The Righteousness of God Revealed

Romans • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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God revealed His righteousness through His Son Jesus Christ. We learn that His righteousness is a character quality of God and what saves us.

Notes

Transcript

Romans 3:21–26 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The Righteousness of God

Move the following to title slide for intro

I changed the title of the sermon after further study

We focus on 23 because of Romans road and might think this section of text is about the sinfulness of man, but it is really Paul’s argument for the righteousness of God.

Look at it through that lens, as a means of understanding the argument that he is posing mostly to the Jewish believers.

Don’t forget Paul’s overall purpose to unite the two culturally diverse factions in the church at Rome.

With those thoughts in mind lets rise in the honor of the reading of God’s Word as we look at Romans 3:21-26

Leave this text

Paul is essentially restating his original thesis back in 1:16-17

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel, the sending of His only Son to overcome sin and make the sacrifice necessary to bring justice.

This is the theme, above all other ideas expressed.

Paul says “When we consider the gospel we see the righteousness of God on display.”

Apart from the law (21b)

apart from the law is a new assertion, not in the original thesis.

This too, is a big part of our text today.

He mentions it in both 21 and 28

The key is to understand that this is God’s righteousness.

While it becomes our righteousness through faith, it is His righteousness.

As much as the world has seen God’s righteousness expressed in the law, this new revelation of His righteousness is apart from the law.

God gave us the law to show us His loving nature and how to be like Him, but He chose to reveal a new part of His righteousness that is apart from the law.

Apart from what we knew

The Law and the Prophets bear witness (21c)

The Jewish Christians must have been greatly confused.

concerned that Paul is teaching something antithetical to the scriptures they were so privileged to receive.

But Paul says, and will later argue, that the scriptures bear witness to this new understanding of God’s righteousness.

Through faith in Jesus Christ (22a)

This righteousness is through faith.

God, setting aside the keeping of the law to perfection, is looking for people to believe in His Son.

To place their faith in the Son He sent to do a loving work on our behalf.

John 6:40 ESV

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

For all who believe (22b)

The righteousness of God is for all who believe

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Notice as Paul is telling us of the revelation of God’s righteousness apart from the law he consistently pushes towards keeping the law because of our faith, for that is how the righteousness of God becomes ours.

“we might become the righteousness of God” that is not just a spiritual transfer, it speaks of a sanctifying work that the Holy Spirit comes to do in us.

The Righteousness of God for all Sinners (22c - 25b)

Do you hear what Paul is saying?

Through faith in Jesus any sinner can become the righteousness of God.

Old sins forgiven, a whole new person created, and then molded into the image of Christ.

The image lost in the garden when sin entered into the world.

There is No Distinction (22c - 23)

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

Remember, while God is uniting all humans in their sinfulness He is also uniting us under His perfect righteousness.

Nothing physical separates humans any more.

Some spend all of their time debating the differences in people that can be seen.

Race, gender, stature, or deeds. We are just sinners, unloving corrupted image bearers.

We are all sinners, that’s all

And it is revealed in this awful election cycle where we see nothing but hatred, fear, mistrust, deceit, slander, vile venomous vitriol (that’s for you Phil)

I can’t remember a time with so much division.

And it proves that we are all sinners, hating our way to hell, without a savior.

Justified by God (24a)

It is by His grace, his unmerited favor

It is a gift, he did not owe it too us for we haven’t earned it

There is no competition for the mercies of God for we all receive it based on a small seed of faith in someone else’s righteousness.

It’s like the kid who claims victory because of the play of Patrick Mahomes.

The kid is not an amazing football player, Patrick is, but the kid sees Patrick as his player, representing him, on his team.

Through Christ Jesus (24b)

Christ Jesus redeems those who place their faith in Him

The word redemption speaks of payment of debt.

We have a debt that must be paid - 6:23 wages of sin.

The blood of Jesus, representing His life that He gave up willingly for us, that blood was put forward as a propitiation, a means of forgiveness to be received by faith.

It is no more about circumcision, ritual sacrifices of animals, the intense rigors of law study and abiding, but by deep faith (next week)

Jesus being God’s means of forgiveness (25a-b)

Whom God put forward - this is super important

I believe it is absolutely false to see God in heaven having built up a hatred for mankind, needed to send His own Son so that he could kill him in a gruesome fashion to satisfy His wrath.

Instead, in this verse I see the complex argument that God had a need to satisfy His just nature. There is a huge difference!

How could He overlook our sinfulness and still be just?

We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, how can he reconcile that in His love for us?

Propitiation discussion

propitiation is a means of gaining favor or goodwill.

Our works were incapable of gaining propitiation.

Septuagint

Easton’s Bible Dictionary Propitiation

The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to exercise his love towards sinners.

In Rom. 3:25 and Heb. 9:5 (A.V., “mercy-seat”) the Greek word hilasterion is used. It is the word employed by the LXX. translators in Ex. 25:17 and elsewhere as the equivalent for the Hebrew kapporeth, which means “covering,” and is used of the lid of the ark of the covenant (Ex. 25:21; 30:6). This Greek word (hilasterion) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitiation or reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it the “mercy-seat,” and so made propitiation.

It is called the mercy seat, because it was the place that all people could come and find mercy, restored relationship with God.

it was not favor they sought, but forgiveness, forbearance.

Jesus was put forth as a mercy seat, a place to find forgiveness, by faith, not renewed attempts at good works.

That we would bow our knees before the almighty and beg Him for forgiveness, and in love He would respond to our faith.

His blood was the purchase of our redemption, the purchase of our forgiveness, His life for ours, thus making God just in forgiving our sins.

Jesus paid the price for our sins, did the time if you will, for our unloving behavior.

This was to Show God’s Righteousness (25c - 26)

The purpose of putting forward Jesus as a means of forgiveness was to show God’s righteousness.

By righteousness we need to understand His just nature. He is righteous means He is just.

Chuck Swindoll shared this story.

He said “Consider this modern-day illustration. On June 23, 2000, a deaf couple stood before Judge Donald McDonough in a Fairfax, Virginia, court and offered no rebuttal to their landlord’s complaint that they were behind on the rent. Their recent marriage unfortunately resulted in the loss of disability benefits, most of which kept a leased roof over their heads. Now they were $250 behind and had no hope of making up the deficit. Judge McDonough couldn’t disagree. The landlord was due his rent, the couple was indeed guilty of nonpayment, and justice could not be set aside. Nevertheless, the judge's compassion would not allow him to drop the gavel. Not just yet. Once the attorney for the plaintiff had closed his case, the judge suddenly left the courtroom. A few moments later, he returned from his chambers with $250 in cash, handed it to the landlord’s attorney, and said, “Consider it paid.” With a transfer of funds from the just to the unjust, the debt was paid and the case dismissed. The law had been satisfied. The defendants were then “just” or “righteous” in the eyes of the court.”

God’s righteousness displayed through His forbearance

His divine forbearance, he had passed over former sins.

Not just abstractly, but as a result of faith in the one He sent to purchase the forgiveness needed by the guilty party.

God cannot be just if the sentence is simply forgotten.

The sentence had to be served, the ransom paid.

that God sent His only Son to purchase it essentially makes Him both Just and Loving at the same time.

If you refuse the gift of payment, you remain under judgement and must pay the price for your crimes on your own.

It was to show God’s righteousness presently (26a)

meaning that He has shown His righteousness for years through the law and His reactions to His people and others, but now… in this present time He revealed His righteousness openly through Jesus.

2 Corinthians 6:2 ESV

2 For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Galatians 4:4–5 ESV

4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

God’s righteousness was shown in His Son’s work on the Cross.

It shows He is just and thus can be the justifier as well (26b)

Satisfying justice based on His law, He can now be seen as perfectly just as he justifies all who believe in His Son.

But God’s justification is dependent.

it is qualified by faith.

You cannot receive or be the righteousness of God unless you place your faith in Jesus Christ, His Son.

You Have One Job

just one, to place your faith in Jesus

Will you place your faith in Jesus today?

God was loving enough to pass over your unloving ways so far, but He requires your faith in Him and His Son in order to enter into a full relationship with them.