The Righteousness of God From Faith for Faith

The Righteousness of God From Faith for Faith
(A Series on "The Greatest Letter Ever Written")
Romans 1:16-17
- In 1505, Martin Luther was caught in a storm. So he prayed to St. Anne and promised to spend his life in the monastery if he would be saved.
He lived and so did just as he promised. However, in the monastery, he realised that he was becoming far more sinful everyday - almost beyond saving.
He lived with fear and anxiety. He felt lost and under the wrath of God. One day, while studying the book of Romans, he found a most terrifying phrase, "the righteousness of God". He had come to understand that these three words referred to God's perfect moral character, which we must emulate in order to be right before God. He saw in the gospel as something horrible. As he continued to work his way through Romans, he realised that he had misunderstood it - that the power of God is not unto damnation but unto salvation. This righteousness of God is His gift to unrighteous sinners in order for them to be justified. It's as if the doors of heaven swung open before him.
- Why was Paul extremely excited about this Gospel! Why was he putting his life on the line just to preach this Gospel? Why was he not ashamed of it? The answer lies in these two verses where over and over we see the article "for" and its importance.
I. Power of God unto salvation (what the Gospel does)
- Gospel means "good news"
- Drawback to using that term -- it can indicate that the Gospel is primarily about information we must know to qualify us for salvation. But Paul is saying it is also "power" (that justifies, sanctifies and glorifies), transformation, a miracle.
- We need to preach this Gospel because it brings men unto salvation.
II. The righteousness of God is revealed (why)
- We preach the Gospel for the reason that in it the righetousness of God is revealed.
- This righteousness of God (Romans 3:20-22, Romans 5:17, 2 Cor. 5:21, Phil. 3:9) is manifest apart from the Law, for us (imputed to us) through faith in Christ Jesus -- this is a free gift "through faith for faith"
- Knowing this should relieve us like it did Martin Luther -- that by receiving this righteousness, when we stand before God on the Judgement Day, we'll be receiving a smile not a frown.
III. Through faith and for faith (how)
- Faith is the basis for this righteousness that "from" faith we receive this righteousness.
- But this is also given "for" our faith
- It increases and improves the faith of the believer (2 Cor. 2:15-16) -- receives in faith and produces more faith
- How do we get more faith? By meditating on the Word of God
- The gospel saves us and enables us to persevere unto the end.
IV. That righteous will live by faith (for what purpose)
- That we might live (Habakkuk 2:4) -- those who are righteous will live by faith (in God)
- The wrath of God is coming, and we, the righteous, will live by faith.
Are we living our lives asking whether we are happy or anxious? It doesn't matter!
What matters is that the wrath of God is coming.
We all have done wrong, so we need the righteousness of God so that we might live.
It is our hope that everyone sees how precious this truth is!