I thank my God for you, always lifting you up in prayer, Hearing of your love and faith in the Lord Jesus, That your faith may be effective— Not by striving, not by effort, But by acknowledging every good thing that is already in you, In Christ Jesus. (Philemon 1:4-6)
Righteousness. A word so heavy, so distant, so high. A place we could never reach, A standard too pure, too perfect, too divine. Yet He calls us righteous, Not by works, not by merit, But by faith.
What is righteousness? Right-standing with God. Blameless, faultless, justified. But who can claim such a thing? Not one. (Romans 3:10) No effort, no striving, no law could make us righteous. For the law only exposed our guilt, And left us condemned.
But God— Oh, but God! He spared not His own Son, But delivered Him up for us all. (Romans 8:32) He who knew no sin became sin for us, That we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
It was never about us. Never about what we could do. Never about how clean we could make ourselves. It was always about Jesus. His obedience, His sacrifice, His blood poured out so we could be made new. (Romans 5:17-19)
So why do we strive? Why do we try to earn what was freely given? The price was paid. The work was finished. Our righteousness is not in what we do, But in what He has done.
Abraham believed, and it was counted to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:3) Not by law, not by effort, But by faith. And we, too, are clothed in this righteousness. Not earned but received. Not achieved but given.
So now, we stand— Bold, confident, unshaken. Not in ourselves, but in Him. No condemnation, no accusation, no shame can stand. For it is God who justifies. (Romans 8:33) Who then can condemn? No one. For Christ has died, and more than that—He is risen! (Romans 8:34) Seated at the right hand of the Father, Interceding for us.
This righteousness—it is our new nature. We are not striving to become it, We are walking in it. Created anew in Christ Jesus, Designed in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:24)
So, hold fast to this truth. Work out the salvation already placed in you. (Philippians 2:12-16) Not by fear of loss, But by the assurance of what you already carry. For we cannot work out what we do not have. We do not strive for salvation; we live from it. This working out is not a burden, It is a discovery— A revelation of all that is already ours in Christ. For His grace abounds where sin once reigned. (Romans 5:20-21) And now, righteousness reigns unto eternal life, Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
So now, I ask you— Will you walk in what is already yours? Will you stand firm in the righteousness given, not earned? Will you stop striving, stop doubting, and simply believe? For the righteous shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17) This is not just a truth to hear, but a life to live. A reality to embrace, a foundation to stand on.
Lift your head, child of God. Step boldly into the grace that has covered you. Cast off the weight of condemnation, For you are free, redeemed, and justified. You are righteous in Him.
So, walk in it. Stand in it. Live in it. For you are righteous. And nothing can change that.
