Not your righteousness

Therefore understand that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stiff-necked people. – Deuteronomy 9v6

‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.’

I could not help but think of that verse when I read today’s passage. Just in case Israel thought they had done anything to merit the Promised Land God let them know that not only was it not by their power or might they conquered the land, it was certainly not because of their righteousness. They were not righteous; in fact they were stiff-necked and stubborn. They certainly did not deserve what God was going to give them

So what about us? Though not a perfect picture of eternity with Christ, there are some similarities between salvation and Canaan. This lesson is one of them.

Just like Israel could do nothing to merit the land of Canaan we can do nothing to enter the kingdom of God. We are no more righteous than they were. We too are a stiff necked people. Our best works of righteousness are no more than filthy, vile, disgusting rags in His sight.

In Romans 4v6 God makes it clear that ‘God imputes righteousness apart from works.’ The verse mention above from Titus God goes on to say ‘not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.’

We don’t deserve it. We don’t deserve eternity life any more than Israel deserved the Promised Land. We too are a stiff necked people. It is not by our righteousness any more than it was by theirs.

According to His mercy He gave them the Promised Land. According to His mercy He saved us.

Praise God that it is not because of my own righteousness, but the imputes righteousness of the One who died for me.