“For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, ‘Do not say in your heart, Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down) or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.'” Rom. 10:3-11
Devotional Thought For The Day
Sorry for the long reading this morning, but a reminder of how we are justified and gain a perfect righteousness purely by God’s grace through faith alone, and apart from any works which we do is an important thing. After all, our sinful nature constantly desires to seize control of the matter of our salvation and to do works to earn it and obtain it. But seeking our own “righteousness,” one based upon the law and our “keeping” of the law, is to reject God’s righteousness and to remain in ignorance, darkness, impenitence, unbelief, and rebellion against God. This is the chief difference between Christianity and every other religion in the world, including especially the poor absurd cults we have in America. As Paul asserts: “Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” He then outlines the two choices: either Christ is our righteousness, by faith alone, or we must follow Moses and pursue “the righteousness that is based on the law.”
The righteousness of Christ [which brings along with it eternal life and salvation] is received by faith in Jesus, and by faith alone; the personal righteousness which all other religions encourage and insist on, based on the law of God given through Moses [and perhaps other “law” from additional “prophets], is performance based. What these ignorant people are unaware of is that the requirement for establishing this kind of personal “righteousness” is perfection – God’s Word makes this clear: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, ‘Cursed is every one that continues not in ALL THINGS which are written in the book of the law to do them.'” [Gal. 3:10] To continuously “do all things written in the book of the law” is of course impossible – according to God’s own Word, for “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” [Rom. 3:23] and “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” [James 2:10] Therefore it is clear that God’s Word negates the possibility of anyone establishing their own personal righteousness, in fact condemning all human beings as utterly and completely sinful, “guilty of all.” So the ignorant, those rejecting Christ’s free gift of righteousness through faith alone and attempting to establish their own righteousness based upon their personal “law doing” are actually “under the curse” and thus coerced into the self-deceiving and hypocritical position of asserting their attainment of perfection [which denies the truth and calls God a liar – see 1 John 1:8,10] or they must deny and change the standard of God’s Word [so that God grades them on a curve, or on their commitment, or their good efforts], which also calls God a liar.
The only other option that we have – thanks and praise be to God, and all glory be to Christ – is to embrace the free gift of forgiveness, cleansing, and righteousness which God has provided for us in Christ Jesus, the “Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” [John 1:29], the “blood atonement for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” [1 John 2:2] This is “the word of faith that we proclaim,” what the apostle Paul believed and proclaimed and what all true preachers of God’s Word proclaim. Here the promises of God’s gracious mercy and love prevail: “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified [declared righteous in God’s sight], and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in Him will not be put to shame.'” However, anyone who believes and proclaims otherwise is obviously among the “ignorant” who “do not submit to God’s righteousness,” and we must consider what awaits such a person when he gives his account to God – that he not only rejected Christ, the Redeemer, the gift of God, but also devoted himself to misleading and grounding others in ignorance of God, rejection of Christ, hypocrisy, and utter darkness. Lord, have mercy!
So, while Christ also calls those who thus grasp His wondrous love and marvelous gift of salvation to love and serve one another, we do so not to “gain” salvation, but because we have already received the gift of salvation, the righteousness of God through faith in Christ Jesus. We recognize that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags,” and so we put no trust in them at all; rather we have the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus, and we put all trust and confidence in this, in God’s grace, mercy, forgiveness, cleansing, and love for us. Those who do so are no longer ignorant and in the darkness, but have come to light and life, eternal life and blessedness!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, in spite of Your wondrous gift of love, and the perfectly clear teaching of Your Word, our sinful hearts continue to compel us to trust not solely in You, but in our own performance. Many ignorant liars and charlatans urge us away from Your righteousness, and to vainly attempt to establish our own performance based righteousness. Preserve us from their lies, ignorance, and damnation. May we fully grasp Your gracious and marvelous love, Your free gift of salvation, so that we are moved to all manner of love and good works, to the glory of Your holy Name. Amen.