And throughout the chapter Paul is emphasizing us towards unity and togetherness and also to move forward in our own faith.
! And he reminds us at the end to be renewed in the spirit of your minds and to be on the new self created after the likeness of God and through righteousness and holiness.
And that word righteousness is what I really want to focus on this evening.
Perhaps it's best summed up for us in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 21 where we have that great transaction.
For our sake he made, that's God made him, made Christ to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
I read the portion in John 17 at the beginning for a purpose.
I believe it undergirds what I'd like to share with you tonight.
And what it emphasizes is the love and mercy, compassion and security that all of us who are in Christ are blessed with.
We are safe and we are protected and guarded and kept by our Lord because we are precious.
We're precious in God's sight.
And we are a gift from the Father to the Son.
As we read there in verse 6 of John 17,
Jesus Christ is praying for us continually and interceding for us every moment of our lives.
I'm praying for them, we're told in verse 9 of that chapter.
I'm not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.
And we're also told that Jesus is glorified in us, in all his beloved people.
We're told in verse 10,
All mine are yours and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.
And that's quite a lot to begin, even that short three verses that I read there.
It's a lot for us to begin.
And perhaps we don't think of these things enough.
Especially when we consider the sin that's always about us.
The sins that we commit, and yes, the sin that we just cannot shake off while we're in this life.
And for a short while this evening, I'd like us to consider something that is deeply biblical,
and I believe incredibly liberating for all of us, and it's this.
And we're not sinners trying to become righteous.
We are the righteousness of God in Christ.
And this is a key concept of our faith.
And I believe we really need to focus on that much more.
Because until that settles properly into our hearts,
peace in our daily struggles will always feel just out of reach.
We are made righteous in God's eyes,
not through our own works, because that's impossible.
We just cannot do that.
But it's through faith in Jesus Christ.
So from that we understand that it's relation-based.
It's because of a relationship with Jesus Christ.
And it couldn't be any other way.
And it's very true that many believers continue to call themselves sinners.
And that's primarily because they are honest about their struggles.
And now that's not a bad thing,
because we certainly don't want to minimize grace or pretend that we never fail.
So that's totally understandable.
But the problem here is not humility.
The problem is identity.
When we repeatedly name ourselves by what Jesus has already dealt with,
we actually quietly place ourselves back under a burden that he carried for us.
We're much too prone to be looking inwards instead of looking upwards.
And I believe it's true as islanders,
for a lot of people on this island,
we have a tendency to look upon the negative
instead of resting in and enjoying the positive aspects of our lives.
Let me give you a couple of examples.
Perhaps one of them you'll know very well.
The weather.
And is it not true that
whenever we may be enjoying a good spell of weather,
we might say to someone something like,
isn't this just a glorious spell of weather?
It's so warm,
and we've been getting the sun for so long now.
And yet, so often, the answer comes from people,
ah, yes, but I'm sure the rain isn't far away.
That's very true, isn't it?
It tends to be the way we look at things.
And even when it comes to our faith,
we're not exempt from these negative aspects.
I've often been in conversation with other Christians
and perhaps said something like,
isn't it just amazing that here we are,
the two of us,
and the two of us are saved now.
And too often I get the reply,
I hope I am.
Well, I don't understand that.
I hope I am.
And I don't believe it's God honouring either.
But yet, at the end of the day,
that's us, isn't it?
That's just the way we are.
Perhaps not just here in Lewis,
but certainly a West Coast thing anyway.
But I'd like to focus on this word righteous.
And as I briefly looked at 2 Corinthians 5,
we're told he was made sin
so that we might be made righteous.
He was condemned so that we might be justified.
And his death was in place of our spiritual death.
And this means that just as God imputed our sin,
just as the Father imputed our sin and guilt to Christ,
He made Him to be sin,
so the Father also imputes the righteousness of Christ
to all who believe in Him.
Not only does the believer receive
a right standing before God
on the basis of his or her faith in Jesus,
but Paul tells us that in Christ,
the believer actually shares
in the righteousness
that characterises God himself.
God regards or counts believers as forgiven
and God declares and treats them as forgiven.
because God the Father has imputed,
or perhaps another word is attributed,
God has attributed the believer's sin to Christ.
And because God the Father
likewise imputes Christ's righteousness
to the believer.
God the Father has not been able to do
for the believer.
with that,
and with that thinking,
I tend to think that we take the first part of that verse
and keep it in our minds that,
and of course it's not wrong,
because Jesus was made to be sin for us,
but also the fact that,
that we are now made righteous
in the sight of God
is so important
and perhaps something
that we don't think of
as often as perhaps we ought to.
Every believer
is a reflection
of God's own image in Christ.
and that is,
that's the express image
of his person.
God sees
a reflection
of himself
in every believer
in Christ
and through Christ.
And we need to really
grasp hold of that.
And that is that
every time God looks at us
individually
as believers,
he sees a reflection
of himself
in us
in Christ.
And we have a special place
in the heart of God.
This is a perfect
God-given righteousness.
And it is that
and that alone
that enables
every believer
to go into the presence
of a holy God
because we are made righteous,
our sins are forgiven,
we are made righteous
in Christ
and we are now enabled
to go into the presence
of a holy God.
And so we need to be
very clear
and Paul writes plainly,
you know,
scripture doesn't define
believers
by what they once were.
And notice the exchange
that goes on here,
this great transaction,
Jesus did not merely
forgive sin,
he became sin
for us.
And we did not merely
get a clean slate
as it were
because of that.
we also became righteous,
we were made righteous
immediately
in the sight of God.
And this is not
poetic language,
this is covenant truth.
Because yes,
you and I,
we still stumble,
we stumble in the flesh
and yet growth
is ongoing.
But it's not about
our failures
in this life.
we're always going
to fall in some way
in our lives
as Christians.
We're always going
to stumble.
But it's about
repenting
of that sin
which we are now
led to do
as believers,
led by the Spirit
to do.
It's about repenting
and it's about
picking ourselves
up again
and it's about
looking to Jesus
and it's like
shaking the dust
off us
looking to the
empty cross now,
looking to our
resurrected Lord
and moving on.
Because we have
to keep going
on this walk
or this race
as Scripture
often puts us
to run
this race.
I mentioned
the word identity
and this is what
it's all about
being
a child of God
and a reflection
of God's image
and the righteousness
of Christ.
Our identity
is not built
on our washed moments
but it's built
on Christ's
finished work.
And
in 1 Corinthians
chapter 6
and verse 11
that tells us
you were washed,
you were sanctified,
you were justified
in the name
of the Lord Jesus.
But notice
that is all
past tense.
you were washed,
you were sanctified,
you were justified.
Something
that has
already
been done
for us.
And living
with the mindset
of
I'm just
a sinner
that can
very easily
trap us
in cycles
of shame
and
in cycles
of fear
and self-focus
particularly
because
what that does
is it very subtly
teaches us
to look inwards
instead of upwards.
But the gospel
calls us
to a different
posture
and
Colossians
chapter 2
and verse 10
reminds us
of these words
and you
have been
filled
in him.
We're not
lacking
righteousness.
We're not
missing
something
essential.
We are
filled
in Christ.
So much
to think
about
with these
words.
this truth
is not
meant to
produce
pride in us.
It produces
rest.
And when we
truly
understand
that we
are righteous
in Christ
then
our obedience
it stops
being driven
by fear
and it
really does
start flowing
from love.
And we
start living
from the
security
of it
because we
know
that we
are safe
in Christ.
The word
tells us
so.
And just
as John
reminds us
in his epistle
in 1 John
chapter 4
and verse 13
he says
by this
we know
that we
abide in
him
and he
in us
because he
has given
us
of his
spirit.
God's
own
spirit
dwelling
within us
and leading
and guiding
us
each step
of our way
in this
world.
And God's
presence in
us
is certainly
not based
on our
performance
it's based
on his
promise.
And that's
a promise
that can
never ever
be broken.
And it's
just as
Calumura
spoke of
last Sunday
in his
sermon
that we
have been
given an
inexpressible
gift
from God
himself.
a gift
that is
full of
joy
that joy
that we're
told that
in and of
itself is
inexpressible
and full
of glory.
And
just as
with the
gift of
God's
love
that is
now shed
abroad
in our
hearts
and we
now also
experience
the peace
of God
that our
scripture
says
passes
all
understanding
and yet
it is so
deep within
us
and so
foundational
with regard
to our
faith
in Christ.
Progress
happens
when
our
perspective
with regard
to our
faith
shifts
from
I'm
constantly
falling
short
and I'm
sure
so many
of us
are guilty
in saying
that and
I'm no
different
but it
needs to
shift to
I am
learning
to live
out
who I
already
am
in
Christ
and we
learn that
as we
grow and
grace
through
what
the
Thessalonians
call the
sanctification
process
because
growth
does not
come from
shame
it comes
from
truth
and the
truth is
that
Jesus
did not
save
sinners
and just
leave them
that way
he made
every one
of us
sons and
daughters
clothed
in his
righteousness
so when
we fall
we don't
say
this proves
I am a
sinner
we see
this does
not align
with who
I am
in Christ
and that
is a huge
difference
in these
words
one keeps
us stuck
exactly
where we
are
and the
other
invites
continued
transformation
in our
lives
we read
there in
Ephesians
chapter 4
in verse
24 it
tells us
put on
the new
self
created
after the
likeness
of God
and through
righteousness
and holiness
and we're
not creating
something new
we are
putting on
we're not
sinners
sorry
we are
putting on
what already
belongs to
us
it's been
gifted to
us
and
this is
our truth
that really
ought to
bring
peace to
our hearts
tonight
and we
need to
understand
this
that
God
is not
disappointed
in us
he's not
surprised
by your
weakness
he's not
withholding
love
until we
get it
right
that's
not the
way
God
is for
us
until we
start getting
everything
together
but the
way God
sees us
as righteous
and accepted
and secure
we're not
sinners
trying to reach
God
but we are
the righteousness
of God
and Christ
learning
to walk
in grace
or by grace
day by day
and surely
that for ourselves
ought to be
a great comfort
a great encouragement
to our souls
that our Lord is with us
every single step
walking with us
in our walk
day by day
I read something
quite recently
and it's
it's the words
of a song
that has been
feeling right
and I just want
to just
read a
very small part
of it for you
it says
do you know
what God
did for me
he broke
my chains
and set me
free
he pulled
my heart
from misery
mercy
found me
right there
on my knees
he washed
my sins
in Calvary's
stream
gave me life
where death
had been
he took
my shame
he took
my fear
and now
I stand
redeemed
and clean
it's about us
adopting
a really
positive attitude
about our
Christianity
and about our
faith
and to
remember
especially
our identity
which is in
Christ Jesus
we are seen
as being
perfect
righteous
and holy
in Christ
we make
mistakes here
but he is
with us
every step
of the way
building us
up
slowly
but surely
as we go
on in this
life
we may not
see it
we may not
have that
awareness
of it
but he is
building us
up
and he is
making us
more Christ
like
as we go
on in our
lives
until that
day
when we
will be
taken home
to be with
God
and we
will fully
realise
then
and experience
this perfect
righteousness
in every
aspect
of our
being
throughout the
endless ages
of eternity
eternity
until that
day
let's keep
looking upwards
rather than
inwards
let's pray
father we
just thank you
tonight
for all the
blessings
that we
receive from
you
we thank
you for
we thank
you for the
preciousness
of this
life that we
have in
Christ
we thank
you father
for everything
you do for
us day
day by
day
because we
know that
we're not
a servant
of even
the least
of your
mercies
and yet
we just
cannot but
gasp in awe
and wonder
at your love
and your
mercy
and your
long suffering
towards us
help us
truly to
focus on
your word
and help
us truly
to focus
on this
great gift
of righteousness
that you
have bestowed
upon each
one of your
own people
it's hard
for us to
understand
that we
are seen
as being
perfectly
pure and
holy
in your
sight
but we
acknowledge
with
thankfulness
Christ's
finished work
at Calvary
for his
death
and for
his
resurrection
and for
his
ascension
Lord
and we
we pray
to be kept
every single
day
keep us
Lord
day by
day
until
our Lord
surely
comes again
we ask
these things
in Jesus
name and
for his
sake
Amen