GOD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Rom 3:21-31
WE ALL ARE INCLUDED
V:21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.
A. The essence of faith is first given in Abraham’s testimony.
Rom 4:3
What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
1. At that time no law was given, until 430 years later, therefore
righteousness was accounted to Him because of his obedience to
God.
2. Before Abraham, Noah heard the voice of God and was obedient
to God’s instructions to build an ark to float on water when there
was no rain.
3. 300 years before Abraham was the priest Melchizedek.
4. Adam and Eve were made in the righteousness of God.
Gen 3:8
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was
walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
INGRAINED IN US IS A NATURAL KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
B. Man has always had the ability to hear the voice of God.
1. Adam’s choice to disobey God’s command in the Garden of Eden
cast us all into sin.
2. Man's biggest failure is listening to the voice of the world.
C. The Gospel of Jesus gives us the power to overcome the sin of the world.
1. According to evidence of the Dead Sea Scrolls found in the
Qumran caves, The Old Testament are dated more than 100 to 300 years
Before the birth of Christ.
2. Jesus used the Old Testament scriptures to rebuke the devil.
3. We have the righteousness of God before us, although we don’t
always follow the Word.
4. In order to understand the Word, you must first believe the Word.
BORN IN SIN WITH A WAY TO SALVATION
V:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
A. The condition we were born in is not our fault.
1. I believe it was God’s divine plan.
2. Sin did not start on earth.
3. God allowed Lucifer, one of His Arch Angels to rebel against Him.
4. Lucifer was judged, cast out of heaven, and became the ruler
of darkness.
5. God allowed Satan to show up in the Garden of Eden and cast
doubt on His authority in the minds of Adam and Eve.
B. Paul was certain that the sin of Adam was imputed upon all mankind.
1. God’s design did not allow His elect to remain in a state of
disbelief and disobedience.
2. He gave us His on Son as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. (John 3:16)
3. God’s design is that man learns the joy in obedience to His commands.
4. For a man to learn the harsh realities of sin, he has to suffer to the point
of conviction.
5. The point is. our salvation comes at the cost of faith in Jesus.
6. God’s Grace is freely given to all who believe without works.
JESUS THE PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR SIN
V: 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
A. It was the Father who sent Jesus as a blood sacrifice for the entire
world.
1. The “word” atonement means to turn away anger and to make
reconciliation between man and God.
2. The word “forbearance” means to hold back.
3. God turn away His anger for man's sins and held back His wrath
because of the perfect atoning sacrifice of Jesus.
4. Jesus blood shed on the cross satisfied the Father’s demand for justice.
THE ORIGIN OF FAITH
B. Throughout the Bible faith is the operative word for being a Christian.
1. How do you define faith in Jesus?
a. To believe: to fully trust in: to have confidence: to have assurance:
to have reliance: to have conviction.
b. Faith means both to believe and to be faithful to the belief.
2. Where does faith originate?
a. Let me make the argument that faith is divinely controlled.
b. Jesus said, no one can come to me unless the Father draws them.
c. Jesus also said, the ones that the Father gave me, I lose none.
d. The previous words of Jesus leaves the door open to some not being
drawn and some not being given to Him.
3. Paul concludes in Ephesians 1:4, that we were predestined to
be in the body of Christ before the foundation of the earth.
a. That leaves the door open to some being predestined and
some not predestined to be in Christ.
b. I conclude that it is not if we will have faith in Jesus,
but when will we develop the faith that was given to us?
4. Christ became the just and the justifier when He gave Himself
up to be crucified on the cross.
5. Christ fulfilled the mission of the Father when He rose from the
BOAST IN JESUS NOT YOUR GOOD WORKS
V:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.
A. No one can claim that he had anything to do with his/her salvation.
1. First we were not capable of coming to Christ on our own.
2. We were surrounded by light, but sin kept us in darkness.
B. No one has been able to keep the whole law.
1. If you are guilty of one part of the law you are guilty of the whole
law.
James 2:10
For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is
guilty of breaking all of it.
2. The Law was not given to save, but to show our sinfulness.
Gal 3:19
What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of
transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. T
Gal 3:21
For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness
would certainly have come by the law.
Gal 3:23-24
Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up
until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us
to Christ that we might be justified by faith.
JESUS IS THE WAY FOR ALL TO BE SAVED
V:29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
A. The covenant God made with Abraham covered all nations not
Just Israel.
Gen 17:4
As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many
nations.
1. Israel is just one nation.
2. The “many” includes believers in the rest of the world.
B. Jesus came not to do away with the law but to fulfill all the requirements
of the law,
Matt 5:17-18
"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have
not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 I tell you the truth, until
heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of
a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is
accomplished.
1. Jesus is the reason for our salvation
2. It is by the grace and mercy of God that we have eternal life.
3. The Halleluiah moment is that we were chosen to receive divine
salvation.
PRAISE GOD AND HALLELUIAH TO OUR KING
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
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