Introduction
a. A part of the Christian Armor is the breastplate of righteousness.
b. In this figure of equipping the Christian it is righteousness that protects the heart.
c. As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
d. Once we let down our righteousness, we become a target for all kinds of invasions in our lives.
e. Guard your heart with a strong and consistent walk of righteousness.
1. God is righteous:
a. The Bible does not call God love, love, love, or grace, grace, grace, but holy, holy, holy.
b. Righteousness is the character or quality of being right or just. It was formerly spelled as right wiseness.
c. Righteousness denotes the attributes of God.
1. God hates sin but loves the sinner.
2. God never, never lies.
3. God is the same always: He did not change when Yesterday became today. He will not change when today becomes tommorrow. He will not change when tommorrow becomes forever.
2. Righteousness exalts a Nation:
a. "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people" (Proverbs 14:34).
b. Our nation has become callused to sin. Nothing shakes us. Not surrogate mothers, harrassment, drugs, gang killings, abondoned children, gay rights.
c. Recently my professor at the seminary told us, that on a trip to St. Louis, he heard on T.V. that there had been ten shootings in the previous ninety minutes. This is Mid-America where such things does not happen.
d. My professor also told us, not long ago he flew into the L.A. airport, and in the evening as we deplaned, the terminal was filled with police stationed at all of the doors. Outside the terminal were police cars and police on horses. It was a Gay Rights Parade. Dr. Young, my professpr told us that as he watched it, it was like Sodom and Gomorrah all over.
1.Genesis 19 tells of God destroying Sodom and Gomorrah with fire. Evidently God does not believe that Homosexuality is in the Genes or cells of a person and is just and alternative lifestyle.
2. The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth" (Romans 1:18-52).
3. We must live in Righteousness:
a. The wicked shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:10-20).
b. But there is hope for us. "And that is what some of you were" (v.11).
c. We can be changed to a righteous life. "But you were washed, you were washed, you were sanctified, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (v. 11).
d. Our body becomes the temple of the holy. So hor God with Your Body.
4. Righteousness can be "Captured"
a. Fulfill the will OF God. (Example of Jesus’ baptism, Matthew 3).
b. Desire Righteousness (Maatthew 5:6)
c. Endure Hardships (Matthew 5:10)
d. Be for Real, not for a show (Matthew 5:20)
e. Set your Priorities (Matthew 6:33)
f. Live in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17,21)
