Spirit and Life Devotional is a daily publication by Pastor Chinaemerem Ibezim, senior pastor of Able Ministers Chapel, a church based in Calabar, Cross River State.
[pull_quote_center]”Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us.’” Deuteronomy 6:25 [/pull_quote_center]
There are two types of righteousness: man’s righteousness and God’s righteousness. Man’s righteousness is obtained through works, God’s righteousness is obtained by believing. Man’s righteousness is earned (as one earns salaries after working for it), but God’s righteousness is a gift. Man’s righteousness is by obedience of the Law, God’s righteousness is by the obedience of faith.
With the heart, man believeth unto righteousness (Romans 10:10). The righteousness we have today is not something we worked for, it’s something we believed for. The moment a person believes is the very moment they are made righteous in the sight of God, whether they look righteous or act righteous is another thing, the fact is that they are righteous before God.
Listen: Jesus Christ is our righteousness, and we are righteous by His faith (His faith, not ours!). As long as we are dependent on Him for righteousness, we are righteous; the moment we begin to depend on ourselves and our works, and our own goodness, we lose our righteousness. Romans 4:4-5 says, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Apostle Paul was blameless according to the Law of righteousness, but he thrashed it, and wrote: that he would be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3:9).
Learn to be satisfied in Christ! And because you are righteous, you will no longer struggle to live righteously, in Jesus name. Amen.
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