We are dealing with understanding righteousness because James 5 says that the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16-18 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
(17) Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
When we studied Elijah’s life we found out that there were some problems with his life and therefore we also found out that God’s definition of righteousness is different from man’s definition of righteousness. We found out from the word of God that righteousness is different from right living.
Right living is the product of righteousness. Righteousness is the very nature and the character of God.
Except a man is righteous he cannot live a righteous life. Right living is the product of righteousness.
You have to be righteous to live right. We found out that righteousness has been given to us legally.
This time I want to look at righteousness as our nature.
In the Old Testament they only had righteousness only on one side of the street. In other words righteousness was given to them only as an award. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. God gave Abraham righteousness as a result of his faith. Which means that God is calling Abraham a righteous man.
Romans 4:1-3 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. (3) For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
The Bible doesn’t say that Abraham worked so hard to be righteous and became righteous. Abraham believed – his
62 | P a g e believing was counted to him for righteousness. His faith
answered for his righteousness.
Romans 4:4-5 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. (5) But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Abraham didn’t perform so well in such a way that God was so impressed and called him righteous. No! The man didn’t qualify by his works. He just believed. He
believed in the God who justifies the ungodly. How can God be just and justify the ungodly? That’s the legal aspect of our redemption. He is just (righteous) and the Bible shows that God in His made us righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
In other words when Jesus Christ was on that cross representing us He was made sin with our sins. Our sins were laid on Jesus. That we might be made the righteousness of God with His righteousness. He bore our sins and became sin and we bore His righteousness and became righteous. That’s what the Bible says. This is what you call the doctrine of substitution in systematic and scholastic theology.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
When was He made sin? The Bible says the reason He was made sin was for us to be made righteous.
So if He has been successfully made sin then of course we have been successfully made righteous. If a man who knew no sin were made legally to become sin, by sin being laid on his spirit for him to become sin (i.e. the very embodiment of sin) then it was perfectly possible and legal for a man who has been sinful to become righteous by having righteousness laid on him.
Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; (22) Even the
righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
Righteousness was laid on us – bestowed on us as our sins were laid or bestowed on Jesus. He became sin because of our sins and we became righteous because of His righteousness. So He took our sins and we took His righteousness. Are you understanding this?
He became sin. That we might become the righteousness of God.
Romans 4:5-8 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. (6) Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, (7) Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. (8) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
63 | P a g e That’s what we just read. A righteousness apart from the law. A righteousness without the works. A righteousness you can get from God without qualifying for it by your own actions.
Romans 4:9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also?
I want you to follow the Spirit’s argument here.
Does this blessedness come upon the circumcision only? Or upon the uncircumcision only? Does this blessing come upon the Jews only? Or also the Gentiles also?
Romans 4:10 for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
In other words Abraham received the righteousness of God before he was circumcised.
Romans 4:11-16 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: (12) And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. (13) For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (14) For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: (15) Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. (16) Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
Abraham received the seal of the righteousness of the faith even before he was circumcised that he (Abraham) might be the father of all them who believe even though they were not circumcised – that the righteousness might be imputed to them also. The promise that Abraham should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed was not to be through the law but to be through the righteousness of faith. Because if they who are of the law become heirs then faith is made non-effect.
Did you understand that? Because the law works wrath because if there is no law then there is no transgression. So it is of faith that if might be through grace.
Abraham was called righteous not because he qualified but because he believed in God who justifies the ungodly. So Abraham gave up his own righteousness and
accepted the righteousness of God.
Let’s see how that worked and how this prayer worked. Elijah prayed and God answered him irrespective of his actions.
Genesis 18. In this particular occasion God visited Abraham and said to him I’ve heard of Sodom. The cry of Sodom has come to me.
Sodom was a city of sinners and their sins have reached up to heaven. God now wanted to judge Sodom and told Abraham about it. But this Abraham had a nephew in the city of Sodom by the name of Lot. Lot was with his family. God tells Abraham I want to destroy Sodom. There were 2 other angels that came with the Lord.
They appeared in the form of men. Watch what happens.
Genesis 18:20-22 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; (21) I will go down now, and see whether they have
64 | P a g e done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. (22) And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Now I want you to see this boldness!!
How dare Abraham stand in the presence of God and charge God this way!? God Almighty is going to destroy a city that is filled with sinners and Abraham gets in God’s way. Who does he think he is? Look at this.
Genesis 18:23-25 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? (24) Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein? (25) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
I mean Abraham is talking to Almighty God! I mean God ought to have blown Abraham out of existence. What do you think? What did Abraham have? Righteousness. What is righteousness?
Righteousness is right standing. This is what the man had. The ability to stand in the presence of God without fear, intimidation, inferiority or condemnation. There is Abraham in the presence of God and he is not intimidated and he is not feeling inferior to God. He is talking to God as if he is talking to a man. That’s the way we pray sometimes and people wonder at us. Do you know who you are talking to? You are talking to God. Oh yeah! He gave me something to use and when I put that thing I can stand in His presence with a great ability. Without fear. That’s what Abraham had. It was set to his account.
This is wonderful.
Abraham is asking God: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
Genesis 18:26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
God said I’m going to find out whether they’ve done according to the cry I hear and if they’ve done so I’ll destroy everybody. God was on His way. Now Abraham stops God and says For 50 righteous men you shouldn’t destroy the city. And the Lord says Alright! For 50 I wouldn’t. See Abraham is interceding. Remembers he’s got Lot there. The Lord said that He’s going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham doesn’t even talk about Gomorrah.
Genesis 18:27 And Abraham answered and said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, which am but dust and ashes:
Abraham knows he understands that this is a right that is given to him. What we call a privileged right.
God gave it to him. So he is using it to his advantage to save Lot but he understands that he is not God.
Genesis 18:28 Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty righteous: wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?
In other words if we lack 5. If we don’t have 50 and we’ve 45 there. Just because we don’t have enough to 50 are you going to destroy everybody?
And he said, If I find there forty and five, I will not destroy it.
So God says no for 45 I wouldn’t destroy the city.
Genesis 18:29 And he spake unto him yet again, and said, Peradventure there shall be forty found there. And he said, I will not do it for forty's sake.
Again Abraham took the number down to 40 and the Lord said He wouldn’t do it for 40.
Genesis 18:30 And he said unto him, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Peradventure there shall thirty be found there. And he said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.
65 | P a g e Ok down to 30.
Genesis 18:31 And he said, Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord:
Peradventure there shall be twenty found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for twenty's sake.
Now down to 20.
What is Abraham doing? He’s taking advantage of his rights and privileges in righteousness. Not many of us have done that. This is wonderful.
Genesis 18:32-33 And he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once:
Peradventure ten shall be found there. And he said, I will not destroy it for ten's sake. (33) And the LORD went his way, as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: and Abraham returned unto his place.
What a mistake Abraham made.
Abraham just counted Lot, Mrs.
Lot, 3 daughters, and their husbands so 1+1+3+3=8. He thought they must have somebody converted by now.
Ahhhhh…!! The Lord went and they were not up to 10. But the Lord knew where Abraham was going so the Lord delivered Lot and his family. God delivered Lot and his family and then destroyed
the city. Can you see that? Because of a righteous man God would do anything.
Look at Elijah now.
James 5:17-18 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. (18) And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain. He prayed again and it rained. Not because God didn’t want rain or God wanted rain. I want you to understand that a man can actually make things happen. Did you read in your Bible that Joshua commanded the sun and the moon to stay still? Until we’ve won the battle Sun stand still! Moon stand still! The Bible says it was never on record anywhere that God listened to a man that way. Like He heard Joshua that day. What was he doing? Taking advantage of righteousness.
Romans 5:17 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.) These men were reigning. They were not crying under the pressure.
People say I plead the blood! I plead the blood. The blood of Jesus!
That’s wrong. You cannot plead the blood. What do you mean by pleading the blood anyway? What I think they are saying is I’m standing strong on the blood. Like they say I’m covered in the blood. We sprinkle the blood of Jesus. You are doing something that is abominable. You may not know it. You cannot plead the blood. If you want to plead the blood of Jesus just sit down and break bread. Take the Holy Communion. That’s what pleads the blood. When you say I sprinkle the blood of Jesus. It’s not in your hand to sprinkle the blood. The Bible says that it’s on the mercy seat in heaven. Nobody on the
66 | P a g e face of the earth can sprinkle it. You cannot sprinkle it. Only the High Priest had the right to use that blood in the ministry. That’s what Jesus did. He took His own blood and went into the heavenly most holy place and presented His own blood on the mercy seat in heaven. You don’t need to sprinkle the blood if Jesus.
1. You don’t have the right to do it
2. You can’t even do it because you don’t have it
3. It’s been done already by the High Priest Himself – the Lord Jesus Christ.
When you say those things even the angels get surprised at you.
Righteousness gives us the ability to stand in the presence of God without fear inferiority or condemnation and also gives us the ability to stand in the presence of the devil with all boldness with the spirit of dominion. Without fear without inferiority or condemnation. It makes us masters!
We come in the presence of that devil and we say In the name of Jesus come out! And he has to come out.
We can change things. Righteousness gives us the dominion.
Isaiah 54:14 In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee.
How could you be oppressed of the devil when you understand righteousness? In righteousness shalt thou be established
You are established! You are unshakable. Far from oppression and fear and terror.
Isaiah 54:15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake.
Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Our righteousness is not of ourselves. It’s coming from God. The devil can say I know you. You are not righteous. No we are.
Now I want to look at righteousness as our nature: The most beautiful thing in all the word of God.
To be born again is not to take a religion, or to become nice church attending person and be very committed – you can have all of that and still not be born again. To be born again is to have the life og God in you. To be actually vitally effectively literary to be born of the Spirit of God. To come from God. God is your origin. God has no grandchildren.
Not like God created everybody – no the very life. You become a child of God like that man’s son is
Not like God created everybody – no the very life. You become a child of God like that man’s son is