As believers, it is important that we know the truth about our salvation. We were saved because of our faith in Jesus Christ; we did nothing to earn it, because it was given as a gift from God. This directly contradicts religious thinking, which tells us that we must work hard for our redemption. Because of what Jesus has done and our belief in it, we have already been made the righteousness of God. This is our stance in Christ, and nothing we do can change that. However, the process of our ongoing transformation into perfection as demonstrated in our earthly lives will continue until we get to heaven; this is our state, that no one but God can change. Trusting in His promise to make the necessary changes in us enables Him to bring our state into balance with our stance.
