The Righteousness of the Law
June 9, 2024 • Duane Sheriff • Romans 8:1–4, James 2:10, Galatians 3:6–14, Deuteronomy 28:1–2
This powerful message expounds on the righteousness of the law and how it relates to God's grace through Jesus Christ. The purpose of the law was not to reveal God but to expose our sinful nature and inability to keep it perfectly. James 2:10 highlights the law's demand for absolute perfection, stating, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it," making it impossible for anyone to be justified by works alone.
Duane teaches that this realization of our imperfection drives us to put our faith in Jesus, who fulfilled the law's righteous demands on our behalf. Galatians 3:11 emphasizes, "Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because 'the righteous will live by faith.'"
Righteousness comes through faith in Christ, not by adhering to the law. Christians should not try to serve God under the Old Covenant law but rather embrace the New Covenant grace. Jesus accomplished three pivotal things: He kept the law perfectly, paid the penalty for our lawbreaking, and made us righteous before God through faith (Galatians 3:13-14).
Romans 8:1-4 explains that the law could not make us righteous because of our sinful nature. However, Jesus fulfilled the righteousness the law demanded by living a perfect life (Galatians 3:10-13). His death paid the penalty for our lawbreaking. By faith, we receive his perfect righteousness, which the law could not provide.
Like Abraham, we are justified by faith, not works (Galatians 3:6-9, Romans 4:4-5). Trying to earn righteousness by the law is sinful, as grace and works cannot be mixed (Romans 11:6). Our blessings flow from Christ's righteousness imputed to us by faith, not our imperfect law-keeping (Deuteronomy 28:1-2 & 15).
True righteousness comes through faith in Christ rather than by the works of the law. Christ liberates us from the futile pursuit of self-righteousness and empowers us to embrace the grace of God's unconditional love and acceptance.
