Christ Our Righteousness

Christ Our Righteousness

One of the great and majestic names of God is “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 33:16). This name finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who is our righteousness (1 Corinthians 1:30).

We cannot attain righteousness on our own because our self-righteousness is like filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6). As sinners, we fall short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:23) and are in desperate need of a righteousness that is pure, holy, and acceptable to Him.

The Gift of Righteousness in Christ

When we speak of Christ our righteousness, we are using a legal (forensic) term that refers to our acquittal by God. As believers, we are not justified by our works, but by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. This justification is a one-time, complete act—never to be repeated—because it is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Through Christ, we are clothed in His perfect righteousness. When we are united with Him, we have a right standing before God—not because of anything we have done, but because of what Christ has done on our behalf. God no longer sees us in our sinfulness but sees us through the righteousness of His Son.

The Great Exchange

The apostle Paul declares that through Christ’s atoning sacrifice, we are declared righteous before God (2 Corinthians 5:21). This is what theologians call imputed righteousness—our sins were placed upon Christ, and His righteousness was credited to us. On the cross, Jesus bore the punishment we deserved, so that we could receive the righteousness we could never earn.

Godet explains this divine act beautifully:

“It is the act of grace whereby God removes the condemnation pronounced on the sinner, and places him, as a believer, in the position of a righteous man. The possibility of such a Divine act is due to the death and resurrection of Christ.”

Christ took our curse upon Himself, though He did not deserve it, so that we might receive the blessing of His righteousness. This exchange—our guilt for His righteousness—is a display of God’s perfect wisdom, justice, mercy, grace, and love (Romans 4:22-25).

The Verdict: Righteous in Christ

As sinners, we stand guilty before God, unable to meet His righteous requirements. Yet, in His grace, God declares us righteous based on Christ’s work, not our own. This means that when we stand before the divine Judge, our only plea is Christ alone.

Because our salvation is entirely God’s work, He alone receives all the glory. The only thing that determines our standing before Him is whether we have placed our faith in Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:26). No human effort can make us righteous—this righteousness must be received as a gift.

The Power of the Cross

The cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the power of God for salvation. This is why Paul proclaims:

“The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Our righteousness is found in Christ alone—none other will satisfy God’s perfect standard. Let us, therefore, rejoice in the righteousness of Christ, glory in His cross, and rest in the assurance that we stand justified before God because of His grace.