ROMANS- THE LETTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS & GRACE
Paul's letter addressed to the early believers living in Rome is probably the most important book in the Bible. It sums up the very essence of the whole Bible message, the good news, which is God’s love and acceptance of us as His children in Christ. We are beloved children of grace who are forgiven, blessed, righteous and victorious. It is good to meditate on these key scriptures that reveal Jesus’ righteousness, the finished work of the cross and what it means for all who would believe. DEFINITIONS: Righteousness : Our right standing and relationship with God. We are justified - just as if we had never sinned. We have been found to be not guilty.
Our sin is no longer an issue in God's eyes and as we trust in Him for our righteousness so we will find purity, holiness and all the fruits of the Spirit effortlessly manifesting in our daily living.
Rom 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Rom 2:4 Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
Rom 3:20-24 No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
Rom 4:6-8 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
Rom 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Rom 5:17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Rom 6:1-2 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?
Rom 6:14-15 For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!
Rom 7:7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! Indeed I would not have known what sin was except through the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "Do not covet."
Rom 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:14-17 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ...
Rom 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Rom 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 9:30-32 What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.
Rom 10:3-4 Since Israel did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.
Rom 13:8-10 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbour as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law.
Rom 14:17-18 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.
JESUS HAS QUALIFIED YOU
If this is good news, share this link with a friend or like on the Facebook tab below, this will help get the message of grace out there: Qualified in Christ GRACE ALWAYS EMPOWERS
Through Jesus' work on the cross YOU have been qualified by the Father to inherit all the blessings and power of the Kingdom, not at some distant far off future event, but right here and right now.
Col.1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.
In the world and religious systems you have to work and sweat to qualify for anything. But under the New Covenant of the Grace your qualification was imputed (transferred) to you by Jesus - the great exchange of the cross: Your sin (i), that disqualified you for any blessing and life >>>>> transferred to Jesus (sin kills so that's why he actually died on the cross) - while His righteousness (right standing with God) was >>>>>> transferred to you (ii).
Unbelievable but true! You are probably sitting there thinking "There must be something I need to do to get God's blessings and favor, otherwise it's unfair." Really! Think about it in real life. If your father leaves you something in a will; Did you work for it? Did you ask for it? Did you qualify yourself for it? Nope! You qualified for the inheritance simply because you were your father's child. And so it is in the Kingdom, you are a beloved child of God (iii) and a co-heir with Jesus .
BUUUT.....there actually is something you have to do...... accept the gift, draw on the riches in your heavenly account, accept the good news and learn to receive. Put your focus on Jesus and what he has cone for you on the cross. Christian life is about being totally dependent on Him and being lead by the Spirit within us.
Stop allowing the Law to condemn you. The Law is good for what it was intended, to expose everyone's sin and drive us into the arms of the Savior, Jesus, but it stops there, so come free of the false teachings of Law that condemn us and fill us with guilt. Stop disqualifying yourself by focusing on you sin (iv), your shortcomings, your circumstances and your feelings. Stop doubting God's goodness, stop doubting the effectiveness of the cross, stop feeling unworthy.
The truth is that YOU are righteous (v), you are worthy and you are beloved, because you are in Christ and He is in you (vi). God has qualified you... Jesus is good news. Enjoy and live in the power of the Holy Spirit within you.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SOMETHING IS GRACE OR LAW?
We need to live in Jesus' grace by the leading of the Holy Spirit. It's important that we, God's people, free ourselves from the ministry of the Law because the Bible teaches that the Law brings condemnation and death - these manifest in passivity, depression and sickness (vii). Sadly brothers and sisters many believes are experiencing this horrible fruit of the Law, often convinced that it's God punishing them or training them.
Because most of us have grown up with a mixture of grace and religious law, many find it hard to distinguish whether what they are hearing or thinking is rooted in grace or Law. One can't generalize but over the years I have found that Believers can test by asking the following questions. This simple test that will normally expose if the root is Law or Grace.
1. If it points to Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross - it's normally grace. If it points to you and what you should be doing for God - its normally Law.
2. If the fruit in you is condemnation or guilt - it's Law. If the fruit in you is freedom - it's grace
3. If it's about God's judgment and punishment - it's Law. If it's about God' love and forgiveness - it's grace.
4. If it harps on about your sinfulness - it's Law. If it focuses on your Christ given righteousness - it's grace.
5. If it's about, techniques, methods and principles - it's Law. If it's about hearing and being lead by the Holy Spirit - it's grace.
6. If it restricts or discourages you form sharing and ministering - it's Law. If it encourages and releases you to share and minister - it's grace.
7. If it causes you to judge others - it's Law. If it causes you to see the God given potential in others - it's grace.
8. If it from the Old Testament without pointing to Jesus or the New Covenant - it's Law If it reveals Jesus and the good news of His New Covenant - it's grace.
9. If it accuses you, like Satan the accuser,- it's Law If it affirms you - it's grace
10. If it's focus is on you being God's servant or slave - it's Law If it declares you to be a beloved child of The Father, who is about the Fathers work - it's grace.
11. If it's about your performance - it's Law. If it's about resting in Christ - it's grace
12. If it's focus is you obeying - it's Law. If it's about Jesus' obidience - it's grace.
13. If it declares you cursed - it's Law. If it declares you blessed - it's grace.
14. If the focus on what you sow - it's Law. If the focus is on what Jesus has sown on the cross - it's grace.
There are many more that I'm sure you can think of, let me know.Be wise and be discerning, test all things, including this.
Blessing and love to you in Christ.
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(i) Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (ii) Rom 5: 17 ...those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (iii) John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God, even to them that believe on his name (iv) 2Co.5:19 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. (v) Rom 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. (vi) Col 1:27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 3:3 ....your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
(vii) 2Co 3:7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!
THE GRACE-LOVE-TRUTH COURSE
In the first half of 2014 the new and exciting GRACE-LOVE-TRUTH COURSE will be made freely available. This course will empower and enable you to live in the amazing favor, blessing and empowering that is yours as a beloved child of God.
You will be able to download video teachings and interactive work books that can be used by groups to help firmly establish believers in the gospel of the Grace of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
THE GRACE, LOVE, TRUTH COURSE
1) Jesus - truth and grace (Jn.1:16-17)
2) The Gospel - the Grace of Jesus Christ (Acts 20:24)
3) The finished work of the cross (Col.2:14-15)
4) The Old and New Covenant (Heb.8:10-13)
5) The Law and the Spirit (2Cor.3:6)
6) Righteousness by faith (Rom.3:22)
7) Grace overcomes Sin (Rom6:14)
8) The New Creature (1Cor.5:17)
9) Our union with Christ (Gal.2:20)
10) Love fulfills all (Rom.13:9)
11) Reigning in Righteousness (Rom.5:17)
GRACE SEES WHAT IS POSITIVE & GOOD
Grace always see the best in people. Grace is prophetic in nature: Seeing who people for who they are and what they can become as beloved children of God.
Law on the other hand always finds fault and condemns. And Satan always accuses - his name means "Accuser".
Remembering this, we must beware of fault finding, accusing and judging (Rom.7:1) others. To do so would indicate that every area of our lives are perfect, spotless and totally open for inspection, and let's be honest, who of us can claim that kind of righteousness and perfection except by the grace of God?
History has shown that the self righteous will always be put to the test and hypocrites are eventually exposed. Many preachers of judgment and condemnation have ended up doing the very things that they were quick to judge and condemn in other "sinners".
Sometimes the fallen inclination remaining within our minds may cause us to point out others sins and faults instead of their righteousness in Christ - but we can resist doing this by renewing the way we think. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us stop and instead show us the prophetic potential of each person and the positive things about them.
Jesus' grace is the solution to all sin, not our law, judgment, anger, condemnation and exposure of others (Rom.6:14). If you know someone who is battling, instead of judging and condemning them why not come alongside them in prayer and love.
WRESTLING WITH JESUS
Jacob wrestled with God and God blessed him. (Gen.32:23-31) Watch the 20 minute YouTube video teaching| http://youtu.be/_vzZXEkudJQ Share this link with a friend| http://gracelovetruth.com/?p=411
An answer to a question posed by a friend."What is this story of Jacob about? What does it mean for us today. What does it say about Jesus?"
At first this seems like a very strange story. However, like most of the Old Testament stories, this story is symbols and types of covenants and peoples. When seeking the meaning of any such scripture we must always do so from the position of God's favor/grace and for the purpose of finding Christ and truths about his kingdom and New Covenant, then suddenly we will find that things make sense: Col. 2:17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. A key verse in understanding this story is : Rom. 9:13 Jacob I loved but Esau I hated.
Jacob represents the New Covenant believer; the undeserving sinner who is forgiven and now has Gods unmerited favor / grace. Jacob lived in the time before the Law of Moses had been given to Israel. Jacob was under the grace covenant of faith, just like his fore-fathers, Abraham (Rom.4:1-5) and Isaac. God renamed Jacob (=deceiver & usurper), Israel, (=he will rule as God) and the twelve tribes of Israel were the sons of Jacob - that's how much favor Jacob, the deceiver, had with God. Amazing and offensive - but that's grace!
Esau, on the other hand, represents the religious, Law focused, self sufficient, works orientated man, who is self righteous and pride filled. The man who thinks he doesn't need to be saved nor rely on God. It is interesting to note that Esau eventually aligned himself with Ishmael, who represents the violent, religious legalist (Gal.4:22-31). Esau - the self righteous - God hates, plain and simple.
This story is a good news lesson for us today.
When we are in grace it's OK to be intimate and real with God. Wrestling is an intimate thing. The Hebrew word to wrestle means to get down and get dusty together. In grace it's OK to wrestle with God about fears, the troubles of life and sin. Jacob was wrestling with fear and worry about Esau (the Law) who Jacob thought was going to kill him - that's because legalists and the Law always brings fear and death (2Cor.3:6).
Jacob wrestled with a man, with God. This was Jesus the man/God. This represents how we too can wrestle with the issues of life with Jesus, especially at night (this event took place at night) when the fears and anxieties of life most often come against us.
Under the Law to question,to wrestle with, to look upon, or to be intimate with God meant death - but under grace it's OK and actually results in a blessing. God wants his sons and daughters to be real and intimate with him - unbelievable but true under the New Covenant of the Grace of Jesus.
What about Jacobs disjointed hip? How can this be a blessing?
God weakening Jacobs hip is a symbolic reminder to us that New Covenant living is about us accepting that in the flesh we are weak - only when we are weak can God be strong for us and carry our loads. When you have a weak hip, like Jacob, you cannot carry any load - see the symbolism? 1Cor1:27. 2Cor.12:9 Matt.11:28
Legalists will say, how dare you question and wrestle with Almighty God. But God the Father says come my children, let's wrestle together and bless each other. As a Dad I have often wrestled with my sons and daughters and we used to love it and laugh a lot together, it was wonderful. Try it with your heavenly Father, be intimate, be real, take your doubts and fears to him .... I promise He can cope with you, He delights in you, His beloved child and He will wrestle with you.
Be blessed. Garry www.gracelovetruth.com