But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).
According to the scripture above, Christ Jesus has been made unto us righteousness. In other words, when God looks at us who believe in Jesus, He sees us as righteous, not because of the flawlessness of our deeds, but because Jesus has become our righteousness. Romans 4:25 lets us know that Jesus was “delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” He wasn’t delivered for His own offences, for He was without offence (Hebrews 4:15); He was the only sinless one.
It parallels what the prophet Isaiah said in Isaiah 53:5-7: “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all….” Jesus bore all the pain, shame, and torture on your account. He took upon Himself all what you were supposed to suffer so you won’t have to go through them anymore.
The Bible says “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is the gospel of substitution. Jesus took your place, so that you might take His place. Notice that God didn’t make Him a sinner; He was made the very embodiment of sin. Why? So that you would become the righteousness of God in Him! Thus your righteousness is the righteousness of Christ. You’re as righteous as Jesus is righteous! This isn’t something you attained by your good works, it was given to you as a gift (Romans 5:17).
Not only have you been declared righteous, you’ve become the very expression of His righteousness by virtue of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I rejoice today in Christ, who is my righteousness! I thank you for sending Jesus to bear my sins, and present me holy and unblameable before you! Thank you for making me the very epitome of your righteousness, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study: Romans 5:17-18: “For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) [18] Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.” Romans 3:21-22: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; [22] Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:”
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
