Christ’s Righteousness Is Yours

Christ Jesus, who became to us … righteousness

1 Corinthians 1:30

In order to understand your purity in Christ, the first thing you need to know is that Christ is your righteousness. The second thing you need to know is that Christ’s righteousness is yours.

Imagine that you are living in a derelict building that will soon be pulled down, and you have nowhere to go. Then you meet a man who offers his home to you. You tell him you have no money for rent, but he says that there will be no rent. You ask how long you can stay, and he tells you that you can live there as if the home was your own.

He tells you that he has several homes, and that each day he comes by to clean them and tend the garden. “You won’t see me,” he says. “I only call when my tenants are away.”

When you find the house, you are overwhelmed. It is the home of your dreams. But more than that, it is truly your home. It’s not your home by right, but it is your home by grace. How do you respond?

Enjoy it! In the same way, Christ’s righteousness is yours, so enjoy it! Why live under a continuing burden of guilt when the righteousness of Christ is yours? You say you are ashamed and cannot forgive yourself. Start looking at Him. As you see what He has done for you, you will begin to love Him. You don’t need to live in shame. You don’t need to impress God with your own righteousness. You are clean, so enjoy your position in Christ.

Be who you are. The Christian life is not about pretending to be what you are not. It is about being who you are. You are clean. Be who you are.

On a scale of 1 (I’m living in shame and guilt) to 10 (I’m finding my rest in Jesus and enjoying His righteousness), what is your experience of the Christian life?