The Lord Our Righteousness
**Has Jesus’ righteousness set you free? http://thelife.com/thelife_chat/8.html&channel=thelife
by Suzanne Benner
“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law” (Romans 3:28).
That single sentence concisely states our belief as Christians. Obeying rules, keeping certain codes of conduct, observing rites of passage, ceremonies or symbols, do not absolve us of the wrong we have done. Rather, it is our faith in Jesus Christ that makes us right before God.
It wasn’t a new idea invented after Jesus was born.
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Jeremiah foretold, “The days are coming declares the LORD, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:5, 6).
Complete righteousness could never come from within us, therefore God sent Jesus to BE our righteousness.
In the book of Romans, Paul explains that what was prophesied in the Old Testament was fulfilled in Jesus. “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify” (Romans 3:21).
Jesus is the righteousness from God that was made known.
Jesus is The Lord Our Righteousness.
The only requirement made of us is to believe.
~Holy God, we join with the psalmist saying, “Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” (Psalm 32:1, 2). Thank You that I have been forgiven and that Jesus is My Righteousness.
Questions: How does knowing that Jesus is your righteousness free you? How is your faith in Jesus evident in your life?
About the Author
This devotional was written by Suzanne Benner. Read more about Suzanne: http://www.talk.thelife.com/authors/suzanne-benner/
14 Responses to “The Lord Our Righteousness”
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I am just catching up so sorry for the late comment.
Please continue to read what else Paul said in Romans
Specifically 3:31
Thanks Fran.
Delightfully, I discovered a small sampling of Marjorie Holmes writing at the Google Search. Don’t mean to “flood” the comment section here..But, think this will bless June L and others interested! God Bless you All this weekend ..may it be one of renewed enthusiasm in the LORD! :
http://www.appleseeds.org/Faith-Myself.htm
Correction!!
“Lord Let Me Love” by Marjorie Holmes..The above read as though it was Marion Bond West’s. But Marion has written MANY great ones! :)
June L
“I’ve Got To Talk To Somebody God” is a beautiful little book that will bless you soooo much! Am so glad you could still find a copy. I couldn’t keep a copy of this on hand as always gave it away. I’d tuck it in Christmas boxes, etc., and it “reached” like a “harvester”, too! It would bless our younger wives on here, too! She is soooo honest. Also? Her first husband passed after 50 years of marriage and she wrote a beautiful book about the grief process. Can’t remember title, but saw it in the Christian Bookstore where I worked. I know some of our reader’s here at the comment meeting place have lost husbands recently. But that book would be listed at the Amazon site you found. Marion’s books can still be found in used book stores, too! All are blessings! You’ll find many in small paperback form. One that really blessed me? “Lord, Let Me Love”.
Also, you may already be familiar with a wonderful book put out with “vignettes” of Corrie’s writings..called “Clippings From My Notebook”. Small paperback devotionals with readings from her works are still around, too..and bless sooo much..Better than giving someone a card! :)
Don’t forget Marion Bond West, too! Again, her sharings from raising her children..and her honesty before the His Throneroom will bless many that comment here! She writes for Guidepost Daily Reader’s..and just her short sharings so good! But her books are wonderful. One is about “Nevertheless” and powerful!
We all appreciate YOUR wisdom on here..you are a blessing, dear June L..and He is using you now in a very special way to expand HIS Kingdom! HE will continue using your talents, too! :)
Fran, I have already selected a book of Marjorie Holmes that I believe I will enjoy called “I’ve got to talk to somebody God.” I was able to read the contents and it seems to be something I need at this time. And, I also discovered she was another “good ole gal from the south.” Some of the chapters in the book are: “I’m showing my age”, “I’m tired of these crisis”, “I’ve made a mess of things”, etc. Sounds a lot like things I have thought lately. I found her book used for .01 cent on Amazon.com. Of course, shipping is $3.99. I think I can afford $4.00 on my retirement budget. I chose a title with “talk” in it because I love to talk. You can tell, I’m sure. I really miss my job in Telecommunications where I talked constantly…but after wrestling with God over other jobs for 10 years, He has finally won, and I am peacefully finding things to do at home and out in the world.
I will probably order Ruth’s book about the Prodigal son. I know it will help me deal with my son at this stage in his life. I did read Franklin’s book “Rebel without a Cause”, or something like that, many years ago. It is awesome to see what God has done in his life.
And I did hear about Ruth’s casket being built by a prisoner. Remember Corrie ten boom’s visits to the prisons? She led many to the Lord because she let the love of the Lord shine through her as she told them about her time in prison. Corrie would testify so often: “No pit is so dark, but what God’s love is not deeper.” Praise him!
Two precious ladies, and so are you Fran, and all the ladies at this website…staff included.
Have a blessed day.
June L
You will enjoy both those authors so much! Marion Bond West is a Georgian, too. Her books are refreshingly honest and treasures. The same can be said for Marjorie Holmes! Our young friends on here will be so blessed by these authors, too! The Lord used them both to “scoot me along” and introduce me to the spirit-filled journey with Him..and that I didn’t have to be (and never would be perfect)..but would always be “forgiven”. And Suzanee had it right yesterday..His Righteousness covering us helps us make the Journey!
Another good one by Mrs. Graham is about the “Prodigal Son”, I can’t remember the title, but she shares the years she prayed for her son that got off track young..and look at the results..a mighty man of GOD today carrying on the work of his beloved parents!! Prayers in Jesus’ Powerful Name produce!! You and Jackie probably know that she was buried in a pine casket built by a prisoner, that was so poignant!
Have a wonderful day ALL and thank you for your sharings! We will have a blessed day in the Lord no matter our individual circumstances!! His JOY truly is our strength!! Nehemiah 8:10 xoxo
Jackie, Ditto to everything Fran D said. I loved your story about your inlaws, and again what an example for your children. They don’t see this kind of love and forgiveness in the world, but they see you living as the Lord expects you to, and “how awesome.” I am going to order “The Hiding Place” and read it again as I recupperate from my surgery the end of this month. I read it back in the seventies, and have forgotten a lot since then. Another of Ruth Graham’s book “Sitting by my laughing fire” is on it’s way to me right now. I have heard about her kindness to prisoners. They said she often fed them in her North Carolina home. What a woman, and so are you precious Jackie. God bless you and all the other awesome women out there making a difference for Christ. Bless you all!
Fran D, I will try to read some of the books by authors you have mentioned here. I trust your wisdom so much, and the Lord is using you and many others to minister to me. We all need that regardless of where we are in our walk with the Lord. “The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten boom is a MUST for any Christian that has not read it.
What powerful testimonies.I’m encouraged by all your sharing,God bless you all.
Maureen
Dear Jackie,
What a wonderful testimony about your inlaws! And?!! Your husband and children (and inlaws!) “seeing” the LORD in you life! Our “actions” in this life, done in HIS name, do so much to draw those we love towards HIM! Soooo proud of you! June L. will be thrilled, too! Always know how much you bless us..You and the other precious sisters on here! You, dear Jackie, have a wonderful “palete of words”! Your word picture earlier blessed my day and know it did others, too!
That Corrie ten Boom book is absolutely “freeing”. The example of courage and the Lord in that family’s life so anointed. And Corrie’s example of “forgiveness” towards that guard who had so mistreated her and her sister in that concentration camp..amazing! Anyone who hasn’t read this book will be so very blessed!
You would also be blessed by the writings of Marjorie Holmes and Marion Bond West..They share about raising children, marriage and the LORD!
God Bless you dear “handmaiden to the LORD”!! xoxoxo
June L & Fran D, thanks so much on your book suggestions. I’m readind corrie ten boom now, the hiding place & her life, her faith.
Awesome person. I’ve learned so much from ruth bell graham . The thing that really impressed me most is that she treated prisoners the same way she treated presidents. that’s an awesome display of Gods love .
The books gave me such encouragement, that I even asked my husband to invite my father & mother in law over for dinner.They have always treated my husband like the black sheep leaving him out of family plans made with the rest of the kids. It ALWAYS irritated me.so I never had much to do with them , so my husband didn’t either (which hurts me) i want him to have a good relationship with them.So after reading how ruth kept her family together I decided to have them over. I made a very elegant dinner and dessert (with the good dishes.) I was very nice, my husband was so happy to have them here. my husband thanked me after they left with tears in his eyes for treating them so well and going to so much trouble for them.That’s how I want to continue to live my life,I want God to be seen in me too. So thank you ladies for your suggestions and encouragements God is using you both so strongly here.
Jackie
How does knowing that Jesus is my righteousness free me? I no longer have to obey laws, keep codes of conduct, observe rites, ceremonies, or sacrifice animals for my sins, because I am perfect in His sight because of Jesus. Praise Him!
How is my faith in Jesus evident in my life? This is hard to answer because He is still working on me, and yet He has changed me so much. I will sum it up by quoting something my son said to his fiance last year: “My mom is a fine
Christian woman.” Don’t take this as boasting because I am nothing and can do nothing without Him. Yet, my son who lived in my house for 24 years, saw evidence there. Thank you Jesus.
Galatians 2:16:
…”know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.”
Jackie, what a wonderful and powerful testimony, and your children are watching. They are so blessed to have you at the “steering wheel with God at the controls.” So glad you are not the “spare tire.” What a great example you used and it made me laugh.
I think most of us women have the “control” problem. I know it was VERY, VERY strong in my life for years, and I am probably a “border line control freak” myself. The Lord is graciously changing me in that area. Several years back I attended 2 Kay Arthur seminars (a year apart) where there were 7 or 8 great Christian women speaking. Almost all of them ended their speeches with “There is one God, and you are not Him!!!!” It made me think that a lot of ladies like myself were having to deal with control. God made us to be in control of many things in our households and with our children. We just need to be led by His spirit so that we use it wisely and in the way He intended.
Romans 6:20 “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.”
The blood of Jesus washed our sins away. Praise Him!!
Thank you, dear Jackie, for the insightful explanation above!! Loved your word picture of wanting the Lord in your life as the “Steering Wheel” and not a “spare tire”! And? You are sooo right! Our lives change when we “move over” and let HIM in the drivers seat or our lives. In a nutshell, there is the answer! Once we’ve received HIM and His Glorious Forgiveness in our lives? His “Righteousness” becomes our “covering” and daily “Compass” pointing the way! ALL will fall time and again..becase we “are” human..But recognizing and daily receiving HIS covering will “right” us, daily, as we seek His guidance ..and forgiveness when we do fall. Bless you, Suzanne, for another wonderful sharing.
hello ladies.
I think my faith in Jesus evident in my life . It’s an outward difference from an inward change. I’m not the same person that I was before I got serious about living my life “with & for’ Jesus. my attitude is different, my outward appearence is different, the way I treat people is different,the way I realte and raise my children is different ,the way I live my everyday life is different.If God has shown me anything in the last few months, he has shown me I am a border line control freak!! I’m not the captain of my fate or the master of my destiny I CONTROL NOTHING! He DOES! to get that message I had to be humbled by having my life rearranged and God has done that. He wants me to be dependant on him everyday not just bad days. I am learning to lean as it says in that great old hymn. And I’m enjoying my life more than I ever have.
Thank you Lord for being the guilding light in my life.Help me to follow and not try to lead . Lord make your footsteps visible to me so I may see them in the dark times of my life so I may know the direction that I should travel. Lord I want you to be the steering wheel and not the spare tire in my life. I want you to guide my life everyday , not just when I need in you in times of troule. Thank you Lord for showing me the areas of my life I need to change and helping me get there.