Righteousness: An Immutable Characteristic of Our New Selves in Christ

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When Jesus died on the Cross, and then He was raised from the dead three days later, He took us out of our dead selves in Adam, and gave us new selves, a new life in Himself (Ephesians 2:4-6).

We are no longer dead in Adam, but alive in Christ Jesus:

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one[Adam]; 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)

Righteousness is an immutable gift which we receive, and keep receiving, through Christ Jesus.

We need to understand that Jesus did not just take our unrighteous stance before God.

"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

He became sin, which means that He took our sin, and therefore we can never get back. He took our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24)

In turn, we were made the righteousness of God in Christ. Indeed, we receive and keep receivig His gifts of righteousness and grace, but righteousness defines who we are now today!

It's not something that can leak or fall away from us.

Consider what John the Beloved writes in His First Epistle:

"Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous." (1 John 3:7)

"Doing righteousness" is all about believing on Jesus!

"Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." (John 6:29)

When we believe on Jesus, this is what happens:

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:1-2)

We are as righteous as Jesus! John could not have said it more clearly:

"Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

We have righteousness, not just as a part of us, but it defines who we are in Christ Jesus.

Righteousness is our new identity, since Christ has been made our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30)

We are are new creation in Christ Jesus, defined by His gift of righteousness, something that cannot change, whether we fail or fall, whether we sin or win.

Rahab The Harlot was Righteous! But How? By Faith!

Rahab was a harlot, which in today's langauge means that she was a prostitute.

Yet for God, righteousness is never based on what we do.

It's all about believing on Him!

"And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

Righteousness is all about faith, trusting God and His Word, not our flesh and our efforts:

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." (Habakkuk 2:4)

Let's not forget God's promises to us through His prophet Isaiah:

"14In righteousness shalt thou be established:

...

"17No 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." (Isaiah 54: 14, 17)

Righteousness is not something that we create, but rather something that God establishes us in. We receive it!

Consider in the 17th verse that God tells us "Their righteousness is from me."

It's not our own. In fact, our own attempts to create righteousness or to do righteousness are a double failure:

So, how was Rahab the harlot righteous?

Consider what she said to the Israelite spies who entered Jericho!

"And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 11And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." (Joshua 2: 9-11)

Let's look at the powerful testimony of this woman of faith!

She knew that God had given the land to the Israelites.

She heard and believed what God did to the Red Sea, and He destroyed the heathen kings in the Promised Land. She also affirms the pre-eminence of the LORD!

But there's more:

"12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 13And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death." (Joshua 2: 12-13)

She not only belived in the One God, but believed Him to be gracious!

In other words:

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6)

So, let us review.

Abraham was made righteousness because he believed in the LORD. Abraham took God at His word that He would bless Abraham and make Him a mighty nation--that the Dragon Slayer who would crush the head of Satan would come and redeem all mankind (Genesis 3:15).

Rahab believed in the LORD, too, recognizing His mighty deeds and the good works that He intended to do for Israel and for the world.

Notice, therefore, that we are not made righteousness based on anything that we do, and our righteousness is not removed from us based on anything that we do.

It 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)

Then:

"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And of course, the writer of Hebrews identifies Rahab as faithful!

"By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." (Hebrews 11:31)

AMEN!

What Healed the Woman with Blood Flow: The Spirit of Adoption

"43And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, 44Came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched. 45And Jesus said, Who touched me? When all denied, Peter and they that were with him said, Master, the multitude throng thee and press thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me? 46And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched me: for I perceive that virtue is gone out of me. 47And when the woman saw that she was not hid, she came trembling, and falling down before him, she declared unto him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how she was healed immediately. 48And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace." (Luke 8: 43-48)

This account should be read and reread as much as possible.

We see the heart of our Loving Father in heaven.

How much he cares for us.

How much he wants us to be well, healthy and able.

He revealed His heart through the Apostle John at the end of the Beloved Disciple's life:

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." (3 John 2)

Evidently, the woman with a non-stop flow of blood was not prospering.

What was going on?

She had gone to doctors of all kinds, had spent all she had, and was still sick, still unclean.

Then she heard about Jesus, and she knew that just touching the hem of his garment would heal her.

Jesus knew that virtue--literally power--had gone out of her.

She was healed but not made whole, since she was still trembling.

Then Jesus called her "Daughter".

When Jesus died on the Cross, He did not just die for us, He did not just die as us, but He brought us into Himself and granted us a new identity in Himself!!

"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." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And also

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15)

and also

"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6)

Because He is our Daddy, and we are His children, we can know that He is caring for us and wants us well. We should not have to wonder if He will care for us, or have to strive for His love and attention.