Thursday 27th June 2019 Prayer Devotion
Scripture Reading:- Romans 3:1-31
Topic:- Entry Heaven Demands Jesus Kind’s Of Righteousness [3]
Text:- Matthew 5:20
D. What Does It Mean To Be Righteous?:
When most people think about the word righteous, it often accompanies an image of a surfer-guy describing a big wave. Thankfully, that usage of the word has come and gone, but how does the Bible use the word?
Righteousness is the perfect holiness of Christ. It is an essential attribute to the character of God; quite literally meaning “One who is right”. Think of it as the polar opposite of sin.
To commit sin is to go against God’s design for our lives, therefore righteousness is the only living standard that is acceptable for us to stand before the Father. See Proverbs 12:28.
E. What Does The Bible Say About Us And Righteousness?:
All of us are born into complete bondage to sin, unable to produce any sort of righteousness on our own. See Romans 3:9-12; Isaiah 64:6.
Even when our good deeds seems to be performed from the purest of motives, unless that motivation is to glorify the name of Jesus, those deeds are completely self-righteous and sinful. When we stop trying to produce righteousness and begin to simply trust in the Holy Spirit to change our hearts, He will make us righteous. See 1 John 1:9.
F. Where Does My Righteousness Come From?:
The Bible clearly defines righteousness as something His people should pursue. See 2 Timothy 2:22. Yet we are unable to produce it. So where do we get it? Our righteousness is imputed from Jesus through the atoning work that He accomplished on the Cross. See Philippians 1:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21.
Only the perfection of Christ could have accomplished this work. Only Jesus could have lived a perfect, obedient, and sinless life. Only Jesus could have atoned for the sins of His people. Only the righteousness of Christ will enter His Kingdom. See Matthew 5:20.
G. The Purpose Of The Old Testament Law:
In the Church today, the Old Testament law often gets a bad rap. Early in our Christian walk, we just sort of wrote the Law off as something a much angrier God handed out—as opposed to the grace given by the much happier and merciful God of today. Let’s pardon the terrible Theology when younger, and unpack the law and what it has to do with being righteous.
Prayer Points:-
1. Oh Lord God, I want to be righteous and holy like You, help me to be henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
2. Oh Lord God, help me to resemble Jesus totally henceforth by fire, in the name of Jesus Christ.
3. I refuse to die in sin, help me to crucify self and sin never to have dominion over me any longer, in the name of Jesus Christ.
Have A Glorious Thursday! www.timogundelejesu.com