Saturday, December 19, 2009

The right kind of Righteousness

In a portion of scripture that richly portrays God's intentions and goodness, the prophet Isaiah particularly mentions (amongst many profound prophecies) that we will be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54:14) through Jesus Christ our Saviour.

With such spectacular confirmation, we find (in Romans 1:16-17) that many years later the apostle Paul tells his Roman recipients that this gospel ("Good News") of Jesus Christ, is the very power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.
He goes on to say that in this message (of the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection and very purpose of Jesus Christ), the righteousness OF GOD is revealed from faith to faith - Isaiah had prophesied of a righteousness within which we would be established, Paul now declares that the gospel of Jesus Christ emphasises that it is by faith we are established in God's very own Righteousness, and not our own righteousness.

A little later (Romans 10:1-4) we find Paul mentioning how many people (even those who have a zeal for God), do not properly understand what was accomplished through Jesus. Based on this lack of knowledge (regardless of their zeal for God), they are effectively ignoring the free gift of God's righteousness, and are seeking to establish their own righteousness.
The law that required man to perform and present themselves holy and acceptable before God, was completely brought to an end in Christ to everyone who believes.

It almost seems blasphemous (if you don't know the gospel), but what God expects from us is to submit to His Righteousness by simply believing in Christ and personally owning and embracing what He has already accomplished on the cross.

Becoming a new creation in Christ is not determined by what you have to offer God, but actually by your faith and humility to freely receive what He has to offer you!

God's Grace...and only His Grace...is sufficient.

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