and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God on the basis of faith.

— Philippians 3:9

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

— 2 Corinthians 5:21

blessed is the man against whom the Lord will never reckon sin

— Romans 4:8

1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!

— Romans 5:1, 9

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

— Romans 8:1

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

— Ephesians 1:3

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

Salvation is based on Christ’s righteousness and not ours. Paul clearly pointed out that believers do not have a righteousness of their own, but the righteousness coming from God on the basis of faith in Christ. At the moment we believed, Christ’s righteousness was transferred to us. Instantly we became fit to stand in the presence of the holy and perfect God of the universe. And we are not kept saved on the basis of our righteousness, but on the basis of God’s righteousness, and His righteousness will always be good enough.

Because we have been declared righteous, we do not have to pay the just penalty for our sins and be separated from God forever. According to the truth of justification, this legal verdict cannot be reversed, and we have been justified through faith by Jesus’s blood and have been saved from the wrath of God. We then have peace with God though our Lord Jesus Christ. What is more, we are in christ and therefore we cannot be condemned to judgment in hell. Our identity is wrapped up in Christ’s identity, so that whatever is true of Him is now true of us. He is our victory. Since spiritually we are settled and secure in the heavenly places in Him, we cannot be lost.