WE ARE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 24, 2021.

SUBJECT : WE ARE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST!

Memory verse: "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21..) 

READ: Romans 3 vs 21 - 26:

3:21: But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

3:22: even the righteousness of God, through faith of Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

3:23: for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God, 

3:24: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

3:25: whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God has passed over for the sins that were previously committed,

3:26: to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

INTIMATION:

Righteousness is the character or quality of being right or just. It was formerly spelled ‘rightwiseness,’ which clearly expresses the meaning. It is used to denote an attribute of God. Therefore, the “righteousness of God” means essentially the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness, that which is consistent with His own nature and promises. 

God’s righteousness as exhibited in the Death of Christ, which is sufficient to show humanity that God is neither indifferent to sin nor regards it lightly. On the contrary, it demonstrates that quality of holiness in Him which must find expression in His condemnation of sin.

The righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ is the righteous dealing of God with sin and with sinners on the ground of the Death of Christ. The apostle Paul, for the most part, uses it as that gracious gift of God to men whereby all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are brought into right relationship with God. This righteousness is unattainable by obedience to any law or by any merit of man’s own, or any other condition than that of faith in Christ. Therefore, the man who trusts in Christ becomes ‘the righteousness of God in Him,’ that is, becomes in Christ all that God requires a man to be, all that he could never be in himself.

Jesus died in order that we might become the justified sons of God in Christ. It is because of His death that we are able to be righteous before God. Since we cannot establish our own righteousness on the basis of perfect keeping of law or meritorious good works, then all men must be drawn to the cross in order to be justified from sin. It is at the cross that we are justified by the grace of God. 

When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange: He takes our sin and makes us right with God. Our sin was laid on Christ at His crucifixion. His righteousness is given to us at our conversion. This is what Christians mean by Christ’s atonement for sin. In the world bartering works only when two people exchange goods of relatively equal value. But God offers to trade His righteousness for our sin—something of immeasurable worth for something completely worthless. How grateful we should be or His kindness to us. 

Before the cross, men were under the curse of sin in that they could not deliver themselves from spiritual death through meritorious law-keeping or good works. Therefore, as a result of God’s grace, the sinless Son of God was offered as a sacrifice for sin. Jesus thus bore the sins of all humanity on the cross. In order for any person to take advantage of God’s grace, he must obediently respond to the gospel. 

The gospel shows us both how righteous God is in His plan for us to be saved and also how we may be made fit for eternal life. By trusting Christ, our relationship with God is made right. From start to finish God declares us to be right with Him because of faith and faith alone. God has now fulfilled His promise. His righteousness has now been revealed as to how He has forgiven sins through the cross. He forgives all men who approach Him through faith that moves one to obey the gospel. 

The righteousness of God is the revelation of the justification of God in order to save men regardless of the inability to keep the law. It is the remedy for man’s problem of sin and death. Man faced condemnation by the law, for the law brings sin and death because under the law man could not be justified to be saved by the keeping of the law.

In the sayings of the Lord Jesus, righteousness is whatever is right and just in itself, whatever conforms to the revealed will of God, whatever has been appointed by God to be acknowledged and obeyed by man, the sum total of the requirements of God, and religious duties required of man (distinguished as almsgiving , man’s duty to his neighbor, prayer, his duty to God—worship, fasting, the duty of self-control). 

For instance, because Abraham accepted the Word of God, making it his own by that act of the mind and spirit which is called faith,and, as the sequel showed, submitting himself to its control, therefore, God accepted him as one who fulfilled the whole of His righteousness (Romans 4 vs 3). 

Prayer: Abba Father, Your righteousness is revealed in Your love for us, and Your saving grace given to us in Christ. Thank You for the gift of this unparalleled show of love and care. Give me the grace to be completely committed to Your precepts,  in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!