“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” – Romans 3:21 (NKJV)
Now that we understand that righteousness is what we have and not what we do, someone might ask: does that mean that the law is now obsolete? Does that mean that the law was not perfect? Does it mean that we should no longer keep the law? Does the law no longer count? Well, let me explain.
The law is not obsolete; it is perfect and still counts. You must understand that the fact we are no longer justified by the law does not mean it is useless. The law had its role to play: to reveal what was good and what was bad. It was perfect by every standard, but the challenge was that man was not perfect. Man was weak and therefore could not keep the law. He kept on breaking it because his fallen nature was weak.
So, when God saw that man couldn’t keep the law, He sent His son, Jesus Christ, who came and fulfilled the law through His finished work. That is why our Lord Jesus Christ said, “…do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them…” Matthew 5:17 (ESV). Did you see that? From this, you see that our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He went through the process, and because He paid the ultimate price, what He did is now accounted to those who believe in His death, burial, and resurrection.
Today, our righteousness is a gift from God because of our faith in Christ Jesus and our union with Him. Now, does that mean we can live our lives any way we want and be lawless, since the law is no longer the standard for righteousness but faith? Well, we cannot live just any way we want or be lawless because we have received in us the gift of righteousness.
This gift, which is the nature of God, propels us to do right and act right. It makes us hate what God hates and love what God loves. This gift makes us operate in love, and when you genuinely walk in love towards God and your neighbor, you fulfill the law because it is written, “…the whole law is fulfilled in one word; you shall love your neighbor as yourself…” Galatians 5:14 (GNT). Walking in love is what God expects from us today. When you walk in love, you will not be lawless.
However, the key point to take away from this article is this: what puts us right with God or makes us righteous before God is not our works or the works of the law, but our faith in Christ Jesus and His finished work. However, you have a responsibility to walk in love and renew your mind with the Word of God so that your actions can be aligned with the ways of the Kingdom.
Remember, “…grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed day we hope for when the glory of our great God and savior Jesus Christ will appear…” Titus 2:12-13 (GNT). Hallelujah!
Today’s Rhema
The gift of righteousness helps us to do right, act right, and operate in love!
Confession for the Day
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this glorious gift of righteousness that You have given to us in Christ Jesus. I decree that this gift is fully at work in me and causing me to walk in the path You want me to walk in now and all the days of my life in Jesus’ name. Amen!
