“How much more will those who receive the abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through Christ Jesus” Romans 5:17
Many Christians live with insecurity about their position with God. They’re not sure whether they’re doing enough to be acceptable to the Father and their effort becomes focused on trying to achieve what they’ve already been given in Christ – a full “thumbs up” from God. Living to earn God’s acceptance is “living for righteousness” and its an awful thing. Its not how we were created, because its the nature of a slave rather than a child.
Instead we need to learn to live “from righteousness”. In the secret place of our hearts, in that deep hidden area of our souls where we perceive how God sees us, we need to embed the truth that we carry Christ’s righteousness and that the Father looks with a beaming smile. Then life changes because suddenly a deep connection exists between us and God, and we begin to experience His love and grace in everything that happens to us.
We reign in life by taking the gift, not by carrying a heavy yoke of self-effort attempting fruitlessly to be acceptable to God. We reign in life by remembering the goodness and grace of Christ available to us at every moment and in every challenge. All the time. In every challenge.
We reign in life by living from our position of righteousness in Christ. Then grace abounds to us in everything.
The idea that the Father looks at us with a beaming smile is quite biblical. Psalm 44:3 shows that His face beaming on us causes us to win in life, “It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face because you loved them.” In the Hebrew, the word used for God’s face also means His Presence. Isn’t that beautiful: because we are righteous in Christ, His face shines on us with favor, and this is His Presence with us.
This is amazing grace…to be entirely righteous in God’s eyes!
Rob Gerhard 