ICS Daily Devotions
Righteousness Is a Gift from God to Us

Romans 5:1,16-17 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ………. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reign through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

While Adam’s act was an offense and one of deliberately going astray, Christ’s deed was one of grace. Adam’s sin resulted in condemnation and death whereas Christ’s deed of grace brought justification and life. Christ’s redemptive work has justified us and we live as if we are in Him by faith. We have the gift of righteousness because the work of the Cross has satisfied all the claims of the divine being and divine throne against sinners.

Our justification or our being declared righteous before God through faith in Jesus Christ is a point in time event. It is a free gift that is given when we first put our faith in Jesus Christ and it has nothing to do with us deserving it but purely based on the abundant grace of God that is poured out on us!

Romans 10:9-10 (NKJV) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

We turn our focus from ourselves towards God who has accomplished all things for us through Jesus Christ who saved the ungodly. All of us are ungodly because the Bible tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

We need to understand that being declared righteous does not mean that we are perfect or godly. Godliness is a sanctification process and it is our growth in Christ-likeness. It is not a point-in-time event but a progressive experience covering our entire Christian lives from salvation to glorification. It is especially when we are weak in our flesh that we really need to run to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace in time of need.

We are not saying that it is not important to do good works, but good works does not make us right before God. Doing good works is a response to His love and grace towards our lives as we will love others because He first loved us. Only through Christ’s blood can we become righteous before God.

Therefore, let us come to His throne of grace with boldness, resting on the righteousness obtained for us only through Christ’s blood and this is fully a gift from God.

Sermon Series: Coming to the Throne of Grace