The Fruits of Righteousness

STUDY: #870-CHURCH IN THE HOUSES FROM: SEPTEMBER 15 @ 21, 2015

Topic: "The Fruits of Righteousness" Romans 14:17

JUSTICE is a moral principle that leads to acting, and judging according to the truth; giving everyone what corresponds. Human justice depends on the values of a society, and the beliefs of each person. Each person acts according to what they have within. Pure, and excellent justice belongs to God; the righteousness which is according to the truth of the Lord. Verse 17 tells us that the kingdom of God is not meat nor drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. That is, those that belong to the kingdom should characterize themselves for living their lives in PRACTICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS; a continued willingness towards PEACE AND HARMONY, and having a mentality of JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. The KINGDOM OF GOD is within the person who acknowledges God as the Supreme Ruler; which is why we succumb to Him. Within the kingdom of God you do not live according to your desires, much less according to your thoughts because as humans we live far from justice; for we are too caught up in a sea of emotions. The kingdom of God of which Paul refers to is for those who have been born again. Hosea 10:12 reads "Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and SHOWERS HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ON YOU.” We must sow good to reap well. To reap love and mercy, we must sow justice (moral rectitude). We must sow in righteousness to collect love. We must constantly live sowing in righteousness. We cannot live adrift like a ship; being led by our ambitions, what we believe in, and according to what is in our very well organized, and prepared mind. If we truly serve our God; we do not live as we wish. We cannot expect the good fruits of religion if religious discipline is not applied; if old habits aren’t broken (which are very entrenched), and if the heart and character are not thoroughly formed. Hosea said: "... break up your unplowed ground…" In reality the unplowed ground (a field crop that remains unseeded one or more years for it to regenerate) must give way to a new life. It is necessary to walk in a new life to bear the fruit of justice. Matthew 5:20 "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven." To gain entry into the kingdom you must walk in righteousness. Our righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees. They were content to perform their religious ceremonies; acts that made them take pride in an external and ritualistic purity, but never moved their hearts. The only righteousness that God accepts is the perfection that He imputes (grants, credits) to those who accept His Son as their Savior. Ephesians 6:14 "... wearing the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS." Every believer is re-clothed with the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." Christ was made sin for us! Our sins were placed upon Him, but they were not within Him. What happened was that God made of Him an offering for our sin. When we believe, and trust in Christ as an offering for our sin we are considered righteous by God. The demands of the law have been fully satisfied by Christ, our Substitute. God made of Him an offering for our sin. God, the Father, did this out of love for us, whom did not know of justice; so that we may become the righteousness of God in His Son, Jesus Christ. No mortal tongue could ever thank

God sufficiently for such a great, and extraordinary grace! Since the believer is re-clothed in God's righteousness; the believer must also show integrity, and honesty in their personal life. Philippians 1:11. "... filled with the FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God." The last petition in Paul’s prayer, the apostle, is that Christians be filled with the fruits of righteousness; the fruits that justice produces, all the Christian virtues that constitute a righteous life. The source of these virtues is Jesus Christ, and its goal is the glory, and praise of God. Paul’s request is exactly parallel with the words of Isaiah 61:3 "They will be called oaks of righteousness, (filled with the fruits of righteousness) a planting of the Lord (which are by way of Jesus Christ) for the display of His splendor, (for the glory and praise of God)." Christ expects us to be filled with the fruits of justice; that we may each live in righteousness always as the Lord Jesus Christ wants. Amen.