On Sunday, we talked about the importance of personal righteousness, and how our righteousness answers the question that hangs over the universe… “Is God worthy of being God?”
Romans 10:1–4 (NLT)
Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
Paul was heartbroken over his people trying to be right with God by keeping the obsolete Law. There are actually a thousand ways to be unrighteous… But only one way to actually become righteous. What does Paul cite as the way in that verse above?
Philippians 2:12–13 (NLT)
Shine Brightly for Christ
Philippians 2:12-13 NLT
Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
What is the difference between being declared righteous (justification) and actually becoming righteous in daily life (sanctification)? Why do we need both?
Proverbs 14:12 (NLT)
There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death.
James 1:22–25 (NLT)
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
Is there a difference between being right and being righteous? What is that difference? How can being Biblically right still be sinful?
On Sunday I said the Breastplate of Righteousness was a non-negotiable resource because Satan attacks our heart, our core… He attacks our integrity, honesty, our trust in God. What do those attacks look like in real life? How does he attack you on these levels?
1 Peter 5:8–9 (NLT)
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 9 Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.
Matthew 7:16–20 (NLT)
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.
Fruit is the proof… If someone looked at your last 30 days, what fruit would they see? What fruit do you want them to see?
Why does God call Christians to confess sin if forgiveness is already available in Christ? How does confession help close the “gap” in our relationship with God?
Think about the thief on the cross. Jesus promises paradise to someone who has no time to “clean up” their life. What does that teach us about being counted righteous through Jesus? Then, what changes do you think would have shown up if that person had lived longer?
Ephesians 2:8–10 (NLT)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Where do you confuse sanctification with earning God’s love? What does it look like to cooperate with the Holy Spirit without trying to “pay God back”?
Daily practiceThe message says this is daily: “not once… daily… every day.” What is one simple daily habit you can start this week to help you walk in righteousness? What is one habit you need to cut off?