P aul writes to the Romans to stress that no one can hope to behave perfectly to achieve God’s required standard of righteousness. Only those who have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have the righteousness of God. Paul’s message reveals to us the glorious hope of our salvation: the righteousness God requires is not something we can hope to attain through our own efforts. It is not righteousness earned through obedience to the law. It is righteousness received through faith in Jesus Christ. It is transformative and something which happens to us. Paul describes the righteousness of God as something “revealed” [Romans 1:17] and “manifested” (shown or demonstrated) [v. 21]. A murderer stands before the judge to receive his sentence. He has no hope of redeeming himself. The verdict is obvious – this murderer’s sentence is death. Facing imminent death, the murderer confesses his guilt and begs for mercy. Inexplicably, another man, a perfectly law-abiding innocent man, in the courtroom stands up to take the place of the condemned. He dies in the murderer’s place. The judge deems the murderer’s punishment served in the eyes of the law and he walks free. In the same way, the Lord Jesus Christ who was perfect in all ways and “who knew no sin” [2 Corinthians 5:21] stood up, took our place to bear the punishment for our sins. Through Christ, we have the glorious hope of salvation – the righteousness of God through faith in our Lord.
LESSON
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
THOUGHT
Amazing love! how can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me? – Charles Wesley
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