It is Only the Holy Spirit Who can reveal what God has already done to man. The carnal minded man, even though he might be born again, can read scripture without ever seeing the truth in them. Without having the Holy Spirit to reveal to him what God has already done, will always believe these things are for the future. A Christian man who doesn't have the revelation of the Word, will read the Book of Romans and will come away under condemnation. But, the man who allows the Holy Spirit to teach him, will come away with peace.
Romans 3:10 (Amplified) tells us, "As it is written, none is righteous, just and truthful and upright and conscientious, no not one." A carnal minded man, even though he's born again, will read this an remain under condemnation and feeling unrighteous in God's eyes. A man who is being led by and taught by the Holy Spirit will read in the same chapter of Romans 3:21-22 (Amplified) which says, "But now the righteousness of God has been revealed independently and altogether apart from the Law, although actually it is attested by the Law and the prophets. Namely, the righteousness of God which comes by believing with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the Messiah); (and it is meant) for all who believe, for there is no distinction."
By His wisdom, the Holy Spirit will reveal to the born again man that now, through Jesus, we who believe in Him are counted as righteous. The Christian who reads this Word by his carnal mind, will meditate on Romans 3:23 (Amplified) which says, "Since all have sinned and are fallen short of the honor and glory which God bestows and receives."
The Christian allowing the Holy Spirit's receives the work of the cross in faith and go on to read Verse 24 which says, "(All) are justified and made upright and in right standing with God, freely and gratuitously by His grace (His unmerited favor and mercy) through the redemption which is (provided) in Christ Jesus."
Both can read the same scripture, but only one comes away "free," while the other continues judging himself by his own merits instead of the shed Blood of Jesus. One has received, in his spirit, the Truth of the Word and the other, with his carnal thinking, sees himself as unrighteous in God's eyes.
Both men have received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but only one has really allowed the Truth of the Word into their spirit. The other has only received what the carnal mind has dictated to him. The next two verses must also be read and accepted by faith in what Jesus has done through the Holy Spirit's revelation. Thus, Romans 3:25-26 (Amplified) speaking of Jesus, says, "Whom God put forward (before the eyes of all) as a mercy seat and propitiation by His Blood (the cleansing and life giving sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation, to be received through faith." This demonstrates how righteous God is because He had passed over and ignored former sins without punishment. Verse 26 goes on, "This was to demonstrate and prove at the present time (in the now season) that He Himself is righteous and that He justifies and accepts as righteous him who has (true) faith in Jesus."
You might ask, "Didn't both men accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior?" The answer is, "Yes." Did both men really understand the truth of His sacrifice? The answer would be, "No!" One read it in his carnal mind, while the other read it by the renewed mind of the Holy Spirit. Has God not made both men righteous? Yes! But, only one will walk in the Freedom of the Gift of Righteousness, while the other walks under the condemnation of his flesh or carnal mind. One man will have the boldness to, "Draw near to the Throne of Grace in fearlessness and confidence," like Hebrews 4:16 says. The other man will shy away from God's throne of grace and remain feeling and acting like he is still in his old sin and unrighteousness, instead of believing in the Blood of Jesus.
The carnally minded Christian will struggle to find "Help in his time of need," while the other man will receive that Help when needed. God's Throne of Grace is approachable to both, but the carnal minded Christian won't dare to believe he can approach it and be accepted by God. Both men have read the same scripture, but only the Holy Spirit can reveal the depth of the scripture to you and expel the fear and condemnation of the old man.
Many of God's children are living so far below the place that Jesus paid so dearly for. Too many are selling short the power of the Passover Lamb in God's eyes. Truly, though, that makes light of the cost of righteousness or right standing with God that He provided in Jesus Christ. If God didn't wish for us to be in right standing with Him, then He would never have made the way into His presence. It's not our righteousness that we walk in. We don't enter into God's Throne of Grace by what we have done, but by what Jesus has done for us. He has made us righteous.
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