The Rightness of God in Romans

Rightness (dikaiosunē) = equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: - righteousness. [from dikaios = equitable, innocent,holy - just, meet, right. << from dikē = right, justice - judgment, punish, vengeance.]

36x in Romans (39% of NT usage (92x), 5x more than any other NT letter).

Gospel Reveals Rightness -- 1.17

"A god-kind of rightness" (Lightfoot) / is disclosed (off the cover) / from faith unto believing.

The wrath of God also revealed (v18) -- in hard life of man's un-rightness!

God Himself is Perfectly Good - 3.5

He is holy, so He can and does judge those who are irreverent and un-right. (v6)

No man is right -- "not even one" (v10). "All have turned aside." (Psa14.1-3 / 53.1-3).

Light does not need darkness to make it appear more light. God is light & truth is right w/o us.

God Shines in the Son - 3.25,26

The cross publicly displays His expiatory offering, which satisfies justice, allowing Him to pardon all the error He previously overlooked through restraint. This god-kind of rightness demands an atonement for sin, and provided it Himself in the Son (vs22-26).

Abram's Faith Counted as Rightness - 4.3,5

What did Abram have? Faith. This shows in his account. God took this as equivalent to -- rendered it into -- innocence. The Divine Gift: to count irreverent believer (!) as right.

Legal Rightness - 3.20,21 / 4.13

There is a rightness from the law (2.26), but we are condemned by transgression (4.15).

The Law is Just in Condemning us. No ceremony -- like circumcision -- can amend (4.9,11).

Reign to Eternal Life! - 5.17,21

Death rules thru offenses. Life rules thru grace. Sin is a dead end. Only rightness can endure.

Everything Adam did, Jesus 'undid.' Christ completely rectifies our fallen state.

Living in Moral Rightness - 6.13,16,18,19,21

Here Paul speaks of Servants & Instruments of right living. Being made alive in Christ indebts us to live for God. In fact, sin leaves no man living. Only right conduct is living at all.

Must Submit to Attain - 9.30,31 / 10.3

Only One Way to be right with God; we must submit to it -- or not have it. This 'rightness of God' is the one and only way which He provides for us to be right: thru faith in Christ.

Accessible to All -- who will believe - 10.4,5,6,10

The Messiah achieved Legal Rightness - by flawless performance.

He satisfies justice and will credit our faith in Him as rightness.

In Heart -- believe in the cross. In Speech -- agree that God is right. Let Him deliver you!

Nature of the Kingdom: rightness, peace & joy in HS (not ceremony) - 14.17

notes by David Teel Thursday, May 22, 2014