GRACE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
📖 “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).
God gives us grace according to His purpose for our lives. His grace works from within you to accomplish what He has designed or called you to do. That grace will influence and bless those who are connected to you according to God’s plan.
But if someone isn’t called to be within the influence of that grace, they may not be blessed by it, because they are not assigned to that calling. However, righteousness is not like grace. We all have the same righteousness because our righteousness is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We’ve been made righteous by His righteousness.
None of us stands before God on the basis of personal righteousness. None of us is accepted by God because of our own efforts. Whether you were born again five minutes ago, or ten years ago, or fifty years ago, the righteousness we all have is the same. You will never be more righteous than you are today, because you have received the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. You can’t improve it.
Romans 5:17 makes this clear. It says, “…they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness….” There’s only one gift of righteousness, and it’s a well-deserved gift for all humanity, following the vicarious sacrifice of the Lord Jesus in our behalf. It’s not earned but received, and it doesn’t grow or increase.
Grace, on the other hand, can increase or be multiplied: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord”(2 Peter 1:2). God gives more grace, as James 4:6 says, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” But righteousness is the same for every Christian, being the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!
PRAYER
Dear Father, I thank you for your grace that you’ve granted me for my calling, and for the gift of righteousness by which I stand before you, justified and reign in life through Jesus Christ. I’m conscious of your grace at work in me, and I’m secure in the righteousness of Christ. I live boldly and purposefully, fulfilling your will, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
If you’re blessed by this devotional, believing every word you heard by faith in your heart, and would love to make Jesus the lord of your life, then speak the confessions below out loud, and mean them with your heart:
“O Lord God, I believe with all my heart in Jesus Christ, Son of the living God. I believe He died for me and God raised Him from the dead. I believe He’s alive today. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is the Lord of my life from this day. Through Him and in His Name, I have eternal life; I’m born again. Thank you Lord, for saving my soul! I’m now a child of God. Hallelujah!”
If you just prayed the prayer of salvation, we have a gift for you. First, kindly click this link so we can connect with you and help you grow in Christ.
Then click here to get your gift. Thank you, and God bless you.
Message by Rev. Chris Oyakhilome Dsc. Dsc. DD.
FURTHER STUDY:
2 Corinthians 9:8 || “And God [is] able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all [things,] may abound to every good work.” ||
John 1:16 || “And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.” ||
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:” ||
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.” ||
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING:
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
John 3:22-36 & 2 Samuel 23-24
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN:
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 & Proverbs 3
