Jesus Christ, the Righteous One!

“Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.” – Romans 5:18-19 NLT

First of all, we ought to know that all of us are supposed to belong in the kingdom  of heaven, due to the fact that God had started to create us in there, to be the image of God (Genesis 1:26-31). However, due to the fact that Adam and Eve, the first couple who was created by God, had sinned by eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3), the enemy of God made many people into sinners and separation from God  and His kingdom (Revelation 12:7-9; Romans 5:12-14). Because of this, God had allowed priests to make atonements of sin of their people and do other kinds of the offerings, such as burnt offerings, grain offerings, fellowship offerings and guilt offerings by sacrificing animals (Leviticus 1-7). Otherwise, sins had not forgiven by God, as the word of God states, “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) However, Israelites continued to sin, even though God had forgiven their previous sins. This is when He decided that He could send Jesus Christ as an image of Himself (John 1:14) to save us from our sins once for all (Colossians 2:13-15) by crucifying Himself on the cross (Hebrews 2:14-15). Thus, this means that God wants us not to be sinners but to be the righteousness of God through faith in Him (Romans 3:21-26). “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’”

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary. (Hebrews 10:1-18)

Romans 6:23 explains us that if we have Jesus Christ within us, eternal life has already indeed came since Jesus Christ had prayed, “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:3) Thus, in order to get into kingdom of heaven at the end of the age, we truly have to follow Jesus Christ until the end of the age as He proclaims, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)

Since the following Jesus Christ until the end of the age is too hard for us, God has poured His Spirit into us (John 14:15-27) after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection (John 16:7-15) Therefore, we have to abide in the Spirit of God instead of our worldly nature (Galatians 5:24-25) to be the righteousness of God and enter the eternal kingdom of heaven from the end of the age (Romans 8:1-13; 2 Peter 1:3-11; Galatians 6:7-10). Moreover, God has created His Word through the previous apostles & prophets for them and future generations (2 Peter 1:20-21). The main reason for this is that God literally wants to speak to us through His Word and instruct us how to truly be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 1:17) Hence, we have to abide in the word of God at the same time as abiding to the Spirit of God, in order to know how to be the righteousness of God properly. “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him. (Philippians 1:27-29)