Delivered by His Righteousness

Q: What does the Bible say about righteousness?

The Bible teaches that righteousness is a gift from God, imparted to believers through faith in Jesus Christ. In Scripture, righteousness is fundamentally the character of God but is also a status bestowed upon believers. Romans 3:21-22 states that the righteousness of God is manifested apart from the law, and it is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. This is not a righteousness that we can achieve through our own works or adherence to the law, as Paul emphasizes in Romans 10:3-4, where he points out that many seek to establish their own righteousness rather than submitting to God's righteousness, which comes through faith. The culmination of this imputed righteousness is found in passages such as 2 Corinthians 5:21, which tells us that Christ became sin for us so that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Thus, true righteousness is rooted in God's grace, and it transforms believers, as seen in Ephesians 1:4 where we are chosen to be holy and blameless before Him.

Q: How do we know that we are justified by faith?

We are justified by faith as taught in Romans, where Paul declares that faith in Christ alone is the means of being declared righteous. Justification by faith is a central doctrine in Reformed theology as articulated by the Apostle Paul. Romans 3:24 states that we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. This means that our right standing before God is not based on our efforts or adherence to the law but solely on the work of Christ. In Romans 5:1, Paul further affirms this by telling us that 'being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.' This peace is the assurance that comes from knowing our sins are forgiven and that we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness. The Heidelberg Catechism echoes this truth by stating that justifying faith is a confident trust in God's mercy and the righteousness of Christ that is credited to us. Thus, we know we are justified by faith through the clear teaching of Scripture that points to Jesus as both the basis and source of our justification.

Q: Why is God's righteousness important for Christians?

God's righteousness is essential for Christians as it represents our standing before Him and our means of salvation. The righteousness of God is foundational to Christian faith as it underpins our very relationship with Him. Romans 3:21-22 clarifies that this righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not by our own works, emphasizing the need for divine intervention in our lives. This is vital because without God's righteousness, we cannot stand justified before Him. In Philippians 3:9, Paul expresses his desire to be found in Christ, not possessing his own righteousness, but that which comes through faith in Christ. This indicates that God's righteousness is not just a theological concept but a lived reality that defines our identity as believers. Additionally, righteousness enables us to live in a way that honors God. It provides a moral foundation and standard by which we can measure our thoughts and actions, striving to reflect Christ's character in our daily lives. Without understanding the significance of God’s righteousness, we risk falling into self-righteousness, which ultimately leads to spiritual pride and separation from God.

Q: What does it mean to be quickened in His righteousness?

Being quickened in His righteousness means being made alive spiritually through the work of the Holy Spirit, as we embrace Christ's righteousness. The term 'quickened' refers to being made alive, especially in a spiritual sense. In Psalm 119:40, the psalmist expresses a desire to be quickened in God's righteousness, recognizing that true life and vitality come from God’s grace. This quickening is the work of the Holy Spirit, who enables believers to understand and receive Christ’s righteousness. Romans 8:11 highlights this truth, stating that the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, giving life to our mortal bodies. Thus, to be quickened in His righteousness means that God's righteousness is credited to us through faith, and this transformative power affects our hearts and minds, leading us to live in obedience to God. Furthermore, as we grasp the depth of our union with Christ, articulated in 1 Corinthians 1:30, we see that He has become our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, quickening us in His righteousness aligns us with God's purposes and empowers us to live out the calling we have received.

that look at it last week, we called that, Quicken Thou Me. And all through this section and all through the psalm and all through the Scripture, God's people desire that and pray to God that He does quicken, that He brings His Word to us and makes it a living Word in us and makes that that delivers from what we are by nature. And this verse 40 says, Behold, I have longed after thy precepts, quicken me in thy righteousness.

And remember, from the very beginning of this psalm, and it applies to all of Scripture, but the many ways that is termed God communicating with His people through the Scriptures and through His Word, And that is how he indeed does communicate with us with a record that we hold in our hands. It is from his mouth to ours, to our ears through his prophets and those that would record for us. And we talked about this verse a little bit, verse 40 last time, in that we mentioned that that the Lord needs to quicken the spirit.

This is all work that the spirit does is from the first part of this, where we looked at, he was desiring that he would put his word before our eyes, cause us to understand that. And as we looked a couple of times that the word has to be set forth plainly and clearly as written, not just paraphrased, but as it is written, that we have it, and that the sense of it is given, and then only the Spirit can take that, that we can do some of. We can educate in the Word. We can educate ourselves, and we can help educate others. in the language of it and what it says, but only the Spirit can take that and truly reveal Himself to us. We can point that out, what the Scripture says, but only He can make that alive, and He does do that for His people. And I'd like to look at some of the scripture today that speaks to being delivered by His righteousness and by His doing and clothing us in that. And I'd like to start by reading a couple of verses to start with.

And in the book of 1 Samuel, There's one verse I'd like to mention here, and it's in the third chapter of 1 Samuel. Actually, three verses. The last three verses of chapter 3 say, And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

And all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And verse 21, And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. And by the word of the Lord, and as it was given to him.

And that same thought applies and same truth applies of all times with God's people that he, it says here, it reveals himself to God's people by the word of the Lord, and that's the Scripture we hold in our hands. Those that have said that God said this to them, and if it wasn't, God said this to me in 1 Samuel, or God said to me this in Matthew, If God just said that to me, I probably better back up and think a bit about what I think, who is speaking to me. God speaks through His Word. God speaks through the preaching, and the teaching, and the reading, and just being in His Word. That's what the psalmist is saying to us all the way through this psalm and others too, is to be in His Word, and that is how God speaks to His people, is through that Word, and revealing Himself and revealing the truth of the gospel. in that Scripture.

And then in chapter 5 of John, and we've quoted this a number of times, it's a good place what it has to say. In John 5, and you probably know where I'm headed, Hear the Lord speaking. It says, starting with verse 36 of John 5, it says, But I have a 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 hath sent me, hath borne witness of me.

You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you, for whom he hath sent ye have believed not." Speaking to the Pharisees and others. The one that was sent, he believed not. In verse 39 it says, Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they that testify of me.

And you will not come to me that ye might have life. I receive not honor from men, but I know ye that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not. If another shall come in his own name, ye will receive him. How can ye believe which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father.

There is one that accuseth you, even Moses, whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" And we quote this verse 39 quite a bit because it's quite a verse in itself that says that, search the Scriptures, for in you think ye have eternal life, and there they have testified me. And he goes on and talks here that we believe in Moses. We believe in the writings that we have. We believe in, we're of Abraham and the things that he believed.

And essentially, you don't believe what, if you would believe what Moses had to say, you would believe in me. You would believe what the scriptures say. They had the scriptures. They didn't believe the scriptures until it was given to those that may have been of the sheep. down the road somewhere until it was given to them, they would not understand that.

And they were thinking, and they believe, and there are many to this day that believe in, we can carry out what is demanded of us to be right with God and to make ourselves righteous in His view. And that's what they were saying. They could carry out those things. They could live by those things. And he said, You cannot. It's not by that that you cannot do it that way. And they thought they had eternal life in the Scriptures and how they viewed them, but the last part they say, they are they which testify of me. And that is how he is testified of to this day, and always will be, is by his word, and as his word is caused to be received of his people.

And so we're gonna look at a few places that speak of being delivered by his righteousness. And these are, Scriptures that we look at from time to time, and they bear our looking at at this time and speaking about that He would save us in His righteousness, deliver us in His righteousness. I'd like to start by looking to the book of Romans, a couple of places we will be in Romans, but in chapter 3 of Romans, He's speaking here quite a bit about the condition of man is in, and being guilty before God, all men are guilty before God. And he goes on and speaks about Abraham being justified and saved by faith given to him. But in Romans 3, starting with verse 21, Verse 21 of Romans chapter 3, it says, But now the righteousness of God without the laws 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. being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, 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, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 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." And I'm going to stop there at that point there, or at that particular spot. But that here, verse 21, where it says, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. They look to righteousness by the law and the prophets as they interpreted it, as they thought it was to be. But here it speaks, it says here, the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. they were seeing a way that they could live and be proud of it and make some progress in things towards those things that would give them righteousness. And here it said, no, the law and the prophets were revealing the righteousness that was without the law.

They speak of Him. They didn't speak of a way. It wasn't a way to get from here to there. it was a person, it was Him, it was the Messiah that was that way. And it spoke of Him all from early in Genesis, we have record of that, speaking about Him to come to do that. And it didn't start in Genesis there saying, if you did this, the Savior can take care of the problem, or the Messiah at that time. It said He was gonna take care of the problem. by nature, man's going to see how he can get it done. And that's where they were at. And both there in John and here in Romans, it's staying the same thing. Eternal life is not in the doing of it, it's in the person of who it's speaking to. And that's not changed.

And that's still there as in Samuel, by his word, we have the record of it. And he asked it, as the psalmist is desiring there, that the Spirit's got to make that alive in us, has to reveal that to us, and make that more than just the reading of the words. And that's what we've mentioned some time back about being in his word as the psalmist talks about it. It's not just merely for the time spent or the memorizing or something, but that God used that and reveal himself to us in that doing, in the reading and the time spent in his word. And it's, It's not just something to know by rote memory, but we do do that.

We do memorize his scripture and we do know his scripture in places, but he has to reveal that in them, so that in them we don't think we have eternal life, but only how he reveals it, that we have eternal life in those scriptures that speak of him and reveal him.

In Galatians chapter three, In Galatians 3, verses 21 and 22, not just to exclude this, but it says here, 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. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." And here again, where it says, If there had been a law given which could have given righteousness, which have given life, I'm sorry, righteousness should have been by the law. You're saying if that was a way that could, if by works it could be gotten, That's one thing, but this isn't what it's speaking about here.

As it says here, the scripture concluded that by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. Not by works, as it says, of righteousness that we have done, but by his righteousness is the only standing that we can have and that we must have.

I turn to the book of 1 Corinthians, if you would, please. Join me in 1 Corinthians. And again, a couple of spots here that... It says here, and we're going to read in another spot also, but here in the last couple verses of chapter one, and it's speaking to them that are sanctified, that are called to be saints, speaking of who this was written to, and that the faithful God by whom we are called, it says.

But verse 30 says, but of him, of God, you are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And again, pointing to that he is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, and that righteousness, he is made unto us that. And the word says that He is our righteousness, but it says here that God is made unto us those things. He has to reveal to us that that's the true righteousness we have is Him, and not any other form or way or or things that we have done or could do, but He is the one that's revealed and made Him to us that. And as it says, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And then with that in mind, turn to 2 Corinthians and chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians. I'd like to start with verse 17. Verse 17 of Corinthians 5. It says, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we may be made the righteousness of God in him. And here again, this is God's work. God has done this and does this work. And it says here, "...made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

And that title, that song, and a couple of thoughts that His robe for ours, or our robes for His, the great transaction is changing our unrighteousness for His righteousness, and that that speaks volumes here, that was made to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. And that sums up a lot in that verse there. But here, a couple of things.

Contrary to what some of we've heard lately, there was no sin in Him. That sin that was on him was our sin on him. Read in Isaiah chapter 53, it's very plain about that he took the punishment for his people. It wasn't his punishment that was due him. It was ours that was done. He knew no sin that we made the righteousness of God in him.

And I think, like I said, I think that That speaks volumes of what our salvation is about and what it was based on and how it came about. It made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. And then, turn back to the book of Romans again for just a minute, Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5. this whole chapter bears on the thought that we're looking at here being justified by faith and His righteousness placed upon us.

But I'd like to read I realize jumping into this thought here, but starting with verse 15, it says, But not as the offense, so also is the free gift. For if through the offense of one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded to many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses under justification. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Christ Jesus. And I think that's where I wanted to stop right now. But here, the death is speaking about the nature. Death by Adam, bring it on. In the fall, it says, death reign much more.

They which read abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. hear the gift, speaking of righteousness, that standing that we, that we, it says we are made the righteousness of God in Him, that that is part and parcel of who God's people are by the work he's done that made the righteousness of God and here as a gift, again, contrary to any other outside influence or any outside working or doing that we could do or attempt to do, that it has no bearing on that. This is the gift that was given to his people in himself.

And then in Romans chapter 10, we'll look at a different couple of spots, but in Romans chapter 10, It says, starting with Romans 10, starting with verse 1, it says, 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 they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that man which doeth those things shall live by them.

But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven, that is, to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is, bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it? The Word is nigh unto thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith which we preach."

And the thought goes on here, but up here, the thought again, verses 3 And four, where it says, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. That's not just Israel, right? That was those that he was dealing with that he had burdened for in that way. But this is natural man This is natural man's thought all the way of his own. This is natural man's thought, is that a zeal, maybe a zeal of God, but not according to your knowledge, but going about to establish their own righteousness and have not submitted to God's righteousness.

And that's, every religious person that God has not revealed himself to, this is gonna be what religion is for, is establishing that standing that they can have before God. And it says, you're not submitted to the righteousness of God, this isn't gonna do it. And speaking to them, not of works, we can't establish righteousness with God. As it said before, it's a gift, as that faith is given, that righteousness is a gift, that we are made that of Him, not something that we can conjure up or that we can bring about.

And then in the book of Philippians, the book of Philippians, in the third chapter, Philippians chapter 3, starting with verse... And this is Paul's account of, up above here, speaking about his credentials as far as the Pharisee goes, and his standing in that way and how that came about.

And verse 8 says, "'Yea, doubtless, and I counted 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, that I may win Christ, 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, that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death." And here, It said, count all things done but lost for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ. And down in verse 9, it 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. And this here speaks of the righteousness that we have because of the faithfulness of God. And you have to look back to the covenant, that he was faithful to the covenant, that the eternal covenant, that he indeed was given a people that he was indeed going to redeem and take care of the sin issue, the sin nature that was in them. And that here, as it says, that the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is by God, of God by faith, and that faithfulness, it speaks to not our faithfulness, we're given faith to believe those things, but the faithfulness, speaking of that, he was a faithful, as it said, he was a faithful one over his own house.

He did those things that were required of the covenant to redeem a people and provide that righteousness that indeed we have.

And then just a couple more spots in Isaiah chapter 61. And not to leave out this morning those many places in the Old Testament in Isaiah and Ezekiel and all the rest of the minor prophets, as we've seen, all the books of the Old Testament that we've seen that testify of Him as He says. But in Isaiah 61, two verses. Verse 61, verse 1 says, the spear of the Lord God is upon me.

Because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort them that mourn. And then verse 10. that says, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with jewels. and hear these verses together.

And I think that the first verse there speaks about those that are bringing those, but I think it speaks of the Lord Himself, too, obviously. that preaches good tidings and binds up the brokenhearted, proclaims liberty to the captive in the opening of the prison that them are bound. And we can read the words of that, but he's the one that can do that and does indeed do that for his people.

And then in the book of Ephesians, turn to the book of Ephesians. The book of Ephesians. And we go to the book of Ephesians a lot. There's a lot that are very, very plainly written to us of how we stand in Him, who's working that is. But let's first chapter of Ephesians to start with for just a few verses. And I'd like to read the first seven verses of chapter one of Ephesians.

It says, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus. Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he had purposed in himself."

And it goes on to speak of that in the work that the Holy Spirit's done before chapter 2, But this sets out a part of the groundwork and foundation while we can then turn to the Scriptures that, as we've looked at this, speak of His righteousness to us. that it's only because of here in the first part of chapter 1 and the rest of chapter 1, but often go to chapter 2 and take out a couple of verses, which we dearly love, but a lot of times that first chapters It's skipped over in some of that thinking, but without this, we can't claim the rest of it.

And the righteousness that we have has all come about because of what it says here, that He had a people and He has a people. And here I think tying it back with what the psalmist said, that it's his work, and it says, I have longed for thy precepts, quicken me in thy righteousness. And the only way we can be quickened is because of his righteousness that he has accomplished for us. And when he said it's finished, and then when he died, was buried and rose again and ascended to the Father, That was, it was well and truly finished as far as the work and the outward symbol of that work being done. And I think that that all has to be part and parcel of what the psalmist is talking about being justified by and being quickened by his righteousness. And with that, next time we'll move on to the next section, 41 through 49 of Psalm 119. Thank you, everyone that's here today.

Delivered by His Righteousness

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about righteousness?

How do we know that we are justified by faith?

Why is God's righteousness important for Christians?

What does it mean to be quickened in His righteousness?

Sermon Transcript

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Delivered by His Righteousness

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about righteousness?

How do we know that we are justified by faith?

Why is God's righteousness important for Christians?

What does it mean to be quickened in His righteousness?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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