Got Righteousness: Who you are in Him

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 KJV

We have begun a new series studying the Righteousness of God. Yes, it's true when we do a study on this site it tends to go long but there is a simple reason. My heart's desire above all else is that all would see clearly without obstruction the absolute goodness of God. That all would know and experience the amazing Love of Almighty God, and that all would know He isn't mad at anyone and that He isn't a harsh taskmaster, but a Good Father.

 In our last study, we saw that we who believe are Righteous. So today it seems good to go further in revealing our identity in Christ. Instead of asking who you are, I want to reveal who YOU are in Christ. 

 Many people go through life struggling not really knowing who they are. They look for their identity in career, in education, in achievements and some sadly seek for their identity in the bottom of a bottle or in something they are smoking or injecting into their veins. Some go through relationship after relationship hoping to find fulfillment and identity in another person.

Nothing is wrong with you

Who we are, what are our gifts, talents, and personality, our peace is only found in Christ. Through tradition, a fallen world, and the achievement syndrome, we tend to not always have a good opinion of ourselves. What's really the root cause of this sense of not measuring up is sin consciousness. 

 

 Sin consciousness is a never waning awareness of our shortcomings, flaws, and failures. This is why we look at Christ as one who is so perfect and holy (and He absolutely is) and ourselves as lowly worms in the dust who never get it right. We see ourselves and our imperfections and begin to use those outward actions as our source of identity. 

 That's not the Gospel way. That's not God's way. your identity doesn't come from what you do. It doesn't come from how much you sin. It doesn't come from any charitable deeds done either. Your identity is only found in Christ alone. So there is nothing wrong with you. 

 The Cross was a success. The Finished Work worked. Jesus' work of redemption was a triumph. Christ not only gives us eternal life and forgiveness of all our sins, but this perfect work also includes the great exchange. He took our old sin nature, our dead spirit, and recreated our spirit and gave us His very life. We are Righteous, New Creations with the very life and nature of God our Father within. 

 You may say no way. Did you know what I did last week? Did you know I was drunk last weekend? Did you know I slept with someone a month ago? Did you know I masturbated to porn last night? Did you know I lied to my boss last Friday just to go home early? Did you know I lost my temper and cursed someone? I used "F-bombs" in abundance when I did. How can you say there is nothing wrong with me?

 Our sins and shortcomings no matter how dark, dirty, and downright despicable cannot revoke or remove the permanent work of the Cross from our hearts. Christ bore all our sins, even the worst and most wicked, paying the full payment for the cleansing, removal, and total forgiveness of them all. In the Finished Work, He exchanged our old and imperfect with His New and perfect. We have been made the very Righteousness of God in Christ. He gave us His Righteousness. That's who we are now!

 Truthfully, we've all blown it. We have all been guilty of walking out of love. All guilty of sexual immorality in some form or fashion (Christ declared even looking at someone with lust was adultery). All guilty of being selfish and self-focused. Here's the truth, feeling bad, experiencing shame, being guilt-ridden over our sins will never cause us to stop these habits and actions. The Law is merely a mirror to reveal our failures. It will never empower or enable us to overcome our failures.

 Living from our true identity is where we will find true peace and victory. Sin's appeal begins to wane when we know who we and whose we are apart from our performance. When we try to use discipline or avoidance to stop sin we are merely using willpower and that's the flesh and the flesh will burn out and give up. 

 Become Righteousness conscious not sin conscious. Become accepted and approve conscious not failure and shrink back conscious. Become Right standing conscious not imperfection and failure to measure up conscious. 

 In summation, who are you? You are the Righteousness of God in Christ. You have the very life and nature of God within. You are a New Creation in Him, the old is gone behold the New is here now. You are accepted and approved perpetually with the Father. You are complete in Him. 

Image by Gordon Johnson from Pixabay