In this chapter, Paul is running through all the means by which his people have tried to achieve their own salvation. In the first part of the chapter, he mentions works: good deeds that people want to use to earn their salvation from God. He mentions circumcision, that outward sign of belonging to God body and soul, which some Jews had used to prove their salvation. He mentions the Law, and how far people have fallen from adherence to it. Even having the Law does not guarantee a right relationship to God. All of these fall short of earning our salvation. What is going to save us? You can almost feel the desperation of Paul’s readers. If it’s not good works, not circumcision, and not the Law, then what?!
Do you remember that well known trope of St Peter who is keeping the books at the Pearly Gates, letting in only worthy folks? He sits at a desk, with a big ledger. It’s up to him to open the Gates to hopeful people coming up to heaven. It’s not in the Bible, but what is in the Bible are these words from Jesus in Matthew 16:18: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” I think this may be where we get this idea of Peter as the heavenly gatekeeper, the keeper of the keys to the Pearly Gates. You can imagine a hopeful soul coming up to him saying, “Hey Peter: Let me in! I did so many good deeds.” “Anything else?” Peter might say. “Well, I am circumcised, so I am a real follower of God.” “Anything else?” Peter might say. “Well, I kept the Law, or at least, I tried to.” Still the petitioner does not see the gate open. “What else?” Peter might say again. If Paul were behind us in line, he would whisper to us the best answer, “I believed that God would do what He promised! I had faith in Jesus who laid down his life for my trespasses!” And the gates would swing open, because that faith in Jesus and dependence on His saving acts to rescue us, is “reckoned (or counted) to us as righteousness.”
All the ways we tried to rescue ourselves, all the ways we tried to pile up impressive credentials or deeds? None of it made us truly righteous. But Jesus’ righteousness is lent to us, who are so unworthy, but so loved by Him. Jesus’ own perfect righteousness covers us, which is purest grace and purest gift of God.