RIGHTEOUSNESS – BEING AS WE OUGHT TO BE
KEY VERSE – It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal. 5:1) SECONDARY THEME VERSES: “A man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ” (Gal. 2:16); “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21).
THEME: Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone releases us from the yoke of the law, freeing us to live a life of love through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Legal (Imputed) Righteousness: We are justified by faith in Christ (Gal. 2:16). Imparted Righteousness: Immediate Moral Change at conversion (Gal. 6:15); Gradual Moral Change through the fruit-growing work of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) which requires our cooperation (Gal 5:16-17, 25, 6:8). We cooperate by using CCRC (Concentration, Choice, Reflection and Confession/Thanksgiving. Foundational verse, “By one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” (Heb. 10:14)
Good Teachers: (1) Constantly re-evaluate what they are doing; (2) Set large goals; (3) Ask – “Does everything I do contribute to learning?”; (4) Prepare well; (5) Check for understanding; (6) Like teaching; (7) Get results from their teaching; (8) Have perseverance. Don’t give up.
TEACHING GOAL: The show how profound was the problem to God of providing a way of forgiving people for their sins.
TEXT FOR THE DAY:
“We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.
“But if, in seeking to be justified in Christ, we Jews find ourselves also among the sinners; doesn’t that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! If I rebuild what I destroyed, then I really would be a lawbreaker.
“For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! (Gal. 2:15-21)
FORGIVENESS, “A PROFOUND PROBLEM” FOR GOD
1. Review – The Problem of Forgiveness
2. Mankind Inherently Knows that God Demands He Live Righteously
3. Refining our Definition of Righteousness
4. Comparing “Righteousness” & “Justification”
5. Obtaining Divine “Righteousness”
RIGHTEOUSNESS,
“BEING AS WE OUGHT TO BE”
REVIEW: Paul’s thesis: My apostleship, like the twelve, is by divine appointment; the Gospel I preach was received by divine revelation. (Galatians 1:11-12)
From 1:13-4:31 Paul defends his position as an apostle and the divine authenticity of the Gospel he preaches. Paul shows his independence from: (1) Human Teaching (1:13-17); (2) Judean churches (1:18-24); (3) Jerusalem “pillars” (2:1-10); (4) Apostle Peter (2:11-21).
Paul is saying that if Peter is correct in apparently acknowledging that adhering to Jewish ceremonial law is require for salvation, then Christ died for nothing. “I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing.” (Gal. 2:21)
I. FORGIVENESS – A VERY REAL PROBLEM FOR GOD
“Forgiveness to man is the plainest of duties; to God it is the profoundest of problems.” (Carnegie Simpson as quoted in The Cross of Christ by John Stott, pg. 88)
God, the aggrieved, needs “satisfaction” for the injury due to His person because of our sins. This injury needs compensation. God cannot just wave it off as if nothing happened.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself (act contrary to his very nature, act entirely unlike himself). (II Tim. 2:13
“The law which God must satisfy is the law of His own being.” (John Stott, The Cross of Christ, Pg. 124)
There is strong Biblical language showing God acting in accordance with His inherent nature.
God is provoked to anger by our sin. (Judge 2:12) This is a natural reaction of God to sin. The language of burning shows God’s natural, inborn, inherent response to evil – “The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger.” (Zeph. 3:8) God burn’s with anger. The nature of fire is to consume.
“There is something in God’s essential moral being which is ‘provoked’ by evil and which is ‘ignited’ by it, proceeding to ‘burn’ until the evil is consumed.” (John Stott, The Cross of Christ, pg. 126)
II. MANKIND INHERENTLY KNOWS THAT GOD DEMANDS THAT HE LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY.
MAN’S HISTORICAL LONGING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
“The German philosopher and historian Karl Jaspers has spoken of the period between 600 and 300 BCE as an ‘axial age’ (a period that determines future outcomes) in human history, when people in remote and apparently unrelated lands achieved major spiritual and intellectual breakthroughs. This was the time of Confucius and Lao-Tse in China, of Buddha in India, of Zoraster or his major disciples in Iran, of the prophets in Israel, and the philosophers in Greece.” (The Middle East, Bernard Lewis, Pg. 28)
During this period “Plato wrote The Republic. This book is really a study of the human soul and of the condition in which the soul must be in order for human beings to live well and manage to do what is right. The condition required is called, precisely, dikaiosune {dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay} in the Republic.” (Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy, pg. 145.
NON-THEISTIC & THEISTIC CONVERGENCE
“A couple of centuries after Plato – beginning sometime prior to 285 BC (Completed in 132 BC) – the Old Testament began to be translated into Greek, yielding the text we call the Septuagint. The word dikaiosune {dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay} was used to translate the Hebrew terms tsedawkaw and tsehdek, usually rendered in English ‘righteousness.’
Jesus, in the fourth beatitude focuses on this ancient longing, the desire for righteousness and says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (5:6)
Every follower of every religion realizes that God is infinite, supreme demands certain behavior. This man realizes he stands before an all-knowing God who can see everything. Bildad’s question in Job certainly echoes in every human’s mind and heart: How can a man be righteous before God? (Job 25:4)
MAN’S EFFORT TO ESTABLISH RIGHTEOUSNESS
Paul describes the Jews as ‘seeking to establish their own . . . righteousness’ (Romans 10:3). It has been the religion of the ordinary man both before and since. It is the religion of the man-in-the-street today. Indeed, it is the fundamental principle of every religious and moral system in the world except New Testament Christianity. It is popular because it is flattering. It tells a man that if he will pull his socks up a bit higher and try a bit harder, he will succeed in winning his own salvation.” (Stott, 61-62)
Think of all of the effort throughout all religions throughout all of history to be made righteous. It is the goal of every religious act in the world excepting Biblical Christianity.
“. . . they sought to establish their own righteousness. . .” (Romans 10:3); “But he wanted to justify himself (show himself to be righteous) . . .” (Luke 10:29); Jesus spoke to “Some who were confident in their own righteousness . . .” (Luk2 18:9); Paul wrote, “. . . they sought to establish their own righteousness. . .” (Romans 10:3); Paul wanted to be found in Christ, “. . . not having his own righteousness.” (Phil. 3:9)
All need to pray with the Psalmist: Do not bring your servant into judgment for no one living is righteous before you. (Ps. 142:2)
“Righteousness is not an optional spiritual supplement but a spiritual necessity. We can no more live spiritually without righteousness than we can live physically without food and water.” MacAthur, 178)
III. REFINING OUR DEFINITION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The Gospel has its own vocabulary, terminology. All fields of study and work use terms, terminology. If you listen to financial programs you will see different terminology … some terms you will not understand. If you are in the medical field or insurance field, the same. In insurance I did not understand what “URC” meant, and had to ask what it meant.
Theology and Christianity also has unique terms. Terms are really just compressed truth. One of our terms is “righteousness.”
QUESTION: How would you define ‘righteousness.’
Common sense definition: Righteousness is to be right with someone. When I pay my electric bill I am ‘right’ with SRP. If I am ‘right’ with a friend that means that all matters are taken care of and the relationship is as it should be.
Another way to look at righteousness is from the aspect of perfection. We talk above the perfect race, the perfect dive, the perfect painting, the perfect child, the perfect relationship, the perfect marriage, the perfect woman, the perfect man, the perfect dress, the perfect wedding etc.
In fact we generally refer to something that is perfect as “Right on!”
The Lexicon: The state of him who is as he ought to be, the condition acceptable to God.
Another good definition might be “true inner goodness” or “moral excellence.”
IV. COMPARING “RIGHTEOUSNESS” & “JUSTIFICATION”
GALATIANS 1:16-17 & 21
Vs. 16: is justified = dikaioo; be justified = dikaioo; be justified = dikaioo; Vs. 17: to be justified = dikaioo; Vs. 21: righteousness = dikaiosyne.
“Paul uses the verb form of justification (dikaioo) four times in verses 16-17 and the noun form (dikaiosune) once in verse 21, where it is rendered ‘righteousness.’ In the New Testament these and other forms of the same Greek term are variously translated by such English words as justify, justification, righteousness, just, righteous, and justified.” (MacArthur, 56)
PSALM 143:2 & JOB 25:4
“…for no one living is righteous (tsadaq) before you.” (NIV)
“… for no one is innocent before you.” (NCT)
“… in thy sight shall no living man be justified.” (ESV)
“… for in Thy sight no man living shall be justified.” (Darby)
“…for no man living is upright in your eyes.” (NKJ)
“Righteousness” and “Justice” are interchangeable in Psalms. 23 times tsadaq is translated as justify and 10 times as righteous.
We see tsadaq translated as both “righteous” and “justify” in Job 25:4:
How can a man be righteous (tsadaq) before God? (NIV, NKJV)
How can a man by just (tsadaq) with God? (NASB, ASV, Darby)
How then can man be justified (tsadaq) with God? (Websters, KJV)
PSALM 143:2 & GALATIANS 2:16
Why is this of interest? Because Paul makes an open translation of Psalm 143:2: “… for no one living is righteous (tsadaq) before you” in Galatians 2:6. Paul translates, “By the works of the law no one will be justified (dikaioo).”
“RIGHTEOUS” AND “JUSTIFY”
So how do we define “Justify” in relationship to “Righteous”?
Righteous = The state of him who is as he ought to be, the condition acceptable to God, a state approved by God.
Justify = To render and declare a person to be such as he ought to be; acceptable to God, approved by God. To make and pronounce a person just, righteous.
V. OBTAINING DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS
Of course the question, “How can a man be righteous before God?”
A RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT IS “FROM” GOD
“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous (tsaddiyq / dikaios) will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17)
“But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” (Romans 3:20-21)
In the new NIV (2010) they change it to read a “righteousness of God” but John Stott holds that “of” and “from” gives the same idea because the righteousness comes “from” God.
“and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God.” (Phil. 3:9)
A PASSIVE RIGHTEOUSNESS
So obviously this righteousness is a “passive” righteousness and not an “active” righteousness. It is not something gained but something given.
READING: “But the most excellent righteousness of faith, which God through Christ, without any works, imputeth to us, is neither political (civil), nor ceremonial, nor the righteousness of God’s law, nor consisteth of works, but is clean contrary to these; that is to say, it is a mere passive righteousness, as the others are active. For in the righteousness of faith, we work nothing, we render nothing unto God, but we only receive, and suffer another to work in us, that is to say, God. Therefore it seems good unto us to call this rightness of faith, the passive righteousness. (Commentary on the Galatians, Martin Luther, Pg. xii)
“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord our Righteousness.” (Jer. 23:5-6)
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption” (I Cor. 1:30)
GOD “CLOTHES” US WITH THIS RIGHTEOUSNESS
Various Scriptures describe being clothed with “passive” righteousness:
“He has clothed me with the garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.” (Isa. 61:10)
Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Rev. 7:13-14)
Christ, the Solid Rock
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found;
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
And Can It Be?
No condemnation now I dread,
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine.
Bold I approach the eternal throne,
And claim the crown through Christ my own.
Are You Washed in the Blood?
When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
Pure and white in the good of the Lamb?
Will you soul be ready for the mansions bright,
And be washed in the blood of the lamb?
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
On that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see thy lovely face;
Fully clothed in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace.
Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
SO WHAT???
1. God the Creator is holy, is provoked by sin and burns with anger at the open rebellion of His creatures.
2. Humans throughout history and up to the present time have been searching to attain a personal rightness that they know inherently is need to appease a holy God.
3. Humankind’s search for personal righteousness has always been based on self-effort.
4. “Justify” and “Righteousness” are from the same Hebrew and Greek root words. “Justify” the verb and “righteousness” the noun.
5. Salvation is simply permitting God to cloth us with a righteousness He supplies.