The enigma of the gospel is imperfect perfection. In our imperfections we are made perfect (righteous) in Christ Jesus.
This morning I read Paul David Tripp‘s New Morning Mercies and this is what it said ; “If you obey for a thousand years, you’re no more accepted than when you first believed; your acceptance is based on Christ’s righteousness and not yours”.
Did you get that? I mean, if you have been around the Christian world for any amount of time, you are aware that our righteousness has nothing to do with us, right? But do we know that? Like really know that to the point that we must simply sit in awe of this love that is so astounding we have nothing to offer? No praise seems worthy enough. No amount of worship or adoration could ever be enough in exchange for what Christ did for us.
The problem is we’re human, and yet that was exactly God’s plan. We are made imperfectly perfect in Him. In the work of the cross. And not just the work of the cross, which will always be an act of love beyond our ability to comprehend, but Jesus rose again, victorious, having defeated death, hell and the grave, for all mankind, for ever!
When I begin to compare myself with anyone else, when I begin to remotely dip my toe into the righteousness of anything I may think, say or do, then my righteousness is as filthy rags. Here’s the rub…we are always unworthy of what Jesus accomplished at His death and resurrection.
We didn’t earn it.
We don’t deserve it.
We are sinners, every one.
But He isn’t.
Romans 3:20 says “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight”.
And this in Romans 5:8 “God shows His love for us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us”.
Nuff said.
While we were sinners. We are sinners. All of us. All the time. In His perfection, we who are imperfect, were not left to remain so. We are made righteous in Him. In Who He is and what He did.
There are no words for me to say, no other words to explain what He did or what this means for me, for us.
God, in His merciful love for us…for you…for me, sent His Son, the sinless Lamb, to be the atonement for our sins, to pay the price that we could never pay, to die our death, but then He rose again, so we could have Life.
It truly is about eternity, this life we live. It’s not about us. It’s not about our happiness, or lives of perfection. It’s not about our hopes and dreams. It’s about eternity and what He did for us.
It’s about our being imperfectly perfect in Him.
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