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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
2CO 5:21 says, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Who made the Lord Jesus to be sin? It was God, the Father, who made His Son to be sin and to come under His own wrath; Jesus knew no sin, but He became sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Can you talk of the unspeakable gift He gave in giving His Son for your own soul? His Son was placed in our place, made sin before His holy bar of justice so you and I can spend eternity in the Father's bosom with Him.
If we could receive but a glimpse into the righteousness of God, we would understand ROM 1:16-17 where the Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth...For therein is the righteousness of God revealed..."
We should stand in holy reverence and awe of God's righteousness; before He would let one sin go unpunished, He would have it punished in His own Son. What an eternal wonder that God's love would be so great for His people that He would give His own Son to satisfy His righteousness in their behalf. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," JOH 3:16. This is the unspeakable gift of the Father.
The source of the love of the Father in giving His Son was not found in a lost, ruined, and guilty world. Many people have preached about the love and sacrifice of Christ, that it was His love that put Him on the cross and held Him there, but have you ever stopped and tried to fathom the love of the Father in giving His Son? The love of the Son was primarily His love to the Father; it was His holy reverence for His Father’s will that He "…became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Jesus died in obedience to God, the Father; it was the Father who gave His Son! His love for the bride of Christ encompassed the whole world.
Now we add His righteousness. Do you begin to see the character of God? He is so holy and righteous that He could not allow one sin to go unpunished. Do you realize, "The thought of foolishness is sin," PRO 24:9?
Stop and realize that the Lord says, "...the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores..."? ISA 1:5-6. The Lord says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away," ISA 64:6.
The Lord our God is a holy God Who cannot allow sin or the sinner to come into His sight, yet "God so loved the world" that He allowed His own undefiled Son to be made sin. Why? It was so you and I might be cleansed in His blood! Think of that! "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him," 2CO 5:21. To be made the righteousness of God means to be made so pure, so spotless, so clean and holy that we might become reconciled with such a holy and righteous God.
Oh, beloved, to think of the unfathomable love of the Father for Christ's bride to satisfy His righteous wrath upon His only begotten Son. He could not let one sin go unpunished. What awe we must have for the character of God. He is love, and His love is so profound and strong, yet His righteousness is so unaltered. His just demands under the law are not altered even by such love. Would you want to come into a court in this world which was that just? Think. You and I are going to come, on the Day of Judgment, to be judged by judgment that is that just. Not one evil thought will go unpunished; it is punished either in His own Son or in the sinner's own eternal damnation. Amen.
The work of Christ I sing,
And glory in his name;
Immortal life to bring,
The Lord of Glory came;
He gave himself for wretched me,
And sets my soul at liberty.
He magnified the law
And made an end of sin;
Without a single flaw,
A righteousness brought in.
Come, mourning souls, in Jesus trust;
His righteousness makes sinners just.
These on-line devotions are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a daily devotion. See also our sermon notes. We pray this devotion has been a blessing to those who read it. Thank you.