Sermon Central
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The Kingdom Is Righteousness
Contributed by Riaan De Villiers on May 14, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: We sometimes have a hard time to enter into the presence of God because we feel unrighteous and believe we need to be righteous before we can enter into the Kingdom of God. We need to see again that when I am in the kingdom I’m in righteouseness and when
The Kingdom is Righteousness
There are many reasons why Jesus had to come to earth.
Salvation; deliverance; making God known; victory over evil; and KINGDOM
Question – what is the Kingdom of God?
It is where God rules.
But listen to what the Bible also tells us what the kingdom is:
AOV) Want die koninkryk van God is nie spys en drank nie, maar geregtigheid en vrede en blydskap in die Heilige Gees.
AMP) [After all] the kingdom of God is not a matter of [getting the] food and drink [one likes], but instead it is righteousness (that state which makes a person acceptable to God) and [heart] peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Kingdom = righteousness.
Righteousness = having a right standing with God.
BWE) The kingdom of God is not about what a person eats and drinks. But it is about living in a way which is right with God. It is peace. It is joy because a person has the Holy Spirit
MSG) God’s kingdom isn’t a matter of what you put in your stomach, for goodness’ sake. It’s what God does with your life as he sets it right, puts it together, and completes it with joy.
Psalm 45:6 as repeated in Hebrews 1:8
AMP) Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
AMP) But as to the Son, He says to Him, Your throne, O God, is forever and ever (to the ages of the ages), and the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of absolute righteousness (of justice and straightforwardness).
This then means that if we are in the kingdom we are in righteousness and if we are in righteousness we are in the kingdom. If we can draw a comparison there are 4 very important things to take notice of.
1. It is within us.
AMP) Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]
That means that righteousness is also within us; in our hearts.
AMP) I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart; I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not hid away Your steadfast love and Your truth from the great assembly.
BBE) Your righteousness has not been folded away in my heart; I have made clear your true word and your salvation; I have not kept secret your mercy or your faith from the great meeting
It is already in us to live in a way which is right with God. Righteousness and kingdom can not be separated from each other. The one is the other.
2. It comes by faith.
AMP) And he [Abram] believed in (trusted in, relied on, remained steadfast to) the Lord, and He counted it to him as righteousness (right standing with God)
The moment Abraham believed he received much more than righteousness; he also received the kingdom of God.
AMP) Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [And it is meant] for all who believe. For there is no distinction
Romeine 4:21 – 24
AMP) Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His word and to do what He had promised. That is why his faith was credited to him as righteousness (right standing with God). But [the words], It was credited to him, were written not for his sake alone, But [they were written] for our sakes too. [Righteousness, standing acceptable to God] will be granted and credited to us also who believe in (trust in, adhere to, and rely on) God, Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
AMP) [Prompted] by faith Noah, being forewarned by God concerning events of which as yet there was no visible sign, took heed and diligently and reverently constructed and prepared an ark for the deliverance of his own family. By this [his faith which relied on God] he passed judgment and sentence on the world’s unbelief and became an heir and possessor of righteousness (that relation of being right into which God puts the person who has faith).
It is time to change our religious thoughts. For many years we have separated kingdom from righteousness and has believed that we first need righteousness before we can receive the kingdom of God. But the two are the same. If I have the one I also have the other.
3. You must see it to enter into it.
Nicodemus comes to Jesus to talk about His power to perform miracles.
Still Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus tries to teach him.
