Seeking Jesus First - April 26, 2023
John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet and forerunner of Christ Jesus, said this when He saw Jesus, “Behold the lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world.” JOHN 1:29…
THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS! Jesus came to take sin away from the world. The concept of sin removing your ability to relate to God is off the table. There is but one way to relate to God anymore. Faith. Jesus changed everything. The world (age) that existed prior to Jesus no longer exists.
“(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.” (Romans 5:13–14, NKJV)
The world (age) that existed before Christ was an age of sin reigned over by death.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV)
But Jesus became sin on the cross and died. When He rose from the dead, He had conquered sin and death.
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NKJV)
This verse says that our faith in Him puts our old man in the grave with Him and sees us resurrected with Christ into new life. Old things are passed away and all things are new. This next passage goes even farther and says that we have received THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:12–19, NKJV)
We have receive the gift of righteousness! So we will reign in life (have dominion in life) through Him. It doesn’t say that Jesus Christ shall reign through you; it says that you shall reign in life through Him. The age of sin and death has been done away with and we reign in life through the One, Christ Jesus.
Living in the age of Christ Jesus according to the flesh allows you to access the old age of sin and death. According to your faith, be it unto you. But you can live according to the spirit and reign in life through Christ Jesus. The new covenant of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made us free from the old age of sin and death (See Rom. 8:2). It’s a brave new world! Live according to The Spirit!
Because of your faith in Him, You are as righteous as you WILL EVER BE. Because of your faith in Christ, you are as righteous right now as you COULD EVER BE.
- You can grow in faith
- You can grow in the word
- You can grow in grace and knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST (See 2 Pet. 3:8)
But the word doesn’t say you can grow in righteousness.
If you are in right standing with God, you cannot get in better right standing with God. There is no such thing. Nobody else can have any better standing with God. Not even Jesus. Jesus has no more right standing with Our Father than we have because Jesus IS our right standing with God. His standing is our standing.
How do I grow in grace and in the knowledge of our LORD Jesus Christ? I’m glad you asked. Grow in The Word and Grow in Faith.
How do you grow in the word? Read it, Hear it, Say it, Do it, Receive It, Tell it.
How do you grow in faith? Grow in the word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word.
How do you grow in grace? Grow in faith. Grace is accessed by faith. When you grow in faith, you access more of what is available in and through grace. So if you grow in The Word, you will grow in faith and then you will grow in grace.
But the righteousness of God is a gift received by faith in Christ Jesus. We do not stand on our own. We stand in Christ. And this right standing in Christ gives us authority to REIGN IN LIFE.