RIGHTEOUSNESS THROUGH CHRIST
LIBERTY AND LOVE #201
Those who decide to follow Christ have a cost to consider. Jesus calls us to follow him in faithful discipleship. He said, “Whoever does not deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me cannot be my disciple.” That Jesus demands total commitment cannot be denied. If we are going to be saved we must be disciples, and disciples are committed.
“Assuredly I say to you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). The matter of righteousness is a prominent Bible subject. The relevance of the doctrine is seen in the fact that it touches both our entrance into heaven and the life we live for God here. We must be righteous in order to enter heaven. Life in the eternal presence of God requires that we be entirely free from sin, for sin cannot exist in God’s presence. Only Christ can provide what we need.
The audacity of mankind to suppose that he can live with any purpose apart from awareness of God's presence and the seeking of his will is a most remarkable reflection of human depravity. Since the Garden of Eden, mankind has wanted to be our own authority source, refusing to yield the heart to the direction of God. The result of this treason against our Creator is that it makes us an enemy of God. And it keeps us from being righteous. Only those who are righteous can enter the kingdom of God.
The good news is, when we bow before God in surrender and give ourselves totally to Christ, God saves us, crediting Jesus’ righteousness to our account. “God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Christ is our righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30), and we must realize that perfection in the eyes of God comes to us as a gift. You have to be totally righteous to get into heaven, absolutely perfect, and that is exactly what you become by loving Christ. It is called the gospel—the good news—for a reason. Trust in Jesus and experience the righteousness that comes by faith to all who believe (Rom. 3:22; 10:4).
Dewayne Dunaway
