Sermon title: His imputed & imparted righteousness
Introduction:
> A man was driving down a road and he almost didn’t see the old lady,
> stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he
> could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and
> got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
>
> Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to
> help for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn’t look
> safe, he looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened,
> standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill
> which only fear can put in you.
>
> He said, "I’m here to help you ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car
> where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."
>
> Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad
> enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the
> jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change
> the tire, but he had to get dirty and his hands hurt.
>
> As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and
> began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was
> only just passing through. She couldn’t thank him enough for coming to
> her aid.
>
> Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she
> owed him.
> Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined
> all the
> awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.
>
> Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him.
> This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who
> had given him a hand in the past...
>
> He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to
> act any other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him
> back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give
> that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added "...and
> think of me".
>
> He waited until she started her car and drove off. It had been a cold
> and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home,
> disappearing into the twilight.
>
> A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab
> a bite to eat, and take home. It was a dingy looking restaurant.
> Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her.
> The cash register was like the telephone of an out of work actor - it
> didn’t ring much. Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to
> wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her
> feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed that the
> waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain
> and aches change her
> attitude.
>
> The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving
> to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan. After the lady finished her
> meal, and the waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill,
> the lady slipped right out the
> door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back.
>
> She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written
> on the napkin under which was 4 $100 bills. There were tears in her eyes
> when she read what the lady wrote. It said, "You don’t owe me anything,
> I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out, the way I’m helping
> you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not
> let this chain of love end with you."
>
> Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to
> serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when
> she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the
> money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how
> much she and her husband needed it? With
> the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.
>
> She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to
> her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything’s
> gonna be all right; I love you, Bryan."(Author Unknown)
>
Transition: What a story we don’t know what our acts of kindness and love will do to effect another person’s life. This morning we will be looking into the righteousness that God imputes and imparts to us that we in turn may reflect His righteousness to others.
I) The imputed righteousness of God:
SDA Bible Com.-
Of righteousness.
Not only does the Spirit expose sin; He convicts of positive righteousness.
He urges men to accept the righteousness of Christ, both the imputed (Rom.10:3-10) and the imparted (Gal.2:20, Phil.2:13).
1st. we will reveal how the imputed righteousness is given to us.
i) Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary,Rm.4: Vs.8 Will not impute sin
Will not charge or reckon his sin against him.
Illustration:
1. In the Phillipines men will bear the cross, be tortured , whipped to attempt to appease God for their sin or sins.
Positive side is imputing of righteousness-Romans 4 vs.’s 3,5,6,9,11,22
God is not just concerned with my forgiveness,” but with my restoration of fellowship with Him.”(sdabc. P.514)
My past is no longer held against me God is prepared to treat me as though I have never sinned. From now on I am to be treated as a friend, even as a son(I JN.3:1,2).
I know that the perfect character of Christ, which has been imputed to me in justification, may now be imparted to me in sanctification, to transform my character into one like His.
ii) The evangelical Heidlberg Catechism, 1st. published in 1563, explains justification in these words: "How art thou righteous before God? Answer. Only by true faith in Jesus Christ; that is although my conscience accuse me that I have grievously sinned against all of the commandments of God, and have never kept any of them and that I am still prone always to all evil, yet God, without any merit of mine, of mere grace, grants and imputes the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, as if I had never committed nor had any sin, and had myself accomplished all the obedience which Christ has fulfilled for me, if only I accept such benefit with a believing heart."
iii) Ellen.G.White comments
"The human family are in trouble because of their transgression of the Father’s law. But God does not leave the sinner until He shows the remedy for sin. The only-begotten Son of God has died that we might live. The Lord has accepted this sacrifice in our behalf, as our substitute and surety, on the condition that we receive Christ and believe on Him. The sinner must come in faith to Christ, take hold of His merits, lay his sins upon the Sin Bearer, and receive His pardon. It was for this cause that Christ came into the world. Thus the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the repenting, believing sinner. He becomes a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King, an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ." {1Selected Messages 215.1}
"His righteousness is imputed only to the obedient. Let us accept it through faith, that the Father shall find in us no sin. But those who have trampled on the holy law will have no right to claim that righteousness." (Reveiw & Herald Sept. 21, 1886)! {6SDABC 1072.8}.
Abraham (Rom. 4:3-5). "Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son. This is how faith is accounted righteousness; and the pardoned soul goes on from grace to grace, from light to a greater light. He can say with rejoicing, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Titus 3:5-7). {1Selected Messages 367.1}
The thought that the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us, not because of any merit on our part, but as a free gift from God, is a precious thought.
Illustration: give $5 to youth then explain how Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us freely.
-Consider for a moment that this $5 bill is the righteousness of God. This represents all what Jesus has done for us. He has Lived a perfect life, sinless, then was tortured with whippings, wore a crown of thorns, nailed and bore the cross for all of us. Instead of What I deserved He took my place.
- Next all we need to do is receive it
- All you need to do is receive it and keep it, it is yours forever
"The enemy of God and man is not willing that this truth should be clearly presented; for he knows that if the people receive it fully, his power will be broken.
If he can control minds so that doubt and unbelief and darkness shall compose the experience of those who claim to be the children of God, he can overcome them with temptation." {Gospel Workers 161.1}
"Through the merits of Christ, through His righteousness, which by faith is imputed unto us, we are to attain to the perfection of Christian character. Our daily and hourly work is set forth in the words of the apostle: "Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith." While doing this our minds become clearer and our faith stronger, and our hope is confirmed; we are so engrossed with the view of His purity and loveliness, and the sacrifice He has made to bring us into agreement with God, that we have no disposition to speak of doubts and discouragements." {Vol.5 Testimonies to the church 744.1}
Transition: We now have looked at the imputed righteousness of God let us now look at the imparted righteousness of God to get the complete picture of His righteousness.
II)Imparted Righteousness:
"The disciples were the channel of communication between Christ and the people. This should be a great encouragement to His disciples today. Christ is the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ; and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting, we continue to receive; and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting." {Desire of Ages 370.1}
As a result of the Holy Spirit working upon the soul Good fruits will result
Phil. 2:12, 13 "Good Fruits the Proof.--Man, fallen man, may be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that he can "prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." How does he prove this? By the Holy Spirit taking possession of his mind, spirit, heart, and character. Where does the proving come in? "We are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men." A real work is wrought by the Holy Spirit upon the human character, and its fruits are seen." {Vol.6 SdaBC 1080.4}
"This work can be accomplished only through faith in Christ, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. Paul admonishes believers: "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12, 13. The Christian will feel the promptings of sin, but he will maintain a constant warfare against it. Here is where Christ’s help is needed. Human weakness becomes united to divine strength, and faith exclaims: "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57. {Great Controversy 469.3}
Illustration:
A good fruit tree: When we have been truly connected to Christ we will bear good fruit. This fruit will be seen our dispositions and feelings, new principles of action given and a new standard of character. Holy tempers and sanctified emotions are now the fruit borne upon the Christian tree. One has shown he has been transformed when these fruits are manifested in a Christian.
"The Enabling Grace of God.--In His Word God reveals what He can do for human beings. He molds and fashions after the divine similitude the characters of those who will wear His yoke. Through His grace they are made partakers of the divine nature, and are thus enabled to overcome the corruption that is in the world through lust. It is God who gives us power to overcome. Those who hear His voice and obey His commandments are enabled to form righteous characters. Those who disregard His expressed commands will form characters like the propensities that they indulge." (Letter 44, 1903). {7 SDABC 943.3}
Transition: As a result of His imputed and imparted righteousness we are justified, and have been and are sanctified and will be sanctified-set apart for holy use or purpose, thus we are made complete in Him and the victory is ours, But
Conclusion:
"The victory is not won without much earnest prayer, without the humbling of self at every step. Our will is not to be forced into co-operation with divine agencies, but it must be voluntarily submitted. Were it possible to force upon you with a hundredfold greater intensity the influence of the Spirit of God, it would not make you a Christian, a fit subject for heaven. The stronghold of Satan would not be broken. The will must be placed on the side of God’s will. You are not able, of yourself, to bring your purposes and desires and inclinations into submission to the will of God; but if you are "willing to be made willing," God will accomplish the work for you, even "casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5. Then you will "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Philippians 2:12, 13." {Thoughts from the mount of Blessing 142.1}
"So long as we work in Christ’s lines, laying hold of the arm of the Mighty One, we are safe; but just as soon as we loosen our grasp of His arm, and begin to depend upon human beings, we are in great danger. This very day the Lord desires us to reach a higher standard than we have ever reached in the past. Day by day we are to advance upward, ever upward, until it can be said of us as a people, "Ye are complete in him." {Sons & Daughters 329.5}
Brian was acting out of the impulse of love to help another human being, but not realizing that he was simply starting a chain of events that led to his own need being supplied. As we receive we may impart . Christ gave that we may also give.
Let us ever desire to allow His righteousness to save us, to keep us, and then to fulfill our duty to live out His righteousness.
My appeal is that Christ will be your all and everything you are will reflect Him.
