Daily Devotional Bible Verse
For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Words of Ministry
Jesus traded His perfect rightness before God for our utter depravity. His sacrifice was not lacking, it was complete, flawless, and whole. In fact, Jesus said it Himself, “It is finished” (John 19:30). However, often we attempt to add to Christ’s finished work.
We justify ourselves in our own minds and hearts by doing good things (i.e. reading our Bibles, going to church, giving our tithe, serving others). When we do these good things we come to believe that we are good people. Yes, Jesus is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), but God’s opinion of us is still largely based on the merit we earn by doing the right things.
This belief that we can add anything to completed work of Christ on the cross is dripping with pride! On the opposite side of this pride coin, however, lurks another evil. It is the idea that we can also subtract from His work.
The notion that we aren’t doing enough of those good things to earn God’s favor and love is just as heinous, as it completely undermines the truth that all of our righteousness springs from Christ. We will, as Christians, walk as He walked, think as He thought, and do as He did (I John 2:5-6), but not as the means for our justification. We will walk in relationship with our Father through the reconciling work of Jesus alone.
Do you attempt to add to or take away from Christ’s finished work? Rest in His righteousness today, and marvel at our undeserved grace.
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