Clothed In Christ’s Righteousness

     “Clothed In Christ’s Righteousness” is the theme for the next District Convention.  Yes, I know, it is only June, but before you know it January 19-22, 2025, will soon be here.  Your congregation should have already received ballots for nominations of the different district offices, such as, district president, vice presidents, secretary and so forth.  You may want to mention to those who set congregation voters meetings to get this done in time, so that this opportunity to nominate the next round of leaders in the district is given to you, the body of Christ, the Church.  Also, coming soon, is your circuit forum.  It is at that, that you elect your circuit visitor and submit overtures, that may become resolutions to the district convention for the North Dakota District Convention to pass or not pass as we walk together in the unity of God’s Word as witnessed by our confessions, the Book of Concord.

     This theme comes from 2 Corinthians 5:21, “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him (Jesus) we might become the righteousness of God.”  This verse is known as the “great reversal”.  Also, you will find this verse at the bottom of all my emails.  Yes, it is one of my favorite verses of Scripture.  

     We often look to John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” as the Gospel in a nutshell.  In this convention theme verse we have what it is that we believe in for eternal life.  God has taken care of the payment of our sin by placing that sin on His Son who was sinless.  You see, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), Jesus was sinless and therefore did not deserve death, but He took upon Himself our sin as a propitiation (payment) for sin so that we would not die the eternal death of separation from God.  Therefore, we have eternal life because of Jesus’ objective reconciliation, along with the personal reconciliation in whom we believe what He has done this for us.  In other words, God made the sinless One sin instead of us in order that we on our part may become God’s righteousness in connection with Him.  This connection happens in our baptism, where we are connected to Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5).

     In verses 17-20, prior to 2 Corinthias 5:21, St. Paul says that he and the others are acting as ambassadors for Christ.  “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us.  We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”  God wants us to be justified when He made His Son sin for us.  God wants the same for all men, for He gave Him to save the world (John 3:16).  

     Just a side note, our translations use the word “might”, that “we might become the righteousness of God.”  This “might” is not to be thought of as only potential or a maybe, nor that “become” is some type of process.  The meaning is you are justified, that is, declared righteous by God in connection with Christ’s sacrifice for the sin of all men.  God’s righteousness is given to us by God Himself when He acquits us of all sin and guilt, as we “are justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:24).  This connection is faith (Romans 3:21).

     Thus, we see, that justification has never been put into clearer terms than after St. Paul has spoken of “reconciliation” it is only proper that “righteousness” is the most proper word.  To be declared righteous by God is justification.

     May this theme, “Clothed In Christ’s Righteousness” be your focus as we draw near to the District Convention and also may it be your joy for yourself as it is for me. 

Your servant in Christ,

Reverend Arie Bertsch