The Righteousness That Transforms
The Righteousness of God • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Today’s Reading from God’s Word
Today’s Reading from God’s Word
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Introduction
Introduction
During August we are examining one great truth: the righteousness of God.
Last Sunday we began by standing in awe at the foundation of our faith - the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.
In Romans 1, Paul reminds us that we don’t earn righteousness — we receive it.
God justifies us, not by our performance, but by grace through faith.
This is the heart of the gospel: we are saved because of what God has done — not by what we’ve achieved.
So, what happens next?
Is righteousness simply a change in legal status — a not-guilty verdict stamped in the courtroom of heaven?
Or, is it something more?
Is it possible that the righteousess of God doesn’t just save us, but transforms us?
This is exactly where Paul takes us in 2 Corinthians 5.
If Romans 1 shows us we’re declared righteous,
2 Corinthians 5 shows us how we’re made new.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
The righteousness of God is not just about a fresh start — it’s a new life, a new identity, and a new purpose.
In Christ, we don’t just receive something- we become something.
We become the righteousness of God.
And that is where we’ll be going for the remainder of August.
Today we’ll see how God’s righteousness reshapes who we are and what we live for.
Next week, we’ll consider the hunger God places in those He’s made new — a deep yearning for righteousness that shapes our priorities and passions.
In two weeks, we’ll talk about how this new life gives us the strength to endure - how the righteous don’t just start by faith, they live and persevere by faith.
And finally, we’ll wrap uip August by looking at the great wedding feast of the Lamb, where those who belong to Jesus will be clothed in righteousness and ready for the King.
So again, during August, we’re talking about a righteousness that saves, transforms, satisfies, endures, and covers us.
Over the next few moments, however, we want to take a crucial step:
From receiving righteousness — to becoming it.
The gospel doesn’t just justify — it recreates.
It doesn’t just declare us innocent — it sends us into the world as living ambassadors of God’s grace.
The question is — are we embracing our new identity — or resisting it?
A New Creation (v. 17)
A New Creation (v. 17)
Let’s reread v. 17:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
This verse is one of the most radical declarations in Scripture. Note how:
It doesn’t say we’re patched up.
It doesn’t say we’ve been given a second chance to try harder.
It says we are a new creation.
Something old has died. Something new has been born.
When Paul says the old has passed away, he is not referring to small surface changes.
He means our former identity — our self-centeredness, guilt, and separation from God — has been decisively dealt with in Christ.
And what has come of that is new life.
Just like God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, He now creates something new in us through Christ.
Only God can do that.
So, the transformation Paul speaks of here is positional — we are no longer condemned.
But it’s also personal.
The gospel changes how we think, how we value things, how we treat people, and how we see ourselves.
It changes what we want, what we love, and what we chase after.
If your faith hasn’t changed you, you need to be asking whether it has truly saved you.
Let’s go back to the verse:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!
“If anyone is in Christ…”
This isn’t for a select few - it’s not just for the spiritually elite
If anyone - regardless of your past, background, failures - you are made new.
Think of how this ties back to Paul’s teaching in Colossians 3.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
The call is to live fully for the King.
But, now, we see the foundation for that call.
You can live for the King because you’ve been made new by the King.
His righteousness doesn’t just justify you — it recreates you.
Our challenge:
Is to live like a new creation.
Therefore we were buried with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.
to cease carrying around the old self with it’s guilt, shame, bitterness, and selfish desires.
If God has made you new, then it is time to walk in that newness.
This is what the righteousness of God does — it transforms.
A New Ministry (v. 18-19)
A New Ministry (v. 18-19)
Everything is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.
That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
You have been saved for a purpose.
The moment you were reconciled to God, you were entrusted with a mission: to carry that reconciliation to others.
You are not just a recipient of grace - you are now a minister of grace.
You don’t need a title or a pulpit.
If you are in Christ, you have a ministry - a ministry of reconciliation.
This is not just about formal evangelism.
It is about relational, intentional living that points people to the heart of God.
It is about being the kind of person who shows others what grace looks like.
What peace feels like.
what restoration is possible through Jesus.
Your words, your patience, your humility, your forgiveness — all of it becomes part of how God is reaching the world.
And note how Paul ties all this together:
v. 18: God reconciled us to himself and has given us the ministry.
These two things are inseparable.
If you have been brought back into a relationship with God, you have been brought into His work.
The cross didn’t just open up the door for you, it handed you the message to go and open it for someone else.
Look again at v. 19:
That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and he has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
This is so relevant in a culture full of division, hostility, and woundedness.
Our time is full of broken relationships.
where people are isolated and angry
and where sin keeps people far from God and each other.
Your ministry of reconciliation isn’t just about saving souls - it is about healing what is broken through the love of Christ.
And if we ‘re honest, it can become easy for long-time Christians to drift away from this calling.
We can start to think of church as something for us — something that exists to serve our needs and preferences.
But note the first part of v. 18 again:
Everything is from God, ….
Everything from God is meant to be shared.
Grace flows to us so that it can flow through us.
So I must ask:
Am I participating in the ministry of reconciliation, or am I leaving that to others?
If the righteousness of God has truly transformed me, it has not just changed my status, it has changed my mission.
A New Message (v. 20)
A New Message (v. 20)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
If transformation gives us a new identity and a new ministry, it also provides us with a new message.
See how Paul begins to shift the imagery.
We are not just ministers, we are ambassadors.
This means that wherever we go, we represent another kingdom.
Our words, lives, and priorities are meant to reflect the King who sent us.
Ambassadors don’t speak on their own behalf.
They carry the authority and mission of the one they represent.
And note this:
…God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
This is humbling.
And it is astonishing.
When we open our mouths to share the gospel - it is not just our voice being heard, it is God’s voice — calling out “Be reconciled to Me.”
And also see the tone Paul uses:
“we plead.”
This is not cold theology or detatched doctrine.
It is an invitation.
Reconciliation is not something casual. It’s life or death.
Eternity is at stake.
So we are not suggesting the gospel - we are pleading with people to respond to it.
Our message is shaped by urgency and compassion.
And this brings up a very practical reflection:
How do people hear us when we speak for Christ?
Do they hear condemnation or pleading?
Do they hear superiority or sincerity?
Do they hear politics or personal opinions — or the urgent invitation to be reconciled to a loving God?
And, I want you to consider the implications for how we live.
If we are ambassadors, then every interaction, every conversation, every post, every response, carries weight.
People will form opinions about the King based on the character of His representatives.
So I have to consider whether I am making the appeal of God credible or confusing.
This is where transformation becomes visible.
The righteousness of God doesn’t just clean up our past, it commissions our present.
We are not called to be spectators of grace, but spokespeople for it.
The world needs to hear the appeal — and God has chosen you and me to deliver it.
So, what about you?
Are you speaking the message of reconciliation?
Are you pleading on Christ’s behalf?
Or, are you silent — detached from every appeal that once saved you?
A New Standing (v. 21)
A New Standing (v. 21)
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This verse is one of the clearest summaries of the gospel in the Bible.
Let’s focus on the first part of the verse:
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, …
God did something radical through the cross.
Jesus, the sinless one, bore our sins, taking our guilt and judgment upon himself.
He didn’t sin — He became the sin-bearer, treated as guilty so that we could be treated as righteous.
That’s what Paul means when he says God “made him to be sin for us.”
This is not about Jesus becoming sinful in nature - but about him taking our place and our punishment.
What is the purpose of this great exchange?
Back to v. 21:
…so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
This doesn’t mean we become perfectly righteous in ourselves.
Nor, does it mean God irresistibly transforms us apart from our faith or cooperation.
Rather, it means that in Christ, through obedient faith, we are counted righteous before God — and called to live in keeping with that standing.
This is the powerful balance of the gospel.
God’s righteousness is credited to us, Romans 4:5.
But it also calls us to lead holy lives, Romans 6:12-14.
It is both a gift and a goal.
We are justified by grace by faith - not works - and yet that grace trains us to deny ungodliness and live righteously.
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,
instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age,
You have been recreated to reflect His holiness, His mercy, His justice, and His truth.
You have been recreated to become like the Son.
You are His son or daughter — clothed in righteousness.
So, when Paul says we become the righteousness of God, he is describing our new identity - our new standing with God - and our new calling to represent his character.
We are not saved by our own righteousness.
We are saved by His … and then we are
shaped by His word
empowered by his Spirit
and trained through discipleship to reflect his nature more and more.
No one can claim they are righteous apart from Christ.
More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ
and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith.
And no one who truly belongs to Christ can remain unchanged by that grace.
This is what it means to be transformed, not by force, but by faith working through love.
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
As We Close...
As We Close...
Let’s wrap up by seeing the full picture Paul has painted:
v. 17 - if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. You are not who you used to be.
v.18-19 - you’ve been given a new ministry. You are not just saved for yourself, you’ve been entrusted with the work of reconciliation.
v. 20 - you carry a new message. God is making His appeal through you, and that appeal is urgent — be reconciled to God!
v. 21 - all of this rests on a new standing. Not earned. Not deserved. But graciously given through Christ who bore your sin so you could be counted righteous and begin living righteously.
The righteousness of God doesn’t just remove your guilt, it redirects your life.
It doesn’t leave you where you were, it reshapes who you are, how you live, and how you speak.
If God’s righteousness has saved you, then it should also transform you - and been seen in your response to His grace by obedient, faith-filled living.
So:
Has the righteousness of God changed your identity, purpose, and priorities? Are you living like someone who has been made new?
Some of us may have settled for half the gospel.
We’ve trusted in the blood of Christ to cover our sins, but we’ve resisted the call to transformation.
We’re still living like the old self, carrying the old baggage, stuck in old habits, and afraid to truly embrace the new life we’ve been offered.
Christ didn’t die to just forgive you, he died to reclaim you.
To restore you.
To send you back to the world as a living reflection of the God who saved you.
We are ambassadors. We are messengers. We are the evidence of His righteousness on earth.
Have you:
Been reconciled to God?
Taken up the ministry He gave you?
Speaking the message of grace to others?
Living a life that reflects the righteousness you have received?
Don’t
leave here without responding.
resist the work of grace in your life.
Let today be the moment you stop settling for a label - Christian - and begin walking the life of transformation that Christ died to give you.
