“Righteousness Required"
Romans 1:1-17
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” [Romans 1:16-17]
“Righteousness required!” is the sign on the door of heaven. That is because the Righteous One is resident. And where God fully dwells there is no unrighteousness. That is why the gospel of Christ is a vital doctrine of the Christian faith. Without it there is no faith. Without it we can only come to the door but never enter. That is why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” [John 14:6]
Now that is quite an exclusive statement! It excludes all from heaven who do not come through Jesus, who do not believe in Jesus and call Him Lord. Does that offend you? Well, it probably should because it excludes good people and good religions without Christ. “I [Jesus] am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” [emphasis mine]
The critical difference is between “good” and “righteous.” They are vastly different. “Good” on a human level are things like honesty, humility, loving, giving, serving, and tending to the poor. These are great qualities but fall short of righteousness. Righteousness is holiness; it means perfectly just; flawless; faultless; wholly right; entirely pure; entirely holy. It means perfection. The essential for heaven is perfection because God is perfect. “You shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” [Matt 5:48] And that counts all of us out [of heaven] apart from Christ. But with Christ a “righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”
This is a fundamental theme [and doctrine] explained in Romans. It is an imputed righteousness based on the sole work of Jesus and no work of our own. Paul soundly explains what was accomplished in Jesus’ death and resurrection for both you and I, and the entire world. He articulates, in depth, the doctrine of Grace. Salvation comes by way of Grace; a gift from God fully rendered in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross. No other work gets us to heaven. Our only part is to receive the gift and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Lord.
Romans touches upon other important doctrines as well, but the Grace of God is at the top of the list. A Grace imputed righteousness is the requirement for eternal life with God; it is the key that opens for us the door to heaven.
