The Righteousness of God in Christ

Romans 10:3-4 (NLT) states,

“For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God.”

God has given His children many gifts; one such gift is Righteousness. Unfortunately, many believers are under the impression that righteousness is a reward for their perfect obedience. They believe that a person must do right in order to become righteous, or that righteousness is achieved through acts of penance. These beliefs are not based in the Truth of God’s Word but are lies of your enemy, the devil. It is part of his strategy of deception that he perpetuates to not only cause the believer to live a life of defeat, but also to dishonour Jesus and His finished work.

You must reject, outright, any teaching that says that you have to earn your righteousness. Being morally upright is admirable but does not make you righteous. Your right conduct is a good thing but cannot establish your righteousness. Righteousness is a gift; you cannot earn it through your own works. If you have to work for it, then it is not a gift.

Romans 4:4-5 (NLT) states,

“When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned. 5 But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners..”

When Jesus gave Himself up as the Ultimate Sacrifice at Calvary, He exchanged places with you. Jesus took all your sin and, in its place, gave you His righteousness.

In simple terms,

“God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21 (MSG)

Beloved, it is through Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross that makes you righteous. It is not through your own efforts, works, conduct or obedience. When you receive Jesus Christ into your life and, by faith, believe in Him and His finished work, God sees you as righteous.

Romans 3:21-22 (MSG) makes it clear,

 “What Moses and the prophets witnessed to all those years has happened. The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this.”

Today, God is telling you to forget all your misconceptions about righteousness and awaken to the Truth – “You are the righteousness of God in Christ!”

Amen †

Shelley Johnson “The Righteousness of God in Christ “ © February 2013 (revisited March 16, 2025)