Lesson Description

In this lesson, we will examine whether a person who has received God’s righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ can still make mistakes. We will learn the difference between our righteous standing in Christ and our daily conduct. Through Scripture, we will discover why believers should not allow mistakes to define their identity, why God’s grace is not permission to live carelessly, and how understanding our righteousness helps us respond to failure with honesty, faith, and spiritual growth.

1. Does Receiving Righteousness Mean We Become Incapable of Making Mistakes?

Receiving God’s righteousness does not mean that a believer becomes incapable of making mistakes or that every thought, word, and action will immediately become perfect.

We receive righteousness through Jesus Christ, but we must continue learning God’s Word and allowing it to shape our conduct.

The apostle John wrote to believers about the reality of sin in their lives.

1 John 1:8 (KJV)

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

This verse warns against pretending that we have no sin or that we never do anything wrong.

We should not deny our mistakes simply because we understand righteousness. Instead, we should acknowledge the truth and recognise our need to grow.

Our mistakes do not make the sacrifice of Jesus Christ insufficient. They remind us why we need His grace and why we must continue to walk in the truth of God’s Word.

2. Should We Allow Our Mistakes to Define Who We Are in Christ?

No. We must distinguish between making a mistake and allowing that mistake to become our identity.

Before understanding the Gospel, a person may describe himself entirely by his past failures. Even after believing in Christ, he may continue thinking, “I am a failure. I am unworthy. God cannot accept me because of what I have done.”

However, the Gospel teaches us to understand our identity in the light of what God has accomplished through Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

This verse teaches us about the new identity of the person who is in Christ.

Being a new creature does not mean that a believer will never need correction. It means that we must no longer understand ourselves solely through our former life.

When we make mistakes, we should not conclude that our entire identity in Christ has disappeared. Instead, we should bring our thinking back to God’s Word and learn to live according to the new life we have received.

Our failures should be addressed honestly, but they should not replace Christ as the foundation of our identity.

3. What Should We Do When We Make a Mistake?

When we recognise that we have done something wrong, we should acknowledge it rather than hide it, excuse it, or blame others.

God’s grace does not require us to pretend that wrongdoing is acceptable. His Word teaches us to walk in truth.

1 John 1:9 (KJV)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

This verse encourages believers to respond honestly to sin.

Confession means acknowledging our sins rather than denying them. We can come to God honestly, trusting His faithfulness and the provision He has made through Jesus Christ.

We should also take practical steps to change our behaviour where necessary. If we have hurt someone, we may need to apologise, make things right where possible, and stop repeating the harmful action.

We do not do these things to purchase God’s righteousness. We do them because truth, love, and godly conduct matter.

4. Does God’s Grace Give Us Permission to Continue Sinning?

No. Understanding righteousness should never lead us to treat sin as unimportant.

Paul addressed this question directly.

Romans 6:1–2 (KJV)

Verse 1: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?”

Verse 2: “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Paul rejected the idea that believers should continue living in sin simply because God’s grace is abundant.

The Gospel does not teach us to earn righteousness through our behaviour, but neither does it encourage us to disregard God’s instruction.

We must understand both truths together:

• Our righteousness is received through faith in Jesus Christ.

• God’s grace teaches us to turn away from ungodliness and live according to His Word.

A believer may struggle with a particular habit or need to correct an attitude. The appropriate response is not to surrender to wrongdoing or to pretend it does not matter. It is to seek understanding, depend on God’s grace, and take steps towards godly living.

5. Does Making a Mistake Mean God Has Rejected Us?

We must not automatically interpret every mistake as proof that God has rejected us.

Our acceptance before God rests on Jesus Christ, not on a claim that we have never failed.

Romans 8:33–34 (KJV)

Verse 33: “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.”

Verse 34: “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Paul directs our attention to God, who justifies, and to Jesus Christ, who died and rose again.

This does not mean that we should ignore correction or assume that every decision we make is right. God’s Word can expose our errors and guide us towards a better understanding.

However, we should not confuse correction with rejection.

When Scripture shows us that our conduct is wrong, we should receive that instruction and respond appropriately. We do not need to live under the constant fear that every failure means Christ has abandoned us.

Our confidence is in the One who justifies us.

6. Practical Example

Imagine a believer who loses his temper and speaks harshly to a family member.

Afterwards, he remembers what he has learned about righteousness. He faces two possible responses.

Response A: He says, “I have failed again. I am no longer accepted by God. There is no point trying to change because I always make mistakes.”

He allows shame and discouragement to control his thinking.

Response B: He acknowledges that his words were wrong. He trusts in God’s grace, apologises to the family member, and learns to respond more patiently in the future. He continues to trust in Christ rather than trying to earn his way back into God’s acceptance.

The second response recognises both God’s grace and the importance of godly conduct.

The believer does not pretend that the mistake was acceptable. He addresses it without allowing it to replace his identity in Christ.

The lesson: We should respond to mistakes with honesty, faith, and a willingness to grow, not with denial or hopeless condemnation.

Remember

A believer who has received God’s righteousness can still make mistakes. Our righteous standing in Christ does not mean that our daily conduct is already perfect.

When we fail, we should acknowledge our wrongdoing, receive instruction from God’s Word, and take appropriate steps towards change. We must not use grace as an excuse for sin, nor allow our mistakes to erase our confidence in Jesus Christ.

Our righteousness rests on Christ, and our lives should continue to be shaped by His truth.

Key Scriptures to Remember:

• 1 John 1:8–9

• 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Romans 6:1–2

• Romans 8:33–34