For more background on propitiation, see this post
So now, as a result of Christ’s work on the cross, of appeasing GOD’s righteous anger against sin with His shed blood, we have the righteousness of Christ on our account before GOD. There is nothing we can do to earn it. There is nothing we can do to ruin it if we are in Christ.
So now, as a result of Christ's work on the cross, of appeasing GOD's righteous anger against sin with His shed blood, we have the righteousness of Christ on our account before GOD. Share on XThis, by no means, is to say we are to live carelessly or in any way, take the gift of our salvation for granted. All it means is that there is nothing we can do to improve on our salvation or to lessen it. Whatever work we do, is rather an outworking of worship to Him for all He has done.
So when the Accuser does His work, saying things like, “Who do you think you are? You are just a fake.” “You know you don’t deserve this. Who do you think you are?”
We can reply, “I stand secure in the righteousness of Christ! I know I don’t have a righteousness of my own.”
There is nothing we have to be proud of. The righteousness we have is not our own, it was bought and paid for with Christ’s precious blood. The righteousness we have only brings us to humility. We did nothing to deserve what Christ did for us. We owe Him everything but can never repay Him for this debt!
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law,
although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.
This was to show God’s righteousness,
because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
It was to show his righteousness at the present time,
so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:21-26 ESV
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.II Corinthians 5:21 ESV
Call to Action: Take time to thank GOD for the gift of righteousness He has given you in Christ. The price was high. Jesus paid with His life for our sin. As an act of worship, live your life as an act of worship to Him. Ask Him how he wants you to do it? What would it look like? cf. Romans 12:1
