Alliance Church
June 3, 2001
Pastor David Welch
“The Divine Dilemma and the Gift of Righteousness”
Romans 3:21-31
I. Receive the gift of God’s righteousness by faith 1-5
The gospel first exposes the unrighteousness of man. The gospel then reveals the righteousness of God and how to receive it as a free gift. “Righteousness of God” is the major theme of the book. Righteousness is a word used to indicate conformity or obedience to a particular standard. The expression, “that was righteous”, popular several years ago, indicated that one’s action satisfactorily conformed to one’s expectations. To describe someone as righteous identifies him or her in compliance to a standard.
The phrase “the righteousness of God” used by Paul may be viewed from several aspects.
• God’s personal character that perfectly conforms to His own moral standard
(the righteous character of God)
• God’s established order of right and wrong required of those made in His image.
(the standard of right and wrong decreed by God)
• God’s gift of right standing granted to those believing in Christ
(declared righteous by judicial order on the basis of the righteousness of Christ)
The Gospel reveals God’s standard.
The Gospel reveals God’s own conformity to His own standard.
The Gospel reveals how far from God’s expectations man has strayed.
The Gospel reveals how man can become the righteousness of God in Christ.
Paul spent the first three chapters demonstrating the unrighteousness of man and the need for the righteousness of God. He makes the bad new bad, which makes the good news better. Because man has suppressed the truth by His behavior, the flesh becomes unrestrained.
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law. Prov 29:18
A. Every man needs God’s righteousness because all have sinned 1-3
1. The self-centered hedonist (pleasure focused) is without excuse 1:18-32
2. The self-justifying moralist is without excuse 2:1-16
God will judge people according to how their behavior conforms to His standard.
3. The self-righteous religious Jew is without excuse 2:17-3:8
Jews have never perfectly followed the Law of Moses but consistently broken the letter and spirit of His Law and cast it aside for their own convenience. Gentiles have never perfectly followed their conscience but consistently violated and seared their conscience to do their own thing. Those who fail to live in perfect conformity with God’s standard (God’s righteousness) will face anger, wrath, tribulation and distress. That not only means abstinence from all that is evil but full, spiritually productive lives in right relationship with the Creator. Those who perfectly conform (yes God demands perfect conformity) to the law of God will enjoy eternal life, glory, honor and peace. The dilemma for man become dreadfully obvious. Paul adeptly demonstrated that NO ONE has been able to live a perfectly righteous life. Even those who think they are better than others have consistently violated the standard of God and failed to live a life consistent with an image bearer of the Holy God. Just in case anyone missed his conclusion, Paul summarizes the dilemma in verse 9-20.
4. Everyone is without excuse 3:9-20
a) No one lives righteously 9-18
b) The Law exposes man’s lack of righteousness 19-20
Man’s dilemma is dismal since NO MAN has or ever will keep the standard. We have as much hope of reaching heaven without help as we do reaching the moon without a spaceship. We can practice all our life to reach the moon. We can even train our body to jump pretty high. We may even jump higher than anyone else. The reality is, that no matter how high we may train to jump, we will still be 221,463 miles short of the lunar mark. Some may start from the bottom of a mineshaft. Others may make their attempt from the top of Mount Everest. All will still fall miserably short of the established mark. If God’s standard requires perfect conformity and violation of one is violation of all, then no matter how well we think we are doing, in the divine appraisal of things, we are still 4,565 commands short of the divine mark.
Those of you banking on your record of good works outweighing your bad works should seriously think again. Even though by chance your good may outnumber your bad. The problem is, comparison of good and bad will not be God’s criteria. After all, since it is his heaven, it might be could to pay attention to HIS criteria rather than yours. Man’s dilemma is the impossibility of entering God’s presence without perfect righteousness. The more we grasp the gravity of the bad news the more we will appreciate the glory of the good news. The good news is not just that Jesus loves me and died for me. The good news is based on the bad news that apart from His sacrifice I am eternally doomed to wrath, anger, tribulation and distresses.
A dilemma also arises however for the righteous judge. God’s own standard clearly states that the soul that sins must die. Today’s passage (Romans 3:21-31) addresses two questions.
1. How can a sinful man be right with a Holy God without perfect behavior?
2. How can a Holy God justify a sinful man without violating his own justice or righteousness or condone our unrighteousness?
God Himself declares. “I will by no means justify the wicked!”
’The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.’ Numbers 14:18
B. God reveals His way to righteousness 3:21-4:25
1. God’s way to righteousness explained 3:21-31
Paul resumes the theme introduced in chapter 1:16-17 “the righteousness of God.” Having thoroughly proved the unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in their unrighteousness, Paul is ready to elaborate on God’s righteousness. Every mouth is stopped by the revelation of God’s standard. The law highlights one’s knowledge of their sin. No one can become righteous by law keeping because no one can keep the law.
“But now”
in contrast to what has previously been revealed - the wrath of God against all unrighteousness of men…
“Righteousness of God has been manifested”
“manifested” to make apparent, visible, known, to show openly, to shine, to light up
Paul used a perfect tense verb indicating that the righteousness of God was made visible through Christ at a point in time with on-going or continuing results. i.e. “God’s righteousness (in contrast to man’s unrighteousness) has become apparent or visible and is still shining brightly.”
Paul expands on several significant factors regarding the “revelation” of God’s righteousness.
1. It was manifested apart from law
“apart from law” separately, by itself
Why? Law cannot reform behavior. Law can only reveal behavior. It cannot conform. It can only condemn violation or reward conformity. Law, like a mirror, can only reveal dirt, it cannot do anything to remove dirt. The law had been around for centuries and had not yet saved anyone. No one ever reached God through keeping the law because no one could actually keep it. Some other way must be revealed to acquire the righteousness of God.
2. It was witnessed (to bear witness of the truth) by the Law and the prophets
Law and prophets is a common reference to the entire Old Testament.
The Law was not able to clear the conscience OR make men perfect but it did testify to the need and the possibility of righteousness from God that would come. Paul again makes it clear that the Gospel is inseparably connected to what has been revealed previously.
3. It was through trust in Christ
Here the emphasis is on “Christ” as opposed to trusting anyone or anything else. In chapter one, Paul affirmed that the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Here Paul identifies the object of trust or belief or faith to be Jesus Christ.
Note: the word for faith, belief and trust are all from the same Greek root.
Faith is trust based on experience or reliable information that motivates action or response.
The righteousness necessary to stand before God comes through trust in Christ. In order to trust Christ, we must abandon our own. Later in Romans Paul exposes the Jews fatal error.
For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:2-4
The problem with trusting our righteousness is that it is not only counterfeit, it is filthy.
For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; and all of us wither like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:6
4. It was for ALL who would trust in Christ.
This righteousness is available to ALL who trust or believe in Christ. Before the emphasis is on the object of trust. Here the emphasis is on the ones trusting Christ. Judgment is for all who have sinned, so salvation is for all who trust Christ. There is no distinction made between Jew and Gentile because all have sinned.
“since all have sinned.”
Point time verb action. All have flat sinned – period! The word for sin here means to miss the mark, err, swerve, go wrong, fail to hit, fall short.
“and fall short of the glory of God”
“fall short” fall behind, lack, fail, be behind. A double whammy here! All have missed the mark in the past and continue to miss the mark. All continually (present tense) lack the glory of God. God made man in his own image that the glory of the incorruptible God would shine through what he made. Man by default continually fails to adequately demonstrate the glory of God. Man constantly fails to demonstrate righteousness sufficient to fellowship with God or reflect the glory of God. So what hope do we have?
5. It is acquired as a gift (justification) granted because of God’s grace
being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; Romans 3:24
This connects back to “those believing” Thus it would read:
But now righteousness of God has been manifested through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, being justified (declared righteous) as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
The Greek word translated “justified” comes from the same Greek root translated “righteous” or “righteousness”. When God “justifies” us it means He declares us to be righteous in compliance to the divine standard. Since we have determined that it is not our righteousness it must be someone else’s.
The clothing of heaven must be produced with pure, absolute righteousness. Every person enters life clothed in the rages of sin and rebellion inherited from Adam. Every person persistently accessorizes with rags of his or her own. Forgiveness effectively removes sins rages. But it is not enough to discard our old rages. We can’t enter heaven naked! We need the protection of a righteous robe for our existence in the heavenly realms.
We must be transformed from the rags of our own rebellion to the robes of Christ’s perfect righteousness. Justification clothes us with just that.
To illustrate another way…
The currency of heaven is “righteousness”. In order to survive in the heavenly realm we must have sufficient righteousness to last for all eternity. The dilemma for man is that every person entered this world not only with insufficient righteousness but a negative righteousness in our account or unrighteousness – severe un-payable debt. Christ paid off the insurmountable debt through His sacrifice – forgiveness. But mere forgiveness again is not enough for eternal community with the holy and righteous God. Forgiveness only brings us to zero in our account. We need unlimited righteousness to last for eternity in the kingdom of righteousness. Justification loads our heavenly “righteousness” account with the perfect righteousness of Jesus -- sufficient to last for eternity and satisfy the righteous requirements of a holy God!
Note: We will explore this most prevailing and powerful theological truth more fully when we reach chapter 5 of Romans.
For now, understand that through trust in Christ every person may receive, as a gift from God, the righteousness of God; the clothing and currency of heaven necessary to enter and enjoy for eternity. Because of His great love, God grants or gives Christ’s righteousness to every believer by grace. It is a gift because no man had the wherewithal to purchase or earn it. It is the most significant far-reaching gift you could ever receive. Paul declared to the Corinthians, “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift (of grace).”
A crucial dilemma for God, or at least a crucial question arises. How is it that a just God can declare the obviously guilty – not guilty or righteous? How would we feel about a judge who ruled to release Timothy McVeigh even though he is obviously guilty of the callous murder of innocent men, women and children and then appointed him a position as head of the justice department? We would cry foul. We would question the character and judgment of the judge. This cannot be JUSTICE! You can’t be just and at the same time justify the guilty! It is not right. That simply is not righteousness.
“If you do the crime, justice demands you must do the time!” “Let the punishment fit the crime.” “Let justice prevail!”
According to God’s reckoning, every person has done the crime and according to God’s law must do the time. The wages of sin is death. So how is it that a just God can justify the guilty and remain just?
6. It is granted by God on the basis of the redemption accomplished in Christ Jesus
The declaration of guilty people to with Christ’s righteousness can only be done in compliance with God’s own revealed justice system. Someone must pay the penalty!
The rule of law must be followed. A price for sin had to be paid. Jesus paid that price.
Because Jesus paid the redemption price for our sin, God is free and just to justify the guilty. Righteousness or justification comes on the basis of the redemption price paid by the death of Jesus.
“Redemption” communicates the idea to purchase for possession, to buy back with a price.
What was the price to purchase our freedom?
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Cor. 5:21
Redemption is the basis for God’s gift of righteousness or justification.
7. It is granted because Jesus satisfied (propitiated) all the demands of an angry God
whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation(satisfaction) in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 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. Romans 3:25-26
Someone might accuse God of not being just because not all sinners were called to account In His forbearance, God passed over sins of the past. Now, His righteousness is vindicated (even though he passed over previous sins) in that Jesus paid the required penalty for sin. Jesus publicly suffered and died for our sin. God hung Him before men as an open display of sacrifice. He became the once-for-all for all time sacrifice that satisfied the righteous demands of the law and the lawgiver. Paul used the word translated “propitiation” to appease or satisfy demands. God is angry because or man’s sin and must be appeased. Jesus appeased the righteous character of God by his voluntarily sacrifice. Jesus’ blood satisfied the necessary requirements on our behalf.
The sacrifice and payment made by Jesus freed God to fill our righteousness account to the brim without compromising his own righteousness. Jesus paid the price for us. The law was not compromised by God’s gracious act of justification. He remains just and the justifier of the one who trusts Christ because of “propitiation.”
By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10
8. It completely eliminates opportunity for pride
Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 3:27
God justifies anyone who responds to Him in faith. God cannot grant justification (or righteousness) on the basis of some work that we do because everyone has already failed and will continue to disregard the standard. There is none righteous. God declares guilty men righteous on the basis of trust in Him. Trust is not a work. A downing man cannot save himself. He must rely on someone else to save Him. To submit and trust the person offering help is not a work, it is trust leading to salvation.
It is an act of faith, a decision to trust the person offering to rescue you.
God offers to exchange our filthy rags for the glorious robes of Christ’s righteousness. God offers to pay our overdrawn account and fill it with the infinitely perfect righteousness of Christ. We need only to recognize our need and accept his solution.
For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 3:27-28
“Maintain” To reckon, consider, count to be true.
Why? Because no one can get there from here! No has or ever will keep the whole law. It has to be a work of God on our behalf. Every other religious system demands some work by man for acceptance. Christianity defies human pride and self-sufficiency and demands utter humility before God and realization that without Him there is no hope of eternal life. Without return to trust in Him, there is no life.
9. It applies to everyone who trusts
Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one. 3:29-30
There is only one God who operates by the same principle for both Jew and Gentile. The Jews might still be thinking that circumcision remains an essential element in the equation.
Paul assures them here and will take most of chapter four dismissing such a notion. He will illustrate the principle of justification by faith through Abraham’s example.
10. It establishes the standard
The question arises that such teaching eliminates the place of the law altogether. Paul assures them that, not only does this work of God NOT eliminate the law, it establishes it.
Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law. 3:31
The fact that Jesus paid the price demanded by the law and lived and operated by the “righteous law of God” only reinforces the continued viability of the law. The law after all, is a reflection of the righteous and holy character of God.
• Righteousness being absolute conformity to His own moral law
• Holiness being absolute separation from all that is contrary to His own moral law
Justification establishes the law in that it was granted through the payment of a price but also in that those justified will be both sanctified and glorified according to God’s law. One day, our declared position will become our daily practice. One day, we will by nature be righteous.
What a passage of contrast.
Unrighteousness and self-righteousness of man – righteousness of God
Wrath on evil-doers – grace on believers
Judgment – justification
Indebtedness – redemption
Law of works – law of faith
Shadows of good news (Old Testament) – full disclosure (New Testament)
“Dark and dismal is man’s condition. This darkness and despair is unfathomable and universal. It envelops all. Then suddenly a light, the very light which previously had flickered for a brief moment (1:16-17), comes streaming in. Hope revives. This light, this ray of optimism, comes not from below but from above. It is a ”righteousness from God.” It is he who comes to rescue. It is He who condescends to save those who had made themselves thoroughly unworthy of being saved. And, being God, he does this – of course – without sacrificing his righteousness or lifting the demands of his law. This is the light of the glorious gospel.” William Hendrickson
Consider this declaration of righteousness by God a reality for nothing that God declares fails to come to pass. As sure as God said “let there light” and there was light … God says I declare every person who puts their trust in me to be righteous and we ARE righteous!!!!
Application
Are you trusting Christ?
When you stand before God the criteria for everlasting existence in heaven rather hell will be the righteousness of God. We will be evaluated and sentenced according to our absolute obedience to the law. Since there is none that righteous no one one, the only way to receive what we need is to acknowledge our rebellion and turn to God for salvation. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Those who have trusted Christ…
Are you still trying to work for acceptance? You have relapsed back into pride. If you think that your occasional good works somehow obligates God to accept and bless you, you have woefully missed the point.
As the song goes…
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean of Jesus’ name.
No merit of my own his anger to suppress, my only hope is found in Jesus’ righteousness.
For me he died, for me he lives, and everlasting life and light he freely gives.
Knowing the great price paid to pave the way for my justification should motivate us to righteous living.
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."
If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:13-21
As you take communion today I want you to think about this wonderful truth.
He made Him to be sin for YOU
that
YOU might become the righteousness of God in HIM.
