Day by Day

Read: Ezra 8:24-36 1st Peter 1:13-25
“Righteousness in Christ”

“For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”
[Romans 3:28]

Through faith in Christ, therefore, Christ’s righteousness becomes our righteousness and all that He has becomes ours; rather, He Himself becomes ours. Therefore, the Apostles calls it “the righteousness of God” in Romans 1:17: for in the Gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed … as it is written, ‘ the righteous shall live by faith.’” Finally, in the same Epistle, [3:28], such a faith is called “the righteousness of God” : “we hold that a man is justified by faith.” This is an infinite righteousness, and one that swallows up all sins in a moment, for it is impossible that sin should exist in Christ.
On the contrary, he who trusts in Christ exists in Christ; he is one with Christ, having the same righteousness as He. It is therefore impossible that sin should remain in him. This accomplishes what Christ wants – the sinner being put into a right relationship with our Lord, based solely on the salvific works of the Savior. It is in this sense that we are to understand the prayer in the Psalm … “In Thee, O Lord, do I seek refuge; let me never be put to shame, in Thy righteousness deliver me” [Psalm 31:1].