Right with God
How can I have rightness (be right) with God when my life is so wrong?
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus in Matthew 11:28
“For he hath made him (Jesus) who knew no sin, to be sin for us (in our place on the cross); that we might be made the righteousness of (have rightness/be right with) God in him.” - 2Corinthians 5:21
In going to God by the sacrifice of Jesus, not only am I righteous (I receive the testimony that I am righteous), but this testimony is made to my offering, and therefore my righteousness has the value and the perfection of the offering, that is, of Christ offering Himself to God - Darby’s commentary of Hebrews 11.
Darby tells us here that righteousness (rightness with God) comes from the sacrifice of Jesus being perfect. Our being right with God is not based on nor dependent on our present condition (no one is perfect). This is important to grasp and is of great encouragement when understood. God loves you... right now.
We are now seen as right with God when we belong to Him through Jesus taking our place of punishment for sin. God offers us forgiveness for ALL sin when we accept what Jesus did on the cross as taking our place. To believe this is to receive all the promises God gives to His own as family. We are therefore heirs to all Christ has. This is based solely on God accepting His Son’s offering for sin. God requires perfection to restore us in order for us to once again approach Him. We now are seen as perfect when God looks at us.
Our old nature will fight for what it wants and this struggle causes us to suffer greatly at times. When we give in to old habits and sin, Satan will accuse us of being worthless. Jesus being perfect, and God having raised Him from the dead, stands before God and pleads our forgiveness. He points to the wounds inflicted on His body when He became the perfect atonement for sin. But, how does this actually affect us?
God in one accord with Jesus and the Holy Spirit chose to join us to Himself by giving the analogies of- being married to us, Jesus the husband chose us as His bride; adopting us as His children, God being the Father, Jesus our brother; as a branch grafted into the Vine Jesus. The idea is of oneness with God... who can grasp this?
The absolute perfection of Christ is given (imputed) to us. The death of our sacrifice – Jesus – means we ‘die’ as he did when we accept him as our sacrifice to God – This is how we ‘died to sin’ as Paul writes, and having thus passed from death to life, we have all the blessings and promises of the new life in Jesus, which He now lives in Heaven. Think on this!
When Jesus promised to give us life and that abundantly – he refers to the life He now lives in Heaven – This new life of resurrection contains power; perfection; joy; prayer, etc. as listed in the book of Revelation... Study this... But, keep in mind – these are the means of which we enjoy closeness with God, communion and the assurance that if we are walking in obedience according to His word, God takes pleasure in us.
Who does not want sweet fellowship with a loving father, to spend time in His presence, feeling the peace and joy of the loving approval of the One who died so He could be with us?
The following was written by Charles Spurgeon and reinforces the truth of being perfect in Christ.
Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in him; thou art in God’s sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man-thou hast the righteousness of God. O thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee. Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine-it was laid upon Christ’s head. Thy standing is not in thyself-it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God to-day, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before his throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought, perfection in Christ! For thou art “complete in him.” With thy Saviour’s garment on, thou art holy as the Holy one. “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art “accepted in the beloved”-what hast thou to fear?
Rom 3:22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ (is) for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...
The truth to remember is that in Christ we are forgiven and are right with God. As you struggle to regain control over your life or subdue some area of sin, God will never give up on you – Keep trying – Your rightness will become real to you in time...