A New Life of Righteousness

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Some people interpret the portion of the Bible that says, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10) to mean all men are not righteous, whereas Jesus came into this world in order to make a righteous creation out of the unrighteous man. He died once, so that every man who hitherto was unrighteous could believe in Him and become righteous. In other words, the statement, “no one is righteous” is of the past; it doesn’t apply anymore in the New Testament.

Some people would boldly say, “I’m a sinner”, without realizing that the death and resurrection of Jesus has freed them from the bondage of sin. As a born again child of God, you’re no longer a sinner but a saint. In his epistle to the Philippians, the Apostle Paul addressed the saints in Philippi: “to all the saints of Christ Jesus which are at Philippi…’ (Philippians 1:1), meaning the death of Jesus Christ has not only made us free from sin, but has made us saints as well! It has brought us into a new life of righteousness. Glory to God!

Righteousness is the nature of God that gives a man the ability to stand in the presence of God without any sense of guilt, inferiority or condemnation. It gives a man right standing with God, and the ability to do right. This is the nature you have as a believer in Christ. Consequently, your lifestyle ought to reflect the righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost throughout this year.

Before His death on the cross, Jesus declared that it was finished. In essence, He meant that troubles and toiling were finished upon this earth. The fruitless journey of seeking to be righteous by your own good works has ended. With the gift of righteousness bequeathed to us through His death, an intimate relationship with God is guaranteed. We’re no longer ruled by the law. Now that you’re born again, you’re free from the law and its consequences, and have come into a new life of righteousness.

In this year of Favour, I urge you to let that righteousness reign through you. Give expression to the righteousness of Christ in you. Make up your mind to be all God has made you. There’s nothing in this world that will stop you from being all that God has made you to be, and it shall be so. Amen.