SEVEN ETEPS TO THE HIGHEST GOD KIND OF FAITH !

SEVEN STEPS TO THE HIGHEST GOD KIND OF FAITH: We can approach God with full assurance, because we have been made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. This lesson brings us to step 6 in our study of the highest God kind of faith. In it we want to help you gain new insight into the meaning of the words "righteous" and "righteousness," as shown in the Scripture. STEP 6 -- THE REALITY OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS: (2 Corinthians 6:14-16). "Be you not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness ? And what communion hath light with darkness ? And what concord hath Christ with Belial ? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel ? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols ? For you are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be there God, and they shall be my people." Many people see in the above passage only a teaching about separation from the world, and they immediately practice segregation, thinking it is separation. They feel they cannot have anything to do with the world are anyone in the world. They even segregate themselves from other believers if they don't completely agree with them. However, Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth. . . You are the light of the world. . ." (Matthew 5:13-14). In order to be the salt and light in the world, we must remain in the world, doing our jobs for the Lord. Notice, I said doing our jobs for the Lord not doing what the world is doing and saying ! A man once said to me, "I am the only believer where I work. Pray that God will move me out." "Oh, no," I told him. "The place would really be corrupt without your influence. You stay right there. You're the salt of the earth; you stay right there and salt it." We are in the world, but we are not of the world. Because Christ Jesus is not of the world neither do he practice the things of the world ! Notice something equally important about this passage: Believers are called "believers," and unbelievers are called "unbelievers." Believers are called "righteousness," and unbelievers are referred to as "unrighteousness." Believers are called "light" and unbelievers "darkness." The idea of calling yourself "righteousness" sounds egotistical, yet people do not object to calling themselves "believers," or "light." This passes uses all three terms to referred to believers ! In verses 15 we see the Church, or believers, referred to as Christ, because He is the Head and we are the Body. And of course, our head doesn't go by one name and our body by another. The Church is Christ, and we are the Body of Christ, not your building that you refer to as the Church.