SALVATION IN GOD’S SAVIOR SON

Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Romans

April 23, 2006 #23 in series

REDEMPTION PROVIDED IN GOD’S SAVIOR SON

3:21-11:36

For All Men Individually 3:21-8:39

For Israel Nationally chapters 9-11

FOR ALL MEN INDIVIDUALLY

JUSTIFICATION 3:21-5:21

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” NKJV

We have spent a great deal of time looking at humanity’s spiritual condition – or lack of it. We’ve seen in depth the universal need for man’s salvation. We’ve examined the condition of the heathen, the hypocrite and the Hebrew; then a summary statement of the condition of all mankind, regardless of ethnicity. We’ve seen that the human race has been fully revealed in all of its sinfulness – devoid of any righteousness that is acceptable to God. What humanity DESERVES is the judgment of God and we’ve examined that in some detail. However, what humanity NEEDS is the grace of God. So now it is time for God to be revealed in all of His saving grace and glory.

We come now to the section in Romans in which we are introduced to the remedy for man’s condition: SALVATION IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND HIS FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS! In this section we will examine in detail the facets of His saving work - justification by faith, which includes the doctrines of Propitiation and Redemption. I could write a theology on each of these truths- but I won’t. So let’s begin in verse 21 of chapter three.

SALVATION FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN – JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

(Romans 3:21-5:21). We come now to the introduction to and definition of Justification by Faith:

“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 7:12 tells us that “The Law is holy and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.” However, we are now introduced to a righteousness that is separate from the righteousness of the law. This righteousness is affirmed by the Law and the Prophets. The Law subscribed to it and the prophets predicted it. This righteousness is found in Jesus Christ alone and is appropriated by faith alone. It is not withheld from anyone. The New King James tells us this righteousness is TO ALL and ON ALL who believe.

Maybe we can illustrate it like this: I am wearing a suit this morning. I first saw this suit in a clothing store in Whittier. There was a price tag on it. Anyone who wanted it could have it if they met the conditions. You see the suit was “unto all”. I bought the suit. I met the conditions of the store. Now the suit is upon me. Likewise, God’s righteousness which clothes us is unto all, but is only on all them that BELIEVE– and them only -for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The word “fall short” is in a Greek tense that reads “continuously falling short.”

Beginning in verse 24 through 26 we see one of the most significant theological passages in the Epistle to the Romans and we need to take some time with these verses:

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 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, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

In our next pen pulpit we will take apart this passage and examine the statements that help compose the great message of Romans. I would like to suggest that you read Romans 3 several times through this next week – particularly verses 21-26.

God bless!