Bible Study - Name - YAHWEH Our Righteousness - Jeremiah 23 and Romans 3 and 10 - Decemember 16, 2012

Bible Study – Name – YAHWEH Our Righteousness – December 16, 2012

This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled, “What is in a Name?”

Our scripture is Jeremiah 23:5-6; Romans 3:21-26; 10:1-4, 9-10.

Yahweh our righteousness is a wonderful and vital attribute of GOD. The Hebrew noun translated “righteousness” comes from a verb which means to be “just” and it carries the idea of being straight.

Christians are declared righteous by GOD through the shed blood of CHRIST and their faith in HIM. Our sin was placed upon HIM and HIS righteousness was placed upon us. HIS righteousness being placed upon us gives us 24/7 access to GOD. Righteousness can be thought of as, “In right standing with GOD.” Christians are also “Justified” in CHRIST. Justification can be thought of as “Just-as-if-I-never-sinned.” When we ask CHRIST to forgive us for our sin and to come into our lives, the shed blood of CHRIST cleanses us of all sin – past, present and future. Christians are accountable to GOD and when we do sin, we are accountable for the consequences for sin. Our part is to confess our sin and repent, which means to stop doing it. GOD’S part is to forgive and to restore. (1 John 1:9-10: 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.)

Sin is a barrier to fellowship with GOD. As a Christian, even when we sin, we never lose our Son-ship or Daughter-ship but we do lose our fellowship. As Christians, we miss a reward because we are in the quagmire of sin but we never lose our salvation.  

Let’s read Jeremiah 23:1-4: (Lead-in to our focus scripture.)

The Lord and His Sheep

1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” This is the Lord’s declaration. 2 “Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 3 “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” This is the Lord’s declaration.

Jeremiah was a prophet during the decline and fall of the Southern Judah between 627 B.C. and 587 B.C. He was an unpopular prophet because he preached that Judah’s only hope was to surrender to the Babylonians and as such he was considered a traitor.

In verses 1-4, we learn that GOD denounced Judah’s political leaders (shepherds), which included kings and civil leaders. These leaders failed to care for and provide for GOD’S chosen people. They mistreated the people and GOD would deal with them. As a result, the people would be exiled. However, after a period of exile, GOD would gather a remnant of HIS chosen and bring them back to rebuild Judah. GOD would choose new leaders who would care for them as HE intended for them to be cared for.

Our next scripture reveals GOD’S ultimate plan for caring for those who desire to have an intimate, personal relationship with HIM through HIS Promised Messiah, CHRIST. Let’s read Jeremiah 23:5-6:

The Righteous Branch of David (The Messianic line)

5 “The days are coming”e Jr 33:14-16—this is the Lord’s declaration—“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of David.f  Zch 3:8; 6:12He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.g Isa 11:1-9
6 In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.h  Dt 33:12This is what He will be named:•Yahweh Our Righteousness.i  

The prophet Jeremiah was revealing the message GOD had placed upon his heart about the future. When bad things are happening or about to happen, hope is the best medicine for despair. GOD was revealing future hope through Jeremiah. HE would raise up a Righteous Branch of David, who would reign wisely, administer justice and righteousness in the land. Judah would be saved and Israel would dwell securely. The person who would accomplish this is named Yahweh Our Righteousness, JESUS CHRIST.

The Righteous Branch of David is named Yahweh Our Righteousness, which is CHRIST’S earthly lineage through the Virgin Mary. Righteousness comes from JESUS CHRIST because HE lived a sinless life and gave HIS sinless life by the shedding of HIS blood on the cross. HIS passion paid in full the penalty for sin. JESUS was sinless and as such HE was righteous before GOD. For all who have faith in CHRIST, HIS righteousness is placed upon them. Since HIS righteousness is imputed upon Christians, they are righteous before GOD and can enter into HIS presence 24/7.

Prophesy is far reaching. Often, we think of it applying to circumstances within a reasonable length of time. GOD revealed that “in HIS days Judah will be saved and Israel will dwell securely” was that for then or does it extend to the rule of CHRIST in the hearts and lives of the Jewish people and others at end times? It extends to the end of the world as we know it and includes the reign of CHRIST during HIS earthly kingdom.

When CHRIST comes into a person’s life and he/she experiences the miracle of rebirth in his/her spirit, it impacts the person’s body, soul and Spirit. It impacts the person intellectually because the indwelling Holy Spirit is his/her teacher and enlightens the new Christian to truth. Salvation is only the beginning of an amazing journey with CHRIST as Christians grow and mature Spiritually.  It is not an easy journey but it is in the difficult times that we either grow closer to our LORD or we become more distant to HIM. Just know that HE never moves or distances Himself from us. HE is always open to hearing us say, “I am sorry, please forgive me.” HE is always ready to forgive and restore the relationship. When GOD forgives, HE also forgets. Let’s explore what the Apostle Paul had to say about GOD’S righteousness and compassion.

The Apostle Paul had not visited Rome when he wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome. His letter to the Christians in Rome was to prepare them for the day he would visit them. Paul’s plan was to go to Rome on his way to Spain. In Rome he planned to preach the Gospel and to raise enough support to continue spreading the Gospel to Spain. He wanted the Christians in Rome to know the fundamentals of the Christian faith before he got there.

Romans 3:9-18:

The Whole World Guilty before God

9 What then? Are we any better?p Are we Jews any better than the Gentiles? Not at all! For we have previously charged that both Jewsq Rm 2:1-29 and Gentilesr Lit Greekss Rm 1:18-32  are all under sin,t Under sin’s power or dominionu Rm 3:19,23; 11:32; Gl 3:22
10 as it is written:v Paul constructs this charge from a chain of OT quotations, mainly from the Psalms.
There is no one righteous, not even one.
11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.
12 All have turned away; all alike have become useless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.w Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecc 7:20x Ps 14:1-3; 53:1-3; Ecc 7:20
13 Their throat is an open grave; they deceive with their tongues.y Ps 5:9z  Ps 5:9Vipers’ venom is under their lips.a Ps 140:3b Ps 140:3
14 Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.c Ps 10:7d Ps 10:7
15 Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 ruin and wretchedness are in their paths,
17 and the path of peace they have not known.e Isa 59:7-8f Isa 59:7-8
18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.g Ps 36:1h

The Apostle Paul made it clear that every person has sinned against GOD. In these verses, he paints a very dark picture for everyone who is not a Christian. No one can boast of achieving righteousness based upon his/her own merit. Every human sins and needs salvation from the penalty of sin, which is eternal Spiritual death.

As I have stated before, in my opinion, there are special exceptions for the fetus that is aborted, children and some others. GOD is not eager for anyone to go to the place called Hell. Consider 1Timothy 2:3-6:

3 This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, 6 who gave Himself—as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time.

GOD allowed CHRIST to come to earth to redeem all who will accept CHRIST as their Savior from their fallen nature, which is Spiritual death. For a human to be redeemed from sure Spiritual death, he/she must be as righteous as GOD. Since this is impossible for any human to achieve through his/her own merit, how is it possible to achieve? Accept CHRIST as your Savior. That is GOD’S plan for the redemption of all who will accept CHRIST as their Savior.     

Let’s read Romans 3:21-26:

God’s Righteousness through Faith

21 But now, apart from the law, God’s righteousness has been revealedq Rm 1:17; 9:30—attested by the Law and the Prophetsr When capitalized, the Law and the Prophets = OTs Ac 10:43; Rm 1:2
22 —that is, God’s righteousness through faitht Rm 4:5 in Jesus Christ,u Or through the faithfulness of Jesus Christv Ac 3:16; Gl 2:16,20; 3:22; Eph 3:12  to all who believe,w Rm 4:11,16; 10:4 since there is no distinction.x Rm 10:12; Gl 3:28; Col 3:11
23 For all have sinnedy Rm 3:9 and fall short of thez Or and lack the glory of God.
24 They are justified freely by His gracea Rm 4:4,16; Eph 2:8 through the •redemption that is in Christ Jesus.b 1Co 1:30; Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; Heb 9:15
25 God presented Him as a •propitiationc Or as a propitiatory sacrifice, or as an offering of atonement, or as a mercy seat; 2Co 5:21; Heb 9:5d 1Jn 2:2; 4:10  through faith in His blood,e 1Co 5:7; Heb 9:14,28; 1Pt 1:19; Rv 1:5 to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His restraint Godf Rm 2:4 passed over the sins previously committed.g Ac 17:30; 14:16
26 God presented Him to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be righteous and declare righteoush Or and justify, or and acquit the one who has faith in Jesus.

Paul used the term “But Now”, in verse 21, to indicate the transition from a helpless and hopeless situation to hope that only CHRIST provides all who have faith in HIM. Up to this point Paul had made it clear that the irreligious, ungodly, the good and the religious all, as listed in verses 9-18, are in need of salvation. The bottom line was all people are in need of salvation. The Good News is that GOD’S righteousness is available to all through faith in JESUS CHRIST. Salvation is open to everyone.

The Law and GOD’S message through the Prophets, as recorded in the Old Testament, confirm the righteousness of GOD and that HE requires for all to be righteous to be acceptable to HIM. GOD revealed in the Law and through the Prophets that salvation is available to all people through faith in JESUS CHRIST. Paul used the full name of JESUS CHRIST, which identifies HIM as Savior and Messiah. Paul made it clear that no person can earn righteousness by obeying the Law and all that has been written by the Prophets in the Old Testament scriptures.

If that is true, why did GOD give us the law and the commandments? It was to reveal HIS expectations and how much every person misses the mark trying to achieve the righteousness GOD requires for a person to be acceptable to HIM.

Obeying the letter of the Law and the commandments is one thing but there is a deeper aspect of obedience and that is the attitude and nature of the heart. JESUS put a fine point on the commandments when HE taught. JESUS taught that there were two aspects of the law – 1) The letter of the Law and 2) The Spirit of the Law. HE stated that we can obey the letter of the Law such as, “thou shall not commit adultery.” But then there is the Spirit of the law which includes the true nature of our heart. A person may not commit adultery physically but in his/her heart he/she may have the desire to commit adultery with a certain person. In GOD’S eyes both are sin. JESUS stated that the same is true with hate. If you hate a person, it is the same as murder in your heart. Therefore all are guilty of sin. This is very frustrating. So what is the solution?

Since GOD examines and knows the heart of every person where does that leave all people? It makes it clear that every human is in need of salvation because it is impossible for them to live such that their lives are acceptable to GOD. There is only one person to ever live the perfect, sinless life and that is JESUS. And that is the Good News for all of mankind. When we ask CHRIST to forgive us for our sins and to come into our lives, HE takes our sin upon Himself and HIS shed blood makes us eternally righteous and justified before GOD. Christians are eternally GOD’S children through CHRIST and the miracle of rebirth takes place in our spirit.

The shed blood of CHRIST justifies and makes righteous those who place their faith in HIM. Justifies means “just-as-if-I-never-sinned” or to be fully pardoned and accepted by GOD as righteous. Faith in CHRIST redeems and restores every person’s relationship with GOD, which HE intended when HE formed the first humans, Adam and Eve. Their sin resulted in death or eternal separation from GOD. GOD imposed the death penalty but HE also provided the solution for restoration by allowing HIS Only Son JESUS to come to earth to live and give HIS sinless life to pay in full for all sin. As proof that HE paid the sin debt in full and conquered sin and death, GOD resurrected CHRIST from the dead.

After salvation Christians still sin. So does that mean that Christians become unsaved? No, because GOD understands that humans will not be perfect until they exit the human body, the flesh, and go to heaven. When Christians sin, how can they remain righteous before GOD? It is because they have been redeemed by the shed blood of CHRIST.

Redemption was a term used when a slave was bought from his/her master. A price had to be paid to redeem the slave from the owner. Sin owns every person. Every person is a slave to sin and cannot free him or herself from its bonds. CHRIST paid the price in full, by HIS shed blood, to purchase the freedom from sin for all who will accept HIM by faith. Those who accept CHRIST as their Savior have a new Master but One that gives them the freedom to obediently serve HIM. Every Christian has been bought with a price as Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

19 Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuaryl Lk 1:21 of the Holy Spiritm Rm 8:9,23; 1Co 7:40; 2Co 4:13; Jd 19 who is in you,n Jms 4:5; 1Jn 4:4 whom you have from God? You are not your own,
20 for you were boughto 2Pt 2:1 at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.p 

Along with salvation, redemption, justification, righteousness and eternal life, GOD gives Christians the free gift of “Grace.” GOD’S grace is unmerited favored and cannot be earned. It is a gift from GOD. GOD gives grace to every child of HIS. GOD’S grace means that HIS children are eternally secure in CHRIST. Nothing will ever snatch them out of CHRIST’S HAND OR GOD’S HAND. As a child of GOD, your destination is heaven, the instant you exit your earth suit in physical death.

How can a Christian know this is true? When a person asks CHRIST to forgive him/her for his/her sins and asks HIM to come into his/her life, HE does. At that instant everyone who accepts CHRIST as his/her Savior receives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The indwelling Holy Spirit is given as a down payment or security deposit to insure each person that he/she is secure in CHRIST. Romans 8:16 states it best - 16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 

Every Christian has a knowing within that he/she is GOD’S child. If you do not have that assurance, then talk to GOD about it and ask CHRIST to forgive you for your sins and to come into your heart now. HE will.

In verse 25, Paul used the word “propitiation.” Propitiation was a term used by those who worshipped pagan gods. The pagan worshippers gave an offering to those gods to appease them and to turn their wrath away from them. There were many pagans in Rome and the entire area where Paul preached the Gospel, so he knew they would understand what he meant by “propitiation.”

In this context, Paul revealed how the true, living GOD, the Father of CHRIST, declared CHRIST as the propitiation or perfect offering to appease HIS wrath for the sins of all who will accept CHRIST as their Savior. CHRIST not only took the sins of those who have faith in HIM upon Himself but HE also took GOD’S wrath. Therefore, all who accept CHRIST as their Savior can approach GOD with full confidence that HE will receive them as HIS SON OR DAUGHTER through the miracle of rebirth.

Some people get upset when we speak of the shed blood of JESUS. The bottom line is that CHRIST gave HIS life as a sacrifice for all who place their faith in HIM. Scripture has been clear through the ages that the shedding of blood is necessary for the forgiveness of sin. Requiring the shedding of blood reveals the seriousness and gravity of sin. Something had to die to receive forgiveness. The shed blood of the sacrificed animal was sprinkled upon the mercy seat. The shedding of an animal’s blood was a place holder for those until the perfect acceptable sacrifice was made for the remission of sins and that was the shedding of the blood of CHRIST  on the cross. GOD accepting CHRIST as the “propitiation” for sin removed the sin barrier between GOD and mankind. GOD set the standard but HE also provided the way for all humans to meet HIS standard through faith in HIS Only Son, JESUS. It cost the life of HIS only Son but GOD restored HIS life when HE resurrected HIM. Every human has a choice to make. Do you accept or reject JESUS CHRIST as your Savior? Acceptance means eternal life. And through the miracle of rebirth, it means you are GOD’S Son or Daughter and your citizenship is in heaven. You remain upon earth to obediently serve HIM as led by the Holy Spirit and to grow and mature as a child of GOD. Your Father is GOD which includes all the benefits of being HIS child.  

Galatians 4:4-7:

4 When the time came to completion, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to •redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “•Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

How is this possible, because GOD requires a person to be righteous and no one can be good or obedient enough to become righteous based upon what he/she can do?

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 He (GOD) made the One (CHRIST) who did not know sinn 1Jn 3:5 to be sino Or be a sin offering for us,p Rm 8:3; Gl 3:13; 1Pt 2:24 so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

GOD placed our sin upon CHRIST, the sinless Lamb of GOD, so that all who place their faith in CHRIST will be declared righteous to GOD. That is how much GOD loves all who will accept CHRIST as their Savior.

Paul continued in verse 25, GOD demonstrated HIS righteousness by exercising restraint by not imposing HIS wrath upon all who sinned prior to CHRIST giving HIS life to pay in full the penalty for sin.

From the beginning GOD knew that Adam and Eve would sin and HE had already implemented the solution. But the solution would not take place until the exact moment HE chose. It the meantime, all who were looking forward to the coming of the Messiah through faith and those who relied upon the shedding of the blood of animals to mediate their sins were protected by the shed blood of CHRIST. Those of us who are looking back at the cross are protected by the shed blood of CHRIST. It is all about the heart and the atoning blood of CHRIST. The shed blood of CHRIST reaches all the way back to the beginning of time and reaches forward to the end of time. That is the love of GOD for all who have faith in the atoning blood of CHRIST.

Let’s read Romans 10:1-4, 9-10:

Righteousness by Faith Alone

1 •Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God concerning thema Other mss read God for Israel is for their salvation!
2 I can testify about them that they have zeal for God,b Ac 21:20 but not according to knowledge.
3 Because they disregarded the righteousness from Godc Rm 1:17 and attempted to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves to God’s righteousness.
4 For Christ is the endd Or goal of the law for righteousnesse Rm 7:1-4; Gl 3:24; 4:5 to everyone who believes.f Rm 3:22
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them.g Lv 18:5; Neh 9:29; Ezk 20:11,13,21; Rm 7:10h Lv 18:5
6 But the righteousness that comes from faithi Rm 9:30 speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?”j Dt 9:4; 30:12k Dt 9:4; 30:12 that is, to bring Christ down
7 or, “Who will go down into the •abyss?”l Dt 30:13; Lk 8:31m Dt 30:13 that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.n Heb 13:20
8 On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.o Dt 30:14p Dt 30:14 This is the message of faith that we proclaim:
9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”q Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8; Rm 14:9; 1Co 12:3; Php 2:11 and believe in your heartr Ac 16:31; Rm 4:24 that God raised Him from the dead,s Ac 2:24 you will be saved.
10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

We fast forward to Chapter 10. Paul referred to the Christians in Rome as his brothers. He then expressed that his heart’s desire and prayer was for the salvation of his fellow Jews. Paul was raised and trained as a Pharisee. He knew Judaism like the palm of his hand. He knew that the Jews meant well but they were ignorant of the truth. The Jews had a zeal to obediently serve GOD but they had head knowledge and not heart knowledge that can come only through faith in JESUS CHRIST.

They rejected CHRIST as GOD’S promised Messiah although the scripture fully confirmed that JESUS was the promised Messiah. GOD confirmed CHRIST as the promised Messiah by the miracles that GOD performed through HIM.

The Jews enjoyed being self-righteous and trying to earn their way to GOD rather than accepting CHRIST as their Savior. It was their way or no way. This is the attitude of many people today. The Jews lived by law-righteousness and rejected faith-righteousness. What a shame. What do you live by?

CHRIST ended the law-righteousness to everyone who has faith in HIM. CHRIST is the beginning of faith-righteousness. Paul continued to address those who chose to live by the law. They will be judged by the law and it is clear no one will measure up. If a person desires to measure up to GOD’S righteousness, he/she must accept CHRIST by faith.

Paul leads right into what a person must do to accept CHRIST by faith:

9 If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”q Mt 10:32; Lk 12:8; Rm 14:9; 1Co 12:3; Php 2:11 and believe in your heartr Ac 16:31; Rm 4:24 that God raised Him from the dead,s Ac 2:24 you will be saved.
10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation.

When a person can truly say that “JESUS is Lord” and believe that HE gave HIS life for sin and that GOD raised HIM from the dead he/she will be saved. It is all about the heart and what takes place in the heart of those seeking salvation. When a person truly believes in CHRIST as his/her Savior, the result is righteousness. When he/she confesses that he/she has accepted CHRIST, the result is salvation. Salvation from what? Saved from the consequence of sin, which is eternal death.

Salvation is not saying the right words, it is all about the heart. I have heard of people who have struggled trying to decide whether or not to ask CHRIST to forgive them and to come into their lives simply say, “LORD, I give up!” Most of us struggle in making a decision to become a Christian. We are afraid we cannot hold out or any number of other reasons. I can tell you, you cannot hold out but GOD through the indwelling Holy Spirit will be your strength.

The Christian life is not easy. But GOD loves you and will be with you every step of the way as you journey through life. Just know that no matter what you do, you are GOD’S child for eternity and HE will never leave you or forsake you. How do I know? It is because I have failed HIM many times. It is important to confess it when we fail HIM and HE forgives, forgets and restores. We are HIS children for eternity.  

If you have never asked CHRIST to forgive you for your sins, do so now and ask HIM to come into your heart and be the LORD of your life and empower you through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Blessings!!