-

 

The Credit of Christ’s Righteousness (June 26, 2024) 

“There is none righteous, no not one.” (Romans 3:10).

 As human beings who have inherited a sinful nature, we naturally behave in a manner that is not morally justifiable or right. This innate rebelliousness puts us at odds with a righteous and just God who cannot tolerate sin. In our human helplessness, we are incapable of achieving righteousness. Thankfully, however, we were born to glorify a gracious God of love who has made a way for each of us to be reconciled or placed in right standing with our heavenly Father through His Son. Faith in Jesus Christ, who paid our sin debt on the cross, is the key to transforming human rebelliousness into divine righteousness. God credits our faith…”the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1)…as righteousness.

 Because of his steadfast faith, Abraham, the patriarch of Israel, not only became the father of a great nation but was credited by God with the righteousness that is required for salvation. In reference to Abraham’s relationship with God, Genesis 15:6 says, “And he believed in the LORD; and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Just as Abraham was regarded as righteous because of his steadfast faith in God, we too are credited with Jesus’ righteousness when we trust in the sinless Son of God and accept His sacrifice for our sins! God looks at believers through the lens of Christ, seeing not our sins but Jesus’ righteousness. By faith in Christ, believers are clothed with the “garments of salvation” and covered with “the robe of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:10)



 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

-
Image
                                              A Christmas Message of Hope ( December 25, 2023) “Blessed is the man who trusts in the  Lord , and whose hope is the  Lord .” (Jeremiah 17:7) Christmas is the season of hope! As Christians around the world celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, we can rejoice in the hope that is ours because the Son of God chose to set aside His heavenly glory, enter humanity, and, in obedience to His Father’s will, fulfill a divine purpose. Because of Christmas, believers have a present and eternal hope without which our earthly lives would be meaningless and devoid of purpose. The world was hopelessly lost in sin, dead spiritually, and doomed to an eternity apart from our righteous Creator, when God demonstrated the greatest love imaginable by sending the incarnate Christ to live a sinless life among us and ...
Read more
-
Image
  Not My Will… ( March 29, 2023) “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” Before His unjustified arrest and brutal crucifixion, Jesus—knowing the extreme suffering that He was about to endure for mankind’s salvation—retreated to the Mount of Olives to take His anguish to His Father in heaven through prayer. While His disciples slumbered nearby in the Garden of Gethsemane, our L ORD, showing His humanity, sweat great drops of blood as He pleaded with the Father to make another way if possible. In absolute obedience, however, Christ surrendered His will to that of the heavenly Father and willingly completed the mission for which the Son of God had been sent to earth—to enter humanity as the sinless suffering servant required for the redemption of our sins.  “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.” ...
Read more
-
Image
  What a Waste! ( April 17, 2023) “ Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. ” (1 Peter 5:6-7) In terms of personality types, many of us could be categorized as worriers. Looking back over my life and considering the frequency with which I have engaged in the futility of worry without any benefit, I have to think, “What a waste!” Worry—defined as a state of anxiety or uncertainty over actual or potential problems—is worthless! We all have many legitimate personal concerns that prompt us to worry about our loved ones, our health, our jobs, our finances, our personal safety (especially in today’s lawless society), and countless other circumstances. However, these anxieties can hinder our spiritual development as Christians and damage our personal testimony. Worry is rooted in fear that conflicts with who we are as children of God. By faith in Jesus Christ, we’ve place...
Read more