WORDS OF OUR SALVATION [PART 7]: PASTOR MENSA OTABIL – OCTOBER COMMUNION SERVICE, SUNDAY OCTOBER 31ST, 2021
SPECIAL SUNDAY SERVICE BY DR. MENSAH OTABIL (GENERAL OVERSEER INTERNATIONAL CENTRAL GOSPEL CHURCH (ICGC) CHRIST TEMPLE, ACCRA GHANA)
TOPIC: WORDS OF OUR SALVATION – PART 7.
DATE: 31ST OCTOBER, 2021
TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 3:9; ROMANS 10:1-3
Amen and Amen! Let’s keep Standing, as we make our DECLARATION OF FRUITFULNESS in this Year of Fruitfulness:
Are you ready? Well say with me:
The Eternal God is our Refuge. He opens Rivers in desolate Heights.The Lord makes the wilderness a Pool of water.
The LORD God is my Sun and Shield; The LORD gives Grace and Glory.
Therefore, I delight myself in Him. Those who are Planted in the House of the LORD shall be Fresh and Flourishing.
Though the Earth be shaken; the Name of the Lord is my Strong Tower. By Faith I affirm that: In Christ alone is my Salvation. In Him I live, and move and have my Being.
It is written: The Righteous are like trees Planted by the waters; bearing Fruits in its Season.
So I boldly declare: As for me, my God has made me Exceedingly Fruitful.
In this Season, my Spirit bears Fruits of Righteousness, my Talents make Way for me. With my hands, I will Plant, I will Build, I will Harvest – Day by Day, Step by Step.
In Jesus’ Name – Amen!
I am continuing with our Series on: “WORDS OF OUR SALVATION.” And this is PART 7 – And I am dealing with the Sub-title: “RIGHTEOUSNESS”.
In Part 1 (if you remember) we considered the Term BORN AGAIN; then we looked at REDEMPTION, NEW CREATION, JUSTIFICATION, SANCTFICATION. Last Month we looked at ATONEMENT.
DMC NOTES: We can get to access the Full Text of each of the 6 Previous Series on this Link:
- BORN AGAIN
- REDEMPTION
- NEW CREATION
- JUSTIFICATION
- SANCTIFICATION
- ATONEMENT
… And today we are look at RIGHTEOUSNESS.
These are very important Topics relating to our Salvation. And it is important as Christians for us to be very grounded in our Faith.
That we do not just believe God for Breakthroughs and Miracles but we know the Foundation on which God Ministers to us and blesses us.
And RIGHTEOUSNESS is one of those.
Let’s start with the question: WHAT IS RIGHTEOUSNESS? What does it mean?
It means many things; but I am just going to use two (2) different definitions to explain what Righteousness means:
- It means: To be examined by God and found to be right or found to be in order.
When we say that a Person is Righteous, it means that he has met God’s Standard – God has examined that Person and Pronounced him right or in order.
So Righteousness is very important – It is similar to what happened in the Old Testament.
In the Old Testament, when a Sacrifice was to be made, the animal would be Presented to the Priest. And the Priest had to examine the animal because God had specifications for animals that were brought for Sacrifice – The Age, the size, how it looked.
The Priest would start checking from the head; if it didn’t have to have a spot, he has to look everywhere, and ensure that there is no spot. If it had to be in a certain shape, the Priest would then examined every Part of the animal.
And if he didn’t find any blemish, he would say: “This animal is fit to be sacrificed.”
In other words, it has met the Standard.
And that is what Righteousness is – God examines us and then He says: You are Good! You have met the Standard.
That is the first Definition of Righteousness.
And it makes Righteousness both Spiritual and Legal – It meets a certain Standard.
- Secondly, Righteousness means to be in a Right Relationship with God.
That means that Righteousness allows us to Stand before God without Him condemning us or without we condemning ourselves.
When we Stand before God in Righteousness, He does not condemn us and we don’t condemn ourselves.
You find that many times in the Old Testament, People were afraid of the Presence of God because they were ‘UNFIT.’
Without Righteousness, when we Stand before the Lord, we Stand in fear, and we Stand in shame – Just like Adam and Eve, when they had sinned. They were hiding from the Presence of the Lord and were hiding from God.
*Because without Righteousness, the Presence of God becomes Terrifying, the Presence of God becomes a Fearful Place.
But when we are Righteous, we come before God without fear.
These are just two (2) Definitions of Righteousness – They don’t cover the whole breadth of Righteousness but it keeps you sufficient.
Righteousness means that God examines us and Passes us or that we have Right Standing before God.
Righteousness is very high!
And ordinarily, none of us would be examined before God and God would Pass us because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.
When God starts examining you, He examines your thoughts, your intentions, things you have done, things you haven’t done, things you should have done, things you shouldn’t have done, Omission, Commission.
What He is looking for is so much! That somewhere He would find fault with you.
So, Righteousness is a Standard that is very difficult to attend to – Almost impossible to attend to by ourselves but that is the Standard.
This is God’s level, and He examines us by His Standards. And in our own right, we cannot fulfill Righteousness.
… That leads me to my Second important Point that:
THERE ARE TWO (2) KINDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IN THE BIBLE.
Especially in the New Testament – Two (2) Kinds of Righteousness.
And I will explain them very soon.
But let’s read two (2) Verses that will help us to see these two (2) ways of Attaining to Righteousness.
The first one is in Philippians 3:9; and if you know anything about Philippians Chapter 3, the Apostle Paul talks about all his credentials and said that they amounted to nothing.
And then the Second one is in Romans 10:1-3.
Philippians 3:9 –
And be found in Him, not having my own Righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through Faith in Christ, the Righteousness which is from God by faith;
Note these Phrases – ‘my Own Righteousness’ and ‘Righteousness which is from God.’
Romans 10:1-3:
1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and Prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.
2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s Righteousness, and seeking to establish their own Righteousness, have not submitted to the Righteousness of God.
Once again, Note these Phrases – ‘God’s Righteousness’ and ‘their own Righteousness’.
So if you look at the above Passages, there are Two (2) Kinds of Righteousness that Apostle Paul talks about.
- The first kind of Righteousness that he talks about – OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS’.
It is a Relationship with God based on our own Good Works.
We know that God’s Standard of Righteousness is so high. And we say well, we are going to meet God’s Standard. And we are going to do it by trying our Possible best – By doing our best.
And so our own Righteousness is when we want to relate with God based on our Own Good works. And so, Paul says to some of the early Believers, that they will still try to establish their Own Righteousness’.
And the reason why People want to establish their own Righteousness is because they want to have a Righteousness and brag about it. And say, look at me, I am this, I am that. I have done this, and I have fulfilled God’s Standard. God’s Standard is High, but I have met it.
…. So, it is a Righteousness that is based on our own efforts.
And Paul calls those who are seeking their own Righteousness, as ‘Pursuing with the Zeal without knowledge.’
They are Zealous about it, they are eager to be Good People; but they are Ignorant People.
Trying to establish your own Righteousness, is a Sign of Spiritual Ignorance – It is Zeal without knowledge.
Zeal without knowledge is a fervent desire amongst the Jews, to obey the Law.
That is the kind of Jew that Paul was until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus – He had zeal to do the right thing but he was not knowledgeable.
Paul says, that lack of Knowledge is that – We are ignorant if God’s Righteousness (which I will talk about pretty soon).
But this is how Paul identified himself in Philippians 4:5-7.
He says: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the Tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, Persecuting the Church; concerning the Righteousness which is in the Law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
Our own Righteousness, no matter how hard we try; no matter how blameless we live our lives – You know there are People who go through Life saying: “As for me I don’t want to hate anybody; I don’t want to offend anybody; I want to live a Perfect Life.”
It’s great to desire to have Zeal to be a Perfect Person but the Bible calls it ‘Zeal without knowledge”. Ignorant, Zealous Christians – You are Zealous, you are doing your best but it is Ignorant.
Why is it Ignorant?
Because God has offered a way for us to the Righteous. And that is the Second kind of Righteousness the Bible talks about:
2.. GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS.
A Relationship with God, based on Faith in Christ Jesus.
This Righteousness does not come from us, it comes from God. He gives it to us, not because we have tried so hard; but because He has done everything for us.
… So we have our own Righteousness and God’s own Righteousness.
Our own Righteousness is our efforts to Please God. God’s own Righteousness is God’s Grace reaching to us and we receive it as a Gift from God.
The Righteousness of God is not Earned; it is Received – He initiates the Process, He offers it to us and all we do is receive it by Faith.
That is why in the New Testament, Righteousness is not an Accomplishment; Righteousness is a Gift. It is not a Reward – IT’S A GIFT.
Salvation makes us Righteousness but Righteousness doesn’t mean that all of a sudden you become a Perfect Person (which you know you are not).
That Righteousness is not Based on you; it is based on God and what Jesus Christ did for us.
That Foundation must be drummed in our head because if we don’t do that, we have Zeal for God, but without Knowledge.
Sometimes when you hear Christians talk about who is Acceptable to God and who is not Acceptable to God; they judge it based on so many things:
You know, many times they hit the Women – “Look at.the hair style. Did you see her finger nails? Do you think with these finger nails you will go to Heaven? Look at your face, you have Painted your face colours, you will not go to Heaven.”
It is Zeal, but without knowledge. Because we don’t go to Heaven based on our hairstyle or.finger Paint.
We go to Heaven only on one basis alone – The Grace of God! What Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the Cross of Calvary. And we have received this, freely given to us! And that is what makes us Righteous.
When Preachers Preach and are hitting hard on People’s behaviour. And the People say: ‘Hit it again!’ And we hit at People – You are this, you are that; you have done this and that. And look at your dress, hair, nails, and look at that! Do you think God will love you?
You may say that is not modest; you may say that it is inappropriate; you may say that it is not a Good example but you can never use that as the basis of Righteousness.
That is what we call Zeal without Knowledge – And there is a lot of Zealous Preaching that goes on without knowledge because it does not acknowledge what Christ did for us.
HOW DOES CHRIST MAKE US RIGHTEOUS?
- The first way He makes us Righteous is through SUBSTITUTION.
Substitution is a very Big Theological word.
And Substitution is captured in 2 Corinthians 5:21 – It says: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the Righteousness of God in Him.
It is called Substitution.
Why do we say substitution?
It is because Christ took our sin upon Himself – He did not commit sin, He did not become a sinner. But He took our sin upon Himself.
Another Theological word is that, our sin was Imputed to Him, Accounted to Him – He did not commit it, but it was added to His Account.
It is like somebody who did not borrow the money, but the money has been added to his Account.
Jesus committed no sin, Jesus did not become a sinner. Jesus did not become Sinful but our sin was Imputed on Him – Not His own sin.
So the Bible says, He who knew no sin became sin for us.
Why? – So that we can take on His Righteousness.
Christ took our sin upon Himself, and we took on Christ’s Righteousness.
Did He commit sin to take our sin? – No!
In the same way we don’t commit Righteousness to be made Righteous.
“He who knew no sin became sin; so that those who knew no Righteousness can become Righteous.”
It is a Divine Exchange! -He took our filthy Garment and wore it for us; and took His Righteous Garment and put it on us.
So when you are going with that Garment of Righteousness, it is not your own; it is a Gift given to you by Christ.
That is why the Bible says “… Lest any Man should boast.” – that I am Righteous, I am Self-Discipline. I am Righteous because I come from a Good family.
It is Good to be Self-Discipline and come from a Good home but your Righteousness has nothing to do with your home or your Upbringing;
It all has to do with Christ Jesus putting His Garment on us – It is called Substitution.
He Substituted us! – He stood in our Place, with our sin upon Him. And we stood in His Place, with His Righteousness upon us.
On the Cross, there was an Exchange – The sinful Received the Gift of Righteousness and the Righteous bore the sin of the sinful. And in that, Christ became the Giver of Righteousness.
Any Righteousness that does not exalt Christ, is Zeal without Knowledge.
You know, our ears like certain kind of Preaching – We like Condemetary Preaching. We like a Preacher who Stands on the Pulpit and condemns everybody! And talks about all kinds of things – We love it.
But that’s is Zeal without knowledge. Because the Righteousness of God is not a Product of Zeal without Knowledge.
The Righteousness of God comes through the Substitution of Christ – He became sin so we would become Righteous!
- The Second way that Christ makes us Righteous is through SACRIFICE.
Hebrews 10:19-20 – Therefore, Brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, by a New and Living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.
Let me just give you a little background to this Passage – You see, under the Old Testament, God dwelt in the Holy of Holies.
The Ark of the Covenant was in the Holy of Holies. And on top of the Ark was something called the Mercy Seat. And on top of the Mercy Seat was what was called the Shekinah – The Glory of God (in the Holy of Holies).
Between the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy of Holies, and the Second Chamber that is called the Holy Place; is a VEIL. And that Veil Prevented People from going into the Presence of God.
So the Israelites knew, God lives in a Place we can’t get to. It doesn’t mean God was in the Holy of Holies; it’s just to remind them ‘you can’t approach Him – There is a curtain between you and God, there is a division.
But Hebrews 10:19-20 is saying is that: Jesus Christ Penetrated that curtain.
How did He do it? – By Offering His Body. His Body then was like the Veil, the curtain.
When His Body was crucified, beaten, the curtain was opened! And on the day that He died, it was Symbolised by the curtain in the Temple opening – Although the Temple at that time did not have the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.
It Symbolized that the Body of Jesus had open a way for us!
When Jesus died, not only did He take our sin to God; but He opened the way for us; so that we can Stand before God without any form of shame and condemnation.
We can be the Righteousness of God, in Christ Jesus – We come, not in our own name, but in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Through Sacrifice, Jesus did it for us – The Blood of Jesus gives us right Standing with God.
We have a Relationship of boldness with God – No fear, no inferiority complex, we are not worms and maggots before God; we are sons and daughters of God. We are His and He is ours.
When God looks at us, He sees us in Christ. That is the only reason why He receives us.
The Sacrifice of God, the Sacrifice of His Body, the Sacrifice of His Blood, opened a New Way to God.
This is how we become Righteous!
ALTAR CALL.
If you are here or reading this Message now on the Label of DMC and you don’t know Christ, do so today!
For your information, death does not take everybody to the same destination. And it Possible for your loved ones to go to hell.
If God is receiving our ‘Goodness’ Nobody would qualify because Isaiah 64:6 says: ‘All our Righteousness is like filthy rag.’
… Your best effort is like rag before God.
The best efforts of any Good Person – Whether from Mother Theresa to whoever, is filthy rags!
So if you think your Parents, your Siblings, yourself, had audience with God because you are such a Good Man; you are Zealous without Knowledge.
The way to Salvation is through the Gift of Righteousness – which Christ gives.
If you have not accepted the Free Gift of Salvation and Righteousness in Christ, do so today, wherever you are now or reading this Message on the Label of DMC.
Just lift up your right hand wherever you are and put it upon your chest. Even as you say this Prayer with me:
Heavenly Father, I come to you today just as I am. I am a sinner, I cannot save myself. But I Thank You Father that Jesus died for me on the Cross of Calvary. He took my Place, He took my sin.
So today, I receive His Righteousness, I receive His Gift of Salvation. Because of Jesus, I wear today a Garment of Righteousness – Clothe me Heavenly Father, with your Righteousness, make me Acceptable before You.
I Thank You Father, for accepting me today. In Jesus’ Name – AMEN.
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