2 Corinthians 5: 21 [KJV]
For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
One of the most important dividends of the gospel is to make you the righteousness of God in Christ.
Firstly, you are given the gifts of righteousness at salvation; God credits his own very righteousness, correctness and rightness in you. Secondly, you are also imparted with the nature of righteousness. That means you have righteousness as a gift and also as a nature.
Righteousness is who you are and what you have. That’s a dual work of righteousness in us, not only are we gifted righteousness, we also have the nature of righteousness. Glory to God!
Righteousness in the new testament is not right living, it is right standing! It is “right standing” before “right living” not the other way round. Your right standing before God causes you to live right in the world. Your “position” in Christ validates your “condition” in this world.
Righteousness is the ability to stand before God without any sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority.
This is actually possible by of the sacrifice Jesus paid on our behalf.
This gift and nature of righteousness is not attained, it obtained, only on Christ. You cannot get it by your effort or performance; once you have placed your faith in the finished works of Jesus Christ and acknowledge His Lordship over your life, His righteousness has been imparted to you instantly. From that moment on you, have a right standing with God. You have gained equal share with Christ Jesus. You’re as holy and righteous just like Jesus. What a divine blessing!
Romans 4: 5 [KJV]
But to him who does not work “but believes on Him” who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.
This scripture above is enough! God justifies the ungodly man and recognizes him as a godly because of his faith in Christ Jesus not the what he did. Rights and wrongs do not make a man righteous before God, but what Jesus did. God can not be pleased by a man’s effort, only the effort of Jesus on man’s behalf pleases God.
All that a man needs to become righteous is to believe on Jesus Christ. He is the justifier of everyone that believes in Him – his trials, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection. When you believe this, then God credits His own righteousness into your account.
Philippians 3:9 (KJV)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
This righteousness is by faith only, not by the law. Your righteousness in Christ is earned by your faith in Him, not what you are trying to be or do. A man does not become righteous in the sight of God because he fulfills some obligations or moral conducts. You’re not righteous because you feel righteous; you are righteous because God made you so in Christ. It is an act of God appropriated by your faith in Christ, and God is righteous by making you righteous.
Whenever the accuser questions you of your integrity or reminds you of what you have said or done wrong; you boldly declare and affirm that you’re righteous because of the finished works of Christ on your behalf. You’re not defined by your mistakes or shortcoming.
Tell the devil, I am made righteous by His finished works, not by my own works, and that’s who I am. It is the gift and nature of God in me, and if he keeps reminding you of your past, you too remind him of his future – Lake of fire.
DECLARATION
I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I have right standing with God. I am holy, righteous and sanctified. Every item of my life is pure and perfect. Glory to God! I am in Christ justified and He is in me glorified. (Please spend more time to pray in the Holy Ghost)
SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES
Romans 5: 17; 2 Corinthians 5: 21