Level: 1, Lesson: 3
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY GRACE
OUTLINE

Romans 3:21-22: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference."

We need a righteousness that equals God’s in order to be accepted before Him. Because of our sin, the greatest thing we need is acceptance, or right standing with God.

A righteousness that is according to the law is a righteousness of doing, earning, and achieving in order to be accepted by God.

The kind of righteousness that God offers us is a righteousness, not according to doing or according to law, but one that is through faith in Jesus Christ’s righteousness.

God offers this righteousness to all people because all have sinned and come short of God’s standard of perfection.

Philippians 3:9: "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

There are two kinds of righteousness:

1. The righteousness of man is the good works that he can do. It will not make him accepted by God.
2. The righteousness of God is God’s own righteousness. It is His acceptance of us based on our belief in what Jesus provided through His death on the cross - forgiveness of sins and imputing to us a righteousness that equals the law.

Isaiah 64:6: "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." Not our sin, but our righteousness, our good works, are as filthy menstrual rags.

Hebrews 6:1: "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God," We need to turn from our good works and our sin unto God for His mercy. Put your faith, dependence, and reliance in Jesus.

Genesis 15:6: "And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." This Old Testament scripture describes how Abraham believed God, Who then imputed righteousness to Abraham’s account.

Romans 4:23-25: "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification."

Righteousness will be imputed to your account also, if you believe in Jesus and what He did for you. You also have right standing before God when you believe in Jesus.

Romans 5:17: "For if by one man’s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ."

God offers a GIFT of righteousness (right standing before God). It cost God the life of His Son, but is made available freely to us through faith in Jesus.

Level: 1, Lesson: 3
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY GRACE

LESSON TEXT

1. According to the Bible mankind’s greatest need is for righteousness, that is, to be in right standing, or a right-relationship with a holy God. WHY? According to scripture "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23). God sees all men as lost, without hope and without God in this world (Ephesians 2:12). We are sinners by nature through the fall of one man, Adam. It is also true that we are sinners by practice, that is, our actions and deeds also fall short of the standard of God’s perfection. You cannot say, "I am basically a good person!" when the scriptures declare, "all come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23), and "there is none righteous, no, not one" (Romans 3:10).

   Do you see that you need a personal Saviour, one who will save you from your sins?

2. God offers us, as a gift, the righteousness that we all so desperately need. This righteousness is not the righteousness that you can produce (Titus 3:5), rather, it is a righteousness that equals God’s righteousness (II Corinthians. 5:21). It is God’s own righteousness that He offers us freely through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22).
3. Notice what the scripture says, "But now the righteousness of God WITHOUT THE LAW is manifested (that is, revealed)" (Romans 3:21). The first thing we notice here about God’s righteousness is that it is not derived from the law. There is no definite article in this verse; in the Greek text, this would indicate that the righteousness that God offers man is APART FROM LAW or THE PRINCIPLE OF LAW. Therefore this scripture may read, "But now the righteousness of God without law is revealed." AND WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE OF THE LAW? The principle of the law says that men are accepted by God by doing, achieving, or meeting certain standards. SO IF MEN ARE NOT MADE RIGHTEOUS BY THE LAW, THAT IS, BY BEING AND DOING RIGHTEOUS ACTS, THEN HOW ARE WE MADE RIGHTEOUS BEFORE A HOLY GOD? Verse 22 of Romans 3 reveals the answer when it gives a description of the kind of righteousness that God offers - it is a "by faith in Jesus Christ righteousness." These five words in the Greek text are a combined adjectival phrase which modifies the righteousness of God. In other words this phrase describes the kind of righteousness God offers by saying, it is a through - faith - in - Jesus Christ – righteousness that makes men acceptable before God.
4. Are you tired of dealing with guilt? Would you like to come to the Saviour to be totally righteous and have right standing with God? The blood of Jesus was shed to provide this gift for you (Ephesians 1:7). This is what the scripture says, "This gift is from God, and it is very important to me. Because if the law could have made us right with God, then Christ died for nothing" (Galatians 2:21, The Simple English Bible).
5. Have you ever considered repenting from your dead works? (See Hebrews 6:1.) Dead works are the things people trust in to get them to heaven. They may involve living a good life, keeping the 10 commandments, loving others, and attending church, etc. Can you see that none of these things will meet the standard of God’s own righteousness? It will take God’s own righteousness to get you to heaven.

The Bible says, "It is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall (Adam), it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives THE FREE GIFT THAT HE DOES NOT DESERVE, OF BEING MADE RIGHTEOUS" (Romans 5:17, Jerusalem Bible).

When we all stand before God we will be anything but innocent - we will be utterly guilty. Yet God in His amazing grace, offers to treat us as if we are innocent men because of the blood of Jesus shed for us (Romans 5:9).

1. (a) According to Romans 3:10, what does mankind need?
   (b) Why? See Romans 3:23 and Ephesians 2:12.
   (c) Do you see why all of us need a personal Saviour?
2. (a) According to Titus 3:5, is the righteousness that we need a righteousness that we can produce?
   (b) According to II Corinthians 5:21, what kind of righteousness do we need?
   (c) According to Romans 3:22, how do we receive this righteousness?
3. (a) According to Philippians 3:9, what is the righteousness of the law?
   (b) According to Philippians 3:9, how is the righteousness of God received?
4. According to Galatians 2:21, how could we frustrate God’s grace?
5. According to Romans 5:17, what is the righteousness of God received as?

RIGHTEOUSNESS BY GRACE
(Additional Information)

WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION?

It is a forensic term, opposed to condemnation. As regards to its nature, it is the judicial act of God, by which He pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts, accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, that is as conformed to all its demands. In addition to the pardoning of sin, justification declares that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect to the justified. It is the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set aside, but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; therefore the person justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising from perfect obedience to the law (Romans 5:1-10). It imputes or credits to the believer by God himself of the perfect righteousness, active and passive, of His representative and Surety, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:3-9). Justification is not forgiveness of a man without righteousness, but a declaration that he possesses a righteousness, which perfectly and forever satisfies the law, namely, Christ’s righteousness (II Corinthians 5:21, Romans 4:6-8). The sole condition on which this righteousness is imputed or credited to the believer is faith in or on the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is called a "condition", not because it possesses any merit, but only because it is the instrument, the only instrument by which the soul appropriates or apprehends Christ and His righteousness (Romans 1:17, 3:25-26, 4:20-22; Philippians 3:8-11, Galatians 2:16). The act of faith, which secures our justification, also secures at the same time our sanctification; thus the doctrine of justification by faith does not lead to licentiousness (Romans 6:2-7). Good works, while not the ground, are the certain consequence of justification (Romans 6:14, 7:6).

(1897 Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED:
PART I

1. Predicted --Isaiah 56:1, Ezekiel 16:14
2. Revealed in the Gospel -- Romans 1:17
3. Is of the Lord -- Isaiah 54:17
4. Described as:
   The righteousness of faith - Romans 4:13, 9:30, 10:6;
   The righteousness of God, without the law - Romans 3:21;
   The righteousness of God by faith in Christ - Romans 3:22;
   Christ being made righteousness to us - I Corinthians 1:30;
   Being made the righteousness of God, in Christ - II Corinthians 5:21

PART II

1. Christ is the End of the Law for -- Romans 10:4
2. Christ called The Lord of Our Righteousness -- Jeremiah 23:6
3. Christ Brings in an Everlasting Righteousness -- Daniel 9:24
4. Is a Free Gift -- Romans 5:17
5. God’s Righteousness Never to be Abolished-- Isaiah 5:16
6. The Promises made Through -- Romans 4:13
7. Saints:
   Have, on believing - Romans 4:5, 11, 24;
   Clothed with the robe of righteousness - Isaiah 61:10;
   Exalted in righteousness - Psalms 89:16;
   Desire to be found in - Philippians 3:9;
   Glory in having - Isaiah 45:24-25

PART III

1. Exhortation to Seek Righteousness -- Matthew 6:33
2. The Gentiles attained to -- Romans 9:30
3. Blessedness of Those who have -- Romans 4:6
4. The Jews
   Ignorant of - Romans 10:3;
   Stumble at righteousness by faith - Romans 9:32;
   Submit not to - Romans 10:3

PART IV

1. Exemplified -- Abraham - Romans 4:9 and 22, Galatians 3:6; Paul - Philippians 3:7-9

Adapted from The New Topical Text Book.

Here are some questions to think about for this lesson

Level 1 Lesson 3 Questions
RIGHTEOUSNESS BY GRACE

1. According to Romans 3:10, what does mankind need?
2. Why? See Romans 3:23 and Ephesians 2:12.
3. Do you see why all of us need a Savior?
4. According to II Corinthians 5:21, what kind of righteousness do we need?
5. According to II Corinthians 5:21, what kind of righteousness do we need?
6. According to Romans 3:22, how do we receive this righteousness?
7. According to Philippians 3:9, what is the righteousness of the law?
8. According to Philippians 3:9, how is the righteousness of God received?
9. According to Galatians 2:21, how could we frustrate God's grace?
10. According to Romans 5:17, the righteousness of God is received as what?

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