Radiant. Magnificent. Endless. The Lord’s character is all of these and so much more. His boundless heart is waiting, full of excitement and joy, to be found and known by His people. Faithfully, He calls us to Himself where deep cries out to deep in the most foundational areas of our hearts (Eph 1:4) (Rom 8:30) (Ps 42:7). Seeking deeper revelation of God’s nature allows us to better worship Him while also enabling a deeper, richer walk with Him. Even so, searching out the heart of God means so much more than a powerful worship encounter or peaceful quiet time. Peeling back those initial layers reveals the very core of it all – He is worthy. 

God’s Righteousness, Our Redemption

The unending glory and divine nature of our omnipotent, omniscient God can be neither fathomed nor contained. He is wholly Other-than. Resplendent in holiness, the Lord’s righteousness extends beyond comparison and surpasses understanding. In speaking of God’s radiant righteousness, Paul writes that it is defined by both truth and transcendence. The third chapter of Romans begins with a declaration that God is true, always (Rom 3:4). Even when we turn away from the Lord, He remains faithful to us (Rom 3:3). This element of His nature is central and is declared throughout the whole of scripture (Ps 31:5) (Isa 65:16) (John 3:3) (Rev 19:16). Tandem to His true nature, the Lord is also transcendent. Were man is subject to the law, God’s righteousness transcends it (Rom 3:21-26). The Lord, standing outside of time as the Uncreated One, hosts a paradigm of Shalom, glory, and holiness (Heb 13:20) (Ps 24:7-8) (Isa 6:3). Through His truth and transcendence, God gives his people a glimpse of His righteousness. 

Indeed, the Lord truly is perfect in righteousness. And yet, He is near. 

His nearness and desire to be close to our hearts is not in conflict or tension with His glorious righteousness. In fact, it finds ultimate fulfillment in the gift of righteousness and reconciliation for humanity through Christ (Col 1:20-22). We, on our own, are neither righteous nor justified (Rom 3:9-18). Rather, Paul explains that it is “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” is the sole source of our redemption (Rom 3:22). We are reconciled by the Son. And what a glorious reconciliation it is!

Promises Realized Through Faith

Salvation and redemption are a precious gift from God (Eph 2:8). Christ, our Cornerstone, enables us to receive the gift of faith that we might walk closely with the Lord (Heb 12:1-3) (Eph 2:19-22). In that journey, the Lord invites us to grow in faith and embrace the fullness of all that He has promised. Paul explains this stunning reality through the context of the Abrahamic Promise.

Among other pivotal encounters in the Old Testament, God’s covenant with Abraham marked a shift in the story of God’s people (Gen 17). The blessing of the covenant were graciously given to Abraham and extended to all of his descendants, which includes every believer (Rom 4:16).  It was sealed with a promise (namely, that Abraham and his wife Sarah would have a son) (Gen 17). This promise was an invitation for Abraham to walk closely with the Lord in a place of total trust, fearless faith.

This element of faith is precisely what Paul emphasizes in chapter four. He discounts our striving entirely. Nothing, absolutely nothing that we do will cause the promises of God to be fulfilled. Rather, God is faithful to fulfill the promise of the Abrahamic covenant because of His righteousness. This truth extends to every other promise that the Lord give us. The fulfillment of each promise “depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace” (Rom 4:16).

Trusting the Lord for the fulfillment of promises that rest on grace sounds lovely, doesn’t it? It can be difficult to practice in reality, though. More often than not, the fulfillment of promises can seem utterly impossible. The promise of the Abrahamic covenant is a good example. God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah; however, they were both quite old (Gen 17). Their advanced age made having a child seem not just unlikely but ludicrous.  And yet – Isaac, their son, was born (Gen 21:1-22:19).

During this process, Paul describes that Abraham “grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God” as he clung tightly to belief and hoped against hope (4:20) (4:18). In the same way, Dear Saints, we can place our trust in the Lord’s righteousness and walk in confidence that He will be faithful to fulfill each and every promise through His grace.

Where the odds might seem impossible, be adamant about keeping your heart “fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Rom 4:21). Meditate on passages that declare the righteousness, truth, transcendence and glory of our mighty God. As you do, ask the Spirit to strengthen your faith that you might walk even more fully in the great riches of resurrection life through Christ (Rom 4:24).