How To Be Right With God
Introduction
Romans 4:1-25
The Psalmist declared: “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works.” (Ps. 145:17) Since God is righteous, He is just in all His dealings with mankind. It is written in 1 John 5:17: “All unrighteousness is sin.” Unrighteousness is the violation of God’s standard of what is right. When man departs from the ways of God, he is unrighteous. God must punish sin. He cannot deviate from His own holy standard. Only in the light of God’s justice can we be thankful for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
I. Righteousness Required
God is perfect. God is righteous. He requires perfect righteousness from man before he can enter heaven. In Revelation 21, John described the beauty of heaven. At the conclusion in verse 27 he wrote: “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither he that worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”
A. Condition of Man. (Rom. 3:10)
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
B. Consequence for Man. (1 Cor. 6:9-10)
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.” 1 Cor. 6:9-10
II. Righteousness Received
A. Example from The Old Testament.
1. Life of Abraham.
a. Faith in God. (v. 1-5)
The Bible states that: “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. This was before God required circumcision or the giving of the Law. It was by “faith, that it might be by grace.”
b. Faith before men. (v. 9-22; James 2:21-24)
Abraham’s faith was revealed by his works before men. His faith was evident by his obedience to the will of God.
2. Life of David. (v. 6-7)
Paul quotes David from Psalms 32:1-2. This was written after David’s sin with Bathsheba. “I have sinned against the LORD” David confessed. Nathan said to David: “The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.” (2 Sam. 12:13) God forgave David’s sin and imputed righteousness apart from works. Abraham and David were justified by faith in God.
“If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?” Psalm 130:3
B. Explained in the New Testament. (v. 23-25)
1. Basis for our salvation. (v. 24)
The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the reason we can be saved. Jesus took our place and paid our penalty for sin.
2. Blessing of our justification. (v. 25)
The resurrection of Jesus Christ affirms that God is just and the justifier of those who believe in Jesus. “Justified is God’s “full acquittal” of those who are in Christ Jesus. He declares righteous those who by nature, words and actions are unrighteous.
Someone has said: “Salvation by works is laughable in the light of the infinite weight of our guilt and the infinite payment to remove it.”
LESSONS FOR LIFE:
1. In this chapter, Paul uses the word “faith” or “believe” some 14 times. Righteousness is received by faith and not by works.
2. God’s righteousness is vindicated in justifying the sinner because Christ died in the sinner’s place.
3. The unrighteous sinner has the righteousness of God put to his account when he believes on Jesus Christ. This is grace!
4. Being saved by grace removes any boasting on our part. Instead, we will glory in the cross like Paul. (Gal. 6:14)
5. God can and will justify the sinner who will repent and trust Jesus as his Savior. Will you turn to Him today!
Saving faith looks to Jesus who finished the work of redemption on the cross. It is His work and not ours that saves.