Online Sermons
Lesson #16 - Righteousness
Series: One WordLESSON #16 – RIGHTEOUSNESS
Righteousness concerns the concept of being RIGHT in the sight of God.
God says (via Moses in Deut.12:28) – Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, in order that it may be
well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.
DISCUSSION SUB-POINTS
1) SOMETIMES BEING “RIGHTEOUS” IS USED IN A NON-LEGAL SENSE.
~ i.e., a “righteous” person describes someone who is: virtuous … good … honest … morally upright … etc.
Noah (Gen.7:1) and Job (Job 1:1) were spoken of as “righteous” in contrast to the depravity of those all around them.
~ Lk.1:5-6 says of Zacharias & Elisabeth (the parents of John the baptizer) - -
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
Here Luke seems to be expressing their extraordinary piety, rather than absolute perfection.
~Even if one obeyed every law to it fullest extent, the law could not deliver true righteousness.
Gal.3:21b / …If righteousness come through the Law, then Christ died needlessly. cf. Gal.1:21-22.
2) RIGHTEOUSNESS REQUIRES PERFECT OBEDIENCE.
Both nationally (as in the Old Testament days of Israel) and individually THE PEOPLE OF GOD FAIL.
Ps.14:2-3 / The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.
Rom.3:9b-10 / …both Jews and Greeks are ALL UNDER SIN… ‘THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, not even one.’
The purpose of The Law (the collective teachings of God) was two-fold:
(1) To instruct men and women as to how they ought to live.
(2) To shut up all men under sin (Gal.3:22) by magnifying man’s sinfulness (Rom.3:20).
3) ONLY THOSE WHO ARE RIGHTEOUS WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND ETERNAL LIFE!
Mt.25:46 / these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.
1Cor.6:9 / Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
4) SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS CANNOT SAVE US!
~ Isa.64:6b / …all of our righteous deeds are like a filthy garments.
~ Titus 3:5 / He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy…
? Some were notorious for their claim of self-righteousness – cf. Mt.23:28
Lk.18:9 / He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous.
Jesus did not come to call the (self)-righteous, but the humble who could see their sinfulness – cf. Lk.5:32
5) HOW THEN CAN ONE OBTAIN RIGHTEOUSNESS?
~ We are to seek first His kingdom and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS – Mt.6:33
How does one come to be awarded “the crown of righteousness”? – 2Tim.4:8
~ The righteous shall live BY FAITH… - - Rom.1:17 & 4:3 and Gal.3:6 - - the focus of such faith is JESUS CHRIST.
It is by means of the New Covenant that we are released from our sins by HIS blood – Rev.1:5
This New Covenant is spoken of by Peter as the new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells (2Pet.3:13).
2Cor.5:21 / He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Philp.3:9 / …not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ…
cf. Isa.61:10 / He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness…
