Our subject today is on faith and righteousness: and I realize that we have all heard tons of messages on this very topic if we have been a Christian at any length of time. However, that being said, I wish to draw out some things today that may be very helpful for some. In our passage of Scripture that we just read above we learned that we confess with our mouth and believe in our heart in order to be saved. Therefore, this passage gives us a clear understanding that faith is a confession that proceeds from one's mouth and a believing heart which places them in a divine position with Christ. I have heard many times from folks who expressed one thing with their mouth, but later on discovered that their heart was not in it at all, as I witnessed the failure to see any confirmation from those words spoken. I believe Christian's today have evolved to such a loud hum of rhetoric, but without much evidence of the things they are trying to articulate. I'm not saying this to sound mean, but to only address our subject to which we are addressing: the agreement of faith and righteousness.

Over in Matthew 15:11, we find that Jesus said it was not that which goes into the mouth that defiles the man, but rather what comes out of it. I am a firm a believer that as the mouth speaks it reveals that person's truest belief at the heart level. We always talk what we believe the most deeply in our heart. Even a habitual liar believes what he often speaks, though he has established his world on lies. Our confession should be one that lines up with our truest nature in Christ. If we therefore are born again and have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; then the Bible says old things have passed away and all things have become new. It seems strange don't you think, when a person who has professed to be a child of God runs around speaking everything contradictory to what the Word says he is? I believe this uncertainty of truly knowing thyself is the by-product of doubting your righteousness that Christ has wrapped you up in. If we fail to see ourselves as God sees us, then we as Christians are certain to only say words from the Bible but without results.

I looked over in 2 Corinthians 4:13 by the unction of the Holy Spirit where it tells us that we having the same Spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed and therefore I have spoken: we also believe and therefore speak. Faith is an expression of the mouth that is meant to be fully in an agreement with the heart. If we study God's Word we will find that we are the temple of the Holy Ghost and that we have been purchased with a price. Therefore, we need to identify with this work of God in us and submit to His Holy Spirit that is resident in our hearts. If Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, then we need to let Him show us who we really are and not argue the point when it seems too impossible to achieve. The whole premise of faith is built on the reliable work of Christ in us who will author our life stories and empower us to live it abundantly before others. Are our lives not written epistles for others to read? Then let the Lord write the script of your life, while you walk in the character that He has purposed for you in the cinema of this life. The Holy Spirit is our "Director" to whom we have our being. Look at what Jesus said about this Holy Director.

John 16:7-15 (KJV)
⁷ Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
⁸ And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
⁹ Of sin, because they believe not on me;
¹⁰ Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
¹¹ Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
¹² I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
¹³ Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
¹⁴ He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
¹⁵ All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

There is much confusion about the Holy Spirit's role in a believer's life. Sadly, too many have expressed Him to be a constant disciplinarian in our life. I happened to clearly see that He is called a "Comforter" within this particular passage of Scriptures. Yet, for many Christian's He is merely this ever present Spirit that brings constant conviction into their life. I thought about this application that is often presumed upon the Holy Spirit, and I have found I just can't get it to work and stay consistent to the rest of Scriptures within the Bible referencing Him. Let me ask you a question, how long would you enjoy the fellowship of someone who all they ever did "day in and day out" was to address everything you did wrong? Would you feel glad to have them around you? I have read my Bible a few times now, and I see consistently that the Holy Spirit is called a "Helper" or "Comforter;" not judge and jury of the saints.

Our Scripture above, talks about the role that the Holy Spirit actually plays in the world, and in the believer's life as well. It's obvious that none can come unto the Father except he be drawn of the Spirit. Therefore, the Holy Spirit will reprove the world of its sin because without His help they cannot believe on the Lord and be saved. Then we discover that there is this righteousness that seems so hard for many believers to grasp and obtain effectually in their life. Therefore, the Holy Spirit "helps" us to see our righteousness in Jesus, because we often lose sight of Christ's finished work on our behalf; so the Holy Spirit helps us to recall the teachings of our Lord. Obviously, there is this judgment aspect of the Holy Spirit that many fail to understand its truest meaning due to doctrines of error that have been taught to them. Notice that this judgment has everything to do with the prince of this world and references nothing about you or me.

The best part of all of this is that He will come upon our lives to reside on the inside, in order to lead us into all truths. What truths are these? The truth about who we really are in Christ Jesus as a new creation. The passage in focus reveals that the Holy Spirit will not speak of Himself, but rather the things that He hears: and these are the things He will reveal and tell us. Why? It is because we are His very own. Therefore, the things that He hears or sees that are Christ's; He will in turn tell and show them to us because we belong to Christ. If you will recall from the Scriptures that the Holy Spirit who dwells in us as the church collectively is what is keeping the anti-Christ from having his way in the world right now. The work of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life will be one of revealing his or her righteousness based on what Jesus Christ has accomplished on our behalf. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, not condemnation. As a matter of fact, those who are now in Christ Jesus, there is no condemnation. We are seated together with Him in heavenly places right now! Can you see how the Word of God under grace is trying to get you in your right position?

Romans 7:5-6 (KJV)
⁵ For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.
⁶ But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

If you are truly born again then you are born of the Spirit. Therefore, when you were considered a man of the flesh you were constantly in the motions of sinful acts without a pardon to the infractions you have committed against the perfect law. However, because of Christ we have been delivered from the curse of the law. What is left to do? We should serve and live in the newness of spirit afforded us through Jesus Christ's finished work on Calvary, rather than identifying with the flesh to which the law speaks expressively to condemn. We need to fully realize that Christ has made us righteous and that it is our duty to bury the old man once and for all. If we look all through the Bible we will see God's constant intervention to help man, and the rebellious man's attempt to do it without His help.

Deuteronomy 9:1-6 (KJV)
¹ Hear, O Israel: Thou art to pass over Jordan this day, to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fenced up to heaven,
² A people great and tall, the children of the Anakims, whom thou knowest, and of whom thou hast heard say, Who can stand before the children of Anak!
³ Understand therefore this day, that the LORD thy God is he which goeth over before thee; as a consuming fire he shall destroy them, and he shall bring them down before thy face: so shalt thou drive them out, and destroy them quickly, as the LORD hath said unto thee.
⁴ Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the LORD thy God hath cast them out from before thee, saying, For my righteousness the LORD hath brought me in to possess this land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD doth drive them out from before thee.
⁵ Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dost thou go to possess their land: but for the wickedness of these nations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee, and that he may perform the word which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
⁶ Understand therefore, that the LORD thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness; for thou art a stiffnecked people.

Isn't it amazing that we have this same perverted mindset that thinks that God does these things for us when we are righteous through our own good works? Nothing has changed; man continues to think in his heart that he can eventually stand before God on his own merit, and therefore concludes that is why God does good things for him. Such foolishness! When will we ever quit looking into the Word of God as though it is saying that when we do this or that; then I saith the Lord, will be very pleased with your performances. Can I say something right here? We of ourselves fail miserably and always will fall short of meeting the standards to which the law promotes. That is why God the Father sent His only begotten Son to do what no man could ever do!

Romans 3:19-28 (KJV)
¹⁹ Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
²⁰ Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
²¹ But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
²² Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
²⁵ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
²⁶ To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
²⁷ Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
²⁸ Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

I don't know how we can make this any clearer. As it is says in Romans 4:5, But to him that works no more, but believes on Him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Can you see this? We are not to put the emphasis on our good works as being the identification of our righteousness. But rather, we are to identify with what He has done for us so that our righteousness is of Him. Until we understand this truth then we will assume that God's blessings, favor, righteousness, holiness, and any other Christ-like characteristic comes from our own efforts, thereby making the work of Christ of no use. I'm not saying you will not have good works without initiating an activity on your part; but what I am saying is if you can't recognize that any good work or activity on your part is brought about through Christ in you, then you are taking the credit as your own goodness; and the Bible said even Jesus said why call me good Master when there is only one that is good, and He is the Father of lights.

Faith is an expression of righteousness. It is a position next to Christ to which we have been called to sit in perfect fellowship. Therefore, when a man thinks his righteousness is based on his service to God, then he will leave off from speaking genuine faith with supernatural power. Why? It is because he has lowered his position given in Christ, to a level that a man can accomplish through his own self efforts in order that he might feel he is righteous towards God. What does this produce in that man? A man of "religion," who can quote the Word with great articulation that seemingly sounds spiritual, but will always hold emptiness to its manifestations to what he is saying. The Bible says to each of us, that every man that speaks should speak as unto the oracles of God. In other words he or she should speak as a prophet or prophetess of God whose words will never fail. If you intend to talk like this down here on the earth, you had better be seated next to Christ in His righteousness above if you expect to see its fruit. Faith is an expression of righteousness. Without the confidence of being clothed as such, you will see little performance to the things you speak though what you are speaking can be found in the Word of God.