12 Bible Promises You Want To Know You Inherit because of the Gift of Righteousness
As for me, I will behold thy face to righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.
–Ps. 17:15
Cornelius, a Roman officer and an influential man in the community who gave alms to the poor. His giving moved God. So much so it came before God and he took notice. He sent an angel to him to let him know his prayers had been answered and his giving had come before God. He was told to send for the Apostle Peter in Joppa and listen to all he had to say. The Apostle came to his house and preached the gospel to them. He and his whole household got saved and the Holy Spirit fell upon them as well. He and his whole household believed on Christ and were baptized the same day. Apostle Peter is recorded to have realized for the first time that Christ also came for the non-Jewish, seeing the Holy Spirit was poured out on Cornelius and his house.
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Last week we discussed grace, the Amazing Grace a 250 year old hymn telling the story John Newton, a former slave trader transporting slaves to Americas and other places. He eventually became a minister after two near death experiences while at sea. He said he prayed and was spared. According to him, he repented before God but still lived with the memories of the atrocities he saw and committed while in the slave trading business. He penned the Amazing Grace song after realizing his shortcomings.
Mr. Newton’s relationship with young William Wilburforce, Abolitionist and a leader in the British Parliament who became known for almost single-handedly influencing the Parliament with consciousness of the horrors and injustices of the Slave Trade Industry. He also led the largest list of petition of the people to the British Parliament and House of Commons.
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12 Bible Promises You Want To Know You Inherit because of the Gift of Righteousness
Today we re-visit the Gift of Righteousness with twelve more awesome promises every Christian should know they inherit because of the gift of righteousness. In my study, I discovered righteousness and righteous are found in the Bible over 500 times. So, it becomes pretty apparent that this is an important gift for Believers.
Again, a simple definition of righteousness is right standing with God and with man. There are four top things that Jesus was made unto us as wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Scriptures let us know, “Because of him who knew no sin, but was made sin for us, there by we became the righteousness of God. Furthermore according to the Corinthian writer, Jesus was made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.
One of the memory verses recently helps us know we have help with sanctification. “God himself, the God of peace sanctifies us, wholly spirit and soul and body preserving us until the Day Jesus returns. Also, in Psalm 130:7 of the Bible: “O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption”. Now for those twelve awesome things we want to know we inherit with the gift of righteousness:
- Immutability. Remember the immutability of God’s promises. In the book of Hebrews we learned how the New Covenant is sure. We can be certain of God’s promises by his oath, not finding anything higher than himself–he swore by himself. Christ has become righteousness unto us. Because of him who knew no sin; he became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God.
- Stature. Growing into the full stature of Christ is the goal for us. Level to level, glory to glory, line upon line, precept upon precept we grow–are made into the likeness of Christ. As for me, I will behold thy face to righteousness: I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness. –Ps. 17:15
- Priority. The Gospels tell us that Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all other things will be added to you. The kingdom of God simply put is ‘His way of doing things’ and righteousness is ‘right standing with God’ In light of those defining terms, we can say, ‘Seek first, God’s way of doing things and continuing to seek right standing with God.”
- Armor. The breastplate of righteousness is part of the armor, the Ephesians writer instructs, “Finally my brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might…Put on the breastplate of righteousness, he adds.
- Trust. God requires that his people learn to trust him. As you may know already, it’s not always an easy thing to say, “God I trust you.” Or to agree with the Psalmist and say, Lean not to your own understanding but trust the Lord. Prophet Isaiah tell us the effect and result of righteousness. 32:17 effect of righteousness is peace. the result of righteousness is quietness and confidence.
- Tower. Have you ever been in trouble and had nowhere to turn? If you are counted among the righteous, the name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into and they are saved. The Psalmist writes, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high TOWER.
7.) Delay. If it was The Lord is a sun and shield; He gives grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk upright (the righteous) No more delay or postponement the words I have spoken will come to pass, says the Lord. Hope deferred makes the heart sick but when desire is fulfilled (dreams come true) it is the tree of life.
8.) Home. Another of the promises specifically for the righteous of God is that, “The Lord blesses the home of righteous.” Because of the times we live in, here’s what the Psalmist in the 91st chapter wrote for us, “…Because thou has made the LORD…your habitation (home) There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, in all thy ways…
9.) Scripture. We can know that every promise of God in the New and Old Testament are Yes and Amen for us as New Covenant scripture. All Scripture is God breathed and inspired; useful for instructing, correction, rebuke, reproof for training for righteousness.
10.) Blessing. There are common blessings all of us enjoy whether we believe or not, like sunny weather, rain for our crops, harvest from our vineyards and olive groves, and more. Then there’s the impartation blessing that the co-heirs with Jesus (the righteous) enjoy or are eligible to receive. In the book of Proverbs, one of my favorites and a promise to the righteous is, “The Lord’s blessing brings wealth and adds no trouble to it.” -Proverbs 10:22 Also, in Psalm 112:2,3 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright (righteous) will be blessed. 3Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
11.) Destiny. Father God is still giving out destinies today. If you don’t know what yours is yet, it’s a promise for the righteous that Father God will surely show you. Many times it is through righteousness that we discover our destiny in the middle of serving in our church or serving in the community. The proverbial writer said it like this, “The righteousness of the perfect (mature) shall direct his way.” He also says in Jeremiah 3:3, “Call unto Me and I will show you great and mighty things that you knowest not.”
12.) Recompense. In the Bible, we are commanded to not repay evil with evil. Jesus said in one of his most famous sermons, “It is said, tooth for a tooth, or life for a life. But in the New Covenant, no longer is it this way. I say bless your enemies and pray for those that persecute you. Bible verse, “The righteous shall be recompensed in the earth. –Proverbs 11:31 is a reminder to Christ followers that the Lord says, I always recompense; I will repay.”
13.) Prayer. As the righteous, you can be assured of answered prayer. When we pray the Word of God as the righteous, this is the confidence that we have, that we know he hears us and if he hears us then we have what we’ve asked of him. The Lord heareth the prayer of the righteous…the desire of the righteous shall be granted. Proverbs 10:25b Answered prayer.
I hope you were encouraged in the Scriptures today. Or at least you were reminded of the redeeming qualities of the gift of righteousness that we inherit in Christ. We started with immutability- the certainty of all of God’s promises, that full stature we are all growing into in Christ, how it should be first priority to seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness.
Were you prompted to acknowledge and put on the armor God has given including the breastplate or righteousness? Then there was the trust factor we want to grow in more and more. You don’t want him (Father God) to have to put a circumstance in your life designed especially to grow trust in your life. Of course there’s the fortress, the refuge and the TOWER – symbolic of His Name. The Word righteousness and righteous is found in the Bible over 500 times, three times as many as faithfulness. Here’s receiving the gift of righteousness and all that God designed you to receive because of it.
Earma Brown, 12 Book Christian Author, Publisher, Founder of Grace Covenant House
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