About the Author

Thomas Ray Floyd was born in 1953 in Simpson County, Mississippi, the son of Roy Thomas Floyd and Lina Sue Shows Floyd. Thomas Ray's mother was a member of a Primitive Baptist church, and he cut his teeth on the doctrines of distinguishing grace.

When he was a small boy, his father was converted to Christ and became a member of a Missionary Baptist Church. Thomas Ray joined the church of his father when he was 13 years old, and thought of himself as a Christian. The doctrines of grace that he had heard as a child continued to be precious to him and when he became an adult, he joined a Primitive Baptist Church. When he was 27, Thomas Ray made his first effort to preach the gospel in public and was ordained to the full functions of the ministry in 1985. In 1986 he was convinced under the preaching of Rolfe Barnard (by tapes from Mt. Olive Tape Library), the written sermons of Spurgeon, and the ministry of Elder Zack Guess that he had been a false professor and cried out in agony of soul to the Lord Jesus Christ to have mercy and truly save him. And He did! Floyd then began to preach the gospel as he had been taught of the Lord.

Floyd has pastored churches in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee and until recently was pastor of a church plant known as "Particular Baptist Fellowship." He and his wife Brenda presently attend Zion Baptist Church at Polkville, Mississippi, pastored by Elder Glen Hopkins. The pulpit ministry of Zion Baptist Church can be heard at Sermonaudio.com.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

The Righteousness of God

(Article for publication week of 3-28-2012 AD)

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith’ “ (Romans 1:16-17).

These two verses are the inspired apostle Paul’s introduction to the book of Romans. The great theme introduced here is “the righteousness of God.” The gospel of Jesus Christ reveals to us the righteousness of God that is imputed to every one who believes. This phrase, “the righteousness of God”, is repeated several times in the epistle to the Romans, and is fundamental to our understanding of the gospel of Christ. The gospel is the good news of how a guilty sinner, with no righteousness of his own, has a righteous standing with God.

Righteousness is what God requires of His rational creatures. God requires a perfect righteousness for admission into His holy presence. Only those with “clean hands”, that is a righteous record shall be allowed to abide with Him in His tabernacle (Psalm 24:3-4). God’s requirement is that you must be as righteous as He is! Do I have your attention? Well, I hope so, and if you will keep reading I shall tell you the good news of the justifying righteousness of Christ.

Every one who believes in Christ for his whole and sole righteousness stands justified before God. These are “the just” of our text. The believer is just before God. He has the very “righteousness of God.” God counts the believer as righteous as Himself!” The believer in Christ has no righteousness of His own, but He has something infinitely better- the righteousness of Christ!

The book of Romans is the most theological of all the books in the Bible. This glorious inspired Book unfolds for us this theme of the righteousness of God. Martin Luther said that when he understood what the book of Romans meant by “the righteousness of God”, that is the righteousness that is imputed to the believer’s account, that is the righteousness worked out by Christ, why he said his heart was filled with such joy that it was as if the gates of heaven opened, “and I stepped in.” And so it is to every child of God that believes in Christ for salvation, and understands that God sees him not in his sins, but in Christ who is our whole and sole righteousness.

I am getting excited about this series of articles! Lord willing, we will be opening up all the precious details of this righteousness of God for the next few months.

For your information, I have been preaching through the Book of Romans for about six years now. We have come to chapter 12, verse 13. The whole series of sermons so far, including this week’s text, can be heard at Sermonaudio.com if you are interested.

Now I leave you with the gospel word. All who trust in Christ Alone for their righteous standing before God are just, and shall live by faith.



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