RIGHTEOUSNESS

RIGHTEOUSNESS

 And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’ —Jeremiah 23:6

             We have no righteousness of our own. Oh, there are those who think they are self-righteous and this is nothing new—

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” —Luke 18:9-14

            But we have no righteousness of our own. When we call on the Name of the Lord He credits righteousness, His righteousness to our account—

What does Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.   Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.” —Romans 4:4-8

            We do not have any righteousness of our own, but God clothes us with His Son who is Righteousness. That is the only way to know God and to be in glory with Him after death. It is because of His Righteousness that He freely gives us. Once we call on the Lord to save us from our sin and to a relationship with Him, then we do those things that are please in His sight because we love Him (I John 3:22; Matthew 22:37-40; I John 4:19). We do not earn salvation by what we do. We live out the salvation He gives us out of gratefulness for what He has done for us!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD6khv6pGkw 

Dear Father I am so grateful for the righteousness of Jesus given to me. Out of deep gratitude may I now serve You faithfully and do those things that are pleasing in your sight. May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e37m3I5eH8g