God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

All such judgment or chastening has to do with this life and never brings into question the believer’s eternal acceptance before God. The sheep of Christ is clothed in the Robe of Righteousness and is enabled to stand in the presence of God. “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21). God made these garments and clothed them both with His own hand. In the same way, He has graciously provided for us a Robe of Righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself is that Robe of Righteousness. He is “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS,” “who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness” (Jer. 23:6; 1 Cor. 1:30). God can declare the sinner righteous because His righteousness has been fully and perfectly satisfied through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus told the parable of a lost, rebellious son in Luke 15:11–32. Upon the son’s return and confession, the father gave him “the best robe.” That “best robe” is a picture of Christ, the Robe of Righteousness, which replaces the filthy rags of self-righteousness (Isa. 64:6).

Christ’s resurrection is the proof of our justification: “Who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom. 4:25). We see the Lord Jesus seated at God’s right hand after having “by Himself purged our sins” (Heb. 1:3), so we know that God is satisfied with the work of His dear Son on the cross. By one act of righteousness, in obedience to the will of God, Christ offered Himself without spot, glorified God, and purged away our sins. God credits that righteousness to the account of all who believe in Jesus (Rom. 5:18–19; 4:5–6).

The believing sinner is clothed by God in all the merit and value of Christ’s work on the cross. He is accepted into the favor of God, the righteous Judge, because of that beautiful Robe. In love for us, He judged Christ on the cross as though He were (in His sinless nature) what we are (in our sinful nature). The believing sinner is accepted by God in righteousness and thus receives the justification that brings life. “Much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ… even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life… so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 5:17–18, 21).

Anchor For Today:
God can declare the sinner righteous because His righteousness has been fully and perfectly satisfied through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.