Walking in Righteousness

For He made Him who knew no sin to be the sin bearer for us, that we

might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We now come to one of the most important chapters in this book and one of the most amazing doctrines in the Bible, the doctrine of justification, and how you and I, by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, can walk in the righteousness of God.

Keep in mind that everyone throughout history was born separated from God and do not have a right relationship with God because of sin. All unbelievers are spiritually dead in sin (Eph. 2:1) and have no righteousness in themselves. And if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, before you believed in Christ, you were spiritually dead in your sin and unrighteous, too. The Bible says,

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Therefore, the question we must ask ourselves is this: How can we as sinners separated from God because of our sin, and guilty under God’s condemnation with no righteousness of our own, become the righteousness of God? The answer is this: All believers are justified (declared righteous) by God through faith in Jesus Christ.

He (Christ) was delivered over to death for our sins and raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 4:25-5:1)

What is the biblical definition of justification? It is the gracious and judicial act of God in which He declares righteous all who believe in Jesus Christ, based not on their own righteousness (because they have none), but based only on the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ which is counted to all who have faith in Christ.

The divine act of justification does not renew or change us inwardly, as does regeneration (being born again), but it brings the forgiveness of sins and restores the sinner to a right relationship with God. Justification grants forgiveness for all sins in the past, present, and future, and removes the penalty of sin. Because we are justified (declared righteous) by God, we are no longer under God’s condemnation and the law of sin and death, and we are free to live a new life

in Christ.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set you free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

Christ has paid the penalty for your sins through His death on the cross and the righteousness of Christ has been counted to your behalf by God (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore, walking in righteousness means that you are in a right standing before God through your relationship with Christ, and as you walk with Him, you are walking in righteousness. This is God’s will and for His glory!