Clothed in Christ: Receiving God’s Righteousness by Faith

Summary

Humanity is spiritually naked and unable to earn God’s favor. At the cross, God’s justice and grace met as Jesus paid sin’s penalty. God declares sinners righteous by grace through faith, not by works or lawkeeping. Through Christ’s sacrifice, believers are justified, redeemed, and freed from sin’s bondage. Clothed in Christ’s righteousness, they are prepared to meet a holy God and respond with grateful love and service.

Spiritually Naked and in Need

You do not naturally furnish your clothing. Reindeer and polar bears do not need winter coats. You are naturally as naked spiritually as you are physically. That is what the greatest gift addresses.

A just judge imposes due penalties for crimes. The penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23), but grace and mercy are another dimension of God’s doing what is just and right.

Justice and Grace Meet at the Cross

God’s justice and grace kissed at the cross. There, He judged sin. The Creator, not the criminals, paid the due death penalty.

Righteousness Given, Not Earned

God’s righteousness came to Abraham and David apart from the law (Romans 4). God declared them righteous because of their faith.

He especially reveals His righteousness in the saving work of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21). Knowing that is not enough. You must receive God’s righteousness. How?

Justified by Grace Through Faith

You receive the right standing with God through personally trusting in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection to deliver you from sin’s penalty and power. You trust God’s promise that He credited Jesus’ righteousness to your account.

You act upon God’s word. You accept His grace. You focus the rest of your life on loving God and others.

You need God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23). To earn God’s favor, you must be as good as Jesus. The smallest sin committed only once makes you a sinner whom God can rescue only by grace through faith.

Paul explains God’s righteousness with a legal term (Romans 3:24). Justify means to declare righteous. God declares you righteous in this life.

He does it freely. He does it by His unmerited and undeserved favor. But it is real!

By grace through your faith, the Judge has already declared you not guilty. No one overturns His verdict.

Redeemed from Sin’s Slavery

Paul explains God’s righteousness with a slave-market term (Romans 3:24). To redeem a slave, one paid a deliverance price.

Sin is bondage. Sinners are slaves. Christ secured the ransom to free you by the costly shedding of His blood and giving of His life in your place and for your benefit.

Paul explains God’s righteousness with a temple term (Romans 3:25). A sacrifice of atonement refers to the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant.

That was the place of atonement by animal sacrifices throughout much of Old Testament history. The term suggests God’s wrath on sin.

Christ’s sacrifice was the reality of which animal sacrifices were merely a shadow. Jesus experienced God’s wrath in your place.

At the cross, God reveals He is just and the justifier of sinful people (Romans 3:26). He judged sin there. By God’s grace through faith, you are free.

Clothed in Christ's Righteousness

You are dressed in Christ’s righteousness, prepared to meet a holy God face-to-face. It is the greatest gift! Your grateful gift in return is loving and serving God and others!

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