## Lord’s Day 23
### 59. Q. But how does it help you now that you believe all this?

**A**. That I am righteous in Christ before God and an heir to life everlasting.<sup>1</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [John 3:36](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John3.md#36); [Rom. 1:17](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans1.md#17) ([Hab. 2:4](/References/Bible/35%20-%20Habakkuk/Habakkuk2.md#4)); [Rom. 5:1–2](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans5.md)

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### 60. Q. How are you righteous before God?

**A**. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ.<sup>1</sup> Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them,<sup>2</sup> and of still being inclined toward all evil,<sup>3</sup> nevertheless, without any merit of my own,<sup>4</sup> out of sheer grace,<sup>5</sup> God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,<sup>6</sup> as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me.<sup>7</sup>—if only I accept this gift with a believing heart.<sup>8</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [Rom. 3:21–28](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans3.md#21); [Gal. 2:16](/References/Bible/48%20-%20Galatians/Galatians2.md#16); [Eph. 2:8–9](/References/Bible/49%20-%20Ephesians/Ephesians2.md#8); [Phil 3:8–11](/References/Bible/50%20-%20Philippians/Philippians3.md#8)
<sup>2</sup> [Rom. 3:9–10](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans3.md#9)
<sup>3</sup> [Rom. 7:23](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans7.md#23)
<sup>4</sup> [Titus 3:4–5](/References/Bible/56%20-%20Titus/Titus3.md#4)
<sup>5</sup> [Rom. 3:24](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans3.md#24); [Eph. 2:8](/References/Bible/49%20-%20Ephesians/Ephesians2.md#8)
<sup>6</sup> [Rom. 4:3–5](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans4.md#3) ([Gen. 15:6](/References/Bible/01%20-%20Genesis/Genesis15.md#6)); [2 Cor. 5:17–19](/References/Bible/47%20-%202Corinthians/2Corinthians5.md#17); [1 John 2:1–2](/References/Bible/62%20-%201John/1John2.md)
<sup>7</sup> [Rom. 4:24–25](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans4.md#24); [2 Cor. 5:21](/References/Bible/47%20-%202Corinthians/2Corinthians5.md#21)
<sup>8</sup> [John 3:18](/References/Bible/43%20-%20John/John3.md#18); [Acts 16:30–31](/References/Bible/44%20-%20Acts/Acts16.md#30)

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### 61. Q. Why do you say that through faith alone you are righteous?

**A**. Not because I please God by the worthiness of my faith, for only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness are my righteousness before God,<sup>1</sup> and I can receive this righteousness and make it mine in no other way than by faith alone.<sup>2</sup>

<sup>1</sup> [1 Cor. 1:30–31](/References/Bible/46%20-%201Corinthians/1Corinthians1.md#30)
<sup>2</sup> [Rom. 10:10](/References/Bible/45%20-%20Romans/Romans10.md#10); [1 John 5:10–12](/References/Bible/62%20-%201John/1John5.md#10)

