The Bartizan of the Righteous Who Will Glorify the Lord (Romans 3:19-20)
Rev. Wan-Sik Kim
“19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those 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 law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Introduction
When you want citizenship from the United States of America, you have to pass an exam and make a pledge. The pledge is that whatever you do, you will do it to protect America. In other words, you are swearing your loyalty to the United States. You are also pledging to the United States that you will serve in war efforts during war times. In the end, you pledge, “So help me, God.” For South Koreans citizens, you cannot serve loyalty to the US flag. Only those who have United States citizenship can pledge loyalty to the flag. If you are not a child of God, you cannot glorify God. You cannot give glory to God and you have no reason to give glory to God if you are not a child of God. If you are not a child of God, you cannot give glory to God. If you are a sinner, how can you give glory to God? If your problem of sin is not solved, you cannot glorify God. That is why this is the title of this sermon. We have to have faith in Jesus Christ and confess that we are free because of Christ Jesus. The world is ruled by sinners who cannot give glory to God. This morning, I went to a gay church with pastor Choi. During the worship service, the bulletin reads, “Give glory to God the Highest.” They said that they give glory to God. Do you think God is glorified there? Also, the bulletin reads, “We will worship God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.” They are asking the Triune God to receive their worship. Nothing in their worship talked about Jesus Christ who will save them and them from their sins.
1. Sinner Cannot Glorify God
1) The key to solving sin is not in the world
Romans 3:10 “As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one.” - If we do not solve our problem of sin, then we cannot receive Jesus Christ as our master. If you look at Rome, it is filled with Gentiles who did not know God. Just because they do good, even if they don’t solve the problem of sin, then they cannot give glory to God. How can you glorify God if you don’t solve the problem of sin? We are completely immersed in sin, how can we glorify God like this?
Verses 19-20 - The Gentiles were like this. Can the law of the Jews solve the problem of sin of the Jews? The law will help you see what sin is but it cannot justify sin. There are so many people who go to church but they can’t enjoy the blessing of gospel and righteousness because they only live legalistically. The laws of the Jews could not solve the problem of sin. If you go to Guam, there is a cave that many tourists go to. There is a Japanese man who lived in that cave for 27 years because he didn’t know that World War II was over. He ate frogs and fish for all those years. If planes would pass by, he would shot his gun at it. He was discovered after 27 years and he was considered a hero in Japan. In order to walk through the cave, you have to walk 1 kilometer. I told my friends that I will not walk through that cave and that this cave was made by a fool. This Japanese man lived as a fool for 27 years because he didn’t know the war was over. All of my friends agreed with me so we didn’t go through the cave. That man was such a fool. The war was finished. Everything has been finished by the gospel but we are still sitting on Mount Sinai. There are so many Jews who don’t know Jesus Christ. What fools. The Gentiles were no different. These were people who were not considered righteous by God. The Jews are still in the midst of misunderstanding. They believe that they are the chosen people. This is quite foolish.
Luke 11:46, 52 “And He said, ‘Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.’ ” - We can’t be saved so how do we expect to save and judge others? How can we judge those who are not saved? We cannot. That is why it says, “Woe to us.”
Galatians 3:10, 19 “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ 19 What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was appointed through angels by the hand of a mediator.” - We cannot keep every rule or law of the book. Even if we keep the law, we will only boast about ourselves. We cannot be acknowledged by God. Why did God give us the law? To help us realize our sin. In order for man to realize our sins, God gave us the law. It was completely finished through Jesus Christ who completed the law.
Verses 22-24 - The path of righteousness was opened to us. We cannot approach God because of our sins. That is why God sent us Jesus Christ to redeem us. Only through the blood of Jesus Christ can all sins be solved. This means that we are no longer bound by our sin. This is because God sent us Jesus Christ to solve all of our sins. Jesus Christ finished all of our sins once and for all through the power of His blood. That is why it is tremendous blessing that we have been found righteous by God. There is no one who is righteous. We can only be justified as righteous by Jesus Christ who considered the only one who is righteous. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we will be considered righteous. We call this justification or righteousness. We have to believe in Jesus who God sent to be righteous. That is why I am so thankful that God has given me the path of righteousness. If I was bound by legalism, my pastoral ministry would’ve killed me. I am so thankful that we have received the blessing of righteousness through Jesus Christ. When we needed to write papers about righteousness and justification in seminary school, we would write lengthy papers about it but we don’t enjoy it all. One time I asked pastors around me if they think that they were righteous or sinners. I asked them if they think that they are sinners and 2/3 of them considered themselves sinners. The Bible tells us that there is no one who is righteous. We are so foolish. You all are so blessed. I believe that we are no longer bound by legalism and sin, and we have been delivered from sin through the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became the fellowship offering and reconciled our relationship with God. Jesus Christ didn’t come to abolish the law but to strengthen the law. I realized there is nothing for us to be boast about but only the gospel. Nothing is done by good deeds. Jesus doesn’t care if you are a Jew or Gentile. God only looks if you believe in Jesus or not.
Romans 7:24-25 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.”
2) The path of true blessings for the righteous
Romans 3:23-28, 31 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” - There is no need to keep the law. All we do is follow the law that Jesus set the path for us. I recorded this message for my church members back in Korea. We should be so thankful that we have the blessing of righteousness. There are people who say that they are giving glory to God but it is all a lip service. It is all talk. God tells us not to commit homosexual acts but people come to worship and say that they are giving glory to God. They talked nothing about Jesus Christ. I am sure that the worship that we are giving to God today will give glory to God. God is receiving your worship service today. I bless that the rest of your lives, God will receive your worship.
2. Glory Only to God In The Midst of the Blessing of the Righteous
1) Only Jesus Christ is the standard for the righteous
The word, “righteousness” we need to place ourselves under the lamb. If we place ourselves under the lamb of God, we will be considered righteous. Whether the Jews with the law or if you are circumcised or not, this doesn’t consider yourself righteous. Whether you are a deacon or an elder, you have to believe in Jesus in order to be considered righteous. The moment you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you, then you are no longer bound by sin.
Verse 20 and Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” - We believe in Jesus Christ as our True Priest and Christ. This is the start of the blessing of righteousness. Mankind started the path of suffering in Genesis 3 but Jesus Christ confessed that He is the way, truth, and life, and He is the only way to God. We believe in Jesus who is the way to meet God. He is the only true Prophet in our lives. We have been delivered from the path of suffering.
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” - The reason why Jesus came was to deliver from us the power of Satan. Jesus Christ as the True King crushed the head of the serpent. We should be thankful that we have been freed from the hands of Satan. We believe in the fact that Jesus finished everything on the cross. If we believe and receive Him, then what else do we need? Now, we can give glory to God and enjoy all blessings as a child of God. If you are not a citizen of America, then why would you pledge towards the American flag? How can a sinner glorify God? How can a child of Satan glorify God? Those who are bound by legalism cannot glorify God. Only those who believe can glorify God. The moment you believe in Jesus Christ, then you are called righteous by God.
2) Bartizan keepers who will relay the blessing of the righteous
Then, for the rest of your life, you can enjoy the blessing of righteousness and we can be keepers of God’s bartizan who proclaims of only Jesus Christ. We need to be a keeper and watchman who can keep watch at all times on that bartizan. That watchman needs to always keep watch. Whether that bartizan is your church, your family, and your fields. I bless you in the name of the Lord that we can be keepers of the bartizan to do the work of God that God has entrusted to you. Even if we have five people who keep watch with the blessing of righteousness within this church, that is enough. All we need is five people and great work will take place. Look at Acts 13. There were only five people in that team and they moved the world.
Genesis 6:9 “This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.” - During Noah’s time, he was considered only righteous during his time. He made the ark and he warned everyone that a flood was coming. Only eight people believed and through those eight people, the world restarted.
Genesis 13 - There weren’t even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah. It may seem like five people is not enough. Abraham kept bargaining with God regarding the number of righteous people. There weren’t even 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah, and as a result, they were demolished. But in this church, we have over 10 righteous people. I am sure that because of you, this region will not be demolished. This is because there are more than 10 righteous people in this church. I am sure because of you, this church will not perish. But because of those few righteous people, God allowed great works to take place. Have assurance that because of the few righteous people in this church, our church and region will not perish. We are the bartizans who will keep the key of righteousness.
Matthew 1:19 “Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.” - Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus was considered righteous.
Acts 10:22 “And they said, 'Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.' ” - You can forget everything else. You are already made righteous. We just need to enjoy and relay this blessing of righteousness. You are keepers of the bartizan. We have to fulfill this key of righteousness. We need to go all in the pulpit message. Every once a while, I listen to your church’s pulpit message. We need to go all in on the pulpit message. This church will never perish. There is nothing for us to worry about because there are people who are righteous in this church. If we hold onto the pulpit message, then God will protect us for the rest of our lives.
Psalm 5:12 “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” - The word of God can act as a shield to you. The word of God will surround you. The path of righteousness is not a lonely one. It is not a path we take alone. God will surround us. May we be a church that will enjoy this blessing. The path of a righteous, there is nothing for us to fear. If the triune God is with us, there is nothing for us to fear. We will save the 3 ages, there is nothing for us to fear. Satan may be the prince of the power of the air but the Lord God that we believe in and Jesus Christ, has already destroyed the power of Satan. There is nothing for us to worry about. I want to request of you that you will become the righteous person of God who will raise up the absolute bartizan. Become the keeper of that absolute bartizan. You cannot fall asleep. You must always keep watch. Only hold onto jEss Christ. Hold only only the word and stay inside of prayer.
Conclusion
1) The flow of the Word with "only" Christ
Hold onto this flow of only Christ.
2) The flow of answers to prayer by "uniqueness"
Then, the answer of uniqueness will come to you.
3) The flow of evangelism by "re-creation"
As a result, the power of recreation will come upon your life. You can follow the flow of evangelism within your fields. You can be used by God as a bartizan who will lead many sinners to righteousness in Christ Jesus.
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