### 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](/get-passage/Romans+3:21-28); [Gal. 2:16](/get-passage/Galatians+2:16); [Eph. 2:8-9](/get-passage/Ephesians+2:8-9); [Phil 3:8-11](/get-passage/Philippians+3:8-11)
<sup>2</sup> [Rom. 3:9-10](/get-passage/Romans+3:9-10)
<sup>3</sup> [Rom. 7:23](/get-passage/Romans+7:23)
<sup>4</sup> [Titus 3:4-5](/get-passage/Titus+3:4-5)
<sup>5</sup> [Rom. 3:24](/get-passage/Romans+3:24); [Eph. 2:8](/get-passage/Ephesians+2:8)
<sup>6</sup> [Rom. 4:3-5](/get-passage/Romans+4:3-5) ([Gen. 15:6](/get-passage/Genesis+15:6)); [2 Cor. 5:17-19](/get-passage/2+Corinthians+5:17-19); [1 John 2:1-2](/get-passage/1+John+2:1-2)
<sup>7</sup> [Rom. 4:24-25](/get-passage/Romans+4:24-25); [2 Cor. 5:21](/get-passage/2+Corinthians+5:21)
<sup>8</sup> [John 3:18](/get-passage/John+3:18); [Acts 16:30-31](/get-passage/Acts+16:30-31)