Sermon on the Mount: Understanding the Law – Matt. 5:17-20
Before Jesus expounds on some teachings of the Law, he first helps his hearers to understand his relationship to the Law.
Righteousness
The Breastplate of Righteousness in Place – Ephesians 6:14b
Your enemy will attack relentlessly. So keep your breastplate of righteousness in place. Dons give the devil an opening to use against you.
There is No One Righteous, Not Even One – Romans 3:10-12
I am incapable of making myself acceptable to God. No matter how hard I might try, I invariable fall short. And that is true of every other person who has ever lived, apart from one. But God has not left us alone to continue that futile effort. Instead he provides us with a better way. Praise God, he makes his righteousness available to us, through faith in Christ.
Flee Ungodliness; Pursue Righteousness- 1 Timothy 6:11
As a ‘man of God’ I need to flee ungodliness in all its many forms. Instead I need to pursue righteousness, godliness and other godly virtues. Both of these admonitions involve active verbs; to flee and to pursue. To be a ‘man of God’, get off the couch and start running.
Belief Credited as Righteousness – Romans 4:3
Abraham is the example of salvation by faith and not by works. Abraham believed God’s promise to him, and God counted it to him as righteousness.
By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone – Romans 3:22-25
It is by grace that I have been saved through faith in Christ Jesus. A gift freely given and totally undeserved. Thank you Lord!
The Righteousness of God – Romans 3:20-25
After his introduction, Paul spends the bulk of the first three chapters of his letter to the Roman church in a discussion of sin. While Paul leaves open the theoretical possibility of a person being good enough to pass judgement before God, his conclusion is that no one actually is good, that no one will be declared righteous before God based on their own efforts in adhering to the law, whether that be the Old Testament Law, or the law of conscience. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through …