Righeous By Faith
Devotions:
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6 KJV
Even after we are saved we try to look to our own righteousness to be pleasing to God. Our own righteousness cannot save us. Our righteousness cannot produce salvation. Salvation on the other hand produces righteous behavior because God gives us His righteousness in the new birth. God is looking for righteous behavior that has its root in His righteousness. We were made the actual righteousness of God in Christ, not just God started calling us righteous with no substance. In the old covenant call called His covenant people righteousness but they were still in their sins and could only have a limited behavior change. In the new covenant our nature has been changed and we are transformed as we act on what have, His righteousness, and enter into His glory. We are then acting on the finished work of Christ that we cannot add to nor take away from.
“Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
John 6:28-29 KJV
Jesus is your righteousness and your works come out of that reality. Your works or lack of works does not change your condition but your condition will govern your works, the more you know it to be true.