Paul's words, verse 14, I am
detar, both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the
wise and the unwise. So much as is in me, I am ready
to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. And watch verse 17. For therein,
that is, in the gospel that Paul's not ashamed of, and that is the
power of God unto salvation, therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the
just shall live by faith. You know, this is one of my favorite
passages of the Scripture. And it's always an interesting
thing and a blessed thing to trace out Paul's words in these
verses that we have read relating to the Gospel. For he rises higher
and higher and higher in praise of the Gospel which He said was
committed unto Him. We find that again in Galatians
2 and verse 7. We find it again in 1 Corinthians
9 and verse 17. He builds up to the grand conclusion
that we read here in the 17th verse. Now this contains a very
famous and a very often quoted verse or passage of the scripture
that I'm afraid many do not get the full benefit of it. They do not understand the full
extent of the fragrance in this wonderful flower, especially
if they do not connect verse 16 and verse 17 together. If you separate these verses,
you will miss some of the great truth. Because in them is contained
the general theme of this great body of divinity called the Roman
Epistle. Remember in Romans 1 and verses
1 through 4, Paul declares himself there to be called an apostle
of God and separated unto the gospel of God and that from his
mother's womb in Galatians 1 and verse 15. And concerning this
gospel, Paul says in our text, verse 14 through verse 17, his
relation to the gospel makes him a debtor. It lays him, as
it were, under obligation. It is a debt that Paul owes to
preach the gospel of our Christ. Methinks that John Gill got it
right as to the obligation. Wherein is this obligation? Gil said, it is because of the
call of God that made him an apostle and therefore a debtor
to the preaching of the gospel to all kind of people and in
all kinds of places. Now here's part of what John
Gil wrote or had to say about that. He was obliged by the call
that he had from God. by the injunction that was laid
upon him, and the gifts given by which he was qualified to
be a minister of the gospel." Now, here Paul, in this passage
that we read, gives his view of the gospel proposition. And let's look at it. There are
four things here, ways of progress, that I want us to kind of notice. Here is Paul, what he said. First
of all, he said, I am a debtor. And because I'm a debtor, I'm
therefore ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome
also. Then the second thing that he
said as he makes his progression, in verse 15 and in verse 16,
I am ready to preach the gospel, for I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. And then we notice the third
thing in verse 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it
is the power of God unto salvation. And then we reach the apex in
verse 17, it is the power of God unto salvation because in
it is revealed the righteousness of God. So from one thing unto
another. I'm not ashamed, it's the power,
for therein is revealed the righteousness of God. Now this is the heart,
the core, and the theme of the Roman epistle. The righteousness
of God. the justifying righteousness
of God, the imputed righteousness of God unto them that believe. It is the righteousness of God
that justifies a sinner in the sight of God. It is a justifying
righteousness that gives one a right standing in and before
the eyes of God. It is a righteousness that absolutely
saves. The Roman epistle is a running
commentary on the subject of the righteousness of God. In this one epistle, I got out
the concordance and looked it up. In this one epistle, the
word righteous appears four times in Romans. The word righteousness
is used by Paul at least 37 times in this one epistle. And the
word unrighteousness, the counterpart, is mentioned by the apostle seven
times in this one epistle. On the other hand, Paul uses
such key words as justification three times, justified ten times,
justifies two times, justify one time, and justifier one time,
also in the epistle. Thus the great theme of the Roman
Epistle is the righteousness of God imputed unto the sinner
as his standing and justification before God. But it's not about
just counting the number of words or the number of times that they
appear here. but the importance of the doctrine
is evidently emphasized by the multiple times that they are
mentioned. And it's inseparable connection
to justification. You cannot separate justification
from this righteousness of God that is revealed in the gospel. It is the only ground of the
sinner having a standing before God, an imputed righteousness,
a righteousness put to His account, a righteousness that stands before
God, a righteousness that excludes all other righteousnesses, whatever
they might be. So, let's start with the expression
in chapter 1, And verse 17, look at the words, the righteousness
of God. Now we ask ourselves the question,
what does this refer to? To what does this righteousness
refer? Well, the first thought out of
our minds The first thought that we might have to the answer of
that question is that it is speaking of the personal attribute of
the righteousness of our God, according to His unblemished
and perfect character. Now, in some instances, the words
just and the word righteous are synonymous. They are interchangeable. They are from the same Greek
word in so many places in our New Testament. And the meaning
of it is to be right or equitable in both character and action. That one who is righteous, and
God is, is so in both character and action. And when it is applied
to God, it refers to the perfect agreement between His nature,
or His being, and His character, or His acts, or His action regarding
His creature. There is no question God possesses
in all of its infinite fullness the righteousness of his character
as an attribute. However, even though that is
true, the overall context here in Romans shows that the righteousness
of God that is revealed in the gospel is a saving, imputed righteousness
provided by and through Jesus Christ. We learn that in chapter
4 from Abraham. In Romans 4 and verse 3, righteousness
was imputed unto Abraham. You'll see it again, chapter
3 and verse 22. Now, it is significant, I believe,
that Paul says that this righteousness is revealed in and through the
gospel. In other words, it is proclaimed
in the gospel and that its reception or its apprehension on the part
of the sinner is said to be by faith, by faith as opposed to
merit or works of law, or works of any kind. In other words,
he has reference here to that great salvation, a justifying
righteousness set forth, declared, proclaimed in the gospel of our
Lord. And reading John Murray, I find
agreement on this place that Paul means more, more than simply
that it is made known, or is declared, or is set forth, or
is made available under human apprehension. What Paul is saying
is that this righteousness of God that is revealed in the Gospel
is manifested with saving effect and efficacy. That this righteousness
is revealed under the saving of sinners. Here's how Murray
put it, quote, this righteousness is made manifest with saving
effect. is redemptively active in the
sphere of human sin and ruin." It is of such a nature as to
save sinners by providing for them a righteousness before God
of which they were void by their birth or by their nature and
by their fallen condition. In fact, it is the righteousness
of the law that is fulfilled in us. Romans 8 and verse 4. Now, in verse 16 and 17 of our
text, it sets forth the theme again of the Roman epistle. the justifying righteousness
of God's providing which is revealed, declared, manifested, set forth,
made known in the gospel of Christ our Lord. Now, the greatest need
that sinners have, they have no greater need than this. The greatest need that sinners
have is a righteousness that will stand them good before God. They have none in themselves.
They cannot purchase it. They cannot work it up. And so
the greatest need that sinners have is a righteousness that
will give them a justified standing and state before Almighty God. But notice something else, that
Paul, after mentioning the revelation of righteousness in the Gospel,
then he goes, as I see it, into a digression and speaks, beginning
in verse 18 and following, of another revelation that God has
made or is making. Look at it. For is revealed the
wrath of God. And again, as with reveal in
verse 17, so the revealing of God's wrath in verse 18 is also
an active, efficacious revelation of the wrath of God. It is operative. not inoperative. It is operative. There is a very distinct, as
one called it, quote, a positive outgoing of divine displeasure. You see that In verse 18, the
wrath of God is revealed from heaven. Not that wrath is going
to be revealed or might be revealed, but that it is revealed. The righteousness of God is revealed. And its cause or its reason or
its object is the unrighteousness and the ungodliness of men. Paul says they hold, they suppress,
they keep under. the truth in unrighteousness. Then Paul from Romans 1 verse
18 all the way down to the end of chapter 3 and verse 20 takes
that digression to prove the unrighteousness of both the Gentile
and the Jew. And in both places he proves
the depravity and the unrighteousness of all. His conclusion then is
found in chapter 3 and verse 9 through verse 18. All are unrighteous. Verse 9, both Jews and Gentiles,
that they are all under sin. And verse 10, there is none righteous,
no, not one. And by the way, every verse here
from Romans, from verse 10 through verse 18 of chapter 3, almost
forgot where we were, Every one of them is a quotation from somewhere
in the Old Testament. Everything that Paul said is
a quotation from the Old Testament. For example, he quotes Psalm
14 1 through 3. He quotes Psalm 53 and 1 through
3, Psalms 5 and 9, Psalms 140 and verse 3, Psalms chapter 10
and verse 7, Isaiah 59, verse 7 and verse 8, and finally the
last one, Psalm 36 and 1, There is no fear of God before
their eye. So the whole unregenerate world
is unrighteous in the sight of God. For Paul here is preaching
and teaching universal depravity. Notice the terms and the words
that he uses. such as none do good, none seek
after God. Every one of them is gone back. No, not one did God find doing
good. All are gone aside. They are
together become filthy, the margin has it stinking. Psalm 14 and
3, the conclusion, not a single one is righteous in themselves. No, not one. Now this universal depravity
is twofold. It has two aspects that make
up the whole of it. Number one, we mentioned the
intellect or the mental, sometimes called the noetic, or the mind,
or the thought, and the understanding. And in this sphere, Scripture
is very clear. There is none that understands. No, not one. They have no knowledge. They lack spiritual discernment.
Their understanding is darkened and a veil is over their mind. They cannot know the things of
God. And as a result, number two,
there is none that seek after God. None understand with a mind
and therefore none seek after God. They're not inclined naturally
to do so. They have not the will to seek
God. They are content with their idols
or their imagined deities if they want to be religious and
none are seeking after God. Now, please notice with me that
the apostle lays out a premise in Romans chapter 3 and verse
10, Romans 3 and 10, based on the Old Testament passages that
he is quoting or is about to quote. The premise is also a
deduction from what goes before the depravity of Gentile and
Jew. The premise being this. There
is none righteous, no, not one. Notice that Paul said, it is
written. Now these words are not a verbatim
or an exact quotation of the Old Testament verse, but they
are a conclusion from all that has been written concerning the
depravity of the race and the unrighteousness of them. It's
said in those two Psalms, 14 and 53, that when God beholds
the sons of men, when Scripture is analyzed, when the actions
of men are taken into account, when we put all these things
together, the only proper conclusion that then can be reached is that
one of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 7 and verse 20. There is not
a just man upon the face of the earth that does good and sins
not. We find that again in 1 Kings
8 and 46. There is no man that sins not,
said wise Solomon. There is not a single individual
among all the earth's inhabitants who is personally righteous. There's not one who in themselves
are righteous enough to enter into heaven with Christ. Isaiah
describes human righteousness. We've all heard this verse. Isaiah
64 and verse 6. We're all unclean. all of our unrighteousnesses,
plural, are as filthy rags. Now, it is a truth of Scripture
that in coming to Christ, one must renounce all of their own
righteousness. As Paul said, I count it but
done, cast it away, disown any righteousness, count it as nothing,
having no value or profit to save the soul. It is worthless
coins to purchase justification. It is unacceptable, except through
Christ our blessed Lord. Thomas Goodwin, an old Puritan,
once wrote, and I'm quoting, Before we have grace, we trust
to moral righteousness." Think about that. Is it true? It is with most. Before we have
grace, we trust to our moral righteousness. We can be heard
to say, I work hard. I'm honest. I pay my bills. I
take care of my family. I go to church once in a while.
And he warned. Goodwin did that. Even after
we have the grace of God, we're apt to trust again in our own
holiness. And that too must be renounced
and cast away. There's something about Isaiah
64 and verse 6 that I want us to notice before we move on,
because we might miss it if we take the verse by itself. And
it is the question, who are the we and the our that are mentioned in that verse
of the Scripture. We, W-E, our, O-U, are. My point is, these are not heathen
people making this confession, nor are they bare non-professor. But these are the theocratic
people of God, if you will. As Calvin wrote on Isaiah 64
and verse 6 in this context, the prophet does not speak here
of the whole world or the whole race. But he speaks here of those
who had been punished in the captivity that God had delivered
them from, who then renounced at least four times, their own
righteousness, likening them to nothing more than filthy rags. They could not trust in their
own merit. They must look outside of themselves,
for their righteousness is woefully insufficient. There's a clear
example of this from Paul in that good passage in Philippians
3, and I believe it's verses 4 through verse 11. Paul, also
known as Saul, once considered himself blameless before the
law. Philippians 3.6, touching or
regarding the righteousness which is in the law blameless. That's how he viewed himself
before the Spirit of God came to him. He trusted in his legal
righteousness. He trusted for the justification
of his soul that he kept the law of God. He boasted and thought
that it could find nothing amiss in him to accuse him. And on that account he was, so
he thought, a righteous man or a righteous person. In Romans
7, however, 7 through 13, Paul had an encounter with a law whereby
his ignorance was exposed. and the law found sin in him. But in Philippians 3, 8 and 9,
Paul said that he gladly exchanged his legal and evangelical righteousness
for what he calls the righteousness of faith, which is through the
faith of Christ. And the contrast is clear there. Law and faith. Law on one hand,
faith on the other. And notice, mine own, that which
is of God. Not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Jesus
Christ, or Christ by Well, let's go back now to Romans 3 and verse
21. Having finished that rather lengthy
digression in which he proves the unrighteousness of the whole
race, he resumes the discussion of the righteousness first mentioned
in chapter 1 and verse 17. That which is revealed is declared
in the gospel, Robert Haldane wrote at Romans 3 and verse 21,
he proceeds to speak more particularly of that righteousness provided
for man's justification, unquote. And notice the first thing in
chapter 3 and 21 that he says about this righteousness. Notice, it is without, or it
is apart, It is separate from the law, very clearly. Now, the righteousness of God,
without the law, separate from it, apart from it is manifested. It is made known. It is revealed. It is effectually operative in
the lives of sinners. Justifying righteousness is a
part from the law. Paul had written in verse 19
and 20 that the law had other functions than to justify. Example, it pronounces all guilty. and it reveals sin. The law can
find sin where you can't find any. The law can find sin where
we do not think there is any. The law, rather than justify,
reckons all guilty. And as the NIV has it, it is
through the law that we become conscious of our sin. It is by that law that God reveals
to us our sinfulness. And so, it works wrath also. Romans 4 and verse 15. Paul is
clear in Romans 3 and verse 20, if you look, by the law there
shall no flesh be justified in his sight. That's because Galatians
2 and verse 21, if righteousness come by the law, then Christ
is dead in vain. If righteousness could come by
the law, then why did Christ die? He is dead in vain. This righteousness receives nothing,
in part or in whole, from the law. Not one iota, not the smallest,
teeniest portion, not one shot or one tittle of the law is active
in justification. Rather, look at Romans 3.22. This righteousness comes from
God through Jesus Christ. And this is very important. It
is not a general faith or belief in God, but it is a faith which
has as its object the Lord Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the
Gospel. Jesus Christ cannot be excluded
from this righteousness. You take Christ out and there
is no righteousness. He cannot be excluded for a saving
righteousness. Therefore, even a Jew must embrace
Christ. And that's what Paul is telling
them in that century. A Jew must believe on Christ. if there is to be any justification. And so must the Gentile, by the
way, come through and own Christ. It is true what John Bunyan,
the old-timer, wrote a long time ago Quote, there is no other
way for sinners to be justified from the curse of the law in
the sight of God than by the imputation of righteousness performed
by and residing in the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing could be clearer,
my brother and sister. Righteousness is not the result
of any degree of personal obedience or works on the part of a sinner. And also, as it is not personal
righteousness, get this statement now, it's not personal righteousness,
nor is it infused righteousness, but it is imputed righteousness. When Christ was made sin, it
was not by an infusion of depravity. When we are made righteous, it
is not by an infusion of righteousness, but as our sins were imputed
to Christ, His righteousness is imputed unto us. Paul says
in the end of Romans 3.21, Something very important, that this righteousness
that he is talking about, revealed, declared in the Gospel, is witnessed
by the Law and by the Prophets. These terms used to refer to
the Old Testament Scripture, are they not? The Law and the
Prophet. How then was it witnessed by
the Law and by the Prophets? By the Scripture. Remember the
quotation in Romans 1 and verse 17, as it is written, the just
shall live by faith. This is a quotation from Habakkuk
chapter 2 and verse 4 in the Old Testament. By the way, this
one verse is quoted three times in the New Testament. The just
shall live by faith. Here in Romans, again in Galatians
chapter 3 and verse 11, and the last time in Hebrews, chapter
10 and verse 38. And what about Abraham, Paul
asks in Romans 4 and 3? What saith the Scripture? How
was it with Abraham? Who denies that Abraham was a
just man before God? So Paul asks, how then was it
with Abraham? How was he justified before God? What does the Scripture say?
And in Genesis 15 and 6, it says, Abraham believed God and it was
reckoned or counted unto him for righteousness. And here in
Romans chapter 4, we have the doctrine of imputed righteousness
set forth again and again. In relation first to Abraham
and then in relation to all those that believe. Abraham's imputed
righteousness is a pattern then to all of the believing elect. Paul uses the word eleven times
in the fourth chapter of Romans. And for some reason, I cannot
tell you why, the King James translated by three different
words, these eleven words, in Romans chapter 4. And the words
are counted. You'll see it counted unto him. That's in verse 3 and in verse
5. So two times it is translated
counted. Impute are imputed. is translated
six times here in Romans chapter 4, and then the word reckoned,
R-E-C-K-O-N-E-D, is in verse 4, verse 9, verse 10, three times
in this chapter. Now, I read another version or
two, the NIV uses the word Credited, which literally means to put
to the account of. And that's what all these words
mean. Count, reckon, imputed, literally means put to the account
of. And speaking of it being witnessed
by the law, and by the prophets in Romans 4, verses 6 through
verse 8, Paul uses a second example, and that is the words of David
from the 32nd Psalm and verse 1 and verse 2, to show that justification
by imputed righteousness was indeed to be found in the Old
Testament oracles. There in verse 6, Paul interprets
David's words to mean, God imputes righteousness without works. What did David say? The blessed
man has a two-fold blessing. Number one, his sin is not imputed
unto him, since it is imputed unto Christ, and cannot be imputed
unto both. Secondly, righteousness is imputed,
but not because of works or the observant of the law." And me
thinks that John Brown made a very good point when he writes, that
the divine method of justification by an imputed righteousness had
been in operation since the fall of man into sin. That not only
is it found in the Old Testament scripture, but as Brown wrote,
quote, Paul appears to intimate that it was also there witness
to being without law, unquote. For in Romans 4, 9-13, Abraham
was reckoned righteous before the law was ever given at Sinai. And by the way, before he was
ever circumcised. So Paul takes that away from
the Jews as the hope of any justification before God. But back to Romans
3.21. having said that the righteousness
of God is manifested. In verse 22, he shows its relation
to faith and to Christ, that it comes through or is provided
by Christ and is revealed to or apprehended in the elect by
faith. Again, as in Romans 1 and verse
17, revealed from faith to faith. That's what it said, Romans 1,
17, from Habakkuk chapter 2 and verse 4. Now, in our first text
it is said, the gospel is the power of God unto salvation because
in it is revealed or declared or manifested the righteousness
of God. The Gospel declares to us that
Christ was made sin. God made our sin to light upon
Him. He bore the sins of His people. He died for the sins of His elect
because He was the surety of the covenant and God looked unto
Him, therefore, for the debt. He fulfilled the law, he endured
its curse in all its necessary fulfillment, whereupon God being
pleased with that great sacrifice, then imputes the righteousness
unto those that believe on Christ. That not that faith itself is
the essence of justifying righteousness, but faith establishes grace in
Romans 4 and verse 16. It is a faith that it might be
by grace. And faith is a spiritual gift,
Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. It's an operation of God. Colossians
2 and verse 12. It is a result of grace that
we believe. Acts 18 and verse 27. It is a unique endowment to the
elect, the faith of God's elect. God's reckons those righteous.
that Christ died for, whom the Spirit quickens, and that believe
on Christ as He is preached or declared in the gospel. When
Christ, therefore, is revealed unto them, when they believe,
this righteousness then is imputed unto them. God views them as
righteous, not in themselves, but in the righteousness of Jesus
Christ. Then Christ's sin is punished,
fully punished, so that God's righteousness is maintained in
the forgiving of sin. and the saving of sinners, and
a saving righteousness is revealed in the gospel of our Lord. Now
I close by saying to us and to you, don't be like those stubborn
Jews in Romans chapter 10 and verse 3, who, not submitting
themselves to the righteousness of God, have gone about to establish
their own righteousness, which is in the sight of God as filthy
rags, don't go about to establish your own righteousness, for if
you do, you will miss the righteousness of God that has saving efficacy. The righteousness of God brought
in through Christ and imputed. to those who are God's people. Yes, this righteousness is revealed
in the gospel. When we preach the gospel, we
preach Christ's total victory over sin and death. and the grave. He bore our sins
in his body. God punished them. God spared
him not, Romans says, but delivered him up for the full punishment
of our sin. And upon that blessed, grounded
basis, righteousness is imputed to the elect when they are brought
to regeneration in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord,
our righteousness, one of the Old Testament prophets cried
out. Jesus who is made unto us righteousness. 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30. And so on and on the testimony
of the Scripture.