FILLED WITH THE FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS .

Saturday, September 9th, 2017

Pastor Chris

_*May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with
God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor
and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized] (Philippians
1:11 AMPC).

Romans 5:1 AMPC says, _*“THEREFORE, SINCE we are justified (acquitted,

declared righteous, and given a right standing with God) through faith, let us [grasp the
fact that we] have [the peace of reconciliation to hold and to enjoy] peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).”*_ To be justified
means to be declared not guilty. That’s who the Christian is: one who’s been declared
righteous and has right standing with God. He’s not merely a “sinner saved by grace.”

Yes, we were saved by grace, as a means to an end: to become the righteousness of

God in Christ Jesus. It’s the reason our lives ought to be filled with the fruits of
righteousness—the works of righteousness. Jesus said, _*“I am the vine, ye are the
branches…”*_ (John 15:5 ). We’re the fruit-bearing part of the vine, and we bear fruits
of righteousness. We hold forth the fruits of God’s righteousness everywhere we go;
righteousness is working in us.
Now, whatever you’re filled with is what will manifest under pressure. In other words, it’s
what you have inside you that you can give. We manifest righteousness; we walk in
righteousness and do works of righteousness, because we’re filled with the fruits of
righteousness.

When Jesus restored sight to the blind, unstopped deaf ears, gave new legs to the
maimed, raised the dead, fed the hungry, comforted the afflicted, spoke divine words to
encourage and bless people, He was manifesting fruits of righteousness. And as He is,
so are we in this world (1 John 4:17 ).
You’re a tree of righteousness, ordained to be fruitful and productive in every good
work; ordained to manifest the glory of God. You’re His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for works of righteousness (Ephesians 2:10 ).