Our loving God is holy and we can not attain this standard of righteousness in our carnal state by good deeds. Righteousness is by grace for it is God who Has justified us through the blood of His son Jesus. So that we might attain His standard of righteousness. His standard is too high that we can not attain it. He says even looking at a woman lustful we are judged as having committed adultery with her. It is the blood of Jesus that gives us the privilege to attain such a standard.
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Corinthians 5:21, NIV)
God weighs the motives (content) of our heart
The bible is clear in Hebrews 4:12-13 that, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. Piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow. And discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight. But all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
God weighs the intentions of the hearts of men and there is nothing hidden before Him. He sees beneath the surface of our anxious imagination, and He knows that our hearts are corrupted. Jeremiah 17:9-10 declares that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”
Sexual purity is also by grace not by our effort. I am not saying we should not strive for purity, NO …NO… don’t get me wrong. It is not by our effort that we overcome sin but by the grace of God. For it is God that gives us the strength to overcome and to do His perfect will. “He works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
The knowledge we have about sexual purity can’t save us. However, through His Spirit, we overcome and are made right with Him. How many Christians have found themselves in sexual sin? The answer is many. It is because most of the time we put more trust in ourselves and not in God’s ability, forgetting that we can’t trust our flesh.
“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” (Proverbs 28:26)
Refraining from self-righteousness.
The word of God warns us about self-righteousness, for none is righteous except God. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands to take heed lest he falls.” (II Corinthians 10:12). Every time we put our trust in ourselves, it always leads to self-destruction. God has therefore by His loving mercies called us righteousness so that we might proclaim His praises even in this dark age so that all people may come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
God made His son sin so that we might become His righteousness. If we are born again, we are made right with God. The friendship of the Lord is to them that love and fear Him and unto them, He reveals His perfect will.
