1 Introduction

Quick Recap

• Paul's calling, the gospel and this epistle (1:1-15)
• The righteousness of God in the gospel (1:16-17)
• The righteousness of God in His judgment of sin (1:18–3:20)
• The righteousness of God in His judgment of His Son (3:21–5:21)

Romans 3:21-26

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God (although it is attested by the law and the prophets) has been disclosed– 22 namely, the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 24 But they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God publicly displayed him at his death as the mercy seat accessible through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because God in his forbearance had passed over the sins previously committed. 26 This was also to demonstrate his righteousness in the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who lives because of Jesus' faithfulness.

Perspective

Perspective

• God's point of view
  • the Cross
  • salvation

Context

• "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
• universal sinful condition
• reject the revelation of who God is
• God's righteousness is revealed in His wrath toward sin
• Jews took pride in the Law
• But in disobeying it, they reject it

"Under the Law"

• the Law leaves them defenseless before a righteous God
• Does not provide means of earning righteousness

2 The Righteousness of God

• revealed in salvation

3 Justification by Faith

"Apart from the Law"

• v. 21 key phrase
• God's righteousness NOW evident in a new way
• the Law and the Prophets bear witness

The Law Bears Witness

• Righteousness is defined by the Law
• No one could meet its high standards
• The Law itself says it is impossible
• But promises that God will provide it
• Jesus is the Righteous One promised

The Promise of God: Deut 5:29

If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever.

3.4 The Promise of God: Deut 9:4-6

4 Do not think to yourself after the Lord your God has driven them out before you, "Because of my own righteousness the Lord has brought me here to possess this land." It is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out ahead of you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness, or even your inner uprightness, that you have come here to possess their land. Instead, because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out ahead of you in order to confirm the promise he made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 6 Understand, therefore, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is about to give you this good land as a possession, for you are a stubborn people!

3.5 The Promise of God: Deut 18:14-19

14 Those nations that you are about to dispossess listen to omen readers and diviners, but the Lord your God has not given you permission to do such things. 15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you - from your fellow Israelites; you must listen to him. 16 This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: "Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die." 17 The Lord then said to me, "What they have said is good. 18 I will raise up a prophet like you for them from among their fellow Israelites. I will put my words in his mouth and he will speak to them whatever I command. 19 I will personally hold responsible anyone who then pays no attention to the words that prophet speaks in my name."

3.6 The Promise of God: Deut 29:4

But to this very day the Lord has not given you an understanding mind, perceptive eyes, or discerning ears!

3.7 The Promise of God: Deut 30:1-20

30:1 "When you have experienced all these things, both the blessings and the curses I have set before you, you will reflect upon them in all the nations where the Lord your God has banished you. 2 Then if you and your descendants turn to the Lord your God and obey him with your whole mind and being just as I am commanding you today, 3 the Lord your God will reverse your captivity and have pity on you. He will turn and gather you from all the peoples among whom he has scattered you. 4 Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 Then he will bring you to the land your ancestors possessed and you also will possess it; he will do better for you and multiply you more than he did your ancestors.

3.8 The Promise of God

6 The Lord your God will also cleanse your heart and the hearts of your descendants so that you may love him with all your mind and being and so that you may live. 7 Then the Lord your God will put all these curses on your enemies, on those who hate you and persecute you. 8 You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today. 9 The Lord your God will make the labor of your hands abundantly successful and multiply your children, the offspring of your cattle, and the produce of your soil. For the Lord your God will once more rejoice over you to make you prosperous just as he rejoiced over your ancestors, 10 if you obey the Lord your God and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this scroll of the law. But you must turn to him with your whole mind and being."

3.9 The Promise of God

11 This commandment I am giving you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it too remote. 12 It is not in heaven, as though one must say, "Who will go up to heaven to get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 13 And it is not across the sea, as though one must say, "Who will cross over to the other side of the sea and get it for us and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" 14 For the thing is very near you - it is in your mouth and in your mind so that you can do it. 15 "Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other."

3.10 The Promise of God

16 "What I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are about to possess. 17 However, if you turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, 18 I declare to you this very day that you will certainly perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess. 19 Today I invoke heaven and earth as a witness against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! 20 I also call on you to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob."

Not accomplished by Law-keeping

• Keeping the Law cannot justify
• It does not reveal righteousness

Olympic Judges

Righteousness manifest "apart from Law"

• Independent of Judaism, vv. 19 and 20
• God's righteousness is not revealed for the first time
  • evident in everything God does
  • handing people over to their sin
  • NOW in Jesus
• not new in kind

Makes righteous

• God has supplied the righteousness
• Emphasis on the way it is provided
  • "just" and "justifier"
  • "He is righteous and the One who makes one who has faith in Jesus righteous"
• a gift, on the basis of faith, not works

God's Standards

• God has established and declared this
• Also declares the conduct that is righteous and its reward
• ALL fail to meet this standard
• ALL deserve God's wrath
• To save us, the penalty has to be paid
• Also the righteousness has to be provided

Redemption (24)

• it is the price paid
• the debt is cancelled
• the Lord's sacrificial death on Calvary

Propitiation (25)

• satisfaction of God's righteous anger
• divine wrath has to be appeased
• the sinner is set free
• Not by setting aside the rules
• Demands of God satisfied in Christ
• At Calvary, righteousness is provided
• But mainly, it is demonstrated

The Cross

• God's righteousness is demonstrated
• sin was passed over
  • delay as an opportunity for repentance
  • Day of Atonement (Lev 16; Heb 9:1–10:18)
• in Jesus, sin was publicly punished
• final judgment also public

Emphasis

• Main point is the demonstration of God's righteousness
• emphasis not on Jesus
• emphasis on God the Father (2x)
• the Cross and the resurrection not directly mentioned
• Not just that God is the giver
• But God as the Gift
• we cannot keep it for ourselves

4 Conclusion

Misconceptions

• "God loves me just as I am"
• God accepts us because of who Christ is

Saved at Sea