Righteousness by Progression

Some people believe we become more and more righteous as we walk with the Lord, but it is not by what we do that we become righteous. The Scripture says in First Corinthians 1:30 that Jesus is our righteousness.

Here’s an illustration…imagine that you found a ring on the sidewalk. One friend says he thinks it is worth six or seven thousand dollars. Another friend says it’s not a real diamond; it’s a cubic zirconium (fake). He thinks it is worth maybe $200.00. Then I take it to another friend who looks at it, and says that it came out of a toy dispensing machine, maybe worth $3.00.

At this point you have opinions ranging from $3.00 to $7,000.00. How do you find out the real value of the ring? You take it to an expert (appraiser), and he sets a value on it based on the price someone would be willing to pay for it. So if someone would be willing to pay $5,000 for the ring, then the value of the ring would be $5,000. You could look at the ring and say this ring equals $5,000. The ring and the $5,000 have the same value.

Now when you and I came into the world, we were born with a big question mark over our heads. The question was “What is my value or what is my worth?” Unless you know your identity in Christ, you are always asking this question in one way or another…what is my value, what is my worth?

We try to establish in our own minds what our value is based on what other people tell us. And we will probably get varying appraisals depending on whether we ask our mother or our employer. But there is a way we can know our true value…bring yourself before the expert. Come to God and say, “Can you tell my value?” God will answer, “Yes, I can.” God will determine your value in the same way an appraiser determines the value of a ring. It all hinges on the price someone is willing to pay.

God could say, “You have been bought with a price, and I am the one who bought you. The price I paid for you is Jesus.”

Now isn’t that response biblical? Then would it be accurate to say that to God you are of equal value to Jesus? It almost sounds blasphemous, doesn’t it? Yes, it does…but I want to assure you that our heavenly Father treasures you just as He treasures His own Son because Christ is your life. Colossians 3:3,4 says “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, then you will appear with Him in glory.”

You are now one with Him. You are 100 per cent righteous because He is 100 per cent righteous. In fact, you will be no more righteous in heaven than you are right now.

LIFE LESSON: RIGHTEOUSNESS BY PROGRESSION is not the truth. Righteousness has nothing to do with our righteousness by progression (behavior); it has everything to do with our new nature, who we are in Christ. II Corinthians 5:17 reads “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.”

Do you believe what the Bible says? Then believe that you are righteous by your new identity. It’s a gift from God. Romans 5:17 says “For if by the trespass of one man, (Adam) death reigned through the one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.”