16 September 2024 | ||
Most folks have some understanding that righteousness is a good thing and to be desired. Where it breaks down, even for believers, is that they think it's up to them to do right in order to be righteous. That gets it backwards.
We don’t do right things to become righteous. Instead, we are righteous because we believe what Jesus did on our behalf. We receive His righteousness by faith, therefore we do right things as a result.
It’s the difference between the root and the fruit. Our righteousness in Christ is the root and our good actions are the fruit of that righteousness. Trying to do good things to become righteous is like planting a tree upside down with the leaves in the ground and the roots sticking up. Is it any wonder there is no life there?
The only way to find true peace and rest is to recognize that the righteousness of Jesus is ours by faith and receive it. Once we stop trying to become righteous and accept the fact that as followers of Jesus we already are righteous, then good works will flow out of that righteous identity we possess by faith. | ||
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