The Righteousness of God

We would title today the sermon, God's Righteousness, Slash the Righteousness of God. And we're going to, in the sermon today, explain God's righteousness and the righteousness of God. The sermon today will explain one of the most difficult areas for people to grasp. I believe in the whole Bible. Confusion in this area has become the devil's playground. What if you were a devout Jew living in Palestine during the days of Christ? Picture yourself back there, somewhere around 10, 15, 20 AD, on up to the time that Christ's ministry actually began, somewhere around 30 AD. Here you are, a devout Jew living in what we call today Palestine. You've been taught all your life that righteousness is attained by being circumcised and keeping the commandments of God. That's what you have been taught. You need to be circumcised, and you must keep the commandments. Now, up front, let us say, I want us to be turning to Deuteronomy 6. Up front, let us say that what we say here today in no way says should not be construed to mean that we should not keep God's commandments, and I think that will be clear. But in Deuteronomy 6 and verse 1, Now these are the commandments, the statues, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you that you might do them in the land where you go to possess it. That you might fear the eternal your God to keep all His statues and His commandments, which I command you and your Son, and your Son's Son, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. Here therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it, that it may be well with you, and that you might increase mightily as the eternal God of your fathers has promised you in the land that flows with milk and honey. So they were to... I'll hold your place right there. I want to look at verse 25 in conjunction with this. Verse 25, "...and it shall be our righteousness, it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us." Now, we go back there to the first part where we're left off reading what is called in Shema verse 4. In addition to being taught, you need to be circumcised. "...and that your righteousness is attained through obeying the law of God." You're also led to believe, though the proper translation of this Scripture is debated to this day by scholars, in which they have basically come to the point to say that you cannot prove singularity in the Godhead from this Scripture. But verse 4, "...hear O Israel, the eternal our God is one Lord." And many of the other translations say, "...hear O Israel, the eternal our God is God alone." And notice the differences in the use of the word that is translated, Lord or God. The eternal, that is Yahweh, the ever-living one, the one who was, who is, who is to come. The eternal our, and that next Hebrew word that is translated God is Elohim. Elohim within itself can be plural, as in Genesis 1.26, where God said, "...let us make men in our image." Elohim said, let us make man in our image. "...hear O Israel, the eternal our Elohim is one eternal." And as I said, many translations today translated, the eternal our God is God alone. Of course, we know that the one who became Jesus Christ is the one who interfaced with Israel. Jesus says in John 5 that, "...you have not heard his voice nor seen his shape at any time." We'll probably read that verse later. But you were taught at least these three main things. Circumcise, keep the law to be righteous, there is one God.

Even though the Old Testament is filled with messianic prophecies that described a suffering Messiah who would come to redeem them and pay for their sins, you read this in Isaiah 53. You also read it in Psalm 22, describing very much what he went through as he suffered becoming the one who paid the penalty for our sins. But even though those prophecies are there, the majority of the people, including the leaders, did not accept Jesus. Jesus came teaching a radically different way for attaining unto righteousness in one sense. There were four main Jewish sects, S-E-C-T-S, the Pharisees who believed in life hereafter, and for sure they taught that righteousness is attained through good works. You remember the account where the Pharisee boasts, I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. So that was one of the main sects and the leading one during the days of Jesus. Along with the Pharisees were the scribes. I don't know if you would exactly class them as a distinct sect of themselves. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection. No life after death, and the Zealots and the Herodians. The Herodians believed that through the Herod's Israel would be restored to the prominence they enjoyed that was prophesied in the Old Testament. All of these sects took pride in the Scriptures, thought they were better than everyone else, because God had chosen them and given them His holy Scriptures. So let's look at this in John 5, verse 31. I paraphrased one of these verses already, about you've neither seen His shape or heard His voice. So let's go to John 5, verse 31. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. You're supposed to have two or more to have the word confirmed. There is another that bears witness of me, and I know that that witness, which he witnesses of me, is true. He sent unto John, and he bear witness unto the truth. But I receive not witness, record, testimony from man, but these things I say that you might be saved. He was a burning and shining light, and that is John the Baptist. And you were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John, for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

And the Father himself which has sent me is more in witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. But of course, there are recorded in the Old Testament several theophanies. A theophany is a God appearance, as in Deuteronomy 18, where Yahweh appears to Abraham. Abraham even eventually kills the fatted calf, and they have a meal, and so on.

Search the Scriptures for in them, you see, keeping the commandments that is your righteousness. Search the Scriptures for you believe in them, you have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me, and you will not come to me that you might have life. And the Scriptures were ordained for life, but the Scriptures do not give life in and of themselves. We'll probably read that later in Galatians 3. That point needs to be well taken. The message, the contents of this sermon, will increase your understanding in a lot of areas if you really grasp it. So remember we read Deuteronomy 6.25, and I'll read it here.

And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the eternal our Elohim, as He has commanded us. Even though the prophecies were there, and there was great anticipation and expectation of a Messiah, they did not expect to receive the one who came to save them out of their works. Judaism became a religion of works, and the Pharisees epitomized righteousness through works, boasting of their works, as we've already noticed. Paul summarizes their position in Romans 10. So let's go to Romans chapter 10. The position of the Pharisees. And for that matter, basically all the Jewish sects would fall into this because obviously they read the Pentateuch. They read Deuteronomy 6.25, and that's just one of the many scriptures that could be noted.

Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, for being ignorant of God's righteousness. And we're going to discuss that. This is not necessarily talking about God's righteousness in the sense that God is righteous, which He is, and we'll talk about that. But it is the method whereby we can be made righteous. The method whereby we can be justified and be at one with God.

For being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. And in this case, as we shall see, the righteousness of God has to do with the righteousness that is offered through God's process for justification.

Note this, For Christ is the ... And then you see this word end in the King James, the Greek word is telos, T-E-L-O-S. And it means, it can mean one of the meanings, can mean the end, but the primary and more significant meaning is result or outcome. Do not let this escape you, because some would use this verse, and I've heard Protestant ministers try to use it to say the law is done away with. For Christ is the result or outcome of the law. Christ is the result or outcome of the law for righteousness. For Christ is the result or outcome of the law for righteousness. For Christ is the outcome or result of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, which we read in Romans 6, 25, that the man which does these things shall live by them. So this verse summarizes the two ways, or these verses, summarizes the two ways, of righteousness that's mentioned in the Bible. The righteousness of the law versus the righteousness of God. But when you come to understand the total picture, it's not versus, it is that it goes together. But there is a radical change that came about when Jesus Christ came on the scene. Today we have people who are what is being termed as moralists. They base their salvation on being a good person and doing works of service. And so many of the people who become rich, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, you can name several other celebrities, who develop foundations, they have great philanthropic works, they build schools, they help the poor, and it goes on and on. The former mayor of New York City is such a person. Here is what he recently stated, have this in this article here. The false gospel of moralism. Heaven, the abode of God, a place of bliss and serenity, is the final destination desired by 81% of the respondents in a poll conducted by Barna Research Group. They say they expect to go to heaven when they die. 81% expect to go to heaven when they die.

When asked how do you get to heaven, many people reply, be a good person and do good deeds. That's the gospel of moralism or being a great philanthropist. Recently, former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg asserted he has little doubt about what waits him at Judgment Day, pointing to his work on gun safety, obesity, and smoking cessation. He said during a recent interview with the New York Times, quote, I'm telling you, if there is a God when I get to heaven, I'm not stopping to be interviewed. I'm headed straight in. I've earned my place in heaven. It's not even close.

As one of his good works, earning him a place in heaven was that Bloomberg recently pledged $50 million to support gun control in the U.S. So that's an example of modern day, because Bloomberg is a Jew.

And he owns the Bloomberg network that you see on DirecTV, Channel 353. A lot of the cable companies also carry Bloomberg.

The Apostle Paul traces the great transition of how one may attain under righteousness back to Noah and Abraham.

A great transition.

And these two, Noah and Abraham, are used in the Bible as examples of those who were justified, those that were accounted righteous because of their faith.

Now, you look at the Bible before we turn to some of those scriptures. Look at Matthew 7 in response to Mayor Bloomberg and others in Matthew 7, verse 22.

They are named on many wonderful works, and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me you that work iniquity. Therefore, whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man that built his house upon a rock.

So there is the element of faith, and there is the element of belief.

And they go hand in hand.

Verse 25, the rain descended, the floods came, the winds blew, and heat beat up on the house, it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock. And everyone that hears these sayings of mine, and does them, and does them not, shall be liken unto the foolish man who built his house upon the sand.

And when the trials came, the house fell.

Verse 28, it came to pass, when Jesus had ended this saying, that people were astonished at his doctrine, his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Apostle Paul traces the great transition of how one may attain unto righteousness.

As I said back to Noah and Abraham.

Look at Hebrews 11.

In Hebrews 11, the great men and women of faith are chronicled.

You have to stay with it to get the background leading into what this is all about.

Hopefully you already have the flavor.

In Hebrews 11.7, by faith Noah, being warned of God, things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned or judged the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is of the law. No, it says, became heir of the righteousness which is of faith.

The righteousness which is of faith.

The example of Abraham is used by Jesus and the apostles.

Go to Romans chapter 4 now.

Abraham believed God. He exercised faith. He believed God and did what God said.

As I've said many times, the simplest definition of faith is to believe God and do what he says.

Paul, in Romans, and currently I've been teaching Romans a ministerial online class for weeks, and we'll continue to see in Romans chapter 10, goes to great links about how a person is justified.

And the great conundrum comes, and the great difficulty comes, when the religious world tries to say that it is by faith alone without obedience.

Just believe that Jesus did it. Hopefully we can follow this to see what is really being said.

Romans 4.1. What shall we say then that Abraham our father as pertaining to the flesh has found?

What can we say about Abraham and his righteousness?

For if Abraham were justified by works, he as were of the glory but not before God. See, Abraham was, God somehow revealed himself to Abraham, when Abraham was still in the land of Ur of the Chaldees beyond the river, and he revealed himself to Abraham to the point that he said, Abraham, get up out of this country, go into a country that I will show you, and you will be the father of many nations, which we'll come back to. When did Abraham do this?

For if Abraham were justified by works, he as were of the glory but not before God. In other words, Abraham didn't do anything to receive this divine favor. God chose him. God elected him. God told him what to do, and Abraham acted on it. For what says the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness. This word that is translated counted is Logidzamahii, L-O-G-I-Z-O-M-A-I, Logidzamahii. It means to reckon or to put on one's account. It does not mean, and in some cases it is translated impute, it doesn't mean that God says, okay, I take my righteousness off of me and I hand it to you.

God is saying, because Abraham believed me and did what it said, I laid this to his account. He was favored by me.

Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt. Now go to verse 9.

Of course, the argument continues. We can't read every last verse. Comes this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the circumcision, uncircumcision also, for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. Follow the argument. How was it then reckoned? When he was in circumcise, when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Was it reckoned before he was circumcised or after? Paul states, and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised. In other words, before he was circumcised, that he might be the father of all of them that believe, though they be not circumcised, that righteousness might be reckoned. Here's this word once again, laggid zamahih, that it might be reckoned or laid to his account unto them also. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only. So in other words, you and Gentile, they're all justified the same way. But who also walk in the steps of that faith of the father, of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised? So it was accounted to him as righteousness before he was circumcised. For the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

For if they were not of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of non-effect. The faith element is there. Because the law works wrath, or as the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, but to them which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Now, you can get confused and lost in some of Paul's wordings, but essentially he's saying that Abraham acted on faith and believed what God said his promises before he was circumcised, and that God is not a respecter of persons, that in the same way that Abraham was, that it was accounted unto him for righteousness through faith, that the Gentiles also can be justified in the same way, all people.

Righteousness was reckoned to his account because he believed God and did what he said.

That is why Abraham is called the father of the faithful. Hopefully we can understand the full import of what is being conveyed by these statements.

So we see that righteousness is centered on faith. Now, Paul knew...let's turn to Galatians chapter 2. And Paul knew that in his writings that some would jump to the conclusion that, okay, Paul is saying that the law is done away with and you don't have to obey.

Now, Paul's writings...he is so engrossed. He was the apostle to the Gentiles. And this thing of how a person is justified, that it's almost taken for granted that you know you've got to repent. But how can you be justified? Justified means that your debt has been paid. What is the debt? The debt is death because the wages of sin is death. Galatians 2 verse 16, "...knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith in Jesus Christ." Now, I've asked you to do this before.

I doubt that many did it. I don't know. If you draw a line down the middle of your paper, and on the one hand, the left hand, you put in your sins. On the right hand, you write, justified. How do you cross from in your sins to justified? So at the top of this line, repentance, and at the bottom, faith in Christ.

That's how you pass from in your sins to being justified. Repent and exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ. Now, you have to understand, the only way that sin can be paid for since the wages of sin is death, is through a death. And so, Jesus Christ came and he died for our sins, so we would not have to die.

And even if I or you, from the time we were convicted, began to perfectly obey the law of God, that would not pay for sins that are passed. The death penalty would still be on our head. No one is redeemed, as no one has bought us back.

So we continue here. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ, that we might be justified by the faith in Christ, that not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law, shall no flesh be justified. Perfect obedience won't get you there, so that you can be the righteousness of God, the righteousness that is wrought through God's process, for becoming righteous.

But, see here he covers his base, but if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, see repentance at the top of the line, we ourselves are also found to be sinners, as therefore Christ, a minister of sin, God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. And of course, then, Christ would be the minister of sin. But he is not the minister of sin. He paid the price for sin a dear price. Now, look at Romans 10.

Once again, let's go back there. Romans 10. We're going to explore now this term. Before we go to Romans 3, we're going to explore this term, the righteousness of God. Hopefully you already understand it, that the transition to righteousness is not just what it was under the law covenant, but there there is this element of how sins can be remitted and you can be viewed as righteous. Verse 3, For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

The righteousness of God is attained through the process that he is ordained for justification. For, just as it says, for Christ is the result or outcome of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes. Now, righteousness means a right standing before God. As long as you're in your sins, you cannot have a right standing with God. And the only way that sin can be remitted is through faith in the sacrifice of Christ. So we want to carefully define our terms.

We can say, obviously, that God is righteous. There is no scripture in the Bible that just stands alone like a three-word verse, but we're going to turn to the two places where it says God is righteous or the Lord is righteous. See, when we say that God is righteous, that is His state of being. That is what He is. God is righteous. He is a perfect reflection of His law and everything that is holy, just, good, pure, and we could add other adjectives to it in describing righteousness.

God is a perfect reflection of His law. Look at Romans, not Romans, Psalm 119. Psalm 119 and verse 172. Psalm 119 and verse 172. My tongue shall speak of your word, for all your commandments are righteousness. And God is a perfect reflection of that righteousness. He is the great lawgiver, and He is a perfect reflection of His law. Now, look at Lamentations. We'll turn to the two places where you have those three words together of the Lord or God is righteous. Lamentations right after Ezekiel. I mean Jeremiah, right after Jeremiah.

Right after Jeremiah, Lamentations between Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Lamentations chapter 1 verse 18. The Eternal is righteous. That is His state of being. Now, how we become righteous, the righteousness of God has to do with the process whereby that we go through to become righteous. The Eternal is righteous. I have rebelled against His commandment. Here I pray you all people, behold, my sorrow, my virgins, my young men, are gone into captivity. Now, we look at Daniel 9 and verse 14 forward a few pages.

Daniel 9 and verse 14. Daniel makes the statement that God is righteous. Daniel 9, 14, Therefore hath the Eternal watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us. Why did He bring it upon them? For that because of their sins. For the Lord our God is righteous in all His works, which He does.

For we obey not His voice. So God is right in punishing Israel because He said, If you don't obey me and keep my commandments, I am going to punish you. And under the Old Covenant, as we have read, the basic path to righteousness was through commandment-keeping. That alone, in a sense. You know, it says in the Pentateuch, Oh, that there was such an heart in them that they would obey me and keep my commandments. But even that does not justify. As we have read from Paul in Romans 10, 3, and 4.

Righteousness in the New Testament does not center on God's state of being, but on the means by which a person can become righteous. The means by which a person can become righteous. Righteous in its most basic meaning is to have a right standing with God, to be right with God, to be justified.

For example, the Greek word δάκάος, δάκάος, there are four main Greek words that are translated either righteous or justified or justification in the New Testament. This Greek word, δάκάος, is 41 times translated righteous, 33 times just, 5 times right, 2 times meat, 81 times it's used. It means righteous observing divine laws, in a wide sense upright righteous virtue is keeping the commands of God. So that's a part of it. There's another Greek word, δάκάος, and it is used 40 times, 4 times translated as justify, 33 times as justified, 1 time as be freed, 1 time as be righteous, 1 time as justifier.

It means to render righteous or such he ought to be, to show or to present evidence of being righteous, to declare or pronounce one to be righteous or justified.

And the Greek word that is translated righteousness, δάκάος, is used 91 times. Now what it means when the righteousness of God, this is where δάκάος, the doctrine concerning the way in which man may attain a state approved of God. What is the doctrine, the way in which a man may attain a state approved by God? In the New Testament, the term the righteousness of God nearly always means a reference to the way in which one can attain unto a right standing before God. And that way is through repentance and faith in Christ Jesus. In other words, Paul is presenting the righteousness of God, how is it attained to you? They have not submitted to the righteousness of God. They've not submitted to the process whereby God has ordained that once attains a right standing before God. They go about trying to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted unto the righteousness of God, the righteousness that is revealed by God in the Scriptures as to how you can attain the right standing. The Jews rejected the Messiah and still reject Him to this day.

As I mentioned earlier, the Apostle Paul seems to almost take repentance for granted since he had been called to expound the righteousness of God through Christ, he was sent first and foremost to the Gentiles who had not had the law previously. They were not circumcised. They had not been taught, as the Jews had been taught, that righteousness is through commandment keeping. So he uses example of Abraham who believed God did what he said before he was circumcised. The reference to Noah that the righteousness was accounted to him through faith. So no amount of commandment keeping will pay for sin since the wages of sin is dead. We talked about that line. How do you cross over it? It is through repentance and faith in Christ. So the righteousness of God is that which is attained to through faith in Christ for justification. I can read it 50 times. I'll read it again. The righteousness of God is that which is attained to through faith in Christ for justification. You cannot be declared righteous apart from faith in Christ. No way! Now let's note these scriptures that take us step by step through the process of God's prescribed way to attain unto righteousness. Go to Romans chapter 3. This will tie in with what we read from Galatians 2, and we may go back to Galatians 2 as well. Please go to Romans 3. Remember Romans the first chapter? The Gentiles are taken to task. The second chapter, the Jews are taken to task. The third chapter, Paul begins to summarize that all have sinned. Come short of the glory of God, and he lays out the process that we might attain to the righteousness of God. That is, the prescribed way that God has given us for righteousness, to have a right standing before God.

Romans 3.22, Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of or in Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ. How do you attain in the righteousness of God? By faith in Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. You and Gentiles. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The only way that we can have a right standing before God, being justified, that is having the debt paid through redemption, the buying back power that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a perpetuation. He went in our stead. We didn't have to go. Through faith in his blood. Life is in the blood. He gave his life's blood. How do we move to that side of the line? Repentance, faith in the sacrifice of Christ. This is the prescribed way for attaining to the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God can be defined as a process. See, this is how God defines righteousness under the terms of the New Covenant. It's through faith. Whom God has set forth to be a perpetuation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness. See, God's righteousness in that he made a promise. He made a promise way back to Abraham that through your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Now, hold your place. Let's go to Genesis 12.

Genesis 12, verse 3, I will bless them that bless you and curse them that curse you. Of course, John, Hagia, and other evangelicals try to use this to show that Israel in the flesh should be supported. We'll be blessed if we support Israel in the flesh. That's not what this is talking about. And in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. How so? Now we go to Galatians chapter 3. We're coming back to Romans 3. In Galatians chapter 3. Galatians chapter 3, verse 14. That the blessing of Abraham might come on the nations through Jesus Christ. That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Brethren, I speak after the manner of men, though it be but a man's covenant. Yet if it be confirmed, no man dissinels or add thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He says, Not into seeds as of many, but as of one, and to your seed which is Christ.

Through the years in the Church, we have emphasized, in my view, too much the physical side of the promises to Abraham. And there are physical promises, and they are important. But the only way that all nations of the earth can be blessed, in all peoples, is through Christ. We note further here in Galatians, verse 21, that I referred to earlier, about the law. The law was ordained for life. The wages of sin is death. So if you break the law, you incur the death penalty. Verse 21, Galatians 3, is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been given a law which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. That which is written in a book in and of itself, search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life. But you will not come to me that you might have life. Remember Jesus' words from John 5. But the Scripture hath concluded all understand that the promise by faith in Jesus might be given to them that believe.

But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. Now, of course, the Protestant world jumps to the conclusion that thus the law is done away with. It doesn't know what he's saying at all, as we will see. But after that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many as you have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. There's neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither bond nor free, there's neither male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. If you be in Christ. See, that is the fulfillment of the promise given in Genesis 12.3, that through your seed, all the nations of the earth will be blessed.

Now we go back to Romans 3. To declare his righteousness. God has kept his promise. Jesus Christ has come. He has died for the sins of the world. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness, he kept his promise, he sent the Messiah, he has ordained a way whereby we can attain to the righteousness of God, that he might be just in the justifier of him who believes in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law works? No, but by the law of faith. And once again, that's where some jump off the deep end and say, okay, the law is not away with. That's not what he's saying. As I have said, on the left-hand side of that line, you could put perfect obedience. But perfect obedience will not move you to the right side. However, obedience, repentance is a part of it. Because you cannot say that you have faith if you will not obey. As James writes, faith without works is dead. Continuing, therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles and nations? Yes, of the nations also. Seeing it as one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith, do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid, yea, we establish the law. Now, it would be interesting to go around the audience and ask each person, how then is the law established by faith? Paul clearly says, do we make void the law? God forbid. We establish the law through faith. How so? Because that if the law were not in effect, there would be no need for Jesus Christ to come and pay the penalty for sin if the law were not in effect. Because the law is in effect, and because we have all sinned, and because the death penalty is on our head, we must have a redeemer, or we have to die ourselves. But he is our propituation. He went in our stead. For the Protestant ministers to get up and to preach about Jesus Christ dying for your sins, and at the same time saying that there is no law, is a farcical, oxymoronic, paradoxical, contradictory statement. All wrapped in one. The dramatic shift is from attaining to a right standing before God through observing all the elements of the law in contrast to faith in God and Christ. However, the spiritual law of the Old Covenant is retained. You go to Hebrews 8, verse 6. This is a vital scripture. Hardly anyone in the church—I've really never heard another minister speak on this. I've mentioned it from time to time in sermons, and if you have a class or a Bible study, it is so vital, especially back in the early 90s when this great debate was taking place, whether or not the law had been done away with. Psalm 19, verses 7 and 8 and 9 says that the law is perfect, converting the soul. Paul writes in Romans 7, verses 10 through 14, the law is holy, just, good. The law is spiritual. I'm carnal, soul under sin, so on. This Hebrews 8 is 6. But now hath he, that he being Jesus Christ, obtained a more excellent ministry by which, by how much also, he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was—and guess what that Greek word is for established? It is nomotheo, n-o-m-o. N-o-m-o-s is the Greek word for law.

N-o-m-o-t-e-o, which means furnished. A better covenant furnished with law. That's what it literally means. A better covenant, which was furnished with law, upon better promises.

We never forget that verse. That covenant is furnished with law. You can look in your concordance and see it.

The new man, the righteous man, is created in righteousness. Look at Ephesians 4 and verse 24. We are new creations. It is a spiritual creation. We talk about, I'm developing character. I didn't eat the chocolate cake. Now I have great character. I've resisted chocolate cake. That has almost nothing to do with character. It could in one way, if you're a glutton— or allergic to chocolate, I guess.

See, willpower is a wonderful thing up to a certain point, but if you think willpower is going to save you, you will come up short. In Ephesians 4, 24, let's start earlier in verse 20. But you have not learned, so learned, Christ, if so be that you have heard Him and have been taught of Him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conduct, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust. You keep him under the watery grave of baptism, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. And you go through that process—repentance, faith, and believing God, and doing what He says. If you repent, exercise faith in God, believe God, do what He says, the outcome, the result, is going to be holy righteous character created within you. You look at—I don't have that in my notes, pretty sure—1 Timothy chapter 1. 1 Timothy chapter 1, note this. In 1 Timothy chapter 1, I think it's long about verse 5. 1 Timothy 1 verse 4, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions rather than godly edifying, which is in faith so do. Now the—you see this word once again, end? It's talos. The same word that we read from Romans 10 verse 4, which says that Christ is the result or the outcome of righteousness.

Now the outcome or result of the commandment is charity, love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned. In other words, if you live by what God says to do, He will be creating within you His perfect holy righteous character.

We are a new creation. It is a spiritual creation. Does self-discipline and willpower play a role? Yes, it can, but that is not—you won't receive the outcome apart from faith. Now Ephesians 4, 24 again, and that you put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, wherefore putting away lying, speak every man true with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

In Philippians, forward to just page 2, Philippians 1 and verse 11.

Philippians 1 and verse 11.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Jesus emphasized the necessity of believing in Him. Belief, believe, and faith become the great watchwords of the New Testament. Say that again. Believe, believe, and faith become the great watchwords of the New Testament. Jesus emphasized the necessity of people believing on Him. Why? Because we have noted the only way that our sins can be remitted is through belief, faith in Him.

That's the only way we can attain unto a right standing before God in Christ. If the righteousness that is of God is the way that God has prescribed to attain to right standing, so it is of God.

Time after time, Jesus implored the people to believe on Him. Now, what I'm going to do now in this next three or four minutes, we're not going to turn to each one of these, but I just want to refresh you. You can do a search yourself.

The first one I did is believe on me.

John 16.9, of sin, because they believe not on me. John 17.20, neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me, believe in or on the Son of God. John 6.69, and we believe and are sure that you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.

John 9.35, Jesus heard that they had cast Him out, and when He had found Him, He said unto Him, Do you believe on the Son of God?

Verse 3.23, and this is the commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ.

It just goes on and on with believe on me, believe in Christ I have. And I didn't copy every last verse, but I copied some probably 20 or so. In the writings of Paul, we'll see the same, same kind of theme of believe, believe, which of course is synonymous with faith.

Paul's statement, Romans 6.8, now we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.

Romans 10.9, that if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart, that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.

And as this goes on and on and on about belief and faith, belief, believe and faith.

I have two or three pages on that from Paul, which you can do those word searches yourself.

It's amazing if you just take a phrase and you look at every verse in the Bible that has that phrase in it, what you can learn just from that.

So now let's summarize.

A great transition took place regarding how one is declared righteous when Jesus came on the scene preaching the kingdom of God.

Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand, believe on me time after time.

Before the Old Covenant was in effect, no one, Abraham, are referenced as examples of those who were reckoned righteous because of faith.

Abraham, before he was circumcised. Noah, before the flood.

That is, they believed God and did what he said.

The righteousness of God means the process that God has ordained whereby we may attain unto righteousness.

Paul talks about they have rejected the righteousness of God. In other words, they have rejected the way whereby God is prescribed that we can be declared righteous or justified.

It is through faith in Christ.

God is righteous. That is his state of being. That's what he is. He's a perfect reflection of the commandments.

All the spiritual commandments are righteousness.

The word righteous means a right standing with God.

God's righteousness can only be attained through faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

That is not to say that other elements are not involved, but you cannot attain to it even through perfect obedience.

You have to have faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

When a person believes in faith, in God, in Christ, they are submitting to the righteousness of God.

That's the path they have prescribed because the wages of sin is death, and no person can be viewed as righteous due to any amount of law keeping.

However, Paul is quick to point out the fact that one must exercise faith in the sacrifice of Christ to be justified because it establishes the law.

Do we do away with the law through faith? God forbid we establish it, because if it were not in effect, it would be farcical for Christ to come and die for the sins of the world.

Thus, through faith, the law is established.

The righteousness is that which is attained by repentance and faith in the sacrifice of Christ.

Faith is so very important. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

What is the number one thing of all things that you hope for?

For me, a crown of life in the kingdom of God. And I'm sure it is the same for you.

Seek you first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

All these things will be added to you.

Our eternal substance is a crown of life in the kingdom of God.

And that crown is reserved for you and I.

Now, let's wrap it up with Hebrews 10, verse 32 to the end of the chapter.

Hebrews chapter 10 and verse 32.

Hebrews 10, verse 32.

But call to remembrance the former days, and after which you were illuminated, you endured a great affliction, a flight of afflictions, partly while you were made a gazing stock by approaches and afflictions, and partly while you became companions of them that were so used.

For you had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance, the evidence of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Crown of life, eternal life in the kingdom of God.

Knowing in yourselves that you have in heaven a better and enduring substance, cast not away therefore your confidence, which has great recompense of reward, for you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise, for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come and will not tarry.

Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but to them that believe to the saving of the soul.