gtoctr/ws030613
Commentary:
Adam
and Eve were created “right” with God. They initially lived in “right standing”
with God, and were granted the “right to stand” in God’s holy presence. In
other words, Adam and Eve were righteous, not because of anything they did but
because they were created by God in righteousness. They were covered by the
righteousness of God much in the same way as the robe of a King cloaks and
identifies him.
When
they disobeyed God sin separated them from that righteous covering. Uncloaked
and on their own they stood, disrobed for all creation to see. They felt naked
and ashamed and attempted to establish their own covering which could never
restore the righteousness of God.
Adam
and Eve hid from God while He called out to them. In shame they came and
confessed their sin to Him. A sacrifice was made, the blood granted reprieve
and the skins covered their nakedness for a while, but this was only a
temporary measure. The eternal debt would take a greater sacrifice than man
could afford. Only the blood of Messiah, the perfect Lamb of God, could take
away the unrighteous stains of sin forever.
Throughout
history until today mankind has gone about endeavoring to establish his own
righteousness. He has covered himself with good works and well meaning attempts
to do right things. Many sacrifices have been made which can never relieve the
eternal burden of sin. Righteousness, both in this life and in eternity, comes
only by grace through faith.
Romans 10:3 For they being
ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.
Righteousness is the state of a person’s life
when God is pleased with them. We cannot count on our good works to please God.
Rather, we please Him when we believe Him and put our trust in Him. (Romans 4)
Philippians 3
8 Yet indeed I also count all
things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I
may gain Christ
9 ¶ and be found in Him, not
having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is
through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
Like
Paul we must also count all of our achievements nothing but rubbish in the face
of what Jesus gave in exchange for our righteousness. In and of our own selves,
we can never achieve righteousness or be deserving of all the grace of God
affords. Righteousness only comes by God’s mercy through Christ Jesus because
we believe.
Titus 3:5 not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us …
Life
Block lesson #9 taught us the “Roman’s Road to Salvation”:
·
Romans 3:23 All have sinned
and fallen short of God’s glory.
·
Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal
life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
·
Romans 10:13 Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.
To
more fully understand the process of salvation we need consider Romans 10:13 in
context. (To view one scripture’s truth in light of the other scriptures
surrounding that truth)
Romans 10
9 that if you confess with
your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one
believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
Once
again the scriptures confirm that ‘Righteousness” is by faith, not by works. We
access the grace of God and have the right to stand with God when we believe
Him, trust Him and exercise our faith in Him. Our faith is the access code
which opens the door through Christ into God’s grace wherein we now stand. We are made righteous through Christ.
Key Scripture: 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.
The
“Great Exchange” occurred when Jesus took our place and we took His. He was
made sin and we were made righteous.
Romans 5:19 For as by one
man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many
will be made righteous.
Important Points:
1.
It is not the sin we commit which eternally condemns us, but rather
it is the “sinner” we are.
2.
Righteousness is the state of a person’s life when God is pleased
with them.
3.
It is not the right things we do, it is the righteousness we are
that secures us.
4.
We have been given a garment of salvation and a robe of
righteousness by Christ Jesus. (Isaiah 61:10)
5.
The temporary stain of sin is cleansed by confession to God alone.
Just
as Adam and Eve came before God, ashamed of their sin, and made their
confession to Him, we too are admonished to seek His forgiveness in that same
way.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Supporting
Scriptures:
·
Romans
4
·
Isaiah
61:10
·
2
Peter 2:7&8
·
Luke
5:32
·
Matthew
22:2,3 & 9-14
·
Revelation
19:7-9; 21:2
