True Righteousness! Romans 4:1-25

Text:  “...Abraham believed God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness...to him that worketh not, but believeth (i.e. trusteth) on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

Romans 4:3-5.

Good morning, righteous Christian!  Having believed God’s Word which tells us that we have absolutely no righteousness in our natural state; you have wisely sought to be made righteous by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Romans 3:10)

It is the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus alone which qualifies sinner’s souls to inherit Heaven; and that true righteousness comes only by faith in the Finished Work of Christ, His Sacrifice, at Calvary’s Cross.  (Ephesians 2:8-10)

How, then, can we prove to ourselves and to others that we have indeed been made possessors of true righteousness; that we are indeed true children of Abraham, promised to him by the Lord God?  (Genesis 12:1-3)

If faith, God’s free gift, is a substance untouchable, unseen, untasted, etc., how can one prove its reality to oneself and to a sceptical world of unbelievers?  (Hebrews 11:1) (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This task becomes easy to accomplish - IF the Christian thinks the problem through using the Light of God’s Word.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

True Christian faith rests on the finished work of Atonement Sacrifice of Christ Jesus alone.  There is Eternal forgiveness and Salvation in none other!            (Acts 4:12) (John 14:6)

God’s Word in today’s reading reveals how Abraham was accounted righteous by God because of his belief.  He had no confidence in his own ‘good works’; his own social status; his own family name - although by the standards of the day Abraham was probably streets in front of many others of his contemporaries.  No!  Like the faithful Paul, Abraham counted all such human standards but ‘dung’ as compared to the true righteousness necessary for Salvation.  (Philippians 3:3-9)

Thus, the sincere ‘born again’ Christian can prove his/her Salvation today, both to him or herself, or to others all around.  (Matthew 7:20)

Have YOU really trusted in Christ’s Atonement at Calvary’s Cross?  If so, the following manifestations of true faith must be in consistent evidence:  one must believe in God’s Word; be living a Christ like life to the very best of one’s ability; doing and saying the things which Christ would approve of; and standing against the actions and words Christ would not approve of Himself.  (Ephesians 5:11) (Matthew 5:16)  

True Christians must be Christ like!

Although faith itself is an untouchable commodity, the works it produces are certainly felt in a very tangible manner.  This is what James is saying in Chapter 2 of his Spirit-inspired Epistle.  “Faith without works is dead...”  (James 2:1-16)

True righteousness is thus proven when the believer sees his/her own sincere strivings to be like Jesus in private; and when others witness that same Christlikeness in public.  As one old theologian has remarked, “You cannot be SAVED and not know it; neither can you be saved and not show it!”

The greatest observable evidence of Christ being Whom He claimed to be - God the Son - is seen in the true Christian.  The true Christian always seeks opportunities to glorify the Person who has saved him/her.  (Ephesians 5:14-20)

Is it not absolutely awesome?  God grants His elect people faith to believe, then, grants us true righteousness as a consequence of our belief!  Hallelujah!  What a Saviour!

Thought:  God only imputes righteousness to those who admit they are bankrupt of the same.