Romans 55

The Righteousness of God

Brian Kocourek

 

Wednesday night we spoke again from the Book of Romans beginning at the 10th chapter and we read from verses 1- 11. Before we move ahead in our study this morning I would like to take a few minutes and review these thoughts that the Apostle Paul was bringing tot he attention of the Elect.

 

Romans  10:1  Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2  For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3   For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4  For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.  5  For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them.  6  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down [from above]:)  7  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)  8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, [even] in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.  11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

 

In these first eleven verses we hear Paul speak of a people who have  Zeal, but he says,  not according to knowledge. Then he clarifies whose knowledge their zeal is ignorant of.  He goes on to say, Being Ignorant of God's righteousness, they go about to establish their own righteousness. Now the word, righteousness means right-wise-ness and being that they reject God’s right-wise-ness or God’s way , they have only one thing left to do and that is to accept their own right-wise-ness as being the correct way.

 

355-4, 4  Laodicean Church Age  - "Be zealous and repent." Now this false church has zeal; make no mistake about that. Her zeal has literally been that of the Jews, John 2:17, "The zeal of thine house hath eaten Me up." But it is a wrong zeal. It is for the house of their own building. It is for their own creeds, dogmas, organizations, their own righteousness. They have put the Word out for their own ideas. They deposed the Holy Ghost and made men into leaders. They have put aside Eternal Life as a Person, and make it good works, or even church conformity rather than good works.   But God is calling for another zeal. It is the zeal to cry "I AM WRONG". Now who is going to say that he is wrong? What is it that all these denominations are based upon?--the claim to originality, and that of God,--the claim that they are right. Now they ALL cannot be right. In fact NOT ONE of them is right. They are whited sepulchres, full of dead men's bones. They have no life. They have no vindication. God has never made Himself known in any organization. They say they are right because they are the ones that are saying it, but saying it does not make it so. They need the vindicated "Thus saith the Lord" of God, and they don't have it.

 

In PROVERBS 14:12 we read,  ¶ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof [are] the ways of death.   So we see that man, if left to himself will choose the wrong way every time. That is why God intercedes on the behalf of the Elect.

 

PSALMS 1:1        Blessed [is] the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  2    But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  3    And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.  4       The ungodly [are] not so: but [are] like the chaff which the wind driveth away.  5    Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.  6    For the LORD knoweth the way (That Greek word is Derek, and means the course of Life) of the righteous: but the way (the course of Life) of the ungodly shall perish.

 

Knoweth  =  yada'     1b1) to be made known, be/become known, be revealed to make oneself known:  to be perceived  :  to be instructed,    to cause to know to make oneself known, reveal oneself… Therefore we see that the Lord actively works in the Life of the righteous, to make sure that the Righteous is understanding the True Revelation and disclosure of God. In other words, God purposes in His heart to make sure that His kids know Him. Now that sounds like a real dad, doesn’t it?   But with  the ungodly it is not so. Notice what is said about the ungodly… : but the way (the course of Life) of the ungodly shall perish  ( 'abad = be lost, strayed  to give up (as lost)

 

So we see that the Lord actively participates in the course of Life of the Righteous, and what He does during this course of Life is to make Himself known to the Righteous. But with the ungodly, they are left to themselves and thus they will most certainly perish.

 

Paul said, For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Notice, these do not submit themselves to the right-wise-ness of God and so they try to establish their own thinking as the best avenue, the best way to go and do not realize in doing so they cut themselves off from the Life of God.

 

II CORINTHIANS 3:12    Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13    And not as Moses, [which] put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 14    But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [veil] is done away in Christ.

 

Now before we go any further, I just want to say that Brother Branham taught us that veil which Paul is speaking of here is the veil of traditions and creeds,

 

UNVEILING OF GOD  117   062   Now--and one time, and if a man walked through that veil, it was sudden death. Now, it's death not to go through it. Amen. If you can't break that veil of tradition, break through that wall of denomination to see God in His power, it's death. Once where it was death to go in, now it's death to stay out. The whole mercy seat's setting in plain view; anybody can see It; the veil's rent. Glory to God. The whole mercy seat comes into plain view. 118   063   How God could have mercy on foul sinners as us, when He hid Himself, was a mystery. And now It's in plain view, or in full view, revealed by His Word. It's always the Word, constantly; that is God. It's the Word that opens it up. If those people would've known the Word of God that day when Jesus died, they'd have seen the mercy seat, they would've seen Who He was. "Who was that then? Why did the veil rent?" Remember, it's death to go into it; nobody could see it. Moses saw It in a form, It was a whirl... It was a--a man's back. But here It is, a bleeding back, that same Man. What was It? God wanted to show them the mercy seat; God wanted to show them Who He was. So the veil in the temple, from the hand of God above, was rent from top to the bottom and showed God in plain view. It was Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, the Mercy Seat. And what was it? The people were too blind to see It. 120   064   Now, it's repeated again. The traditions, how... Then on the day of Pentecost, the Word came and was--and was in a form of Son of God. And they begin to organize it at Nicaea, Rome. And the first thing, it went to Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Pentecostals, and so forth. It's organized traditions; a man don't know where he stands. But glory to God, He promised in the last days what He would do: He would show His Word in plain view, open before us again (See?), open It up. If they'd have only known the Word, they'd have known Who Jesus was. If a man only known the Word of God, he'd know the hour we're living and what's going on. They just refuse to listen to that Word. Their traditions... What caused those Jews to see that? What caused? Looked like they could've actually seen, because the thing was tore open. It was tore open for a purpose.

 

     122   065   What's this revival long for now? How could it prosper? How could it be blessed? I don't care how many impersonations its got, or anything else, that all... When Moses went out, there was a mixed multitude went with him. But what's it done for? It's Jehovah Himself taking the veil off of God to show the difference between right and wrong, which is, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, or who's right? God's Word is right. "Let every man's word be a lie, and Mine the Truth." And God needs no interpreter; He does His Own interpretation. He manifests It and made--He gives the interpretation. God unveiling Himself (Oh, my.) right in the midst of us; we see His great hand telling these things, doing these...?... I got something on that tonight (See?), of how to watch the hand of God, what it does, how it unfolds itself. See? And people say, "Oh, That's nonsense. That's fanaticism. There--there's nothing to that. That's nonsense. That's Beelzebub. That's a devil. That's fortune telling. That's this." See, the same thing they said about Him...

 

125   066   Oh church, and if this tape goes out, can't you see, ministers of the Gospel, where you're living? Can't you see the hour that we're in? God, showing Himself, setting aside... Look, He took that temple veil and tore it to pieces that they might see God in plain view, and they was too blind to see It. And He's done the same thing today: putting His Word right out in front, what He promised, every promise in the Word laying right before us, in plain view. You know what the Gentile church does? The same thing the Jewish church did: too blind to see It. That's all. It'll be on their hearts just as it was in that day.

 

 

127   067   Notice, death to stay away from It now. You must go into It through this veil or you won't. How God could have mercy on them... But remember what it was, that God is manifesting what was behind that veil. Watch what was behind the veil: the Word. What did it veil? The Word. What was it? It's in the ark. It was the Word that that veil hid. See? And Jesus was that Word, and He is that Word, and the veil of His flesh hid It. And today the veil of tradition hides the Word again, saying, "It's not so." But It is so. God's testifying of It, blasting Hisself right out as bright as the sun before everyone, and they fail to see It. God, be merciful to us.

 

129   068   In type, Moses coming from the Presence of God with the Word of God for that age... Now, watch, we're now in Exodus 19. Don't miss this now. Exodus 19, Moses is coming from the Presence of God, or 20 and 21, 19:20 and 21. Moses is coming from the Presence of God; he has been into the Word. The Word's been wrote, and he in the Presence of God with the Word, he had the Word for that age. There's a Word for each age. And Moses coming forth, his face shined so. See? The Word was in him, ready to be manifested, give out to the people. The true Word, God had wrote It and It was with Moses. Notice It was with Moses and was ready to be manifested. He was the Word to them; he was the living Word hid, veiled himself; Moses had to put a veil over his own face. Why? He was that Word. Amen. Until that Word was made known, Moses had to veil himself. Amen. Do you see It? Wherever the Word is, It's veiled.

 

 131   069   Moses had the Word. Now remember, after the Word was made manifest, Moses was Moses again. See? But while that Word was in him to be give out, he was God. For he wasn't Moses no more; he had the Word of the Lord for that age. Nothing could touch him till that was over, had that Word with him. So therefore, when he come, the people turned their heads; they couldn't understand. He'd been changed; he was a different fellow. He come with that Word. And he put a veil, the Bible said, over his face, for he had the Word. And he was the Word to them.

 

132   070   Now, look, if Moses... Oh, brother, here's going to be an insult. But if Moses... As Paul said here in II Corinthians the 3rd chapter, if Moses had to veil his face with that type of glory upon him... See, because that was natural glory; that was a natural law. And if Moses... Knowing that that law had to perish... But the glory was so great that it blinded the people, so they had to put a veil over his face, how much more will It be? (Spiritual blinded people... Uh-huh.) That glory was to fade away, but this glory won't fade away. See? Moses had the carnal law, the condemnation, no grace, no nothing; it just condemned you. But this we're speaking about...

That had no pardon; that just told you what you was. This gives you a way out. And when that Word is unveiled, oh, my, what kind of a face will It be? It'll have to be veiled. It's got to be veiled. Now, notice, so the Spirit is veiled in a human temple (See?); he to speak the natural words with a natural veil...

 

Now, in getting back to 2 Cor 3: 15 Paul continues,  But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.    In other words, there is a blindness upon their heart or rather, their understanding has become darkened as Paul will tell us shortly.

 

16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, (When what shall turn to the Lord?, notice he is speaking about the heart, which is the understanding, then what happens?) the veil shall be taken away.( The blindness shall be taken away…  

 

That’s Revelations 3:18b  anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. See what?     20    Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

 

380-1 Resume of The Ages -  CA      But because they are wrong seed, consequently they have a wrong spirit motivating them. Religious? Oh my! They outshine the elect in effort and zeal, but it is Laodicean, not of Christ, for it looks for big crowds, big programs and startling signs amongst them. They preach the second coming of Christ, but deny the advent of the prophet-messenger, though in power and signs and true revelation he eclipses them all. Ah yes, this false spirit that in the last day is so close to the real, can be distinguished only by its deviation from the Word, and whenever it is caught in being anti-Word, it falls back on the one argument we have already shown to be false: "We get results, don't we? We have to be of God."

 

 

 

348-1 LAODICEAN  CA  -  Now God says they are naked as well as blind. I cannot imagine anything as tragic as a man who is blind and naked and does not know it. There is only one answer--he is out of his mind. He is already deep in oblivion. His faculties are gone, spiritual amnesia has set in. What else can it mean? Can it mean that the Holy Spirit has taken His leave of this last day church? Can it mean that men have put God out of their minds to such an extent that it is happening even as stated in Romans 1:28. "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." It surely appears that something like that has happened. Here is a people who say that they are of God and know God and have His Holy Spirit, and yet they are naked and blind and don't know it. They are ALREADY DECEIVED. THEY HAVE THE WRONG SPIRIT. THE ELECT CANNOT BE DECEIVED, BUT IT IS EVIDENT THAT THESE OTHERS ARE. These are they who have become blind because they refused the Word of God. These are they who have stripped themselves naked by leaving God's care and protection and sought to build their own way of salvation, their own tower of Babel by organization. Oh, how lovely and beautiful dressed they appear in their own eyes as they formed their general assembles, and their councils, etc. But now God is stripping it all away and they are naked, for these organizations have but led them into the camp of antichrist, into the field of tares, right up to their binding and burning. Objects of pity indeed they are. Yes, pity them, warn them, beseech them, and still they go their way headlong to destruction, wrathfully turning away any and all attempts to save them as brands from the burning. Miserable indeed they are, yet they know it not. Callused and beyond hope, they glory in what is actually their shame. Defiant against the Word, yet one day they shall be judged by it and pay the price of its awful indictments.

 

2Cor 3: 17    Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty.  18    But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.

 

4:1¶ Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.                           3    But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost (there’s your Psalms 1 again).  4    In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

 

5    For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6    For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face (prosopon = person or presence ie. Personal  presence  of Jesus Christ. 7    But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

 

Therefore,  we should be able to see that God has come with the purpose to shine forth His Light upon the minds of the elect, which He calls His Righteous, and by shining the Light of His Glorious Presence upon His Righteous, It causes His Righteous to be changed from Glory to Glory and from image to image. That’s 2 Cor 3: 18 again…    “But we all, with open face (an unveiled face, one which has no traditions or creeds)  beholding as in a glass (the mirror of the Word)  the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, [even] as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

 

In other words, when we pick up the Word of God, this Bible and look into it, we no longer see ourselves, but we see Christ, and when we see Him, the longer we look the more we are changed to be like Him.

 

I JOHN 3:2     Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Therefore, by seeing Him as He really is, we are changed to be like Him.

 

I CORINTHIANS 13: 9    For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10    But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. And there is no one perfect but God… Then this speaks of when He, God comes… 11    When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child,(why did I understand like a child?)  I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.    12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face, (Face to face? That word is personal presence. Therefore, there is coming a time when I will see Him Presence to Presence. )  now I know in part; but then ( When? At that time that He is personally here, ) then shall I know even as also I am known.

 

Know = epiginosko  , to become thoroughly acquainted with, to know thoroughly; to  know accurately, know well… to recognize; by sight, hearing, of certain signs, to perceive who a person is…then will I understand…

 

Now, in getting back to Romans 10 we pick up at verse 13 through 17 in closing…

 

Romans 10:13   For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher (Even though they say they hear, thy boast in vain, unless they hear true preachers; for to hear false prophets means as much as not to hear. They hear and they do not hear; They have ears, but do not hear, nor do they preach the Word of God. ?  15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! ? This is directed against all conceited teachers and arrogant instructors .

 

If you will notice in verse 14-15 there are four statements that Paul makes that of which follow together in such a way that one leads to the other, but so that the last forms the foundation on which the others rest. Thus we see from what Paul said, that it is impossible that those preach who are not sent, It then is impossible for those to hear who are without a preacher, and it is impossible for them to believe who do not hear, and thus it would be impossible for them to call upon the name of the Lord who do not believe. And thus it would be impossible for them who do not call upon the name of the Lord to be saved.

 

So then, the entire source and origin of salvation rests on this, that God sends out someone, ( A true minister of the Word).

 

Ø      If He does not send out any, then they who preach,  preach falsely, and their preaching is no preaching at all. In fact, it would be better for them not to preach.

 

Ø      Then also they who hear, hear error, and it would be better for them not to hear.

 

Ø      Then also they who believe, would believe false doctrine, and it would be better for them not to believe.

 

Ø      Then also they who call upon Him would call falsely (upon a false Lord),  and it would be better for them not to call.

 

1        For such preachers do not preach,

2        such hearers do not hear;

3        such believers do not believe;

4        such callers do not call;

5        they will be damned because they would be saved by falsehood.

 

Ø      Then we would see what is spoken of in Proverbs 1:28 which says, “Then shall they call upon me, But I ill not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.” 

 

   16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?  17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The true, revealed, and vindicated Word of God.

 

Then can you see the importance this morning of receiving a vindicated Ministry? Because if it is not vindicated, then how do you know what you are hearing is not error? And if it is error, then you would be believing error, and if you believe error, then you would be calling out to a wrong God, and if you call out to a wrong God, then how could you be saved?  Therefore, God has come down to vouch safe His own Presence among us. We know that we are the elect of God because He said so. It is not just something we have read in a book, but God Himself has come down and has spoken through the lips of His Prophet whom He has vindicated and that is what I am standing on this morning.