LESSON 2
Righteousness: Equity of Character
We have the
righteousness of God...
Heb. 5:12-14 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have
need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth
milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a
babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,
even those who be reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both god
and evil.
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The word righteousness
here means equity of character. The
Bible tells us we have the righteousness of God by faith.
Phil. 3:9 And
be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but
that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God
by faith:
We have been given
access to the very character of Christ through faith.
This is what we are
working toward. The Word is the
character and nature of Christ.
‘Babes’ are those who
are inexperienced at using the Word, to cause the character and nature of
Christ be manifest in their lives.
The mature are those
who, by reason of use, have allowed the Word to create in them the
righteousness and
character of God.
The Word of God has
authority over our opinions, traditions, and culture. The mature Christian is one who has learned
to let the Word rule, not their opinions, traditions, or culture. In the Kingdom, your opinion doesn’t
matter. God’s Word takes precedence over
everything.
The point
at which we stop allowing the Word to take authority over our life, is the
point where we stop growing.
Self deception is rarely
exposed by the one deceived.
The purpose of
discipleship and those in authority over your life, is
to expose your self deception. God puts
people in our lives who are mature and experienced in the Word of
righteousness, to use the Word to pierce and divide the flesh from the spirit
in our lives.
Gen. 3:10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was
afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Our nature is to run and
hide when we sin. We do not want our sin
and our issues to be exposed. God's Word
will expose our sin so we can repent and be cleansed.
ATTITUDES FOR DISCIPLESHIP
There are three
attitudes you need to have toward discipleship, for it to fully work in your
life.
1)
APPLY YOURSELF TO UNDERSTANDING.
Prov. 2:1 -5 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my
commandments with thee; So that thou
incline thine ear unto wisdom, [and] apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest
after knowledge, [and] liftest up thy voice for
understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest
for her as [for] hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the
knowledge of God.
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It is not enough to
simply have knowledge. You must also
have understanding.
Mark 4:23 - 25 If any man have ears to hear, let
him hear. And He said
unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure
ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be
given. For he that hath, to him
shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which
he hath.
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The word ‘hear’ means to
hear and understand.
So, he that has understanding, shall be given more understanding. And he who has not understanding, even which
he has shall be taken away.
Apply yourself to
understanding. You must make an effort.
You must determine to do what it takes to get it.
Prov. 2:3-5 Yea, if
thou criest after
knowledge, [and] liftest up thy
voice for understanding; If
thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as [for] hid treasures; Then shalt
thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
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There comes a point in
your life when you get so fed up with your own level of understanding,
knowledge, and your belief system, that you are willing to set them aside and
seek, to discover what God has to say.
God says, after you gain the attitude that understanding of God's Word
and will is more important than any desires or worldly riches, you will UNDERSTAND AND FIND
THE FEAR OF THE LORD.
Prov. 23:12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine
ears to the words of knowledge.
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For anything we want to
learn in life, we need to get instruction.
You need to find someone who knows more about the subject than you
do. You need an instructor to teach you.
It is amazing how many
Christians think that after being saved for only one year, that they have
reached a point where they no longer need instruction. This is not the case. It takes time to grow to spiritual
maturity. As long as you are walking in
anything less than the perfection of JESUS, you still need to receive
instruction.
The Bible teaches that
the wise heed the words of the wise.
Prov. 9:9 Give
[instruction] to a wise [man], and he will be yet wiser: teach a just [man], and he will increase in
learning.
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Pro. 15:5 A
fool despiseth his father's instruction, but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
Only a fool refuses to
listen to words of instruction and understanding.
2)
BE WILLING TO BE CORRECTED
Pro 23:13a Withhold not
correction from the child.
1Cor. 3:1 And I, brethren, could not
speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in
Christ.
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We all are born again as
babes in the Lord. God has commanded
those in leadership over us to correct us.
Most people don't like
to be corrected. But God has commanded
your leadership to ‘WITHHOLD NOT’ correction from you.
We often find it very
hard to receive correction. This is
especially true as God begins to use us in the supernatural, or when we begin
to have experiences with God.
Although we are to
receive correction, we are not to listen to everything everyone says. We need to find someone who is mature and
full of the character and nature of Christ, who will speak into our lives and
correct us.
As a disciple, if you
will ask God, He will show you who He has for you to be discipled
by. If the discipler
is doing his job, he will bring correction.
Correction in the stream
of what we are looking at, is for when you do
something you have been taught is wrong.
You don’t correct or discipline what you have not taught. You must first teach. Then you can correct.
If you are not willing
to be corrected you are not able to grow.
3) DETERMINE TO ENDURE THE PAIN OF DISCIPLESHIP
Prov. 23:13,14 Withhold
not correction from the child, for [if] you beatest
him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou
shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt
deliver his soul from hell.
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The Bible never implies
that correction will be painless. When
the word of correction comes it will hurt sometimes.
As the
old saying goes, ‘NO PAIN, NO GAIN.’
Heb. 12: 5-6 And ye have forgotten the exhortation
which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son,
despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: For whom the Lord loveth
He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth.
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Chasteneth means: To discipline by punishment.
Scourgeth means: To whip, to flog...
God says not to despise
this. Often in the Old Testament we see
God bringing correction to His people.
It was painful until they repented.
Then at the end of God’s discipline it brought blessing and restoration.
God brings correction to
move you from the place where you’re at, to where He wants you.
THE
PAIN OF DISCIPLESHIP IS NOTHING IN COMPARISON TO THE PAIN OF ETERNAL
DESTRUCTION!!!
In Review:
1. What
is righteousness?
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2.
Complete this sentence. The Word
is the _________________________ and
_________________________ of
Christ.
3. What
is the difference between a babe in Christ and one who is mature?
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4. At
what point do we stop growing?
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5. After
we sin, what does our nature want to do?
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6. What will the Word (God’s nature) do to our
sin?
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7. What
are three attitudes for discipleship?
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8. What
does it mean “to hear”? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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9. What
shall be given to him who has understanding?
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10. How
do you know if you or someone else you know is wise?
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11. What
is the command of God to your leadership concerning you?
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12. Are
you willing to receive correction in every area of your life?
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13.
Define chasten.
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14. Define scourge. _________________________