Did you know that one of the purposes for which you were created is to be righteous? You and I were made with the intention of righteousness, and God expects us to be righteous.
But how do we as fallen human beings get there? The typical and natural way that folks pursue righteousness is by putting their hope in themselves. I will become righteous by doing righteous things. But, there are a couple of problems with this approach. One, even if I never sinned again, that doesn’t erase the sins of my past. So, that ruins my hope for righteousness. And two, let’s be honest, as righteous as I try to be, I so easily and so often fall short of being righteous. Either way, building my own righteousness is a failure.
Apostle Paul in Romans 9 said this is how Israel messed up. They thought their righteousness was bound up in just doing the works of the law. He says that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith.
Beloved, pursuing righteousness by faith is the absolute only way to become actually righteous. And that’s not just faith in faith or faith in whatever you choose. No, it’s a very specifically oriented faith: faith in Christ Jesus. And when you put your faith in Him, righteousness will be yours.
Change begins in you!
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