erebus-cross

Justification is not merely the cancellation of my unrighteousness. It is also the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to me. I do not have a righteousness that commends me to God. My claim before God is this: “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ”  (Philippians 3:9).  This is Christ’s righteousness. It is imputed to me. That means Christ fulfilled all righteousness perfectly; and then that Christ Suffered and Died  and that righteousness was reckoned to be mine, when I trusted in him.  I was counted righteous. God looked on Christ’s perfect righteousness, and he declared me to be righteous with the righteousness of Christ. So there are two reasons why it is not abominable for God to justify the ungodly (Romans 4:5). First, the death of Christ paid the debt of our unrighteousness (see the previous chapter). Second, the obedience of Christ provided the righteousness we needed to be justified in God’s court. The demands of God for entrance into eternal life are not merely that our unrighteousness be canceled, but that our perfect righteousness be established. The suffering and death of Christ is the basis of both.

Reflecting on Philippians 3:9, I am drawn to the fact that my slate with God was not just wiped clean but that he wiped it clean and then gave me something that I was incapable of ever achieving; the righteousness of Jesus.   It was not just a paper transaction with a blanket decree of mercy for all, with my name listed somewhere in fine print.  It was a personal intervention on my behalf, carefully planned and executed as to achieve exactly what God desired.  He desired me to be a co-heir with Jesus.  Thus he not only intervened on my behalf to forgive me of my trespasses, but he gave me righteousness that was impossible for me to ever achieve.   Jesus passively and actively obeyed the Father’s by dying on the cross AND submitting every thought, word and deed perfectly to God.  Those actions were then transferred to me for God’s ultimately glory and as a result, my salvation.    Recently I recall seeing a car with a bumper sticker that said “Christians aren’t perfect, only forgiven”.  I thought, (and as with most Christian bumper stickers), that’s not 100% accurate.  A person who has faith in Christ is forgiven, but he is also perfect in God’s eyes.  I think too many Christians forget this fact that without righteousness, God’s forgiveness is not enough. 

Questions?   Have you ever considered that God did more than just forgive sinners but that he both forgave and then gave those same sinners the world’s most valuable gift; Jesus righteousness?  Have you considered that God wants to make you a co-heir with Jesus?

Quote from “The 50 Reasons Jesus Came to Die”.

Questions and reflections by me.

Picture – The cross at Mount Erebus, Antarctica, commemorating the 1979 Air New Zealand Crash near Mount Erebus.

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