Friday, February 8, 2013

Convicted of Righteousness -- Convinced of God's Grace

"And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

"Of sin, because they believe not on me;

"Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

"Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged."  (John 16: 8-11)

I have shared many times on the misconstruction which some teachers have given on these verses. The conviction which applies specifically to believers is the conviction of full justification, or "righteousness". This righteousness is a gift which we are called to keep receiving  (Romans 5: 17).

The more that we are convicted of our righteousness, that in no way to do we have to fight, or deflate, or smack down any charges in our lives, then do we realize the victory which Christ Jesus has given and keeps giving to us.

Paul first wrote:

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

'He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)

Then Paul writes:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8: 37-39)

The manifest protection that we have in God's love, signaled to us through Jesus' death on the Cross (1 John 4: 10). This love even now is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit in us (Romans 5: 5)

It is important to note that Paul establishes for us our righteousness  before God, because they he can declared that "I am persuaded" -- and persuasion is a matter of renewal of the mind (Romans 12: 2) that God the Father has, does, and ever will come through for us in all things Verses 37 through 39 are all manifest examples of God's grace working in our lives.

No comments:

Post a Comment