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Jesus Christ is the Righteousness of God

without the Law.

Outside of Jesus there is none righteous, no, not one.

Last week we saw in Romans 2 that Jews must be born again, just the same as Gentiles.

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Paul emphasized that, although the Jews took great pridgreat pride in having the Law of Moses,

They did not, indeedindeed could not,

Live upLive up to its standard of righteousness.

Many pretendedpretended to do so, and that is hypocrisyhypocrisy.We would have to be completelycompletely submissive

and obedient inside and outinside and out;

We need a SaviorSavior, because we can't do it.

Romans 3 1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the Oracles (Utterances) of God.

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The Jews were God's chosenGod's chosen people, and they did have an advantageadvantage over everyone else:

God had spokenspoken directly to them, and they knew the Truth of GodTruth of God.

The advantagesadvantages of knowing the Truth are many.

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First and foremost, the coming of the MessiahMessiah was foretoldforetold in the Scriptures.

They knew not only that Jesus was comingJesus was coming, but they knew the thingsthe things that He would do.

Matthew 11 2 Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, 3 And (they) said unto Him (Jesus), Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another? 4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: 5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

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These were the deedsdeeds of Messiah.

Rom3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4

God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

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Some Jews did not believedid not believe the Promises of God, and others believed but were were

unfaithfulunfaithful.Their unfaithfulness did notdid not make God unfaithful.

Their unbelief did not make His WordHis Word less true.

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Though the whole world should disbelievedisbelieve God, GodGod is TrueTrue and FaithfulFaithful!

But, if a man deniesdenies one Word of Scripture,

God is still TrueTrue; that man is a liarliar.

Every Word of God is pure; He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him.

Proverbs 30:5

5 But if our unrighteousness commend the Righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)

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Some had foolishly arguedfoolishly argued that because the unrighteousness of men stood in contraststood in contrast

To the Righteousness of GodRighteousness of God, and made His Righteousness even more even more evidentevident,,

Then our unrighteousness was a good thinggood thing,, and God should not punishshould not punish us for it.

6 God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7 For if the Truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto His glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?

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Another foolish rationalizationfoolish rationalization that men made:God's TruthfulnessGod's Truthfulness is made to

shine brightlyshine brightly in contrast to the lies of men.

Therefore men should not be judgednot be judged for our lies;

Why we are doing God a favora favor.

8 And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just.

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Ungodly people, in that day, twistedtwisted Paul's teachings, just as they twist and pervert Truthpervert Truth

today.

9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

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Paul just said that the damnationdamnation of those who twisttwist and pervert pervert true teaching is just.

And then he denied that he was any any betterbetter than they were.

10 As it is written, There is none righteousnone righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandethnone that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone all gone out of the wayout of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth goodnone that doeth good, no, not no, not oneone.

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There is none that doeth gooddoeth good, no, not one.

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Certainly not in mankind.

13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

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19 Now we know that what things soever the Law saith, it saith to them who are under the Law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the Lawdeeds of the Law there shall no flesh be no flesh be justified in His Sightjustified in His Sight: for by the Law is the knowledge of sin.

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God gave the LawLaw that men could seesee our sinfulness,

And recognize our needneed for a Savior.

21 But now the Righteousness of GodRighteousness of God without without the Lawthe Law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the prophets; 22 Even the Righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

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24 Being justified freely by His graceHis grace through the redemptionredemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (atoning victim) through faith in His Bloodfaith in His Blood, to declare His Righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

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26 To declare, I say, at this time His RighteousnessHis Righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him justifier of him which believeth in Jesuswhich believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

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28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by by faith without the deeds of the lawfaith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the Law through faith? God forbid: yea, we God forbid: yea, we establish the Lawestablish the Law.

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Matthew 11 28-30 Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.

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Thanksgiving ServiceThanksgiving ServiceThis Wednesday night, November 24, 2010

2121 November 2010