Text: 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV
Further Reading: Isaiah 64:5-9
who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
1 Peter 2:24 NKJV
MESSAGE
The Bible says, But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV
The above scripture showed us that in our highest moral status, we are still unclean in the sight of God. Every self-righteousness of man cannot measure up to His righteousness. As far as God is concerned, with our default fallen nature, everything we do cannot simply measure up to His high moral standards.
To show us the seriousness of this, the Bible told us the story of Cornelius the centurion. Even though he was a devout man who feared God, his works were not enough. His almsgiving and charity, could not simply save him. God had to send Peter to him so that he can have the righteousness that comes through Christ (Read Acts 10).
Since man does not have what it takes to be righteous, God in His infinite love sent Jesus to be our substitute. He was righteous but we are not. The Bible says that God made Him become sin for us even though He did not sin; so that through His substitutionary death, we can be made right before God.
Our text of the day further amplifies this truth by showing us that through Christ’s suffering and death for our sins, we can now live unto righteousness.
Everything is about Christ. God looks at everyone who has been saved through His righteousness alone. Thank God for everything that Christ did for us; without His great sacrifice, none would be fit to stand faultless before God.
REFLECTION
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:30 NKJV
Saints should take time to thank God for imputing the righteousness of Christ to us by faith in His blood.
PRAYER
Father, thank you for making me righteous through Christ Jesus.
