THE WORD: “For He has 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
THE POINT: Many people are trying to do the right thing, yet they fail miserably. Why? Before you can do right, you must first be made right.But even after that happens, many people still fail when it comes to righteous living. How can that be, if they have been made right? It’s because they are still living the wrong way.
True righteousness can never be achieved by living according to a Biblical code of conduct—doing right versus wrong.Right living can never be accomplished by human efforts, no matter how good they are. Your human strengths, natural talents, or physical abilities can never enable you to do good enough to become righteous.
There is only one person who has ever lived right—the Righteous One Jesus Christ. He is the only one who is truly righteous! Thus, He alone is capable of living right.That is why it was necessary for Christ to come to Earth. Such is the amazing grace of God. Christ came to us to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.
We could not change our lives so Christ changed us and made us right. We were made wrong in Adam, so we needed to be made right in Christ. Jesus Christ, the one who makes us right, is the only one who can enable us to live right.
God makes us right in Christ in order that we might then live right through Christ. Jesus Christ is our sole source of righteousness . . . for life and for living!
THE APPLICATION: How did God make this possible? This was possible because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Even though Christ never sinned, He willingly sacrificed His life for us. Christ become sin for us upon the cross when He died.
He did this in order that we might be raised with Him to walk in newness of life. The perfect Son of God became the sinful son of man. Jesus Christ took your place and became you upon the cross. That is an amazing miracle!
Christ became what you were—sin, so that you might become what He is—righteous. Christ took your place and died as you through the crucifixion, thus ending your old life as a sinner in Adam.
Christ did this so that You could be raised with Him to a new righteous life through the resurrection. Christ became one with you in death in order that you might become one with Him in life, thus making you righteous in Christ!
This is the great exchange! Jesus Christ exchanged His life for your life so that you could exchange your life for His life.
When you make this exchange, God places you in vital union with Christ. By virtue of your union with Christ, you are made righteous in Him.
It is not just that you are clothed in righteousness, but that you actually are righteous in Christ. You are not becoming righteous through your righteous deeds. You are not righteous because of the works of righteousness that you have done.
Your righteousness is derived from Christ—the Righteous One to whom you have been joined. Christ has made you who you are as a new creation in Him. “As He is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17)
Biblical signs and wonders gets our attention: living God who is real
Christ has been made unto you righteousness. Therefore, Christ is your righteousness. So, you are the righteousness of God in union with Christ.
Furthermore, Christ has now become your very life! “But of Him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30 AKJV). Christ is the Source of your life. All you are and have is because of Christ. This is your new identity in union with Christ!
THE PRAYER: “Dear Jesus, thank You for making me right by removing my old sinful nature and giving me new life in Christ.
I am grateful that You have made me righteous in Christ. Because of You I am now the righteousness of God in Christ! I trust You Lord Jesus, as the Righteous One, to live Your righteous life through me. Thank You, Lord for making it possible for me to live right!”
By Dr. Lewis Gregory/https://www.sourceministries.net/go/
