Romans 1:16 – 17 NASB
For in “it” (them) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.
• The word “it” is better translated as “he,” “she,” “self,” or “them.”
He doesn’t give me righteousness as a free gift – he gives me himself and, therefore his righteousness as my free gift. We are not talking about just an imputed righteousness (where God declares me as righteous) but because of my union with him I participate in his righteousness as my righteous. His very righteousness is imparted to me.
“From he made him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
In Christ, we have become the righteousness of God. Righteousness is our nature because righteousness is the nature of Christ, and Christ is our life. It is your nature because it is His nature to love, to be patient, to be joyful, to be at peace, to walk in wisdom, to walk in signs and wonders, etc.
You don’t have to walk in fear because it is the nature of Jesus to not be afraid, and His nature is your nature. It is important that you start thinking like this because this is what it means to have your mind renewed. Renewing your mind is not about memorizing Scripture, though memorizing Scripture is a good thing, but renewing your mind is being ever conscious of the indwelling Christ who is now your life. This is what brings about transformation because it converts your thinking to live from Christ and not just for Christ. The enemy desperately wants to keep you from understanding your new identity as a new creation in Christ because he lives in terror of you, discovering who Christ truly is in you and to you. You can never get more righteous than you are right now if you are in Christ. You can certainly grow in the degree to which you manifest the righteousness of Christ, but your true nature as the righteousness of God in Jesus will never change. The more you discover and believe that you are forever joined to the internal mindset/nature of Christ, the more you will find that your behavior reflects who He is and not who and what you used to be.