How do we know that Christ's obedience makes us righteous?

The Bible is clear that the righteousness required for salvation is not our own but is found solely in Christ's perfect obedience. Romans 5:19 declares, 'For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' This highlights that it is through Christ's act of obedience—His life lived perfectly in accordance with God's law—that believers are counted righteous before God. This central truth of imputed righteousness is foundational to Reformed theology, which rejects any notion that our own obedience can contribute to our standing before God.

This theological perspective encourages believers to look away from their own efforts and to fully rely on Christ's finished work for their justification. It secures the glory for salvation entirely in Christ alone, freeing us from the bondage of self-righteousness and enabling us to trust confidently in God's grace. Therefore, the assurance of justification rests not on our frail attempts at obedience, but on Christ's perfect obedience which God graciously counts as ours.