Do you remember these words to the great hymn of the church?
Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness, My beauty are, my glorious dress
With these before my God I'll stand, When I shall reach the heavenly land. (LSB #563)
The hymn writer expresses well the great truth of a favorite Bible verse of mine, 2 Corinthians 5:21. It reads:
God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
Apart from faith in Christ, the only righteousness we can offer to God the Father is our own righteousness and goodness. But, according to Scripture, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" before God. Our good works are not "good enough" to please God.
Where you and I are powerless to save ourselves, God provides the perfect remedy in His Son, our Savior. Jesus died on the cross, paying the wages of sin in our place. In exchange, God has credited the perfect life of Jesus and His death to sin to our account. The is "God's Great Exchange!" This is God's free, unmerited grace given to us as a gift. This is what Jesus was willing to do so that you might "be His own and live under Him in His kingdom." Praise God for the wonderful things He has done for you and me!
