The Heidelberg Catechism Part II: Deliverance Righteousness of Christ, Part 1 Lord’s Day 23
Question 59: What good does it do you, however, to believe all this?
Answer 59: In Christ I am righteous before God and heir to life everlasting. [1]
Supporting Scripture:
[1] John 3:36 NKJV He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."
Romans 1:17 (Habakkuk 2:4) NKJV For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
Romans 5:1-2 NKJV Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Q 60: How are you righteous before God?
A 60: Only by true faith in Jesus Christ. [1] Even though my conscience accuses me of having grievously sinned against all God’s commandments, of never having kept any of them, [2] and of still being inclined toward all evil, [3] nevertheless, without any merit of my own, [4] out of sheer grace, [5] God grants and credits to me the perfect satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness of Christ, [6] as if I had never sinned nor been a sinner, and as if I had been as perfectly obedient as Christ was obedient for me. [7] All I need to do is accept this gift with a believing heart. [8]
Supporting Scripture:
[1] Romans 3:21-28 NKJV But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, (22) even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, (26) to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (27) Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. (28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.
Galatians 2:16 NKJV knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.
Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, (9) not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Philippians 3:8-11 NKJV Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (11) if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
[2] Romans 3:9-10 NKJV What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. (10) As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one;
[3] Romans 7:23 NKJV But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
[4] Titus 3:4-5 NKJV But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
[5] Romans 3:24 NKJV being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
Ephesians 2:8 NKJV For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
[6] Romans 4:3-5 (Gen. 15:6) NKJV For what does the Scripture say? "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." (4) Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. (5) But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness,
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (18) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, (19) that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
1 John 2:1-2 NKJV My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (2) And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
[7] Romans 4:24-25 NKJV but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, (25) who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.
2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
[8] John 3:18 NKJV "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Acts 16:30-31 NKJV And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (31) So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
Q 61: Why do you say that through faith alone you are righteous?
A 61: Not because I please God by the worthiness of my faith. It is because only Christ’s satisfaction, righteousness, and holiness make me righteous before God, [1] and because I can accept this righteousness and make it mine in no other way than through faith. [2]
Supporting Scripture:
[1] 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NKJV But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — (31) that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord."
[2] Romans 10:10 NKJV For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 John 5:10-12 NKJV He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. (11) And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. (12) He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Visit the official website of Paynes Corners Christian Church, 277 Warner Road, Brookfield, Ohio 44403. The people of the church been involved in ministry since 1858.