The Righteousness of Christ

To Romans chapter three. We're going to begin reading in verse 19 Romans chapter three and verse 19. If you say pastor, I've heard this passage before. It's because you have. Hopefully, you've heard it or read it a lot of times before.

But we've been on parts of this passage for the last couple of weeks. Verse 19, Romans three. Now, we know that what things so over the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin.

But now, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace to the redemption that it is in Christ Jesus whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay, but by the law of faith.

Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he that, is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing it is one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith.

Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid, yea, we establish the law. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word. Thank you for Jesus Christ, the righteous one, the son of God, the savior of the world who came and died on the cross and gave his life and shed his blood to pay the price for our sins and we thank you Lord for the opportunity that you have given us, the gift that you have given us in Christ Jesus to know you.

And to receive your forgiveness and pardon. To be given this wonderful, amazing gift of eternal life and a home in heaven that you have prepared prepared for those that love you. Lord, we thank you for your love for us today and what you did for us. May our love as children of God grow for you as we realize more and more each day what it is that you have done for us and Lord, we pray if there be one here today that doesn't know you. We pray that today would be their day of salvation in Jesus name.

Amen. Romans chapter three Actually, Romans one, two, and three up to verse 19 and as we read in verse nineteen and twenty, Paul has been showing this, for all have what? Sinned and come short of the glory of God. The law cannot save us. The law can only what?

Condemn us. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified. And then we get to verse 21 and I emphasize this last week. I'll do it again this morning. The first two words of verse 21 but now, but now.

After Paul spent time proving, setting forth the argument that are all are under sin and therefore all are condemned by it. At this juncture, a of total hopelessness is it it is at this juncture of total hopelessness that God moves into the picture to save condemned humanity. But now, God. But now, God. If as I said, I think last week, if it stopped at verse 20, then the gospel would not be the good news.

The gospel would be the bad news but the gospel is not bad news. The gospel is good news because now, God has done something amazing to provide salvation, justification, redemption for lost humanity that we might be saved from our sin, from its penalty in hell. Through Jesus Christ, the righteous one. When all is lost, God comes to the rescue of his fallen creation. With the answer, for ordained, before the foundation of the world, first Peter one twenty, That answer is Jesus.

The seed of the woman to crush the head of the serpent. Genesis three fifteen. The child born, the son given to rule a redeemed mankind as the prince of peace, Isaiah nine, six, and seven. The Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus, born of a virgin, Mary, to save his people from their sins.

The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities. The only way to the father, indeed, the Lord, our righteousness, the Lord, our righteousness. What does the word righteous mean? Who is righteous?

What is righteousness? Righteousness is goodness. Righteous, the word righteous means good. It means holy. It means acceptable.

Acceptable to who? Acceptable to God. The word righteous means fair and equitable. Fair and equitable. Always doing that which is right, fair, and equitable in our dealings with others.

The word righteous means without sin. And none of our us are righteous. No, not what? One. Except for Jesus Christ who is not only a man but also the God of heaven.

The savior of the world, who is without sin. He came to provide us with the righteousness that we do not have. He came to provide justification for those who stood guilty before the judge of the universe and that was me. Justification, a legal term whereby God declares someone free of guilt, of fault, or guilt. Innocent and acceptable in the sight of who?

God. In other words, righteous. We who have been condemned already by our sins. Christ Jesus has declared guiltless by his sacrifice on the cross and we by faith have received that new standing before God in heaven because Jesus hung on the cross in our place. Want us to see three points here from this passage today.

Point number one, the righteousness of God is apart from the law. The righteousness that brings salvation, that results in justification before the God of heaven is as Paul says, apart from the law. Again, verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested or revealed being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The righteousness of God that brings justification and salvation is apart from the law. That was revealed, made manifest in Christ Jesus in his righteous character. The one without sin and his offer of redemption via the cross apart from the deeds of the law. Galatians two sixteen.

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ. Even we, Hebrews, who had the law, have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law shall no flesh be what? Justified.

The righteousness of God that brings salvation is not earned by keeping the law. It is not revealed in us by keeping the law. No, what is revealed in us by the law is that we can't keep the law and that we need a what? And that we need a savior. That is what is revealed by the law and even the Jews who had the law could not be saved by it.

They too had to believe in who? Jesus Christ and put their faith in him. The righteousness of Christ is in contrast to the unrighteousness of man. One is holy and acceptable. The other is corruptible and unacceptable.

We have a contrast here. Mankind unacceptable. Why? Because of sin. Because we sin against almighty God because we are depraved and corrupted by sin.

Jesus Christ, on the other hand, without sin, is acceptable to his heavenly father And he took our what? And he took our place. Romans ten three says, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness are going about to establish their what? Own righteousness. Have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

If you're going about trying to get to heaven by your own righteousness, by keeping the law, by doing good works, by earning God's favor, you are only making matters what? Worse. By trying to get to heaven through your own righteous works, you are rejecting the righteousness of who? The righteousness of God and the righteousness of Christ. By which you can be saved and forgiven.

We bought some peaches last week and they were really good. I really like peaches but you know what happens to peaches after just a few days? They rot pretty quick. Once they get ripe, you better eat the peach because you got about a day or two and then the peach turns what? The bad.

The peach, it turns bad. It decays. It and then it's just good to be thrown in the garbage and once the peach turns bad, once it decays, once it starts to rot, then is there anything you can do to undo it? No, you can't. All it's good for is to be what?

Thrown in the garbage. The same thing is true with humanity, I'm afraid to say. The sin entered into humanity and it rotted us from the inside out. Humanity humanity is rotten and there is nothing we can do to make ourselves acceptable to who? Acceptable to God but to be cast out of his presence.

Place called the Lake Of Fire but there was something that who could do, that God could do, that Jesus could do, and that was he could give his life in our place. That he could redeem us and that he could regenerate us. Not something that we could do but something that he could do if we would accept his offer of salvation and his work of redemption on the cross. If we would receive the righteousness of who? Jesus Christ because see, our righteousness, well, we're rotten, okay?

So, our righteousness, it just isn't good enough but Jesus Christ had no blemish, no rottenness, no decay, no corruption. He was acceptable to God and therefore, could take your place and mine and offer us his righteousness. To our account, that we might be justified before God in heaven. This righteousness cannot be attained through the laws witnessed by the law and the prophets. By the law and the prophets who recorded the failings of Israel to keep it.

Read through the Old Testament and and in Exodus at Mount Sinai, God gave Israel the Mosaic Law, the 10 commandments amongst it, and He said, if you will stay true to me then I will give you the land and you'll never leave But if you turn from me to idols, if you turn away, if you do not obey my word and my law, then I will do what? I will cast you out of the land and scatter you throughout the nations. And the majority of the Old Testament is the story of how that came about. God chose Abraham and he chose Isaac and he chose Jacob and he redeemed Israel from Egypt from slavery in Egypt. He brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey.

He gave them his law. And over the next several hundred years, they strayed and they strayed and they strayed and they strayed and they strayed and they could not keep the what? They could not keep the law. They were a failure. That is what the law and the prophets reveals to us.

The law and the prophets reveals to us the necessity of perpetual sacrifices to cover it. God made a way for Israel when they failed if they would repent to come to the Lord and have their sins covered by the sacrificing of bulls and goats and lambs and and animals. And they had to make these sacrifices how often? Perpetually. Every day, there were sacrifices on the altar at the temple.

Every day, sacrifices being made to atone for the sins. Every year, the day of atonement. They had to do it again. Why? Because the law, the law cannot save anyone and man continually failed and thus, the innocent blood of the lamb had to be shed in behalf of the man who had sinned.

A foreshadowing of the lamb of God who would die on the cross to take away the sin of the world. The law and the prophets recorded the promises of God to send that righteous redeemer to provide the way of salvation by faith in him. Romans one says 17, for the just or the justified shall live by what? Faith and not by works. Abraham was redeemed by his faith, not by his what?

Not by his works. He believed God and it was accounted to him for what? For righteousness. The righteousness that mankind needs is apart from the law. It's not earned by the keeping of the law.

It is received by faith as a gift from God, from the savior, the righteous one who died in our place. Number two, the righteousness of God is by faith. Faith in Jesus Christ. Faith is a very important Bible doctrine. Faith is the key that opens the door of heaven.

Faith is mentioned often in this passage. Look if you would in verse 22. Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference. Look, if you would down in verse 25, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, his blood shed on Calvary, his righteous blood on shed on Calvary for the remission of sins. Look, if you would, down in verse 26 to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and believer of him which believeth in Jesus.

By the way, when you see the word believe and you see the word faith in the in the New Testament, they come from the same root word in the Greek. One is the noun form and one is the verb form, okay? To believe means to have what? Faith. Okay, faith is belief.

The two words are used synonymously in the New Testament, okay? So, when you see believe, think faith. When you see faith, think believe. Look if you would down in verse 27, whereas boasting then is excluded by what law of works, nay, but by the law of faith. Verse 28, therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith.

Look, if you would in verse 30 seen as one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith, okay? How are we saved by what? Faith. Not by the works of law. How are we justified by faith?

How do we receive the righteousness of God by faith? Faith, what does it mean? It means to trust. It means to believe. Particularly in something or someone to be of character or to perform a particular action without quantifiable or visible proof, okay?

Long definition, it's mine. I don't think I copied it out anywhere. Let me read it to you again. Faith is to trust or believe in something or someone to be of a particular character or to perform a particular action without quantifiable or visible proof. Do you have visible proof that Jesus Christ save your soul?

No. Do you know that Jesus Christ save your soul? How? Faith Hebrews eleven one. Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

The only means of obtaining the righteousness of Christ and of a saving relationship with God is through faith. It cannot be proved. It must be accepted by faith. Is there evidence? Oh, there is much evidence.

It is not a blind faith. It is a faith supported by the evidence of the sinfulness of mankind, of the world created by God, of a savior who was foretold to come and die for the sins of mankind, who rose again from the what? From the dead, and therefore, ascended back into heaven where he intercedes for all who come to him by faith. There is two thousand years of evidence that the salvation and redemption of lost souls. There is an abundance of evidence but it must be taken by faith but without faith, verse six, but without faith, it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith in whom faith in Jesus Christ right here. People throw around the word faith a lot today and a lot of times I I know I was watching the Olympic trials a few weeks ago and there were actually a few of the athletes they interviewed that seemed to have some genuine testimony. It was that was encouraging but often times, the athletes talk about faith but they're not talking about faith in God. They're talking about faith in whom? Their faith in themselves or their faith in their trainer, their faith that if they put in the work and effort, it'll all work out.

Okay? Now, that kind of faith is important if you are going to win the 100 meter dash, okay? But that faith does not save you from what? Sin in hell, okay? That's not the faith we're talking about.

The object of that faith is what is most important. Faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ who? Jesus Christ, the righteous. The righteous one.

The object of faith saving faith and the source of all true rightness, righteousness. In order to be made acceptable to God, we must be robed in the righteousness of who? Jesus Christ. Philippians three eight nine, yea doubtless, I count all things but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ and be found in him. Not having mine own what?

Righteousness which is of the law but that which is through faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Paul said, as a Jew, as a young man, I studied the law. I I tried to keep the law. I thought I was earning God's favor by doing so and then I realized it was completely and utterly what? Worthless.

Worthless. It was garbage. My effort to keep the law could not save me. My righteousness was not sufficient and I do count all of that is nothing. That I may receive what is truly of value.

The righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ. 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. Faith in Jesus Christ, the righteous. Faith in Jesus Christ, the redeemer. Jesus Christ, the redeemer.

In verse 24, it says, being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is the purchaser of man's freedom from sin's tyranny. He is the only one who can pay the price, his blood, to redeem fallen man from his most cruel task master. Sin and death and Satan. Only Jesus Christ could buy us back.

You see in the Garden Of Eden, Satan robbed God. Man sinned. Satan tried to steal away God's most precious treasure and make it his own. Build his own kingdom on earth in defiance. Of God with us but Jesus Christ came to buy us back, to purchase us back, and the price, his death.

The death of a righteous savior on the cross. The shedding of his innocent blood. Foreshadowed by the sacrifices in the Old Testament. But fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the righteous one. Ephesians one six and seven.

To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. That is in God's family. He has made us acceptable. In whom we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace.

Not by works of righteousness which he has done but according to his mercy, he saved us. First Timothy two five and six, for there is one mediate, one God, and one mediator between God and man, man, the man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time. The idea of ransom and redemption are very close. Jesus Christ is the ransom. Satan was holding us for what?

Ransom. The payment that was required to redeem us back from Satan was the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary to atone for the sins of mankind and Jesus Christ willingly paid that ransom for you and for me. First Peter 118 through 20, for as much as you know that you were not redeemed, bought back with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as the lamb without blemish, without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest or made manifest in these last times for you. Did Satan take God by surprise in the Garden Of Eden? Did he not did not, yes, God knew.

And God was already what? Prepared. He had a plan. To redeem his creation back. From his enemy, Satan.

To the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary that we might receive his righteousness and be justified in his sight. Faith in Jesus Christ, the righteous. Faith in Jesus Christ, the redeemer. Faith in Jesus Christ, the propitiation. Look, if you would in verse 25, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God.

Jesus Christ is our propitiation. That means, Christ is the substitutionary sacrifice that propitiates or satisfies the righteous wrath of a holy God. Atoning for the sins of fallen man and thereby bringing peace between God and men. Has is God justified in his wrath against sinful man? Yes, he is.

Why? Because he created us innocent and holy to bring glory to his name and to fellowship with him and man did what? And man rebelled and chose sin instead. God is certainly justified in his wrath. God is a holy God and he cannot stand sin.

He is a just God and he must deal with sin. Breaking the law incurs a what? A penalty. Now, if you go out and you steal somebody's car, and you get caught, and by the way, all sinners get caught in the eyes of who? God.

Be sure your sin will find you out. But if you get caught stealing a car and you get dragged before the judge is the judge justified in sentencing you? Or finding you? Yes, he is. Because you broke the law.

Is it the judge's fault? Is it the policeman's fault that arrested you? No, it's your fault. And the judge is completely justified. In setting forth the penalty that you must pay.

The penalty that we must pay for sin, we cannot pay except by an eternity in the lake of fire. But Jesus Christ could pay. Because he was righteous. And because he did not incur that penalty upon himself. By sin.

Therefore, he could pay the price. Let's say you went before the judge and you had stolen the car and the judge said you have a choice. You can either pay a fine of a million dollars or you can go to jail for ten years. Now, I don't know about you, but I couldn't even pay one tenth of the million dollar fine. So, that means I would have to go to what?

Jail and there's nothing I could do to stop it. You know, it's the way it is. The payment that must be paid for our redemption is holiness and righteousness. A righteous sacrifice in payment and we cannot pay that penalty. We do not have that righteousness.

We can't pay it and so the only other result is a place called the what? The Lake Of Fire. But Jesus Christ, the righteous one, could pay it. And he did pay it. On the cross of Calvary.

And it will be accounted to all who put their what? Faith and trust in him. You see, you could be in that courtroom and you can't pay that million dollars and you're all set to go to jail and somebody stands up and says, I have a million. I'll pay it. Will you accept my payment in your behalf?

What are you going to say? No. I'd rather go to jail. How sad it is that so many people reject the gift of God and the grace of God The offer of paying the penalties that no one else can pay. Jesus Christ who suffered on Calvary's Cross to satisfy the just wrath of God on sin.

That we might be brought together to God in peace. First John two one and two. Okay, now it doesn't want to work. Alright. I'll get there.

Hold on just a second. Here we go. My little children, these things write unto you that you sin not and if any man sin, we have an advocate like a defense attorney with the father Jesus Christ, the what? The righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the world. We who are in Christ Jesus sad to say, sometimes we still what?

We still sin. But we have an advocate in heaven. Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of the father, who says to the father, but I paid for that sin. I paid that price. They are under the blood of Jesus Christ.

Here in his love, not that we love God but he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins and then our faith must be in Jesus Christ the justifier. For only through the righteousness of Christ can any hope to be declared righteous and innocent before a holy God. We are justified therefore on account of God of the grace of God and not the works of man or the deeds of the law. So, again, the righteousness apart from the what? A law.

The righteousness of God which is by faith in who? Jesus Christ and the righteousness of God which excludes why? Includes boasting. Look, if you would hear again, verse 27, where is boasting then? It is excluded by what law of works?

No. But by the law of faith. Because none of us can say, I earned it. None of us can say, I deserve it. All we can say is, God gave it.

God sent his son to die for me. All we can do is to give God the glory for it is by his grace and not by my works. That I am part of his church. It is by faith without the deeds of the law. We're saved by grace through faith and that not ourselves.

It's the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast. It is by faith without distinction of Jew or Gentile. Verse 29, is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Verse 30 seen in his one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision by faith.

It's not your heritage. It is God's grace received by faith in his son. It is not by your works. It is by God's grace received through faith. In his son.

John one eleven through 13. He came unto his own and his own received him not 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, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of who? But of God. I praise God this morning. That by his grace, he sent his son to die on the cross, to redeem fallen man, you and me from our sins, so that we might be saved and have a home in heaven.

Praise God for his undescribable gift to us in Jesus Christ and if you're here today and you're trusting in your good works, I plead with you, you can't get to heaven that way. If you're here today and you're trusting in your heritage, I plead with you, you can't get to heaven that way. If you're here today and you're trusting in the waters of baptism, I plead with you, you cannot get to heaven that way. Faith in water will not save you. Faith in Jesus.

Will. And I plead with you as we sing of a hymn of invitation in just a moment. If you'll come, I'll meet you down here and I'll show you from God's word how you can be saved today and no one. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord for your word.

Thank you Lord for the righteous sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins. Lord, help us to realize further each day The immensity of the grace and mercy of God. And the righteousness of Jesus Christ in which we have been robed, which we have been saved, that we might be forgiven our sins. And Lord, we pray if there's one here today that's never trusted you, that's unsure, that they would not leave this place today until they make sure of their standing before God in heaven. That they have been justified, declared guiltless in Christ Jesus.

And do not still stand condemned in their sin. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.