"The Righteousness Of
God Revealed"
Romans 1:17
The righteousness of God is revealed only
in the gospel. It cannot be known by the light of nature, or even by the law of
God. It is hidden from every man by nature. The wise and prudent, as well as the
moral and religious, of this world are totally ignorant of the righteousness of
God in Christ, and can never discover it. It must be revealed by the Spirit of
God.
UNTIL THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED
AND KNOWN IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A PERSON TO BE SAVED. The object of saving faith
is Christ. And the basis of that faith is the righteousness of God revealed in
the gospel. Faith that is based upon anything else is a false faith and a
damning delusion.
THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED BY THE
PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL. This is what Paul is saying when he declares that the
gospel of Christ is the revelation of "the righteousnss of God from faith
to faith." It is revealed from the faith of the gospel preacher to the
faith of those who hear him by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must understand
that...
1. GOD IS RIGHTEOUS. Righteousness is an
attribute of God essential to his Being. Without it he would not be God. His
righteousness is both underived and immut- able. This is abundantly ascribed to
him throughout the Scriptures. All rational creatures, angels and men,
righteous and wicked declare that God is righteous (Ex.
2. THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS THE DECLARATION
OF GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (Rom.
3. IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT GOD WILL GIVE
ALL MEN EXACTLY THAT WHICH IS THEIR RIGHTEOUS DUE (Acts
Don Fortner