Peter teaches us that, because Jesus in His Own self bore our sins in His Own body on the tree, we are dead to sin, and alive to righteousness.
This is a statement of fact: in Christ, all who trust in Him died, and rose again in new life in Christ. Sin no longer has dominion over the saints. Paul puts it this way: "Being made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness," and now "you have your fruit unto holiness."
So Peter's teaching is not only about the fact, but also the future of sanctification and conformity to the image of Christ finally at the resurrection.
But there is another, more fundamental way in which believers are alive unto righteousness: Christ's perfect righteousness has already been imputed to us by faith!
It is important to remember that Jesus' death no only took away our sins, and quieted God's wrath and judgment against our crimes, because He was judged for our sins placed upon Him at Calvary.
But the perfect obedience of Jesus has been counted unto us for righteousness!
Jesus fulfilled all the law for us as our federal head, just like Adam broke God's law when he represented all mankind in the Garden of Eden at the Fall.
At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus identified Himself with His people at His baptism unto repentance at the Jordan River. He told John the Baptist that His baptism was necessary "to fulfill all righteousness."
Jesus had no sin of His Own to repent of, but He identified Himself with our sins, and showed a proper righteous acknowledgment of our sins, and the requirement of repentance.
God His Father was well pleased with the Son's entrance into His great work of redemption as God's Lamb.
SERMON ACTIVITY
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John Pittman Hey was born in 1961 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Godly parents who from the beginning raised him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. With child-like faith he came to Christ on his fourth birthday at his mother's knee. He received his education at church...
