Made righteous by Christ's obedience

Believers, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." At the cross, there was a righteous exchange: God made our Saviour Jesus Christ (who knew no sin, did no sin and in whom is no sin) to become sin for us so that we might have His righteousness. It is a gift. This is the only brand that is acceptable before God the Righteous.

All of our own righteousnesses from obeying the law, including paying tithes religiously and doing good things in order to get right with God or get Him to bless are like "menstrual rags" according to Isaiah 64:6. Only by the obedience of Christ are we made righteous in the sight of God, as it is written in Romans 5:17- "By one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous."

Jesus had no sin of His own; He became sin for us. Likewise, we who are in Him have no righteousness of our own. He is to us Jehovah Tsidkenu- THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. We do nothing to earn or maintain this gift of righteousness and nothing can reverse it. It is an everlasting righteousness that cannot be reversed by acts of sin because it is not our own righteousness. It is Christ's.

This is akin to how acts of sin is not what makes people sinners. Adam's disobedience made all mankind sinners, even before we had the chance to commit acts of sin. The sin nature that was inherited from Adam by all mankind cannot be reversed by doing good works or obeying the Ten Commandments (See Romans 3:20.). So also the right-standing that we have with God through Christ cannot be undone by acts of sin. Christ makes the difference.

But with Christ as our righteousness, we do not continue in sin! Only when we receive abundance of grace and Christ as our righteousness do we get to live in triumph over sin and death through Jesus Christ. See Romans 5:17-

"For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

Trying to get right with God by our own obedience is the way to get cut off from Christ, "For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God's grace." Also, 1 Corinthians 15:56 says "...the strength of sin is the law." Try to obey the law and sin strengthens its grip.

Romans 3:10 says "As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;"" 

Romans 3:20 says "For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands..."

Believers, let's take our blessed brains to church. Outside Christ, we stand no chance of escaping God's wrath because "all have sinned." God saw how hopeless our case was and sent His Son to pay the wages of our sin, because He loved us so. In Christ, we stand justified from the righteous demands of the law and are saved from wrath: "Therefore, since we are now justified (acquitted, made righteous, and brought into right relationship with God) by Christ’s blood, how much more [certain is it that] we shall be saved by Him from the indignation and wrath of God." Romans 5:9.

Not through our own obedience but through Christ.

Believe Right and you will Live Right.