Father Abraham Romans 3:21-4:25 Chapter 3

Paul’s theme: salvation – righteous declared Salvation justification by faith Justification: the act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous in Christ on the basis of the finished work of Christ on the cross Act, not process Each believer has the same right standing before God Something God does, not man

Sanctification: a process whereby God makes us more like Christ God declares us righteous, not make us righteous Legal matter God puts righteousness in our record in place of our own sinfulness Sanctification: a process whereby God makes us more like Christ Change from day to day; justification no change Justification Explained (3:21-31) “But the righteous of God has been manifested” (3:21)

Through faith in Christ (v.22a) In O.T. revelation His law, judgment against sin, His appeals through the prophets, & His blessings on the obedient Apart from the law (v. 21) O.T. law: righteousness by behaving Gospel: righteousness by believing Witnesses: sacrifices, types, “gospel” Scriptures like Isa 53 bore witness to God”s righteousness Through faith in Christ (v.22a) Faith: good as object; example of a chair Law righteousness, a reward for work; gospel righteousness, a gift through faith

At great cost to God (v. 24b-25) For all men (v. 22b-23) “All have sinned, and are coming short of glory of God” (/Rom 3:23) God declared everyone guilty By grace (v.24) Absolute attribute (what He is in himself) Love: God is love (I John 4:8) Relative attribute (how He relates to the world & man) When God relates love to us, grace & mercy God in His mercy does not give us what we deserves (hell) God in His grace what we do not deserve (heaven) Freely – without a cause At great cost to God (v. 24b-25)

In perfect justice (v. 25-26) Free, but not cheap Propitiation: satisfying God’s holy law and its just demands Blood: the price Illustration of Atonement Day Two goats; temporary “As far as east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps 103: 12) Coal miner In perfect justice (v. 25-26) God is love (I John 4:8); God is light (John 1:5) God of loves forgives sinners, but God of holiness must punish sin & uphold His righteous law God: just and justifier in Jesus Sins back to Adam

To establish the law ( v. 27-31) Justification by faith Fulfillment of the demands of the law: Jesus Faith makes it impossible for man to boast Justification Illustrated (4:1-25) Abraham, the father of all them that believe He was justified by faith, not works (1-8) God promised Abraham a son (Gen 15) Believed: to say Amen Counted (4:3): to put in one’s account Banking term: deposit 11 times in Romans 4 righteousness Reckoned, imputed Christ’s righteousness put in Abraham’s account God justified the ungodly (4:5) Christ’s righteousness put in our account

He was justified by grace, not law (9-17) Ps. 32:1-2 God forgives sins and impute righteousness apart from works Christians do sins & need forgiveness for fellowship with God (I John 5: 5-7, 9) God keeps record of good works, not sins He was justified by grace, not law (9-17) Circumcision of heart Abraham was uncircumcised & declared righteous 99 years old, 14 years later from Gen 15 Circumcision has nothing to do with justification Why circumcision? Sign: he belonged to God 7 believed His promise Seal: a reminder that God had given a promise & kept it

Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit Spiritual circumcision (Col. 2:10-12) Putting off old nature through death & resurrection Abraham was justified before the law Promise before the law Abraham, father of all believers, both Jews & Gentiles He was justified by the resurrection power, not human effort *v. 18-25) “Who quickeneth the dead” (4:17) Abraham’s body as a picture of resurrection Sarah, 89 years old, beyond fertility Walked by faith, not sight Abraham, strong in faith

Spiritual & physical descendants of Abraham righteousness Sinner is dead & unable to help himself before God can save him The gospel is “the power of resurrection” (1:16) because of the resurrection from the dead Proof that God accepted His Son’s sacrifice The key: “if we believe” (4:24) Dr. Ironside Spiritual & physical descendants of Abraham righteousness Abraham “ believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness”