Message by Larry Thacker Jr from January 4: The Road to Righteousness
Righteousness is a word we don’t hear much outside of the church. What is it? How does one attain to it? You may have heard it defined as right-standing with God. Since God Himself is called righteous, this definition seems incomplete. However, it serves us well in regard to man’s relationship to Him. Jesus, while being no less God for having done so, took on flesh and lived among us as a man. Being without sin, walking in perfect obedience to the Father, He can certainly be called righteous by this definition. Thus, even if we limit ourselves to this meaning, we may say that God is righteous.
Our study of Romans continues this week with Chapter 9, verses 30-33. Here, Paul contrasts the Gentiles with the people of Israel. How is it that Israel, having the law of God and keeping it so meticulously, has missed the goal, yet heathens who weren’t even trying have attained it? Paul gives us the answer with the question. It is because of faith. More specifically, faith in the all-sufficient work of Jesus. The road to righteousness is walked by faith, and the destination is reached only because the righteous One walks with us.
