Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness… —Daniel 9:24
THERE ARE SOME Christians who believe that you can lose fellowship with God when you sin, and you need to confess your sin to God and obtain forgiveness to become righteous again. They claim that your relationship with God is not broken when you sin, but fellowship with Him is, so you need to confess your sin to restore fellowship with Him. As a new covenant believer, you are righteous not only until your next sin. You have everlasting righteousness! It sounds very good. But believing that your fellowship with God is broken when you sin will affect your ability to come boldly to His throne of grace to receive from Him.
In reality, both the words “relationship” and “fellowship” share the same Greek root word koinonia. This means that even if you fail, relationship and fellowship with God are not broken. Why? Because your sins and failures have all been paid for at the cross. How can you ever lose your righteousness in Christ when it is based entirely on His perfect work and not your imperfection?
To see how we have everlasting righteousness in Christ, look at the prophecy in the Book of Daniel about Jesus’ work at Calvary. Daniel 9:24 describes His mission in no uncertain terms: “…to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness.”
Beloved, we can rejoice today because Jesus has fulfilled every iota of this prophecy! The blood of bulls and goats in the old covenant only provided limited and temporal righteousness for the children of Israel, and that is why with every new failing, the sacrifices had to be repeated. But in the new covenant, the blood of Jesus put an end to sin and gave us everlasting righteousness! Listen carefully to this: Jesus does not have to be crucified repeatedly whenever you fail because every sin has already been paid for on the cross.
We need to trust in just how complete and perfect His finished work is. Today, as a new covenant believer, you are righteous not only until your next sin. You have everlasting righteousness!
Today’s Prayer
Father, I thank You that the blood of Your Son Jesus has put an end to sin and given me everlasting righteousness! And because I have this gift of everlasting righteousness that is not dependent on my works, my fellowship with You cannot be broken even when I mess up. I can still come to you boldly to receive grace and help. How can I not be victorious in life with Your grace and help!
Today’s Thought
Because I am in Christ, I have everlasting righteousness!
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Prince, Joseph. 100 Days Of Favor, Daily Readings From Unmerited Favor.