True disciples trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, not in their own goodness or discipleship.
1. True disciples trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of sins, not in their own goodness or discipleship.
We start the marks of a disciple with a paradox. Throughout this series I will make the point that true faith in Jesus changes our lives dramatically. There are therefore unmistakable marks that follow this conversion. But this spiritual revolution in a person’s life begins only by placing all confidence in the proper place.
No one can become a Christian without first abandoning all confidence in their own merits to become acceptable in the sight of God. Our only way of becoming a true Christian is to put all our trust and confidence in Jesus Christ and his atoning work for us on the cross and the gift of his righteousness given to us by God’s grace alone. No one can earn salvation by being a good disciple. We must be true disciples, but we do not trust in ourselves or our discipleship.
As Romans 3:21-26 (ESV) says:
“(21) Now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— (22) the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, (25) whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. (26) It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
Notice the crucial points made in these verses:
v. 21 – “the righteousness of God”
This refers to the righteousness that we have received from God. This refers to our righteous status in the sight of God. The point is that our righteousness before God is not something we establish ourselves by keeping the law, but rather it is a gift from God.
v. 22 – “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ”
How do we get this righteousness in God’s sight? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Not by being perfect disciples. Not by reading a certain number of Bible chapters every day. Not by doing our best to repent of every sin we can think of. No, we only gain righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ, for he alone paid the price for the sins we have already committed, and he alone lived a perfectly righteous life, and so when he gives us his righteousness as a gift it is a perfect righteousness. This perfect righteousness is what God sees when he looks at us and accepts us.
What an important point it is as we begin the marks of true disciples to recognize that we begin with the status of righteousness that comes through faith alone. That is the foundation on which we build our discipleship. It is only true faith in Christ that results in the marks of a true disciple. The marks of a true disciple can never result from willpower or religious exercise. No, true discipleship results from faith in Christ as our only hope of righteousness in the sight of God.
v. 23 – “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
Since all have sinned all stand under judgment. This is why we need a savior. This is why no efforts on our own can save us, for we are guilty and flawed. We need the atoning work that Jesus performed on the cross to wipe away our sins and guilt.
v. 24 – “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”
Our only hope of being accepted by God is that he justifies us. To justify us means that he declares us to be righteous in his sight even though we have in ourselves been unrighteous. But God is just in declaring us to be righteous because Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Therefore, being a good disciple cannot save us. We need Jesus as our atoning sacrifice, and we only get the salvation of Jesus through faith in him.
Justification is a gift from God, meaning we do not earn it by being good disciples. It is a gift that comes from God the moment we put our true faith in Jesus. Then we live the rest of our Christian lives expressing the life of Christ that is within by the power of his Holy Spirit to please him and do his will—but never to earn or merit our salvation.
Righteous living follows salvation; it does not earn salvation. Righteous living is the result of the gift of righteousness.
vv. 24–25 “…Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith”
To propitiate means to satisfy God’s wrath. God’s wrath was propitiated by the blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. God’s wrath turns away from us because his wrath was poured on Jesus.
Your discipleship cannot satisfy the wrath of God; only the death of Jesus on the cross can satisfy the wrath of God that hangs over a person who has never repented and accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.
And how is this propitiation received? Again it is repeated in verse 25 that this gift is received by faith, not by works.
v. 26 “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
God shows his righteousness by making us righteous—that is, justifying us—through faith in Jesus. God did not just wipe away people’s sins without some basis. That is because he is a righteous and holy judge. The debt of sin had to be paid. And so, God did not give us the gift of righteousness for no reason; rather, he gave us the gift of righteousness because of what Jesus did on the cross, and because we place all our confidence in him not in ourselves, not in our good works and not in our discipleship. God is absolutely just in doing it this way. He wants all people in the world to see his perfect justice in the way he provides salvation.
Takeaway
And so, the first and most important mark of true disciples is they place all confidence in the gift of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, rather than in their own godliness and religious effort. This is what the New Testament calls the gospel, the good news.