Romans 4:3 (For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.)

The foundation of the true righteousness demanded by God is found in faith in Jesus Christ. You do not need works to obtain this kind of righteousness, for the father of faith has shown us that it was faith in God’s Word that brought about his righteousness before God.

God can never change. As He was yesterday, He is today and will be forevermore.

The day you believe in the atoning work of Christ is the day you are justified and declared righteous by faith.

There are different kinds of righteousness revealed in the Word of God. There is self-righteousness, which is like a filthy rag before God. This is the righteousness of Adam after the fall, a righteousness that blamed everyone but himself, a righteousness that does not want to take responsibility for its actions but depends on his works to be justified.

This is man’s righteousness that believes in himself more than in the way of God.

This righteousness is below the righteousness of the Pharisees, who believed in the Law of Moses but not in the way of God. They were outwardly good but inwardly ravenous wolves.

They pretended to know God, but secretly they did not want a relationship with Him through His Son. They believed and trusted in their own works to see the face of God.

Jesus told His disciples that their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees before they could enter the kingdom of God. The Pharisees said, but would not do. They did not have the grace to walk perfectly in the will of God, for it was not given to them.

The righteousness of the saints comes from Jesus Christ. He who is declared righteous by Him is justified through faith in Him. There is no condemnation for those who believe in Christ Jesus.

The righteousness of the Pharisees placed them at the entrance to the kingdom, but they would not enter because they rejected God’s saving grace through Jesus Christ.

They tried to impart their righteousness to those who followed them and made them twice the children of hell.

No other righteousness qualifies anyone to see God. Those who dwell in any other kind of righteousness are yet to be justified. No one mixes new wine with old or puts old wine into new bottles.

You cannot add the righteousness of God to man’s traditions and culture. Christ stands alone in the midst of the gods, highly exalted and seated above the congregation in heaven.

Jesus Christ is the new wine. You cannot place Him in an old bottle and expect Him to be preserved; otherwise, the bottle will burst, and the wine will be spilled.

Let the new wine of His righteousness be preserved in those who believe in His saving grace. Let the message of grace and justification be separated from the messages of the law and human traditions.

This is the untainted righteousness of God, which every Christian must have to partake in the marriage supper of the Lamb. You cannot enter with your own righteousness, nor can you enter with the righteousness of the Pharisees. Whoever is not found clothed with the garment of Christ’s righteousness shall be cast out of the wedding hall and thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The law says, “Thou shalt not kill.” If you kill, you are liable to judgment. But grace says that if you hate your brother, you are already a murderer, and whoever calls his brother a fool is liable to the judgment of hell.

The law says, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” But grace says that if you look lustfully at a woman, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart. We are saved by grace alone, not by law or by works.

This is the difference between the law and grace. You should rather be on the safer side and live your life under the grace of God because the law kills. God multiplies His grace to the heirs of salvation so that we may live by following His works and walking in His ways.

Jesus Christ became the new wine poured into the bottle of grace. The grace of the Lord preserves the Word of Jesus Christ and enables us to live by it.

The law says, “Bring your offering into the presence of God.” But grace says that if you are bringing your offering and remember that your brother has something against you, first reconcile with your brother and settle the matter before bringing your offering; otherwise, it will not be acceptable before God.

The Pharisees followed the law, but the grace of Christ was imparted to the apostles, causing their righteousness to exceed that of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Unfortunately, many Christians have yet to meet the standard of God’s righteousness. They are still struggling to attain even the righteousness of the Pharisees, using seeds sown as a means of climbing their spiritual ladder, yet remaining in one spot until the end without attaining the measure of the stature of Christ.

Prayer:

Father Lord, multiply Your grace in my life. Let me live according to Your standards of righteousness, in Jesus’ name. Amen.