Pastor’s Pen Pulpit Romans

May 7, 2006 #25 in series

Advantages Of Justification By Faith

Romans 3:27-31

In justifying men on the basis of faith alone, there are three advantages evident in this brief passage. Justification by faith -

EXCLUDES BOASTING – vs. 27, 28

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. There is no place for boasting in our salvation. In fact Paul wrote in Galatians 6:14 “But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.”

When we boast in something we have done it pulls away from the merits of the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross. This is precisely what the Jews were doing. They were boasting in the fact that they were Jewish – but who made them Jewish? They boasted in the fact that they had the law of God- but who gave them that law? They also boasted in the fact that they tried to keep the law – but God said in James 2:10 “ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all.” Thus to violate a part of the law is violate the whole law - for a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

So the question, “where then is boasting?” is quite pertinent. The answer of course “it is excluded or shut out. For man is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.” The moment you try to add works to faith in regards to justification, faith is nullified or made void.

IT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE FACT THAT GOD IS THE GOD OF ALL MEN

vs. 29, 30

“Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”

If justification came by the works of the law, Gentiles would be at a great disadvantage for they did not have the law. This would make God a God of the Jews only. But no! Justification is by faith only, which provides all men, Jew and Gentile, opportunity to be justified.

IT ESTABLISHES THE LAW - v.31

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

One of the purposes of the law was to make men conscious of sin. “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin (3:20).” When men become aware of their violation of God’s character as expressed in the law and turn to Jesus Christ for forgiveness, they acknowledge the purpose of the law. Therefore, the law’s role has been established. “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith (Galatians 3:24).”

In concluding this chapter we see that, in our wonderful salvation, we have nothing within ourselves to boast in. “IT’S ALL ABOUT JESUS.”

JESUS PAID IT ALL,

ALL TO HIM I OWE,

SIN HAD LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN,

HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW.

God bless and have a wonderful week.