Proverbs 12:28
In the way of righteousness is life, And in its pathway there is no death.
When a person accepts Jesus as their savior they receive the free gift of righteousness. This gift of righteousness is not something that they earned; on the contrary it is the righteousness of Jesus that He earned without sinning, even though he had the same temptations as everyone. (Hebrews 2:18, Hebrews 4:15) The gift of righteousness of Jesus is more than just a gift to boost our right standing with God. When a person receives the gift of righteousness they are given the tool that helps them reign in life. The more they hunger and thirst for righteousness the more they find they reign in life. (Romans 5:17)
Why We Hunger and Thirst for the Gift of Righteousness
Jesus was God’s Word in action. (John 1) The Word of God required someone to step up to the plate and reverse the curse by redemption. God had spoken promising a savior and messiah and Jesus was God’s Word in action to fulfill this promise. Jesus was known as the second man Adam and He reversed the results of the curse the first man Adam caused to come upon the world. The reverse procedure was done by His righteousness since the first man Adam failed with his righteousness. Jesus deserved all the promises in God’s Word because He kept Gods Word to the fullest extent. By His righteous actions He deserves all the blessings that were promised through the Word of God. Why do we receive all of these blessings through His righteousness? Because as Christ is so are we. God sees us just Like Him… It’s His Righteousness, now ours. (1 John 4:17)
Blessings We Receive by His Gift of Righteousness
When a Christian understands what the gift of righteousness can bring them, they begin to hunger and thirst for this gift of righteousness to reign in life. By understanding that the righteousness of Jesus given to them is more than just a title of right standing, they can begin to understand the great exchange that takes place because of the gift of righteousness of Jesus. First their sins are exchanged for His righteousness and most people stop there thinking that is all there is to being a Christian. This lack of understanding is what caused the hunger and thirst attraction for seeking Jesus’ righteousness to subside. What if a person needs wisdom? They can do an exchange of their lack of wisdom for God’s wisdom by qualifying with the gift of righteousness. What if a person needs healing? They can do an exchange for their lack of health by qualifying for wholeness with the gift of righteousness. To reign in life over every need, every desire, every sin and every danger we must rest in the promises that are in God’s Word that Jesus qualified for by His righteousness. To try to qualify for these promises using our will power and energies is futile. But by realizing we are qualified outside of our own actions by the free gift of righteousness makes us a winner reigning in life by Jesus Christ.
Beloved speak about, seek after, hunger and thirst first for both the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) Find out about the grace of God and what His will is for your life. Because of Jesus, everything you need is already yours. The gift of Righteousness has been given to you by grace and all you need to do is grow in your understanding of how all things are yours to receive.
