Glory in God's rigtheousness revealed

Horror of life in the old house, but also temptation to fix ourselves. Like DIY builder who maybe read a few books, but should have asked the proffesisonal. Cannot fix problem ourselves, trying to builder better house for God. Infact even law - God, was not meant for that purpose, but rather to show us our sin. So that we might run to Jesus, and recieve from him right relationship with God.

But how can we enjoy this riughteousness, when so often finding ourselves tempted to look to ourselves?

Glory in God’s righteousness revealed!

Reading Romans 3:21-31

What are we told about God’s righteousness? How is it possible? How do we get it?

Paul has told us about the old house. Seen dark picture. Reality of sin. Restates he, all in the same boat.

Read v 23. Made to bear God’s image, reflect his glory in world, but each has exchanged that glory for our own. Reality of life centred around us. Hosue we have built - doomed for destruction. Wrath of God. Seen helplessness of DIY.

But then 2nd half chapter 3

diamond on a black cloth. having seen darkness, Paul shows us glory of the gospel.

"There can be no more wonderful words in the whole of scripture than just these two words ‘But now’”

Read v21-22

Paul declares what God has done. What he describes is like a new house that God has built. House of righteousnes. Where the believer can dwell in a right relationship. As Paul draws out the gospel he annoucned by in 1:16-17.

If we are going to rejoice in this righteousnes revealed we need to get it’s beauty, so lets go deep.

Continue in language of home. God has built perfect new home and invited you to live with him. Home of righteousness.

what it means to live in right relationship with God.

4 things (principles of reformation)

The foundation of righteousness - In Christ alone

About what Christ has done to make righteousnes possible. 3 big bible words.

Read v24-25

Justification: language of law court. Idea of being pardoned. Let off. Need to see the magnitute of this in light of what Paul has just said. Sinners as we are. Broken as we are, rebels as we are - as believers we are pardoned. Not sin overlooked, nor is it that we have done something make ourselves right - no. Justified freely. Given new status. Not just not guilty - Treated not with scorn, but just as if we had lived Jesus life.

How? Can sinners be treated in this way?

Read v24b

Redemption: Salve market. 2nd/1stc. BC. slaves, P.O.W’s, Convicted criminals, freedom could be purchased at price. Language of redemption is to be liberated at great cost. How can us who were sinners, be pardonned? Because while we were under the power of sin, slaves God paid the greatest cost for our freedom. Death of his son, paid debt our sin owed. so that we might be set free for right relationship with God who made us. Redeemed.

What did this look like? What cost?

atonement.

Read v25

OT language Lev 16-17. Once a year on Day of atonement, high preist would enter temple, Holy of Holy, taking blood ofan animal, approach arc of covenant, representing God’s presence, top of arc = gold lid on top, = mercy seat. blood would be sprinkled to make atonement (amends) for sin of people. But would have to be done year after year, amounst other things, so that people could enjoy relationship with God. Way in which they could recieve God’s mercy. Paul picks up on this language Hilasterious (atonement) propitiation. mercy seat. Christ is our mercy seat. And as his blood was shed, he made ammends for our sin. not in temple, but publicly on the cross. once and for all.

mercy seat

Romans: An Introduction and Commentary Romans 3:25

The death of Christ, then, is the means by which God does away with his people’s sin—not symbolically, as in the ritual of Leviticus 16 in which the material mercy-seat figured, but really. And really in a twofold sense: the sin has been removed not only from the believer’s conscience, on which it lay as an intolerable burden, but also from the presence of God.

Read v26

Cross is place where God’s love and mercy meet. Justice is done in Jesus for sins of all who trust him - includes God’s people who trusted in the promise before Christ was born. His death is sufficient for all time and for anyone.

Someone said this

Romans: An Introduction and Commentary Romans 3:26

For Christ occupies a unique position as God’s representative with man and man’s representative with God. As the representative man he absorbs the judgment incurred by human sin; as the representative of God he bestows God’s pardoning grace on men and women

How can we be made right with God - in Christ alone. who justifies, who redeems who atones.

The heart of rigtheousness - by Grace alone

Heart of this relationship. New home. Is grace alone.How its possible for us to enjoy right relationship with God - by grace alone. God’s riches at Christ’s expense. His underserved kindness fills the gospel. In contrast to house of sin - chapters 1 and 2, which all our doing, self centred, all about us - this is all God’s doing. Notice through these verse, its all done by him.

It’s a free gift, v24. its for anyone - v29-30. This is God’s overwelvming, far reaching , all encompassing grace. The eternal God has built this perfect new home and invites us to live with him. To dwell permenantly in the presence of God.

How do we recieve it?

The doorway to righteousness - through faith alone

8 times word faith.

In illustration, if house is righteousness, built on Christ’s person and work, filled by grace of God, then faith is simply recieveing the keys, and accepting your new home. Trusting God at his word. Trusting Christ in his death and ressurection, and recieving the gift. - right relationship with God. Faith is moving in and remaining there. Fatih is moving in to the presence of God, entering into beautiful relationship with our maker. Coming to him humbly but confidently because of what Jesus has done.

Here and not a Christian? Faith is accepting keys to new home. It’s ready. repent. (which means moving out of house of sin and

Christian. Faith means remaining. Faith is changing the address in your driving lisence, passport. This is my home now. I haven’t done naything to buy it, but God has paid highest price, and given it to me, gracisouly and freely.

Faith means staying home at weekends because the is no better place to be

when tempted to go back to old life, faith means looking only at a distance as way of reminding yourself how beatiful the new house is.

Faith means reutnring quickly when you have wondered

Faith means letting God throw out the old furnature.

Read v31

Faith is about dwelling, living in, abiding in, trusting in, finding security and rest and peace and pleasure and satisfaction and fulfilment, everything we need in presence of God, trusting him at his word day by day.

The purpose of righteousness - For the Glory of God alone

Read v27

In this new house that God is building, there is no room to boast. Because he is the builder. It’s his house. And it’s for his glory, as the eternal God, creator and sustainer.

At core of rigtheousnes is a reorientation of the heart. Realise it’s not about us but about him. At core of sin was self centredness. House that we built for our own glory. But gospel recaptures our vision, that we might stop looking at ourselves and be captivated by him.

Think of couple of wedding day.

This is what the gospel does for us every day. Shows us the glory of God, the beauty of Christ, that sin conquering cross, the reassurance of the ressurection, that granduer of his grace, sweetness of salvation, the fullness found in faith. That we migth be utterly captivated by God, and stop looking at ourselves.

What is the key to the righteous life? Daily dwelling in the presence of God, in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, for his gory alone. Let’s pray.

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