Christ Our Righteousness

 •  3 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
(JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU)
Even when I was a very small child I was taught to "say my prayers." I heard nothing of Jesus, the Savior of sinners. At times I longed to be "good", and, like many others, tried to make myself fit for heaven. This I continued until I was twenty-one when God saw fit to send me a deep sorrow. A dear brother, the idol of my heart, was taken from me by death. My longing after God became more real after this; but still the Lord Jesus was a stranger to my soul.
About a year after my brother's death I had to leave my old home and go to work some distance away. I was among strangers there, but the blessed God led me into a Christian home. Their Christianity shone out and I soon saw the great difference between us. More and more I longed to be "a child of God."
Day after day I asked God to "make me good," to make me "feel better." How I missed the mark! Oh, it's ruinous to try to cover filthy sores of sin with rags of righteousness more foul in His sight. True wisdom is to strip them all off before Him, so that, by His grace His blood may cleanse and make us whole.
But as yet I was unaware of Proverbs 9:10: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."
One night I could not sleep, and hoping to induce drowsiness I took up a little book to read. It had been given to me years before, but I had not been interested enough to read it. It was called "God's Glad Tidings"; and as I turned the pages I saw an odd quotation: "That no flesh should glory in His presence." 1 Corinthians 1:29.
Then how could I ever attain to the righteousness that would please God? I read on, and the next verses gave the answer: "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: that, according as it is written He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30, 31.
Light began to dawn, and I saw for the first time the efficacy of the Savior's atoning work on Calvary. With solemn wonder I realized that the whole plan of salvation centered in Christ Jesus, and that by simply believing His Word and trusting in Him my sins were all blotted out. In Him, I found, I was free from condemnation.
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1.
In the years since I received the Lord Jesus as my Savior, He has never, never failed me. Daily I learn more surely that He is "the same yesterday, and today, and forever." How blessedly I can rest in Christ, my righteousness!"
FRIEND, will you not yield to this mighty One?