Sermon Outlines

By Frederick F. Schwindt, Evangelist

CHRIST OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

1. We are told in the book "Gospel Worker" page 301, that our churches are dying for the want of teaching on the subject of righteousness by faith in Christ:
2. The message of the Righteousness of Christ is to sound from one end of the earth to the other to prepare the way of the Lord:
3. We are told that this is the glory, which will close the work of the third angel - "Testimonies for the Church" Volume 6, page 19:

1. It will change his standing before God:
   1. That is a wonderful experience - 2 Cor. 5:17; Rom. 8:1-3, 31-33
   2. God will see us, not in our own unworthiness, but as we have been clothed with the garment of salvation - Isa. 6:10; Rev. 19:7
2. It will transform our nature; we will be partakers of the divine nature: 2 Cor. 3:17, 18; 2 Pet. 1:2-9
   1. We become, in God's sight, sons and daughters through the adoption in the Beloved - John 1:12; 1 John 3:1-3; Eph. 1:3- 6
   2. We are initiated into the family of God our Father - Eph. 1:9-11; 3:14, 15
3. It will reflect the image and likeness of the Son of God, who Himself is the reflection of His heavenly Father:
   1. The likeness of Christ is the great objective of the gospel of Christ - Rom. 8:29
   2. He Himself is the image or likeness of God the Father - Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3; 2 Cor. 4:4
   3. What a wonderful experience awaits the believers in Christ Jesus! To miss this heavenly experience would be, saying the least, catastrophic.
4. This righteousness has been claimed by all the children of God in all ages:
   1. David testifies of this righteousness - Ps. 32:1-4
   2. Joshua was clothed with this righteousness - Zech. 3:1-6
   3. Isaiah rejoices over it - Isa. 61:10
5. It is the secret of the safety of God's children:
   1. The story of Joseph, of Moses, of Daniel and a host of other worthies is the same; Paul speaks of these believers - Heb. 11
   2. Noah, Daniel, and Job are given as three representatives of this righteousness - Ezek. 14:14, 20

1. Where we have failed in the past:
   1. We have attempted to earn this righteousness - Rom. 10:3
   2. But we soon learn, to our dismay, that we have failed in our own attempts - Study Rom. 7; 3; 20
2. Faith, simple, child-like faith, is the channel through which we obtain the righteousness of Christ:
   1. That is the way the thief on the cross got it - Luke 23:42- 44
   2. That is the way the woman of Samaria got it - John 4:1-34
   3. That is the way Mary Magdalene got it.
   4. Yes, that is the way Zacchaeus obtained it - Luke 19:1-9
3. That means that we simply have to take God's offer by faith, accepting the righteousness of Christ as God's free gift to us-- unworthy and sinful men: