Nothing will bring a Christian deeper calm, quieter peace, or surer rest than meditating on the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often do God's people walk around downcast and sad! I don't think they should. And I don't think they would, if they could only keep their eyes fixed on their perfection in Christ.

Some people are always going on about corruption, about the depravity of the heart, about the evil that lurks in every soul. Yes, yes, it's all true. But why stop there? Why not take one more step and remember that we are "perfect in Christ Jesus"? No wonder those who spend all their time staring at their own corruption wear such gloomy faces! But if we would remember that "Christ is made unto us righteousness," we would be people of good cheer.

So what if troubles pound against me? So what if Satan launches his assaults? So what if I must face a thousand trials before I reach heaven? In the covenant of divine grace, everything has already been accomplished for me. There is nothing lacking in my Lord. Christ has done it all! On the cross he cried out, "It is finished!" And if it is finished, then I am complete in him. I can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory! Not because I have my own righteousness that comes from keeping the law, but because I have "the righteousness that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith."

Listen to me: you will not find holier people this side of heaven than those who have truly grasped the doctrine of Christ's righteousness. When a believer declares, "I live on Christ alone! I rest on him solely for salvation! However unworthy I am, I am still saved in Jesus!" — when that truth grips the heart, gratitude rises up like a flood. "Shall I not live for Christ? Shall I not love and serve him, seeing that I am saved by his merits?" The love of Christ compels us. Those who truly live should no longer live for themselves but for the one who died for them.

Here's the beautiful thing: if we are saved by imputed righteousness, we will greatly value imparted righteousness.