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Being declared "Not Guilty!"

Writer's picture: Ronald GabrielsenRonald Gabrielsen

You have been declared not guilty

One of the most profound themes of the Christian faith is the concept of righteousness, which lies at the very heart of salvation. The word may sound old-fashioned or abstract, but it encapsulates what it means to be restored to right standing with God—a relationship where guilt and shame are replaced with a restored fellowship with our Heavenly Father.


At its core, righteousness is the state of being in alignment with God’s perfect character and will. It means being free from sin, not just in our actions but in our very nature. 


The Backstory: Humanity’s Lost Righteousness

In the beginning, God created humanity in a state of righteousness. Adam and Eve enjoyed a pure relationship with their Creator, walking with Him in the cool of the day without guilt, shame, or fear. But all of that changed when sin entered the picture.


The moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God, their first instinct was to hide. They heard God’s voice and panicked. “I was afraid because I was naked,” Adam confessed (Gen 3:10). Why did they hide? Because sin introduced guilt, and guilt always drives us to cover up. It was the ultimate “oops moment”—and humanity has been hiding ever since.


God’s Righteousness vs. Our Righteousness

Here’s where things get uncomfortable: Adam and Eve didn’t commit what we might call a "terrible crime" based on how we often rank sins as big or small. They didn’t murder, commit adultery, or engage in some other heinous act. Yet, their sin immediately exposed their unworthiness in light of God’s perfect holiness, and this was why they where hiding from God.


Today, we often feel “righteous” by comparing ourselves to others we perceive as “worse” than us. We think, “At least I’m not as bad as that person,” forgetting that God does not judge us based on how we measure up to others. Instead, He judges us according to His unchanging standard—one that is completely holy and righteous.


The real problem is this: God’s standard is nothing less than perfection. And let’s be honest—no rational person would ever claim to be perfect. Isaiah 64:6 puts it bluntly: “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” Ouch. Even our best efforts fall miserably short of God’s holiness. Paul doubles down in Romans 3:10-12, declaring, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” If you think he’s exaggerating, you might want to consider that this is the word of God.


The Sin Virus

The problem runs deeper than our actions; sin is a virus infecting our very nature. Romans 5:12 explains that through Adam, sin entered the world, corrupting all of humanity. In other words, we’re not sinners because we sin; we sin because we’re sinners.


This realization is the starting point of salvation. Only when we grasp our own sinfulness and unworthiness can we truly appreciate the enormity of God’s grace. Then we will sing “Amazing Grace” with a new perspective, also including the part that says “That saved a wretch like me.”


Justification and Righteousness: Two Sides of the Same Coin

In Greek, both the word Justification and the word Righteousness share the same root dikaios, but they focus on two different aspect of salvation.


Justification refers to the legal aspect of our salvation. It’s the act of being declared “not guilty,” as though a heavenly judge has completely wiped our record clean. Paul explains this when he writes, “… [Christ] wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us …” and adds that Jesus has “… taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Col 2:14).


Righteousness is the result—the state of being in right standing with God. It is what we become after being justified, when our sin is placed on Jesus, and His righteousness is credited to us. In this new state, we stand as though we have never done anything that falls short of God’s holiness and righteousness. We can once again walk with God, as Adam and Eve did in the garden, free from any sense of inferiority, shame, or guilt.


Do we deserve this, or could we ever earn it? Absolutely not! It is solely because of the grace of God and what Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.


Righteousness: A Gift, Not an Achievement

Ever since the fall, humanity has been striving to restore righteousness. Yet, it is in our human nature to seek it through good works, rituals, or moral living. Here’s the catch: righteousness isn’t something we can earn. In fact, we’ve already lost it before we even begin to try. As Isaiah 64:6 reminds us, even our best efforts—our so-called "good works"—are like filthy rags compared to the standard required to achieve righteousness.


James 2:10 emphasizes that breaking even one part of God’s law makes us guilty of breaking the entire law. If perfection is the standard, then none of us qualifies.


The only way we can become righteous is if God Himself is willing to grant it to us, even though we don’t deserve it. However, this creates a dilemma. For if God were to simply overlook our sins, and declare us justified (not guilty) He would compromise His own righteousness—and He can never do that. 


Our only hope lies in this: if God could find a way to justify us—declare us not guilty—despite our guilt, while still maintaining His own perfect justice. This might seem like an impossible task, but as Luke 1:37 reminds us, nothing is impossible for God.


This is where the Gospel shines most brilliantly. In His infinite wisdom God found a way to make us righteous without compromising His holiness. He sent Jesus into our reality—stepping into humanity, living a sinless life, and then taking upon Himself the punishment for our sins. Because He was without sin, Jesus had no personal debt to pay. This made Him uniquely qualified to take upon Himself the punishment for the sins of others.


Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He paid the debt we could never afford. Now, God can justify the ungodly based on their faith in Jesus—not on their ability to keep the law (Rom 3:21-26; 4:5). Jesus died for our sins, and His resurrection serves as proof that the work was completed—the check cleared. God accepted the blood of Jesus as full and worthy payment for our debt (Rom 4:25).


The Great Exchange

Here’s the offer: we give Jesus our “filthy rags” of self-righteousness, and He clothes us in His perfect righteousness. It’s the ultimate trade deal! As 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it, “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”


This isn’t just a theological concept; it’s an invitation. Paul tells us to urge people to “… be reconciled to God …” (2 Cor 5:20). The Gospel is a plea, not a demand. It’s an offer of restoration to anyone willing to trust in Christ.


In the message of the Gospel Paul states that in the Gospel “… the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith …” (Rom 1:17). The Gospel is the message of how God found a way to justify us, so we could be declared righteous, without compromising His own justice and rightouesness. It is a message that declares “The righteous will live by faith.” 


It’s not about being good enough—it’s about believing in the One who is good enough. As Galatians 2:16 reminds us, we are “justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law.” Think of it this way: God isn’t asking you to climb a spiritual ladder to reach Him. Instead, He is offering to erase all your sins and declare you righteous—even though you could never achieve it on your own.


Why Righteousness Matters

The gift of righteousness is more than a theological idea—it’s the foundation of our relationship with God. It frees us from guilt, shame, and the endless cycle of trying to earn His approval. Instead, we stand before Him, not in our own strength, but clothed in the righteousness of Christ.


So, what’s holding you back? If you’ve been hiding like Adam and Eve, remember that God is calling out, “Where are you?” His invitation is clear: “Be reconciled to God.” And when you accept His gift of righteousness, you’ll understand how amazing grace really is.

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ANNA SANGA
ANNA SANGA
Jan 18

Amen this is so true🥹 and helpful 🙏🏽

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