Q. 59: How art thou righteous before God?
A. Only by faith in Christ Jesus. So that although my conscience accuse me that I have grievously trespassed against all the commandments of God, and have not kept one of them,¹ and further am as yet prone to all evil;² yet notwithstanding, if I embrace these benefits of Christ with a true confidence and persuasion of mind, the full and perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ,³ without any merit of mine,⁴ of the mere mercy of God,⁵ is imputed⁶ and given unto me, and that so, as if neither I had committed any sin, neither any corruption did stick unto me; yea, as if I myself had perfectly accomplished that obedience which Christ accomplished for me.⁷
¹ Rom. 3:9
² Rom. 7:23
³ Rom. 3:22; John 3:18
⁴ Tit. 3:5; Eph. 2:8–9
⁵ Rom. 3:24; Deut. 9:5–6; Ezek. 36:22
⁶ 1 John 2:1; Rom. 4:4–5; 2 Cor. 5:19
⁷ 2 Cor. 5:21
Orthodox (Baptist) Catechism