Right Standing

 One of the miracles of redemption, is the believers standing with God. The Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul gives us the greatest revelation of the believers standing with God. One thing we are told is found in 2 Corinthians 5:21. It reveals what God did in Christ for the believer, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." When one confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and takes Him as Savior, they immediately become the righteousness of God in Christ. This bears out further in Paul's Epistle to the Romans, "to demonstrate at the present time His (Gods) righteousness, that He might be just (righteous) and the justifier (righteousness) of the one who has faith in Jesus." (Romans 3:26) "Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. (being declared righteous) (Romans 4:25) "Therefore, having been justified (declared righteous) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1) 

What a wonderful picture of who and what the born again believer truly is in Christ. Righteousness is the ability to stand in the Father's presence without guilt, condemnation, unworthiness or inferiority. It also gives the believer the legal right to the use of the Name of Jesus. Now we have God's grace, His strength, His ability to stand in the presence of all kinds of sickness, diseases as well as stand in the presence of Satan without fear, as an absolute master over them all. This means that believers must become completely aware, without wavering or doubting, as to their legal position in Christ. In other words, we are a new creation and have the nature and life of the Father in us. Without a total understanding of these truths, it becomes difficult to live the victorious life that we have been given through faith in Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:27)

Notice what the Holy Spirit speaks through the Apostle John, "You are of God, little children..." (1 John 4:4) Take a moment and let that soak into your spirit. Now say it over and over again, "I am of God...I am of God...I am His child...I am His child..." This is not doing mantras. This is speaking the truth over yourself. The more we receive these truths in our spirit, the more we come to realize that the old man, the old nature, with its weaknesses, its failings, its doubts, its fears, its sense of servitude to circumstances, is all gone, and we come to a greater understanding of what a new creation in Christ is all about. (2 Corinthians 5:17) Where we were once a slave, we are now free and filled with abundant life in Christ. Now we can understand the next part of 1 John 4:4, "...For greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)  

However, as we come to know and walk in these truths, our Heavenly Father wants us to bear the fruit of righteousness. The Apostle Paul tells us, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness." (2 Corinthians 9:10) The Apostle John tells us, "If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:29) For most, to "increase the fruits of your righteousness" or to, "practice righteousness" have thought it meant only our conduct, a carefulness in our walk. Although that is implied, it is actually doing the works that Jesus did while on earth as the Son of Man. It is taking Jesus' place and doing the things that He did and even greater. (John 14:12)

Keep in mind that believers do not do works in and of themselves, but it is recognizing and acting upon the grace of God. The Apostle Paul said, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." (1 Corinthians 15:10) The Amplified Bible describes grace as, "For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Although in the past, we may have lacked in understanding these things, but now, through the Holy Spirit in us, we will major in these truths and present them to others. The Apostle James tells us, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:22) "But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18) Faith is simply acting upon God's Word and at the same time His grace goes to work through us. The Lord wants us to begin to live righteousness, to practice righteousness, to break Satan's dominion by speaking with authority just as Jesus did. So, as it was with the Apostle Paul, so it is with us, "...but I labored more  abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me." The grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you...

Bearing Fruit

In John's gospel, we see Jesus giving some final instructions to the disciples before His death. One of the areas that He is discussing with them concerns bearing fruit. Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples." (John 15:1-8)

The main crux of what Jesus is speaking deals directly with two types of people who associate with a church or say that they are a Christian. He tells us, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." We see that as a vinedresser, in the natural realm, will remove all branches that are dead or that do not bear fruit, so God will also do to those who profess to be Christians, but give no evidence by their lives that they are truly united to the Lord Jesus. However, everyone that is a true follower of Christ, those connected to Him by faith; those who truly live by His grace and strength; those whose dependence is solely upon Him, as a natural branch is with the vine, God prunes, that is, He purifies, teaches, strengthens, gives more grace, gives them a purity in motive and in life, so that they may be more useful, that is, bear more fruit for His glory.  So, what does it mean to bear fruit or what fruit are believers to bear?

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness." (2 Corinthians 9:10) For believers to increase or bear fruits of righteousness, we must discover what these fruits are. The way we do this is to look at the fruits of righteousness in the life of Jesus. The fruits of righteousness as seen in the gospels through the life of Jesus were not right actions only, but they
were carrying out the will of the Father, in actions and in words. (John 5:19, 6:38) That meant healing the sick, feeding the multitudes, and all the other manifestations of His love toward man. These are the fruits of righteousness. If believers are to bear the fruits of righteousness, they will be imitators of Jesus. (Ephesians 5:1)

Jesus also tells us, "I am the vine, you are the branches." The vine supplies the branch with all that it needs to bear fruit, simply because is a part of the vine. The branch will also bear the same fruit as the vine. What this means, is, the branches of a grape vine will only bear grapes. The branches of a watermelon vine will only bear watermelons, etc. The fruits of righteousness in our lives will be a direct reflection of Jesus when He walked this earth. We will be a blessing to all we come in contact with. "In Jesus' name we will cast out demons; we will speak with new tongues; we will take up serpents; and if we drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt us; we will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18) We will also have the Holy Spirit's anointing to go forth to, "preach the gospel to the poor; heal the brokenhearted, proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19) Doing these things, that is, replicating the ministry of Jesus, is the fruit Jesus is referring to that believers are to bear, which Paul calls the fruits of righteousness. 

This may be something that is utterly new for many believers. Many know about the fruit of the Spirit, but for many, little has been known of the fruits of righteousness. Why is this? I believe it is mostly due to a lack of understanding and living in the realm of what we are in Christ; what Christ is in us and how the Father sees us. The moment one is born again, they become the righteousness of God, in Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) The Holy Spirit immediately becomes our teacher, the Word of God becomes our food. (Luke 4:4) We should be studying, meditating on and pouring over God's Word. As we do, the Holy Spirit will illuminate it, make it a living thing in our hearts, renew our minds, assuring our legal position in God, in Christ, releasing the power of His Word through our lips and our actions, producing the fruits of righteousness.

As we bear fruit, the fruits of righteousness, we will be taking Jesus' place. We will destroy the works of the devil, just as Jesus did. We will go forth unveiling the riches of Christ to others until their hearts break and they say, "What must I do to be saved." The moment they accept Christ, the works of the devil are broken over their lives, Jesus becomes alive in them, miracles are an every day occurrence, and they unveil to the world, that Christianity is supernatural. These very things should also be the norm of every one who has already confessed Jesus as Lord and received Him as Savior. So, let us go forth in the power of His might, bearing fruit, the fruits of righteousness, all for His glory. Amen?