Why Jesus Died, Part 2

Chuckle: "Middle age is when you've met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else." --Ogden Nash

Good Quote: “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as a reward for personal righteousness.” --Bruce R. McConkie

JESUS DIED TO MAKE YOU RIGHTEOUS

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18 NIV).

This passage reminds us that we have no righteousness in and of ourselves. "There is no one righteous, not even one" (Romans 3:10 NIV). When Paul penned these words, his meaning was that "no one is innocent" -- no one is without sin. The term, "righteousness," simply means "rightness" before God. As proclaimed by Jesus, it is a gift to those who are granted the kingdom of God. By faith in Jesus Christ and his work of atonement a person receives God's righteousness. This truth should take away any thoughts we might have that we can somehow be good enough to become acceptable to God without divine assistance.

Some other truths are: God created us in his image, we are valuable to Him, and He loves us as only He can love. Sadly, even though we are of extreme value to God, we all have fallen into sin. But glory be to God, He will forgive us if we turn to Him. By His grace He has redeemed us through the atoning sacrifice of His Son. According to God's Word, we cannot deny our sinful condition and our desperate need of a Savior. When we come to this realization, it should motivate us to turn toward Christ.

Perhaps this passage will sharpen our understanding that it is only through Christ that we can have the "rightness" before God necessary for our eternal salvation. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV). When we become Christians, the righteousness of Christ becomes our righteousness. Then when God looks at us, He does not see our sin, but sees the righteousness of Christ with which we have been clothed. We have become righteous in His sight.

The following reminds us that when we become clothed in righteousness we can resist the temptations of the world. ". . . clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Romans 13:13-14 NIV). As Christians, we can do this in the power of God's Holy Spirit who lives within us.

Love, Jerry & Dotse