Page 45 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011
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If we are going to properly understand the Christian’s call to “hunger and thirst after righteousness” as
       a desirable Christian virtue ( a beatitude) , then we must make a clear distinction between:

THE TWO TYPES OF                                                RIGHTEOUSNESS

RIGHTEOUSNESS                 RIGHTEOUSNESS

   AS                          AS
    A                           A

             “…THOSE WHO          There are many places in            “…DO NOT PRESENT YOUR
    RECEIVE ABUNDANCE OF          God’s Word that speak of         MEMBERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF

            GRACE AND OF               these two types of            UNRIGHTEOUSNESS TO SIN,
                                  righteousness. However,             BUT…AS INSTRUMENTS OF
            THE GIFT OF          there is none greater than
         RIGHTEOUSNESS            this comparison in Paul’s        RIGHTEOUSNESS TO GOD…

WILL REIGN IN LIFE THROUGH          epistle to the Romans.                      HAVING BEEN
            THE ONE, JESUS          Romans Chapter Five                    SET FREE FROM SIN,
                                 speaks of righteousness as
CHRIST…THROUGH ONE MAN’S         an initial GIFT and the very           YOU BECAME SLAVES
            RIGHTEOUS ACT                                              OF RIGHTEOUSNESS…
                                      next Chapter (Six)
      THE FREE GIFT CAME         describes righteousness in     SO NOW PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS
            TO ALL MEN,           the life of the Christian as
                                                                AS SLAVES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
 RESULTING IN JUSTIFICATION           an ongoing FRUIT.                     FOR HOLINESS.
                 OF LIFE…
                 SO GRACE        As an initial saving GIFT       FOR WHEN YOU WERE SLAVES OF
                                of God’s grace, via the new      SIN, YOU WERE FREE IN REGARD
     MIGHT REIGN THROUGH
            RIGHTEOUSNESS          birth, Jesus makes the                  TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.
                              exchange of His righteousness          WHAT FRUIT DID YOU HAVE
  TO ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH                                         THEN…? BUT NOW…YOU HAVE
   JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.”            for our sinfulness.           YOUR FRUIT TO HOLINESS…”
                               However, afterwards, Jesus
               Rom. 5:17-21    becomes the fruit-producing                  Rom. 6:13-22 excerpts
                               vine in our lives, and we are
             “FOR HE MADE                                                   “…THAT YOU MAY
     HIM WHO KNEW NO SIN              to be the ongoing                   APPROVE THE THINGS
                                   fruit-bearing branches:               THAT ARE EXCELLENT…
          TO BE SIN FOR US,
                                    “BY THIS IS MY FATHER                BEING FILLED WITH
  THAT WE MIGHT BECOME           GLORIFIED THAT YOU BEAR                        THE FRUITS
      THE RIGHTEOUSNESS          MUCH FRUIT; AND SO YOU
                OF GOD          WILL BE MY DISCIPLES…YOU                 OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

                  IN HIM.”          SHOULD GO AND BEAR           WHICH ARE BY JESUS CHRIST, TO
                 2 Cor. 5:21        FRUIT, AND THAT YOUR        THE PRAISE AND GLORY OF GOD.”
                                  FRUIT SHOULD REMAIN…”
                                                                                      Phil. 1:10-11
                                         Jn. 15:5-16 excerpts
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