Praise Be Told!

[SueJLove]

Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth, took on human flesh, suffered as we suffer, and was tempted as we are tempted, yet without sin. He was despised, rejected, persecuted, abandoned, denied, betrayed, beaten, mocked and killed, although he had done no wrong. God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that we might be saved from sin and have eternal life with Him in glory. Jesus crucified and buried our sin with him, and then he rose from the dead in victory over Satan, death, hell and sin. He did this so that you and I might be free from sin, spiritually healed, freed to walk in his holiness and righteousness, and freed from eternal punishment in hell.

We can do nothing to earn or to deserve such a great salvation. It is a free gift to us by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives. Yet, he did this so that we might die to our sin and live for his righteousness. The grace of God teaches us to say “No to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:12). Jesus Christ, by His Spirit within us, will counsel, direct, guide and instruct us in the way of Christ’s righteousness, as well as he will empower and equip us, and he will give us all we need to live upright and godly lives. As well, because he loves us, he regularly disciplines us for our good, to mature us in our walks of faith, to teach us perseverance, and to draw us close to him, yet he will also heal. Amen!

Praise Be Told! / An Original Work
Based off Various Scriptures / December 28, 2013

He was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for all our sin.
Our chastisement was upon Him.
By His stripes, we now are healed.

He has witnessed all our trials,
And the sins we choose to wear.
Yet, while we were dead in our sin,
Jesus died, our sins to bear.

He himself bore all of our sins
In His body on a cross,
So that we might die to our sin,
And live for His righteousness.

By faith in the pow’r of Jesus
And His blood shed for our sins,
We can be forgiven our sin,
And have life with God in heav’n.

He will lead us and He’ll guide us
In the way that we should go.
He will comfort and protect us,
Because Jesus, we do know.

Though He disciplines for our good,
He will heal us – Praise be told!
Do not fear, your Lord is with you.
Just have faith in Christ your Lord.

 

[Nanon]

We can do nothing to earn or to deserve such a great salvation. It is a free gift to us by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of our lives. Yet, he did this so that we might die to our sin and live for his righteousness.

So true... yet, in addition to 'dying to sin' the believer also
dies to their own righteousness. Also, to say we live in Jesus'
righteousness (rather than 'for' it) is a clearer way of stating
that we live by His life. I don't mean to be a 'stickler' on this
...it's important to make the distinction.

God bless, Sue!

 

[Pastor James]

So true... yet, in addition to 'dying to sin' the believer also
dies to their own righteousness. Also, to say we live in Jesus'
righteousness (rather than 'for' it) is a clearer way of stating
that we live by His life. I don't mean to be a 'stickler' on this
...it's important to make the distinction.

God bless, Sue!

In fact in recent times I have come to understand that we must die to all the demands of our flesh and ego, as Jesus did, and subject all to life in the spirit, in obedience to the Christ dwelling in us. This distinction between the flesh and the spirit, I have found to be very helpful in my walk with the Lord, and in the renewing of my mind. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and my life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave His life for me." Hallelujah how awesome.
Blessing to you both
James

 

[SueJLove]

So true... yet, in addition to 'dying to sin' the believer also
dies to their own righteousness. Also, to say we live in Jesus'
righteousness (rather than 'for' it) is a clearer way of stating
that we live by His life. I don't mean to be a 'stickler' on this
...it's important to make the distinction.

God bless, Sue!

Nanon, Thank you for responding. I appreciate your input. Yes, dying to sin is dying to the flesh, which includes death to our own self-righteousness. I agree!

Yet, Scripture does not appear to make the distinction you feel is important here with regard to the subject of Christ's righteousness being lived out through our lives. Check out the different word usage here in regard to our lives and how we live them in relationship to Jesus' righteousness:

“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness” (Ro. 6:13).

“I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification” (Ro. 6:19).

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Co. 5:21).

“But that is not the way you learned Christ! — assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:20-24).

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14).

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet. 2:24).

“If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him” (1 Jn. 2:29).

 

[SueJLove]

In fact in recent times I have come to understand that we must die to all the demands of our flesh and ego, as Jesus did, and subject all to life in the spirit, in obedience to the Christ dwelling in us. This distinction between the flesh and the spirit, I have found to be very helpful in my walk with the Lord, and in the renewing of my mind. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and my life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave His life for me." Hallelujah how awesome.
Blessing to you both
James

Thank you Pastor James for responding. Yes, a Christian life is to be a crucified life in death to sin and in living to righteousness day in and day out.

 

[Nanon]

Yet, Scripture does not appear to make the distinction you feel is important here with regard to the subject of Christ's righteousness being lived out through our lives. Check out the different word usage here in regard to our lives and how we live them in relationship to Jesus' righteousness:

I appreciate the scripture, Sue. By saying we live 'in' Jesus'
righteousness rather than 'for' it, I am NOT saying the believer
can continue in self and sin because Jesus' righteousness is
now imputed to them. I AM saying it is by the Spirit of God
that we live holy lives... not for Jesus, but because His life
is lived out through us. Scripture most certainly does make
this distinction. Please consider:

Galatians 2:20~ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.

Romans 8:2~ For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of sin and death.

Col. 3:3~ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Col. 3:4~ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye
also appear with him in glory.

I do feel it is also important to understand no amount of righteous deeds
done on our part (before or after believing) can be trusted to be of any
worth before God (our righteousness is as filthy rags). It is Jesus'
righteousness alone that provided the sinless
sacrifice God the
Father accepts. Our faith is in Jesus alone, because
only His righteousness bridged that gap between
God and fallen man.

 

[Nanon]

Jeremiah also told of the time a 'righteous Branch' shall be
raised to David~

5) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely:
and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.

 

[Nanon]

Jeremiah also told of the time a 'righteous Branch' shall be
raised to David~

5) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6) In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely:
and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.

From the new testament:

1 Corinthians 1:30~31
30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us
wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory
in the Lord.

 

[SueJLove]

I appreciate the scripture, Sue. By saying we live 'in' Jesus'
righteousness rather than 'for' it, I am NOT saying the believer
can continue in self and sin because Jesus' righteousness is
now imputed to them. I AM saying it is by the Spirit of God
that we live holy lives... not for Jesus, but because His life
is lived out through us. Scripture most certainly does make
this distinction. Please consider:

Galatians 2:20~ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.

Romans 8:2~ For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath
made me free from the law of sin and death.

Col. 3:3~ For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Col. 3:4~ When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye
also appear with him in glory.

I do feel it is also important to understand no amount of righteous deeds
done on our part (before or after believing) can be trusted to be of any
worth before God (our righteousness is as filthy rags). It is Jesus'
righteousness alone that provided the sinless
sacrifice God the
Father accepts. Our faith is in Jesus alone, because
only His righteousness bridged that gap between
God and fallen man.

Absolutely! Not disputing this at all, obviously. Just saying that scripture also teaches that we live for righteousness, and to righteousness, and that we put on righteousness, and we practice righteousness, and that in him we become the righteousness of God. We are made righteous by God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, because of what Jesus did for us in dying for our sin, and because God credited us with his righteousness, but we also live righteously by faith in Jesus Christ, and we daily put on his righteousness, but we only do so by the power and working of God's Holy Spirit within us, to whom we yield control of our lives. If we read the scriptures I quoted in context, it becomes clear this is not talking about our own righteousness, but God's now within us whereby we can now live for and to righteousness, and whereby we can daily put on righteousness and practice righteousness. We don't merely possess righteousness, but we live it day by day by the grace of God and in the power of his Holy Spirit.

 

[Nanon]

We don't merely possess righteousness, but we live it day by day by the grace of God and in the power of his Holy Spirit.

And I most certainly agree and have stated so. But it's vital
to understand that only Jesus' righteousness is accepted by God
the Father. The sin nature humans are born with makes any
effort of our own completely invalid before God. When we
stand before the throne of God, it will be Jesus' righteousness
He sees in us... not our own.

Yet, as believers possessing the new nature of God, we do
live out our lives righteously, by the power of God.