A Work of Righteousness by Rev. Larry Willige

Ephesians 4:21 (NIV) says, “Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” As you can see from this scripture it requires us to do something besides just accepting Jesus as Savior!

According to the scripture, when a person is “born again” he/she is made the righteousness of God through Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV) says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This is our spiritual side and it comes when we accept Jesus and His work at Calvary. When we pray the prayer, “Almighty God, I believe in my heart that you sent Jesus to pay the price for my sin and that you raised him from the dead. You said, ‘if I would confess this with my mouth and believe it in my heart that I would be saved.’ I further believe that you are now my Father and that I am now your child and I am your righteousness, in Jesus Name, Amen.”

Before we go any further, we need to define RIGHTEOUSNESS. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary states:

Holy and upright living, in accordance with God's standard. The word righteousness comes from a root word that means ‘straightness.’ It refers to a state that conforms to an authoritative standard. Righteousness is a moral concept. God's character is the definition and source of all righteousness (Gen 18:25; Deut 32:4; Rom 9:14). Therefore, man's righteousness is defined in terms of God's.

The sacrificial system in the Old Testament and the cross of Jesus in the New Testament show man's need for righteousness. Sin is disobedience to the terms that define man's relationship with God and with other people. Since the FALL in the Garden of Eden, man is inherently unrighteous. As the prophet Isaiah said, We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isa 64:6). Man cannot be righteous in the sight of God on his own merits. Therefore, man must have God's righteousness imputed, or transferred, to him.

The cross of Jesus is a public demonstration of God's righteousness. God accounts or transfers the righteousness of Christ to those who trust in Him (Rom 4:3-22; Gal 3:6; Phil 3:9). We do not become righteous because of our inherent goodness; God sees us as righteous because of our identification by faith with His Son. (Nelson's Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

It appears from our opening scripture that there are two things we have to do to operate in a work of righteousness. First, we must “put off your old self.” In other words, we have to change our way of living. We can’t hang out with the same old people that we use to hang out with. As a pastor I always recommended that a new convert stay away from his old friends. You are not able to change them until things have changed in you.

Even though you have become “the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” you are still a “babe in Christ.” You cannot “put off your old self” by continuing to do the same things you have always done. Remember that old saying, “the height of stupidity is to continue doing the same thing you have always done and expect different results.” Putting off your old self is not easy and it can be very lonely to begin with, but if you ask Him, the Lord will help you change and bring godly people into your life.

The second thing we have to work on is to “put on the new self.” Remember, when you accepted Jesus you became “born again” or you received a “new birth.” Nelson's Bible Dictionary defines “new birth” as:

Inner spiritual renewal as a result of the power of God in a person's life. The phrase new birth comes from John 3:3, 7, where Jesus told Nichodemus, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Jesus meant that all people are so sinful in God's eyes that they need to be regenerated-recreated and renewed-by the sovereign activity of God's Spirit (John 3:5-8).

The activity of God's Spirit that regenerates sinful man comes about through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:10-21). Without faith there is no regeneration, and without regeneration a person does not have eternal life. Regeneration occurs at the moment a person exercises faith in Christ. At that point, his sins are forgiven and he is born again by the power of the Holy Spirit working on behalf of Christ. The new birth is a decisive, unrepeatable, and irrevocable act of God.

Similar words are used elsewhere in the Bible to describe the same general concept. Paul said, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Cor 5:17). Although our "outward man is perishing,” the Christian's "inward man is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor 4:16) if we study the Word of God daily. (Nelson's Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

But pastor, what if I miss it and mess up again like I did before I was “born again?” You would prove you are just as normal as all the rest of us. Look at 1 John 1:9 NIV, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Father God knew beforehand that we would mess up so He made provisions to restore the work He has begun in us. HALLELUJAH!

There was a time in my life for about 3 months when I cried myself to sleep every night - because as I laid on my bed, I thought about 100 things I did or didn’t do. The only way to overcome that is through the Word of God. Listen to what Pastor James says in chapter 1 of the NIV, “19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.” In other words, DO WHAT IT SAYS TO DO!!

When Beverly and I first received the Holy Ghost, we could not get enough of the Word of God. We would go to our church on Sunday and Wednesday and then if some church within 50 miles had services at a different time we would go there too. As long as we are alive on this earth we will face problems. The only thing to sustain us is the Word of God! Feelings and emotion will come and go, but the Word of God will never leave you.