Righteousness

There are so many ways I do not live up to other people’s standards. Most certainly I have not lived up to God’s – but neither has anyone else.

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: … Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; (Romans 3:10, 22-23 KJV)

Doesn’t give us much breathing room, does it? We can’t wiggle around and convince ourselves that we really are righteous because we’re not [enter the sin of your choice] like that person over there. We haven’t done anything as bad as [enter the person of your choice], so we’re better.

Get over it. Whether one iota of your life is better than John Doe’s has no affect on the totality. Along the way, every day, we fail to measure up to what God has intended for our lives – for all mankind. And, working hard at being better doesn’t get the job done. Using that as a measure, we fail.

We need to stop measuring ourselves against any neighbor, any friend, any family member. They, too, fall into the same failure bucket, for there is none righteous, no, not one.

So, why try? Because God has provided, just as Abraham said He would: And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb ... (Genesis 22:8a KJV)

Did Abraham believe what he said, or was he trying to quiet an inquisitive child that would soon be sacrificed? I don’t know, and scholars will debate. But, the statement was a truth – God did provide, Himself, a lamb. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29 KJV) And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! (John 1:36 KJV)

So, my concern is not other people’s standards, which I shall never be able to reach and is not required by our Father. My concern is Christ, who provides the righteousness I need to come before our Father.

And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (Philippians 3:9 KJV)

And, it is a gift, so I don’t expect to hear any bragging about being deserving! For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)