The Righteousness of God<\/p>\n
One of the more important phrases in our English Bibles is the phrase,
\n\u201cThe righteousness of God.\u201d Martin Luther claimed that a proper
\nunderstanding of this phrase led to his salvation. But a word or phrase
\nhas no power unless we understand what it means. There are at least
\nthree ways the Scriptures use this phrase:
\n1) God\u2019s essential righteousness that directs all His works. In all God
\ndoes, He is righteous, for righteousness is among His essential
\nattributes. When He condemns, He is righteous. When He saves, He is
\nrighteous. His wrath is a righteous wrath and His love is a righteous love.<\/p>\n
2) The gift of righteousness that comes from God to all who believe.
\nThis is the righteousness of the Gospel and is set forth as distinct
\nfrom the righteousness of the Law. In the Law, we must render
\nrighteousness to God; in the gospel, we receive righteousness from God.
\nIn the book of Romans, this righteousness is seen primarily as the
\nrighteousness of justification. That is, it describes the righteousness
\nimputed to every one of God\u2019s elect which makes them accepted by God and
\nlegally secures to them all the blessings of God.<\/p>\n
3) A righteous nature given to every one of God\u2019s elect. The \u201clegal\u201d
\nrighteousness of God makes every elect accepted by God. But salvation
\ngoes beyond making us accepted; it also includes fellowship with God.
\n\u201cFellowship\u201d means \u201cto have in common.\u201d For a man to know, love, believe
\nand communicate with God, he must have a nature in common with God\u2019s. 2
\nCorinthians 5.21 says that all for whom Christ died are made to be the
\nrighteousness of God in Him. The word translated \u201cmade\u201d is the word the
\nScriptures use for the creation of the universe, and is also the word
\nSatan used when he tempted Christ with, \u201cMake these stones into bread.\u201d
\nThis word goes beyond what a thing is merely declared to be and touches
\nthe very being or essence of a thing. Because of Christ\u2019s work on the
\ncross, every believer\u2019s essential nature is changed: At regeneration,
\nevery one of God\u2019s elect is created in Christ with a new and sinless
\nspiritual nature which is created to be like God in true righteousness
\nand holiness. It is from this new nature that we know, love, believe and
\ncommunicate with God. In the flesh, we can do none of these things, but
\nfrom a regenerated spirit, every one of God\u2019s people does all of these
\nthings. In time to come, this work begun in us in our spirits will be
\nbrought to perfection as even our bodies will be made like Christ\u2019s
\nglorious body, and will no longer be a hindrance to our regenerated
\nspirits. In that day, we will no longer feel compelled to cry out, \u201cO
\nwretched man that I am,\u201d for in that day, we will be, body and spirit,
\nlike Christ. \u2013Joe Terrell<\/p>\n
TRUE Righteousness
\nMost modern preachers are preaching against sin without declaring the
\ntrue nature and character of God, and it just comes out as dos and
\ndon\u2019ts and decisions and reformations. The whole process is merely
\nperipheral. Their message reaches only to that which they have done; and
\nconsequently, that which they can change. They have never seen what they
\nare; and that which no man can change. Such religion breeds
\nself-righteousness and makes converts who do not need the full, free
\njustifying righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n
Just give them a plan, a proposition, a few things to do, a few rules to
\nfollow, a few commandments to keep, and they rest very comfortably. You
\nwill hear them talking about free grace, but all the while they are
\nthinking about what they have done or are doing; and this is contrary
\ntoo grace! TRUE grace brings a TRUE knowledge of God, a TRUE knowledge
\nof self (sin), and leaves the sinner\u2019s attention focused upon TRUE
\nrighteousness, righteousness through the doing and dying of the Lord
\nJesus Christ, righteousness which is obtained through faith alone\u2014a
\nsinner trusting Christ!
\nMaurice Montgomery<\/p>\n
Law Established
\nRomans 3:31 \u201cDo we then make void the law through faith? God forbid:
\nyea, we establish the law.\u201d
\nFaith does not add to salvation but through faith we trust Christ who is
\nour Salvation. We see the grace wherein we stand. Thusly, the law is not
\nmade void but in every way established.
\nFaith establishes the law as the embodiment of God\u2019s character. A
\nbeliever knows what the law of God requires thus seeing God as holy,
\nholy, holy. What righteousness!
\nFaith establishes the law in that the law finds natural man totally
\nunrighteous, unfit, incapable of approaching God. \u201c\u2026for by the law is
\nthe knowledge of sin.\u201d (Rom 3:20) Saving faith compares my deeds to what
\nthe law demands, showing me my need of a substitute.
\nHoly law is a magnificent steed
\nToo many hands high
\nFor me to mount and ride to glory
\nNo matter how I try<\/p>\n
Faith establishes the law as the witness to Christ\u2019s perfect obedience.
\nMade of a woman, made under the law, Christ fulfilled the law in every
\nrespect. The sinner saved by grace delights to hear the law declare
\nChrist righteous for He is our Righteousness.
\nFaith establishes the law as a witness that God is both just and
\njustifier. The law reveals sin in us and the wages of sin are death. God
\ncan in no wise clear the guilty. But by the wisdom of God, Christ is the
\nspotless Lamb, set forth to be the propitiation through faith in His blood.
\nFaith establishes the law because the believer\u2019s sincere desire is to
\nobey the law for the sake of Christ who loved us and gave himself for
\nus. Not that we might obtain a righteousness; our righteousness has been
\nobtained. Not that we might become holy; in Christ we are holy. But
\nrather, the true desire toward obedience to God in every believer is the
\nfruit of the Spirit with which we have been sealed. Because of all that
\nChrist has accomplished, God by the work of the Holy Spirit, writes his
\nlaw upon the heart of every believer. There is no longer a spirit of
\nbondage but a spirit of adoption, whereby we desire to be like Christ.
\nAnd thanks to the faithful Abba, Father in which we worship, one day we
\nwill.
\nClay Curtis<\/p>\n
Enemies of the Cross
\nBecause he was a man devoted to the gospel, zealous for the glory of
\nChrist, and concerned about the souls of men, the apostle Paul clearly
\nidentified men in the early church who were “the enemies of the cross of
\nChrist” (Philippines 3:18). Sometimes, he even called them by name!<\/p>\n
Those enemies of the cross were preachers and teachers who came in the
\nname of Christ, professing to be followers of Christ, and pretending to
\npreach the gospel of Christ. But they were offended by the cross of
\nChrist. The fact that Christ died on the cross did not offend them; but
\nthe doctrine of the cross they could not and would not endure. Because
\nof their great hatred for Paul’s message, the doctrine of the cross,
\nthey sought to destroy his ministry by raising smoke screens and clouds
\nof dust around it, falsely accusing him of many hideous things. Some
\nsaid, “Paul is not a true apostle.” Others said, “Paul is an
\nantinomian.” Another raised the cry, “Paul is a preacher of
\nlicentiousness.” And some said, “Paul is lording over God’s church.” By
\nthese things, the false preachers and teachers in the early church tried
\nto discredit Paul’s ministry, and sought to excuse their rebellion and
\nenmity toward the doctrine of the cross.<\/p>\n
We have such men in the church today. Some are preachers, some are
\nteachers, some are deacons, and some are in the pews. They falsely
\naccuse God’s faithful servants of many evil things. They raise many
\nfalse issues in an attempt to hide the one real issue. They are “the
\nenemies of the cross of Christ.” What is the source and cause of their
\nanger, wrath, and hostility toward those who faithfully preach the
\ngospel? What are the real issues?<\/p>\n
The real issue is this\u2014 Who is God? Is he totally, absolutely, and
\nuniversally sovereign; or is he not? The Word of God says that he is;
\nand the natural man hates that fact (Isa. 46:10; Dan. 4:35-37; Rom.
\n9:11-23). God is sovereign in all things: creation, providence, and
\nsalvation. God does what he will, when he will, with whom he will, in
\nthe way he will, and gives account of his actions to no one. Either God
\nis absolutely sovereign, or he is not God.<\/p>\n
The real issue is this\u2014 What is man? Is man good, or is he vile? Is man
\nweak; or is he depraved? Is man sick, or is he dead? What does the Bible
\nsay? You do not have to read much to find out (Rom. 3:9-19; 5:12; Eph.
\n2: 1-3). These things are true concerning all men by nature, no matter
\nwhat their age, their race, or their condition in life: All men are
\nspiritually dead, without life toward God. All men are morally depraved.
\nTheir hearts are evil, vile, wretched, and incapable of doing that which
\nis good in the sight of God (Mt. 15:19). There is nothing you can or
\nwill do, of yourself, by your own power, of your own accord, to change
\nyour nature. And all men are justly condemned. Unless God Almighty
\nintervenes and does for you what you cannot do for yourself, you are
\ngoing to wind up in hell. And if you do, it will be right and just, you
\nhave well earned it.<\/p>\n
The real issue is this\u2014 How is salvation accomplished? Man will accept
\nany method of salvation which allows him some part in the work. And he
\nnaturally rebels against any method of salvation which denies him all
\npride and dignity. The scriptures are clear – “Salvation is of the
\nLord.” “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:
\nit is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
\nSalvation is not an offer; it is a free gift. Salvation is not
\naccomplished by the gentle persuasion of the Holy Spirit, never invading
\nthe territory of the sinner’s free-will; but it is accomplished by the
\nsovereign power of God the Holy Spirit, irresistibly drawing sinners to
\nChrist and creating faith in their hearts. Salvation does not come by
\nthe decision of man, but by the revelation of God. Salvation is not
\nwalking down an aisle; it is bowing to Christ the King. The new birth is
\nnothing less than an effectual awakening of dead sinners by God the Holy
\nSpirit. It is God giving life to the dead. It is a spiritual resurrection.<\/p>\n
The real issue is this\u2014Who is Jesus Christ? Modem day preachers have
\nmade a conscience-soothing, fire-escape from hell and named it “Jesus.”
\nThe modem preacher has made Jesus a pathetic, helpless beggar at the
\nsinner’s heart’s door. The preacher of easybelievism and decisionism has
\nmade the will of Christ, the work of Christ, and the glory of Christ
\nsubject to the sinner’s will. He has put the Son of God into the
\nsinner’s power, saying, “What will you do with Jesus? “Will you accept
\nthe Lord? Won’t you let Jesus come into your heart? Let him have his way
\nwith you.” It’s all a lie, a blasphemous delusion, a snare of hell.<\/p>\n
My friend, Jesus Christ is God, the sovereign Lord and King (John 17:2).
\nHe has you in his hands. You don’t have him in your hands. The question
\nis not, “Will you receive Jesus?; but “will Jesus receive you?” The
\nquestion is not, “Will you accept the Lord?”; but “Will the Lord accept
\nyou?” He has the authority, the right, and the power to save you or to
\ndamn you. The one thing you can and must do is bow down to him. Bow down
\nbefore the great King and sue for mercy “Lord, if you will, you can make
\nme whole.”<\/p>\n
The real issue is this\u2014What did Jesus Christ do? Did the Son of God die
\nto make salvation a possibility for all men, or did he make an infinite
\nsatisfaction to divine justice, accomplishing the eternal redemption of
\nhis people. The modem theory of the atonement is this-the Lord Jesus
\nChrist died at Calvary to make it possible for all the people of the
\nworld to be saved, though he did not actually secure and make certain
\nthe salvation of any. And when any sinner believes on Christ, the blood
\nof Christ becomes powerful and effectual to save him. This notion makes
\nthe blood of Christ a dormant and useless thing until the sinner’s faith
\nmakes it meritorious and effectual. But what does the Word of God say?
\nIf there is anything plainly taught in the Bible, it is this – the Lord
\nJesus Christ did actually put away the sins of his people, and did
\nactually obtain eternal redemption for us when he poured out his life’s
\nblood unto death at Calvary (Rom. 3:24-26; II Cor. 5:21 Heb. 9:12,26).<\/p>\n
Though the doctrine of the cross offends unbelieving men and stirs up
\ntheir wrath. I must go on preaching it with boldness. This is the only
\nhope of my soul. And, though you may not know it, is your only hope too.
\nDon Fortner.<\/p>\n
If ask’d what of Jesus I think,
\nThough still my best thoughts are but poor,
\nI’d say, He’s my meat and my drink,
\nMy life, and my strength, and my store,
\nMy Shepherd, my Husband, my Friend,
\nMy Saviour from sin and from thrall,
\nMy hope from beginning to end,
\nMy Portion, my Lord, and my All.
\nJohn Newton
\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Righteousness of God One of the more important phrases in our English Bibles is the phrase, \u201cThe righteousness of God.\u201d Martin Luther claimed that a proper understanding of this phrase led to his salvation. But a word or phrase has no power unless we understand what it means. There are at least three ways […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3589"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3592,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3589\/revisions\/3592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}