He’s Given Us His Righteousness – Pastor Chris
Sunday, August 13, 2017
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17).
Most religions of the world are reflective of man’s efforts to attain righteousness. Men have been seeking the righteousness of God, struggling and trying their best to become righteous. Sadly, even amongst Christians, there’re those still struggling to be righteous, thinking that if they became more righteous, God will hear their prayers.
The righteousness of God is revealed only in the Gospel, and what the message says is that He’s given us His own righteousness, because we couldn’t get or attain it by ourselves. The Gospel is good news, and what it means, in a nutshell, is that you couldn’t be righteous on your own, no matter how you tried. As a result, God had to give you His own righteousness as a gift. All you have to do is to accept His righteousness, and it’ll be imparted to your spirit and you can live accordingly.
That God has given you His own righteousness is such a liberating truth. The gifts and the calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29). It’s also something that can’t be improved upon, because it’s perfect, being God’s own righteousness. This means you can never be more righteous than you already are. You can stand before Him now and always, unashamed. What an amazing reality!
That’s the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24 says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” We’ve been declared righteous by His grace; we’ve been acquitted by His grace. We’ve been freed of all charges. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
Jesus took our place of sin and gave us His righteousness. We’re thus the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. We’re as righteous as Jesus is, and this is entirely God’s doing: “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). Blessed be God!
PRAYER
Thank you, dear Father, for imparting your righteousness to my spirit! I rejoice, knowing that I now stand justified in your presence. Thank you for ushering me into the transcendent life, where I reign and rule with Christ forever, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Isaiah 53:10-11 Romans 5:17
1 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Romans 15:5-13 Psalms 94-98
2 YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Luke 15:20-32 Judges 21
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