What's God Really Like? Righteous | Greg Ford
MESSAGE NOTES
RIGTHEOUS
[Galatians 5:16-17]
let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17 The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.
[Romans 7:21-25]
I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? 25 Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.
[Genesis 1:27]
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.
[Genesis 1:31]
Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!
[Romans 5:12]
When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.
[Deuteronomy 6:25]
And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.
[Matthew 5:20]
But I warn you—unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
Righteousness is a gift not an award.
[Romans 5:17-19]
For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. 18 Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.
[Romans 10:4]
For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.
[II Corinthians 5:17-18]
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ.
[II Corinthians 5:21]
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
[Ephesians 4:23-24]
let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.
When you peel back every layer, and get all the way to your core…you are righteous.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
-What was your biggest takeaway from this weekend’s message?
-Do you sometimes find yourself trying to be righteous, and what can you do to change that?
-How can you allow the Spirit to renew your thoughts and attitudes moving forward?
-As you think about action steps, how can we practically apply this message content in our lives this week?