Category Romans

The Gospel of Christ

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“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.“

Romans 1:16-17

When we study the Bible, the Word of God, the first thing that we must all come to an understanding of is the gospel (good news). If we don’t understand the gospel and believe it, then the rest of our study won’t really matter. The gospel is the most important doctrine that one can learn. Why? It is the most important, because it is what saves you. From our passage above we will set out to answer four questions. First, what is the gospel? Second, why is it the power of God unto salvation, not the power of man? Third, how is the fact that the righteousness of God being revealed significant? And lastly, why is it important that we believe this gospel, the gospel of Christ?

What is the gospel of Christ?

The gospel of Christ is that Jesus Christ our Lord, who is the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins (the sins of the whole world), was buried, and rose again the third day. Romans 4:24-25 says, “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered up for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” 1st Corinthians 15 is the most clear. It says in verse one, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, wherein ye stand.” It continues on in verses three and four. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” Romans 5:8 tells us that “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 8:3-4 says that God sent His Son to condemn sin the flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. Christ Jesus our Lord died for all of our sins with his own blood, and rose again so that we can have eternal life with God. He died for us, so that we could be declared righteous (or justified). The gospel is the solution to our problem.

Why is it by the power of God?

The gospel is the solution to our problem. What’s our problem? Well, we are sinners and cannot possibly save ourselves. The Apostle Paul in chapters one through three declares for us that all of us are guilty before God. Romans 1:18 starts out by telling us that the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. It says in verse 28 and 29 that God gave us up to our reprobate minds because we didn’t retain God in our knowledge, and that we were filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, etc. Chapter two starts out by saying that we are inexcusable. Then, Romans 2:5 says that we are all treasuring up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath. None of us can save ourselves or each other. If we could be saved by our own power or strength, then we would each have reason to boast in our own self (Romans 4:1-2). Also righteousness would be reckoned to us as a debt, not of grace (Rom. 4:4). This would be OK, if we actually could keep the whole law by our own works. But, the trouble is that we can’t keep the law. We’ve all come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). So, it needs to be and can only be by the power of God. It is God’s power that raised Christ from the dead. Can you raise yourself or someone else up? Man doesn’t have the power to do that.

  • “If we believe on him [God the Father] that raised up Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 4:24).
  • “Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father” (Rom. 6:4).
  • “But if the Spirit of him [God] that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you” (Rom. 8:11).

The preaching of the cross, it says in 1 Corinthians 1:18, is the power of God to us who are saved. But, to them who perish it is complete foolishness. “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). The conclusion is that even the foolishness of God (which is the cross) is wiser than men. God is far more wiser than men. God used the foolish things, the base things, and the things that are despised to bring to nothing the things that are something (1 Cor. 1:28). He does this so that “no flesh should glory in his presence” (1 Cor. 1:29). If we are to glory, then it should be in the Lord (1 Cor. 1:31). So when God’s Word says that “no flesh shall be justified in his sight” (Rom. 3:20) and that we “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” then we should believe it. When He says that He will save us if we just believe in what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross, then we should just believe him. Instead of trying to go about establishing our own righteousness (Rom. 10:4) we should just believe him, and let God save us. We need to be justified in His sight according to His way (not our way). God has revealed His righteousness to us, apart from the law, and through Jesus Christ Himself. He has revealed it freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24). It is a free gift. We don’t deserve it. But He gives it to us, if we will simply believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.

How is the righteousness of God being revealed in the gospel significant?

The fact that we cannot possibly save ourselves, but that God has revealed His righteousness in the gospel of Christ is very important. What we couldn’t obtain ourselves, God has revealed it to us through His Son, Jesus Christ. “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 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” (Rom. 3:21-22). By nature we are ungodly and unrighteous sinners. “By one man sin entered, and death by sin” (Rom. 5:12). Isaiah 64:6 says “all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” And Romans 1:18 said that the wrath of God is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23a). God demands perfect righteousness. God is holy and righteous. He told Israel that they needed to be holy, because He is holy (Lev. 11:44-45). God also tells us today that we are to “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God” (Rom. 12:1) (this is, of course, after we’ve believed). We are the temple of God (1 Cor. 3:17; 2 Cor. 6:17). In Romans 2:6-13, Paul tells us that God will judge every man according to their deeds or works. “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul that doeth evil” (Rom. 2:9). “But glory, honour, and peace to every man that worketh good” (2:10). “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified” (2:13). But the problem, as we’ve already addressed, is that we don’t work that which is good (Rom. 3:12). We work ungodliness and unrighteousness. We’ve come short of His glory. We are sinners. Therefore, no flesh can be justified in God’s sight. But, the good news is that God has revealed His righteousness through Jesus Christ our Lord. All we have to do is believe!

Why is it important for us to believe?

The righteousness of God is revealed without the law, or apart from it. It is revealed through Jesus Christ. It’s revealed by the faith of Christ. Those who believe in Christ and what He did for them will be justified by faith. “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). Believers are “made the righteousness of God in him (Christ)” (2 Cor. 5:21). Therefore, believers have the hope of eternal life, not death (Rom. 5:15-21; 6:23; Titus 1:2). According to Romans 5:2, we now “rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” The same glory that we came short of in chapter three is now what we’ve obtained and look forward to when Christ, who is our life shall appear (Col. 3:4). We’ve obtained it by the our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Those who don’t believe are still lost, spiritually dead, and under sin (2 Cor. 4:3-4; Rom. 3:9). Unbelievers are still treasuring up for themselves “wrath against that day of wrath and righteous judgment of God” (Rom. 2:5). They will be judged according to their deeds and Paul’s gospel, the gospel of Christ (Rom. 2:2,6,16). Believers, being justified by faith, now have peace with God (Rom. 5:1). We are no longer enemies of God. God will still judge our works too, but while our bad works are burned up we at least will be saved (1 Cor. 3:15). Unbelievers, on the other hand, will be burned up with their works. It is important to believe that Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead. That way you can be “saved from wrath through him” and be “saved by his life” (Rom. 5:9-10).

In conclusion, the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believes it. God has revealed His righteousness through it. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot be justified in our own flesh by trying to do the law, because we are sinners. We can’t save ourselves. We have broken God’s law. The good news is that Jesus Christ, who is perfect, came into this world to save sinners. He came to die on the cross for our sins and rise again from the dead, so that we can have eternal life in Him. All we have to do is believe.

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that he died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day and you will be saved (Acts 16:31; 1 Cor. 15:3-4).

Faith or Works

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“Take ye the sum of all the congregation of the children of Israel, after their families, by the house of their fathers, with the number of their names, every male by their polls; From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies.“

Numbers 1:2-3

The book of Numbers is, of course, about numbers. God had told Moses and Aaron to take a sum of the nation. They were to number them. By numbering the people themselves they also ended up numbering the amount of sacrifices they were told to perform. For example, in Numbers 7:87-88 we have the sum of 12 bullocks, 12 rams, and 12 lambs of the first year for a burnt-offering. There were then also 12 kid goats for a sin-offering. And then 24 bullocks, 60 rams, 60 lambs, and 60 goats for peace-offerings. This was all for the dedication of the altar. So, in summary there were a lot of sacrifices that they had to do. This is just one chapter mentioning sacrifices though. And when you consider Hebrews 10:1 where it says that the law and the sacrifices, which they offered “year by year,” could never make them perfect, then what was the purpose?

To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me?

What was the purpose of these sacrifices? Did it please God when Israel offered up these sacrifices to Him? Isaiah 1:11 says “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of the fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats.” Why would the LORD say this after He clearly told them in Leviticus and Numbers to offer these sacrifices? In verse 13, it says “Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moon and the sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.” God was full of (we might say today that God was fed up) their multitude of offerings, because they were offered up in vain. They were empty. Israel didn’t mean it. They didn’t have faith. It’s because they didn’t have faith that God was full of their offerings. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom. 14:23). The Jews, under the law, still needed to do the law, but they needed to do it in faith. Romans 9:31-33 tells us that Israel didn’t attain to righteousness, because they sought for it by the works of the law. They didn’t seek it by faith. They tried to keep it in their own flesh. Therefore, they stumbled at the stumblingstone, which is Christ and His cross. Romans 10:3 says “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

But, we Gentiles have attained to righteousness (Rom. 9:30). Why? Because we believed. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4). We are now not under the law, but under grace (Rom. 6:14). We are saved by grace through faith and it is not of ourselves (Eph. 2:8-9). Our faith is counted for righteousness (Rom. 4:5). We are saved by believing that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. There is nothing that we can do ourselves to earn salvation.

Interestingly, the Apostle Paul doesn’t tell us to take a sum of the Body of Christ. Instead, he says that there are many members and leaves it at that (1 Cor. 12:12). And then goes on to say that there is one Body. There is one Body, one Spirit, one hope of our calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father above all and through all and in you all (Eph. 4:4-6). We are baptized by one Spirit into one Body. Also, instead of a multitude of sacrifices there is just one that counts for our salvation. That is the sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 9:11-12, 26; 10:12). By faith in Christ Jesus, we become one with Him (Gal. 3:26-28). The focus is on what He has done for us.

Not of our Ourselves, but of God

This brings me to 2nd Corinthians. This epistle to the Corinthian church is simply about God. Everything thing we have in Christ is of God. It is about His power and His grace. It is about what He has done for us and what He is able to do for us. It wasn’t by our own power or strength that we got saved. It isn’t by our own power that we can effectively serve God either.

  • God is called the God of all comfort (1:3)
  • God is true (1:18)
  • He establishes us and anoints us in Christ Jesus our Lord (1:21)
  • He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit (1:22)
  • It is God who causes us always to triumph in Christ (2:14)
  • Our sufficiency is of God (3:5)
  • We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord (4:5)
  • It is God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness and has shined it in our hearts (4:6)
  • We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us (4:7)
  • Our house is not made with human hands and is therefore, eternal in the heavens (5:1)
  • Paul’s apostleship and ministry is of God. God made Paul an Apostle and revealed unto him the mystery, which God had kept secret and hidden in Himself (Eph. 3:9). God committed to him the ministry and word of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-19). Therefore, we also have that same ministry committed unto us today.
  • We are workers together with Christ (6:1), because we are one with Him
  • We are His holy temple (6:16)
  • Christ became poor that we may be rich (8:9)
  • God is able to abound all grace towards us that we may abound to every good work (9:8)
  • It is his grace that is sufficient for us (12:9)
  • And we live by the power of God (13:4).

What was the purpose of the law?

What was the purpose of the law? To reveal that we are sinners. To reveal that we cannot save ourselves or make ourselves perfect in our own flesh. Romans 3:20 says “for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” What pleases God? This whole topic comes down to this question. Do we go about establishing our own righteousness or do we submit ourselves to God’s righteousness instead? The nation of Israel went about establishing their own, and we’ve seen how that turned out. They didn’t obtain righteousness, because they lacked faith. It’s always been faith that has pleased God. “But without faith it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6). God has revealed His righteousness to us. He’s revealed His righteousness without (apart from) the law (Rom. 3:21). He’s revealed it by the faith of Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:22). All we have to do is trust in Christ. Romans 10 continues to say that the word of faith which Paul has preached unto us is already near us (Rom. 10:8-10). All we have to do is believe it. God’s righteousness is already established and made known to us. We just have to believe it.

In conclusion, Israel was told under the law to offer a multitude of sacrifices. But, it wasn’t their own works done in their own flesh that saved them. It was to teach them that they couldn’t keep the law on their own. And we Gentiles can’t keep it either. They needed to have faith. We need faith too. They tried to establish their own righteousness by the works of the law, instead of submitting themselves to the righteousness of God. God has revealed His righteousness apart from the law. That is, by the faith of Jesus Christ. In other words, by what He did for us on the cross. His righteousness has already been established. So, our responsibility is to have faith in Him. Christ fulfilled all righteousness. He took care of the law (Col. 2:14). He took care of our sin. He did so by condemning sin in His own flesh, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us (Rom. 8:1-4). No more sacrifices are needed. All we have to do is believe in Him and His finished work. Then, our faith is counted for righteousness. And we will be translated into the One Body, where we are complete in Him.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.“

1 Corinthians 15:1-4

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.“

Acts 16:31

The Righteousness of Faith

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Here in Romans chapter nine and ten, we have the “righteousness which is of faith” and the “righteousness which is of the law.” We see how the Jews went about obtaining righteousness, and we see how the Gentiles went about it. It says of Israel in Romans 9:31, “which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.” In Romans 10:3, it says “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” Why were they not able to attain to it? Because they “sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law” (Rom. 9:32). The Gentiles, on the other hand, who followed not after righteousness have attained to it (Rom. 9:30). Why? Because they had faith. Matthew 23:23 calls the scribes and Pharisees, “hypocrites,” because they were very religious, but they omitted the weightier matters of the law. One of those things being faith.

“Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.”

Romans 9:32-33

“For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;”

1 Corinthians 1:22-23

The cross of Christ ended up being a stumblingblock to the Jews. But, for everyone that simply believes on Christ and His finished work on the cross it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:18, 21, 24). This brings us to Romans 4, where Paul brings up the promise that was given to Abraham.

“For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”

Romans 4:13

The promise that Abraham should be the heir of the world was given to him and his seed through the righteousness of faith. It was not given to him through the law. “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Rom. 4:3). “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom. 4:5).

If it was through the law,

  • faith is made void (Rom. 4:14)
  • the promise made of none effect (Rom. 4:14)
  • the law would annul the promise (Gal. 3:18a)
  • the oath would annul the covenant (Heb. 6:13-20)

But, thanks be unto God that it is not through the law. God gave it to Abraham by promise (Gal. 3:18b). And that promise was given unto him through the righteousness of faith. Abraham simply believed, and his faith was then counted for righteousness.

We learn from Hebrews 6 that God swore by Himself, for there is no one greater than Him, that He would perform that which He had promised to Abraham. What God promises, He is also able to perform. He told Abraham that he shall inherit the land, and that He will bless and multiply Abraham as well. “Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee” (Heb. 6:14). Hebrews 6:16 continues on to say, “For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.” Unlike God, when men (mankind) make promises with one another, they often are not kept. So, men will also often attach to their promise an oath to make sure it is kept. The oath is for confirmation. For example, in business there are verbal and written contracts. Verbal contracts are binding, however, without it written down it usually isn’t enforced. Sometimes it becomes a “your word verses my word” situation. So to avoid that, men will put the contract in writing as well. The written contract doesn’t make void the verbal contract. It simply confirms it. So, the written contract in this example would be the confirmation, which is the end of all strife. The confirmation is really for man’s benefit. God doesn’t need a confirmation Himself, but He confirms His covenant with an oath for man’s sake. He does so for the purpose that those who are the heirs of promise would know the immutability of His counsel (Heb. 6:17).

The same is with the covenant and the oath. The covenant of promise was promised by God and will come to fulfillment. The oath is the confirmation of the covenant. But in no way does the oath annul the covenant. As Paul writes in Galatians 3:15, “Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” The oath, which is added to confirm the covenant, does not make void the original promise that God swore by Himself.

“And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:”

Genesis 22:16

In Genesis 22, we see both the covenant and the oath represented. In the first part of verse sixteen, we have God swearing by Himself that He will bless Abraham. But, the last part of it is where we have the oath. “For because thou hast done this thing.” That “thing” was when Abraham did not withhold his son, his only son. The work that Abraham did was simply a confirmation of that original promise that God gave to Abraham back when he was uncircumcised (Gen. 12, 15). Abraham believed that God would bless him and multiply him and his faith was counted for righteousness (Gen. 15:6). Then, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and it was God that made the covenant with Abram that same day (Gen. 15:17-18). Abram received the covenant of promise through the righteousness of faith. He received it, because he had faith. Then, we have Abraham in chapter twenty-two offering up his son Isaac for the confirmation of the promise. From this perspective, it would seem like Abraham got the promise through faith plus works. So, which is it? Faith or works? The short answer is through the righteousness of faith. As we have already seen in Galatians 3:15, “yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.” And Paul says in Romans 4:13 that Abraham received it through the righteousness of faith. So, even if it be confirmed, no man can annul the covenant that God swore by Himself.

What is the long answer? This is where the difference between the Apostle Paul and James comes in. On one hand, Paul says we are “justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). James, on the other hand, says “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (James 2:24). Paul was writing as the Apostle of the Gentiles to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:13). James was writing as a minister of the circumcision (the Jews) (Gal. 2:9) to the “twelve tribes which are scattered abroad” (James 1:1). Paul taught the Gentiles that we don’t need to be circumcised or keep the law (Gal. 6:15). James taught the Jews to still circumcise their children and keep the law or customs (Acts 21:21-26). Paul rebuked the Galatians when they thought they could be made perfect by the flesh or the works of the law. Paul taught that if we began in the Spirit, then we will made perfect in the Spirit (Gal. 3:1-5). James taught that Abraham’s faith was made perfect by his works. “Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” (James 2:22) One more. Paul said “the righteousness of God without the law is manifested” (Rom. 3:21). James said “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). So, why the difference? Because they had different ministries to two different groups of people. Paul is the Apostle of the Gentiles. James is a minister of the circumcision. There were certain Jews that went around troubling the Gentiles saying that they too need to be circumcised and keep the law. But, James says that “to whom we gave no such commandment” (Acts 15:24). The only things that James commanded the Gentiles to do was to “abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:20). But, James never commanded the Gentiles to keep the law. Also as Paul was teaching the Gentiles about justification by faith without the law, some of the Jews thought that Paul was teaching them to “forsake Moses, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children, neither to walk after the customs” (Acts 21:21). But, that wasn’t the case. To show this to them, James has Paul purify himself by shaving his head to show these Jews that the things they had heard about Paul were nothing (Acts 21:24). Then, James once again says “as touching the Gentiles which believe, we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing, save only that they keep themselves from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication” (Acts 21:25). They were writing to two different groups of people. They had their own separate ministries. (I’m not saying that the Jews are saved differently than the Gentiles today. Whosoever will believe. Jews and Gentiles are saved by grace through faith in the cross today). Paul is referring to the covenant when writing Romans 4, and James is referring to the oath when writing James 2. What James writes in no way makes void of the fact that Abraham received the promise through faith, and faith alone. No man disannulleth.

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 4:5

“And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”

Romans 4:11

In the Dispensation of Grace, we are saved by grace through faith and it is not of ourselves (Eph. 2:8-9). The man that simply believes is then also justified. Abraham received the promise through the righteousness of faith. The sign of circumcision, and Abraham offering up his son, were both simply a seal or oath for confirmation. They were used to confirm that which Abraham had already received (the righteousness of the faith) when he was still uncircumcised. None of those works, however, could annul the covenant which God Himself made with Abraham, which He gave to him by promise and that we partake of by grace (Rom. 4:16).

Now what about us today? Do we have some kind of way to confirm that we also have the righteousness of God, which we have received by faith in Christ Jesus? The answer is yes! But, it’s not circumcision or our works. Instead, it’s the Holy Spirit. It is also Christ Himself!

“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Ephesians 1:13-14

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”

Colossians 1:27

When we believe the gospel, we become sealed by the Holy Spirit. Christ dwells inside each and every believer. He is our hope and our life. When Christ shall appear in the air, we also will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3:4). Christ in us is our seal or oath for today. Righteousness is imputed to us the same as it was to imputed to Abraham. That is, by faith. We are made partakers of the promise by grace (Rom. 4:16). Christ is the promised seed to whom the promises were made, and we now belong to Christ. We belong to Christ’s own body, the Body of Christ. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal. 3:29). We became heirs by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26), not by the works of the law. We received the righteousness of faith when we first trusted/believed in Christ as our Savior, and we have the Spirit as the seal to confirm it (entirely spiritual, not physical).

In conclusion, Israel did not attain to the law of righteousness because they sought for it by the works of the law. They didn’t have faith. The Gentiles, on the other hand, did attain to righteousness (the righteousness of faith), because they had faith just like our father Abraham. Abraham believed God and his faith was counted unto him for righteousness. He received the promise from God through the righteousness of faith, and not through the law. While God Himself doesn’t need an oath to confirm that which He has already promised to do, He still does confirm it for man’s sake. It is so that we would know the immutability of His counsel. Therefore, God did confirm it with an oath. But the oath in no way annuls the covenant. No man disannulleth. That includes James. Paul and James clearly taught two different things. Paul taught justification by faith without the law, while James taught faith without works is dead. Paul referred to the original covenant of promise. James referred to the oath. Paul refers back to Genesis 15, where Abraham believed God and his faith was counted for righteousness. James refers back to Genesis 22, where we see Abraham’s faith and works together. His faith was made perfect, according to James, by his works. But for today, Paul says we began in the Spirit, and therefore, we are made perfect in the Spirit. We are justified by the faith of Christ, not by the works of the law (Gal. 2:16). And we also live by the faith of the Son of God (Gal. 2:20) too. We are made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21). We know that we are saved, because God’s Word says so. We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). We are saved by faith, and we also live by faith. Our seal or confirmation of our salvation is not circumcision or any good work that we do. Instead, it is the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus our Lord.

“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

Galatians 4:6

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. Believe that He died on the cross for your sins and was raised again from the dead for your justification. God will count your faith as righteousness. God will then give to you the Spirit of His Son as a seal of the righteousness of faith.

The Son of God, whom the Father is well pleased

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“I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

Psalm 138:2

It says that God has magnified His word above all, even His own name. We read in the book of John the first verse, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” It continues down in verse 14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This is, of course, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.“

Philippians 2:9-11

Here, it says that God the Father has highly exalted the Son. He gave to His Son, Jesus Christ, a name which is above every name. Every knee of every person will bow before the Lord and confess that He is “Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (either now or later, but we will all bow).

In Matthew 3:17, it says “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (cf. Matt. 17:5; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22; 2 Peter 1:17).

Then, what does it say of those of us who are saved? In Ephesians 1:6, it says that God has “made us accepted in the beloved.” Stop! Consider those words closely. God the Father makes us accepted in His only Begotten Son, His Beloved Son, the one who He is well pleased with and has given a name that is above every name!

How is God able to do this? It is “through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24). The Scriptures have declared that we are all sinners. We have all sinned against Him and we all continue to come short of His glory (Rom. 3:23). But, then it says that we are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God declares us righteous, freely or without a cause. It is a free gift. We didn’t deserve it, but God has offered it to us because of what His Son accomplished on our behalf on the cross. Our sins needed to be judged. For God is a righteous judge. But, thank God, that “He spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (Rom. 8:32a). It was Christ Jesus, His Beloved Son, who satisfied the judgment against our sin. It says that Christ “was made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13). Then, the rest of Romans 8:32 says “how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” The one who delivered up His own Son for us all to be made a curse for us, how shall He also not be the one who will freely give us all things? Notice that it says “with Him” that He shall give us freely all things. It is Christ that was delivered up for us all for our offenses, and it is with Christ that the Father is able to freely give us all things (justification of life, Rom. 5:18).

The Apostle Paul continues in Romans 4:4-5 to say that it is not to him that works that his faith is counted as righteousness, but instead to him that does not work, but simply believes.

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.“

Romans 4:4-5

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth.” It continues to say that God justifies the person who is ungodly. It is the ungodly, wretched sinner that believes who is justified. It says earlier in Romans 3:26 “that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” The person that recognizes that they are a sinner and believes that Christ died on the cross for their sins, was buried, and rose again the third day is justified. That person is now saved. It wasn’t by any works that they did, but instead it was because of the finished work of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! It is through what Christ has done on our behalf, dying for our sin, that we after believing on Him are justified and made accepted in Him!

God is well pleased with His Son. His Son, has satisfied the Father’s judgment and wrath against sin. His righteousness has been manifested to us apart from the law, through the faith of Christ (Rom. 3:21-22). All the work is done. All anyone has to do is believe in what His Son has already accomplished for them personally on the cross.

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Once we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have been justified, according to Romans 5:1 it says, “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We have peace with God the Father through His Son, the one whom He is well pleased.

To him that does not work, but believes

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God’s Word tells us that we are all sinners. We are all ungodly, wretched sinners.

“As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:10
  • none who understands (3:11)
  • none who seeks after God (3:11)
  • all have turned away from God (3:12)
  • all have become unprofitable (3:12)
  • none that does good (3:12)

“Now we know what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”

Romans 3:19-20

“For the wages of sin is death…”

Romans 6:23a

We all deserve death. Death is the righteous judgment for our sins.

So, what hope do we have? In ourselves, none. We have no hope of life in our own selves. We are as the Scriptures put it, dead or non-existent (Rom. 4:17; Eph. 2:1). “Dead in our sins.”

But, the good news is that God has manifested His righteousness apart from the law. How? Through the faith of Jesus Christ! In other words, through His work on the cross!

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Whom (Christ) God hath set forth to be a propitiation (satisfaction) through faith in His blood,…”

Romans 3:24-25a

God is not only love, but He is also righteous. Our sins needed to be judged. But (because God is love), instead of each one of us dying for our own sin, God sent His own Son to die on our behalf!

“He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

Romans 8:32

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

1 Cor. 15:3,4

Jesus Christ “put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Heb. 9:26). He satisfied the judgment of God when all of our sin was imputed to His account, when He hung on that tree. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). “Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).

When we believe that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, then are we justified or declared righteous! We are justified by faith, not of works!

“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.”

Romans 4:4

In contrast, –

“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 4:5

God does not justify the godly. It says that He justifies the ungodly. He justifies the ungodly that believes in Him and the work that His Son did for them on the cross by paying for their sin on their behalf. When an ungodly sinner, who recognizes that they can’t save themselves, turns instead wholly to God by believing what the Lord Jesus Christ has already done for them, then God counts that person’s faith as righteousness. He justifies them purely on the grounds of the shed blood of Christ. That individual is now made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21)! Christ is their righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30)!

  • Rom. 4:17 – God gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did exist.
  • Eph. 2:1 – We were dead in our trespasses and sins, but now God has made us alive.
  • Eph. 2:5 – made us alive together with Christ!
  • Rom. 7:4,6 – we have become dead to the law, that we might be joined to another, which is Christ Himself!
  • Gal. 2:20; Col. 2:10-14 – we are crucified with Christ, buried with Him, and risen with Him!

To him that does not work, but believes! –

  • is justified by His grace, is justified by His blood, is justified from all things (Acts 13:39)!
  • his faith counted as righteousness!
  • is made the righteousness of God in Christ!
  • is now made alive!
  • is joined to Christ!
  • is crucified, buried, and risen with Him!
  • is one that receives the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness!

All you have to do to be saved is believe (which is not a work)! Believe that Christ died on the cross for your sins, took your sins away and rose again the third day. Believe that He was delivered up for your offences and was raised again for your justification.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23