"BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD WILL NOT IMPUTE SIN." This is one of the great and gracious mysteries of redemption. Man has no righteousness of his own, and God cannot justify any man without it. The Lord Jesus comes into our world to be our righteousness. The righteousness of Jesus is infinitely meritorious. He wrought it out in our nature as our Substitute. It was accepted and credited to our account. Before we have done one good work and altogether irrespective of good works, the moment we believe, God places the righteousness of Jesus to our account. It is ours, a free gift. It is in this that we are justified. In this we are truly righteous, accepted of God, and no charge lies against us in the book of God. All the demands of God's law are met. The just God acquits us from all charges, pronounces us righteous and declares us to be free from all condemnation. Thus, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth." Beloved, when Satan tempts you, when fears distress you, when your past conduct depresses you, when the claims of the law alarm you, simply exercise faith in this glorious fact, that God imputes righteousness without works.

For Meditation:
Jesus, how glorious is Thy grace!
When in Thy name we trust,
Our faith receives a righteousness,
Which makes the sinner just.