Topic: Our Righteousness [Charles Stanley Daily Devotional 20 November 2020]
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Our Righteousness
Ephesians 2:1-10
Anyone who thinks of himself as a pretty good person ought to think again. Ephesians 2:1 says we come into the world spiritually dead—ruled by Satan, his world system, and our own sin nature. From the divine perspective, we are deserving of punishment.
Meanwhile, God is so pure and holy that He is separated from all sin. He cannot look upon sin with any favor or approval (Hab. 1:13). Everything He does is pure and right, and by comparison, even mankind’s righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isa. 64:6 NIV). Yet, even though we have nothing of value to offer, the Lord wants us for His own and works to draw us close to Himself.
When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, we are made spiritually alive in Him, and all our sins are forgiven. What a striking contrast between what we were and who we now are in the Lord! But this change has nothing to do with how good we’ve been. Even the faith with which we respond to the Savior comes from God. We can never make ourselves righteous; it’s all a gift from Him. And once He declares us justified, we will never be pronounced guilty again.
Bible in One Year: Acts 25-26