You are the righteousness of God

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21

Paul says in Romans 1:17 that in the gospel a certain righteousness is revealed. It's not man's righteousness. It's God's righteousness. The gospel reveals God's righteousness that is given to man as a gift. Paul spends the rest of Chapter 1, and then Chapter 2 and over half of Chapter 3, making the case for man's unrighteousness. He does this to show how ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Finally near the end of Chapter 3 he gets to what he was really leading up to: "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe."

The law and the prophets were witnesses to this righteousness, but it's made clear in the gospel that man's attempts at righteousness, no matter how "good" or how "bad," ended up falling way short. And so: the gift of righteousness.

A little bit later Paul writes, "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous" (Rom 5:19). You were not declared a sinner because you committed sinful acts. You were made a sinner "by one man's disobedience." Even when you did "good," you were still a sinner.

In the same way, you are not righteous because of any righteous act or acts you have ever done. You are now declared righteous because you've been raised up together with Jesus, through faith. In the same way that you previously inherited sin, you've now inherited righteousness. Even when you do "bad," you are still righteous.

It's been given to you as a gift, and you can't earn gifts! To earn a gift is not only oxymoronic, it's moronic! Many Christians walk in fear of "losing" this righteousness through sinning. But remember, it's a gift.

Also remember:

...When the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

"According to His mercy" He saved us, washed us, regenerated us and renewed us. It's ALL about His kindness, His mercy, His abundant gift of righteousness! If we're mired down with a sin consciousness, worried about every little (or big) sin, worried that we'll somehow cross God (when His cross has taken care of it ALL!), then we're missing the point. A sin consciousness won't cause you to walk according to the gift of righteousness! (Hello?!!).

TRUST what God has done for us, and we won't have to worry about whether or not we're messing up His work. Good news: His work supersedes ours! God has made you RIGHTEOUS!

Lives transformed by God's grace

In my last post I talked about the numerous "Objections to the gospel of grace" that I've come across in my several years of sharing the gospel of grace over the years. My original intent wasn't to just talk about all those objections but to share how those objections are overcome, not just through words and discussions (which can be very beneficial) but through the "proof in the pudding" of lives that are transformed by God's love and grace.

When you preach a gospel that is not based upon our performance but it solely based upon God's grace and the finished work of Jesus, it may very well seem as if you're preaching a gospel of licentiousness and lawlessness, since you're not adding a bunch of "musts," "shoulds," "ifs," "buts" and conditions to the pure words of God's grace and agape love. You're not relying on a bunch of external rules and commandments to get people to serve and to stop sinning. Without all these added extras, people think you're leading others into self-serving, sinful, destructive lifestyles. But is that really what happens when God's love and grace is spread around liberally???

I'll pick up where I left off in my last post when I said, "Let me tell you something about those who have been gripped by God's love and grace, and who don't have a focus on performance, but on a loving relationship with Father, Son and Holy Spirit." As God's pure unadulterated love and grace grips them, and as they become established in it and grow in it, they are the most humble, reverential, God loving people you could ever know! Are they perfect in all they do? Of course not! But their lives are transformed day by day through love and grace, and instead of relying on a bunch of external conditions, they grow in God's love and grace and their outward actions become more of a natural expression of God's life in them, rather than a plastic imitation.

As they learn more about God's unconditional love, grace and acceptance of them, that's not based upon their performance, they begin to look at themselves more and more in the way that God looks at them - not as unworthy worms, but as new creations, created in His likeness, with a holy and righteous nature. They boast about God. They stand in awe of Him and of the work that He does in them individually and in the body of Christ as a whole. They realize that apart from Him they can do nothing and with Him all things are possible... and He is in them at all times!

They find that they are FREE - not to sin, but free from sin! That makes all the difference as they relate to a God who isn't angry with them but who has set them free to truly know Him in a genuine loving, grace-filled relationship. They learn that they need not be afraid of God - EVER. They learn that they need not respond to Him out of fear of harsh discipline or hell, but rather out of joy from being loved and accepted as bonafide sons of the living God. They realize that they are not only forgiven, but that God Himself has come to dwell in them and has joined Himself to them, and they begin trusting HIS Life in them!

To be quite frank, they have a lot of crap to deal with, in regards to the legalists in their lives with their lists of commands, principles and conditions, putting pressure on them to perform and get out and serve. But as they become more and more established in God's pure grace and in their true identity in Him, they find themselves with a kind of growth in which they are much more naturally walking out the lives that God has truly given them. Many find that they just don't fit in where the church has told them they need to fit in and they find that they are much more naturally walking in the actual gifts and desires that God Himself has given them. They don't need someone telling them what to do or how to live because they become more deeply connected with their true Life source - Father, Son and Spirit.

Serving others, loving others, accepting others, forgiving others, etc, all become expressions of Christ's life in them, and not duties or rules to follow in order to maintain a right standing with God or to live a "good Christian life." Most of this doesn't happen instantly, either. Growing in God's love, grace and acceptance takes time (especially with the heavy weight of mixed-in legalism to deal with). There's no need to rush any of it. Legalists have a hard time with people not conforming on the spot. Grace filled people understand that we're not conforming to a standard but that we've already been been perfected and made complete, and that our daily lives are a matter of having our minds renewed daily to who we truly already are by the gospel of grace, and that the transformation comes across in many ways over the years, with no need to hurry any of it! It's God's work in them, not their own attempts to change.

I could keep going! You who are growing in grace understand all of this. God's unconditional love and grace are Life to you and you are resting in that. People can try to put you into a box but you know you can't be contained because the God who lives in you and is at work in you can't be contained! Life is a thrill. It's an adventure. It's a joy. It's amazing. You're not stagnant, because there is nothing stagnant about God's love and grace! Like I said, I could keep going! Suffice it to say, the problem in the church is not that unconditional love and grace are taught too much, but rather that they're not taught nearly enough!

GIG 188 - Trusting the Power of God or the Ability of the Flesh

This is a continuation of last week's chat about God's Work in Us. We talk about the difference between trusting the life of Christ in us/God's power at work in us, and trusting in our own efforts. Are the things we do the result of the life of Christ expressing itself in and through us or are they the result of the abilities of the flesh?

gigcast.graceroots.org

GIG 187 - God's Work In Us

Most would agree that the Christian life is not a passive lifestyle. But just how is the life of the Christian animated? Where does the "action" come from? We know we're saved by the grace of God, but then is it up to us - and our own striving - to hop into action for God and His kingdom?

The Apostle Paul said he "labored abundantly." What was it that was working so mightily in him that caused him to spring into action? Was it a sense of duty to "work for God?" Was he compelled by a sense of obligation to serve God and to labor and strive for the kingdom? Or did he simply yield to God and trust His work to work mightily in Him?

The religious system is good at burdening people with heavy labor and wearing people out! Jesus told those who labored and were weary to come to Him for rest! And He said the work of God is to believe. Since we do trust God's grace to save us, can't we also trust His grace to animate us and to accomplish all that He wants to accomplish in and through us - as we simply believe, and rest in Him and trust Him!

gigcast.graceroots.org

God is Not a God of Second Chances!

Over the years, many well-meaning people have spoken about how God is a God of second chances. "If you mess up," they say, "God will give you a second chance to get it right." They might talk about Jonah, and how he ran from God and then was given a "second chance" to do what He originally told him to do. Various interpretations of that story notwithstanding, the God who is revealed to us in Christ and the New Covenant is not a God of second chances!

First of all, do you think He thought we'd get it right the first time? Many would agree that He knew we wouldn't get it right the first time. So then do you really think He thought if He gave us a second chance, we'd then get it right? What if that didn't work out so well? How about a third chance? Or a fourth or fifth chance? A one hundredth chance? Is God's mercy and grace a matter of a billion chances? Does God think that eventually we will get it right?

The good news is that God didn't even give us that first chance to get it right! Whether we're talking about salvation or whether we're talking about the daily living out of our faith, it's not a matter of God giving us a certain number of chances to get it right. It's not about Him giving us "do-overs" when we've messed up. He doesn't say, "try again."

He's not looking at our efforts to get it right! It's all about His grace and His life working in and through us. He doesn't give us second chances. He takes away all our chances and gives us His very life instead! To repeat, in Christ God hasn't given us a second chance to get things right. Instead, He's deleted any and all possibilities of giving us the chance to get things right. He's replaced "I'll give you X amount of chances to get it right" with "I got it right for you!"

When we've messed up, and fallen short of living out a perfect life of faith, God doesn't say, "Ok, I'll give you another chance... Get back up and try again." Rather it's a matter of us denying any sense of us trying to get it right, and instead simply resting in His grace and in His very life that we have entered into, where all the work has already been done! Don't kid yourself about needing a new chance to begin again. You are His workmanship, not your own!

There's no 'Space In Between Us'

I've embedded a video here by the group Building 429. I like the group, but I admit that I'm actually posting this because of the lyrics in this particular song that I don't like. It's not my intention at all to put down the writers or performers of the song. My purpose here is to make a point about how some well-meaning teachings in the church - even teachings that include some grace in it (the song speaks of grace) - can actually represent a deficient version of the gospel that keeps Christians from understanding and walking in the fullness of Christ's life and God's grace. Please - again - I'm not trying to put anyone down here. This popular song (on Christian radio) is simply useful to me in illustrating a point.

The chorus of the song goes:

All I really want to do is to fall into
The emptiness that is
The space in between us
To break this division
All I really want to do is to fall into
The emptiness that is
The space in between us
Erase it and bring us together again

Why would I say that words like these represent a deficient gospel? Well, let me ask you, what space is there - really - between you and God? What division? What emptiness? Are you really apart from God and need to be brought back together with Him again? Is that what the New Covenant scriptures really tell us about ourselves?

Ephesians 2:13 says that we have been brought near to God by the blood of Christ. Hebrews 10:19-23 says that it's by His blood that we have boldness to "enter the Most Holy Place" and that we can experientially "draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith." 1 Corinthians 6:17 says that we have been made one spirit with Him.

The gospel - the good news - is that we have become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus! (Romans 1:16-17, 2 Cor 5:21). Were we made righteous by our own good works? Were we brought near to God by our own works? Of course not! Therefore, if we sin, can those works make us unrighteous again, or keep us away from God? Of course not! It's all by the blood of Jesus, and not by how well or poorly we've performed. Think about it - when you've sinned, which is bigger - your sin or God's grace? Grace always wins, friends!

We sell ourselves short - our new-creation spirits - when we think anything we do separates us from God. Worse than that, we sell God's very gospel itself short. Is His gospel what He says it is, or isn't it!

There is a very important reason why I always want to always help people become established in all of this. If we, as Christians who have been brought near to God by the blood of Jesus, think there's a space or a gulf or a gap in between us and God, then we'll live as if there's a space or a gulf or a gap in between us and God. Instead of living as who we truly are - accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6), having peace with God (Rom 5:1) - we'll live as if we're separated from Him and as if He's angry with us or is waiting for US to do something to get ourselves "right with Him" - when it was never up to us in the first place (!), and, more importantly, when we never lost our right standing and our union with Him anyway!

Grace, the blood of Jesus, the NEW covenant, the NEW life we received in Christ - all of this changed EVERYTHING! There's no more separation from God. There's no more walking on eggshells, trying to keep ourselves in right standing with God. There's no more fear of Him hiding His face from us. His grace has accomplished everything that is needed. As we grow in our understanding of who we truly are in Him by grace alone through faith, we can trust more and more that God's grace and our daily renewing of our minds to all the wonderful truth of the Good News of the New Covenant - will continuously be at work in us, keeping us securely in Him.

Don't hope for what you already have! And don't wish for some space to be filled when there's no space there in the first place!

Related post: Jesus will never take you back