“…the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe.” – Romans 3:22
Faith is not just a vague religious feeling—it’s a vessel that carries something powerful. It begins with God, but it supports three essential elements: knowledge of truth, trust in truth, and an ascent to truth. First, we must know the truth—not just hear it on Sundays or see it on a wall, but understand why Jesus died and what it accomplished. It’s not enough to say, “I’ve heard of Him.” We must grasp the purpose of the cross: that He bore our sin so we could be made right with God.
Then comes trust. Faith is not just knowing what Jesus did—it’s believing He did it for you. It’s personal. It’s leaning your full weight on His finished work. This trust leads to regeneration—a new birth. And finally, faith ascends. It lifts us out of self-focus, whether pride or shame, and places our confidence in Christ alone. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “I am aware of sin within me still, yet I know that I am a child of God… my righteousness is in Jesus Christ.” That’s the ascent of faith—not denying sin, but refusing to be defined by it. Like the scapegoat in Leviticus, our sins are laid on Christ—and we leave them there.
So here’s the invitation: stop looking inward for assurance. Whether you feel proud of your good deeds or crushed by your failures, neither will save you. Look to Christ. Lay your sins on Him, and rise in the truth that you are made righteous by faith. Say with confidence, “But now!” I was blind, but now I see. I was guilty, but now I’m justified. Faith carries the truth that saves—and it’s yours to receive today.
“This is the chief point, and the very central place of the Epistle, and of the whole Bible… that righteousness comes by faith in Jesus Christ, not by works.” – Martin Luther
surrendered devotions 