What is the Righteousness of God?

2 Corinthians 5:21, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

Our belief system is foundational to who we are and what we believe. And what we believe affects every aspect of our life- thoughts, and actions. 

D&D Capra Ministries is a ministry that teaches and preaches on the goodness and grace of God. Now, this doesn't mean we are endorsing abuses that feed greed and carnal reasoning. And this is what people often misunderstand. You can't say you believe in the grace and goodness of God, but live a life filled with greed and carnal reasoning. You would be pretending to be "what you are not!"

Proverbs 17:15 says, "He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord."

So how do we keep our belief system in alignment with our actions? Through the righteousness of God. 
 
Understanding Our New Nature
Before you accepted Christ, you were a sinner. But once you accept Christ, you are given a new nature established in the righteousness of Jesus. You were a sinner, but you are now saved by grace and are now the righteousness of God. 

Salvation produces a changed heart that changes our actions. Actions cannot change our hearts. All actions do is show us what is in our hearts. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Understanding Our Righteousness
 A new nature is created in the likeness of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24, "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Because of Jesus, you are not just in the flesh; you are in the Spirit. You are in Christ. You might walk after the flesh at times, but you are in Christ Jesus and righteous in Him. 

God made your new nature 100% righteous and holy so His Holy Spirit could live in you. You are as righteous as Jesus. You are 100% right with God. 

This righteousness is a gift. You didn't earn it, nor can you. The righteousness of God isn't based on anything you have done; it's all based on what Jesus did on the cross. 

Romans 5:17, "For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!