The church does not really understand her position as righteous
We've been taught the opposite of what the word of God says: WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT THAT
-We're unworthy
-We're unrighteous
-We're weak and have no faith

Righteousness is not by works
1. We have been taught
-If we pray long enough
-People in all types of religion pray
-Jesus dealt with false

Hypocritical prayer
Matt 6:5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. (NKJ)

The prayer of sincerity
Matt 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (NKJ)

2. We have been taught
-If we confess our sins enough
-People believe if they confess to a priest they are right with God

When James spoke about the confession of sin, it was a confession for healing not salvation.

Confess your sins to one another
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (NKJ)

It we confess our sins to God, he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness
I Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (NKJ)

3. We have been taught
-If we labor in ministry enough
-People can work in ministry but not be saved
-Look at people who work in the salvation army

Judas worked in ministry as keeper of the purse
John 13:29
For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. (NKJ)

Judas was not saved, he was intrigued \ amazed
Luke 22:3
Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. (NKJ)

Judas came with an army
Matt 26:47
And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and elders of the people. (NKJ)

The Pharisees worked in ministry
Mark 14:43
And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. (NKJ)

Jesus spoke about people with a false confession
Matt 15:8
`These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. (NKJ)

Many will come on that day and say
Matt 7:18-23
18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
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!' (NKJ)

Let's look at what will happen to the people who practices lawlessness
Matt 13:41-43
41 "The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 "and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 "Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

People who appear to be righteous
Matt 23:28
"Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. (NKJ)

The Greek word for lawlessness
458 anomia (an-om-ee'-ah);
from 459; illegality, i.e. violation of law or (genitive case) wickedness:
KJV-- iniquity, X transgress (-ion of) the law, unrighteousness.

Righteousness and lawlessness cannot abide together
2 Cor 6:14
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? (NKJ)

The man of lawlessness
II Th 2:9-12
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

We see Jesus a lover of righteousness and a hater of lawlessness
Heb 1:8-9
8 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom.
9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."

So we see that righteousness and lawlessness cannot live in the same nature. Two masters cannot live in one body. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot live in the light and in the darkness. We cannot share the table of Christ and the table of Satan. We cannot live in two kingdoms.

4. We have been taught
-If we do enough good works
-People in the world do good works but it will not count

People can boast about good works, but not before God
Rom 4:2
For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. (NKJ)

Our works are not counted as grace
Rom 4:3-5
3 For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
4 Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.
5 But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,

Righteousness is inputted by God not by works
Rom 4:6
just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: (NKJ)

Righteousness through faith
Rom 9:30-32
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith;
31 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone.

WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST

If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are loved
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are perfect
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are justified
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are pure
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are safe
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are cleansed
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are changed
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are new
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are sanctified
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are glorified
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are adopted
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are blameless
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are life
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are power
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are blessed
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are rich
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are worthy
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are royal
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are graced
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are fearless
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are one
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are masters
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are ambassadors
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are servants
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are steadfast
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are resurrected
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are filled
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are free
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are ministers
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are light
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are salt
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are sealed
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are redeemed
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are blood brought
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are blood bought
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are covered
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are witnesses
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are related
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are divine
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are standing
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are fruit
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are born again
If we are the righteousness of Christ, we are Christ