“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 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: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”– Romans 3:19-24
LIGHT FOR NOW: There is the righteousness of the law, and there is the righteousness which is by faith in Christ Jesus.
From a couple of explanations in previous studies, it is clear to us that the law did not come out of faith but out of unbelief. The epistle, which is the revelation of scriptures (Genesis to Malachi), brings everything to the spotlight for us. Galatians 3:12 “And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them”. We may conduct our lives by the ordinances and statutes of the law, but that will be apart from faith to believe in God’s salvation. The law is of works and effort of men, but faith is by God’s grace. Paul, in his epistles, gives us the understanding that the believer is of faith because we have believed the message of God’s grace in Christ Jesus. So anyone who has believed the gospel is not under the law.
The believer in Christ is declared righteous. The righteousness is given in the resurrection of Jesus because this righteousness is a product of his resurrection. Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith”. There is righteousness by:
• The observance of the law
• And also, righteousness by faith in Christ.
The righteousness, which is by the observance of the ordinances or statutes of the law, is called works (dead works); it is called dead works because it does not stand a chance before God’s righteous That righteousness by works is like a filthy rag, and that righteousness is not God’s righteousness. The righteousness which is of God is by the faith of Christ. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: Acknowledge your status in Christ.
DECLARATION: I have a status called righteousness. I have been made God’s righteousness in Christ Jesus, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
QUOTE: No one is righteous by his own doing, but righteousness is a status imparted into a man by faith in what Christ did on his behalf.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: GALATIANS CHAPTER 3; EVENING: PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 