Grace 101, Week 3, “The Righteousness of Faith”
Week 3, The Righteousness of Faith Romans 4:9-25 Under the Old Covenant of the Old Testament, righteousness was attained by the law. God’s people had to keep the law for God to pronounce them righteous. But there was a catch: by the law no one can be made righteous. Romans 3:20 - Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight... God sent Jesus so that He would receive your sin and give you His righteousness. The cross was the place of divine exchange. Jesus never sinned, and yet He died as the worst sinner who ever lived. He was suspended between heaven and earth, not worthy of either. All of the sins of our entire life were poured into Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 - For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Here is a glimpse of some of what Jesus suffered for us: Isaiah 50:6 - I gave My back to those who struck Me, and My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. Matthew 26:67-68 - Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?” Matthew 27:30 - Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. He took our shame and was crucified completely naked, covered in His own blood and the spit of the people around Him. Not only was He covered in that filth, He carried our filth in Himself on the cross. They even took His clothed and gambled for them (John 19:23-24). He took the curse of poverty on the cross: 2 Corinthians 8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich. He cried “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) so that we can be assured that He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5) He wore the crown of thorns so that we could receive the peace that passes understanding (John 19:2). He cried, “I thirst” so that our thirst would be quenched (John 19:28). He took stripes on His back that we might be physically healed (Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:5). Jesus was abandoned by His friends so that we would never be alone. On His worst day, they all forsook Him (Mark 14:50). Psalm 88:8, NLT - You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. Jesus’s blood speaks today: 27