The Lord is Our Righteousness

“The Lord Is Our Righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6). It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God sad and downcast! I do not think they ought to be. And I do not think they would be if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption and the depravity of the heart and the innate evil of the soul. This is all quite true—but why not go a little further, and remember that we are “perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1:28)? It is no wonder that those who dwell on their own corruption should wear such unhappy looks, but surely—if we call to mind that “Christ has made us right with God” (1 Corinthians 1:30)—we will be of good cheer. Though I suffer distress, though Satan assaults me, though there may be many difficult things to be experienced before I get to heaven, they are done for me in the covenant of divine grace. There is nothing lacking in my Lord—Christ has done everything I need! On the cross He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30); and if it is finished, I am complete in Him. I can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, “not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:9). On this side heaven, you will not find holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ’s righteousness. When the believer says, “I live on Christ alone; I rest only on Him for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus,” this thought rises up as a motive of gratitude: “Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?” “The love of Christ controls us . . . that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14–15), If we are saved by imputed righteousness, we will greatly value imparted righteousness. —Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

In the midst of recovery—when emotions are raw, progress feels slow, and self-doubt creeps in—it is deeply reassuring to remember this: “The Lord is our righteousness.” We are not defined by our past, our struggles, or even our current setbacks. We are defined by Christ. His perfect righteousness has been given to us—not earned by effort, but received by grace through faith. Yes, we are still being healed and refined, but our standing before God is already secure because of Jesus. When we focus only on our weakness, we grow discouraged. But when we look to the finished work of Christ, we find peace, joy, and strength to keep going. His righteousness frees us from condemnation and fills us with gratitude—not to live for ourselves, but to live for the One who died and rose again for us. In Christ, we are complete. —DH