Category Archives: Righteousness

Bible, Eternal Life, Eternity, Promises, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture, Therefore

THEREFORE

ROMANS 4:22

“Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

You have probably heard some preacher say, “When you see the word “therefore” in the Bible, always look to see what it is there for.” Well, in today’s verse we have a “therefore.” It is the little Greek conjunction dio which can be translated as “for this reason,” “therefore” or “wherefore.” A conjunction connects at least two thoughts. In our case today, it connects the thoughts of the preceding verses with this thought in verse 22. Because of all Paul just said, this is true.

Once again, Paul quotes from Genesis 15:6, “Then he believed in the LORD; and He credited it to him as righteousness.” We saw this quoted earlier back in 4:3 and 4:9. This is the third time Paul quotes Genesis 15:6. Do you think it is important? Paul is nailing home the point that Abraham didn’t do anything to earn that righteousness. It was given to him before circumcision. God simply chose him and cut covenant with him. God made him righteous and Abraham himself.

APPLICATION

The same holds true for us. If you want to see just how much “therefore” means to us, look at 2 Corinthians 4:16. Paul uses dio again here. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day.” Let me tell you, that verse hit home with me. My old body is wearing down. I have a little pain in my lower back right now, which is new for me. But this verse says that is to be expected. However, my inner man is renewed daily. How sweet!

In our spiritual walk with Christ “therefore” makes a big difference. For instance, Christ died for my sins, and I have acknowledged that and have decided to follow Him. THEREFORE, I am His child and will live with Him in eternity. That’s a big “therefore,” isn’t it? Just like Abraham, I did nothing but step out in faith. Because of that I am reckoned as righteous in God’s eyes.

The next time you are reading through the Word and run across a little conjunction like dio (therefore, for this reason, wherefore), pause and really look what it is pointing you back to. Context is key in any study of Scripture. God’s Word is truth from the first word to the last. Therefore – you can trust it. You can place your faith in that.

Father God, I am grateful Your Word is so rich and so powerful. It gives me the “therefore” I need at the right time.

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Bible, Empty, Power, Powerless, Righteousness, Scripture, Useless

EMPTIED

ROMANS 4:14

“For if those who are of the Law are heirs, then faith is made void and the promise is nullified;”

As I read this verse today, a picture came into my mind of a car. I just got back yesterday from a day of driving to and from another city. It was about a two hour drive each way. Did you know that the speed of my truck had nothing to do with how hard I pressed the gas pedal? That’s right. How fast I went was determined by the fuel that was in the tank. If my truck did not have any fuel, I could press that pedal through the floorboard and it would not go anywhere. But when the source of the power is present, the engine fires, the transmission kicks in and the tires turn. Fuel is the key, not the pedal.

That is a very rough analogy for today’s verse. Our justification goes nowhere without faith in Jesus. All the works we accomplish (pressing the pedal) will get us nowhere. But when the power source (faith in Jesus) is present, we have the righteousness of God upon us. We reach our destination (heaven) because of the source that is in us.

APPLICATION

“Paul warns that reliance on Torah observance would kekenotai (“render empty”) both faith and promise. The term stresses how human works cannot coexist as instrumental causes of justification; introducing law-keeping would drain the gospel of its power and make God’s covenantal word ineffective. This verse undergirds the Reformation emphasis on sola fide, demonstrating that grace and law-merit are mutually exclusive avenues to inheritance.” (Topical Lexicon) Pretty clear explanation of the word “void” in today’s verse.

This word for “void” is found in four other locations in the New Testament (all by Paul). In 1 Corinthians 1:17 we read, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made of no effect.” There’s the word again, this time translated as “no effect.”

My favorite use of the word, however, is found in Philippians 2:7. Look at the verse in context in verses 5-7. “5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men.”  He “emptied” Himself. He gave up His glory to become man for us. Wow! What can you empty yourself of today?

More of You and less of me, dear Lord. Help me empty myself of my own power and allow Your power to flow through me.

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Bible, Circumcision, Following, Privileges, Righteousness, Scripture

FOLLOW HIS STEPS

ROMANS 4:12

“and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham which he had while uncircumcised.”

“Membership has its privileges.” You may have heard that expression made popular by American Express back in the late 1980’s. I have an American Express card. One of the privileges of that card is that I can earn SkyMiles with Delta every time I use it. I also get other privileges each year just for having it. But I have to keep my account active to enjoy those privileges. My privileges depend on me doing something.

That is not the case with our membership in God’s family. Paul has been laying out the case for that for a while now in Romans. Today’s verse is kind of part two of a thought which began in verse 11. Not only is Abraham the father of the uncircumcised believers, but he is also the father of the believing Jews. The believing Jews’ allegiance to Abraham is not wrapped up in their physical circumcision. It is directly linked to Abraham’s circumcised heart.

APPLICATION

Matthew Poole explains verses 11 and 12 so well. I thought I would include his words in their entirety. “The former verse (verse 11) tells you he was the father of the believing Gentiles, for the covenant was made with him, for all his believing seed, when he was uncircumcised, which shows, that righteousness is and may be imputed to them also without any outward circumcision: and then he is the father of the believing Jews; especially of as many of them as unto circumcision do add the imitation of his faith; who, besides circumcision, which they derived from him, do also transcribe his divine copy, and follow his example of faith and obedience; who leave their sins, as he did his country; who believe all God’s promises, and adhere to him against all temptations to the contrary.”

The childhood bible song, “Father Abraham,” just popped in my head. Remember that? It is a fun song to sing with little children as it gets them up and moving and it’s kind of silly. “Father Abraham had seven sons, seven sons had Father Abraham. And I am one of them and so are you, so let’s just praise the Lord, right arm…” You would then proceed to sing that over and over while adding body parts and motions.

My point? The point of that song is about praising the Lord! It still is today. Yes, Abraham is my spiritual ancestral father of faith. The Bible tells me that, but my hope does not lie in Abraham or anything he did. My hopes lies in Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. His righteousness is given to me, even though I have done nothing to deserve it. Aren’t you grateful today for the faith of our fathers? But aren’t you more grateful for your faith in Jesus?  Bear that faith well today.

O Lord, I praise You just as the song says. Even though the world around me is in chaos, I will praise Your name.

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Bible, Faith, Righteousness, Scripture, Sealed

THE SIGN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

ROMANS 4:11

“and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised, so that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, that righteousness might be credited to them,”

Seals, not the slippery kind that swim (lol), are used all over the world to make documents official. Some are raised seals like the old notary stamps. Others are just an ink stamp from the officiating party. I have official seals in my passport from all over the world. It’s kind of fun to go back and look at the seals I have received. Last year I had to get a new passport because my “seals runneth over.” I was out of pages. I got a bigger one this time.

Paul isn’t talking about a notary or a passport. He is referring to the seal we all receive when we place our faith in the Lord. Abraham’s seal of circumcision upon his flesh was a visible sign of a spiritual seal of faith. Paul has already told us that Abraham received the righteousness of God BEFORE he was physically circumcised. This made him “the father of all who believe without being circumcised.” This, of course, would infuriate the Jews since they put such pride in their physical circumcision.

APPLICATION

In John 3:33 we read the words of John the Baptist during his last testimony. “‘He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.’” John knew that Jesus was the reason for this seal upon our lives. He stamped us with His seal of righteousness upon our act of faith in His saving grace. I can’t wait to have long conversation with John in heaven one day.

That seal, of course, is the Holy Spirit given to us by Jesus upon our salvation. Paul wrote to the Ephesians and told them this in Ephesians 1:13. “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise,” I don’t know about you but those are shouting words. God did the sealing, not me, not a preacher. And what God seals, we cannot unseal. Hallelujah!

The next time you open a jar and hear it pop or remove a paraffin wax seal from a jar of homemade jelly, remember God’s seal upon your soul. He has sealed you with a promise. He has sealed you and imputed to you His righteousness. Walk like that. Don’t doubt what you have. You are preserved forever.

O Father, I praise You for the seal upon my heart today.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Faith, Righteousness, Scripture, Works

NOTHING OF ME

ROMANS 4:6

“just as David also speaks of the blessing of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:”

I don’t know why I thought of Numbers 35:30 when I read today’s verse. I guess because Paul is calling on his second witness to prove that our works are futile in achieving righteousness. In Numbers, we read, “‘If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death on the testimony of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.’” More than one witness was needed. Perhaps this was on Paul’s heart as he wrote today’s verse.

If anyone knew the futility of works, it was David. Just look back at all the things he had accomplished for God. Most of David’s testimony was good until…that one night. You know the story of David and Bathsheba. Not only did he commit adultery (some say by force), but he also lied and then had her husband killed to try to cover up his sin. It’s no wonder we read in Psalm 32:1-2 these words, “1 How blessed is he whose wrongdoing is forgiven, whose sin is covered! 2 How blessed is a person whose guilt the LORD does not take into account, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!”

APPLICATION

Let me encourage you to read the rest of Psalm 32. There are only eleven verses. You can really feel David’s heart in this psalm. He confesses and praises. He gives advice. David had learned via the School of Hard Knocks. He had trusted the Lord as a young shepherd boy to protect him from the bears and lions who came after his flock. He fled from Saul all those years he had sought to kill him. He even fled from his own son, Absalom, who tried to usurp the throne. But David’s worst enemy was himself, his flesh. He knew he couldn’t do it on his own.

Have you reached that point? I pray it doesn’t take some great moral failure to wake you up. Stop right where you are this morning and examine your motives for doing what you are doing. Are you trying to achieve some kind of spiritual high that will not last? No amount of screaming, yelling, jumping up and down or fasting will bring about righteousness. You are made holy through Jesus.

I probably sound like a broken record these past few verses, but Paul is trying to drive a point home. It’s like I’ve quoted before, “You can’t, God never said you could. He can and He always said He would.” Amen? Believe! Trust! Follow! Obey! And watch the holiness of God roll in and cover you.

O Lord, I am nothing in Your sight and could never accomplish what You can do in one blink of Your eye.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Faith, Jesus, Righteousness, Sacrifice, Scripture

CREDITED

ROMANS 4:3

“For what does the Scripture say? ‘ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.’”

When I was a young boy, my dad took me to the Credit Union that was part of his workplace, Coats and Clark Thread Mill, in Pelham, Ga. I took in the money I had saved and gave it to my Aunt LaGrande who was the bookkeeper there. In exchange, she gave me this little book that showed my deposit. That little book was my proof of the money that was credited to me. It was mine and no one else. I could come get it whenever I wanted.

I just love today’s verse and the quotation from Genesis 15:6. The full story is found in the previous five verses. After God promises Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, we read that he believed God (Yahweh), and God gave him his little credit union book full of righteousness. Well, that’s not exactly what it says, but close. God credited righteousness to him. His righteousness became Abraham’s because of his faith.

APPLICATION

Barnes says this about today’s verse. “The faith which Abraham exercised was, that his posterity should be like the stars of heaven in number. This promise was made to him when he had no child, and of course when he had no prospect of such a posterity. The reason why it was counted to him for righteousness was, that it was such a strong, direct, and unwavering act of confidence in the promise of God.”

Let me ask you a question today. Has God counted you as righteous? Now, He’s probably not going to build a nation out of your descendants. But through His Son, Jesus, and your faith in Him, He counts you as righteous. It’s not because of anything you’ve done. It’s solely on your faith in Jesus. Just like Abraham had to blindly trust the Lord, we have to step out in faith and believe He will do what He says He will do.

To be counted as righteous is a supreme thing. It means we are right in His eyes. When God looks down from heaven, He doesn’t see our sinful self. He sees the blood of His Son covering those sins. Any righteousness in us is there only because of the righteousness of Christ in us. It is through our faith in Jesus that we are made righteous in the sight of God. Isn’t it time we all start living that way?

Lord, help me walk in the righteousness which You have given me through Jesus.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Forgiveness, Gospel, Jesus, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture

FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE

ROMANS 3:22

“but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction,”

When I read today’s verse, my mind immediately goes to John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” EVERYONE! I can just hear Billy Graham reading this verse and sharing the simplicity of the Gospel with the crowds. God doesn’t expect us to get all cleaned up before we come to Him. He takes us just as we are. He does the cleaning.

Paul continues his thought from verse 21 (see yesterday’s blog) when he talks about the key element of God’s righteousness which is revealed to us. It only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. No amount of law keeping or sheep slaughtered will accomplish it. His life was freely given so that we could receive the free gift of grace. And this, Paul says, does not discriminate. He says, “there is no distinction.” That Greek word is diastole, and it means a variation, difference or separation. We all have access to this righteousness in Christ.

APPLICATION

I love this description of this verse given by a scholar. “And so, dear friends, I have to come to you now with this message. No matter what a man is, how far he has gone, how sinful he has been, how long he has stayed away from the sweetness and grace of that great sacrifice on the Cross, that death was for him. The power of Christ’s sacrifice makes possible the forgiveness of all the sins of all the world, past, present, and to come. The worth of that sacrifice, which was made by the willing surrender of the Incarnate Son of God to the death of the Cross, is sufficient for the ransom price of all the sins of all men.” (McLaren’s Expositions)

Later in Romans 10-9-10, Paul writes, “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” Confession and belief, of course, involves repentance and obedience.

God intended for us all to be saved. He even says so in His word. In 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Paul writes to Timothy, “3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” So, if it is God’s will that all be saved, shouldn’t it be ours as well? Share the Gospel with someone today. You may just change the course of their life for eternity.

Father, thank You that someone took the time to share with me long ago. Help me share with others.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Manifested, Messiah, Prophecy, Revelation, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture

MANIFESTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

ROMANS 3:21

“But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,”

Have you ever witnessed an incredible sunrise? I love sunrises. I am usually out walking in the mornings as the sun rises, so I get to see a lot of them. Now, I know the sun is going to rise. I expect it to rise in the eastern sky, but I can’t make it appear. No amount of begging and cajoling will make it appear one second sooner than it’s supposed to appear. But when it does appear and blows up the sky with the colors of the day, it has manifested what I knew to be true all along – that it would appear.

Oh, listen! That is what Paul is saying in today’s verse as he prepares us for the next couple of verses. He says God’s righteousness “has been revealed.” The Greek word there is phaneroó, meaning to “make manifest, show.” It’s in the Perfect tense which means it happened at a time in the past but has lasting results. Don’t miss that. God did this back then so that we could see it today. Wow! We are so blessed to see that even now in the 21st century.

APPLICATION

All through the Law and prophets, the righteousness of God through the promise of a Messiah is talked about. I have a book on my bookshelf entitled, All the Messianic Prophecies of the Bible, by Herbert Lockyer. It shows how Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies which the Law and the prophets foretold. God chose to manifest His righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus was always the Father’s plan for us. As mentioned in an earlier blog, the law wasn’t plan A that failed thus rendering Jesus’ death as a backup plan. No, God laid out in Scripture our need for a Savior, One Who was and is worthy of our praise. Jesus’ righteousness became our available righteousness when He died and rose again. All we have to do is claim that and follow Him.

That’s where the problem is. We want the salvation and the righteousness without the obedience. Christ’s righteousness may be free, but it’s not cheap. It will cost you everything. You have to abandon your old way of thinking and living and strive to live holy before Him. You can never “earn” this righteousness. It is truly freely given. But you do have to surrender to His will. I read the other day a quote by Spurgeon which said, “When you make His will your will, you will always get your will.” Try it.

Father God, I praise You for the manifestation of Your righteousness through Jesus Christ, Your Son.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Jesus, Righteousness, Salvation, Scripture, Unrighteousness

NONE ARE RIGHTEOUS

ROMANS 3:10

 “as it is written: ‘THERE IS NO RIGHTEOUS PERSON, NOT EVEN ONE;…’”

We begin with today’s verse a series of quotations from the Old Testament from which Paul is pointing out that Jews are just as guilty as the Gentiles. These passages seem to be taken from the Septuagint (LXX) which is the Greek Old Testament. Meyer’s NT Commentary says, “The arrangement is such that testimony is adduced for—1st, the state of sin generally (Romans 3:10-12); 2nd, the practice of sin in word (Romans 3:13-14) and deed (Romans 3:15-17); and 3rd, the sinful source of the whole (Romans 3:18).” Let’s jump into it.

Paul is quoting Psalm 14:1-3 which he continues in 3:11-12. Psalm 14:1-3 reads, “1 The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, they have committed detestable acts; There is no one who does good. 2 The LORD has looked down from heaven upon the sons of mankind to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they are corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” We’ll break these down over the next couple of days.

APPLICATION

How does this quotation from Psalm 143 apply to us? Well, we are just as unrighteous outside of Christ. It seems I hear more and more people denying God or worse yet, blaspheming our holy God. David says it clearly, they are a “fool” who says there is no God. As a follower of Christ, I can give you time after time where God has proved Himself to me. But you have to be looking.

You see, the Jews thought just because they were Jews, they were okay. I have met several Jews who had no spiritual life at all. They were Jewish by blood, but they did not practice their faith. They will call on “Hashem” when they want something or in desperation, but the idea of a daily walk with Jehovah is foreign to them.

We are told in today’s verse that “not even one” person is righteous. The Greek oude is translated as “not even” which is used to expound on the statement before it, “There is no righteous person.” In other words, absolutely no one, nada. That “no one” includes me and you. But thanks be to God that He imputed the righteousness of Christ on us at salvation. Praise Him today!

Lord, I give You praise that You have made me righteous, not according to anything I have done but solely through the righteousness of Jesus.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Confession, Righteousness, Scripture, Testimony, Unrighteousness

OUR UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

ROMANS 3:5

“But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking from a human viewpoint.)”

We will never fully understand the righteousness of God this side of eternity. How can a God, a righteous God put up with our unrighteousness? Well, He can’t. The question posed by Paul in today’s verse is really meant to show us the folly of this kind of thinking. Paul even admits he is talking from a human viewpoint.

The thought that Paul is throwing out here is this. If our sins give God the opportunity to show His righteousness, how can He punish our sin? That is obviously what Paul was hearing from some. Yea, I sin, but God still loves me and it gives Him the chance to forgive me. How stupid! God can never condone sin, nor can He overlook it. Sin requires confession and repentance. God can only be righteous.

APPLICATION

This is a difficult verse. We know as followers of Christ that our sin has to be confessed. We know that God demands repentance in order to bestow forgiveness. But this verse, taken by itself, might seem to imply that our sins give God more opportunities to show His righteousness. The second question in this verse is one we all would agree to. “The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is he?” Of course, that answer is NO.

 I am thinking of 1 John 1:9-10. “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” You see His righteous acts toward us follow our confession. Don’t ever be confused by that. Unrighteousness + confession = righteousness.

Our goal should be to not sin. We should not be sinning and excusing our behaviors. We will see Romans 6:1 later, but it fits so well with today’s verse. “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase?” Paul goes on in 6:2 to say, “May it never be!” That should be our attitude towards sin. May it never be!

Lord, sometimes difficult verses have simple meanings. Thank You for forgiving our confessed sins.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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