The Gift That Keeps on Giving by Pricilla Shirer

The Gift That Keeps on Giving The cross took away the penalty of our sin. It doesn’t just mean He’s declared it a wash. (“All that sin of yours? We’ll just forget about all that, OK?”) No. Your sin and mine required a just payment. Death. For all of it. And Jesus paid it. Death. For all of it. For all who would receive Him by faith. And honestly, if that’s the sum total of what the cross accomplished for us—escaping what we deserve: eternal separation from God in hell—this fact alone should be enough to garner our unending gratitude, causing us to fall on our knees in awed worship every single day. But the cross really is the gift that keeps on giving. Because it didn’t just take something from us, it gave something miraculous to us. When you trust Jesus as your personal Savior, the penalty of sin is removed and the gift of God’s own righteousness is given (imputed) to you. It is “credited” to your spiritual account. The perfection and holiness of God Himself has become yours in Christ. So when God looks at you now, He no longer sees your humanity, your frailty, your sin … your unrighteousness. He sees you through the blood-stained filter of His own Son, the perfect Lamb of God. You no longer need to exhaust yourself striving for perfection. You are already completely, wholly, and perfectly righteous because of Christ’s gift to you. Perfect righteousness discourages you. Comparative righteousness deceives you. Imputed righteousness defines you and declares you innocent before all accusers. Listen to me closely now. The enemy is constantly on the warpath to keep you from realizing and utilizing this gift. He doesn’t want you to rest in the fact that your sins have been completely forgiven, that your current status and position is one of complete righteousness before God. He knows as long as you don’t see yourself as a righteous, holy daughter of God, you can never get around to wearing the breastplate that blocks him from successfully attacking the most vital part of your life—your heart. He knows that your knowledge and acceptance of imputed righteousness is the key. So hear me loud and clear: YOU ARE RIGHTEOUS. Seriously, say it out loud where the devil can hear you and be assured you’re not messin’ around: “I AM RIGHTEOUS!” Right now as you hold this book in your hands. As you wash the dishes after dinner tonight. As you deal with the difficulties on your job. As you struggle to keep your marriage intact. As you wade through troubled emotions. As you fight to keep yourself financially afloat. No matter what your present circumstances or past entails. None of the ailments of life can take away what the cross has given you. “The old things passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Cor. 5:17).

Excerpted from The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer. © 2015. LifeWay Press. Used by permission.