Don’t Be Ignorant – about righteousness

Don’t be Ignorant – about righteousness

Don’t be ignorant about righteousness. The Lord warns us not to be “IGNORANT” or at least expresses great concern about being ignorant regarding certain important Biblical truths.  Yet, it is amazing how these are the areas we seem to be the most ignorant about.  There are several meanings of ignorant, all of which concern a lack of knowledge in some sense.   In the natural we can be ignorant about a number of topics like cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, or biotechnology. We may be aware of them or know a little bit about them, but we really don’t fully understand them. In other words, we are ignorant about these subjects.

4 Biblical Truths

It is crucial for us to have a full understanding of these truths that God doesn’t want us to be ignorant about. So, we are going to discuss four specific subjects we are instructed not to be ignorant about –

• God’s Righteousness. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:3)
• The Devices of the Devil. “Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2Corinthians 2:11)
• The Rapture. But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. (1Thessoloanians 4:13-14)
• Spiritual Gifts. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:” (1Cirinthians 12:1)

Righteousness of God

Today we are going to focus on understanding the Righteousness of God.  Righteousness is an attribute that belongs to God.  God is righteous.  Righteous is not something that God does, it is something that God is, thus He is always just and always does what is right. We don’t declare what is right and what is wrong. God’s very character is the standard of what is right. This what righteousness is

God Demands Righteousness

Now, we need to understand that God demands righteousness. In the first 5 books of the Bible (the law) there are 613 commandments, which we have to obey if we want to be found righteous. If you break one single commandment at any point in your life, you are guilty of all of them. This creates a huge problem. Why? Because we simply cannot fulfil the demands of God’s righteousness. So, what do we do? What is the answer?

Jesus is the Answer

The answer is Jesus! What God requires; Christ provides. What the law could not do, God did in His own son. The purpose of the law was to show our need of a savior, our need for Jesus. Jesus came to justify us. He came as the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) Justify means – “just as if we had not sinned”. When we put our faith in Christ we are justified and made righteous. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Gift of Righteousness

No-one is able stand uncondemned in the sight of God, unless he receives righteousness as the gift of God’s grace.  Righteousness is now available (only) through Christ and is offered to all as a gift.   Romans 5:8 says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” 2Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “God hath made Him to be sin for us…that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”

Don’t Be Cursed

It is important to properly understand the gift of righteousness. God takes His righteousness and puts it on us. We are made the righteous of God by faith in Jesus and not because of anything we do or don’t do.  Too many try to get right and stay right based on their own works – self-righteousness.  If you do, the Bible says you are cursed. Galatians 3:10-11. “ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” ¹¹ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”

Righteous by Faith

Not being ignorant about the righteousness of God is knowing and believing you are righteous by faith and faith alone. Philippians 3:9  puts it perfectly, “may I be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,”   How amazing is that?

Closing

As the Apostle Paul said in Romans 3:28, “For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” Mark, it down don’t forget you are justified – made righteous not because of good you are, but base on your faith in Christ.

 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” Titus 3:5

Next time we will cover the “devices of the devil”.