An Expose’ on Righteousness – Part I
(Righteous by Faith)
Lakewood / Speaker: Jonathan L. Vorce / 8-30- 2012
Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:13
Introduction:
1. In Genesis Chapter 14 Abram had been offered material things by the king of Sodom after a successful recovery of the people and goods that had been taken in a raid by their enemies.
a. Abram was not interested in the material things that the king of Sodom was offering.
b. In verse 23 he told the king of Sodom that he would not take anything from a thread to a shoe latchet unless he would tell people he had made Abram rich.
2. Abram also paid tithes to Melchizedek (the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God) in Genesis 14:18-20
a. This set Abram up to receive the “bountiful blessings of God” that we see promised in the beginning of chapter 15.
b. Tithing has a way of opening up heaven to us. Abram began to have revelations from God and received the promises of God for himself and future generations.
Introduction Ended:
I. Genesis 15:1-6 At least four times in scripture that we know of, the Bible says that “Abraham believed God and it was counted (or imputed) unto him for righteousness”. (Genesis 15:6,
Romans 4:3, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23)
A. Righteousness – dikaiosune (greek) is "the character or quality of being right or just"
1. It was formerly spelled "rightwiseness," which clearly expresses the meaning
2. It is used to denote an attribute of God, e.g., Romans 3:5, the context of which shows that "the righteousness of God" means essentially the same as His faithfulness, or truthfulness, that
which is consistent with His own nature and promises!
II. Begin an expository expose’ of Romans Chapter 3.
A. Paul was defending the gospel of the Grace of God which comes through the Cross of Jesus Christ and makes us righteous by faith.
1. Romans 3:25 – 26 speaks of His "righteousness" as exhibited in the death of Christ, which is sufficient to show men that God is neither indifferent to sin nor regards it lightly.
B. He is having an open discussion with a conscious objector of grace for the Gentiles.
1. In the first eight verses of this chapter Paul continues explaining the guilt of the Jews and laying the foundation for the necessity of a redeemer.
2. He dialogues with an individual in open discussion concerning the guilt that the law brings.
C. He explored the condemnation of the law and explained that only God can make us “righteous by faith”.
1. Verses 9-22
D. He rounds it out in verses 22 – 31 by saying:
1. Verse 28 – “Man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law…”
2. Verse 31 – That this teaching does not make the law void, it actually establishes it!
Conclusion – Righteousness demonstrates that quality of holiness in Him (God) which must find expression in His condemnation of sin. God is a righteous God (faithful, true and holy) and He will not let sin slide but He has provided a way, through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus, to right the wrongs in your life and bring you back into fellowship with God. Righteousness by Faith…
