end. Read Psalms chapter 2.
The Perfection Game
The Adamic creation, the world, bound by the law of sin and death (Romans 5 & 7), is busy trying to perfect something that can never be perfected. The Church, Christianity, which has been freed from the law of sin and death by the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, is busy trying to perfect something that is already perfect (book of Galatians). This causes much confusion and frustration in the world and the Church to say the least. This makes for the mad, mad world of the past, present, and future.. thank God that perfection has entered into our souls in the person of Jesus Christ.. perfection can only be received & declared not produced. Jesus Christ is the end of the law of perfection (righteousness) to everyone that believes (Rom 10:4).. Many perfection systems in the world and church today. Psalms 91:1 But - "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.- " We are in that secret place: ln Christ.. the place of eternal total perfection. The rest of that psalm is so wonderful especially during these trying times..
Resurrection & The Life
Don't forget: You are in the "The Resurrection & The Life" and "The Resurrection & The Life" is in you 24/7 (John 11:25, Ephesians 2:4-6, Colossians 1:27, 2Corinthians 4:7)
THIS IS US
Colossians 3:3 "For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.- " This is the condition of a believer right when they are born again. Christ being in them, the treasure in the earthen vessel, the substance and the evidence of this reality before God. That being the case right at the start of our salvation as a gift from God, you don't have to die a physical death to be dead and you don't have to die physical death for your life to be hid with Christ in God.. it is so because Christ is now in you and you are now in Him with Him as the substance and evidence of all things pertaining to your salvation (1Corinthians 1:30) The reality of this to God is right when you are born again, Christ is now your only life (Colossians 3:4 When Christ, - who is- our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory).- what a Gift!! Surely equals rest for your soul. The whole journey from the point of the new birth on is simply beholding the very Christ who is now our life and therefore our relationship with God forever.. Amen!!
The WHY behind EXISTENCE
Colossians 1:16-17 "For by him (Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether - they be- thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:- And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.- "
The Difference between Christianity and Religion
Christianity is totally different than religion. Religion is always trying to get you somewhere where you are not. The only time Christianity is trying to get you somewhere where you are not is right at the beginning. Once you are born again (born of God, not of man, or flesh John 1:13) you are delivered from the power of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear son (Colossians 1:13). You have passed from death unto life (John 5:24). Old things are passed away and all things are new (2Corinthians 5:17). You are now in Christ, the ultimate place in the universe, and the ultimate person of the universe is now in you. For those that are born again, the treasure hunt is over. They are in the treasure of God and the treasure of God is in them. All things are yours and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's (1 Corinthians 21-23). It is no longer a matter of coming to something or getting something. It is only a matter of seeing and knowing of what we have now come to and now have in Christ. And for all those who are born of God, they have equally come to and have the exact same thing. All are dead and their life is hid with Christ in God and their life and relationship with God is now Christ in them forever. (Colossians 3:3-4). This is one awesome miracle. Any reference in the scripture to coming to something is simply growing in the grace and knowledge of the one we have already come to. It's always a seeing and a knowing of what we have. Never a seeing or a knowing of what we don't have. Definitely rest for your soul in the coming to Jesus and the learning of Jesus. (Matthew 11:28-30). This is the true love of God that is God. There is no substitute for it. It's called the Salvation of God."
Perfect Love
"There is no fear in love; but PERFECT LOVE casteth out fear..1John 4:18 Jesus Christ in us is our PERFECT LOVE relationship with God for all time and eternity..
Extreme Love
Being born again, born of God (John 3:3, 1:13) IS Undeserving Instant Extreme Love coming into a soul:
It is "...exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power (Christ) that works in us." (Ephesians 3:20)
It is being blessed "...with all spiritual blessings in heavenly - places- in Christ." (Ephesians 1:3) It is being "...made accepted in the beloved." (Ephesians 1:6)
It is being "...quickened together with Christ, (by grace you are saved)" and being "...raised - up together, and made - to sit together in heavenly - places- in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:5,6)
It is Christ being made unto us "...wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1Corinthians 1:30)
It is the fulfillment of the prayer that Jesus prayed in John 17, "...that they may be one, as we - are one- .- That they all may be one; as You, Father, - are- in me, and I in You, that they also may be one in us. I in them, and You in me, that they may be made perfect in one..."
It is "...old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)
It is "...passing from death unto life." (John 5:24)
It is "...being delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of His dear Son." (Colossians 1:13
It is being taken out of Adam and placed in Christ. (Romans 5 & 6) It is "...where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Romans 5:20)
That is why Jesus says, "Come unto me, all - you that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28) Christ is Instant Extreme LOVE coming into an undeserving soul and bringing that soul into an eternal rest relationship with God. If Christ is in you, you have immediate access to this Extreme Love 24/7.
Thanksgiving Day Message
Extra, Extra, Read all about it: Biggest Miracle in the Universe: Being Born Again (born of God):
In a twinkling of an eye, your relationship with God changes from you to Christ never to be reversed (Galatians 3:26-29). That's what happens when Christ enters into a soul at New Birth. The joy of that makes me want to run around blindly in every direction all at the same time.
Christmas Message 2020
"The Most Important Thing to God"
The most important thing to God is His Son, Jesus Christ. God made what was the most important thing to Him the most important thing to mankind, His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore receiving Jesus Christ into your your soul is the most important thing one can do. God gave His most important thing as a gift to mankind. A gift, by nature, comes with an expectation and hope that it will be received, especially one of this importance. God's hope and expectation is that all would receive His most precious gift. Moral of story: don't miss the most important thing to God and mankind, Jesus Christ. Open the door of your heart to the most important Person of the universe: Jesus Christ!!
The Fullfillment & The Consummation
"Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;- - Even- the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:- To whom God would make known what - is- the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:" Colossians 1:25-27
Christ in us is both the fullfillment & consummation of God's intention. Notice what Paul writes- "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations". Christ in us is the fullfillment of the Word of God and is the mystery of God finally revealed. This means every action of God under the Old Covenant whether promise of prophesy was merely pointing to what we now have due to Christ abiding in us. That is because Christ in us is the beginning and the end of the salvation of God.
The Word Himself is the fulfillment of the Word of God. There is nothing left to be fulfilled in the scripture and there are no more mysteries to be revealed. Christ in us is now the complete fulfillment & consummation of all that was awaited under the age of testimony. In fact, Paul goes further and writes that he is declaring Christ in you to those who in Him have reached the goal. The scriptures had a single goal in mind and Christ in you is that goal reached. The only thing remaining is to realize how wonderful and complete our salvation is by realizing Him who is now in us.
"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:" Colossians 2:10. For all those that are born again there is no more waiting for a futuristic fullfillment or a consummation yet to come. Both have come in the person of "Christ in you".