We all have an inherent need to be seen in a favorable light. Others’ approval and acceptance of us as righteous can strongly influence what we do; however, the world’s approval is conditional and based on our behavior. This is in direct contrast to the righteousness we receive from God when we believe in Jesus Christ. His righteousness is permanent and irrevocable, regardless of how many times we mess up.

“Righteous” is defined as morally right, justifiable, virtuous, and excellent. No matter how hard we try, we can never be good enough through our own self-efforts to reach a standard this high all the time. Thankfully, accepting Jesus Christ, who embodies all these qualities, makes us like Him. We become new beings, created like God in righteousness and true holiness.

Our faith in Christ, and the grace He offers us, spares us from trying to fulfill the world’s endless requirements to be accepted. Making Him our Lord and Savior allows Him to come and live inside us; because He is righteous, God also sees us as righteous. We’re made the righteousness of God in Him. When the world rejects us, we can take comfort in the knowledge that Jesus, Himself, has welcomed and accepted us.

The world values self-effort as a means of achieving status in others’ eyes; this leads to self-righteousness, which ignores the justification we find only in Christ. By comparison, we find in Him not our own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ. We’re declared righteous not by faith in what we do, but in what Jesus did. Our justification by faith gives us peace with God through Christ.

Jesus living in us means that no matter how many times we miss the mark or how bad our mistakes seem to us, God will never hold them against us. Sin will not be imputed to us, but righteousness will. Refusing to be moved from the knowledge of our righteousness in Him gives us the edge in life.

Prayer:

God, we’re righteous not by anything we do, but by what Your Son did on the cross. We find our identity as righteous and accepted people through Him; we’re thankful for this. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Scriptures:

Ephesians 4:24

2 Corinthians 5:21

Ephesians 1:6

Romans 15:7, AMPC

Romans 3:22

Philippians 3:9

Romans 5:1

For more on how we receive right-standing with God through faith in Christ, click on the link for the DVD, Righteousness Without Works.