Verse of the Day and Devotional 11/16/2023

Send to Kindle

by Bible League International

November 16th 2023

Scripture

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. – 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

Devotion

Did you know that those who are in Christ Jesus are righteous? The Apostle Paul says that we are “the righteousness of God.” Some may have a problem accepting this, because they are aware of the sin that remains in their lives. Nevertheless, from God’s perspective, they too are righteous.

The reason for this is that our acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior effectuated an exchange. He became sin for us, while we became His righteousness. It’s the greatest deal there ever has been or ever will be. Although Jesus led a perfectly righteous life, He paid the penalty for our sin by suffering and dying on the cross. In contrast, we are defiled and depraved, but in Him we are treated as the very righteousness of God.

To be righteous means to be blameless before God’s moral standards. To be wicked, of course, means the exact opposite. Due to our wickedness, there was no hope of us ever achieving on our own the standing of righteousness before God. The standards are too high, and we are too low. The good news is that righteousness is possible for us through our acceptance of what Jesus did on the cross. As a result, one day we will stand before God and He will not see our wickedness, but only Christ’s perfection.

It is important that we accept this truth. Failure to fully accept it implies that somehow, we can achieve a righteousness of our own. It is also important for our own well-being. Thinking we must somehow live up to a standard we can’t live up to is a heavy burden to bear. It is also important for our relationships to others. Expecting others to live up to unachievable standards can lead us into judgmental attitudes toward them.

May we let the peace and comfort that comes from this verse of the day sink deeply into our souls. Let it define us, for we truly are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

Inspirational Image of the Day

This site contains Third Party Advertising, using online behavioral tracking technology. Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our readers.