In the eyes of the world, we have an official document that tells WHO IN THE WORLD WE ARE, a birth certificate.

    It doesn't tell a thing about what we do.

Doing is very important,
    but there is something more important.

    We haven't realized how we have confused
          the how and the who.

The natural thinking of righteousness as being right doing, comes from years of training to be doers.

       This thinking is easy to conform to by looking to the Old
        Testament for the definition.

              Through this meaning, man has accomplished great
               things.

The most universal definition of righteousness is "right doing." People have held this meaning for years.

          So when we read the Word of God with all the promises to  the righteous, we know we do not qualify.

          The enemy always reminds us of falling short of obedience.

Those of us Christians who ARE skillful [experienced] in the Word of righteousness, God calls mature.

            There is not one of us who doesn't want to be
                                called mature by God.

"For everyone that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe."  Hebrews 5:13

        Those of us Christians who are unskillful [inexperienced] in the word of righteousness are babies.

"And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" John 16:8

       The Holy Spirit is the teacher.

               Without Him showing us this spiritual truth,
                none of us can understand God's righteousness.

Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be filled.  In Jesus Christ we are filled with God's righteousness.

       Jesus Christ is the righteousness of God.
       He became sin so that we might be made the rightousness of God in him.

       Righteousness is a gift from God.
       Gifts cannot be earned with our goodness.
       Believe and receive God's gift of righteousness.

So many people in the world do not believe that God is a good God.

         They believe that God sends sickness and diseases, and accidents and injuries for a purpose.

         To believe that is to totally misunderstand the wonderful work of the Cross.

God is a giver of good gifts James 1:17
God's gift of righteousness is free Romans 5:17
With His righteousness we have the power to do good
2 Peter 1:4

"Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."   James 1:17

              God only gives us good things, and
              He doesn't change from time to time.

God has given us the gift of righteousness. Romans 5:17
 
      He has made us right with Himself.
      It's His doing.
      It's His gift to us.
      It's His righteousness, not ours
      Our righteousness is as filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6

God has given us promises so that we can look and act like Jesus.
BUT
     He knew that we couldn't do it without a new and living spirit within us.
     He knew that we couldn't do it without the peace that passes understanding in our souls.
     He knew that we couldn't do it unless our bodies were healed.
     He knew that we couldn't do it unless our finances and material needs were met.

God gives us these free gifts so that we will be changed.

        God wants us to change.
            God wants us to stop doing wrong.
        God wants us to be more like Jesus.

God has "given us these exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."
                                  2 Peter 1:4

We have to receive Jesus' righteousness as a gift and
      stop trying to earn His love with our goodness, and
            lay aside our pride.
He did it all and all we have to do is receive it and love Him.

The Bible says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us in Romans 5:8.
             While we were yet sinners, God gave His only
              begotten on for us in John 3:16.
                       We are to receive Him as a gift
                        that we cannot earn or work for.

We reveal what is really in our heart by our response to a gift.

      If we express ourselves with humility, that's good.
               But if we are embarrassed, we may still be trying to earn the gift by our goodness.

Gifts are something that people do not have to give us.

         If they need to give a gift, it wouldn't be a gift, but an obligation, something required.

         Gifts cannot be earned, either by works or by goodness.

         A gift is only a gift when there are no strings attached.

A gift cannot be earned by our goodness.

    We don't deserve the gift of righteousness,
                            but it's given to us anyway.

Righteousness is one of the characteristics of God.

                  It is received from God as a gift.

Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: 
 for they shall be filled."

God's Gift To Us

"For if by one man's offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."
Romans 5:17