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Pastor Wade Burleson





"Righteousness Is Not a Quest"

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Romans 10:5-9 (KJV)
  1. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.
  2. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)
  3. Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)
  4. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
  5. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Righteousness Is Not a Quest

Romans 10:5-9

The term "righteousness" is important, but often misunderstood. The Puritans used to call it "oughtness" meaning when someone is righteous he is "as he ought to be." There are two ways that one can be righteous before God; faith in Christ or obedience to the law.

  1. The righteousness which is of the law (v.5).
    "For Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them" (v.5). The five books of Moses (the Pentateuch) are where "the righteousness of the law" is described. God speaks to Israel saying: "Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 18:5). All Jewish scholars believe this life promised by God is eternal life, but religioius people are ignorant of the following:
    1. God demands absolute, perfect obedience.
      "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10). Jesus said "Be ye therefore perfect" (Matthew 5:48). "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind; and your neighbor as yourself." "Adam in his state of perfection was the only mere man that ever was capable of perfectly fulfilling (the law of God)" Dr. John Gill.
    2. God's expressions of wrath towards sin are seen every day.
      "God is angry with the wicked every day" (Psalm 7:11). "The wrath of God is revealed from heaven" (Romans 1:18). "The wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The ultimate expression of the wrath of God towards sinners is called "hell." "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:18). What do I do to escape the wrath of a holy God? (Deuteronomy 30:10-16).
      The quest for personal righteousness through obedience to the law will fail.
  2. The righteousness which is of faith (v.6).
    Just like the righteousness of the law, God reveals clearly the righteousness of faith to you. It is the righteousness of God, not man, and it is the righteousness I preach unto you (v.8). It is called the righteousness of faith because we have NOTHING to do with it.
    1. It is the perfect obedience of Christ in my place (v.4).
      He perfectly fulfilled the law of God as my representative, the second Adam. He bore the perfect and holy wrath of God due my sin on the cross in my place.
    2. It is received by me through my confession and faith in Christ (v.9).
      I am not ashamed to call Jesus my Lord and I believe that God raised Him from the dead. My faith is in Christ's obedience to the law, not my own obedience.
    3. It releases me completely and eternally from the judgment of God (v.9).
      Are you saved? Saved from what? Saved from God's wrath poured out on sin. A remarkable thing happens to those who place their trust in Jesus Christ. All the expressions of God's wrath toward sin are transformed into great blessings! Sickness, death, natural disasters, tragedy and the like "work for your good."
      "Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; not Pilate, for fear;
      not the Jews, for envy; but the Father, for love"       Octavius Winslow.


    Questions? Comments?
    Pastor Wade