Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ our Lord. My text for this early Sunday
morning broadcast is going to be from Paul's epistle to the
church at Rome in Romans chapter 4. I want to read the last few
verses of that chapter, Romans chapter four and verse 19. Listen carefully to what the
Apostle Paul writes. He says these words, and being
not weak in faith, he's talking about Abraham here, and being
not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead when
he was about 100 years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what he, or that is what God, what he had promised, he,
he was able also to perform. And therefore, it was imputed
to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone, that is for Abraham's sake alone. Now it was not written
for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also,
to whom it shall be imputed if we believe. You see it? If we believe on him that raised
up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offenses. and was raised again for our
justification. So that's my text for this early
Sunday morning message. The righteousness the Apostle
Paul speaks of here is not a religious righteousness. No, it's not a
religious righteousness. The righteousness that the Apostle
Paul speaks of here is not a law righteousness. It's not a church
righteousness. It's not a denominational righteousness. It's not a moral righteousness. It's not an ethical righteousness. It is much more than that. The
righteousness the Apostle Paul is writing about here, he begins
speaking of it in chapter one. And he writes these words in
verse 16 of Romans one. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. For it is the power of God and
the salvation to everyone that believes. to the Jew first, and
also to the Greek. And look at it. For therein,
that is in the gospel, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed. You see it? For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is
written, the just shall live by faith. He also says, chapter
three, Listen to what he says about this righteousness. As
I said, remember, this is not a religious righteousness. This
is not a law righteousness. This is not a church righteousness. It's not a denominational righteousness. It's not even a moral or ethical
righteousness. It's much more than that. It's
the righteousness of God. Listen to chapter three, verses
21 and 22. But now, the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested. Clearly, it's not a legal righteousness.
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. Notice what he
wrote. Notice what Paul's actually saying.
He did not say faith in Christ. The righteousness he's talking
about is the righteousness of Christ's faith. That's what he
says. 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. So we see that this righteousness
Paul's talking about, this righteousness which will be imputed. This righteousness
which will be imputed to all those that believe is the very
righteousness of Jesus Christ himself. His faithfulness, his
veracity, his truthfulness, his obedience, his good works. This
is the righteousness of God. Now, I do ask you, give ear to
me this morning. I have four thoughts for you.
And I do pray that God will just encourage you and enable you
to want to hear what I have to say from God's word. Remember,
this righteousness, and it's a righteousness imputed, and
it's imputed if we believe, if we believe. So I have four thoughts
for you this morning. First of all, there has ever
been and will ever be only one God-accepted righteousness. Read again, Romans chapter four,
look at what it says. Romans chapter four, now it was
not written for his sake alone that it, that is righteousness,
you see that in verse 22 preceding, that it was imputed to him, but
for us also, to whom it, that is this God-righteousness, but
for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him
that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. So you see it?
Beginning to end, beginning to end. Hebrews chapter 11 says,
by faith Abel, by faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain. It's by faith, by faith. On and
on through the scriptures, It's constantly faith. Revelation
chapter 22. Listen to what the apostle John
wrote in Revelation chapter 22 and verse 10 and 11. And he saith
unto me, seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book,
for the time is at hand. Now look, he that is unjust,
that is unrighteous, that's the word. He that is unjust or unrighteous,
let him be unjust still. And he which is filthy, let him
be filthy still. And he that is righteous, do
you see it? Just. He that is righteous, let
him be righteous still. And he that is holy or set apart,
sanctified, let him be holy still. That's from beginning to end.
from Abel all the way to the end of the book of the revelation
of God. So you see, there's ever been
and always will only be one God-accepted righteousness, and that is that
righteousness that is Christ itself, that righteousness which
comes from His holy character, His righteous character, His
just character. But here's the second thing.
Think of this. Faith being given by God to his elect, and God
gives faith to his elect. Faith is not something you work
up. Faith is not something you come down with. Faith is not
something you pray through for. Faith is the gift of God. The
second thing again is, faith being given by God to his elect,
they continue to believe. Now, think about this. Go back
to Romans chapter 4. I read a couple of the same verses
again, but consider this. Now, it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him. It wasn't written for
Abraham's sake alone. that it was imputed to him, that
his righteousness was imputed to him. But for us also, Paul's
including himself. And Paul's been a believer for
years. Do you see it? Now think about what I'm saying
here. Think about this. But for us also, to whom it shall
be imputed if we believe on him that raised up Jesus, our Lord,
from the dead. You see, oh, if God would just
help me and help you to get a hold of this, faith, and imputed righteousness
is no one-time event. I was born and raised in a religion
that always talked about some time in the past when they came
forward, when they went forward and prayed the sinner's prayer,
or when they gave their heart to the Lord, but believing God
Once you start to believe God, you never cease to believe God
if that faith was the gift of God. Paul is writing to believers. And he said, to whom it shall
be imputed if we believe, if we believe. And again, Hebrews
chapter 11, speaking of all those great men and women of faith
who had that great and grand and glorious gift of God called
faith. It says these all died in faith. So again, there's ever been and
will ever be only one God accepted righteousness. And faith, when
God gives it, when God gives you faith to believe, you will
continue to believe. If you can ever back away from
that faith, throw that faith to the ground. If you can ever
abandon that faith, then that faith was not the faith that
God gives to his elect. Thirdly, faith never informs
God of our righteousness. Do you hear what I'm saying?
Faith is not informing God of our righteousness. Faith is laying
hold of God's sovereign ability. Again, I'll read one of the same
verses. Romans chapter four, verse 23.
Now it was not written for his sake alone. You see it? It wasn't
written for his sake alone. His sake and our sake. Do you see it? Now look. Back
up now, verse 20. He, this is all about Abraham,
he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded
that what he had promised, that is what God had promised, God
was also able to perform. So you see it? You see, consider
this, God promised mercy. God does not offer mercy. God
promised mercy. And you can find that in Luke
chapter 1 verse 72. Luke 1 verse 72 is quite clear.
God promised mercy. And what is real faith? What
is true faith? What is a God-given faith? What
is the faith of God's elect, God's chosen people, God's special
people? What is that faith? It believes
this. and being fully persuaded that
what God had promised, God was able also to perform. God also promised the gospel.
Romans chapter one, according to the apostle Paul, and listen
to what he says. Now, consider this. Romans chapter
one, first few verses. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated under the gospel of God, And
look, which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.
So you see, the gospel was promised by God. God don't offer the gospel
to men and women. God promised his gospel. And
his gospel came. And his gospel's being preached
unto you right now. Now look at what it says. Again,
go back and read it now without the parentheses and look at what
Paul's saying. a servant of Jesus Christ called to be apostle,
separated into what? What's the one main thing Paul
was separated into? The gospel of God. Verse three,
concerning his son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the
seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the
son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by
the resurrection from the dead. So God promised mercy. God will
give mercy. And God says, I will have mercy
on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. I believe that God is able to
do what he promised. But not only did he promise mercy,
he promised his gospel, he promised eternal life. You know that?
Listen to what Paul wrote to Titus. You'll find that in Titus
chapter one. And listen to what the Apostle
Paul in writing to Thomas said. He said he promised eternal life.
Titus chapter 1 verse 1, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle
of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God's elect. Do
you see it? According to the faith of God's
elect and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness
in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised,
do you see it, promised before the world began, but hath in
due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed
unto me according to the commandment of God our Savior. So there's
just three things. That's me just scratching the
surface. That's me just dripping a drop
out of the bucket. You see, again, listen to me.
Faith never informs God of our righteousness. Faith is laying
hold of God's sovereign ability to perform, to do, to actually
accomplish exactly what he promised to do. He promised eternal life,
and there's much more, but consider this. God was not dependent upon
Abraham and Sarah. You remember the account of Abraham
and Sarah? Abraham was too old to have children. Sarah was barren
from her youth and could not conceive. God was not dependent
upon Abraham and Sarah. And when a man comes to you,
any man comes to you and preaches anything along the line that
can be summed up as this, God's done all he can do, now it's
up to you, that man is not sent of God. That man is not preaching
the gospel. God was not dependent upon Abraham
and Sarah, but even more, neither was Abraham and Sarah dependent
upon themselves. Look at it. Let's read again.
Romans chapter four, verse 19, where I began reading to start
with. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body
now dead, that is, not physically dead, but he was not able to
produce children. Be not weak in faith. He considered
not his own body now dead when he was about 100 years old, and
neither did he consider the deadness of Sarah's womb. That wasn't
the point. It was physically impossible. physically impossible for Abraham
and Sarah to come together and produce a child, an offspring,
physically impossible. But God promised he's gonna have
a son. And God promised he's gonna have
a son by Sarah. So again, think of it. And being
not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when
he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness
of Sarah's wound. He staggered not at the promise
of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God. And here is faith, and being
fully persuaded. Here is the faith of God's elect.
and being fully persuaded. Here is the faith that is God's
gift. And being fully persuaded that
what God had promised, God was able to perform. And therefore,
it was imputed to him for righteousness. You see, look at Hebrews chapter
10. Here's an amazing thing. Hebrews
chapter 10. And listen to what verse 23 says.
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith. Now it does not
say, it does not say hold fast to your profession of faith.
That's not what it says. Thousands are calling upon men
and women to come forward and make some profession of faith
that they are encouraged to. Later on in life, if they ever
doubt, if they ever fear, then look back to that profession
you made way back yonder when you was 14, 15, 16 years old
or whatever. That's not what the writer's
talking about. He said, let us hold fast the profession of our
faith without wavering. Why? Now look at it. For he is
faithful that promised. Mm, what a glory. Another thing,
see, again, faith never informs God of our righteousness. Faith's
not something you come up with and then prove to God you mean
business. Faith is taking God at His word. Faith is believing
in God's ability, not your ability. Faith is believing that God's
able to perform what He promised in spite of the fact that you
can't do anything about it. You have no power, no ability
whatsoever. You understand the deadness of
yourself. You understand to some degree
what you are by nature and that you have no ability to present
yourself righteous before God, but you believe God's promise.
and you believe that God is able to perform that which he promised. So he promised mercy, promised
his gospel, he promised eternal life, He don't offer any of these
things. He promised it. He's gonna bring
it to pass. Here's another thing. You don't
inform God of your righteousness by faith. Faith is not your righteousness. It's Christ's righteousness given
to you by which God imputes his righteousness to you in Christ
Jesus. Here's the fourth thing under
this fact that faith never informs God of our righteousness. Think
of it. No man or woman ever comes up with faith. You hear what
I said? No man or woman ever comes up with faith. As I said
before, you don't pray faith down, you don't work faith up. Faith is the free, unmerited,
unearned gift of God. breathes on a dead soul, and
God gives faith, the ability to believe, and by that faith,
a man or a woman, then hearing the gospel of Christ, will believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to what Paul wrote. Philippians
chapter one, and just one verse there. Philippians chapter one,
verse 29. For unto you it is given, it is given. You see,
for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to
believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Now, I realize
the emphasis there from Paul is on the suffering. And the
suffering is a what? It's a gift. You don't have to
earn it. You don't have to merit it if
you believe God's suffering will come. But notice what else he
said. For unto you it is given, in
the behalf of Christ, not only to believe, so therefore it was
given you to believe. And that, that is without question. Look at what Paul also wrote.
Ephesians chapter 1. This is about believing. Remember,
faith is not you informing God of some righteousness you have
in believing God. Faith is believing that what
God promised, God's able to perform. And listen to what Paul writes.
Ephesians chapter 1 and verse 18. Writing to these Ephesian
believers. Verse 18, the eyes of your understanding have been
enlightened. that you may know what is the hope of his calling,
and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the
saints. And look at it, here it is. And
what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe,
and how do you believe? Do you come up with it? Do you
just muster it up? Do you pray it down? That's not
what it says. And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power to usward who believe? according to the working of his
mighty power. Do you see it? Oh, I pray God
gives you eyes to see it, a heart to perceive it, and ears to hear
it this morning. How does any man or woman, how
does any boy or girl, how does any white man or black man or
red man or whatever man or whatever woman, how does anyone ever come
to believe? They come to believe according
to the working of his mighty power. And what kind of power
is that? Look at it. Look at it, which
he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and
set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above
all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and
every name that is named, not only in this world, but also
in that which is to come. and hath put all things under
his feet, that is, Christ's feet, and gave him to be head over
all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of
him that filleth all in all. So, again, I tell you, no man
or woman ever just comes up with faith. So that's the three things.
Again, there has been and ever will only be one God-accepted
righteousness. Secondly, faith being given to
God's elect They continue to believe if we believe, if we
believe, if we believe. Thirdly, faith never informs
God of our righteousness. Faith receives a righteousness.
It believes Christ. It trusts God to do what he promised
to do. And here's the fourth thing.
imputed righteousness by believing is grounded in Christ's faithfulness
in his life and his cross work in his resurrection and his exaltation
Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote and if you wish to follow
along turn to Philippians chapter 3 and listen to what he says
Philippians chapter 3 and in this chapter the Apostle Paul
talks about all of his background his religion and His righteousness
in the law. That's what he talks about. But
then look at what he says in verse seven. Philippians three, verse
seven. Look at the context. Read it for yourself. Don't take
my word on it. Read it for yourself. Philippians three, verse seven.
But what things were gained to me, you see it? What things were
gained to me, those I counted lost for Christ. Yea, doubtless. There is no question about this,
Paul says. Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss,
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for
whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them
but dung, but why, that I may win Christ, and be found in him. Now look at it, oh look at it,
and be found in him. not having mine own righteousness,
which is of the law, but that which is through, now look at
this phrase again, remember I mentioned it a moment ago, that which is
through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith, that I might know him and the power of his resurrection
and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his
death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection
of the dead. What a glory, what a glory. Now,
let me conclude this this morning. What kind of faith do you have?
You say you got faith? What kind of faith do you have?
The God-accepted faith is Christ's faith. Yes, it is Christ's faith,
given in measure, according to Paul in Romans 12, verse three.
Given in measure, not faith as fully as Christ had it, but the
faith of Christ nonetheless. and given in measure to God's
people. But that faith, given to some,
in which, and from which, those given that measure, they will
believe. And what will they believe? Go
back again, Romans chapter four, what will they believe? Listen. Being not weak in faith, he considered
not his own body now dead, and it was. When he was about 100
years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, and it was.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but
was strong in faith, giving glory to God, and what is that? How
is that faith defined? Here it is defined. And being
fully persuaded. that what he, that is God, had
promised, he, that is God, was able to perform. Now hear me
now. Religious faith is not it. Legal, religious faith is not
it. Righteousness imputed is by faith,
but it's a God-given faith. It's not some kind of religious
faith, it's a God-given faith. Law, righteousness, don't cut
it. To whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him that raised
up Jesus our Lord from the dead. You see, did Abraham have the
law? Did Abraham have the law? No, he didn't. Abraham didn't
even have this book. And yet, Abraham, what? He believed
God. He believed that what God Almighty
had promised, God Almighty was able to perform. Do you remember
The account, and if you don't, I want to briefly give it to
you. Remember the account, there was a leper that came to Christ.
And you know what his statement to Christ was? He said, Lord,
if you will, you are able to make me whole. Do you get it?
Lord, if you will. Friends, it all depends upon
God. It all depends upon his will. Can you fall down in the dust
before Christ as that old leprous beggar? Lord, if thou will, if
you will, thou canst make me clean. If you can, if you can.
If God's given you that ability and you can bow down before Christ,
you will hear him say to you through his scripture, through
his gospel, I will be thou clean. Yet, we find that Abraham was
imputed righteousness by faith, faith believing God's ability. Now, I would encourage you to
listen at 12 noon every Sunday, God willing, every Sunday you
can hear a portion of one of our Lord's Day Sunday morning
messages. I strongly encourage you to tune
in and to listen to those.