But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Devotional Thoughts
By David Wilkerson
Although Jesus offers us His perfect righteousness, many refuse it. They refuse His pardon, His peace, His justification from the law, His adoption into the family of God — embracing instead their own form of righteousness by works. Scripture says of them: "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:39).
The Pharisees rejected this offer. And so do many Christians today. On Judgment Day, these will stand in line before the throne, wearing only the ragged garment of self- righteousness. They'll ask themselves, "What do I have to offer the Lord?" And when their turn comes, they'll say, "Lord, I've cast out devils, I've healed the sick, I've done mighty works in Your name."
But He will answer, "I never knew you, you workers of iniquity! You've never had the perfect righteousness of My Son. You have only a righteousness that is by works — and I don't know that kind of righteousness. I won't accept any righteousness except that which is by faith in the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ!"
Beloved, I refuse to live that way! Jesus Christ has left me an inheritance, and I claim it. It's mine!
Scripture says, "...the righteous are bold as a lion" (Proverbs 28:1). If you can accept this truth of the perfect righteousness of Christ, you'll have the boldness of a lion. You'll never fear any person again. You'll never look at someone else's life and feel unworthy. You can say, "I have the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ credited to me by faith! No, it's not mine — it's His. But it's accounted to me by Jesus Himself, so I may call it my own!"
It's time to stop your struggling. If the devil comes to you and says, "You're no good, you have no righteousness," you can answer: "Of course, I'm no good. Of course I have no righteousness in myself. But I do have the righteousness of Jesus Christ! Yes, I've failed God. But I have an Advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the righteous!"