Becoming the Righteousness of God Through Christ

The title today is Becoming the Righteousness of God through Christ. Now, does that sound like an exciting title to you? Becoming the Righteousness of God through Christ. You know, you could tell a lot of stories, stories of how people have overcome, and people who have faced great obstacles and trials, who fought in the arena with beasts, and so on it goes, and through faith, stopped the mouth of lions, and so on and so on.

This story of becoming the righteousness of God through Christ is really what it's all about. It is an area that I believe we need to grow in and come to understand and appreciate more fully. So the purpose of this sermon is to get us to thinking, studying, praying, and meditating on the following questions. Now, every question won't necessarily be exactly addressed in the sermon today, but the overall import will be, Is your joy full? John writes in 1 John that I'm writing to you that your joy might be full.

Do you have the peace of God? In Ephesians chapter 4, it says, and you'll have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. Are you seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness? How much time do you diligently spend seeking through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit? How to direct your life? Is it possible, according to the Bible definition, to obey God? How important is it to exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for remission of sins that are passed?

Very few people really understand how radical the gospel that Jesus brought was in comparison to what the Jews had come to believe concerning how a person can be justified and attained to the righteousness of God. So the title is, once again, Becoming the Righteousness of God through Christ. Is there any other way to become the righteousness of God other than through Christ? Yes, the law of God is perfect. It is spiritual. It is eternal and will be valid through all ages. Let's look at Psalm. Let's validate from Scripture what we've just said here.

In Psalm 19 and verse 7, with regard to the law of God being perfect—does God do anything that's not perfect? In Psalm 19 and verse 7, the law of God is perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise and simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Then quickly we go to Romans 7. So we see here that the law of God is perfect, converting the life essence.

I think we have made some progress in getting people across the spectrum of the Church of God to understand what the soul is. The soul has to do with life potential, with life essence. Sometimes in our speaking we make it sound like we have a soul. Of course, we don't have a soul. We are a soul. We are an air-breathing creature. The same word that is used for soul in the Old Testament, especially, nayfish, is used for animal life as well. So I said, let's go to Romans 7 and beginning in verse 4. What are we talking about? Yes, the law is perfect.

It is spiritual. It is eternal. But it's one part of the conversion process. Romans 7 and verse 4. Wherefore, my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ. How do you become dead to the law by the body of Christ? The fact that Jesus Christ died for your sins, your iniquities, your transgressions. Thus, the death penalty that was on you has been paid.

So in that sense, you're dead to the law. That you should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead. And we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh, motions of sin which were by the law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. See, what would you put there?

Romans 6, 23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held, that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldness of letter, not just because it says, do this or that or the other, but because of the spiritual intent and the understanding, the fact that we are becoming that way.

When it says, God is love, it means that that's the way he is, or God is righteous. That's the way he is. So we are to become love as God is love, become righteous as God is righteous. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. No, I had not known sin, but by the law, for I had not known that except the law had said, you shall not covet. But sin, what's the problem? It's not the law but sin.

It's breaking the law, but sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. For I was alive without the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. In other words, what convicts one of sin? We are convicted of sin through the word and spirit of God. We'll turn there later when John 16 in verse 8 says that the Holy Spirit, when it is come, that it will convict you of sin, of righteousness and judgment.

And the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. See, the commandment was ordained to life to sustain life, but the commandment does not give life. The commandment does not give life. The commandment was ordained to life to sustain life, but breaking the commandment leads to death. The wages of sin is death. All of these little things in between, see with note-taking, a lot of people just write down, well I'm writing down Romans 7, 4 through 14, no writing, anything else, you get home and it's not the same as the way it is here. For sin, that is, breaking the law, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me and by it slew me. Wages of sin is death. Wherefore the law is holy, holy things have got an active presence in them, and the commandment holy and just and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me, God forbid.

But sin, it wasn't the law that was sin that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good, what is good the law, that sin by the commandment might become exceeding and sinful for you. We know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, soul, understand. So we establish that the law of God has not been done away. It is perfect, it is holy, it is good, it is eternal.

Yes, the law is perfect, spiritual, holy, eternal and good. However, as we shall see, no amount of law keeping in and of itself will justify you before God.

Why? Because the wages of sin is death.

And as we shall see, no one can be justified before God unless they are willing to repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ. So now we go to Galatians 3 and we'll see what the Bible says was one of the main aspects of giving the law to humanity.

It wasn't just this, but what it did was to bring us to that point to realize that in and of ourselves the law does not give life, it was given to sustain life.

In Galatians 3 and 14, and this harkens back to Genesis 12, where Abraham was called out and said, In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

Now through the years to our fault, going back into the 50s, 60s, and so on, we always talked about the promise to Abraham being of grace and of grace, and emphasized so much the Israel and all of that. But the main point is, in your seed, what seed? This tells you what the seed is. In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. So 14, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the nations through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brother, now speak after the manner of men, though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man, just an old, or as their unto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made, he said, not unto seeds as of many, but as of one, and that seed, your seed, which is Christ.

And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law which was four and thirty years after, cannot disannul that it should make the promise of non-effect.

See, the promise made to Abraham was made circa 1900s BC. The giving of the law was made in the 1400s BC. So that which was the promise that was made first is not disannulled by the fact that the law was given some 430 years later. And we continue here. Verse 18, for if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more a promise. How do you inherit?

It is not through the law, it is through Christ. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. It was a promise. Abraham was promised a seed in Isaac. The promise was passed on to Isaac, then it was passed on to Jacob. Wherefore then serves the law. It was added because of transgression, because of your sins, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. See, it was through Christ that the promise comes to be fulfilled and realized in the full extent. And it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now, a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. The law then, against the promises of God, God forbid, the law is not against the promises of God. We establish that up front. The law is perfect. It is holy. It is spiritual. It is good. It is eternal. For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily, righteousness should have been by the law. But you get into a Dublian Tandre kind of thing here, a dual meaning. On the one hand, the law does not give life. But on the other hand, once you have received life from above, you must obey the law of God. God did not send Christ to save us in our sins, but to save us out of our sins. But the Scripture has concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. So wherefore, why the law? Why was it given? It's our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we may be justified by faith.

And as we shall see, there's only one way to be justified. But it does include repentance and obedience to the law. But apart from the sacrifice of Christ, you cannot be justified no matter how perfect your obedience is. But after the faith has come, we are no longer under a school master, for we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of us as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And notice this, about this promise made to Abraham, and if you be in Christ, then are you Abraham's seed?

Oh, we have had identity kind of movements even in this area, and there's some still extant in various states in the U.S. that say that you have to be a physical seed of Abraham in order to be saved. What a heresy that is! If you be in Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. There are many prophecies in the Old Testament pointing to the coming of the Messiah and what the Messiah would do. So really, when if you really look at the Bible and give it honest assessment and weight, the Jews are without excuse because these prophecies are quite clear. We'll notice a couple of those.

Look at Psalm 22 verse 14. Psalm 22 is basically a description of Jesus Christ's agony on the stake and what he went through and what he suffered. We're just going to read four or five verses here. Psalm 22 verse 14.

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. See, none of his bones were broken. My heart is like wax. It is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a pachard, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws. And you have brought me into the dust of death, for the dogs compost me, the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me.

They pierce my hands and my feet, who no doubt is speaking of Christ.

I may tell all my bones they look and stare unto me.

Have you ever seen an elbow out of joint? That is an ugly sight. I put a couple back in right on the scene.

They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture. Who's going to get it? Let's really find a robe there. Let's see who will get it. In Isaiah 53, we see once again a picture of the suffering Messiah. The Messiah was prophesied to be one who would come and pay for the sins of the world, that all of humanity might be justified. Whereas the Jews took it in a different way, at least the leadership did, thinking that a great geopolitical leader would come on the scene and restore unto Israel the great power and so on that they had under the reign of Solomon.

Of course, right now the Jews are looking to rebuild a temple. They're going to call it the Temple of Prayer, the Temple of Prayer for all nations.

And they once again, Zionism is about being number one on the face of the earth.

Isaiah 53 verse 1, who has believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

Speaking of Messiah, for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form nor commonness, and when we shall see him there's no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised, rejected of men, a man of sorrows acquainted with grief, and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised, we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions, for our sins. It's right here in the Old Testament, the prophecy, what Messiah would do. He was bruised for our iniquities, our sins, our lawlessness. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed, both physically and spiritually. We have access to the throne of God. All we, like sheep, have gone astray. We have turned every one to his own way, and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquities, the lawlessness of us all. So those prophecies are there. There's just two places. There are many other places as well. Yet when Jesus came on the scene, he was rejected by the leadership of the nation, especially the religious leaders. What was the main reason why they rejected him? They were jealous. They were afraid he would unseat them and take their place, and he would be the one that the people looked to. So look, please, at the Gospel of John chapter 1. The Gospel of John chapter 1.

Verse 6, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. This is John the Baptist. He came as a witness to bear witness of the light. Verse 7, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that light. That is John the Baptist was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light, that light, that light is Christ. That was the true light which lights every man that comes into the world. He was in the world. The world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. So in spite of those prophecies, in spite of their religiosity and their claim that they were so righteous and so this and so that and the other, so filled with piety, they rejected the light of the world, the Prince of Peace, the only one that could truly free them. See, if the Son makes you free, you should be free indeed. Verse 12, but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor the will of man, but of God. So there are two categories in sons of God. They're sons by creation, sons and daughters by creation. Adam and Eve were son and daughters of God, son and daughter of God by creation. You, if you have God's begettled spirit in you, you are a spiritual son, daughter of God by begettle from the Father.

Paul further expands on the vast difference between the road to true righteousness and that which was possible under the terms of the Old Covenant. We'll go first to Romans 3. Please, Romans 3. Verse 19. This is so clearly stated here that it is absolutely inescapable.

People get all confused, and one of the main reasons is that people are always looking for the easy way out. I want the easy way out. I want to skim off the top. I don't want the buttermilk. I want the butter. I want the cream off the top.

And so religion has been reduced to or true what means as true Christianity has been reduced to just believe. So here we have in Romans chapter 3 and verse 19. Now we know that whatever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. And of course the concluding statement here in Romans 3.23 says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. As I've said many times, in Romans chapter 1 takes the Gentiles to task, chapter 2 takes the Jews to task, chapter 3 begins to summarize that all have sinned. So continuing here, see it says that all the world may become guilty before God. Why are they guilty? Because all have broken God's immutable spiritual law. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. No matter how perfectly one keeps the law, you cannot be justified through law keeping. For by the law is the knowledge of sin, but now the righteousness of God without the law or apart from the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. See, we read from the law and the prophets, from the Old Testament, the writings and the prophets. We didn't actually read anything from what is technically the law and the Pentateuch, but many places in the Old Testament testified that this one was coming.

Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ, what is the title? Becoming the righteousness of God through Christ. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. Jew, Gentile, bond-free, male, female. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Now we go to Romans 10. See, one of the things that has to some degree plagued the church of God in recent times has been what is called messianic Judaism, and there are other offshoots of it, Hebrew roots and that kind of thing, in which elements from the Old Covenant are mixed in with elements of the New Covenant said, oh, if you just understood what this means, you would have such a clearer understanding of what Jesus Christ came to do and all of that, really? Is that what the Bible says? Let's note here. Romans 10, verse 1, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.

For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. He came to his own, and his own received him not. It is only through Christ that you can become the righteousness of God.

For Christ is the Talos, is the Greek word, unfortunate translation here in the Old King James and probably New King James. For Christ is the result outcome of the law for righteousness. Christ is the result or the outcome of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes.

For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which does these things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaks on this wise, say not in your heart who shall ascend unto heaven, that is, bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is, to bring Christ again from the dead.

But what says it? The word is nigh you even in your mouth, in your heart. See, through the Holy Spirit, we have the law of God written on our inward parts. And we'll even read and talk about Christ in you, the hope of glory, that you have God's very presence abiding with you, no matter where you are, who you are, if you have received the Spirit of Begett.

That is the word of faith which we preach, that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in your heart that he raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with a heart man believes unto righteousness, and with a mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Of course, some people would read just that part there in verse 9 and say, all right, you're saved if you just believe. But as we shall see and know, there's more to it. Many people still erroneously believe that the Jews merely rejected Christ, but they believe in the true God.

However, the Bible says, speaking of Christ, you go to Acts back a few pages 4 and verse 12. In Acts 4 and verse 12, it will clearly tell you, Acts 4 verse 12, that there is none other name given unto heaven whereby men must be saved.

You cannot be saved apart from Christ. They are not two avenues to the kingdom of God, as taught by John Hagey at Cornerstone, Mega Church in San Antonio, with television broadcasts that go out all over the world. He says some good things. He describes his current culture war very well, but in the end, his remedy is not what it should be. What does Jesus say about how to develop a relationship with him and God the Father? Let's look first of all at Matthew 11 and 27. We're talking about a relationship with Jesus Christ and with God the Father.

What does the Bible say about it? In Matthew 11 and verse 27, Jesus Christ is not the son of God. All things are delivered unto me of my Father. No man knows the Son, but the Father. Neither knows any man the Father save the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. Of course, if you already have your mind made up that Jesus Christ is not the Son of God, and you reject him just summarily without even consideration, how can you possibly be saved? How can you possibly? Now, but it's even more here. You go to 1 John 2 and 1 John 2, and beginning in verse 22, I believe, 1 John 2 and verse 22.

Let's start a little before then, read into that. Starting by verse 18, 1 John 2, 18, little children, and John was apparently elderly and used this familiar term here, little children, it is the last time, as you have heard, that antichrist shall come, even now are many antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

But we have an unction. That word, unction, means a kieroi, it means a rubbing in, a smearing in, like you take a balm and you rub it into your skin.

You have an unction, a rubbing in from the Holy One, and you know all things. For I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar, but he that denies that Jesus is a Christ. That should settle a lot of things.

He is antichrist and denies the Father and the Son. That's what the Bible says.

He denies the Father and the Son. Whosoever denies the Son the same has not the Father, but he that acknowledges the Son has the Father also. Let us therefore abide, let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning.

If that which you have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you shall continue in the Son and in the Father. If a person denies Christ, he or she is broken.

The first and great commandment when you do not believe on Christ because a person cannot claim to believe in God and at the same time reject the Son of God. I just read it right here.

1 John 18 through 24 we read. 2 John 5, chapter 39 This has a lot to do with end-time prophecy and what we might see in the future, though. You may not see this immediately in John 5 and verse 39.

Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. Many Old Testament prophecies, as we have noted and read a couple, and you will not come to me that you might have life. I receive not honor from men, but I know you that you have not the love of God in you. I have come in my Father's name, and you receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.

So to this day the Jews have had various candidates through the ages of one who might be the Messiah.

One has been some rabbi in New York City. I don't know if they still hold that one or not, but some great figure would come on the scene and restore to them what they enjoyed in Aeon's past. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one that accuses you, even Moses, in whom you trust. For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me. When did he write of him? He said, I will raise up a prophet.

God says to Moses, I will raise up a prophet like unto you, and you shall hearken unto him. That's repeated also in Acts chapter 3. The Jews regarded only moral offenses, as many men do today, and infractions of the ceremonial law and the traditions of the elders as sin. See, none of the Pharisees viewed themselves, all of themselves, as priests, and before you could do any priestly duties, you had to wash your hands up past the elbows. So, this tradition of washing your hands and up past your elbows, the Pharisees tried to impose upon everyone so they could, quote, be ceremonially clean. Of course, all Levites are priests, but not all the priests. Not all the Levites. I get this right, maybe, one of these days. All the priests are Levites, but not all Levites are priests. God's standard of righteousness and man's standards stands in sharp contrast.

The Pharisees regarded the outward works of the Pharisees as the ideal, and we have a summary of this in Luke chapter 18, where the two men went up in the temple to pray, Pharisee and a publican, a Pharisee who claimed to be priestly and of the very priestly order itself, who emphasized the traditions of the fathers and the washings and the oblations and the tithing faithfully and all of that. This is Luke 18.9, and he spoke this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves, that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you that I'm not as other men are. Extortioners, unjust, adulterous, or even this publican.

I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possess.

You know, we could even put it in here, 1 Corinthians 13, verse 3, verses there that says, in essence, if you're not becoming as God is, though you even give your body to be burned, if you're not becoming as God is, it profits you nothing.

I fast twice in the week I give tithes of all that I possess, and the publican standing afar off would not lift up as much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, h-center. I tell you, this man went down to his house, justified, rather than the other, where every one that exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. So God's standard of righteousness and man's standard of righteousness stands in sharp contrast. And we're slowly moving more and more. We've already read one scripture about becoming the righteousness of God through Christ, but we have a lot of background that we're going through, and to get to the final pitch of it, as it were. So let's go now to John 16, verse 7.

And this is something you really should consider, especially in verse 7.

John 16 and verse 7.

Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient, of course, Christ speaking for you, that I go away. For if I go not away, the comforter will not come to you. The comforter is identified in John 14, 26, as the Holy Spirit. So I prefer to put the Holy Spirit here. For if I go not away, the Holy Spirit will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send it unto you. So Jesus Christ had to die on the stake, be resurrected, ascend to the Father.

Now the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. That's John 15, 26. But somehow Christ plays a role in that. And we'll read a verse later in Acts 2 that says that the Holy Spirit is shed on us through Christ. So Christ had to do what He did in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent, becoming the righteousness of God through Christ. And when it has come, that is the Holy Spirit, it will reprove. Greek, Elancho, E-L-E-N-C-H-O, means to convict. It will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. So that has to take place, the preaching of the Word of God and the convicting power of the Word of God. Christ always sought to do the will of the Father. Time after time, we'll look back to John 5 again, verse 30. We're not doing a lot of quote cherry picking. We're trying to read context. Here we'll probably just read this one verse.

John 5 and verse 30. I can't of my own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not mine own will but the will of the Father which has sent me.

John 8 and verse 29. John 8 forward a few pages. John 8 and verse 29. Jesus did not seek to do his own will but the will of the Father. John 8 29. And he said, and he that sent me is with me.

The Father sent him. The Father was with him. The Father has not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him. Now we go to Hebrews 10 7.

Hebrews 10 7. All of these things contribute to coming to understand how vital it was that Christ do what he did. If I go not away, the Holy Spirit will not come unto you. But if I go away, I will send it to you. In Hebrews 10 verse 7. Then said I lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do your will, O God. What is the ultimate will of God? You know, if you just pick out one thing with what all the Bible might say. And of course, this is somewhat subjective, and we could debate it. But here's what I've come to with regard to the ultimate will of God.

In 2 Peter 3 verse 9. Part of those stack of memory cards we used to carry around.

2 Peter 3 verse 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but is long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. See, when God created Adam and Eve, because of his love and his grace, God is love. He wanted to share who he is and what he is with humankind.

And because of his love and his divine favor, he created humankind. That is, to bring sons and daughters to glory in this family setting is the ultimate goal and will of what God is working toward. And it began, as we have noted, on several occasions, way back before time began. Christ fulfilled every aspect of righteousness, and what did he receive of men in return? He was rejected, as we have read, and crucified by the Jews.

Some say, well, the Jews didn't crucify him, the Romans did. The Jews turned him over to the Romans to crucify him, which they did, but he would not have been crucified if the Jews had not turned him over to them to be crucified. So he was crucified really by all of humanity, by all peoples, nations, and individually by you and I. Because why? Because we have all sinned, and the only way that we can pass from life unto death is through the sacrifice of Christ.

Now we go to Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2.

Ephesians 2.1, And you hath he quickened, made alive. He has made you alive through the very incorruptible seed, the Holy Spirit of God. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sin, where in time passed you walked according to the courses of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, among whom also we all, of course Paul included himself, Paul was said of sinners, I am chief, among whom all we have all had our conversation or conduct in times past, in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. So we see that we all have walked that way in the course of disobedience. The righteousness of God was made possible through Christ because he was slain, he was resurrected, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. Is there a version of the Bible that essentially says that? Yes, there is. Let's go there. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14. Now we begin to hone in more and more, but hopefully you have the picture already loud and clear that apart from Christ, you cannot attain under the righteousness of God.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 14. For the love of Christ constrains us because we thus judge that one died for all, then we're all dead. Of course, we've already talked about that all of sin comes short of the glory of God. For that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. Wherefore, brethren, know we know man after the flesh, yet though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more, that is, after the flesh. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation.

You have a new knowing within, a new conscience. All things are passed away. Behold, all things will become new, and all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself. And we'll read that verse in just a moment. Reconciled us to himself, that is, the Father by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation, to know that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

He's placed in sacred trust with us. Another one of the three C's. Conviction, commitment, and then courage is a product of conviction and commitment, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, your ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be you reconciled to God, for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we, the title of the sermon, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, becoming the righteousness of God through Christ.

The preaching of the resurrection is so very important to the gospel because it shows that if one lives as Christ lived and is crucified with Christ, he will live with him in resurrection. We go back to Romans 8 verse 11, it tells us how that is done.

Now, Christ plays a role in resurrecting us, and I gave a sermon recently in which we talked about that, read scriptures, and tied it in together. But the ultimate bringing to birth is of God the Father. God the Father begets us, he brings us to birth because he would not be our Father otherwise.

Romans 8, but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, and we all know who that was, shall all make alive your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.

That Spirit of begettled that is in you, God will use to raise you up from the dead. The resurrection also proves that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the true David.

Now, listen to what we're about to cover here now. The true David, back when we were having doctrinal wars before the split from worldwide, I wrote in peace about Christ being the true David.

And someone wrote and said, well, I don't understand what you mean. The true David is David, King David. But what we're talking about with regard to the true David is the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecy that a descendant of David would always sit on the throne of David. And who would that be? Let's go to Acts 2. It is irrefutable. It's in the Bible clear as it can be.

In Acts 2, verse 29. We probably want to start earlier than that. Acts 2, of course, in Acts 2 is a chapter that covers the sending of the Holy Spirit initially to the New Covenant Church. We'll start in Acts 2.22. You men of Israel hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, the man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know, him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. God knew, of course, they planted out and slain from the foundation of the world before time began. You have taken in by wicked hands of crucified and slain, whom God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that he should be holding of it. For David speaks concerning him, saying, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad, moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope, because you will not leave my life essence. King James' translation, my soul. See, that shows that the life essence is what was not led. He was resurrected to life.

Not leave my soul in Hades, the grave, neither will you suffer your holy one to see corruption. You have made known to me the ways of life. You shall make me full of joy with your countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David. He is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. And as we'll read, David is not ascended into the heavens.

Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, that is the fruit of David's loins, to be a descendant of David, according to the flesh, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.

He, seeing this beforehand, spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that his life essence was not left in the grave, neither his flesh did seek corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses.

Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he hath shed forth which you now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens, but he said himself, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit you on my right hand, Psalm 110 verse 1, until I make your enemies, or your foes, your footstool. So we see very clearly here what God has done through the resurrection. Jesus Christ is now, it says here, that he, therefore being by the right hand of God and being received of the Spirit, the promise of the Holy Spirit, has shed forth this which you see. In verse 30, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne.

In Luke 1 and verse 32, you want more on this. In Luke 1 and 32, when the angel appeared and prophesied concerning the birth of Christ, Luke 1 and 32, he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

So once again we see that the true David, by that, has meant the fulfillment of the prophecies that shows that David will never lack for a man to sit on his throne, and that one is identified by Luke and also by Luke again in Acts chapter 2. The Jews rejected Jesus's Messiah. They are still looking for the Messiah, as we have already noted and read. On the day of Pentecost, they were convicted of sin and of righteousness. After verse 38, they would enter into judgment. So we're in Acts here. Well, we turn back to Luke. Let's go back to Acts 2.37. After they heard Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? So, see, they had now come to the position of the publican that they were ready to surrender to God. And Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In the first seven chapters of Acts, the judgment centers on the Jews. Then after Peter's went down to the house of Cornelius, the judgment centers on all peoples. Paul preached in Acts 17, when he went there on Mars Hill and said that God is commanded. Now all people everywhere should repent. After baptism, we are to live the resurrected life. As God works with us, and we obey, we become the righteousness of God. See, righteousness is of God.

It is a spiritual creation. God creates in us his holy righteous character as we obey him.

Now people talk about, I didn't have dessert, I'm building character. Now will is a part of obeying God, that you have to set your will and your mind to obey God, but will power alone will not save you. There have been people who lived in a barrel. They did it all in a barrel.

They were ascetic Gnostics, denying the flesh to, quote, purify the soul, the good part of humankind. Look at Romans 5.5. Of course, you could give a sermon on this alone as we begin to wrap up and summarize.

In Romans 5.5, hope makes us not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by willpower. No. The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, which is given unto us. You see, as we submit to God and as He works with us, as it says in Philippians 2.13, for it is God who works within us.

Now the battle that we have to fight continually, we talk about the three C's of conviction, commitment, and courage, but there are the three S's, Seth, Society, and Satan that we have to overcome.

But we are not left powerless. We are given the Spirit of God, the very essence of God and Christ.

Now we go to the crux of the matter in Romans chapter 5, where we are right now, continuing with verse 6. See, this is how this comes together and makes it possible. That is, to become the righteousness of God through Christ. For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly.

For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet per venture for a good man, some would even dare to die. But God commends His love toward us, and while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, much more than being now justified by His blood, His life essence. We shall be saved from wrath through Him. For when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. We had to be reconciled to God and viewed as sinless for the Father to beget us. But that's not the end of the story. We have to continue on the road to eternal life, and now God and Christ live in us. Now, you go to Galatians 5, and I for sure want to make this point, because I hear this. It's Galatians 2. I don't know where I get it.

Galatians 2, verse 20.

In John 14, verse 23, Jesus speaking about what would take place after He ascends to the Father. It says, we will both come into Him and make our abode with Him, with you, that both God the Father and Jesus Christ abide in us through the Holy Spirit.

Now, some people read Galatians 2.20, and I think this is just colloquial of the day kind of thing. People saying, Jesus Christ living His life all over again in us. No, He's not. He's not living His life all over again in us. He is living in us through His Spirit, and through His Spirit we have the power to overcome.

Galatians 2.20. I am crucified with Christ. See, when we went under the baptismal waters, we said that it was a type of crucifixion of bearing the old man. I am crucified with Christ.

Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

See, the will to obey, and here's where will comes in and making the decision.

See, God never takes away from us that we have to decide. We have to make a choice whether or not we're going to obey. See, if Christ were living His life all over in us again, He would never do anything wrong. We'd all be perfect. He is in us, and the Word of God and the Spirit of God gives us a new knowing within, even the law of God written on our inward parts.

But we have to make a decision whether or not we are going to obey. But if Christ had not done what He did, reconciled us by the death of His Son, we're reconciled to Him, to God the Father.

We are saved, it says, by His life. The fact, remember Christ said, unless I go away, the Holy Spirit will not come to you. So He had to be crucified. He had to be resurrected. He had to ascend. The Holy Spirit had to be sent. There are conditions for receiving the Holy Spirit, which we have noted. Repent. Be baptized. Of course, the main one in between that is exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ for the remission of sins that are passed. Be baptized. Receive the laying on of hands. Receive the Holy Spirit. And God and Christ make their abode in us.

But they do not force us. There are people who have, used the terminology, fallen away for all kinds of different reasons. But I think one of the main reasons is because they did not renew the inward man daily. They did not ground themselves and grow deep spiritual roots into the Word of God with knowledge and understanding and appreciation for what's here. What we're talking about is the hope of the ages, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. The life I now live, yet not I, but I'm crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

And it's from that that I think some people say, well, Christ is living his life all over again in me. He's not making decisions for you. Through his Word, his Spirit, God and Christ have brought you to the point that you have been convicted, that you now, Christ says, the words I speak, they are spirit in their life. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. The inward man is renewed daily. I live by the faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. It is not, see, two main dimensions of faith. One is to believe in the abstract sense, to even know. You can even know in the abstract sense or in the concrete sense.

It says in James 2, 19-20, the devils believe and tremble, but yet don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead. Then there comes the other aspect of obedience, of faith, I mean, of faith, and that is obedience. Look at James.

I wish I had all day to continue.

I love this so much, the understanding and what's really here with regard to the Word of God, that God is doing a marvelous work within each one of us. In James 2, using the example of Abraham here, verse 20, but we, you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead was not Abraham, our father justified by works or obedience, when he offered Isaac his son upon the altar. Seeing how seeing you have faith wrought with his works and by his works or obedience was faith made perfect. And the scripture was fulfilled which says Abraham believed God it was imputed. It means reckoned unto his account for righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. Now, verse 24, understand verse 24, you see then how that by obedience a man is justified and not by faith only. And so you have to have both of those dimensions together, and God has called us to crucify the flesh, and he has given us of his Spirit, God and Christ, living in us. His law is written on our inward parts. We have a new knowing within. We know it, but we're not forced to do it. You can become the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ.

Through faith, through believing, and through doing what Jesus Christ tells us to do and what the Word of God tells us to do.

So, brethren, we need to come to see that obedience to God and Christ are necessary.

We must come to see that spiritual healing and spiritual growth are far more important than seeking after the things of this world. This is the Church of God. This is the Church of God and Holy Nation, a people who are supposed to be showing forth the virtue of him, who has called us out of darkness and has given us new life, life from above.

So, let us set our affection on things above and be of good cheer, for Christ has overcome the world.

And through him, we too can overcome everything. We can overcome self. We can overcome society. We can overcome Satan. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us and gave himself for us.