Righteousness of God
Do you believe you have the Righteousness of God? Man is sinful so we need the Righteousness of God. This section tries to explain this righteousness.
This is a Bible Study. Have your own Bible handy to look up the references mentioned.
If you do not have a Bible, I invite you to go to BibleGateway.com or another online Bible.
21. “This righteousness is unique:
1. God is its source (Isaiah 45:8)
2. It fulfills both the penalty and precept of God’s law. (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24; Hebrews 9:28)
3. God’s righteousness is eternal (Psalm 119:142; Isaiah 51:8; Daniel 9:24).”
(MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. [Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005], 1514)
“It is very important for us to recognize that God is the One who provides this righteousness.” (McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983], 665)
It cannot be earned!
22. “The righteousness of Christ comes to us through our faith in Christ.” (McGee, 665)
“Many people say, ‘I trust in God!’ But this is not what saves us. It is personal, individual faith in Jesus Christ that saves and justifies the lost sinner. Even the demons from hell believe in God and tremble, yes this does not save them (James 2:19).” (Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary Old Testament Wisdom and Poetry [Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004], 523)
All Have Sinned
23. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
What are we going to do when we sin and fall short of the glory of God?
We Accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.
“God can bestow His righteousness on all who believe, Jew or Gentile, because all people—without distinction—fail miserably to live up to the divine standard.” (MacArthur, 1514)
“God declared all men guilty so that He might offer to all men His free gift of salvation.” (Wiersbe, 523)
Are you willing to accept this free gift of salvation?
24. “We are justified without a cause! There is no cause in us that would merit the salvation of God! It is all grace!” (Wiersbe, 523)
This grace is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
25a. Propitiation: “Crucial to the significance of Christ’s sacrifice, this word carries the idea of appeasement or satisfaction—in this case Christ’s violent death satisfied the offended holiness and wrath of God against those for whom Christ died (Isaiah 53:11; Colossians 2:11-14).” (MacArthur, 1514)
“Although the term ‘propitiation’ may not be the best translation, the Greek term is best understood as the placating of God’s wrath against sin.” (Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. [Broadman & Holeman Publishers, 1995], 117)
25b. To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past
This means “the sins of those who lived before the cross.” (McGee, 668)
25c. In his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished
God was patient with mankind and sins committed before Christ died on the cross were not punished.
Saved by Faith
26. “When Jesus died, He [God] reached all the way back to Adam and took care of those sins.” (Wiersbe, 524)
27. “Faith by its very nature rules out all boasting.” (Mounce, 119)
28. It is not the works of the law but by faith that we are justified.
29. God is the God of everyone, both Jews and Gentiles.
30. God justifies us all by faith.
31. “Faith puts law in its proper place. It plays an essential role in the divine plan, but it was never intended to make it possible for a person to earn righteousness. Faith ‘upholds[s] the law’ in the sense that it fulfills all the obligations of the law.” (Mounce, 120)
“When you and I will take the position that we’re sinners and come to God and trust Christ as our Savior—regardless of who we are, where we are, how we are or when we are—God will save us…His question is, what will you do with My Son who died for you on the cross?” (McGee, 669)
In this article Scripture quotations taken from KJV.
NIV Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
McGee, J. Vernon, Thru the Bible: Volume IV: Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1983
MacArthur, John, The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005
Mounce, Robert H, The New American Commentary, Volume 27, Romans. Broadman & Holeman Publishers, 1995
Wiersbe, Warren W, The Bible Exposition Commentary New Testament Volume 1 Matthew-Galatians. Colorado Springs: David C Cook, 2004
Righteous Abraham Believed God
