Ministry of Righteousness

"But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness."1

What does this mean "the Spirit is life because of righteousness?" Paul writes the principle of the Spirit of life has set us free from the principle of sin and death but what does it mean "because of righteousness?" It is an important question as the new covenant is a ministry of the Spirit and of righteousness, "For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory."10 Does Christianity today fully understand what a ministry of righteousness is? and of the difference between the glory of the old and that of the new? "The Spirit is life because of righteousness," the fruit of righteousness leads to sanctification and its end Life.

"For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."17

First let us establish that righteousness is a free gift that we receive by faith, along with abundant grace. Some think themselves keepers of God's holiness, sitting in the seat of Moses passing laws and judgement on people thus some in Christianity have become like the old covenant a ministry of condemnation. In the new we will reign through righteousness under grace, not by the letter of the law, "So that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."3 Do you see? It is according to grace so that righteousness will reign into Life. Ruling over sin is a fruit of righteousness thus righteousness is not achieved by works of the Law. "For sin you will not rule over, indeed, not to be under law but under grace"4 

"filled with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God."1

One doesn't reign by trying to rule over sin through laws and regulations of do not taste, touch, nor handle this is a form of self-abasement of the flesh and is of little value, but those who reign will under grace through righteousness. Righteousness is received, not by works, but by faith that it be according to grace. We also see that righteousness has fruit, therefore it is a seed much like faith. "Moreover, the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."3 Like the gospel, preparation or sowing is in peace, thus the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace, by peacemakers who are the children of God. What does it mean to be "filled with the fruit of righteousness that is through Jesus Christ?" To get fruit you first plant the seed, thus it begins with planting the seed of righteousness.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish..."6

Jesus is the author of salvation, and the author and perfecter of faith thus "the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish." The gospel is the good news prepared in peace, "having put on your feet, with preparation, the gospel of peace."5 What is the gospel? Paul writes of such, of first importance, Christ died for sin, he was buried and rose again...6 It is the sign of the cross unto salvation.7 It is the gospel through which the seed of faith is planted and like faith, righteousness is a seed that produces fruit. What is the fruit of righteousness? well, it is not like earthly food, it comes down from above, and endures into Life. 

"Becoming works of righteousness, peace, and the ministry of righteousness, rest and trust forever."6 

To produce fruit there must be a root, thus a seed is planted and grown. There is fruit of righteousness and the fruit "leads" to a unique purpose, but first lets develop the seed. One doesn't just throw seed anywhere and hope that it grows, this would mean there is no preparation in sowing. The seed of righteousness is sown in peace, the fruit or ministry of righteousness is rest and trust forever. Therefore the seed of righteousness is grown in trust and rest to produce fruit. Now, what is the unique purpose or what does the fruit of righteousness lead to? The gift of sin led to condemnation, its end death, but the gift of righteousness leads to justification, its end Life.

"Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men."18

Christ is the Righteous and Holy One, by His one righteous act many are counted as righteous and holy, through Him righteousness is a gift received by faith. Through the one gift of Adam many died, through the one gift of Christ, many will live. But how? All receive a measure of faith when they believe, but like the faith of Abraham that was counted to him as righteousness, it was strengthened over time, so is our faith, grown until fully convincing. The seed of righteousness is planted so that it produces fruit. We have seen righteousness leads to justification but else does such fruit lead to? 

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life."3

What is the fruit you get, which leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life? Paul writes earlier we were slaves of sin, but having received the gift of righteousness, the seed planted, we have become slaves of righteousness. The fruit you get as a slave of God is the fruit of righteousness. We tend to focus on the sin, or the fruit or behavior, not the root, thus we judge by a particular fruit of sin or not, but really, it is the seed of righteousness that produces fruit, and this is what matters. The fruit of righteousness is not obedience, though sanctification will produce obedience, through transformation by the renewal of the mind. Such a renewal of the mind to the inward righteousness produces obedience. The fruit of righteousness, trust, leads to obedience. Abraham believed and as Paul writes he was strengthen in his faith until he was fully convinced. Like faith true obedience comes through the seed of righteousness being planted and then becoming fully grown. 

"Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."21

What leads to Life? it is through Christ we receive the Spirit of Life, but how does the Spirit give Life? We see "leading" to eternal life in several places, first, "grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life." Secondly,  "the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life." And lastly, "one act of righteousness leads to justification and life." These things lead to Life; righteousness leads to justification And righteousness reigns in grace And the fruit of righteousness leads to sanctification. We see key elements leading to Life in Christ; faith, grace, righteousness, justification,  and sanctification. It is through righteousness by faith that it be according to grace, so that the power of God works within. The seed of righteousness leads to fruit of trust and rest, leading to sanctification, and the end of sanctification is Life. We see the importance of grace and the fruit of righteousness, trust and rest. Through the one gift of righteousness many will Live. Through the ministry of righteousness many will be made righteous, sanctified, and made alive in Christ.

Everything Comes Alive