The law condemns us, but Righteousness approves us. We cannot obtain right-standing and a position of righteousness through the law. Jesus declared “do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17).

If we try to gain position through the law, or through our works, then Christ died for nothing and the Cross of Christ, which is the Cause of Christ, is either redundant or unnecessary- and we know this is not true! do-reh-an) which means “without a cause, for nothing” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance). The Greek word for “vain” as used in this verse is dorean (pr. And if we try, the Bible says then Christ died in vain. We cannot work our way into the position of righteousness or right standing. Being positioned this way, we cannot “work out our salvation.” However, in Jesus Christ, we are put in the standing of righteousness, we are positioned properly and successfully, so that we can work out and walk out our salvation.

Our standing in ourselves, or in the law is a position of unrighteousness or failure. If they are not positioned properly, they will not be positioned for success, both in passing the course and ultimately getting their degree. I tell my students that I want to make sure that I position them properly to be successful. In addition to running a non-profit organization working with at-risk young people, I am a college professor. I am not talking about working out our salvation (Philippians 2:12), and I am not talking about faith without works being dead (James 2:14) but I am talking about our standing, our positioning. But do we really believe this? Or is there still a little tiny place within us where that voice tries to speak and say that we need to sprinkle a little bit of “works” to seal the deal on our standing of righteousness? Just in case. We are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved' (Acts 4:12).

And I do too! This should be our confession, because it is the truth.

“Thank you Jesus! Thank you that I have been made righteous by your Blood!” This is what church folk like to confess, decree, and declare. “If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” –Galatians 2:21 A Daily Word from the Word for Friday, October 26, 2012

Who does god consider righteous