Isaiah 9:7
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom,to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousnessfrom this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 32:17
And the effect of righteousness will be peace,and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever.
According to God's plan, the effect, or result of our receiving righteouenss, is peace. Peace in our lives, and peace between us and God.
[align=justify]
Guilt, anxiety, lack, earning our keep, punishment.[/align]
We humans have been taught from a very early age about give and take, and about negative consequences. We learn to feel guilty when we think we've done something wrong or haven't lived up to expectations. We are usually punished for our mistakes and come to expect it. We also learn to dish it out. Vengence is ours, and all that, right?
We don't often forgive and rarely forget.
It's not completely erroneous, because the Old Testament taught rules and consequences. But where we often fail is not seeing the fulfillment of all those rules through the life of Christ. And the burden of those consequences through His death in our place.
Often we haven't been taught that He bore all the consequences for us already, for all time. Once, for all.
Hebrews 9:26 ESV
But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
This is a done deal. Jesus put away sin and the consequences, by becoming Sin Himself. He bore the burden for us. We receive it by faith.
Mark 2:5 - 12 (ESV)
And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your bed and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"he said to the paralytic "I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home."
And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"
Jesus forgave the man, in effect healing him. It is often our mistake, that we live under the burden of our past sins, our mistakes, others' misplaced burdens, while Jesus Himself bore all of it at the cross.
Jesus said, "Your sins are forgiven", and "the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive". Both of these words,
forgiven and
forgive are from the word
aphiemi in the original Greek and means "to send forth; lay aside; omit". It originates from the word
apo which meaning denotes "separation, cessation, reversal".
Jesus literally separated us from our sin, and reversed the consequences by becoming sin in our place.
Romans 3:21-26 ESV
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
This was to show Gods righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
He freed us. From not only the sins of the past and the future, but of the consequences of those sins.
Honestly. We are not to pay the price. He already did it for us. Freely.
He made
us, of all things,
RIGHTEOUS.
Isaiah 48:18
Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river,and your righteousness like the waves of the sea;
Isaiah 60:17
Instead of bronze I will bring gold,and instead of iron I will bring silver;instead of wood, bronze,instead of stones, iron.I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness.
Romans 14:17
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 26:28
for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 10:43
To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."
Acts 26:18
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,
Hebrews 9:22
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
The free gift of grace says that, if we believe Jesus took our place and paid the price for us, we are free of the consequences. This doesn't teach us to sin, for those who receive the free gift of grace by faith love the Lord and do His will(see Romans 5 and 6). It is not license to sin. It is license to live. For Him.
Hebrews 10:18
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Forgive and receive forgiveness, freely. There is no longer any sacrifice needed, or required.
Peace is a great gift. It was paid for with a great sacrifice, and left to us in His will. Accept your righteousness and the result will be blessed peace.
