The Gospel: Our Anchor - Part Three
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Introduction
Introduction
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
PRAY
The Righteousness of the Gospel
The Righteousness of the Gospel
For in it the righteousness of God
The is Paul’s second encouragement not to be ashamed of the gospel. He writes that the gospel reveals the righteousness of God.
What does Paul mean when by the righteousness of God? How one answers this question is a serious matter. There have been some to argue that this is God’s essential righteousness. In fact, that was the understanding during the time of Martin Luther. This interpretation was a terror to Luther because he could not see how this was good news for a person who was a wretched sinner.
I think this should be understood as the righteousness that is the foundation of the power of God unto salvation. It is the righteousness that saves or delivers. Paul is writing about the righteousness earned by Jesus Christ as Messiah. This righteousness is given to the sinner as they believe. This righteousness is a gift from God. It is righteous given apart from the sinner’s own worthiness or good works. It is an alien righteousness. It the righteousness of another.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
As a reminder, we need to ask why do we need the righteousness of God?
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
If God desires to save us, which he does AND God is to remain just, which means he governs by standards of righteousness, which he will, then we have to be owners of a righteousness that makes us fit for his kingdom. However, we neither have this righteousness on our own, nor do we have the ability to attain any that would withstand the holy scrutiny of the holy judge of the universe.
Divine necessity. One who is righteous must take the place of the unrighteous.
5 But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed. 6 Now at the feast he used to release for them one prisoner for whom they asked. 7 And among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection, there was a man called Barabbas. 8 And the crowd came up and began to ask Pilate to do as he usually did for them. 9 And he answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he perceived that it was out of envy that the chief priests had delivered him up. 11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead. 12 And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” 13 And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” 14 And Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” 15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The heart of the gospel is that God makes us righteous in Christ. There is more, but this is vital to our understanding of the everything else in the Christian life.
The Realization of the Gospel
The Realization of the Gospel
Is revealed - How does the revelation of the righteousness of God come? How is it realized or how is it experienced? It is true that the righteousness of God was objectively and historically revealed in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. However, Paul is communicating how is comes to the one in need of this righteousness. It is uncovered from faith for faith.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
13 For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15 For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. 18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. 20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
From faith first to last, by faith through and through
From faith leading to faith – A weak faith leading to a stronger one
Illustration: Similar to the growth of a person. We begin small, weak and unable to take no food but milk. Milk nourishes us and makes us grow. But soon we need more solid food, so we have rice cereal and oatmeal. And it makes us grow, until we desire mash potatoes and other vegetables. Until finally, we can handle meat and anything we desire. The right diet makes us stronger and stronger until we want more and have the ability to take in more.
The Reward of the Gospel
The Reward of the Gospel
As it is written - Paul refers to the Old Testament as proof of this statement. Where is it written?
4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.
Why would Paul appeal to the message of this minor Prophet? Let’s try to understand Paul. What is the storyline of Habakkuk?
Habakkuk is a prophet of the southern kingdom of Judah after the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria.
He complains to God because of the wickedness in the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people.
God tells Habakkuk He will judge the wicked in Judah by bringing the Babylonians to conquer Judah. The Babylonians are vicious and evil conquerors.
Habakkuk thinks this is worse than the wickedness in Judah and asks how can we survive? How can this be?
God responds to Habakkuk with “the righteous shall live by faith” or the righteous one by his faith shall live.
Illustration:It’s like you are hurt because of abortion in America. You know God does not like the deaths of the unborn. So you pray for God to end abortion in America. God answers you by saying he will destroy America with terrorists using a thousands of deadly bombs and poisoning the water supply. You ask God why this way?
In light of the wrath of God Paul is going to explain in the following verses, he quotes Habakkuk.
What is faith?
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Deliverance is a result of faith - The believing one will be ultimately delivered
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
Real Life is a result of Faith - The believing ones will enjoy God
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Practical Application
Practical Application
God’s gift of righteousness is complete
The gospel gives us right standing before God to be justified in his sight
The gospel gives us access to know God and be made more practically righteous.
The gospel gives us perseverance to continue in faith until we are fully righteous in glorified bodies.
There is no salvation a part from this righteousness.
Where do you stand?
Non-truster
Struggling believer
Slothful believer
Strong believer
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.