Lesson 3: Justification By Faith - Romans 3:21-5:21
Justification Declared by God 3:21-31
1. In Rom 3:21 Paul says, "But now…" What transition or change is Paul pointing out by using this clause?
a) The change from the Law to Grace. From the failure of man to save himself to the victory of Christ saving mankind.
2. According to vs. 22 how is the righteousness of God revealed without the law?
a) Through faith of Jesus
Christ to all and upon
all that believe.
3. Why in vs. 23 is faith in Jesus Christ the only way of salvation?
a) For ALL have sinned and come
short (ὑστερέω
hystereō: to fall short, be deficient, miss the mark) of the glory of God.
Paul has shown all to be sinful with and without the law when held to the
standard of God’s holiness.
4. Let's define some “salvation” words
a) Sin: (Gk. hamartano) to wander from the law of God, to violate God's law
b) Justify: (Gk. dikaioo) to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous
c) Grace: (Gk. charis {khar'-ece}) unmerited, unearned favor and mercy, the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ
d) Redemption: (Gk. apolutrosis
{ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis}) releasing effected by payment of ransom
e) Propitiation:
(Gk. hilasterion {hil-as-tay'-ree-on}) relating to an appeasing, or placating,
used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies
f) Remission:
(Gk. paresis {par'-es-is}) passing over, letting pass, neglecting,
disregarding.
5. Vs. 26, what is declared by God's justifying of us through faith in Christ?
a) His righteousness and His
justice.
6. Vs. 28 Paul's conclusion to the first 3 chapters is given here. What is that conclusion?
a) Man is justified by faith
without the deeds (ἔργον ergon: toil; acts: labour, work) of the law.
7.
This is A. T. Robertsons commentary on Romans 3:28
"Nowhere has Paul put the problem of God more acutely or profoundly. To
pronounce the unrighteous righteous is unjust by itself. God's mercy would not
allow him to leave man to his fate. God's justice demanded some punishment for
sin. The only possible way to save some was the propitiatory offering of Christ
and the call for faith on man's part." -Robertsons NT Word Pictures.
8. How did Paul establish the law by means of faith?
a) It shows the law’s true purpose. It was never meant to save but only to condemn. Faith's purpose was to take up where the law left the condemned, convicted sinner and be the means of his salvation through the gospel.
B. Justification Illustrated in Abraham 4:1-25
1. Abraham justified by faith 4:1-8
2. Why does Paul use Abraham as an example of justification by grace through faith?
a) Abraham was the father of Israel but also of all the Gentiles who through faith become children of God.
3. Vs. 3 Where is the scripture that Paul is quoting?
a) Genesis 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
4. Abraham justified without works 4:9-16
a) Vs. 9-10 Why does Paul bring up Abraham's circumcision?
b) He uses it to show that Abraham was justified before he was circumcised i.e. the work followed salvation, therefore the work could not have justified him.
c) Vs. 10-12 Why did Paul say Abraham was circumcised?
d) As a seal, a mark, of righteousness through faith. The work was the result of justification, not to earn it. Because of this Abraham could be the father of all that believe, both Jew and Gentile.
5. Abraham's faith exhibited 4:17-22
a) Vs. 17 What does Paul say God does?
b) God by His power makes the dead
alive and calls
things which don’t exist
as if they do exist. (Omnipotence and Omniscience)
c) Vs. 18-22 What specific unseen promise did Abraham believe?
d) That he would be the father of many nations even though his own and Sara's age was too great to have children.
6. Abraham's justification recorded for our benefit 4:23-25
7. What unseen promise must we believe if we are to be justified?
a) That the death, burial and resurrection of Christ was payment for our sin. We must believe
we can be reconciled to God and have eternal life through His death.
C. Justification's Results in Us 5:1-21
1. Blessings of our justification 5:1-5
a) Vs. 1-5 What are the 7 blessings we receive because we are justified?
b) Peace with God
c) Access by faith into this grace
d) Glory in tribulations (our suffering, our afflictions)
e) Patience (patient endurance, fortitude)
f) Experience (proven character, tested and tried integrity)
g) Hope (that does not disappoint or leave us ashamed)
h) Holy Spirit
2. Justification once for all time and eternity v. 6-11
3. List the reasons justification is eternal.
a) Justified by His strength not ours.
b) Justified by His sacrifice not our goodness.
c) Justified by His blood (past action), we shall (future result) be saved from wrath.
d) Justified while we were enemies (past action), now reconciled (present standing) we shall be saved by his life (future result).
e) Justified by Jesus Christ by
whom we now have
received (present possession) the atonement (the past action completed).
4. Adam's offense brought sin and death 5:12-14
5. According to Paul, what does death prove?
a) Vs. 12 That all men have inherited Adam's sinful
nature and suffer the penalty for it through death.
6. Vs. 13 What does Paul mean when he says, "sin is not imputed when there is no law"?
a) God does not exact a
penalty when the law
does not exist. The point is that even though there was no law all still died,
proving that in Adam they all sinned.
7. Vs. 14 How is Adam a figure of Him who is to come?
a) Adam, our natural head, brought sin and death Jesus Christ, our spiritual head, brought grace and life. One is our physical firstborn, the other is our spiritual firstborn.
8. Jesus Christ's death brought grace and life 5:15-21
9. Does the work of Christ surpass the trespass of Adam?
a) Yes! Paul uses words like
"much more, abounded unto many, abundance"
10 Is there any sin which grace cannot overcome?
a) No, not
now. The unpardonable sin in Matthew 12:31, was committed by
the Pharisees who saw Jesus' miracles, were convicted in their hearts that He
was the Messiah and Son of God, by the Holy Spirit, yet lied and said the works
were done by demons or the devil.
This kind of sin is not possible today. Jesus is not on earth doing
miracles by the Holy Spirit, and the Pharisees were a unique product of their
time, legalism and history.
11. Vs. 17 Thinking about “grace doth much more abound” Will there be more souls in heaven or hell?
a) Many more will be in heaven than hell because Christ is greater Satan and Jesus’ salvation is greater than Satan’s destruction.
b) Consider Revelation 7:99 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.
c) Also imagine how many will be
saved during the Millenium when Jesus in on the earth for 1000 years and there
is no sickness, famine, or premature deaths.
12. Vs. 18-19 What does this verse teach us of God's election and grace? Is it offered to a few or to all?
a) It is to
all. Paul compares all
men being condemned by Adam's sin to all men being justified by Christ's
righteousness.
13. Vs. 20-21 When did the law enter?
a) In the Garden, when God told Adam not to eat of the tree.
14. What was the result of the law entering?
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