It is No Longer Right, but Wrong, to Fret about Right and Wrong

The title of this post may seem like a great heresy. I promise, once you have read it through, you will see that it is God's will for us through the Finished Work of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, that we no longer live in bondage to right and wrong, but live according the righteousness that we have become and that becomes us in Christ.

Is not the knowledge of right and wrong absolutely essential for us, for society?

According to Paul, not necessarily:

"For I was alive without the law once." (Romans 7:9)

And even though there was no law to dictate right and wrong, sin was in the world because of Adam's fall in the Garden of Eden (cf Genesis 3: 6-7):

"For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." (Romans 5:13)

In God's original plan, we were never meant to figure out good and evil on our own. God the Father wanted us to be in such an intimate closeness with Him, that He would lead us in all righteousness.

King David prophesied of this wonderful goodness of God:

"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake." (Psalm 23:3)

In no way, therefore, am I suggesting that the law is sin, and that therefore we are blessed in actively transgressing the law. Paul emphasized this at length in his epistle to the Romans:

"What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet." (Romans 7:7)

Still, why not just dispense with the law altogether, then?

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

Sin means death -- we are dead, fallen humanity, and this death means condemnation upon us, and eternal separation from God:

"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;" (Ephesians 2:1)

and

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;" (Colossians 2:13)

Yet we are not inclined to open our hands and receive this gift of eternal life if we are convinced that we lack nothing, or that we can achieve whatever we are looking for by our own efforts.

Hence, the law! The law was designed by God to show up man in his own efforts:

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20)

Paul provides the answer, the source of the righteousness that we need, but that we cannot achieve in our own efforts:

"But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: (Romans 3:21-22)

There it is: the righteousness that we seek is in Christ, not in our doing good deeds, not in our trying to be right in our standing while avoiding the wrong.

And do not think for one minute that you can escape the inexorable fallout that has descended on all man because of Adam's transgression:

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23)

Certainly, this is an offense to man, who wants to presume on his own efforts, yet:

"Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith." (Habakkuk 2:4) Paul quotes This scripture a number of times throughout his epistles, one of the chief examples of the "righteousness by faith" witnessed in the prophets.


"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

"To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:24-26)

Paul puts this more succinctly to the Corinthians, one of the wildest and most dysfunctional churches that he ministered to:

"For he [God the Father] hath made him [Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21)

And here is the surest confidence -- we do not have to worry about being right or wrong, because we have already been made "the righteousness of God."

This revelation was amazing to me. When I would fret about doing the right thing or the wrong thing, I had to finally ask myself -- why am I worried about doing the wrong thing?

I was worried that God would not love me, that he would be separated from me.

Yet such horrendous outcomes will never befall a believer:

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

What about God leaving us for any reason? No way!:

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

So, there is no point in worrying about right and wrong.

Then I had another problem -- what am I supposed to be doing, then, for I do not presume that the Lord has designed His believing children just to sit on their butts all day.

Or course not!

"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

"But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law." (Galatians 5:16-18)

"Walk in the Spirit" How do I do that?

Let's consider a more concrete directive from Jesus Christ:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33)

"Walk in the Spirit" seemed easier than this high and noble calling from Christ.

Yet the Kingdom of God is not afar off at all. For the believer, the Kingdom of Heaven (or God) is right inside of, dynamic and ever-expanding:

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17)

Therefore, "walking in the Spirit", "seeking the Kingdom of God" is not hard at all; in fact, nothing could be easier, at least for the one walks by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

We are already made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Christ in us is the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27), birthed within us (Galatians 4:19), and He is our peace:

"He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us [and God the Father];" (Ephesians 2:14)

And joy is one of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)

There, as we keep receiving the gift of righteousness from God:

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

Here, "receive" is an active activity -- we do not merely receive once, and how could we. Paul is writing about "abundance of grace"

"And this grace, which we receive through the power of the Holy Spirit, who thus makes Christ to dwell in us by faith, is more than able to keep us from sinning:

"But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

"And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you." (2 Thessalonians 3: 3-5)

Paul indicates that the believers whom he was writing to were already being obedient

"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy" (Jude 24)

Jesus Christ within us is able to keep us from sin! Let us therefore bring all our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, which is His death and resurrection, His sitting with honor at the right hand of the Father, where as He is, so are we in this world!

Meditate on these things, watch the Word of God take root in your heart, and behold, a life of faith will produce the fruit of righteousness in your life!

So, why are you worrying about doing the right or the wrong thing? Don't you know that God is in you, working in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure?

And what is His good pleasure, anyway?

"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

Once again, we are seeking to receive what He is eager to give!

Keep believing on Him, the one work that Jesus asks of us (cf John 6:29), keep receiving, and watch His will conceive within you and achieve great things through you!

It is my part to believe on Him. He will take care of "right and wrong". As I am transformed by the renewing of my mind, meditating on the Word of God, I find myself transformed by the Holy Spirit from glory to glory, to be more like Jesus Christ!

And is there anything that can frustrate this grace growing and flowing in my life? Fretting, especially about right and wrong:

"And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

"And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." (Mark 4:18-19)

Or rather, trying to keep the law in your efforts:

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.

"For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.

"Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." (Galatians 5:1-4)

It is no longer right, but wrong, to fret about right or wrong, or more to the point, to take thought, to figure out what you are supposed to do.

The Kingdom of Heaven reigns in every believer by the power of the Holy Spirit. Grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord, who lives and reigns in you, and you will reign in life!