Often times, we strive to attain righteousness on our own. We try to live good lives, do good things, avoid bad things. But is that really how we attain righteousness?
Paul says in Philippians 3:8-9, "That I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."
True righteousness cannot be earned. We cannot do more good things or do less bad things in order to gain the kind of true righteousness that connects us to the heart of God.
We see in Philippians that true righteousness comes through faith in Christ. Yet, it is also our understanding of righteousness that builds our faith.
Why is understanding that we are righteous powerful and effective? Because the righteous person understands his/her identity in Christ. Righteous men and women understand that because they have faith in Christ, their identity is in Him. This means that when God looks at the righteous man or woman, it is as if He is looking at Christ.
Therefore, the righteous man and woman can pray with confidence that God hears them and will answer their prayers just as if Jesus was praying. They can believe that they have the same access to God that Jesus would have. Jesus paid that price so that we can have relationship with the Father.
Righteousness says, when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. Therefore, if Jesus would pray and God would answer, then you can pray and God will answer.
For example, if you believe that Jesus could pray for your healing and you would be healed, then you can believe that you can pray for your healing and you will be healed.
Or, if you believe that Jesus could pray for provision and it would be provided, then you can pray for provision and believe that it will be provided.
Now there are some things that Jesus prayed for that he didn't receive. When he was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane before his crucifixion, he prayed that if possible the cup would be taken from him, but it was not. Persecution and suffering are not things that we can pray with absolute faith that they will be removed from our lives. However, we can still pray with confidence that God hears our prayers and that He will never leave us or forsake us in our suffering.
Why is understanding righteousness so important? Because it builds our faith when we pray. I can pray with confidence that God hears me, that He cares about my request. It is as if Christ is praying for my request. When God sees me, he sees Jesus. I can believe that if Jesus would pray for my situation and get an answer, then I can pray for my situation and get an answer.
The minute that you surrender your heart, your life, your desires to Christ and exchange your old sinful nature for a beautiful new nature, you become the righteousness of God. You can not earn it, you can not be more righteous one day and less the next. You are righteous. Our struggle is believing it. We know the things we do everyday and we have trouble believing that all our mess was paid for on the cross.
This is why the Bible talks repeatedly about having a clear conscience. When we feel guilty, we can't pray with as much faith. We will have a little doubt in the back of our minds, sometimes it is huge consuming doubt, that says, "Do you really think God will answer YOUR prayer? Do you remember what you did?"
Guilt causes us to focus on us instead of on Jesus. We begin to think that we play some part in our salvation, instead of realizing that it is ALL JESUS! We cannot add to it and we cannot take away from it. The Blood of Jesus shed on the cross was and always will be sufficient payment for my sins.
This is why the Bible talks repeatedly about having a clear conscience. When we feel guilty, we can't pray with as much faith. We will have a little doubt in the back of our minds, sometimes it is huge consuming doubt, that says, "Do you really think God will answer YOUR prayer? Do you remember what you did?"
Guilt causes us to focus on us instead of on Jesus. We begin to think that we play some part in our salvation, instead of realizing that it is ALL JESUS! We cannot add to it and we cannot take away from it. The Blood of Jesus shed on the cross was and always will be sufficient payment for my sins.
II Corinthians 5:21 says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
The righteousness of God.
It sounds beautiful, doesn't it?!?
