What Is Righteousness?

What does it mean to be righteous?

I. Righteousness Is Required
A. Righteousness defined (Psalm 147:17)

B. Righteousness Revealed In The Law (Psalm 119:142)
1. The standard (Exodus 20, Romans 7:12-14)
2. The punishment (Deut. 21:22-23, Romans 1:18)
3. The mercy (Lev. 6:25, Hebrews 9:22)

C. Righteousness Fulfilled In Christ
1. Christ is the standard (Matt. 5:17-20)
2. Christ bore the punishment (Deut.21:22-23, Gal. 3:13-14, 2 Cor. 5:21) 3. Christ blood is mercy (Hebrews 9:12-14)

II. All Men Respond To God's Righteousness (Matt. 25:46)
A. Most Reject (some twist to the left / some to the right)
1. Reject the standard
2. Ignore the punishment
3. Distain mercy

B. Some Accept – by faith
1. Accept the standard
2. Accept the just penalty of their sins
3. Seek mercy!

III. The Just Shall Live By Faith (Romans 1:17)
A. Faith in Jesus
1. Receive Christ's imputed righteousness (Romans 5:1-2, 17-21)
2. Receive Christ's imparted righteousness (Romans 6)

B. Righteousness fulfilled in us (Romans 8:1-4, 13:8-10)

Conclusion (Deut. 6; Proverbs 20:7)