Are you saved? In Noah's day, it was easy to know if you were saved. All you had to do was to get on that boat with Noah and all the animals. If you were on the boat, you were saved. You were safe from the destruction of the flood. But what about today? Jesus is coming to judge all people and to save only the righteous people of the world.

18. Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 1 Peter 4:18

1. and at that time thy people [the righteous] shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel 12:1-2.

How do you know if you are saved?

The question: Are you saved; is an extremely important question. Being a Christian is a blessing above everything else. However, some choose to downplay the eternal part of the blessings and say that our present happiness is what matters.

This view, looses the importance of eternal reality. We are all getting older and our time on this world is not going to last that long at all. It is the eternal blessings that interest me. I'm sure that it interests you as well. How can we be happy if everything we know will soon come to an end, including us! Where then is our happiness? Where then is our hope and Joy for the future? Is there anything better than the cold hard tomb that we are all going to face sooner or later?

I personally long for something better and Jesus has offered us exactly what we need.

16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16

Praise God! God offers us eternal life through His Son!

19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are ChristÕs at his coming. 1 Corinthians 15:19-22

Imagine being included with God's people and being taken home through various galaxies and intergalactic wonders to the place where God Himself lives so that we can live with Him forever! If the wonders of the Universe is beyond our imagination, what do you think it will be like to actually live with the Creator of the whole Universe who can speak things into existence?

9. But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. John 14:2-3

Even more impressive is the fact that God Himself loves us! The God who has made all things through Jesus would have us live with Him forever!

16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

But the Father is not the only one who loves us. Jesus Himself loves us. We are His delight!

31. [Christ] Rejoicing in His inhabited world, And my delight was with the sons of men.
32. "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Proverbs 8:31-32

Jesus endured the cross so He could have us.

2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

We cannot miss this chance to be really happy, to be one of God's followers and receive all the blessings! And to think that Jesus has made it all a future reality for us. It is the only way to fill that emptiness and to have that happy feeling inside that God gives His people, it's the peace that passes understanding! Nothing else really matters.

6. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7. and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

On this world we all know that we will die one day, fairly soon in fact, but Jesus has the answer for that very problem. He will give those who want to serve Him, in a world without sin, to live forever. This plan He has will make us totally happy, safe, and secure for the future. Because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us we know that Jesus loves us more than we can understand. If we bring all our problems to Him, He will handle them. Even our eternal salvation! So, when Jesus tells us to be anxious for nothing in this world, we can realize that indeed, there really is nothing to be anxious about. That is, . . . if we choose to follow Him fully.

If we put God first and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness then all these things will be added to you.

33. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34.

God Himself through Jesus Christ, gives us the ability to actually be anxious for nothing! The advice to take everything to God, to make our requests to God, is His excuse to start working in us a decided change. So when we take everything in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving; God then gives us the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Yes, He will guard our hearts and minds. He will protect us.

So, what must we do to be saved? For starters, why don't you do what Jesus did when He was on earth. He spent time every day talking to His Father and reading from Scripture.

17. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:16-17

We can gain faith and belief in God through reading the Scriptures and God will help us. In doing this we can do the same thing that Jesus did and we can get blessings from God. But you must remember to ask God to guide your understanding as you read. Asking for the presence of the Holy Spirit allows God to guide your understanding of what you are reading.

In addition, I often stop to pray about the things that I am reading about in the Bible. It may be that I am overwhelmed because of a promise of God. Or I may see a sin that I need to pray about and to confess. I often will stop to pray for help in some area of my life, or it may be for another person that I am praying for.

If you start spending time with God every day, reading the Bible and talking to Him, you will quickly realize that you are getting happier than you have ever been before.

I have experienced this same happiness myself when I started reading the Bible and talking to God. You will actually love to talk to God through Jesus because you will feel this very same closeness to God! God fills us with His happiness when we come to Him.

Now, it is time to look at our situation. God is righteous and we are wicked. Once we cover this topic and the failure of the Law to save us; We will then look at how God will save us. We will learn how to be saved!

Since we are wicked, we need to become righteous. It is that simple. Jesus tells us that to be righteous should be our primary aim in life.

33. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:33-34.

Jesus tells us that if we put Him first and seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness, that He will give us all those other things that we need. We don't need to worry.

Jesus provides something special for us. He actually became wisdom for us. What is this wisdom? It is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

24. but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

30. It is because of him [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
31. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30-31 NIV

So Jesus is the source of our righteousness, our holiness (or sanctification), and our redemption. He is our source of wisdom. So, let us concentrate on righteousness because we need it.

172. My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. Psalm 119:172

God's commandments are righteousness. Not only are His commands righteous but if we look deeper we will find that His commandments are actually the righteousness of God.

That almost doesn't make sense; How can His commandments be the righteousness of God? But look at this:

6. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished.
7. "Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. Isaiah 51:6-7

Because sin has changed things around us, we will find that the heavens (our atmosphere) will eventually vanish away like smoke, and the earth will grow old. Also, all the wicked people living on the earth will die. However the salvation of God, to save us, will last forever and His righteousness will never end.

Now God specifically says that the people who know the righteousness of God are those who have His law in their heart. This shows us that the law of God is really the righteousness of God!

So, if we have the law of God in our heart, we have the righteousness of God and His salvation to save us will last forever.

We can see the very same thing from other texts:

17. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. 1 John 5:17

So, if we sin we have the opposite of righteousness. Sin is unrighteousness. This would also mean that if we do not sin, we would be righteous.

Let's look at the next verse in three different versions:

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3:4 KJV

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 NKJV

Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4 NIV

Before we saw that sin is unrighteousness. Now we can see that sin is also lawlessness. To say it another way, sin is breaking the law, and the old King James Version says that sin is the transgression of the law. So, we can easily see that unrighteousness is also lawlessness or breaking the law.

But the opposite would also be true: Righteousness would be in obedience to the law. So, we can make the same statement as was made before and it fits with these new verses: If we have the law of God in our heart, we have the righteousness of God!

Now which law are we talking about?

7. What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, "You shall not covet." Romans 7:7

Yes, Paul is talking about the 10 Commandments as being the law. So, since the law is the righteousness of God, we can see that to fear God and keep his commandments is the whole duty of man:

13. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

There is a reason why we can say that righteousness is obedience to the law and that it is the whole duty of man to not only fear God but also keep His commandments. It is because the law is actually of a spiritual nature:

14. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14

Not only is the Law spiritual but it is exceedingly broad:

96. I have seen the consummation of all perfection, But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
97. MEM. Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. Psalm 119:96-97

The law is not only deep and broad but at the same time, it is deeply spiritual. The righteous love the law.

14. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

But it is only the righteous that can appreciate the law. The world sees the law as foolishness.

On the sermon on the mount, Jesus started to explain the law to the people. He showed just how deep the commandments are:

21. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.'
22. "But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.

27. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.'
28. "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28

What Jesus tells us is that even a wrong look or a wrong thought is a violation of the law. For example, You shall not murder really means we must not even cherish anger in the heart!

It should be obvious to us that we will be judged even in every secret thing that we think. So, the law of God forbids evil whether we think it or do it.

13. Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
14. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

If to even think of doing a sin is against the law, how can we keep it?

It is no wonder that Paul says that the law brings death to him because he can not obey it fully. Neither can we. There is no way we can bring every thought into line with the law.

10. And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. Romans 7:10

We are all guilty because not one of us is righteous. No, not one!

9. What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10. As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
11. There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
12. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." Romans 3:9-12

While it is true that "the doers of the law shall be justified," (Romans 2:13) we can also see that none of us will ever make it as doers of the law. Yes, all the world is guilty before God under the law because we have all fallen short of the glory of God!

19. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

23. for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:19,23

So, trying to follow the law cannot help us to be justified in God's sight because none of us can keep the law.

20. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:20

All that the law does for us is to give us the knowledge that we have sinned.

The reality of our situation is this: we need more help than what the law of God can do for us. Out of the heart of all people comes all kinds of wickedness, so all the law can do for us is to condemn us.

21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22. "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23. "All these evil things come from within and defile a man." Mark 7:21-23

Our very nature is against God.

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8

We cannot please God as long as our flesh is against God.

17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:17

Even if we try to do good, our own flesh is against us so that we do things we don't really want to do.

Basically the problem is this: We see sin as being fun or as giving pleasure. We like the pleasure and fun so much that we find ourselves going against our high values to obey God. We find that we cannot control ourselves because of our fleshly desire to do that sin which gives us that pleasure or fun or that political advantage or even that urge for power.

6. But 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. Isaiah 64:6

We just do not have the ability to do good:

18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:18-19

Paul throws us his hands and says:

24. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:24

The law cannot help us, so following God's righteous law offers us no hope in being saved. We just cannot do it!

Jesus is the one who came to save us:

16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:16-17

Since Jesus was sent by His Father to give us everlasting life, let us listen to Him.

One day, Jesus told a short story to some individuals who thought they were already righteous by following the law. These people thought they could do it all themselves:

9. Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
12. 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.'
13. "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'
14. "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 18:9-14

The pharisee is trying to show that he is righteous. He thinks he is righteous because of his own good deeds but we have already seen that all our righteousness is like filthy rags. There is no one who is good in this world. Thus the pharisee in this parable will never be justified by God nor will anyone who tries the same method.

When it says God justifies a person, what it means is that God says that the person is righteous! So here Jesus is saying that God will never say that this pharisee is righteous! God will not call anybody righteous who tries this method. This unsuccessful method is called "righteousness by works".

These people think of themselves as being righteous and saved. But they like to tell others how good they are. They even come to God and tell Him of the good things they do. They tell God their good deeds because they think God will answer their prayer because of their good deeds.

When they sin more than usual, they really feel condemned. They feel so condemned that they may not pray to God for a while. What happens is that they wait until their vivid sense of their sin has left them. Or they wait until they can make it up to God because of some special good behavior.

It is only when they think they have something to offer to God in goodness or good deeds that they think they can approach God again.

What they really want to do is to be able to say to God: "See how good I have been for the last few days. I am sure you will accept me now!"

So, what happens? This man and all people who approach God thinking they have something good to offer to God, they are trusting in their own righteousness; They are NOT accepted by God because their best righteousness is just filthy rags!

Now, on the other hand, the tax collector came to God with absolutely nothing to offer God. Instead, he cried out: "God, be merciful to me a sinner!" Jesus said that this man was justified (which means to be made righteous) because "he who humbles himself will be exalted".

If we look into what the tax collector did, we will see that he did more than to express his heart-felt regret for his sin. What he did was to cry for mercy!

He deserved to die just like we do, but he cried for mercy, asking that he be treated better than he deserved.

10. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13. As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
14. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Psalms 103:10-14

How does God treat us better than we deserve? He forgives us of our sins when we do not deserve to be forgiven. When we come to God and humble ourselves like the tax collector did, God then removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west and He throws them in the sea!

18. Who is a God like You, Pardoning iniquity And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy.
19. He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:18-19

Indeed! There is no God like our God! God pardons iniquity when we confess our sins.

8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10

So, when we plead for mercy and confess our sins, God will forgive us of our sins and He will also cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

24. being justified [made righteous] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25. whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26. to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Romans 3:24-26

We are made righteous freely because He justifies the one who has faith in Jesus! There is no other way we can become righteous since there is no effort on our part that can produce righteousness.

17. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:17 NIV

What God does is He puts His own righteousness on the sinner who believes in Jesus. Jesus is our substitute for our sins.

At this point we need to understand what the name of the Lord means. To Moses, God showed Himself in a very unique way. He proclaimed the name of the Lord. He told him what His name means and thus He told Moses what His character is like.

5. Now the LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.
6. And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,
7. "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation." Exodus 34:5-7

We might wonder how God can forgive iniquity and forgive sin while at the same time He says that He will never clear the guilty. How can He do that? We are all guilty of sin!

The answer is very simple. When God forgives us of our sins He actually removes our guilt. So we are no longer guilty when He removes our guilt. We are then justified or made righteous and we are counted as though we have never sinned because our sins have been blotted out.

25. "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25

12. "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Hebrews 8:12

It is only those who have not cried for mercy who will be found with their guilt in the day of judgement.

God's grace and His gift of righteousness is a free gift. As we saw before and as it is expressed in the next verse, it is given to those who have faith in Jesus. Now because righteousness is a gift, that means eternal life, which is the reward of the righteous, it is also a gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16

Yes, God loves us and He sent us His Son so that we can be saved. It is all a gift because He is rich in mercy.

4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, Ephesians 2:4

Again we are reminded that under our own effort no one will be made righteous. It is only through the righteousness of God apart from the law that we are made righteous.

20. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21. But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22. even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; Romans 3:20-22

So, the righteousness of God is given only to those who believe in Jesus, only on those who have faith in Jesus Christ. God puts His righteousness, the righteousness of God, on the one who has faith and believes. He covers the sinner with it, so that his sin no longer appears.

This is something to be happy and shout about:

10. I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10

God covers us with His robe of righteousness! It is the garments of salvation that He has placed on us! This is indeed something to shout about!

This is a little confusing. At first we saw that the law was the righteousness of God. How can God work outside His righteousness of the law and give us righteousness? Isn't this a bad conflict because it looks like the law and God's mercy go in the opposite directions.

This is how Grace relates to the law: Jesus vindicates the integrity of His grace by submitting to the penalty which was due to the sinner under the law of God. So, we can see that grace really does not go against the law at all.

Since Jesus died for our sins, He has paid the penalty for our sins under the law. So, since Jesus possesses all the fullness of the Godhead (meaning that He is fully divine) and is equal with the Father in every way; He has the ability to fully redeem us through His Grace. His ability to buy back each of us, who is lost, is infinite!

So actually, there is no problem at all. Both mercy and the law come from God. The righteousness stated in the law is the very same righteousness that Jesus gives us by faith in His mercy.

From the verses that we have seen thus far, we can easily see that it is Jesus who is trying to convince us to be saved. He is full of grace and mercy and He has His arms stretched out toward us asking us to come to Him. He is offering us eternal life.

It is no wonder that Paul considered every other thought as rubbish compared to the greatness of knowing that Jesus, as his Lord, has made it possible for us to have righteousness through faith. Paul wanted that righteousness that comes from God!

8. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ
9. and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. Philippians 3:8-9 NIV

Many of us have been trying to gain a righteousness that comes from our own efforts according to the law. But now we can have the righteousness that the law requires and it is the genuine article, because we can obtain it from the source of all righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ.

So what is God doing? Is He just covering up our sin with a robe of righteousness so that we can be called righteous? No, this is not hypocrisy where we would have a form of righteousness without the actual power of righteousness in us.

The righteousness which Jesus covers us is righteousness that meets the approval of God. Since God approves of it then we just need to understand more of what God is doing. We will see more of this issue as we keep studying this subject.

For now lets look at what the Angel of the Lord did for Joshua:

1. Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.
2. And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?"
3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.
4. Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, " Take away the filthy garments from him." And to him He said, "See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes."
5. And I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by. Zechariah 3:1-5

If you will notice, that the taking away of the filthy garments is the same as causing the iniquity to pass from the sinner. This means that the covering of righteousness, or in this case, with rich robes, is not a cloak to cover sin. The sin is taken away first. The filthy garments of sin is taken away first, then and only then are the rich robes of righteousness put on.

The forgiveness of sins is real and Jesus also makes a change in the person as well. He actually clears him from guilt and the sinner is justified and made righteous. Thus he has undergone a radical change! He is now another person and he became that way by putting on Christ.

17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

We are not talking about a cloaking operation. We are looking at the creation of a new person. It is the new birth of the follower of Christ.

The new heart is one that loves righteousness and hates sin. It is willing to take new paths of righteousness that God wants them to take.

29. 'Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever! Deuteronomy 5:29

It is the Holy Spirit that allows a man to sincerely want to be forgiven of their sins. It is the hatred of these sins and his desire for righteousness which is also a gift from the Holy Spirit.

13. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:13-14

It is because of our faith that we are justified which gives us the peace of God.

1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1

To all who believe and have faith, they receive the righteousness from God.

21. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
22. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, Romans 3:21-22

We are children of God because of our faith!

26. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26

We are also made heirs because we have been justified by His grace.

4. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,
5. not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
6. whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
7. that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7

Again, it is through the action of the Holy Spirit that is abundantly poured out through Jesus Christ our Savior; that God saves us. It is according to His mercy. It is not because of any goodness in us that He loves us. It is because of our great need. We will be destroyed with the grace of God.

24. being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25. whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, Romans 3:24-25

We can only begin to understand and appreciate the wonderful gift that God has given us! The very fact that God comes to us when we are fully sinful and so degraded that there is absolutely no hope. But with God, all things are possible and it is because of His love for us that we can be called the children of God!

1. Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 1 John 3:1

We are now made alive together with Christ because it is by the grace of Jesus that we are saved.

4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5. even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6. and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7. that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:4-10

Here are the steps that have been covered so far:

1. Humble ourselves before God
2. heart-felt regret for our sins
3. confess our sins
4. Plead for mercy
5. Having faith in Jesus, believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
6. God removes our sins from us (our iniquity represented by the filthy garments) and places them in the deepest sea.
7. God covers us with His (rich robes), the robe of righteousness
8. Thus God will give us His Savation, His righteousness
9. So God gives us the New Birth experience. Now we love righteousness and we hate sin.
10. We are made children of God and heirs with Christ.

When we do our part, as the tax collector did, God will do His part. He will honor our cry to Him because He is always ready and anxious to save and deliver us while we are alive on this earth.

This is a question that many people wonder about. Will God accept me if I come to Him? Some have been a Christian, and going to church every week and they still doubt that they have been accepted by God. This is the kind of person who this study is especially written to help. However, if you are coming to God for the first time: This study is for you as well, because it will allow you to develop a connection with God that others either just dream about or it takes them years and years.

The reason why this study is so powerful is that it will bring to you the simple assurances of God's word. We will not just look at a few verses but instead you will find that the assurance of God to save us is found in many verses. We are not looking at a few strange verses but we are looking at the heart of the message of good news that God has for us!

So, will the Lord receive you or me? Actually, the real question is this: Will God receive you when He has already bought you with His own life and blood? Yes, that is the question!

If we go to the store and put down some money for what we want to buy, are we just going to pay the money and then go home without taking what we just bought? It doesn't make sense. The same is true with God.

28. "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28

God didn't just pay a few dollars for us; He paid with His own blood so that He can have us! And you think He won't accept you? Think again!

19. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
20. For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We are not our own because we were bought at a steep price. So we are God's property.

18. knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,
19. but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19

Jesus is divine. It is through Him that all things were created. His blood is very precious because He is without spot or blemish. He lived on earth without sinning once. He paid a very steep price for us!

14. who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:14

Yet Jesus gave Himself for us that we may live with Him!

14. Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ,
15. who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, Galatians 1:3-4

God did not just buy a few people or a select group, He paid the price for the whole world to be saved if they accept His offer. God so loved the World:

16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18. "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. John 3:16

Jesus gave His life so that the world through Him might be saved.

51. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." John 6:51

Jesus gave His blood and His flesh, He gave His life so that the world could live.

6. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.
8. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8

Actually the price that Jesus paid for us was infinite. Jesus was equal with God but He decided to make of Himself of no reputation. He became a servant and became a man. That is an infinitely larger price then we would experience, if we could decide to become an almost non-thinking worm. Jesus became obedient even to the death of the cross!

5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6. who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
7. but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
8. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:5-8

Yes, the price Jesus paid was infinite. Yet, there is a special joy that is before Him.

2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Jesus will see the labor of His soul. He will see those who will be saved from this world and He will be satisfied. This is the joy that was set before Him.

10. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:10-11

If saving us gives Jesus a deep sense of joy and satisfaction, how can we even consider the possibility that He will not accept us!

Yet some people turn right around and say "but I am not worthy."

What you are suggesting is that you are not worth the price that Jesus paid for you.

Do you think that God would be surprised to find out what you are really like and that you are worthless?

Listen, God already knows that you are not worthy to be saved. Should that surprise you?

Look at this:

25. Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.
26. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,
27. and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. John 2:23-25

Jesus came to Jerusalem and showed them signs, yet He did not show them everything because He knew what they are like. He knows what sin is in people:

21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22. "thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.
23. "All these evil things come from within and defile a man." Mark 7:21-23

There is nothing good in man. So God forgives us of our sins not because of our goodness but because of His own purpose that He wants to pursue.

25. "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25

God is not forgiving us because of any good we have because there is nothing. God is saving us for His own reasons. He apparently knows what He can make of us in the future.

21. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

So, we will have the righteousness of God in us. This is what God will make within us.

9. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;
10. and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. Colossians 2:9-10

And we will be complete because God will be in us. Thus we will have the righteousness of God in us.

In Ephesians we see more fully what being complete in Jesus actually means:

1. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,
2. in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
3. among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
5. even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6. and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
7. that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:1-10

We see all the same aspects of grace as we have seen so far, that it is a gift of God, not of works. Anything from us is as filthy rags so there is nothing to boast about in ourselves. Our righteousness has to come from God!

We are also reminded that Jesus came to save the ungodly. "God prepared beforehand that we should walk in" God. So "even when we were dead in trespasses", God made us alive together with Jesus. Yes, as we saw in Romans 5:6 Christ died for the ungodly!

However, the aspect of being made complete in Jesus is explained more: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works". So, we were created to be righteous, to do good works.

If we were worth the price before Jesus gave us grace then the next verse would not be true at all:

6. to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

We are only a praise of His glorious grace when we are given His gift of grace. Before He gives us grace, we are worthless and "good for nothing".

However, when Jesus presents us faultless before the throne, it will always be to His everlasting glory. Not one of us will ever be able to say we were worthy. I am sure that all throughout eternity, the saved in Christ will unite in praising Christ:

9. And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10. And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth."
11. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,
12. saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" Revelation 5:9-12

The angels, and the living creatures with the elders all respond to the new song by saying: Worthy is the Lamb who was slain. . .

All doubt should be gone! You should not have any doubt that Jesus has accepted you. But I know that this is probably still not the case for some. We all have evil hearts of unbelief and we still have doubts.

Many people say: "I believe this but . . " What they really mean is: "I believe, but I don't believe."

This is what many say to explain their unbelief: "The Bible says that if we are children of God we will have the witness of the Spirit and will have the witness in ourselves. I don't feel any such witness. So I can't believe that I am Christ's.

Let's settle the question.

Actually, the real question should be this: Have you actually delivered yourself to Him? If you have delivered yourself to Him, then He has accepted you! However, if you are not His, it is only because you are refusing to deliver yourself to Him. You are refusing to deliver to Him what He has already bought. You are defrauding Him. In Romans we find that Jesus says:

21. "All day long I have stretched out My hands To a disobedient and contrary people." Romans 10:21 Part

Jesus stretches out His hands to us, who are a disobedient and contrary people. As long as we refuse to give ourselves to Him and even charge Him that He is not even willing to accept us; we will be lost!

However, if we yield ourself honestly from the heart, asking that we can be His child, then we should know from all His promises that He has received us. We are accepted by Him!

Listen to this and take heart. Hang on the promises of God. It is all we have, yet it is more than enough!

10. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
11. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:10-15

So, to believe in the Son of God, we must believe what He has said to us and what the Bible says about Him. Now, John says: "He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself!" Our belief in the Son of God is our actual witness!!!

Most of the world do not believe in God nor His Son at all. Others think that there might be a God or that Jesus might be real.

But, if we believe, or as soon as we start believing, we have the witness or testimony of Jesus in our hearts. We believe His testimony.

8. . . . "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
9. that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11. For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." Romans 10:8-11

Lets look at this thing called faith which allows us to believe:

1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Through our faith in Jesus, we now hope for things that we have never seen.

Let us remind ourselves that if we believe Jesus and what He says, that we have the witness inside of us that we have Jesus in us and that we have eternal life!

10. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. 1 John 5:10, 13

So, our faith is the actual evidence that we both hear and believe and it is our faith that makes us children of God who will inherit eternal life. It is our faith in Jesus that allows us to be sons of God!

26. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26

We know that God cannot lie.

26. in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, Titus 1:2

So it is indeed true that our faith in Jesus saves us and we all become sons of God.

God's witness will become evident to us because God is not dead, He will actually interact with us if we seek Him with all our hearts:

7. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8. "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
9. "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?
10. "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11. "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Matthew 7:7-11

If we seek God He will answer us. It is as simple as that! It is a promise that everyone who asks, he or she will receive!

So, our faith and belief, our trust in God will be given to us as we ask for it. It will come to us when we spend time with God in the word. So we will have that witness in us:

26. So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17

Now, we have seen that He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. It is actually the Holy Spirit that witnesses to us:

16. The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17. and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:16-17

Jesus told us that He was going to ask the Father so that we can have the Holy Spirit to live with us forever. That means we will always have the witness in us:

16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- John 14:16

At Pentecost, the promise actually came and Peter told the curious people that Jesus, who was now sitting at the right hand of God, had just received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit:

33. "Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:33

If we continue with what Jesus said about the helper, we will find out who this helper is:

16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17. "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18. "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19. "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. John 14:16-19

Notice in verse 17 that Jesus said to His disciples that the world cannot receive the spirit of truth, but you can because you know Him. In fact, He already dwells with you.

Notice that it is spoken as present tense. The reason why they already knew Him was because He had already been living with them. He ate with them and traveled with them. He had been teaching them and they had been working together. It was not someone they didn't know, it was Jesus Himself!

Let's go back and read verse 18 and 19 again:

16. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--
17. "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
18. "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
19. "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. John 14:16-19

Jesus was telling them that this helper is actually Him. In verse 18 He comes right out and tells them that He will not leave them orphans, but that He will come to them. Then in verse 19 Jesus says that the rest of the world will not see Him but they will!

The world will not see Him but His disciples will see Him. Thus Jesus becomes a life-giving spirit to His disciples. Jesus was not talking about His second coming when every eye will see Him:

7. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7

Now Jesus says, in John 14:19, that the world will not see Him but that they will see Him.

Yes, Jesus became as life-giving spirit:

45. And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam [Christ] became a life-giving spirit. 1 Corinthians 15:45

Jesus is the Spirit of truth and He is a life-giving spirit.

17. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17

The word for Lord in this verse actually means master and is known to be the Messiah, which is the Christ.

God the Father has sent the Spirit of His own Son into the world, into our hearts:

6. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, ÒAbba, Father!" Galatians 4:6

So, Jesus lives in us by the Spirit that He gave us:

24. All who obey his commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he has given us. 1 John 3:24 NRSV

This explains how Jesus can say that He will be with us always even till the end of the world:

20. . . . "and lo, I [Jesus] am with you always, even to the end of the world." Amen. Matthew 28:20 part

If we open the door, Jesus will be in each one of us:

20. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21. "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
22. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'" Revelation 3:20-22

When Jesus lives in us, we can then live by faith:

20. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

We are to even test ourselves to see if Jesus is in us:

5. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? --unless indeed you are disqualified. 1 Corinthians 13:5

Jesus died and then rose that He might fill all things:

10. He who descended [into the grave] is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. Ephesians 4:10

To have Jesus in us and us in Him speaks of a closeness that can only exist if Jesus is in us through the Holy Spirit because it is the Spirit of Christ in us.

20. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;
21. "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.
22. "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:
23. "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. John 17:20-23

So now, when we say we have the witness in us, it is literally true because it is Jesus Himself who is in us! He is the one who witnesses to us in our heart and mind.

10. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
11. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
12. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
13. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.
14. Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
15. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. 1 John 5:10-15

Now when we read this verse that says: He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; We know we indeed have Jesus our witness in ourselves!

We have a confidence in Jesus to believe in the name of the Son of God because anything we ask according to His will, He will hear us and answer our request because He is in us.

We know that the witness is in ourselves. It is not just a simple impression or an emotion. But Jesus is actually in us! God does not ask us to trust something as unreliable as our feelings. The Scripture says that he who trusts his own heart is a fool. There is nothing in ourselves that we can really depend on, but it is the witness that Jesus Himself gives us, that is what we can trust. He shows us the unchangeable word of God through the Spirit, in our own hearts.

Jesus was sent to bless us so that we can turn away from our iniquities and our wicked ways.

26. "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." Acts 3:26

So, we are blessed because God sent His Son to us, allowing us to be partakers of the divine nature so that we can turn from our iniquities.

4. by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Peter 1:4

We become partakers of the divine nature because all who believe and have faith will receive their righteousness from God.

1. But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.
2. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, Romans 3:21-22

And thus, we are given the right to become children of God because we believe in His Name.

12. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12

It is all a gift to us, yet we are changed by that same gift since we are given righteousness from God. Thus we can be partakers of the divine nature. It means that God will share His divine nature with us. We can have His divine nature, not that we become like God, but that we can be set free from sin in our lives because God gives us His righteousness!

18. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:18

Paul speaks of the power of God that is given to everyone who has faith. But it is also true that with the righteousness of God, we are able to live by faith.

So the question is this: Do we need faith in order to receive the power of God? Or does the power of God give us faith? According to Romans both are correct. It is not an "either or" situation:

16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, "The one who is righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:16-17 NRSV

As we see in verse 16, God's power of salvation is given to everyone who has faith. This must be the reason why the righteous people of God will live by faith (verse 17). So, this righteousness is actually revealed because of our faith. When we live by faith, our righteousness from God will be shown to others and this very process will increase our faith even more than before.

This reminds me of what Jesus said concerning hope.`

4. For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4

Because we find comfort in the Scriptures, we obtain patience and hope as well.

Lets look at what King Jehoshaphat was able to do when he chose to get help from God. When ever we ask for any kind of help from God, we are asking for a gift of mercy.

1. It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat.
2. Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar" (which is En Gedi). 2 Chronicles 20:1-2

The news of the massive army coming against them caused everyone to be frightened. But Jehoshaphat chose to ask help from the Lord. All of the cities of Judah came to seek God:

3. And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
4. So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. 2 Chronicles 20:3-4

Jehoshaphat then prayed as the leader of the congregation.

We need to look at his prayer. To have victory through faith, it will take an ability to pray to God with effectiveness. His prayer was a prayer of faith and it also contains the beginning of victory because of his faith.

5. Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court,
6. and said: "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You? 2 Chronicles 20:5-6

What is so good about his prayer is that it starts with a recognition of God in heaven! This is exactly what Jesus did when He taught His disciples, and now us, the Lords prayer:

9. Our Father, who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
10. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:9-10 part NKJV

The Lord's prayer begins by stating that God, our Father in heaven, is Creator; that God has power over all the kingdoms of the world and over Satan and his evil angels.

There is power and might in the hand of the Creator and there is none that is able to withstand Him. So, when we are in distress and in need, if we start our prayer with a recognition of God's power, we will already have victory on our side.

But Jehoshaphat went one step further. He not only declared his faith in God's wondrous power, but he now claimed God's strength as his own by saying: "Are You not our God?".

7. Are You not our God? Did You not drive out the people of this land before Israel, and give it to the seed of Your friend Abraham forever?
8. And they lived in it. And they have built You a temple in it for Your name, saying,
9. If evil comes on us, whether the sword, judgment, or plague, or famine, and we stand before this house and in Your presence (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our affliction, then You will hear and help.
10. And now, behold, the sons of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir, whom You would not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them and did not destroy them,
11. behold, they reward us by coming to cast us out of Your possession, which You have given us to inherit. 2 Chronicles 20:7-11

Jehoshaphat was fulfilling the requirement of Scripture by not only believing that God exists, but also believing that God will help them as well! That is why He is their God!

6. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 MKJV

Yes, God rewards people who diligently seek Him. Thus, Jehoshaphat was able to say:" we stand before this house and in Your presence (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You in our affliction, then You will hear and help". Jehoshaphat knew that God would help!

Jehoshaphat reminded God how He had established them in the promised land and now Ammon and Moab were now coming to throw them out of His possession. Then he concluded:

12. "O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You." 2 Chronicles 20:12

Jehoshaphat knew that they had absolutely no power to fight against their enemy but he knew that for God it was nothing:

11. And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. 2 Chronicles 14:11

It does not matter at all whether it is a little problem or even a big gigantic problem, to God it is not a problem for God. In addition, God is looking for ways to help His people, to show Himself strong in behalf of those who's heart is strong toward Him.

9. For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9 Part

In the New Testament, we see the same message given to us:

2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

We are to look to Jesus for our help! He is both the author and finisher of our faith. When we pray for help, just as Jehoshaphat did, we will be helped. We will not be left as a prey for Satan.

So, what was the result? The Holy Spirit came into a prophet of God:

15. And he said, "Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says the LORD to you: 'Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God's.
16. 'Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17. 'You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you." 2 Chronicles 20:15-17

They didn't even have to fight!

20. So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."
21. And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy endures forever." 2 Chronicles 20:20-21

This is a very strange way to win a battle! The choir was sent out in front of their army to face the enemy.

22. Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
23. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24. So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:22-24

So few battles have been won in this way. Yet, we need to study how the victory of faith won the battle because we might be able to win our battles in the same say, through the victory of faith.

When that vast army marched against Israel, they knew they had superior numbers and so they were confident. But when they saw and heard the Israelites coming out singing and shouting, they probably wondered: "Who in their right mind would meet them like that?"

They must have thought that the Israelites had received reinforcements and that they were now so strong that it would be useless to try to fight them. Panic seized them, and they all fought each other until they were all dead!

Even though the Israelites were still a small group, they had indeed received reinforcements! God started ambushing the enemy and the Israelites just watched and sang praising God.

There is one point we need to look at. It was when the Israelites began to sing and to praise God that the Lord began ambushing the enemy.

God's promises are as good as the actual act of God. The Israelites believed this so they acted on God's promise. What they did was to prove the truth of God's words. God gave them a promise and they acted out their faith believing God at His word. This action of the Israelites shows that their faith was real and they actually proved the truth of God's words by their actions!

Now, lets apply what we have learned to help us in our battle against our enemy!

We suddenly have a strong urge to sin, a strong temptation to do something we know is wrong. What do we do now?

Unfortunately, we have often lost the battle because the strength of the temptation is strong. How can we be victorious when we are so weak?

1. We must turn our eyes toward Jesus.

Jesus is the one who told us to come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

2. We start to pray to God for help.

We pray to the God that is revealed to us in the Bible that is the Creator of heaven and earth.

3. We begin our prayer with a joyful acknowledgment of God's mighty power

Not in a mournful way as if we had no faith only possessing our own weakness.

Our faith takes hold of the fact that God has the power to change us!

4. Once we have fully settled in our mind that we have God's mighty power and that our faith is strong in Him we can start stating our difficulty and our weakness.

If we first start with our weakness and our discouraging situation, we actually place ourselves before God as if we had the ability to correct ourselves.

If we do place ourself before God, Satan can then magnify our difficulty and throw his darkness around us so that we can see nothing except our own weakness. That means we will lose out on God's power. We may even cry and plead fervently with agonizing emotion, yet it will all be in vain.

The reason is this: we will lack the essential element that shows our faith and our believing that God exists and that He will do all that He promises.

However, when we start by recognizing God's power that He can both save us and change us, then we can safely state our own weaknesses because we are simply placing our weakness by the side of His power. We have reminded ourselves of who God is and of His strength and willingness to help us!

The contrast between God's strength and His willingness to use His power for us versus our own weakness can encourage us since we are reminded that we do not have to rely on our own weakness in the battle but on His strength.

5. Then, as we pray, various promises of God start coming to our mind. The Holy Spirit is helping us pray by giving us these verses.

It may be that we can not think of a special promise that exactly fits our case. But these verses might come to mind:

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 1 Timothy 1:15

who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father Galatians 1:4

He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32

6. Now, we remember that our deliverance from evil is according to the will of God (Galatians 1:4)
7. We can count the victory as already ours and begin to thank God for His "exceeding great and precious promises."

This is possible because we remember that when God gives us a promise, it is as good as if was fulfilled already.

8. As our faith grasps these promises and makes them real to us, we cannot help praising God for His wonderful love.
9. While we are praising God, our minds are wholly taken from evil and is directed to Jesus. The victory is ours because of Christ!
10. Now God starts acting according to our faith. He sets ambushes against the enemy

Because we are praising God, Satan realizes that we have indeed obtained reinforcements. Satan knows the strength of God's power and he knows that he can do nothing on that occasion and he leaves us.

11. Now the reality of the following verse is realized!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; Philippians 4:6

Satan Compels us to Sin against our Will. But the power of Faith will give us Victory!

28. . . . the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."
29. Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."
30. And their eyes were opened. . ." Matthew 9:28-30

Let's look at this problem in a more practical way that again shows it is the power of the faith we have in Jesus that will give us victory.

The sinner, any sinner is a slave. This is what Jesus said:

34. "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. John 8:34

Paul referred to the same thing:

14. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Romans 7:14

Paul said the law is spiritual, but he is flesh sold in sin as a slave. Peter brings up the same point when he talks about corrupt teachers:

19. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 2 Peter 2:19

A slave is stuck. He cannot do what he wants to do. He is forced to what what some one else forces him to do. It does not matter how much the slave hates what he is doing, he must do it.

Paul goes on to explain his situation as a slave:

14. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
15. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. Romans 7:14-15

17. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.
18. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.
19. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Romans 7:17-19

So, if sin controls us, then it is true. We are a slave! But there is something else that Paul is talking about in his explaination. When the sinner gets a glimpse of what freedom is like, He starts longing for it. Yet, even then, he cannot break the chains which bind him to keep sinning. This is because it is impossible for a sinner to do even the good that he would like to do. We just cannot please God in the flesh:

7. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
8. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8

17. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:17

How often have we had this very same experience. We have often resolved and resolved again, and yet all our resolutions have fallen in the face of temptation. We have been as weak as water!

The problem is that we have had no might and we didn't know what to do about it. In addition; We just did not keep our eyes on God. It is very unfortunate. We kept looking at ourselves and the enemy! So, what we got was constant defeat.

This is what Paul experienced as well. He cried out in anguish of soul:

24. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Romans 7:24

So, is our wonderful true Christian experience to be in a body of death so terrible that the soul is constrained to cry out for deliverance? No! Absolutely not!

When Paul spoke of his trying to do righteously in anguish of spirit, he was trying to obey the law. But the law is not able to do that:

3. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, Romans 8:3

Instead, Jesus condemned sin in the flesh and He delivers them from bondage!

14. Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15. and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15

1. "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; Isaiah 61:1

When Jesus releases us from the bondage of sin; Does it mean that He delivers us from the hard struggles we have with Satan and the enemy on this earth?

No, we are still in this world struggling. Jesus did not come to deliver us from the warfare and struggles in this life at all. But rather, Jesus came to deliver us from this captivity of sin where we are always loosing our battles to the enemy against sin.

What is now changed is that we are released from the constant defeat we use to always experience. Now we can be strong in the Lord who has given us His power, the righteousness of Jesus.

So, the bondage of sin which Paul complained about in the seventh chapter of Roman is not what the child of God experiences. It is the servant of sin who is trying to keep the law by his own righteousness.

12. giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
13. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, Colossians 1:12-13

Jesus is the one who delivers us from the power of darkness:

31. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

36. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:31-32,38

This freedom comes to every one of us that believe! If we believe on His name, He gives the power to become the sons of God

12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

This freedom from condemnation comes to those who are in Christ Jesus.

1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:1

By faith do we put on Christ.

26. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. Galatians 3:26-27

So it is by faith that Christ lives in our hearts.

Let's look at a story that illustrates that the power of faith is able to deliver us from bondage.

10. Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.
11. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.
12. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."
13. And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.
14. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."
15. The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?
16. "So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound--think of it--for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"
17. And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him. Luke 13:10-17

Lets forget about the indignation of the ruler and consider the miracle. This story of the woman might remind us of ourselves. She was bound by her sickness. She did not have the ability to help herself to get rid of her medical problem. She was stuck, she was getting more sick all the time and she knew that she would die eventually.

Satan up from her problem.

11. Do not withhold Your tender mercies from me, O LORD; Let Your lovingkindness and Your truth continually preserve me.
12. For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.
13. Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me; O LORD, make haste to help me! Psalm 40:11-13