Righteousness by Faith Alone (12): Jesus Raised Because of Our Justification (Romans 4:23-25) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Chronologically Prior Action
II. The Astonishing Theological Ground
III. The Immense Doctrinal Significance
Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Romans 4:23-25: “Obviously, the believer is a man who ceases to justify, or to try to justify himself by his works or by anything else. Would you know for certain whether you have justifying faith? Here is the way to find the answer: are you looking in any sense to yourself? Are you in any sense relying even to the slightest extent upon any good you have ever done, or anything you have ever been? Are you even relying upon your own faith? Do you think that it is your belief that saves you? Is it that? Is that your righteousness? If it is, you are not saved, you are not a Christian, because the Christian is a man who looks only and entirely to the righteousness of Jesus Christ. His entire righteousness is in Christ. Christian faith is a faith that looks only to the Lord Jesus Christ and to nothing and to nobody else” (Romans: An Exposition of Chapters 3:20-4:25, Atonement and Justification, p. 247).
Herman Hoeksema: “How can a Christian know that he is righteous before God? Not when he looks at himself! When he looks at himself, there is nothing but sin, corruption, and unrighteousness. We are corrupt, and we deserve to die. How, then, can we be conscious that we are righteous before God? By looking away from self! By looking away from the things that are seen! By looking to God who raised up Jesus from the dead! The moment I may look away from self and my look to God as He shows His face in the resurrection of Christ, I can say, ‘I am righteous’” (Righteous By Faith Alone, p. 181).