Romans 9-11 (Part 17) The Righteousness of God

Romans 9-11, The Righteousness of God

Everything in this world is lined up against Truth.

Theme: Justification, Romans 10:1-13. We all need to be justified. Justification: God says, “I give you my righteousness.”

Emphasis: The Method: How we are justified.

Subject: How to have a proper standing with God.

§ Romans 10:1-5:

Verse 2: Justification by Religion. Religion is man’s answer to have a standing with God. Religion is the path that leads to destruction. The story of religion is that people don’t have God’s religion. The more righteousness we get, the more we are impressed. Man begins with religion which is ignorance and moves to performance--let’s make it bigger and better. Verse 2 explains verse 1 (why Paul is praying for Israel). Paul’s story is Israel’s history and is our history. Paul understands why they want to kill him because they were zealous for God, and he was the same way. [Acts 22:1-3; Galatians 1:13-14]. 1 Timothy 1:13. Paul crossed the line from total blindness to faith in God. Paul moved from ignorance to Truth. Philippians 3:4-7. Not in accordance with knowledge means not in accordance with full intensified knowledge.

Verse 3: God’s Righteousness, Being ignorant of and seeking to establish their own: man always working on a project. You have to have God’s righteousness not man’s righteousness or performance. Performance is man’s ignorance of sincerity and overly zealous about it. Man’s righteousness ends with pride and arrogance.

Verse 4: Old Testament law was never intended to convey righteousness. For Christ is the end: telos, G5056, end, purpose, termination, the limit at which a thing ceases to be. Christ is both the termination and the purpose. The purpose of the law is Galatians 3:24. The termination of the law is Galatians 3:25.

child-conductor: G3807, paidagogos, a slave who had charge of the life and morals of the boys of a family, not strictly a teacher. [Galatians 3:24, Young's Literal Translation]. The law requires obedience to the fullest. The purpose of the law was to take us by the hand and bring us to Christ. Now we can be saved. The law measures us, a scale. Do I love Christ with all my heart, soul, and mind? Matthew 22:37. The Scripture guides us in everything we try to learn.

§ Romans 10:6-13: Justification by Faith: Salvation. This answers the question of how man is justified. The religious person is occupied with his own righteousness versus God’s righteousness according to Scripture. Man’s righteousness and God’s righteousness differ as to (1) degree; (2) kind; (3) communicability.

Verses 6-8: Availability: speaks, v. 6: G3004, lego: Justification by faith speaks. Isaiah cries out [Romans 9:27-29]; Moses writes [Romans 10:5]; and righteousness based on faith speaks [Romans 10:6]. Is God near to everyone? Yes. The Truth is going forth through people. John 16:10-14.

• bring Christ down, v. 6: the incarnation of Christ. God did it! God added to His humanity: God-man--100% God and 100% man.

• bring Christ up from the dead, v. 7: Christ’s ascension. God did it! Romans 10:1-5.

• near you, v. 8: within reach. It is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is near and available to everyone. Deuteronomy 30:11-14.

Verses 9-13: Conditions:

o Verse 11: whoever--offered to all.

o Verses 12-13: Illustrates that justification is just as near and available. When is it available? Instantaneously. Romans 10:8 and Deuteronomy 30:11 both have emphasis on availability.

Verse 16: The Gospel has not been obeyed by all.

§ Misconceptions:

• “I just did not know.” Ignorance does not count.

• “I have great intentions.” What got between Israel and sin? It was zeal for God, the most ironic thing.