Grace Unveiled, #9: Established in the Gift of Righteousness | Jim Hammond
 
Recap
 
Pastor Jim taught his 9th installment in his series on the book of Romans entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” The first three and a half chapters of Romans, Paul talked extensively, driving home the point, on how no one can make himself righteous in God’s eyes. The Apostle Paul didn’t leave anyone out. He listed the Pagans in the secular world, people just trying to do good, and the zealous disciplined Jews… he made sure they knew that none of them measured up in God’s eyes. No matter what they did, they would never be able to escape God’s wrath… unless there is something that appeases that judgment. That was Paul’s way of working up to a point. Paul then introduced the righteousness of God through Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection.
 
Dive Deeper
 
Subtitle: Established in the Gift of Righteousness
 
Paul said, “But now the righteousness of God is revealed through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
 
This is a holy God bridging the gap between His holiness and a genetic defect that all men have a sin nature. And it’s a gift that He gives through His death, burial, and resurrection. It’s the gift of righteousness.
 
There are two kinds of righteousness in the Bible: there’s an Old Testament righteousness and there’s a New Testament righteousness.
 
Romans 5:16–17, says “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
 
The phrase, “for if because of one man’s trespass,” is talking about Adam’s sin. Through Adam’s sin, through the sin of one man, death reigned.
 
It continues: “much more surely…” That’s talking to us. We’re the “much more.” We will receive God’s overflowing grace, His unmerited favor and the free gift of righteousness.
 
It says in the Amplified Bible what His unmerited favor and free gift of righteousness does: It puts you into right standing with God!
 
Notice it says, “much more they which receive.” We have to receive the free gift.
 
The King James says they receive “an abundance of grace.” Those Christians that receive the free gift of righteousness are the ones that reign as kings in life.
 
Notice it does not say those Christians who “sin the least.” It does not say that they reign in life.
 
There are some in the church that think they hardly ever sin; and they have a certain amount of pride about it. Yet, they are miserable. It’s because they’re living under the law. Their faith is not in a merciful God, but rather in the good works they do.
 
Pastor Jim says, “I’m not saying you shouldn’t do good works.” We are to continue to do good works, but we should not look to our good works to justify us before God.
 
Paul said he did more work that any of the other apostles… by the grace of God. But Paul knew he wasn’t justified before God because of his works. Paul didn’t believe he deserved the position he had.
 
He believed all that he had was due to the grace of God. Because of his past in persecuting the church, he believed he was the least of all the apostles. He said, “I’m the least, but by the grace of God, I outwork them all.”
 
Paul said his good works did not justify him before God.
 
Read About It
 
Romans 5:16–17, “And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)”
 
Discussion Questions
 
The Apostle Paul said we are not justified by our good works. Can you think of an area in your life where you felt your actions would somehow get God to favor you?
 
Have you ever been surprised by the grace or favor God has shown you?
 
Have you ever encountered a believer (or non-believer for that matter) who was mad at God because they felt they deserved something that they didn’t get from God?
 

Recent Sermon Notes

GRACE UNVEILED: “Death, Raised, Bound, Loosed,” #28 | Jim Hammond

Pastor Jim continued with his series on the book of Romans entitled, “Grace Unveiled.” His focus was the passage in Romans 7:13–14: “Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.” Pastor Jim taught on the Apostle Paul’s own personal struggle with trying to live his Christianity with an Old Covenant mindset… how it was impossible to do and something that would only bring about failure. In spite of Paul’s warning, many Christians try to live their Christian lives with an Old Covenant mindset.

GRACE UNVEILED | Don’t Blame the Mirror for What You Look Like #27 | Jim Hammond

Pastor Jim gave the 27th installment of his series on the book of Romans called, “Grace Unveiled.” We’re in the seventh chapter, nicknamed by scholars as “Law School.” Romans chapter six tells us that sin has no more dominion over you. The reason is because you’re not under the law; instead, you’re under grace. Yet, many believers are living as though they are under Old Covenant law. How does that happen? Their mentality is Old Covenant, not New Covenant. Pastor Jim explains how that happens. 

GRACE UNVEILED: “School of Law” #26 | Jim Hammond

Pastor Jim gave the next installment to his teaching series on the book of Romans: “Grace Unveiled.” In this 26th message, he taught on Romans chapter 7, which he subtitled, “School of Law.” In this chapter, the Apostle Paul used an allegory of the marriage relationship to compare the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. Even though Christians are under the New Covenant, they very often slip into the mindset of someone that lived under the Old Covenant.  

Between the Calling and the Separation | Pastor Marie Helene Moulin

Our very special guest minister came all the way from Nice, France to deliver a special word from the Lord to us. When Pastor Marie-Hélène Moulin was praying about the message the Lord wanted her to share with our congregation, His words were simply to tell us, “The Lord is recruiting!” In preparation for the work of end time harvest, the Lord has begun to call believers into full-time ministry. She explained that not every believer is called to full-time ministry. However, every believer is called to the ministry of reconciliation—sharing Jesus with the lost.

Help of the Holy Spirit | Dennis Burke

we had the pleasure of being ministered to by guest speaker, Dennis Burke. He began his message, “Help of the Holy Spirit” by declaring, “I believe over the next few minutes, the Holy Spirit’s going to deposit something into your life.” Really, that’s why we come to church. We come to church to make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit in order for Him to deposit in us things that are life changing! One word from God “can truly revolutionize something in your life.”