Romans 3:21-30

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17] “the righteousness of God is revealed (being) from faith to (in order to produce) faith” [1:17]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17] II. ALL are condemned [1:18 – 3:20] A.“the wrath of God is revealed…” [1:18-19] B. all men are “without excuse” [1:20-32] C. “Therefore YOU are inexcusable” [2:1-11] D. Doers, not hearers will be justified [2:12-16] E. “…the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you” [2:17-24] F. “he is a Jew who is one inwardly” [2:25-29] G. “What advantage…has the Jew…?” [3:1-8] H. “There is none righteous…not one” [3:9-20]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17] II. ALL are condemned [1:18 – 3:20] III. ALL are justified by faith [3:21 – 4:25] A.“righteousness of God is revealed…” [3:21-26]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view As already seen in 1:17-18, the righteousness of God is revealed because the wrath of God has been revealed [cp. carefully 3:20-21]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view His righteousness is now revealed “apart from law” [v. 21; cp. “revealed from faith”; 1:17] Since “by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified (no righteousness!)”, justification is now revealed to be by other means: faith Bad news is followed by good news; those who are guilty and condemned by law can be justified by faith and forgiven [cp. Acts 13:38-39]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view His righteousness is now revealed “apart from law” [v. 21; cp. “revealed from faith”; 1:17] His righteousness is “witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”; shouldn’t be news to Jews Jews’ advantage in having “the oracles” [3:2] Paul already cited Hab 2:4 in Rom 1:17; Hab. understood that “the just shall live by his faith” Paul will argue next that Abraham (as the law witnesses) proves justification is by faith [ch 4]

R O M A N S “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] This is “righteousness” and “justification”; God pardons, forgives the wrong, and declares even the guilty one to be just [not ‘innocent’] by faith “justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” R O M A N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view His righteousness is now revealed “apart from law” [v. 21; cp. “revealed from faith” – 1:17] His righteousness is “witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”; shouldn’t be news to Jews His righteousness is “through faith in Jesus Christ” [v. 22; not by being innocent in the law] cp. Jer 50:20; Jesus is the means of a pardon All have become guilty by law [3:20, 23]; now “to all…who believe” God offers pardon [3:22]

R O M A N S GRACE FAITH “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] is OUR PART: We must believe on Christ in order to become justified GRACE is HIS PART: He “set forth” Christ’s blood as a propitiation (a substitute He will accept); if not for this gift, no salvation “justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” R O M A N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] cp. Eph 2:8; Mk 16:16 “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view His righteousness is now revealed “apart from law” [v. 21; cp. “revealed from faith” – 1:17] His righteousness is “witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”; shouldn’t be news to Jews His righteousness is “through faith in Jesus Christ” [v. 22; not by being innocent in the law] His righteousness is “by His grace” [v. 24] God justifies not based on merit [law]; is a gift The gift: accepting Christ’s blood as substitute

R O M A N S He is JUST: He is JUSTIFIER: The price was paid for all those sins He “overlooked” [3:25]; paid in Christ’s blood [Heb 9:22; Lev 17:11] He is JUSTIFIER: justification by faith explains how He was able to forgive David [cp. 4:5-8] and how He now forgives even us! “justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” R O M A N S 3:21 – 4:25 “the righteousness of God” [3:21-26] “to demonstrate His righteousness” “righteousness” is from the same Greek root as “justified” [3:20, 24]; God’s “justice” is in view His righteousness is now revealed “apart from law” [v. 21; cp. “revealed from faith” – 1:17] His righteousness is “witnessed by the Law and the Prophets”; shouldn’t be news to Jews His righteousness is “through faith in Jesus Christ” [v. 22; not by being innocent in the law] His righteousness is “by His grace” [v. 24] He “demonstrates His righteousness” [3:25-26] He is “just and the justifier” of those with faith

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 I. An introduction to Romans [1:1-17] II. ALL are condemned [1:18 – 3:20] III. ALL are justified by faith [3:21 – 4:25] A.“righteousness of God is revealed…” [3:21-26] B. The consequences of this doctrine [3:27-31]:

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 The natural consequences [3:27-31] “Boasting” is “excluded”; merit is out [3:27-28] “by what law?”: a law of works tends rather to promote boasting [Phil 3:9; Eph 2:9; Rom 10] a “law of [justification by] faith” tends rather to promote reliance on God; man recognizes his own helplessness and admits being a sinner [see Luke 18:9-14; Mark 2:16-17; self vs. God]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 The natural consequences [3:27-31] “Boasting” is “excluded”; merit is out [3:27-28] God is manifest as God over all men [3:29-30] If salvation (justification) were by Jewish Law, Gentiles would be excluded [cp. Eph 2:11-12] However, one and the same God will justify both Jew and Gentile by faith [rather than by law], and will establish Himself as the one God the Jews always taught He is [cp. Deut. 6:4; Dan. 6:20; Josh. 2:11; etc.]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 The natural consequences [3:27-31] “Boasting” is “excluded”; merit is out [3:27-28] God is manifest as God over all men [3:29-30] The [purpose of] law is established [3:31] It is the law that exacts shedding of blood to pay the price for sin! [Lev 17:11; etc.] God is not like the unjust Jews who “void the law” [cp. Pharisees, Mt 15:1-6; Is 5:23]; He upholds law and carries it to its full end Law has been useful for both Gentile and Jew in pointing out sin [cp. 2:12-15; 3:19]

“justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” N S 3:21 – 4:25 The natural consequences [3:27-31] “Boasting” is “excluded”; merit is out [3:27-28] God is manifest as God over all men [3:29-30] The [purpose of] law is established [3:31] Next study: these 3 consequences observed in the example of Abraham, proving that God’s plan all along was justification by way of faith

Have your deeds brought you only the knowledge of sin? “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”[Rm 3:23] “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” [Rom 3:10, 20; 6:23] HOWEVER… “…the gospel of Christ…is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith…” Have your deeds brought you only the knowledge of sin? You need the gospel offer of a pardon: “righteousness (justification)…from faith”! Won’t you believe and OBEY today?