“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” Romans 5:17 (KJV)
Righteousness which is right standing with God is a gift from God. It is not the product of man’s good works but a gift by grace received by faith. As man releases his faith to believe the finished work of Christ, God’s righteousness is imputed into him. Like the sinful nature of Adam was imputed into man by virtue of physical birth, so the nature of Christ is imputed into man at the spiritual birth. As man became a sinner before he ever committed sin, so he becomes righteous at new birth before any act of righteousness. So we do not have to do any good works to be righteous or to earn righteousness, but we are expected to do good works after we are saved as a result of the imputed righteousness. Good works or right living is the fruit of the righteous nature imputed at new birth. By partaking of the divine nature, we are able to escape the corruption of sin. Righteousness is Christ’s nature and Christ’s performance deposited in our account. Man’s duty is to operate the account by the help of our account officer, the Holy Spirit. At new birth, the sin account was closed and a new account opened with initial deposit of the righteousness of Christ. Our only contribution at the opening of this new account is to believe God and come by faith in the name of Jesus to receive the new life. “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness” Romans 4:3 (KJV). If we labour to earn or merit God’s righteousness, the work is recorded as debt which is human effort to settle the bill of sin. We do not have the ability to settle all our debt because we are bankrupt, this will result in perpetual debt due to our inability to settle all our debt but if we rest on the finished work of Christ, our faith is counted for righteousness and our debt written off and drowned in the sea of God’s forgetfulness.
No man can earn God’s righteousness by act of good works for our personal righteousness is as filthy rag before God. No man can attain true righteousness by observing the law for if we keep the whole law and offend in one, we are guilty of all. From the time the law was given until it was set aside, only Jesus met the requirements. The law demands righteous living but it could not provide righteousness so God gave man righteousness as a gift. As we walk in the consciousness of this imputed righteousness, holiness results, we are able to reign in life over sin, sickness, poverty, curses and servitude. Through the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, we reign in life by Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Dear Lord, enable me to reign in life by Christ Jesus as I enjoy the gift of righteousness.
Rev. Vincent Diolu