2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
What is righteousness, and why is it important? Righteousness is standing in God’s presence without feeling sin, guilt, or inferiority. We must not confuse righteousness, which is a position in Christ, with holiness or perfection. Although we need to live a holy life, sanctification is a lifelong process where we have to deal with our flesh and walk in the spirit. Occasionally, when we are tempted and sin, our relationship with God is disrupted, but the promise in 1 John 1:9 helps us restore it when we confess.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and clean us from all unrighteousness.
The reason why God does not impute our trespasses to us is because Jesus has dealt with the sin problem that separated us from God by becoming sin for us even though He knew no sin. God took the sin of the whole world, including yours and mine, and placed it on Jesus. The wrath of God and His judgement of sin was upon Jesus so that through Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and the shedding of His blood, we can stand boldly before God because our sin has been done away by His blood!
We have become God’s righteousness in Him and not in ourselves or our work of the flesh. This is good news because there is nothing that we have done to deserve it. Nobody will be good enough to earn his right to stand before God. People all around the world look for it in their religiosity, but we have the solution! They have no peace with God, but we have the right to stand with God, which also brings peace.
Jesus dealt with the sin problem! You have been made the righteousness of God through Christ. Grace is God’s unmerited favour; He gives it freely to us even though we do not deserve it. Righteousness is a gift from God, given by His grace. He loves you unconditionally and desires to restore your relationship with Him.
Sermon Series: The Weapon of Our Spiritual Warfare (Part 2)
义是从上头来的礼物
林后5:17-21 若有人在基督里，他就是新造的人，旧事已过，都变成新的了。一切都是出于神，他藉着基督使我们与他和好，又将劝人与他和好的职分赐给我们。这就是神在基督里叫世人与自己和好，不将他们的过犯归到他们身上，并且将这和好的道理托付了我们。所以，我们作基督的使者，就好像神藉我们劝你们一般。我们替基督求你们与神和好。神使那无罪的，替我们成为罪，好叫我们在他里面成为神的义。
什么是义，义为什么重要？义是站在神的面前也不会有罪疚感、内疚或自卑。我们不要将义，就是我们在基督里的地位，与圣洁和进到完全混淆。虽然我们需要活出圣洁的生命，然而成圣是终生的过程，我们需要对付我们的肉体，顺着圣灵而行。有时，当我们被试探所胜而犯罪时，我们与神的关系就破裂了，但约翰一书1：9中的应许帮助我们在认自己的罪的时候，与神的关系就被修复了。
约翰一书1：9 我们若认自己的罪，神是信实的，是公义的，必要赦免我们的罪，洗净我们一切的不义。
神不将我们的过犯归到我们身上是因为耶稣已经解决了罪的问题，罪使我们与神隔离，即使祂是那无罪的，但祂替我们成为罪。神把整个世界的罪，包括你我的罪，都放在耶稣身上。神的忿怒和祂对罪的审判都在耶稣身上，所以藉着基督在十字架上的牺牲和祂所流的宝血，我们可以大胆地站在神面前，因为我们的罪已经被祂的宝血除去了。
我们在基督里成了神的义，不在于我们自己，也不在于我们肉体的行为。这是好消息，因为我们所做的没有什么是配得的。没有人会好到足以赢取站在神面前的权利。全世界的人都在他们的宗教信仰中寻找它，但我们有解决方案! 他们不能与神相和，我们却有权来到神面前，这也带来了平安。
耶稣处理了罪的问题！你已经在基督里面成为神的义。恩典是神赐予的恩惠；祂白白地赐给我们的，即使我们不配得。籍着神的恩典，义是从神而来的礼物! 祂无条件地爱你，并渴望恢复你与祂的关系。
讲章系列 ：我们属灵争战的武器（第二部分）
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