For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. Romans 5:19
What does that actually mean, we are made righteous? This is a good question, yet one that is clouded with uncertain interpretations. A bit like the phrase that we are no longer sinners. When that is said ears prick up, and questions get asked. Usually the wrong questions, like that is such pride to be able to say that. Where is the humility? Do you think you are perfect? And scriptures get quoted like Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
Yes, Yes We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, that is so true. There is nothing that we could do because we were born into sin. We were born as sinners. If God would just go to judgement we would all burn in Hell forever. That is not God’s plan for any human, that is why He sent Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for us. Paying the debt that was ours as born sinners.
We had all sinned and fallen short of the glory that God had planned for every man. BUT! A big but gets in the way of our sin. When we were born again, when we accepted God’s forgiveness through Christ, we changed from being sinners, to being sinless. God wiped away all memory of our sin, past present and future.
If He remembered our sin then He would have to condemn us. We could not come into His presence if He remembered our sin, not even to confess our sin. There would be no hope for us, except through a blind faith as of that of Abraham. We were excluded from the promises until Jesus came. Now through faith in what Jesus has done on our behalf, got to say that again. Through FAITH in what Jesus has done on our behalf, we are made right with God
All have sinned, There is no one righteous, no one who does what is right. The smallest thing against the law that we do makes our righteousness as filthy rags. As the word says, if we break the least of the laws , we have broken the whole law. Even the rich young ruler, who said that he had kept all of the law; when Jesus said go sell everything and give to the poor, when he walk away sad at that saying from the mouth of the Lord; Right there and then he broke the law. At least the first of the Ten Commandments.
Our righteousness as filthy rags! That is what the prophet Isaiah said. I like the way that the Amplified Bible puts it below, ‘No one meets God’s standard.’ But praise His Holy Name, He does not need us to try and meet His standard. He already knows that we cannot. So He had to do something about it. He set the standard so high that the only people that could make it had to get there by faith.
as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; Romans 3:10
As it is written and forever remains written, “There is none righteous [none that meets God’s standard], not even one. Romans 3:10 AMP
It is by faith that we are forgiven. It is by faith that we are made righteous. It is by faith that we have peace with God. God justified us so that we can have peace with God through Jesus. God wants peace with us. To be friends with the world and the wisdom of the world, is hostility towards God.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1
We are justified by God, not by anything that we do, or can do. It is a faith issue. Do we believe God’s word? God has made us righteous, not us. We cannot do anything to help, except submit to God, then He will exult us. Praise His name.
Charlie
