If you want to follow along,
please be turning to Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter
8, and I'm going to read verses 3 and 4. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in
the flesh. That the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. just got to me and Mason got
to talking last week about this subject about the law. And I
just wanted to do this. Some of what I'm going to say
if you've heard Walker's message at at Rocky Mount, you know,
you're going to hear some of the same things for me. But in scripture, we read at
least in the New Testament, the law called the law of, and we
have the law of commandments, the law of righteousness, the
law of sin and death, law of God, law of the Lord, law of
Moses. When men and women talk about
the law, and that is the 10 commandments, and the hundreds, if not more,
that go along with those, When they talk about the law, it is
that law given by God to Moses. It is the law of commandments,
righteousness, sin and death, God, the Lord, and Moses. They are all talking about the
same law in scripture. It is talking about those things
given by God to Moses that says things like thou shalt not or
thou shalt. Those things you must do or not
do, else you're breaking that law. Should one little part of
it be missed or broken, the whole thing has been broken. James
2 and verse 10 says, for whosoever shall keep the whole law and
yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Even the little
things, it says, if you mess them up, you break even the big
things. Scripture is quite clear that
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Committing
sin is breaking God's law. 1 John 3 and verse 4 says, whosoever
committeth sin, transgresseth also the law, for sin is the
transgression of the law. So what is the law for? It is
called the law of righteousness. In order to be righteous before
God, you must keep the whole law. That means you cannot sin. This law is still in full effect
for some. If you are not in Christ, the
law of God is still in full force, and the penalty of not obeying
God's law will come down on your head if you do not obey it. and
you will not obey it. Again, scripture says, for all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. I'm going to
be talking about the law today, but my subject is the righteousness
of God. Who is the law for? What does
the law do? How are we to ever keep the law? First of all, the law will not
fail. God did not just give the law
as some arbitrary thing. He did not just give us his law
to then just turn around and say, it's okay, don't worry about
it. It was a little harsh. Just do your best, how you think
it is best to be done, and I will have to just get over you keeping
my law. Luke 16 verses 15 through 17
reads this. And he said unto them, Ye are
they which justify yourselves before men. But God knoweth your
hearts. For that which is highly esteemed
among men is abomination in the sight of God. The law and the
prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of
God is preached and every man presseth into it. And it is easier
for heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to
fail. He then gives an example. Whosoever
putteth away his wife and marrieth another, commiteth adultery.
And whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband,
commiteth adultery. There is no getting around God's
law. Men make attempts to do this,
but God is not mocked. You will not do as you please
and everything will be all right. You will have to suffer the just
punishment for sin if you break God's law. If you are standing
on your own merit, you will and do break God's law. John 7, 19
says, did not Moses give you the law? And yet none of you
keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? This
is true for every son and daughter of Adam. No one will ever be
able to keep God's law. We are all enemies of God as
we're born in Adam. You might think you can keep
God's law. You might think you are keeping God's law. But God
says in his word, you cannot keep his law. Romans 8, 7 reads
this way. Because the carnal mind is enmity,
that is hatred, against God, for it is not subject, that is,
it is not under obedience to it, to the law of God. Neither,
indeed, can be. God's word is replete with scripture
telling us that by nature, as we are born in Adam, we will
not and cannot keep God's law. You can read this in Acts 7,
verses 53, Acts 13, verse 39, Romans 3, verse 20, just to name
a few. Anytime man is given a law, no
matter what kind of law it is, they immediately are either breaking
the law outright or trying to find ways to get around the law.
We see this all around us today, and I know this to be true myself.
Growing up, I hated for someone to be over me to tell me what
to do. If it went against what I wanted
to do, I would well up in hatred and rebellion against any authority
placed over me. When a law comes, sin gets stronger
because scripture tells us the strength of sin is the law, 1
Corinthians 15 and 56. So who is the law for? What does
the scripture say? If you would, turn with me to
1 Timothy 1. 1 Timothy 1 and verses 5 through
11. Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and
of faith unfeigned. from which some having swerved
have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the
law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good
if a man use it lawfully. knowing this, that the law is
not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient,
for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers,
for them that defile themselves with mankind, for men-stealers,
for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing
that is contrary to sound doctrine, according to the glorious gospel
of the blessed God which was committed to my trust." This old flesh is still those
very things that I just read. But if you are in Christ, you
are not walking after the flesh, but after the spirit, Paul says.
He says it like this. It is no longer I that do it,
but sin that dwelleth in me. Because I know that in me, that
is in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing. This old man is never
going to be made better. This old flesh is never going
to obey God's law. But it was never meant to do
this. Galatians 3 and verses 10 through 12 reads this way.
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse.
For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not
in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God,
it is evident. For the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. The law was for
those who hate God. It proves all were under sin.
Those who have been justified by Christ are no longer under
the law. The scripture says we are dead
to the law that we might serve another. Those for whom Christ
died have the law as our schoolmaster unto Christ. The law shows us
we are dead. We are unable to do that which
is righteous in God's sight. It is evident, the scripture
says. The law shuts our mouth before God. We can do nothing
but put our hands over our mouth to keep the mouth from speaking
that which comes from our own wicked heart. Romans 3.19 says,
now we know that what things soever 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. God's law
tells us to shut our mouth before God because we are guilty. But scripture also says that
once faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
once we see Christ and that is who he is and what he has done. Knowing by his spirit that it
took a sovereign, holy, just God coming down and being made
sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. Knowing this shows us how bad
we really are. Totally corrupt in God's eyes
because it took God himself to obey the law Either you are fully
under the law of God and must keep it every jot and tittle
and will ultimately be damned to hell for breaking his law
because the law shuts our mouth and says we are guilty or Someone
else had to take your place someone who was and is righteous and
Jesus Christ being that one having kept the law, having been accepted
of God. So what does the law do? Is there
anything that can be gained, you might say, by keeping the
law of God? That is, by you and I keeping
the law of God on our own. Simply put, the law kills. There will be in no way life
that comes from me obeying the law of God in and of myself. In order to keep the law of God,
I must be righteous, and I am not. There is none righteous,
no not one. Galatians 3 and 21 says, is the
law then against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given
which could have given life, verily righteousness should have
been by the law. Scripture tells me I am totally
dead to God as I am born in Adam, dead in trespasses and in sin.
I do not seek after God. I hide, as it were, my face from
him. I do not do good but evil. I am seeking out my own way which
is an abomination in God's eyes and not looking to his way. Man
thinks he can do that which God requires and that he will be
accepted of God. This flesh thinks it will be
able to stand before God based on the flesh's merits. That is
because this old heart deceives us into thinking we are pretty
good folk. Man's problem is they do not
know God. Man does not believe God is God,
and therefore they do not believe Jesus Christ is God. The God
of this flesh is its own belly. This flesh wants to fill its
own belly. The law is either a schoolmaster to me, and in
time it becomes my executioner, or I am totally servant to the
law of God and will die in my sins, as God's law has no mercy. How are we to ever keep the law? Simply put, we will never keep
the law of God in and of ourselves. God's word tells us that Christ
was spoken of in the law and the prophets. John 1 and verse
45 says, Philip found this Nathanael and said unto him, we have found
him of whom Moses and the law and the prophets did write Jesus
of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. We know that the law tells us
to do things. Circumcision, for instance, the
males were to be circumcised the eighth day according to the
law. Romans 2.25 says, for circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep
the law. But if thou be breaker of the
law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. We have both
before proved we are all under sin, the scripture says. So we're
not going to keep the law of God. No matter how much of the
law you might think you are keeping, when you break his law, it is
all made nothing, to no effect. First of all, there's never been
a time that anyone has ever been able to keep the law of God.
I'm just trying to point out that even if you could keep it
to some extent, if you offend in one point, you're guilty of
all. If you would, turn with me to Romans chapter 3. Romans
chapter 3. Romans chapter 3 and verses 19 through 23. Now we know that what things
soever 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. Scripture
tells us where the righteousness of the law was manifested. again
witnessed by the law and the prophets. First of all, how is
this? How was it manifest in the law
and the prophets? The law with all its sacrifices
could never take away sin. Because if it did, then those
for whom the sacrifices were made would no more have conscience
of sin. Hebrews 10.2 says, for then would
they not have ceased to be offered because that the worshipers once
purged should have had no more conscience of sins. Back then
there had to be a sacrifice made all the time. These sacrifices
pointed to that one sacrifice that would be made for some.
The prophet speaking of that one to come, the Messiah, who
would be that sacrifice who would take away the penalty of sin
against God's law. This is how they testified of
God's righteousness. It was that one to come who is
Jesus Christ the Lord. The righteousness being the faith
of Jesus Christ. Note here that this is the faith
of Jesus Christ. This is not our faith per se
that it is talking about here. This is Christ's faith. How do
I know that? It goes on to say, unto all and
upon all them that believe. That is, this faith will come
unto all and upon all. The righteousness of God is revealed
in Jesus Christ the Lord, in that he was faithful to do that
for which he swore by an oath by himself to himself. Jesus Christ the Lord fulfilled
all the law in its demands on my behalf. He was the perfect
one who kept the law every jot and tittle. The scripture says
he died the just for the unjust. But he was also that spotless
sacrifice to pay for the many sins of his people. It is all
because of Christ's work. All because of Christ's faith. Him being the author, and I like
to say it this way, the perfecter of faith itself. He is faith
personified, if you will. The reason I like to say it this
way is that faith is not finished. Faith liveth and abideth forever
in Jesus Christ. Because he is faith. He is my
faith. So what is it that we brag on? Do we brag on ourselves on how
well we have done? Is it about how well we believe?
No, it's all about what Jesus Christ has done and nothing at
all to do with what we have done or ever do. I preached the message on assurance
one time and the gospel comes to us in power. and of the Holy Ghost and of
much assurance. My assurance doesn't come from
my believing. My assurance comes from knowing
Jesus Christ did all the work. This is not about us. It's about
Jesus Christ the Lord. He is all. However, we have another
law. The law of works is nothing for
us to boast in. We cannot because we do not do
the works of God in and of ourselves. But Romans 3 verses 27 and 28
reads, 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. My boasting
is in Jesus Christ for who he is and what he has done. The
law of God, that is the law of Moses, shuts my mouth when it
comes to me because I have nothing to boast in because that law
was weak in the flesh. The law of God is holy, just,
and good. But scripture says it was weak
in the flesh, meaning that the flesh could not keep his law
because flesh is dead to God. Yet again, hear this law in Romans
8 and verse 2. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. Jesus Christ's faith having accomplished
all, then him being raised from the dead and we being raised
with him in newness of life, him then giving me life and thereby
giving me that very faith of Jesus Christ, I am free to believe
him and what he has done. Romans 7 and verse 4 says, wherefore,
my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of
Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is
raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto
God. All of God's people are dead
to the law. We are not looking to perform
the works of the law for righteousness. We are not even looking to perform
the works of the law What benefit is there for me to perform the
works for that law of works? What benefit? My righteousness
is in Jesus Christ and his faith. When given life, having faith
in Christ, God then puts that on my account for righteousness.
Romans four and verse three says, for what saith the scripture,
Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Life from Jesus Christ is what
enables me to establish God's law. Believing Jesus Christ is
keeping the law of God. Romans 3 and verse 31 says, do
we then make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish
the law. Because it is not about what
we do, it is about what Christ has done. I'm interested in that
law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that law of faith. If I for a minute think I in
some way can keep or am keeping the law in and of myself, scripture
tells me that Christ shall profit me nothing. Galatians 5.4 says,
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are
justified by the law, ye are fallen from grace. It is of Jesus
Christ's faith which gives me righteousness before God. Philippians
3, 9 says, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. Salvation is not due, never is
salvation due, but salvation is done, done in Christ Jesus
and his faith. That faith, which is the faith
of Jesus Christ, that faith, having been given to me of God,
is my evidence. It is evidence of what Christ
has done and has nothing at all to do with me, other than me
being a recipient of grace. Hebrews 11 and one says, now
faith is the substance of things hoped for. What is that? Life
in Christ, the evidence of things not seen. Do I look to disobey
God's holy law? I'm talking about the law of
Moses given at Sinai. No, I look to Christ who kept
that law on my behalf, knowing that I, that is in my flesh,
that this flesh is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed
can it be. So I am saying that we should,
am I saying that we should sin that grace may abound? We have
died with Christ so that now we are freed from the law of
sin and death. We are now allowed to serve one
another. We are not serving the flesh
in its lust. We are now free to serve Jesus
Christ our Lord. We are to reckon these two things,
that we are dead indeed to sin, and that we are alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord. We know this flesh still desires
sin and we are to deaden the members of this body. How are
we to do this? Believe Jesus Christ and what
he has done. Salvation is not doing, salvation
is done. He is my righteousness, he is
my life, he is my everything. We as believers are no longer
under the law as a schoolmaster, if it be so that Jesus Christ
has given you life and faith, coming with that life so that
you can believe him. Faith believes the gospel of
Jesus Christ and him crucified. And if you'll turn with me to
one more place, Romans six. Romans six. In verses, I'm gonna read verses
one through 18. What shall we say then? Shall
we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to
sin live any longer therein? Know ye not that so many of us
as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that
like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of
the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For
if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death,
we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection. Knowing
this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For
he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ,
we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that Christ
being raised from the dead doth no more, death hath no more dominion
over him. For in that he died, he died
unto sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus
Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in
your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lust thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness
unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness
unto God. For sin shall not have dominion
over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What
then, shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under
grace? God forbid. Know ye not that
to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are
to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto
righteousness? But God be thanked that ye were
the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form
of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from
sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. We are told to deaden our members.
Do we do this by trying to keep God's law? I'm afraid if you
do that, you will be doing and doing and doing with no righteousness. But we deaden our members by
believing Jesus Christ and what he has done. My righteousness
is God himself in the face of Jesus Christ. If the faith you
have looks to what you do, it is not the faith of Christ. The
faith of Christ is just that. It is of Christ. Him being the
author of it and the perfecter of it. That being given to you,
then the object of that faith is Jesus Christ himself. So that
you look to him who is the righteousness of God. If I preach to you the
law, what good news is there in that? I'm not preaching to
you the law. If I am preaching to you in any
way that righteousness comes by you keeping the law in any
way, then I'm lying to you. I am preaching to you the faith
of Jesus Christ. He kept God's law and at the
same time paid the penalty of sin against the law of God. Now, you know, sometimes we might
think, you know, somebody might think you're just coming up with
something new, but I just want to read in closing, something
from John Newton, and I like this statement. This book is
letters that he's written to people, and this one was to Miserous
Talbot. And I'm just going to take a
statement out of here. But he says, but when the enemy
would tempt us to doubt and distrust, Because we are not perfect, then
he fights not only against our peace, but against the honor
and faithfulness of our dear Lord. Our righteousness is in
him and our hope depends not upon the exercise of grace in
us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in him. And upon his obedience unto death,
amen. Dear Lord God, thank you for
allowing us to be here today. We know there are several folks
who have illnesses, have things going on, even some of us here,
dear Lord. Be with us, comfort us, heal
us, if that is your pleasure. If not, dear Lord, give us strength
to go through whatever trials it is that we must go through. But you be thanked for all things,
for you do all things well. All these things we ask in Christ's
name, amen.