We often hear the word "righteousness" and it can sometimes feel like a heavy burden. Are we righteous enough? Are we doing enough good deeds to measure up?
The truth is very liberating when you realize that righteousness isn't something we have to strive to generate within ourselves and then present to God as some sort of offering. Think about it. If our righteousness came from our own efforts, wouldn't that make God indebted to us in some way? It would imply that we could earn His favor through our actions. But the truth is that righteousness is a gift.
Romans 3:22-24 NIV [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
The scripture states that righteousness comes "through faith in Jesus Christ" and that it is a free gift of God's "grace." It’s crystal clear that no one can achieve this righteousness on their own because "all have sinned and fall short."
This understanding changes everything. It removes the pressure to constantly perform and allows us to rest in the knowledge that our standing with God isn't based on our pitiful attempts at perfection. The emphasis is on God’s grace and faith as the means by which we receive salvation and righteousness. It’s not through our own efforts.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
When we realize that we are loved and accepted not because of what we do, but because of God's generous gift, our hearts naturally turn towards Him in thankfulness.
1 John 4:7-21 NIV [7] Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. [13] This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. [14] And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. [15] If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. [16] And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. [17] This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. [18] There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. [19] We love because he first loved us. [20] Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. [21] And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (emphasis mine)
The fact that God loved us first empowers us to grow in our faith, not out of obligation, but out of a desire to respond to the incredible love we've been shown. It's not about earning God's favor; it's about living in a way that reflects the righteousness we have already received as a gift.
So, let's stop trying to manufacture our own righteousness. Let's embrace the truth that it's a gift freely given, a foundation on which we can build a genuine relationship with God, filled with trust, love, and a deep appreciation for His amazing grace.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NIV [18] All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (emphasis mine)
The truth is very liberating when you realize that righteousness isn't something we have to strive to generate within ourselves and then present to God as some sort of offering. Think about it. If our righteousness came from our own efforts, wouldn't that make God indebted to us in some way? It would imply that we could earn His favor through our actions. But the truth is that righteousness is a gift.
Romans 3:22-24 NIV [22] This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, [23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
The scripture states that righteousness comes "through faith in Jesus Christ" and that it is a free gift of God's "grace." It’s crystal clear that no one can achieve this righteousness on their own because "all have sinned and fall short."
This understanding changes everything. It removes the pressure to constantly perform and allows us to rest in the knowledge that our standing with God isn't based on our pitiful attempts at perfection. The emphasis is on God’s grace and faith as the means by which we receive salvation and righteousness. It’s not through our own efforts.
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV [8] For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— [9] not by works, so that no one can boast. [10] For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
When we realize that we are loved and accepted not because of what we do, but because of God's generous gift, our hearts naturally turn towards Him in thankfulness.
1 John 4:7-21 NIV [7] Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. [8] Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. [9] This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. [10] This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. [11] Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. [12] No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. [13] This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. [14] And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. [15] If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. [16] And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. [17] This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. [18] There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. [19] We love because he first loved us. [20] Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. [21] And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. (emphasis mine)
The fact that God loved us first empowers us to grow in our faith, not out of obligation, but out of a desire to respond to the incredible love we've been shown. It's not about earning God's favor; it's about living in a way that reflects the righteousness we have already received as a gift.
So, let's stop trying to manufacture our own righteousness. Let's embrace the truth that it's a gift freely given, a foundation on which we can build a genuine relationship with God, filled with trust, love, and a deep appreciation for His amazing grace.
2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NIV [18] All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: [19] that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. [20] We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. [21] God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (emphasis mine)
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