How Does the Gospel Reveal the Righteousness of God?
The Gospel unveils the righteousness of God by elucidating who Christ is and what God has accomplished through Him. God’s righteousness is manifested in the person of Christ, and the Gospel further reveals this righteousness through the testimony of His Son’s redemptive work—His death and resurrection—and God’s righteous handling of our sins (Romans 1:16-17; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God’s righteousness is also demonstrated in the way He reconciles sinners to Himself through the redemption and forgiveness offered in Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24-26).
In addition to accusations that God is not “loving” because He judges humanity, He also faces allegations—particularly from Satan, fallen angels (principalities), and religious individuals—that He is not just in justifying sinners, reconciling the ungodly to Himself, and granting them a place in His household as sons and heirs (Romans 8:33-34; Ephesians 6:12).
Christ’s redemption is righteous because it satisfies all the demands of the law. He condemned sin in His own flesh and paid the debt in full (Romans 8:3; Colossians 2:13-14). He purchased the entire field to obtain His treasure and even atoned for the sins of the whole world (Matthew 13:44; 1 John 2:2). He has been granted authority to execute judgment on all flesh so that He may grant life (John 5:26-27). Because He righteously purchased our redemption and paid our debts in full, He, as the Last Adam, is now in a position to freely and righteously give life to all who come to Him (1 Corinthians 15:45; John 5:21; Revelation 22:17).
(Note: The scripture references provided are intended to support the theological statements made in the paragraph. Readers are encouraged to study these references in context to gain a fuller understanding of the biblical concepts presented.)
I. Describes who Christ is and what God has done through Christ
- A. Describes who Christ is (John 1:1-3)
- Christ is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)
- Christ is the exact representation of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3)
- B. Describes what God has done through Christ (Romans 5:8)
- The Gospel proclaims Christ’s death and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
- The Gospel declares that Christ is the only way to salvation (John 14:6)
- Christ bore our sins on the cross (1 Peter 2:24)
- Christ’s sacrifice satisfied God’s justice (Romans 3:25-26)
II. The righteousness of God is revealed in the way He reconciles sinners to Himself
- A. God reconciles sinners through the redemption and forgiveness offered in Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24-26)
- B. God faces allegations regarding His justice in justifying sinners (Romans 8:33-34)
III. Christ’s redemption is righteous because it satisfies all the demands of the law
- A. Christ condemned sin in His own flesh (Romans 8:3)
- B. Christ paid the debt in full (Colossians 2:13-14)
- C. Christ purchased the entire field to obtain His treasure (Matthew 13:44)
- D. Christ atoned for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2)
IV. Christ has been granted authority to execute judgment and grant life
- A. Christ has authority to execute judgment on all flesh (John 5:26-27)
- B. Christ grants life to all who come to Him (John 5:21; Revelation 22:17)
- C. Christ, as the Last Adam, freely and righteously gives life (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Related Content:
- How does the Bible teach righteousness is always by faith apart from works in the Old Testament?
- How is righteousness by faith different from righteousness by works of the law in the Old Testament?
- How can we have assurance of eternal life through the gospel?
- How was the gospel known to people like Abraham and Abel?
- Why is it important to preach the gospel to yourself?