Righteousness Speaks
But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on
this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend
into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from
above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that
is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But
what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy
mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith,
which we preach (Romans 10:6-8).
The phrase “the righteousness which is of faith”
in the verse above is a rather interesting one.
It’s rendered in the original Greek as “the ‘of faith’
righteousness,” thus, giving personality to the word,
“righteousness”; and that righteousness, he says,
“speaks.” “The ‘of faith’ righteousness” speaks. So,
righteousness talks; it doesn’t keep quiet.
Often, we say, Christianity is for talkers; we
speak righteousness, just as we speak wisdom. The
righteousness of God is the truth of God; it’s the reality
concerning any situation. So when we affirm the Word,
we’re speaking righteousness, we’re speaking God’s
language of faith. Romans 10:9 tells us how the “of faith
righteousness” works. It says, “…if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved”
The word, “confess” is from the Greek
“homologeo,” which means to speak the same thing
in agreement. It means affirming the Word of God in
agreement with God; not merely repeating it exactly
in the same words, but making your own affirmations
in agreement with His Word. If you’d confess or affirm
the same things that God has said about you in His
Word, they’d become real in your life.
For example, 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.” You ought
to, on the basis of what God has said, declare, “I’m
sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I’m up to any task.
I produce excellence and works of righteousness,
because Christ is my ability and sufficiency.” That’s
speaking the righteousness of God, the rightness of
God about who you are, and what you can do in
Christ.
Prayer
Dear Father, I thank you for the privilege to affirm your Word
concerning my life. I declare that I’m more than a conqueror,
and can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!
Your wisdom guides me today, and I’m led of the Spirit to
produce excellence and works of righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
Further Study
Hebrews 13:5-6;1 Corinthians 2:12-13
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
Jude
Daniel 9-10
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN
John 18:19-27
2 Chronicles 15-16