the Rev. Henry Huenemann
In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness (Jeremiah 33:16).
Bible Reading
Romans 3:20-31:Devotional
Jehovah Tsidkenu, 'the Lord our righteousness', that is the name whereby Jerusalem, that is, the Church of God, shall be called. In Jeremiah 23:5, 6, we read that the Lord "will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth .... and this is his name whereby he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness."
Then the Church of Christ has the same name as her Lord, because his righteousness is her righteousness. She had no righteousness of her own. All her righteousnesses were as a polluted garment. But Christ was made "sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." "Christ of God is made unto us righteousness." "All his sufferings and obedience are as certainly ours, as if we ourselves had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction to God for our sins." Heidelberg Catechism, 79.
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before His throne.
The polluted garment of our own righteousness is cast off, and we are robed in the glory dress of the righteousness of God. How glorious! "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness." All glory be to Him!
Prayer
O God, holy and righteous, it is only in the name of Christ, Thy Son, that we can approach unto Thee, for we are sinners. We thank Thee that Christ has atoned for all our sins, and has obtained for us righteousness and life. As we approach Thy throne we plead his merits and his righteousness. May we be found in him, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. We praise Thee, O God, that we are justified freely by Thy grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Scripture in Devotional: Isa. 64:6; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Cor. 1:30; Isa. 61:10.
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