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You Are The Righteousness Of God
by Bro. Peter Rahme
“For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God's anger against us. He used Christ's blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath. In this way he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins. 26 And now in these days also he can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins.” Romans 3:25-26 (TLB)
The moment a person accepts Christ, according to the Word of God, they become the righteousness of God in Him. This means you are justified by the blood of the Lamb of God (John 1:29), all of your previous sins have been washed away. God now sees you as righteous as He sees Christ, the risen, spotless Savior. Hallelujah!
Sin had to be dealt with
We were once separated from God through sin. According to 2 Corinthians 5:21, God laid His wrath and His anger on Christ, the spotless Lamb of God. He did not know sin in an experiential way and who instead of us was made to be sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Sin had to be dealt with, so that we could be reconciled to God once again.
“The Greek runs like this: The One who did not know sin, for us sin was made, that we might become God's righteousness in Him. The Sinless One became (by imputation) sin for the sinner, that the sinner might become (by imputation) sinless in the Sinless One. Here is the very heart of the Gospel, a verse that stands with John 3:16 in importance.” (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary)
God is neither indifferent to sin nor does He regard it lightly. The Son of God took our place, our judgment, the punishment that was due to us. The curse of the law was laid upon Him entirely, so that you and I can walk like God and Adam once walked in the cool of the day with no wall of sin dividing us ever again.
Christ condemned sin in the flesh
“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3-4
We are in right standing with God not for what we have done, but in what Christ has done for us. This is the grace of God in action for the entire human race. If we do not recognize and accept that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, it is an insult to God.
We cannot obtain righteousness through our own efforts. It is a gift from God. We have become righteous in Him through the exchange that took place at Calvary. Christ took our sin in exchange for His righteousness. The unrenewed mind struggles with this but when we start seeing ourselves as our Father sees us, and truly believe it, everything changes. Our faith is energized. We walk in the power of His Spirit and grow from glory to glory.
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Now that we know we are the righteousness of God in Christ, we can approach Him boldly and not come to Him as a beggar. I could approach my earthly father any time of the day or night and he would give me counsel and godly advice. How much more can we come to God, being the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8) and ask for anything according to His Word and He hears us.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
As the righteous in Christ, we can now come boldly to the throne of grace, with total freedom purchased by the blood of Christ. The throne of judgment has been changed to the throne of grace and mercy because the blood of Jesus has been sprinkled on it (Hebrews 9:11-15). We must come to the throne with a humble spirit, asking in faith, not doubting but believing whatever we ask according to the will of God He hears us and gives us the desires of our heart.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Bro. Peter Rahme
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