The Doctrine of Righteousness | 3 Essential Points
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon Outlines Tags: Sermons on RighteousnessDate written: November 21st, 2004
Scripture ref: Romans 4:3-6
SUBJECT: Righteousness
TITLE: The Biblical Teaching of Righteousness
PROPOSITION: In this lesson we will look at the topic of righteousness.
OBJECTIVES: Each should understand that while man cannot be righteous on his own, under God’s plan, man can be accounted as righteous.
AIM: To reinforce the idea that works of faith, trust, and obedience is God are things that we can and must do to be righteous.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Read: Romans 4:3-6
2. About the Text:
1) There is much misunderstanding regarding the subject of “righteousness” in the religious world today.
2) The word “righteous” at its foundation means to be correct.
3) The word “righteousness” is the state of having been found correct.
4) We don’t use the word in common speech except to impugn someone of arrogance-“self righteousness”
5) We use the word almost exclusively in the context of religion.
6) Originally, however, it was used simply to describe one’s correctness in relationship to another.
7) For example, a person acquitted on legal charges was said to be “righteous.”
8) Also in acting toward one’s fellow man if one did good deeds, one was said to be “righteous.”
9) The problem comes in describing someone’s relationship with God.
10) How can we say that man can be righteous before God? That is, be acquitted of charges, or do good deeds toward God?
11) Obviously, one cannot upon one’s own merit, be acquitted of the charge of sin.
12) Equally obviously, one cannot, upon one’s own merit, have good deeds accounted righteous before God.
13) This is basically Paul’s point in Romans 4:3-6
3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.
DISCUSSION:
I. Counted Righteousness in the Doctrine of Righteousness
1. Why do acts have to be counted for righteousness?
1) Why can’t man just be righteous?
2) Because he has sinned.
3) One sin negates all righteous deeds that would have otherwise have proven us righteous.
4) Psalm 14:1-3
5) Psalm 143:2 “And enter not into judgment with thy servant; For in thy sight no man living is righteous.”
6) Romans 3:10 “There is none that is righteous; no not one.”
7) Because of man’s sin, man cannot intrinsically be righteous.
8) However, man’s actions may be countedrighteousness under the proper circumstances.
2. What does not get counted for righteousness?
1) Right deeds that man does thinking that these deeds will merit his salvation.
a. Romans 4:3-6.
b. Romans 9:30-33
2) Contrived systems of salvation that God has not authorized.
a. Matthew 15:9 “But in vain do they worship me, Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.”
b. Romans 10:1-4
c. Philippians 3:6-10
3) Sinful activities – James 1:20 “for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
3. What does get counted for righteousness?
1) First and foremost, Jesus life was counted for righteousness because he lived a sinless life.
a. Romans 5:19 – Jesus made it possible for others to be made righteous.
b. 2 Cor. 5:21 – It is through Christ that we may be counted righteous as well.
2) Today when we submit to the will of God through Christ, we can be counted as righteous.
a. Acts of obedience. Romans 6:16-18
b. Acts of faith.
a) Philippians 3:9
b) Romans 3:22
II. Examples of Righteousness in the Doctrine of Righteousness
1. Noah
1) Genesis 6:9 “Noah was a righteous man.”
2) Noah’s righteousness did not preclude God’s grace (Genesis 6:8).
3) Noah’s righteousness did not preclude God’s covenant (Genesis 6:18)
4) Noah’s righteousness did not preclude God’s commandment (Genesis 6:22).
5) Genesis 7:1 “And Jehovah said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.”
6) Hebrews 11:7 “By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”
2. Abraham
1) Genesis 15:1-6 – God promised Abraham seed of his own loins.
2) Romans 4:1-8 – When Abraham believed God, God put it down for righteousness.
3) James 2:21-24 – Abraham’s righteousness was fulfilled when he offered Isaac.
4) Abraham’s faith became righteousness when Abraham obey God’s commands and offered up Isaac.
III. Misconceptions of Righteousness in the Doctrine of Righteousness
1. Man cannot perform a righteous act.
1) Romans 3:10 “There is none that is righteous, no not one.”
2) Man cannot, on his own, be righteous before God.
3) But when man acts upon faith and in obedience to God’s word, he acts righteously.
4) God accounts such actions as righteous not out of any merit within the man or act he is doing, but because Jesus has authorized such acts to be righteous within his covenant.
5) Romans 6:17-19
6) 2 Timothy 3:16, 17
2. Any work that man does is a work of merit and cannot be counted for righteousness.
1) Titus 3:5 “not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit”.
2) This passage doesn’t teach that every work that man does is a work that can’t be righteous.
3) When we put trust in our own works or we create works to substitute for Christ’s will, then we have created our own righteousness and God doesn’t accept that.
4) However, when we put our faith, trust, and obedience in Christ then do those works, they are Christ’s works of righteousness which he has ordained through his will, not our own.
5) Hebrews 10:38 “But my righteous one shall live by faith: And if he shrink back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.”
6) Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice…”
7) 1 John 3:7 “…he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous:”
3. The doctrine of imputed or transferred righteousness.
1) This doctrine states that man can never do a righteous deed because of his sin, so God must look upon Christ’s personal righteousness in substitution of man.
2) This doctrine doesn’t take into account the fact that Christ’s righteousness is not his own personal righteousness, but the system of salvation that Christ bought for man with His blood.
3) Romans 1:16-17 – This righteousness is found in the gospel.
4) The truth – when man acts in faith and obedience to Christ’s covenant, God accounts that act for righteousness because one is trusting in Christ’s covenant to be saved. Hebrews 5:9 “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
CONCLUSION:
1. We’ve studied the doctrine of righteousness.
1) Counted Righteousness
2) Examples of Righteousness
3) Misconceptions of Righteousness
2. Don’t be deceived by the denominational world on this issue. Remember 1 John 3:7 “My little children, let no man lead you astray: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous “
3. Invitation
1) Have you been living righteously before God?
2) Are you in a right relationship with Him?
3) If you are not a Christian you can be counted as righteous before God before you leave this evening…
a. Hear the word; Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing…”
b. Believe with all your heart; Hebrews 11:6 “For without faith it is impossible….”
c. Repent of your sins (Acts 17:30).
d. Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Matt. 16:16).
e. Be Baptized for the remission of your sins (Mark 16:15,16).
See Also:
- The Wrath of God | Bible Lesson on God’s Wrath
- Beatitudes – Blessed Are They Who Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness
- Sermon on Living Righteously | Christian Righteousness