Intro

Righteousness Through Faith

Great power in a promise.

In [John] Bunyan’s great allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle. Eventually he is captured by Giant Despair and kept in a dungeon. He is advised to kill himself. The Giant said there was no use trying to keep on with his journey.

For the time, it seemed as if Despair had really conquered Christian. But then, Hope, Christian’s companion, reminds him of previous victories. So it came about that on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and continued in prayer until almost morning. Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half-amazed, broke out in passionate speech, “What a fool am I thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well be at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.” Then said Hopeful, “That’s good news. Good Brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.” And the prison gates flew open.

In [John] Bunyan’s great allegory, Pilgrim’s Progress, the incident is related of how Christian decides to leave the Main Highway and follow another Path which seemed easier. But this Path leads him into the territory of Giant Despair who owns Doubting Castle.

Why is promised righteousness so important

Eventually he is captured by Giant Despair and kept in a dungeon. He is advised to kill himself. The Giant said there was no use trying to keep on with his journey. For the time, it seemed as if Despair had really conquered Christian. But then, Hope, Christian’s companion, reminds him of previous victories. So it came about that on Saturday about midnight they began to pray, and continued in prayer until almost morning.

Righteousness can’t be earned - as if we have to work to earn God’s approval and thus earn righteousness

Now a little before it was day, good Christian, as one half-amazed, broke out in passionate speech, “What a fool am I thus to lie in a stinking Dungeon, when I may as well be at liberty. I have a Key in my bosom called Promise that will, I am persuaded, open any lock in Doubting Castle.” Then said Hopeful, “That’s good news. Good Brother, pluck it out of thy bosom and try.” And the prison gates flew open.

Righteousness can’t be re-payed - as if we feel we owe something to God. Only thing we owe is faithfulness to him. There are many who attempt to gain God’s approval when we should simply rest in God’s approval of us.

Righteousness can only be granted through faith

- He who knew no sin, became sin, that we might become His righteousness.

Promised Righteousness Through Faith

Righteousness through Faith is By Grace - If not by grace then righteousness must be based upon works

vs. 2 Works leads to false boasting—or a sense of false pride. You get a feel for this definition when you think of High School Sports. For example, when I was in HS I was part of the mighty marching Cardinal pride band. Cardinal pride and Cardinal football were nearly synonyms. I see Panther Pride as I look around Raymore. I’m sure Pirate Pride is heard around Belton. Pride is more that just what is done, but who you are. In this case, the source of pride would have come from being a Jew. But, this boasting is false. Why?

Works = self boasting

vs. 4 It’s false because it depends on human efforts.

If by works, then righteousness is gained because it is owed to us. Like a wage, like a paycheck. We deserve it because we earned it.

So let’s ask the question: What do we deserve?

- For all have sinned and fall short of God’s standard.

- The wages of sin is death

Someone might ask, surely I can do enough good to out weigh my bad. Compared to what. If God’s standard is perfection, then the moment we fail, the scale tips unfavorably.

Illus: early season baseball…one pitch, one hit…and that person is batting .1000 - perfect. The next at bat, if he doesn’t get a hit, he will no longer bat .1000. He could be perfect at the plate the rest of the season, but he will never be perfect.

Can we even boast before God. Imagine assuming that we can live a life that if filled with more good than bad, then standing before God in the midst of true perfection, in awe of Jesus, who lived a perfect life, who died a horrible death…the death that we deserved, then taking a prideful stance and suggest that our good deeds compare to the perfection of Jesus? Suggesting that, we don’t need him…but we’ll take it as some sort of insurance policy.

vs 28-29, vs 9 It’s false because it divides ethic groups.

The Jewish people were given the divide law that would act as a covenant as the lived among the a pagan people. God expected His people to act differently.

Later, the divide law would become a source of pride from them and they would misuse it and abuse it.

Truth: God is not just the God of the Jewish, He is the God of all, which supports the next statement...

It’s false because it contrary to God’s promise. Abraham was promised to be the father of many nations and that he would have a son…even in his old age.

says that Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness.

Righteousness is granted, when we, by faith, believe that what God promised would come true.

The Jewish population would often distinguish themselves as the “circumcised” just as Abraham was circumcised. But Paul makes it clear righteousness was credited to Abraham before this act. It simply was a sign or a seal of authentic faith in God.

Baptism is similar. Just as Abraham was circumcised after he place his faith in God’s promise, people are baptized after they place their faith in God’s word that salvation comes through Jesus. We are then baptized as an outward sign of an inward faith.

Abraham’s belief in God before his circumcision would make him the father all all…circumcised and uncircumcised.

Works = what is due to us

Works limits who

vs 14: It’s false because works nullifies faith and voids the promise.

This is a pretty heavy thought here. Let’s look at these two words

Nullify basically means to make without effect or render useless. Illus: buying a pair of shoes. You can take new shoes home and wear them inside the house to get a better feel. And if you decide they are the wrong fit or feel, you can take them back to the store. But them moment you walk outside, and return policy is nullified…useless - those shoes are yours.

If righteousness is declared by works, then faith is nullified…it is rendered useless, without effect, and empty. It unravels the entire foundation of faith based righteousness and instills a requirement based on keeping the law.

Righteousness by works is nullifies faith and voids them promise. It like taking a check that is made out to us as a promise that the amount identified on the check is the amount we will get, then writing VOID on the check. You can beg the bank, please with them, swear that it’s a good check, but the promise that was written is now void…worthless. The promise that we gain righteousness through faith is an eternal promise.

Righteousness by works then is based upon the law.

It brings wrath - The Law that God gave Moses to give to Isreal was a Covenant…an agreement that they would obey God’s expectations. The moments Israel sinned, is the moment that the Covenant was broken

It identifies transgression - sin is evident in a person’s life apart from the Law. So when we begin to read the requirements of the Law, one quickly realizes how short he falls.

Righteousness Through Faith is Guaranteed to All - Def. - validity over a period of time “lifetime guarantee”. How can we be sure/confident in this guarantee?

Def. - validity over a period of time “lifetime guarantee”

vs 5 Counted. No my account, but God’s account. Not by works, as discussed earlier, but by faith.

Who Believes

In Him who justifies the ungodly (just-if-ied never sinned)

Before the Law (Abraham)

After the Law (David) - Blessed

Forgiveness of lawless deeds

Sins are covered

Not account for his sins

vs 17 God is the guaranteer

Granter is GOD! Rich young ruler who wouldn’t give us his possessions to follow Jesus. Question: Who then can be saved? With God, nothing is impossible

God Gives life to the dead (Basically how Abraham viewed himself and the womb of his wife)

God generates…he Calls into existence that things that do not exist (the promised son was impossible to image…but if God promises, he has the power to make it happen. Abraham and his wife Sarah would conceive and give birth to the promised child.

Conclusion

Sealed

Can never be replaced by works

Conclusion

REST - The promise rests on these two words

Grace

Guaranteed

Questions:

Do you rest in God’s grace or are you still striving to earn righteousness?

Do you rest in God’s guarantee or are you still striving to earn righteousness?