Romans 1:16-17;  16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

  The question before us today is much more than one of philosophy. It has to do with life itself.  Are we here just by chance; some random act of fate?  Is there some purpose that we serve?  Are we Just Living? It would seem that life should have more to it than that.  Or are we  Living Justly?  Are we doing our best to be fair in our dealings in the hope that fate will treat us right?  These passages deal with both LIFE AND JUSTICE, and in my humble opinion, more that adequately answer the questions.

A.  The Definition of Justice

 jus·tice (j¾s“t¹s) n. 1. The quality of being just; fairness. 2.a. The principle of moral rightness; equity. b. Conformity to moral rightness in action or attitude; righteousness. 3.a. The upholding of what is just, especially fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law. b. Law. The administration and procedure of law. 4. Conformity to truth, fact, or sound reason:

The following verses speak of the righteousness of God in terms that

Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge,

And a God who has indignation every day.

Psalm 119:137,138;  137 Righteous art Thou, O Lord,

And upright are Thy judgments. Thou hast commanded Thy testimonies in righteousness 138 And exceeding faithfulness.

Revelation 16:4 And the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous art Thou, who art and who wast, O Holy One, because Thou didst judge these things;

B.  The Demand for Justice

J.R. Paxton  correctly observed that “God is kind: but within the limits of inexorable law.  He is good, but you can take no liberties with Him; for back of His pity and kindness is the righteousness that is so exact, and that must be satisfied to the uttermost farthing.”  A.C. Dixon comments, “Gehenna, the name given to the Valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem in which the garbage of the city was cast and burned. At any time, day or night, the fires with their ascending smoke, could be seen in this valley.  Jesus makes it the symbol of Hell, ‘Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched.’” Justice that finds no substitute is finally satisfied in Gehenna or Hell.  See Revelation 20:11-15;  (15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.)

C.  The Declaration of Justice

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

The answer to our question is simple. 

1. “For in it (the Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith”  In essence, Paul is saying God imputes to the sinner HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS  by FAITH and from that grand source of power and strength he LIVES by FAITH.  He inherits LIFE by FAITH empowering him to LIVE a NEW LIFE by FAITH. 

2. as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”  It is expressed nicely in the combination of these two verses in 2nd Corinthians.

2nd Corinthians 5:21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.  That is POSITIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

2nd Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  That is PRACTICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.

What a MIRACLE.  It is not Just Living!  It is BEING DECLARED JUST on the basis of CHRIST‘S  death, burial and resurrection whereby He satisfied God’s righteous judgment against sin, AND it is Living Justly because He has communicated a NEW LIFE to those IN CHRIST.   We see the same truth expressed in Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians.  Ephesians  2:8-10;  8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household.”  Acts 16:31