Mar6-12: The Fruit of the Spirit Is Righteousness

Teaching Points

1. What are some of the blessings of righteousness?

ANSWER:

• Psalm 106:3 —The righteous are blessed.
• Proverbs 10:2, 11:4—Righteousness delivers from death.
• Proverbs 11:5, 6—Righteouness directs the way of those who follow it and delivers.
• Proverbs 12:28—Righteousness leads to life.
• Isaiah 32:17–Righteousness  brings peace, quietness, and assurance.
• Isaiah 33:15, 16—the righteous are protected and physically sustained by God.
• Revelation 19:7, 8—Christ’s bride (His people) is wearing righteousness. 

2. Who has righteousness?  

ANSWER:

• Psalm 36:6—The Lord’s righteousness is great like the mountains.
• Psalm 48:10—God’s right hand is full of righteousness.
• Psalm 65:5—God answers in righteousness. 

3. What is the definition of righteousness?

ANSWER:

•  “righteous” Strong’s Hebrew: H6662, (H6663)—just, lawful, cleanse, clear self; H3477—(those who are) straight, upright, just, equity; H6664—the right, equity, prosperity, just, right, righteousness.  “Righteousness” Strong’s Hebrew: H6666—rectitude, justice, virtue, rightness, justice.
• Strong’s Greek: G1342—equitable, innocent, holy, just; G1344—to render just, innocent, free as in the second righteous in Revelation 22:11; G1343—justification, equity; G2118—rectitude. 

OBSERVATION:

• Righteousness means to be just, innocent, holy, or clear or to be made or declared just, clear, or innocent.
• God is righteous.  
• Righteousness delivers from death, leads to life, and brings quietness, peace, and assurance.
• During difficult times God physically sustains and protects the righteous. 

4.  What is a symbol for righteousness in the Bible?

ANSWER:

• Job 29:14--clothing.
• Isaiah 61:10—a robe.
• Revelation 19:8—white, fine linen. 

5.  How does the Bible describe those who lack this clothing?

ANSWER:

• Revelation 3:17, 18—Naked, needing to buy white clothes. 

6. How does the Bible describe us humans in relation to righteousness?

ANSWER:

• Isaiah 64:6—uncleanness.
• Romans 3:10—There is none righteous.  

7. Since we don’t have righteousness, how can we be righteous?

ANSWER:

• Romans 1:16, 17—The gospel reveals the righteousness of God.
• John 16:7, 8—The Holy Spirit convicts us of righteousness.
• Matthew 5:6—Hunger and thirst for righteousness.
• Philippians 3:9—Righteouness must be of faith not by trying on our own to be righteous. 
• Romans 6:13—Yield yourself to do righteousness.
• Titus 3:5—We are saved not by our own righteousness but by yielding to be washed and renewed by the Holy Spirit.

OBSERVATION:

• Righteousness is symbolized as clothing.
• Interestingly the Laodecian (a people judged) group are found naked in need of righteousness to cover them yet they think they are clothed. How can God’s people living in the time of judgment escape without the garment of righteousness?  
• We have no righteousness of our own. The only way we can have righteousness is through Christ.
• First, we need to study God’s word to learn what is righteousness. Second the Holy Spirit needs convict us and instill in us a hungering and thirsting for righteousness. Finally, as we surrender and cooperate with Christ, we will be washed from our filth and renewed by the Holy Spirit.
• It is through constant submission to Our Father in heaven that we can become righteous.                                                                                        

THOUGHT QUESTIONS:

• Why does God want us to be righteous?
• Why do you believe it is important righteousness is a fruit of the Spirit?
• How can we cooperate in this process?

8. After we have accepted Christ and His righteousness by faith, what must we do in order to keep in that righteousness?

ANSWER:

• 2 Timothy 2:22—Flee youthful desires and follow righteousness.
• Romans 8:4—Walk after the Spirit, not after your own desires.
• Hebrews 12:11—Accept the God’s correction and instruction. 

OBSERVATION:

• After we have surrendered ourselves to Christ to do righteousness. We must continue to walk after the Spirit, aligning ourselves with God’s word and allowing Christ to live His righteousness in us.
• It is only as we surrender our will to Christ that we can have it strengthened to walk this new life of righteousness. 

SOP:

• The office of the Holy Spirit is distinctly specified in the words of Christ: "When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment." John 16:8. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin. If the sinner responds to the quickening influence of the Spirit, he will be brought to repentance and aroused to the importance of obeying the divine requirements.  {AA 52.2} 
• To the repentant sinner, hungering and thirsting for righteousness, the Holy Spirit reveals the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world. "He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you," Christ said. "He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." John 16:14; 14:26.  {AA 52.3}
• The Spirit is given as a regenerating agency, to make effectual the salvation wrought by the death of our Redeemer. The Spirit is constantly seeking to draw the attention of men to the great offering that was made on the cross of Calvary, to unfold to the world the love of God, and to open to the convicted soul the precious things of the Scriptures.  {AA 52.4} 
• Having brought conviction of sin, and presented before the mind the standard of righteousness, the Holy Spirit withdraws the affections from the things of this earth and fills the soul with a desire for holiness. "He will guide you into all truth" (John 16:13), the Saviour declared. If men are willing to be molded, there will be brought about a sanctification of the whole being. The Spirit will take the things of God and stamp them on the soul. By His power the way of life will be made so plain that none need err therein.  {AA 52.5} 

 CONCLUSION:

• Righteousness brings many blessings including peace, assurance, deliverance, protection and life.
• God is righteous. We are not righteous on our own.
• God wants to make us righteous.
• Through surrendering ourselves to Christ and accepting His righteousness by faith, we can live a righteous life in His power.
• God’s word reveals what righteousness is and the Holy Spirit convicts us of what righteousness is—this enables us to hunger and thirst after righteousness.
• We must continue to walk after the Spirit listening to the counsels of God’s word and surrendering our will to Christ in order to remain righteous.

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:

• Are you naked or clothed with Christ righteousness?
• Are you gaining victories over sin by surrendering your will to Christ’s righteousness?
• Do you trust your own “righteousness” to pull you through?
• Are you committed to humbly realize your need, surrender to Christ, and claim His strength for victory so that you can have righteousness?
• Are you willing to ask God for a hungering and thirsting for righteousness?