Our Old Righteousness

The Law was always God’s standard of righteousness, but it was never to be ours.
      The Sacred Scriptures show, “For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation [the Law], the ministry of righteousness [the law of the Spirit] must far exceed it in glory” (2 Cor. 3:9) (ESV). Rather, it is through the law that one gains knowledge of sin (Rom. 3:20). The Law demonstrates that ALL are guilty of meeting God’s standard of righteousness. Yes, the law contains great ethical and medical guidance, but it was God’s way of pointing to the coming of the Messiah – Jesus (Gal. 3:24). Perhaps this means that the Law, with all its regulations and requirements, was never intended to be our standard of righteousness.

      It was not until Christ came that our real standard of righteousness was revealed. Faith, alone, justifies the sinner. This is why the Bible says, “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom. 3:28). It is solely by faith in Jesus Christ that one is justified and made righteous before God, and it is through the sincere efforts of trying to become like Jesus that one pursues the righteousness of God. Jesus is our standard of Righteousness (Phil. 2:5). We can use the Law as a code of moral conduct, today, but we will not be able to keep the whole standard perfectly. Then it is in this reality, we understand that only in Christ Jesus is righteousness obtained!
The Law was always God’s standard of righteousness, but it was never to be ours.

- Dusty