Well, I wanna encourage you to return in your Bible to the book of Romans in chapter 10. I'll be reading verses one through four in your hearing this morning. Romans chapter 10, beginning in verse one. Brother, in my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is their salvation, for I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. And shall we pray. Lord, these moments, as we would direct our minds to this particular section of your word to us, I would pray for the clear help of your precious Holy Spirit to understand your precious word, to convey it in a way that would be pleasing to thee and would truly be good to the souls of each one that is here this morning. And I would ask as well that you who are conversant the hearts of all men and women, that you might work in each one's heart and give them understanding and appreciation and delight in thy precious word. And pray that you would cause all of us to glory in the character and the nature of the gospel. We thank you for it and commit this time to you. And might you continue to be honored in our midst this day. And we ask these things in Jesus' name, amen. Well, a few weeks ago, our minds were occupied with verses 1 through 3 of chapter 10. And then we especially, at least to some extent, emphasized Paul's great concern for the salvation of his kinsmen according to the flesh. That's kind of the way that we approached it. And we saw also that that great interest was brought out even more vigorously in verses two and three of chapter nine, where he writes that, I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart, for I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh. Well, verses 2 through 4 of Romans chapter 10, verse 1, Paul says, brethren, my heart's desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. And verses 2 through 4 reveal why it is they are not saved. Verses 2 through 4 bring out the dynamics that are operating that keep them from experiencing this great and glorious salvation. And in general, it has to do with knowledge. It has to do with religious and spiritual knowledge. Verse 2 says, I bear them witness, or I testify about them, that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. And then verse 3 expands on that thought, and it conveys to our minds where this knowledge is misguided. And the issues there are depending on the wrong kind of righteousness. They're relying on the wrong kind of righteousness to gain approval with God. They are trusting in human righteousness as opposed to the righteousness of God. So they are interested in being right with God, But the Apostle Paul makes it clear that their thinking is not just somewhat misguided here, but it is absolutely wrong. It's like when you're driving down the street and somebody takes a turn and there's a big sign that says, wrong way. You know, you don't have to make a minor adjustment. You need to turn around and go the opposite direction. And the Apostle Paul makes it clear this line of thought is radically wrong. So these verses, I believe they're very pertinent and reliable to those who want to know. if you're in a right relationship with the God of the Bible, right standing with the God of the Bible. Paul here, we notice he describes their condition through the lens of faulty knowledge. So we'll zero in this morning on, especially on verses three and four, and consider the condition of spiritual ignorance, the consequence or the consequences of spiritual ignorance, and then in the third place, the remedy or the cure for spiritual ignorance. Three weeks ago, when we were in this particular section, I started in verse 1, ended with verse 3, so we'll spend a little bit more time in verse 3 this morning, then end up in verse 4. But I want you to notice in the first place the condition, what I'm referring to, is the condition of spiritual ignorance. And focusing here on the very first part of the verse, where Paul says, for not knowing about God's righteousness, not knowing about God's righteousness. John Murray wrote, verse three gives the reason why their zeal was not according to knowledge. They did not know God's righteousness. One commentator wrote, this verse goes to the root of the matter and explains the failure of the gospel among the Jews. The failure of the gospel among the Jews was this, they did not know God's righteousness. So I would affirm to you this particular phrase, not knowing about God's righteousness, it's significant in at least three ways. First of all, it emphasizes that this was their settled or ongoing condition. This was their settled condition. Not knowing here, it's in the present tense in the Greek language, which indicates this is an ongoing state of heart and mind. So it's their ongoing, posture of mind and heart. And then secondly, it's a sorrowful or it's a wretched condition because what they don't know and what the unsaved person is unfamiliar with is an experiential knowledge of God's righteousness. We're told here that's what they don't know. That's what they're ignorant of. They don't appreciate it. They don't glory in God's righteousness. Now there are two ways of understanding that particular phrase. with the import of those words, God's righteousness. One would be that it refers to a perfection of God, his moral perfection, his inherent moral perfection. Charles Hodge wrote divine holiness or general, the general moral perfection of God. So that would be one way of understanding it. The second would be that it's a righteousness. This is kind of the line of thought we followed a few weeks ago, at least to some extent. It would be a divine properties because it is God's righteousness. And so he is the source of this righteousness and the author of this righteousness, therefore he approves of it in a saving sense, and it is especially embodied in the person and the work of Christ. So one way of thinking about it is that it consists of divine properties. God is the source and the author of this righteousness because that is the case. He approves it and is especially embodied in the person and the work of Christ. This, I believe, the second way that the Apostle Paul is emphasizing here. It's the righteousness of which he is the source, and therefore that which he approves and that which he accepts. But it's important to realize the two are very closely related. Because God is a perfectly, a morally perfect being, and because moral perfection is inherent in the constitution of his person, then he alone is capable of supplying the only kind of righteousness that he himself will accept. And I'm affirming here that unsaved people are in a sorrowful condition or a wretched condition because they don't know the righteousness of God in an experiential sense. in their soul, in their spirit, in their minds, in their hearts, they have no understanding of either this inherent righteousness that is a perfection of the being of God, nor that which is conveyed in the context of their salvation. And I would, I hope I'm not straying here too far, but the highest and most glorious kind of knowledge that anyone in the world can possibly have is the knowledge of the being of God. The knowledge of God is soul transforming. The knowledge of God is joy producing. You might recall Jesus in his high priestly prayer In John chapter 17, he said, this is life eternal, that they may know thee the only true God. Probably if I use the phrase eternal or eternal life, the first thing that comes to our mind is duration. But Jesus defines eternal life here in the sense of it's an experiential knowledge of the being of God. And the Holy Scriptures, they're filled with verses like this. Thou wilt make known to me the path of life, In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand are pleasures forevermore. And this in thy presence is the fullness of joy. I'm not talking the temporal joys of the world here, but the sustaining joy of the being of God. And we're not talking here the carnal pleasures in a fallen world that often have a corrupting influence on the soul. We're talking about soul purifying gratifications of heart that are affected by the being of God himself. I think Spurgeon spoke eloquently to this. This is what Spurgeon said on January the 7th, 1855, when he was 20 years old. This is what he said. It has been said by someone that the proper study of mankind is man. I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God's elect is God. The proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father. There's something exceedingly improving to the mind. in a contemplation of the divinity. It is a subject so vast that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity, so deep that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with, and then we feel a kind of self-content and go our way with the thought, behold, I am wise. But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumb line cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt, and with solemn exclamation, I am but of yesterday and know nothing. No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind than thoughts of God. He who often thinks of God will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe. The most excellent study for expanding the soul is the science of Christ and him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead and the glorious Trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the deity. And while humbling and expanding, this subject is eminently consolatory. There is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound. In musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief. In the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then plunge yourself into the Godhead's deepest sea. Be lost in its immensity. And you should come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul, so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief, so speak peace to the winds of trial as a devout music upon the subject of the Godhead. Well, unsaved people, they're in a sorrowful and a wretched condition because they don't know anything about this. They're devoid of this joyous, rich, deep experiential knowledge of the being of God. Well, then thirdly, under this heading, Not knowing about the righteousness of God reveals a culpable condition, and by that I mean a blameworthy condition. The issue here, it's not simply that they were unaware of this teaching about the righteousness of God, but they refused to accept it. They refused to accept that which would be for the eternal good of their souls. John Murray wrote, it's not merely that they did not acknowledge this righteousness, while at the same time knowing that it was that to which the Scriptures bore witness, they did not apprehend that which had been revealed. And it seems to me there's culpability or blameworthiness on their part, because you notice the text says, They did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. So information was not the problem here. A lack of opportunity was not the problem. It was refusal to accept what was heard. That's the issue. To subject is the idea of to obey or to submit. It implies something of a rebellious or a mutinous spirit. Now, one might ask the question, and this question might come to your mind, How could this be so? I mean, why would men and women refuse to accept this message that would save their souls? Why would they refuse to accept the righteousness that would put them into a right relationship with God? Why is this the case? And yet we see that over and over in Scripture, do we not? The truth comes very clearly to men and women. And they not only do not receive it, but in some cases they throw stones at those who bring that particular message. I was reading recently in Luke chapter four, and when Jesus got through in Nazareth, they wanted to throw him off a cliff. How can people respond that way? Why don't they receive the righteousness that comes from God? Why don't they receive the gospel? Turn, if you would, to John chapter 10. John chapter 10. And I think this may seem a bit oversimplistic to your minds, but nevertheless, Let me suggest to you, here's a reason. Why is it that men and women do not receive in glory in this gospel? Notice John chapter 10, beginning in verse 22. It says, at that time, the feast of the The dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around him and were saying to him, how long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name, these testify of me. Now do not read verse 26. Well, you can if you want, but don't read verse 26, at least for a second. So okay, here's the statement of the Jews. If you're the Messiah, tell us plainly. And then Jesus says, I told you, I already told you, and you don't believe me. Possibly referring to a little bit earlier in John's gospel when Jesus says to them, before Abraham was, I am. He didn't say before Abraham was, I was, which would indicate he was like 2000 years old, but rather he says before Abraham was, I am, indicating transcendence and deity. And if you read that section again, they were interested in stoning Jesus at that particular point in time. So it's, I told you, and you don't believe. So why is it that they don't believe? Why is it that men and women do not receive the gospel or the righteousness of God when they hear it? Well, my answer is this. They're not the true people of God. If they were, they do. Verse 26, you do not believe because you are not of my sheep. You don't believe because you are not of my sheep. What's the characteristic of a true person of God? My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. Jesus is very direct here. This is the reason you don't believe. You are not of my sheep. The characteristic of my sheep is they hear my voice and they respond to it. Last month we found ourselves in a very unusual place, a Costco in Oregon. And I went over in one section and they had noise canceling headphones. You ever seen those? Noise canceling headphones. And you could try them on in the store. And so I did. So there's all this, you know, kind of noise going on around you. And then you put them on and there's someone who can sing well. And it's like immediately you hear nothing else. You just hear this one voice. It's loud. and clear. You're aware of all this clamor going on around you and I was thinking at least to some degree that's what it means to become a Christian. You all of a sudden listen to one voice. It becomes predominant. There's the clamor of the world that goes on around us but the true people of God listen to the one pure life-giving voice of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. So the simple answer is they're not the true people of God. My sheep hear my voice. They listen. They respond. And that's just the way it is. I was thinking this is very helpful. I think at times when you consider witnessing to someone, and maybe you reflect on times when you've shared the gospel with another person, and you think, you know, I should have talked about repentance, but I didn't do that. I should have talked about the resurrection, and I didn't do that. Or maybe you're reflecting on a time of sharing the gospel with someone. You're thinking, I wasn't as nice as I should have been. I said the right thing, but I said it in the wrong way. Or maybe there's a time when we might share the gospel with somebody who knows us, and they're thinking, well, bit of a hypocrite. There's a little bit too much of a gap between your profession and your practice. So we might reflect on sharing the gospel and think, well, maybe one of these reasons is why they didn't respond. Jesus never had that problem. He always said the right thing. And he always said the right thing in the right way. And he was always the perfect embodiment of every single word that came out of his mouth. And yet the response, generally speaking, was to reject him. And that's what we have in this particular case. So in the first place, we see the condition of this ignorance. It's a settled condition. It's a sorrowful condition. And it's a culpable condition. And then if you get back to Romans chapter 10, I want you to notice in the second place, the consequences of spiritual ignorance, the consequences of spiritual ignorance. What do they lead to? The spiritual condition is cited at the beginning of the verse, not knowing about God's righteousness. That's the spiritual condition. Then the apostle Paul goes on and he gives the consequences that are directly related to this condition. And there are two. Notice in verse three, the first consequence would be this, not knowing about God's righteousness. And then the first consequence would be seeking to establish their own. And the next one is they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. And let's just, we'll just take these two in order. First of all, they were committed to this thought of seeking to establish their own righteousness. Seeking, like the term not knowing, It's in the present tense, which this further describes their condition, not knowing, not perceiving, not apprehending the character of God's righteousness, and in light of that they're seeking to establish their own. And the two go together. Not perceiving the righteousness of God goes with this motive of seeking to establish one's own righteousness. It's kind of like in Romans chapter 3 where you're reading along and It says their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and destruction and misery are in their ways. There's this litany of sins and you might be thinking, how in the world can they do this? And the answer is there's no fear of God before their eyes. In order to live like this, there has to be a suppression and there has to be a neglecting of the concept of the being of God. In order for this to be true, this has to be true. And here these things go together, not knowing, not perceiving the character of God's righteousness, In light of that, the consequence of that is seeking to establish their own. They go together. And we notice here the object of this seeking is to establish their own righteousness. It's the idea of making it stand. So there's some deliberateness here. There's a level of commitment. Sometimes you may go to a business that's been successful for many years, and there's a little plaque somewhere, established in 1945 or established in 1947. It suggests that there's excellence, we have stood the test of time. And the idea here, they are committed to establishing a righteousness that has enough qualitative excellence to be accepted by the being of God. They're committed to that. They feel that it's attainable. So they're relying on a human righteousness rather than divine righteousness. So there is, in this particular verse, a strong contrast between two completely different kinds of righteousness. One is divine, possessing divine properties. It comes from God. It's accepted by Him. And the other is human, and it's comprised of human endeavors to keep God's law. And it's never, ever, ever, for saving purposes, never accepted by God. So the first consequence of not knowing and not having a real sense in the soul of the nature of God's righteousness is a dedication to establishing one's own righteousness. Then the second and closely related consequence is a rejecting of God's righteousness. A rejecting of God's righteousness. We saw this term subject is the idea to obey or to be under the authority of. They do not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. So there is a discarding of God's righteousness. So they are able to seek to establish their own. It needs to be said somewhere here, this is an exercise in absolute futility. And this is like trying to build a tower to heaven. They're depending upon human righteousness, the product of their own human endeavors and striving. Most of you are aware of Isaiah 64 in verse 6. It says, are all as an unclean thing, and all of our righteousness are as filthy rags. Isaiah is not saying all of our unrighteousness as filthy rags. He's not saying our worst is as filthy rags, but the best that we have to offer. That has the effect of being loathsome and disgusting in the eyes of God. And we understand, even save men and women, When there's some manifestation, when there's some sense in the soul of the reality of the being of God, we're all with the Apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3 and verse 9. I want to be found not having my righteousness, but the one that comes from God. I want to make sure that I'm found in the righteousness that comes from God. I was thinking of this verse that came from Job, I've heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye sees thee, wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. And when a person feels that way, you know it's the righteousness of God that you want to be accepted by him. So we see in the first place this condition of ignorance. Secondly, the consequences of this condition. What does it lead to? And then thirdly, I want to consider the cure or the remedy for this particular condition. Now, here's the short answer. It is Christ and faith. The remedy of this condition, it is Christ and faith in the person of Christ. The remedy for the condition articulated in verse 3 is found in verse 4, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. So in verse 4, there's an advance in thought that helps one who is seeking to establish his or her own righteousness, it helps them to see where they are going wrong. And at the same time, it prescribes the remedy for such a condition of soul. So it's a corrective to those who are committed to establishing their own righteousness based upon their own works, based upon their own obedience as a means of gaining acceptance with God. And the phrase that we want to unpack just a little bit here is for, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. I'm going to ask four questions and answer them as a way of developing that particular phrase. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. Question number one, what is meant by the term law? What is meant by the term law? Well, in terms of content, the setting, here suggests that it is the law of Moses. Notice in verse 5 there is a reference to the person of Moses. So in terms of substance, I believe it's a reference to the law of Moses. But in this setting, what Paul is emphasizing especially is one's relationship to the law. That's the important thing to see. It is one's relationship to the concept of law. It's the law viewed as a rule of duty prescribed as a means of gaining eternal life. It's viewing the law in the sense of do this and live. So it's especially the relationship to law that is significant here, I believe. And then Paul says Christ is the end of the law. So question number two is what is meant by the word end? Christ is the end of the law. Well, this term end, it can mean termination, it can mean goal, or it can mean result. Termination, goal, or result. Termination, in the sense, the end of the sermon finally came. Goal, the end of the government is the welfare of the people. Result, he did not consider the end of his actions. Well, these meanings are also found in scripture. Termination, goal, and result. Termination, 1 Corinthians 15, 24. Then came the end, when he delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father. Or it can mean goal. 1 Timothy 1.5, the end of our instruction is love from a pure heart. The goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart. Or it can mean result. Romans 6.21, for the end of those things is death. So the question, what sense is it used here? And my understanding in wrestling with this is fundamentally, but not exclusively, it has reference to termination or cessation. That is, in some sense, Christ is the end of the law in the sense of the termination or the cessation of the law. Question number three. In what sense is the person and work of Christ the termination of the law? Answer number one to question number three under main point number three is this. So this is answer number one to question number 3. In what sense is the person at work of Christ the termination of the law? This is the wrong answer. Not as setting aside the value of the law as a guide for living the Christian life. He doesn't terminate it in that sense. The Ten Commandments are often referred to as God's moral law. They're of great assistance in the living of the Christian life. And to jettison the law of God, which expresses the will and the ways and the character of God from my perspective, that's moral insanity. That's how we know we are pleasing to the being of God, by understanding and delighting in his law. So the law discloses God's character and his will and his purposes. So Christ is not the end of the law as an ongoing means of guiding and directing in the Christian life. Now answer number two to question number three, Christ is the termination of the law as a means of gaining acceptance with God. He is the termination of the law as a means of gaining acceptance with God. Christ abolishes the law as the way to be declared righteous before him. He terminates or ends that kind of relationship with the law that says do this and live. He ends that kind of relationship with the law. Question number four, how does Christ put an end to the law in this sense? How does he terminate the law in this sense as a way of righteousness before God? And the answer is he terminates the law, he brings it to an end by perfectly fulfilling all of its dictates in his life. Christ perfectly fulfilled every precept of the law in condition, in conduct, in his own life, in his death, in his resurrection, in his sufferings, Christ fulfills the law, and that's how he is able to terminate it, as a means of gaining approval with God by one's own works. Charles Hodge wrote, Christ has abolished the law, not by destroying it, but by fulfilling it. So we see here that Christ is the end of the law in two senses. He's the end of the law in the sense of terminating it, but he is also the goal. One is running a long race like a marathon. There is a finish line. The end of the race, the termination of the race is the finish line. When you cross it, it's over. But it's also the goal. It's what you're trying to get to. It's what you're striving to. So it's both the termination and the goal. And here we have both of those applying to the person and work of Christ. He is the end of the law in the sense of terminating a relationship with it that says do this and live. But he's also the goal of the law. He fulfills all the dictates of the law. To put this another way, for you and I to be accepted savingly by God, somebody has to keep the law. Somebody has to keep the law for you and I to be accepted by God. It's not you and it's not me. The only one who kept the law perfectly is the person of Christ. He fulfilled it in every measure. It is the person of Christ. So when you believe on Christ, that righteousness that consists of his obedience is imputed, to use the language of the theologians, it's imputed to our account by God. God the Father regards it as belonging to you. So Christ supplies the kind of righteousness that meets all of God's righteous demands. Well, I wanted to conclude by just making one further point with respect to all of this and affirm this is a glorious reality for Christians. because it's the only kind of righteousness that will stand the fire of final judgment. This is good news for you and I for this reason. It is the only sort, kind, quality of righteousness that will stand the fire of final judgment. I don't know if you think about this, but you need to plan for judgment. You need to plan for retirement because you might make it there. But you need to plan for judgment because you will be there. We must all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Attendance is compulsory. We are all going to be there. And this is good news for you and I because we are accepted on the basis of the righteousness of the person of Christ. It's good news for you and I because Our sanctification is marked not by perfection, but by progression, and sometimes by regression. You know what I'm talking about? Our sanctification, it's not marked by perfection. We like to think it's marked by progression, but sometimes we have to say it's marked by regression. There's times where, don't tell anybody I said this, There's times at the end of the day where I take inventory and I'm thinking, I don't know that I'm any more conformed to Christ now that I was five years ago or ten years ago. Do not verify that with Carolyn. No need to check there. But what I'm saying, here's the point that I want to make, is the moment, the second you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you are accepted by God the Father forever and ever and ever and ever on the basis of the pure, holy, glorious, pristine righteousness the person of Christ. That is the glory of the gospel. We are accepted on the basis forever of the righteousness of the person of Christ. He's the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe. Well, let us pray. Father, I pray that you who I know the hearts of all men and women might be pleased to take what we have considered and apply it to our minds and to our souls. Might it be honoring to thee, and might it be to the good of our own walk with Christ, our own love for Christ, and our own delight in the glory of the being of Christ. We ask these things in Jesus' name, amen.