"A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth...
Now this is His name by which He will be called:
THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS."
~ Jeremiah 23:5-6 (NKJV)
For we have all become as one who is unclean, and all our righteousness is as a polluted garment [filthy rags].
~ Isaiah 64:6 (HNV)
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all.
~ Romans 5:18 (TNIV)
There's no reason for any Christian to have any pride or self-righteousness. Whatever "good" we see as our righteousness is unclean and filthy in God's eyes.
There's no reason for any Christian to have any despair or guilt for sin. We have no condemnation, for Jesus already suffered the condemnation for our sins. He has replaced our guilt, condemnation, and unrighteousness with His own righteousness. Our King's very name is "Our Righteousness"—YHWH Tsidke-nu (tsid-KAY-noo).
Our identity, in Christ, is "righteous."
Our righteousness is in Christ's identity alone.
O YHWH Our Righteousness, Your perfection and holiness are incomprehensible to sinful man. How can we begin to comprehend that it is ours? Please give us the right perspective of ourselves—nothing apart from You, everything in You.
Your feedback is appreciated. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
I love your prayer at the bottom. I must copy that and put it on a bookmark in my Bible. Bless you Anne!
ReplyDeleteVery lovely my friend, bless you.
ReplyDeleteI love how there is no reason for us to have pride just as there is no reason for us to have depair or guilt.
ReplyDelete~ Wendy
Beautifully written, Annie. And so wonderfully true.
ReplyDeleteT. Anne, I'll also try to keep praying this.
ReplyDeleteDenise, thank you. You do bless me, and I bless you, too.
Billy, I suspect none of us will know just how wonderfully true that is this side of heaven.
Wendy, the prayer I keep in my wallet reads:
Lord, please grant to me
humility without defeat,
joy without pride,
peace without complacency, and
zeal that is without distraction—
but that is graced with Your
knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and love.