Christ Our Righteousness
By William Covert
ALTHO man is a sinner and a child of death, yet there is hope; for Jesus “came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Tim. 1:15. Even if sin be death, the dying for sin has been done by Him who knew no sin. 2 Cor. 5:21; Rom. 5:6. Besides this we may become the righteousness of God in Him, and thus be connected again with eternal life. Rom. 5:21. It has been shown that righteousness is life; therefore we have life, because the righteousness in Christ is ours. For “this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jer. 23:6. Christ is made unto us righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30); for both in His living and in His dying all was done for us. So it is written that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us;” and “being reconciled [by His death], we shall be saved by His life.” Rom. 5:8, 10. The obedience of Christ in the flesh was performed for us; for “by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous.” Rom. 5:19. But His righteousness is also built up within the believer. As expressed by the apostle, it is “even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe.” Rom. 3:22. All that Christ was when here in the flesh, and all that He is now, is imputed to the believer upon the exercise of faith. Following that event, the Gospel work of grace builds the righteousness of Christ into the life of him to whom it is imputed. Rom. 8:2-4. Faith begins a new life. “Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Gal. 3:26. We are then baptized into Christ, and put on Christ. Verse 27. We are in Christ—joined to Him, and live by Him. Rom. 6:10, 11. Then His righteousness becomes ours. His standing in the law, and all His fulness, are gifts of His grace. The gift is not bestowed as something of only property value; but it is to be inwrought, and grown into the very being of the receiver. It becomes that “good part” which can not be taken away. By this gift of imparted righteousness a man is made “more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.” Isa. 13:12. Earthly treasures and worldly blessings, such as money, houses, lands, stocks, reputation, and friends, are but transient, and may pass in one day, to come to us no more. But the true riches are to become a part of the eternal completeness of man. Through the righteousness which is now ours in Christ, we are to be made enduring as eternity. “He hath made Him to be sin for us, . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” To do this for us, it became necessary for the Son of God to take man’s place in the flesh, and under the law, and stand for him, and actually become man. To reach those far down in the fall, He left riches, glory, honor, and6strength. “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same. . . . For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Heb. 2:14-17. The prophet in vision (Isa. 53:2-8) saw our Saviour in this humble condition. He says: “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Tho noble in bearing and countenance, yet He had not beauty to attract; so He was despised and rejected. He was not possessed of wealth to recommend Him to the favor of the great. He was poorer than the beasts and the birds. Heaven, with its glory and riches, was given up that He might reach us. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.” “The Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” “And with His stripes we are healed.” “For the transgression of my people was He stricken.” The stroke fell upon Him that was due to us for our disobedience. Having identified Himself with us, and become one of us, He really gave Himself to us and for us. As told by words inspired, He “gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Titus 2:14. Well then might the prophet say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength;” for Jesus Himself is ours. His righteousness in all its fulness He freely gives. “It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.” “Full of grace and truth.” “Of His fulness have all we received.” John 1:16. He is now in heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us. Heb. 9:24. He is there to answer to our names, to stand in our stead. He is there to pass us through the judgment in His own righteousness—our Surety, our Advocate, our Obedience. In truth, He is everything to us and all for us. That righteousness made it impossible for Christ to be held in death; and if our faith holds to Him, we shall just as certainly pass through the portals of the tomb, or experience the transition from mortal to immortality at His coming. Only our choice to leave Him and trust in self can separate us from the power and the joy of that righteousness.