“For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”
—Romans 1:17

Have you ever felt the weight of trying to be “good enough”? The relentless striving, the constant measuring, the nagging feeling that you always fall short? The good news of the Gospel cuts through all of that striving with a profound truth: the righteousness of God is not something we earn; it's something He reveals and credits to our account.

As Romans 1:17 beautifully puts it, this is “a righteousness that is by faith from first to last.” There is absolutely nothing we can do, no good deed, no amount of effort, to earn this perfect righteousness. It is freely given to us, credited to us by faith, just as it was to Abraham (Genesis 15:6).

At the moment of our salvation, what do we bring to the table? Only our faith. We surrender our attempts to earn, and we simply trust in His finished work.

But faith isn't just the entry point; it's the entire journey. Faith is also the goal of our life after salvation.

As we walk with Christ, our lives are gradually transformed into His image. This transformation isn't fueled by our own striving, but by an ongoing, active faith. It's as we apply what He reveals to us through our study of His Word, through prayer, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that our character begins to reflect His.

And here's another humbling, yet liberating, truth: even faith itself is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It's not something we conjure up on our own, but a divine enablement that allows us to receive all that God has for us.

So, let go of the burden of earning. Embrace the freedom of receiving. From the moment we first believe to the very end of our journey, it is all by faith – a gift that empowers us to live a righteous life, not for salvation, but from salvation.