During one church service, the speaker asked the righteous to identify themselves with a show of hands. Fewer than five in a congregation of at least 1500 dared to raise their hands. In an “Aha! I tricked you!” tone, the speaker followed up with words that actually congratulated those whose hand remained down and undoubtedly shocked the couple or so with a raised hand.
Every Bible-believing repentant sinner’s hand should have been raised. First John 1:9, is clear: “If we confess our sins, he [GOD] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The simple math is this: All Unrighteousness minus All Unrighteousness leaves No Unrighteousness—or Only Righteousness.
”Little children,” John continues to reassure the Bible-believing repentant sinner, “let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he [Jesus Christ] is righteous” 1 John 3:7.
Your righteousness is by Christ alone. For God made Jesus Christ “to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” 2 Corinthians 5:21. For the righteousness of God is by the faith of Christ unto all and upon all who believe (Romans 3:22). It is Christ, who by the power of the Holy Spirit of GOD, works within Bible-believing repentant sinners, both to will and also to do of GOD’s good pleasure. [Read Philippians 2:13.]
Of course, all have sinned. Of course, all have come short of God’s glory. But all can be freely justified by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. [Read Romans 3:23-26.] Those who are in a covenant relationship with GOD and glorify Him through praise have been freely justified in this way and are called saints. They are the faithful. They obey the Law of GOD and reflect the image of JESUS. [Read Psalm 50:5, 6, 23; Ephesians 1:1; Revelation 14:12.]
Saints are simply those who wear the breastplate of Christ’s righteousness (Ephesians 6:14), conferred upon believers. Through the power of God, they are steadfast in faith. They walk in Christ. They are rooted in Christ. They are built up in Him and are established in the faith of Christ (Colossians 2:5-7).
Don’t allow yourselves to be fooled by the vain philosophies of mankind. Don’t be cheated out of your faith in Christ by vain deceivers. (Read Colossians 2:8.) And by all means, let no man steal your crown! [Read Revelation 3:11.]
Christ is our righteousness. And when you have Christ, you have eternal life, because you know Him and His Father. Jesus said so Himself. [See John 17:3.] For in Christ dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete, not in some human who says, “You complete me.” But you are complete in Him, Christ Jesus. [Read Colossians 2:9, 10.]