Your Own Righteousness OR Christ's Righteousness
[This is a sermon outline from my Roman's series at Burlington Baptist Church ]
I. We are all sinners in need of forgiveness and a righteousness which we do not have (Romans 1:18-3:20). A person cannot be justified (declared righteous) by good works because no one can do them perfectly (Romans 3:20-21; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11).
So if you have sinned and fall short of glorifying (Romans 3:9, 23), then how can you be saved?
Horatius Bonar: How may I, a sinner, draw near to Him in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? (see The Everlasting Righteous, http://www.jude3.net/bertoc.htm)
II. There is a righteousness provided by God that is not based on your performance (“apart from law”) (Romans 3:21; Gal. 2:21).
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Gal 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
III. God’s judicial act to declare righteous (justify) is graciously given for those who have faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:22-26)
This righteousness from God is for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ alone (Romans 3:22)
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even {the} righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
The reason we need God’s righteousness is because all have sinned and fall short of glorifying God (Romans 3:23 and see point I and II)
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Being justified is freely given by God’s grace (3:24).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Definitions of "justification":
"Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight." –Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 723
“To be justified means to be declared right with God by virtue of the remission of sins accomplished by Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer’s sins are imputed to Christ, who bears them in His body on the tree. Justification is from beginning to end a divine action, based upon the mercy of God the Father and the work of Jesus Christ the Son.” James White, The God Who Justifies (Bloomington, Minn: Bethany House, 2001), 73.
This gift of righteousness / being justified is through the redemptive death of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-25).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
God publicly displayed the Lord Jesus as a atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25)
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
This great act of God demonstrates that he is righteous (Romans 3:26)
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This great act of God shows that he alone is the one who justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Being justified is by faith and not by works (3:27-28) *Explained in—4:1-8
Rom 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Justification by faith alone (in Christ alone) is for Jews and Gentiles (3:29-30) *Explained in—4:9-16
Rom 3:29 Or is God {the God} of Jews only? Is He not {the God} of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom 3:30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Conclusion:
Do you understand your problem?
Do you understand that one cannot and will not be acceptable to God based on “good works” but only in the one work of Jesus Christ?
What are you trusting in to commend yourself before a holy God?
[This is a sermon outline from my Roman's series at Burlington Baptist Church ]
I. We are all sinners in need of forgiveness and a righteousness which we do not have (Romans 1:18-3:20). A person cannot be justified (declared righteous) by good works because no one can do them perfectly (Romans 3:20-21; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11).
So if you have sinned and fall short of glorifying (Romans 3:9, 23), then how can you be saved?
Horatius Bonar: How may I, a sinner, draw near to Him in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? (see The Everlasting Righteous, http://www.jude3.net/bertoc.htm)
II. There is a righteousness provided by God that is not based on your performance (“apart from law”) (Romans 3:21; Gal. 2:21).
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Gal 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
III. God’s judicial act to declare righteous (justify) is graciously given for those who have faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:22-26)
This righteousness from God is for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ alone (Romans 3:22)
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even {the} righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
The reason we need God’s righteousness is because all have sinned and fall short of glorifying God (Romans 3:23 and see point I and II)
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Being justified is freely given by God’s grace (3:24).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Definitions of "justification":
"Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight." –Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 723
“To be justified means to be declared right with God by virtue of the remission of sins accomplished by Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer’s sins are imputed to Christ, who bears them in His body on the tree. Justification is from beginning to end a divine action, based upon the mercy of God the Father and the work of Jesus Christ the Son.” James White, The God Who Justifies (Bloomington, Minn: Bethany House, 2001), 73.
This gift of righteousness / being justified is through the redemptive death of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-25).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
God publicly displayed the Lord Jesus as a atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25)
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
This great act of God demonstrates that he is righteous (Romans 3:26)
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This great act of God shows that he alone is the one who justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Being justified is by faith and not by works (3:27-28) *Explained in—4:1-8
Rom 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Justification by faith alone (in Christ alone) is for Jews and Gentiles (3:29-30) *Explained in—4:9-16
Rom 3:29 Or is God {the God} of Jews only? Is He not {the God} of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom 3:30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Conclusion:
Do you understand your problem?
Do you understand that one cannot and will not be acceptable to God based on “good works” but only in the one work of Jesus Christ?
What are you trusting in to commend yourself before a holy God?
