the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Discovering Christ Day by Day
Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 33-35
“The Name Wherewith She shall be Called”
Jeremiah 33:16
This is a fact so indescribably glorious that it could not be believed by anyone were it not written upon the pages of Holy Scripture. —- The Son of God is “The Lord Our Righteousness,” and we are “the righteousness of God in him!” We know, by constant, bitter experience that all our righteousnesses are dross, and dung, and filthy rags. Our most righteous deeds are no more acceptable to the holy Lord God than utter blasphemy. Nothing can be found more precious to sinners, who know themselves sinners, than the fact that Christ is made of God unto us righteousness. He is so thoroughly made the righteousness of God unto us that we are “the righteousness of God in him.”
How far can that thought be carried biblically? Is there danger of excess here? Must we be careful, lest someone carry this too far? Oh, no! That is impossible! Believing sinners are so thoroughly made the righteousness of God in Christ that God himself declares of his Church, “This is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.” Roll that over in your heart until it overwhelms you.
Only Reasonable
If Christ is “The Lord Our Righteousness,” as the Word of God declares he is, it is only reasonable and right that his Bride be called by his name. A loving, faithful wife always takes her husband’s name. She is not fit to be called a wife who refuses to do so. So, too, a good husband delights to give his wife his name, and he is honored for her to wear it and use it, because all that he is and has is hers. Yet, no earthly marriage comes close to fully portraying the union between Christ and his Church. Married to Christ, we have all that he has as our Mediator. Indeed, as his body and bride, we are “the fulness of him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:23). It is written in the Book of God, “He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:17). Ours is a marriage union that transcends all marriage unions. Others shall be dissolved at death. Ours is forever (Hosea 2:19).
Meet to be Partakers
“Christ loved the church and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). He not only died for his Bride, he gave himself for his Bride and to his Bride. He came into this world for us, lived in obedience to God for us, was made to be sin for us, died for us, arose for us, was exalted for us, intercedes for us, and reigns upon his throne for us. Everything he is as the God-man Mediator, he is for us. Everything he does, he does for us. Everything he possesses, he possesses for us and gives to us (John 17:22; Romans 8:17; Ephesians 1:3). Among all the things our all glorious Christ has wrought for us and given to us, none is more glorious, delightful, and satisfying than this: — “He is made of God unto us Righteousness,” and we are made “the righteousness of God in him.” His righteousness is our righteousness, presently and permanently. Therefore, we are, as the Word of God declares, “meet (worthy) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). As in a true marriage, a husband is everything to his wife and a wife everything to her husband, so in this: — Christ is everything to his Bride and she is everything to him; and the name of this holy couple is “The Lord Our Righteousness!”
