Righteousness is a Gift from Above
ICS Daily Devotions
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (NKJV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
What is righteousness, and why is it important? Righteousness is standing in God’s presence without feeling sin, guilt, or inferiority. We must not confuse righteousness, which is a position in Christ, with holiness or perfection. Although we need to live a holy life, sanctification is a lifelong process where we have to deal with our flesh and walk in the spirit. Occasionally, when we are tempted and sin, our relationship with God is disrupted, but the promise in 1 John 1:9 helps us restore it when we confess.
1 John 1:9 (NKJV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and clean us from all unrighteousness.
The reason why God does not impute our trespasses to us is because Jesus has dealt with the sin problem that separated us from God by becoming sin for us even though He knew no sin. God took the sin of the whole world, including yours and mine, and placed it on Jesus. The wrath of God and His judgement of sin was upon Jesus so that through Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross and the shedding of His blood, we can stand boldly before God because our sin has been done away by His blood!
We have become God’s righteousness in Him and not in ourselves or our work of the flesh. This is good news because there is nothing that we have done to deserve it. Nobody will be good enough to earn his right to stand before God. People all around the world look for it in their religiosity, but we have the solution! They have no peace with God, but we have the right to stand with God, which also brings peace.
Jesus dealt with the sin problem! You have been made the righteousness of God through Christ. Grace is God’s unmerited favour; He gives it freely to us even though we do not deserve it. Righteousness is a gift from God, given by His grace. He loves you unconditionally and desires to restore your relationship with Him.
Sermon Series: The Weapon of Our Spiritual Warfare
