Righteousness
26 May 2013 AM – Romans 3:21-31 – Scott Childs
Introduction: If you were going in for an operation, you would want the surgeon’s tools to be completely sterile. One germ could endanger your life. Likewise, righteousness must be completely sinless. One tiny sin would pollute it.
Transition: This morning we are going to examine the righteousness required to go to heaven.
I. The Source of Righteousness (21-22a)
A. Righteousness is of God
1. God has provided this righteousness apart from the Law.
The “righteousness of God” here refers to God’s method of bringing people into right relationship with Himself. (Constable’s Notes)
2. To be right in the eyes of God, we need His righteousness. Only God can provide this.
B. Righteousness is without the law
1. This means we cannot earn righteousness by keeping the law. He already proved this in the previous verses.
2. The gospel makes known a way to get right with God without perfectly keeping the law.
3. This was witnessed or reported in the law and the prophets (the whole Old Testament).
C. Righteousness is by faith in Jesus Christ
1. Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again to provide righteousness for the human race.
2. This righteousness comes by believing that Jesus Christ paid sin’s debt and receiving His payment.
II. The Sufficiency of Righteousness (22b-23)
A. It is sufficient for everyone
1. It is unto all.
a) The heresy called “limited atonement” teaches that Jesus only died for those He chose. That is not what the Bible says.
b) The Bible says Jesus died for all.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
2. It is upon all who believe.
a) He promises to place His righteousness upon all who believe.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
b) Faith in Christ’s atonement is the key.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
B. There are no exceptions
1. God makes no distinction between believers. Whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, educated or ignorant, Christ will place His righteous on all who believe on Him alone for salvation.
2. Every sinner must come to God at the same level, humble and repentant.
3. All have sinned or missed the mark (23).
4. Missing perfection causes them to lack the glory of God – the perfect character of God’s righteousness.
III. The Supply of Righteousness (24-25a)
Here Paul speaks of those who have believed on Christ. They have been justified or made right with God.
A. Justification is free
1. Justification is not for sale. You cannot earn it by being good.
2. God gives His justification as a free gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. The word “free” also implies that it is undeserved.
B. Justification is free because Christ paid for it.
1. We can only receive justification by grace. Grace is unearned divine help. God reached down to sinful man and paid his sin debt for him. That is grace!
2. He paid our debt through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Redemption is a deliverance obtained by purchase. Christ bought our freedom.
3. God planned this redemption as propitiation (satisfactory payment) through faith in Christ’s blood.
a) Sin had to be punished.
b) A price had to be paid.
c) Christ’s redemption on the cross satisfied the wrath of God against my sin and yours. Nothing but the blood of the eternal God the Son could propitiate our sin.
If Jesus is not the eternal God, He could not have paid sins’ eternal debt for the entire human race. Do not be deceived by the false teachings of the cults.
IV. The Show of Righteousness (25b-26)
God planned that faith in Christ’s blood would satisfy all His holy demands for punishment. God did this for two reasons.
A. To declare His righteousness for past sins
1. Before Christ died and rose again, many generations of god-fearing people sacrificed animals to cover their sins as God had prescribed.
2. Since the fall of Adam and Eve, God had shown forbearance or toleration toward man’s sins that were covered by the blood of sacrificial animals.
3. Christ, God the Son, satisfied completely God’s holy demands for punishment of sin. The death and resurrection of the eternal Son of God paid for every sin that had been covered by the blood of animals.
4. This declares or shows that God’s forgiveness is righteous because every debt was paid in full.
B. To declare His righteousness for present sins
1. At this time (after Christ died and rose again), God justifies those who place their faith in the blood of Christ to pay their sin’s debt.
2. He is able to do this because Christ, the eternal, sinless Son of God, shed His blood to propitiate for all the sins of the entire human race.
1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3. This is just or righteous because the full debt was paid. This declares or shows that God’s forgiveness of believers is righteous.
V. The Solution of Righteousness (27-31)
Christ’s atonement enables God to apply His righteousness to the sinner’s life when he by faith admits his guilt and places his full trust in Christ for cleansing.
A. Faith in Christ’s blood justifies sinners
1. Man must be justified by faith because he cannot perfectly keep the law.
a) We must believe that we are doomed sinners who are unable to perfectly keep the law.
Ecclesiastes 7:20 For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
b) We must believe that Christ, God the Son, shed His blood and paid sin’s debt in full.
c) We must receive Christ’s gift by faith.
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
2. No one can boast when he receives salvation by faith. It is God’s gift to believers.
B. The Law is not void, it is established
1. The Mosaic Law revealed God’s perfect standard, which no man can maintain from birth until death.
2. The Mosaic Law was never a means of salvation. Salvation has always been by faith in God. The Law’s purpose was to point men to their need of Christ. That is exactly what it does.
Conclusion: Christ is the only source of righteousness. His righteousness is totally sufficient for every sinner. He supplies His righteousness freely. Because He paid sin’s debt in full, He is 100% just when He applies His righteousness to a repentant sinner. Not only is this the best solution, it is the only solution.
Have you been washed in the blood of the Lamb of God and given God’s righteousness? Trusting your religious life or good deeds to get you to heaven is rebellion against God. If you are not 100% sure you have God’s righteousness, trust Jesus today.
Song: There is Power in the Blood – 198