The Lord our Righteousness
Jeremiah 23:6
This is a remarkable declaration: The Lord is our righteousness. All my righteousness is as filthy rags and tainted by sin. His righteousness becomes mine by the simple reception of faith. This is the heart of the gospel.
In Romans 10 the apostle Paul says it this way:
Romans 10:3-4
Because they disregarded the righteousness from God and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness.
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
There is always this tendency within our sinful heart to try to make things right by our own efforts. We, like the Jews of whom Paul is writing, try to establish our own righteousness rather than simply submitting ourselves to God’s gracious offer of His own righteousness. We would rather labor under the heavy burden of the law than seek simple mercy.
In the verses before us in Romans we are reminded that Justification is by faith alone. God does not ask that we clean ourselves up to merit His gift- rather He graciously takes us Just as we are and does the clean- up Himself. This pronouncement of our Right standing before God is based on Christ’ righteousness and His subsequent death on the cross. The cross of Christ is the indispensable atonement that secures our justification. So, as we study through this passage let us grow deeper in our understanding of the “Lord our righteousness” and worship Him and give the glory to Him to whom it alone is due.
Because of grace,
Tim
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