Weekly Devotion: The Righteousness of God

“For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” Romans 10:3, 4

There are two kinds of righteousness, “God’s” and our “own”, if we submit ourselves to God, by faith, we can receive the “righteousness of God” along with “every one that believeth”. God desires to cloth us in “fine linen, white and clean: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints” (Revelation 19:8b) but as long as we are “going about” trying to “establish” our “own righteousness”, we are “as an unclean thing”, clothed with garments “as filthy rags”.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...” Isaiah 64:6a

Our best works, done with our best intentions, on our best days, without God are “unclean” and “filthy”. Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one” among men, but there was one; “Jesus Christ the righteous:” (1 John 2:1). The word “righteous” means right-wise. Just as the word clock-wise has to do with the direction that something is going by design; being “righteous” has to do with the direction we are going, i.e. doing right by God’s design. Since none of us are righteous on our own and Jesus is the only one who is, we need to be “made the righteousness of God in him.”

“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.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

If we try to keep the “law” by doing good works, it frustrates the “grace of God” and causes Christ’s death to be in vain. It is our “faith”, apart from works, that is “counted for righteousness.”

·         “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21

·         “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:5

Friend, only the “righteous” go “into life eternal” (Matthew 25:46b), wouldn’t you like to be made right-wise? Submit yourself to Jesus Christ the righteous and be made the righteousness of God in him today! Your only part in the matter is heart belief and mouth confession, don’t be unjust and filthy still, be made righteous and holy by asking God to save you this very moment.

·         “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9, 10

·         “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11