Part 13 | The Only True God – God is Righteous

By Vic Gill

Friday 16th April 2010

The Righteousness of God Displayed in Athens

God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising. Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:24-31)

The Apostle Paul had just preached the above sermon to a large audience in Athens. The audience consisted of highly intellectual philosophers as well as simple folk. In this short sermon Paul did two things. First he told them what God is truly like. He had given them evidence for the existence of God and then explained the true nature of what God was like. By doing this he had shown them the difference between the false gods and idols they worship and the creator of the entire universe. But Paul doesn’t just leave his audience with a vivid description of God. He gets very personal and explains the ramifications of God’s justice, holiness and righteousness. “He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness.” This is what troubles the Apostle Paul. A day of judgement has been set aside when all things shall be brought before a righteous God. The fact that God is righteous poses the greatest problem for his audience in Athens. Whilst they discuss philosophical topics such as “righteousness” they have failed to realise that the God of the heavens and the earth is a righteous God. And if He is a righteous God this means they, being unrighteous will surely stand guilty before Him. The moral perfection of God will be contrasted to their moral imperfection.

The Righteousness of God Displayed in Christ

The righteousness of God presents the world with a dilemma. However the solution which God provides is even greater than the problem. It is vitally important to remember that it is God who provides the solution to a helpless and hopeless world. The theological word ‘imputation’ helps us to understand how God deals with our unrighteousness. If you pick up a sound, reformed, evangelical theological text book you are certain to find many references to imputation. It isn’t a word which we commonly use in conversation or even in Church, but its implications are eternal. When you begin to grasp its meaning, your love for the Lord will begin to grow much deeper. I will brielf summarise imputation to help you understand God’s solution. Consider the below verse:

If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me. But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. Philemon 1:17-18

In the above verse, Paul instructs Philemon to impute (reckon, charge to his account) the wrong that Onesimus may have done against Philemon. This was not Paul’s debt or wrongdoing, but Paul willingly, on behalf on Onesimus took it as his own debt and it was charged to his account (imputed). Paul was basically saying to Philemon ‘i know he is guilty and deserved the punishment, but i would ask you that all his wrongdoing be charged to my account, and that everything good in my relationship to you, be charged to his account’. Paul was in effect saying ‘i would like you to treat him and look at him in the same way that you would treat and look at me, even though he is not deserving of it’.

My sins are therefore not charged (imputed) to my account, because they have been charged (imputed) to Jesus’ account. In exchange, Jesus has imputed His righteousness to my account and now when God sees me, He no longer sees me as a wicked criminal, but the righteousness of Christ. As a consequence of Christ voluntarily substituting Himself for ourselves, God now looked at His perfectly righteous Son as guilty. This is the great exchange and transfer which took place on behalf of sinners like you and me. Jesus bore our guilt and sin upon Himself by paying the fine our sins.

It (Christ’s righteousness) shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. Romans 4:24-25

Because of Christ’s imputation of righteousness, God can now justify (declare righteous) me and allow me to walk free. Whilst at the same time, God’s justice has been satisfied and His righteousness vindicated.

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What an amazing God He is. Worthy is He of all praise, honour, glory and worship. He is all wise, all knowing and all powerful. Isn’t that something wonderful to rejoice over? Why would God do this for me? Truly His love is indeed ineffable.

The Righteousness of God Displayed in the Elect

Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

According to the Bible there are two slaves and all men are enslaved to one or the other. These two masters are sin and righteousness, or Satan and God. No one in the world is free from slavery or in middle ground. Our master is either sin or righteousness. These two masters are both contrary and opposed to each other. This difference is marked by what is filthy and what is pure, what is honourable and what is shameful, what is holy and what is unholy. The master whom you serve is the difference between life and death, heaven and hell.

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.” (John 8:34-35)

The Bible teaches that all human beings are born as slaves to sin. This means we lived in the dominating power of sin. Sin rules and reigns over you and you are obedient to its demands. This is evident in the way you think, behave, act and the desires of your heart. You may say that I am a good person, but the mere fact that you have not worshipped, loved and obeyed God makes you a slave to sin.

However, when a person is regenerated through conversion (born-again) there is a change of realms that takes place. A heart of stone is changed to a heart of flesh. It can now respond to God and obey God through the power of the Holy Spirit. Through the transfer (imputation) of Christ’s righteousness, our master has now changed. The Christian has changed masters, from a state of slavery to sin to a state of slavery to righteousness. We have a new master whom we obey. But not only are we slaves or righteousness, we become as slaves to God.

And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:35-36)

God is greatly glorified through this. His righteousness has again been displayed through the believer’s obedience to righteousness.

Tags: God is Righteous

Category: Latest Article, Theological Reflections