Decrypting Righteousness
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:Romans 5:12
The number one agenda of the adversary when it comes to sin in the life of a believer is not just the act of sin ; it is to strip man of his confidence in God when he appears before his presence in worship and in the court room of Heaven.For sin is what separates us not from God as a father not relationally but his Edenic legally presence. Mind you whatever God says becomes law. And he is bound by His word for He has exalted His word above Himself. He cannot also violate His word.
Due to this , God issued a commandment or a law to Adam in the garden where he planted Him not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This is clearly revealed in the case of Adam and Eve when they sinned in the book of Genesis. God drove them from the garden of Eden where He first place them. So it is not necessarily what man did but the reason behind what man did . The consequences is of great essence when it comes to the issue of sin and righteousness.
Sin basically from a Greek word Hamartia means to miss the mark.Sin is in apposition to righteousness not Holiness. Holiness simply means to set up or be separated and consecrated for a purpose.
Let’s decode the meaning of righteousness. Righteousness simply means having right standing with God. Righteousness speaks more of a nature and position in Christ Jesus than just in our actions. Let’s go back to the account of creation; before the fall of man in Eden , man constantly enjoyed the very presence of God on daily basis. For God visited man in the cool of the day. In actual sense man was in right standing with his father God. Nothing could separate man from the virtues of God that kept him in dwelling in peace, harmony , stillness, tranquility and eternal joy. Not until satan, the adversary, the originator of sin, transgression, iniquity , rebellion and witchcraft exposed man to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. His number one agenda was not for man to just eat of the fruit in the middle of the garden but rather deny man of the very presence of God ( Edenic presence ), Glory and the very atmosphere and spot where God delighted in man in constant fellowship.
Right after the fall, when God asked man where his current location was , he informed God about his current state which reveals loss of identity, shame, disgrace , guilt and self condemnation. Man said I am naked, for I heard your voice and decided to hide my self. For God being a loving and merciful father full of compassion, grace and truth decided to kill a lamb to cover the nakedness of man which is the consequences of his sin. Bear in mind every sin a man commit has in it a degree and level of consequences . That is the legal grounds upon which the enemy stands to deny man of the virtues and power of God. So after God fixed the nakedness of man God. He drove man , Adam, and his wife Eve out of the Garden of Eden which was His very presence here on earth.
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God .Romans 3:23
For there is none righteous no not one Romans 3:10
For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.Romans 6:23
For by Grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
In order to understand the concept of righteousness we must bear in mind that the source of all righteousness is from God. Righteousness is a gift from God for He enables us to even live right according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:14)
There is nothing that man can do to attain the level or degree of righteousness which God imputed in us through the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross of Calvary. This is clearly revealed in man’s inadequacies and constant failure to meet God’s standard of righteousness through the law given by Moses in the new covenant. After the fall of man, he needed salvation from eternal damnation as a result of the consequences of the action of the first man,Adam . The only thing that can fix the problem of the power of sin and eternal death is the blood of the lamb, that is the finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross of Calvary. Hear this is again righteousness is a gift.
For if by one man’s offence 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.)Romans 5:17
For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life or eternal life.John 3:16
In view of the above scriptures, God is assuring every man upon the face of the earth that whoever confesses His sin and believes in His only begotten son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth shall be saved. After salvation is when righteousness is imputed on the spirit of man. To reconnect man back to God in Eden , that is His very presence. Righteousness is not just doing good deed, why? There are many a people walking upon the earth who are good people, great philanthropist who have not attained the righteousness which can only be found in Christ Jesus.
What the devil fears is not your good deed even though God encourages us to walk in them but what and who he fears is the man who is knowledgeable and knows his identity and position in Christ Jesus on the doctrine of righteousness. Righteousness consciousness is what empowers man to overcome sin. As we behold him we become like him. As he is righteous, Jesus Christ, so are we.
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous-Romans 5:18-19
Benefits of Righteousness through the office of Mediator between God and Man ( Jesus Christ)
1. Eternal Life
2. Reconciliation
3. Justification
4. Deliverance
5. Salvation
6. Peace
7. Joy
8. Boldness
9. Power
10. Authority
11. Exemption from Judgement
12. Annulling generational curses from the court room of Heaven
13. Having access to the court room of Heaven
The above benefits will be discussed in our next blog in detail
Your beloved brother
Nana Akwasi Acheampong