Sermon Prepared by James McCullen
Email Preach Him with Dr. Jim
How Can God Make Us Righteous
2 Cor 5:21
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NKJV 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NASU 21 For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us! TLB

Introduction
The Bible teaches at least two principals of righteousness. One is the Position of righteousness, and the other is the Practice of righteousness. No individual can be righteous until they make the commitment to stepped into the position of righteousness.

Matt 7:21-23 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' NKJV

This scripture speaks of one who does "many wonderful works" but they did not know Jesus. They never entered the position of righteousness. They tried to have righteousness by their own works. All of us to do spiritually good works must first relate to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Let me illustrate this by saying the position of being "in Christ" is over here by the piano. That is the position of righteousness. If I make a commitment to Christ and step over here I am given His righteousness. If I remain here in my own position; I can try all I want to do good works and be a righteous person but this will not cover my sin and give me the righteousness acceptable to God.

Jesus came to this earth for all to have the possibility of becoming righteous. This is How God Makes Us Righteous.

    God Begins to Make Us Righteous with Christ Who Knew . . No Sin.

        God Continues to Make Us Righteous by Allowing Christ to . . Know Sin.
 
            God Continues to Make Us Righteous by Allowing Us To Be Ones Who Have . . No Sin.
 
 

1.    God Begins to Make Us Righteous with Christ Who Knew . . No Sin.
        21 a "For He made Him who knew no sin . . ." NKJV

Introduction
Mankind normally tries to become righteous through their own acts. You can not start with a sinful person and get to righteousness. God starts with Jesus.

A.    God's . . Method. 5:21 a
        "For He made Him who knew no sin . . ." NKJV

        1.    This is God's Plan, and it works for all. Rom 10:13
            " For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." NKJV

B.    God's . . Man. 5:21 a
        "For He made Him who knew no sin . . ." NKJV

        1.    Jesus Is The Sinless One.
            Heb 4:15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our
            weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. NKJV

            1 Peter 2:22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth"; NKJV
 
            1 John 3:5 And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him
            there is no sin. NKJV

Illustration
Many times you will hear someone say there was only one perfect man and it's not me. They speak about Jesus.

Illustration
In our world today many times a blood donor is looked for who will be the perfect match for the stem cells needed for a procedure. People have died because they could not fine a match in time.

I want to tell you Jesus is the only match for my sin problem and for your sin problem.
 

                                                            Poem JESUS

"I've tried in vain a thousand ways, My fears to quell, my hopes to raise;
But all I need, the Bible says, is Jesus.

My soul is night, my heart is steel, I cannot see, I cannot feel,
For life, for light, I must appeal to Jesus.
He died, He lives, He reigns, He pleads, There's love in all His words and deeds,

All-All the guilty sinner needs is Jesus.

Though some will mock, though some will blame, In spite of fear, in spite of shame,
I'll go to Him, because His name is Jesus."

Application

God Begins to Make Us Righteous with Christ Who Knew . . No Sin.
 
 

2.    God Continues to Make Us Righteous by Allowing Christ to . . Know Sin.
        21 b ". . . to be sin for us, . . . " NKJV

A.    God Continues . . Intentionally. v 21 b
        "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us,

        1.    God intended to allow Christ to become sin.
            Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And
            the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. NKJV

            John 3:16 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. NKJV

            1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God,  but that He loved us and sent His Son to be
            the propitiation for our sins. NKJV

            1 Peter 2:23 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did
            not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our
            sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by
            whose stripes you were healed. NKJV

B.    God Continues . . Individually. v 21 b
        ". . . to be sin for us, . . . "

        John 3:15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. NKJV

        Acts 10:43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will
        receive remission of sins." NKJV
 

3.    God Continues to Make Us Righteous by Allowing Us To Have . . No Sin.
        21 c ". . . that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NKJV

A.    God Continues with the His . . Purpose. v 21 c
        ". . . that we might become the righteousness of God. . ." NKJV

        1.    Purpose of . . We.
            ". . . that we might become . . ."

        2.    Purpose of . . Winning.
            ". . . the righteousness of God . . ."

B.    God Continues with the His . . Person. v 21 c
        ". . . in Him."

Illustration
Last night we had three ladies called Clowns for Christ. They were good. Included in the skits they did was an Xray of the heart. One lady came out trying to make herself beautiful because she said Jesus was coming again and she wanted to be ready; she was going to be as beautiful as she could possible be. The other lady said personal beauty really did not matter.

Then the lady trying to improve her beauty read this scripture 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. (Matt 24:40-41) NKJV  The other lady again said "that has nothing to do with personal beauty." To that the other clown said "you don't think Jesus will take the ugly one do you."

That fits right here in my sermon. Christ will look at the heart and not outward beauty.

The lady then had an Xray which revealed a sinful heart. She them made a commitment to Christ and received a pure heart.  She received the righteousness of God.

Application

God Continues to Make Us Righteous by Allowing Us To Be Ones Who Have . . No Sin.