CHRIST AS RIGHTEOUSNESS

He has clothed me with garments of salvation; He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness. (Is. 61:10)

 I was once asked by a fellow church-goer if I believe I am righteous. When I responded that I do, my friend became offended and walked away. He would rather I said I am a sinner with no hope of righteousness.

So, what is righteousness anyway?

To begin with it is a foundational attribute of God’s character. Among the many names of God revealed in the Bible is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6; 33:16).  Psalm 89:14 tells us ‘’Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne…’’

Furthermore, righteousness is not something humans get to define for themselves. Righteousness is doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord God (Deu. 12:28; James 1:19,20). God loves righteousness (Ps.11:7; Ps.145:17).

A righteous person, some say, is one who pursues goodness.

Humankind knows what goodness is, because our forebears, Adam and Eve, ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen. 3:22) For the same reason, we also know what evil is. Until spiritually born again through faith in Christ, every person born on this planet is born a sinner through inheritance from Adam (1 Cor. 15:22)

So then, as through one offense the result was condemnation to all mankind, so also through one act of righteousness the result was justification of life to all mankind. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. (Rom. 5:18,19)

John the Baptist identified Jesus as ‘’the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He used the singular word for sin, referring to the sin condition of the entire human race, sometimes called ‘’original sin,’’ which we have all been born into through Adam. We did not become sinners because we sin; we sin because, as Adam’s descendants, we are born sinners (Ps. 51:5).

However, for believers in Christ Jesus, the power of sin has been cancelled now and forever. The scripture says: “…but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been revealed to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Heb. 9:26). At Calvary, Jesus exchanged His righteousness for our sin.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. 5:19

What is so often missed or misunderstood by believers is that righteousness is a gift from God, and must be received as such (Rom. 5:17). Righteousness cannot be obtained by our behaviour. Rather, our behaviour is changed as Christ dwells within us, ‘’so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.’’

Righteousness Under the Old Covenant

Under the Old Covenant righteousness was attained by adhering to the Law God had given to Moses:

And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to follow all this commandment before the LORD our God, just as He commanded us (Deu. 6:25).

Once a year only, the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies, that is the place of God’s Presence, on behalf of himself and the people. He would bring into the Holy of Holies the blood of a bull and a goat and he would sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat to atone for Israel’s sins. No-one else could enter the Holy of Holies at any time, on pain of death, and the High Priest could enter only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Lev.16).

But the sacrifices carried out under the old covenant could never completely erase the people’s sins, which is why the ritual was repeated year after year. The yearly Day of Atonement was like a new beginning – the Israelites could be assured their sins of the past year were atoned for, or covered up. Nevertheless, as the year progressed, inevitably God’s people were once again weighed down with sin and guilt, their consciences convicting them of breaking God’s law. And so, this pattern would repeat year after year.

This was the religious system operating in Israel when Jesus began His ministry. And to oversee and enforce this system there was a multi-layered hierarchy made up of the High Priest, priests, teachers, scribes, lawyers, as well as different sects, such as the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The people revered their spiritual leaders as examples of the righteousness (under the Law) they should attain to. But then along came Jesus saying:

‘’For I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.’’ (Matt. 5:20)

What? How can anyone be more righteous than our spiritual leaders? It was a shocking statement for those Israelites to hear. It was a direct challenge from Jesus to the established religious system and to the leaders who held themselves to be above sin. He continually pressed the point that He was not looking for those who trust in their own righteousness, but for those whose righteousness comes through faith in Him (Mark 2:17; Luke 18:9-14; Rom. 3:21,23; Gal. 2:21; 1 Jn.2:29).

There is absolutely nothing we can bring to the table that will make us righteous in God’s eyes, apart from His Son’s righteousness, bestowed on us by grace. Yet, how often have we received the message from man-centred religion, consciously or unconsciously, that our righteousness is measured by how ‘’good’’ we are. So, we work hard to modify our behaviour, in order to gain God’s (and our church’s) approval. The Old Covenant commandments become the standard of ‘’goodness’’ we strive to live up to. The pastor or some other leader becomes the example of righteousness we try to mirror. Regular attendance at church becomes the proof that we are Christian.

The problem? It’s all external, depending on our own efforts, the product of our own religious flesh, when in fact it is impossible for human flesh to please God (Rom. 8:8).  Like multitudes of others, we have been discipled to a church, or a movement, or a leader, but never discipled to Christ.  We have been brought under law, but do not know freedom of the Spirit (2 Cor: 3:17). We have been changed outwardly, but not inwardly conformed to Christ (2 Co. 3:17,18).

…I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith… (Phl. 3:9)

It’s sobering to realise that we can live our entire lives striving to be the most upright Christian citizen, able to quote the Bible on any subject, yet still miss out on salvation because we’ve not experienced the inward transformation of actually having a living relationship with Christ, through the Holy Spirit (Mat. 7:21.23).

Only by faith in Christ are we made righteous. And only by active relationship with Jesus Christ do we grow in righteousness.

Think of it this way. You have received an invoice from the government advising you are in debt to them for a very great sum of money, because you have broken some laws for which you must be fined.  You understand that you broke the law but also know you will never be able to repay the enormous amount owed. You are in despair. What can you do to change the situation? Absolutely nothing!

But then you receive another document. It is a credit note, sealed and signed by the prime minister, completely wiping out the amount owed, and stating your debt is cancelled, forever. How can this be, you ask. The Prime Minister, at his own cost, has paid the full amount of your debt, and you hold the proof in your hands – ‘’a paid in full’’ letter restoring your innocence.

Under the New Covenant, we have been given such a gift, through His son’s sacrifice, by God. The credit note is His Word, which states ‘there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.’’ (Rom. 8:1,2).  

There are three things we can do with this truth. Firstly, we can assign this righteousness to ourselves, believing it has been granted because we strive to be a good, law-abiding citizen, fulfilling all our duty to God, family, church, society, and the world. This attitude is self-righteousness, which leads to pride in ourselves and contempt for those we believe are less deserving than we are (Luke 18:9).

Secondly, we can refuse the gift on the grounds we are not worthy because of the sinful life we’ve lived and evil we’ve done. We turn the gift away, determining to become a better person so we may become worthy of it. We remain in our sorry state, disregarding at what cost this gift came about, and insulting the one who gives it. This attitude is self-condemnation, believing our sin is more powerful than the grace being offered to us (Rom. 1:16-17)

Both these responses are centred in self and rooted in unbelief.

Or thirdly, we can humbly and thankfully receive the amazingly gracious gift, entering into the freedom it bestows on us. Through Adam all of us were made sinners. But we have a new Adam, Jesus Christ, through whom all of us may be made righteous (1 Cor. 15:22; 15.45)

There are no circumstances under which we can earn God’s standard of righteousness. But He has ordained that only the righteousness of Jesus Christ can save us from condemnation, by faith. Christ Himself has become our righteousness.

© Cheryl McGrath, Bread for the Bride, 2024. Copyright Notice: Permission is granted to freely reproduce any Bread for the Bride articles in emails or internet blogs, unaltered, and providing this copyright notice is included.     To permanently display an article on any static website please contact me for permission.