Our righteousness and justification in Christ Jesus

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The biblical declaration of righteousness is best understood in "Paul's gospel."

The apostle gives one of the most comprehensive explanations of our righteousness, which is central to the gospel, in his letters to the Galatians and the one of the most comprehensive explanations of our righteousness {justification} at the heart of the Gospel in his letters to the Galatians and Romans.

The great transition: "But now"

Paul declares in Romans 3:21 that "now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed". These words mark one of Scripture's most glorious transitions—from humanity's hopeless condemnation to God's gracious justification.
The Law points out sin, but it cannot save us. But God has prepared us a plan: he created and brought us a righteousness that will save us, apart from the law, apart from our own earning and deserving, apart from our own merits.
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The Divine Exchange

God's solution to our sin and condemnation is magnificent: He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sin and to give us His own righteousness when we trust in His Son. This is propitiation for Sin but sg. much more also! The guilty sentence is transformed into a sentence of justified, and justified by faith. God laid upon the spotless Savior the sin of the guilty, then took the righteousness from the innocent Savior and put it to the account of once-guilty sinners. {good heritage}
Abraham, our forefather in faith provides the supreme Old Testament example—his righteousness did not come from performing good works, but from belief in God. Genesis 15:6 declares that "Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness."
As Charles Spurgeon powerfully declared, "Nothing can damn a man but his own righteousness; nothing can save him but the righteousness of Christ."

Our best efforts fall infinitely short

Israel had zeal for God, but they sought to establish their own righteousness and have not submitted to the righteousness of God. "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" (Rom 10:1-4) We are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
John Bunyan testified of the liberation this truth brings: "My righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, 'The same yesterday, today and forever.' Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed."
This is our only hope and greatest joy—resting not in ourselves, but in Him who is our righteousness.
And it is not only in this life that we are called and formed to be righteous. Our highest level of righteousness will come in the next, timeless, heavenly age. Then we will be able to be with the most perfect and holy righteous God.
For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness.
Gal 5:5

You can read the booklet here: Who is Jesus?

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