Are you living a life in His rest? Or are you living under condemnation? If you want to reign as a king in life, then it’s important to get rid of guilt and condemnation. For those who know my writing style, I like to close most of what I write with something like, “now reign in life as a King this week.” I do this because it is God’s desire that you reign in life as a King, and I like to constantly remind you, the reader, of this! (Romans 5:17) The Amplified Bible uses the word “King”; however, the very word “reign” implies King. In Romans 5:17 & 21 the word reign in the Greek is basileuo, which is to rule as a King, to reign. When our minds are set on our redemption realities, and we understand that our redemption is complete and perfect, everything we lost was restored at the cross (including our innocence), then we can reign in life. We are seated in Heavenly places with Christ Jesus. When? Right now! THE Power of God Knowing this (and that it is by His grace), how can you not reign in life? And your business or occupation not be blessed? I believe most Christians live substandard to what has been paid for at the cross. Why is that? Simply put, religion has introduced a form of godliness that denies the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5). Romans 1:17 tells us that the gospel of Christ (finished work) is THE power of God to salvation… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed! The revelation of the righteousness of God in your life is THE power of God, which causes you to REIGN in life! religion has introduced a form of godliness that denies the power of God Being established in this new identity, His righteousness is vital in understanding who you are, and what your redemption has given you! (Isaiah 54:13) This is not who you are trying to become. We have been declared “innocent” by His grace! I know this sounds simple, and it is simple and extremely important to your reigning. Forgiveness of sin is central to the finished work; understanding these simple yet powerful redemptive realities are important to the Christian reigning in life. Romans 5:18 (Mirror Translation): “The conclusion is clear; it took just one offense to condemn mankind; one act of righteousness declares the same mankind innocent.” The controversy surrounding forgiveness is amazing. You know many Christians believe that all sin must be confessed before one can be forgiven. This controversy was started based on one verse of scripture in 1 John 1:9. It makes sense that the enemy would want Christians to always question their forgiveness, for then they will live in perpetual guilt and fear thinking maybe they missed confessing a sin and now have broken fellowship with God. Then they will fear constantly that maybe they missed the will of God. This will hinder their reigning in life; I assure you of that. Self-righteousness This is that form of godliness I spoke of - they look pious and godly, yet there is no power. It is called self-effort or self-righteousness. The Pharisees practiced self-righteousness. Can you find one single account of a miracle done by a Pharisee? They tried to become through their self-efforts what grace had already done. They tried to become through their self-efforts what grace had already done. That’s why Jesus told us that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees’ (Matthew 5:20). The Pharisees’ righteousness was a self-effort, works- based righteousness, trying to “do” to become what God has already made us. Our righteousness in Christ is a free gift by His unmerited favor (grace) - you already are. You don’t have to do anything to become. Are you living under condemnation? A result of condemnation is guilt. Do you feel guilty about anything? Yes, I said anything! If you feel guilty about anything, then that is where your “unrest,” your troubled heart, will come from. If so, then check what you believe, because someone who was made innocent through the cross is not guilty. If you feel guilty about anything, then that is where your “unrest,” your troubled heart, will come from. Guilt and condemnation produces worry, anxiety and fear, and this chokes the Word making it unfruitful. The solution is to hear the gospel of grace, believe it, embrace it, and bear fruit (Mark 4:19-20). Martyn Lloyd Jones said about Romans 8:1 concerning no condemnation, that in the Greek it means, “it is utterly impossible.” Condemnation is utterly impossible in Christ! Jesus took ALL your condemnation upon His body at the cross, thus making it utterly impossible for you to ever be condemned again. Guilt and condemnation go hand in hand. Once you are condemned, then you feel guilty, and that condemnation came as a result of the law. In 2 Corinthians 3:7 & 9 the law is referred to as “the ministry of death” and “the ministry of condemnation.” The ultimate goal of guilt and condemnation in your life is to produce death. Be mindful of your redemption realities: there is therefore, now no condemnation for those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). Colossians 1:12-14 NKJV: “giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His Love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” And Colossians 2:13 NKJV: “And you being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you ALL trespasses.” Enter Into His Rest If He has forgiven you of all trespasses (and He has), then you are NOT guilty. You’re innocent, praise the Lord! You will enter into His rest based on your believing you’re innocent. You will find unrest in your believing you’re guilty. This is your righteousness being revealed, which is THE power of God! What God says about you is far more important than what you think about yourself. You will enter into His rest based on your believing you’re innocent. Unbelief really is believing a lie about yourself. God has declared who you are, what your new identity is in Christ and that is all that matters. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3). Israel believed a lie about themselves (Numbers 13:33) and the result was they did not enter the Promised Land (rest). Colossians 2:9 & 10 Mirror Translation: “Christ reveals that there is no place on the universe where God would rather be; the fullness of Deity physically resides in Him! Jesus proves that human life is tailor-made for God! Jesus mirrors our completeness and endorses our true identity. He is “I am” in us.” The Work of God John 6:28 & 29 NKJV: “Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.” People are always looking for something to do, when Jesus said to believe. Believe what? Believe in Him whom He sent - Jesus and the finished work of the cross. Do you believe that it is truly finished? Or do you believe that there is something you can do to help with the completion? Many Christians do believe there is work to be done to complete their righteousness, or forgiveness, among other things. There is really nothing for you to do but believe; it is all yours by His grace. The Bible is all about JESUS, and JESUS is all about YOU! What an awesome God we serve! Hebrews 10:7, 9-10: “7 Then I said, “Behold, I have come - in the volume of the book it is written of Me - to do Your will, O God…” 9 then He said, “Behold I have come to do your will, O God.” He takes away the first so that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Luke 24:27: “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded (explained) to them in ALL the scripture the things concerning Himself.” Unconditional Love The Bible is all about our beautiful Savior and His finished work; His awesome demonstration of His love! In the Old Testament we see types and shadows of the things to come through Christ at the cross, and in the New, His finished work. Hebrews 10 reveals that the redemption plan was completed by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, and that He took away the first (the law, which was works-righteousness) to establish the second (the gift of righteousness by faith, not works). Friends, this is His unconditional love and undeserved favor. Just think about how much you are loved! We have to recognize that Jesus is always the solution and never the cause of our problems. The Bible is all about JESUS, and JESUS is all about YOU! The Bible is all about JESUS, and JESUS is all about YOU! Yes about YOU! Isn’t that amazing! Everything Jesus did at the cross was done for you. All He requires is that we believe what He has done for us at the cross. Yet many times we still want to go back to trying to earn or merit our righteousness from Him. Galatians tells us that it is to fall from grace if you try to deserve it - then it is no longer undeserved favor. Luke 24:25 describe the main indictment of the church - slow of heart to believe. Sometimes we are very slow to believe everything Jesus did for us at Calvary and just how perfectly redeemed we are. Believe, and receive His abundance of grace and free gift of righteousn
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 09:52:54 +0000
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