Clothed in Righteousness

The main point of all the New Testament message is this: the divine exchange—Christ becomes sin, the believer becomes the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21 - 6:1 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

6:1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Jesus has total sinlessness. He not only lacked knowledge of sin but also had a complete absence of any personal experience with sin.

“He made [him] to be sin”: Christ was made a sin offering, not that He became sinful, but that He bore sin judicially.

Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

We’re outside the gates of a grand palace, filthy and ashamed—wearing a coat stained with all our failures, hidden sins, and guilt. Then the King steps out—not a servant, but Jesus Himself—pure, spotless, glowing with holiness. He walks toward us, gently removes our filthy coat, and instead of shrinking back, He puts it on Himself. Then, without hesitation, He takes off His royal robe—His perfect obedience, His sinless life, His favor with the Father—and wraps it around us. We want to protest, “But Lord, I’ve messed up,” and He simply says, “I became what you were, so you could become what I am.”

God made Christ, the sinless One, a sin offering for us so that we might receive His righteousness and live boldly in the light of that grace.

Not only forgiven, but credited with Righteousness.

 …in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus' imputed righteousness. We gained a new status in Christ. It’s not our righteousness, but God’s righteousness, credited to us.

1. Confidence to Ask 

This must result in boldness to ask, to pray, to dream and envision again.

Romans 8:32-33 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

That must result in boldness to proclaim Jesus’ work, His blessings and love for the lost and broken.

1 John 5:14-15 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

2. Boldness to respond to the calling

2 Timothy 1:7-10 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel[…]

We, who received this grace, must not disregard or nullify its power by spiritual negligence or by dismissing the value and power of this grace. 

Many prefer to think that it is too good to be true. In a sense, it is a way out of the calling to proclaim. In their spirit, there is already a sense of responsibility with such great good news. But instead of trusting the very enabling grace, they think it is a matter of performing themselves.

Imagine receiving a letter stating that a long-lost relative had left a fortune in your name. A private account has been filled, the legal transfer is done—but you never read the letter, never checked the account, never lived in the reality of what was gifted. Would that treasure have meant anything? No—it was real, but received in vain.

In the end, Paul warns that we may fail to live as recipients of God's righteousness. 

The Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives (MFAA) program, also known as the Monuments Men, recovered and returned over five million works of art to their rightful owners after World War II. This included a vast array of cultural items, such as paintings, sculptures, books, manuscripts, and even church bells. The program was instrumental in mitigating the vast cultural damage caused by the Nazis' looting during the war. The honor was real, but imagine if their story was lost.

Have you placed the righteousness of God in a dusty drawer?

It is because our righteousness is real that we can cooperate with God. This cooperation is with God, not apart from Him. That is why we have a Great Commission, not only a mission.

A great image of that co-working is the planting process.

1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

Remember, God gives the growth. As a church, as a LifeGroup leader, you are meant to grow and to flourish.

Philippians 1:6 “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

a. Boldness in Ministry Through living

Ministry is not only preaching. It is mostly living. Through our living out righteousness, we remove all obstacles to the message of grace.

2 Corinthians 6:3-10 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.

Paul’s ministry is blameless, not perfect. Faultless, not flawless. So should our ministry be. In other words, genuine, real, excellent, not perfect.

The point is not to cause spiritual stumbling. The credibility of the message demands our integrity.

A clean window lets the light shine through. A dirty window distracts. Ministry must be like a clean window—not the focus, but not a hindrance.

The message requests the spiritual reality of the messenger.

In the list of ministry authenticity, Paul insists on pointing out his trials. Therefore, we must not interpret suffering as disqualification from ministry; it may be your commendation. 

Endurance authenticates ministry far more than outward human success.

But be careful not to make suffering the only proof of faithful ministry. Paul also says, 

vv.6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;

b. Boldness through power

Ministry is not just marked by suffering, but by Spirit-filled character.

Purity, untainted motives.

Knowledge, Spiritual discernment rooted in the Word and the gospel.

Patience and Kindness as the fruits of the Spirit in relationships (cf. Gal. 5:22). It is the Holy Spirit that is the agent behind all these virtues; Ministry is impossible apart from Him. Culminating in genuine love, free from manipulation or hypocrisy.

Just as a lamp must be plugged into a power source to shine, so, as a minister of the New Covenant, a minister of reconciliation, we must be connected to the Spirit to radiate these virtues. The light is not in the lamp, but in the source.

Not human persuasion or charisma, but supernatural empowerment. This includes the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left. That refers to both defensive (left hand) and offensive (right hand). Nothing is lacking for battle when one stands in the righteousness of God.

It is not about methods but about godly character and God’s presence.

In 2 Cor. 6:8–10 Paul lists nine paradoxes. They are personal experiences that demonstrate the upside-down nature of the Kingdom of God. Tensions between visible appearances and invisible realities. Can you recognize yourself in those apparent contradictions of life as a person of faith?

It is through these that we learn to remain steadfast in trials while continuing our ministry.

Slander must not silence the truth; praise must not inflate the ego.

We may be obscure to society, but deeply known by God. I think about the persecuted churches around the world. I think of places where no one else wanted to go. I think of the Missionaries who played a significant role in both spreading the gospel and educating Alaska Natives. Nowadays, they are considered to suppress traditional customs and spiritual beliefs. But it was them who actually preserved it through education.

A lighthouse on a hidden cliff—unseen by most, but essential to sailors in the storm. Your voice may not be famous, but God sees, and he will lead those navigating through life to find light through you.

Let God’s recognition be enough. 

Spiritual joy is not the absence of sorrow, but the presence of Christ brings joy that transcends emotion and circumstances.

These paradoxes are not ultimate failures; they are signs of a life marked by the Cross and entrusted with the gospel. Out of this brokenness, Paul appeals for the Corinthians to reconsider their openness to him.

2 Corinthians 6:11-13 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.

Then he moves to a practical application of the righteousness we are clothed with. Because we are clothed in righteousness, we are called to be different.

Clothed in righteousness is meant to sanctify us.

3. Bring holiness to completion

2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”

7:1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

“Unequally yoked” is used to describe incompatible unions. Just as two animals of different kinds cannot plow together effectively, a believer and an unbeliever do not share the same value direction, spiritual foundation, or eternal goal.

He then asks five rhetorical questions.

• What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?

• What fellowship has light with darkness?

• What accord has Christ with Belial?

• What portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

• What agreement does the temple of God have with idols?

Imagine trying to row a boat with one oar [paddle] going forward and one oar going backward. The boat spins in circles.

We should not avoid all interaction with unbelievers, but we should avoid relational entanglements that compromise faith. That speaks of marriage, business, and deep alliances.

This is not legalism. It is relational holiness.

When a bride says “yes” to her groom, she says “no” to every other man. It is about exclusive devotion to the One who loves us.

Do not invite impurity into the temple of God, for you are that temple. Holiness is not about isolation from people but about dedication to God. His invitation — "I will welcome you" — is a call to intimacy.

His Spirit, His promises sustain our holiness. 

2 Corinthians 7:1 1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

The “promises” refer to the relationship described in the previous verses: God dwells with His people, receives us, and is our Father.

A child who knows their father is watching plays with care and joy, not fear. So too, we walk in holiness not to earn God’s love, but because we already possess it.

A video showed a teenager with better behaviour with his dad passing by in the room.

Do not treat sin casually; instead, repent, and walk in the light. The fact that we are already forgiven is an invitation to bring our struggles to God, and maybe even to a brother, by confessing them. 

Remember, holiness is not a one-time act but a lifelong process of growth. Ask the Spirit to help you remove what defiles both body and spirit.

“Since we have these promises, beloved…”

Let that word—beloved—remind you that this call to holiness comes from the heart of a Father who has made you His own. He loves you enough to guide you into the best life you could ever live—one shaped by His wisdom in how you handle relationships, honor Him with your body, work with integrity, and steward your resources.

This is not a burden—it is a blessing. Holiness is not about missing out; it is about walking closely with the God who knows what is best and desires your joy, your strength, and your freedom.