These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
- The doctrine of Grace – Chapters 1-8
- All have sinned – Chapters 1-3
- Saved by faith alone – Chapters 4-5
- Victory over sin – Chapters 6-8
- Benefits…
- Having established God is NOT partial – He will JUDGE everyone [Jew and Gentile]
- And that it does NOT matter what LABEL we give to ourselves [what religion]
- Is there any PROFIT in then to going to CHURCH [religion]
- The answer is YES – there are a MANY [πολύς] advantages to being in CHURCH [religious]
- FIRST and foremost – because we get to hear the ORACLES of God [the Bible]
- Excuses…
- Paul anticipated EXCUSES people would have to NOT go to CHURCH…
- ALL seeking to pass the BLAME onto God – as if somehow our failures are His fault…
- But unless we ADMIT we are the PROBLEM – then we are NOT ready for the SOLUTION…
- EVERYONE is a sinner – both the RELIGIOUS [Jews] and NON religious [gentiles]
- There are NONE that are good – NOT even one – Psalm 14:1
- The throats of ALL men are like an open TOMB [their badness is coming out] – Psalm 5:9
- They RUN to EVIL – because their THOUGHTS are EVIL – and they have NO peace – Isaiah 59:7-8
- Because they have NO fear of God – for they flatter themselves – Psalm 36:1
- The Purpose…
- We KNOW [εἴδω] that what the LAW [ὁ νόμος] says [present]
- It says so every mouth will be SHUT – and the whole world will be GUILTY before God…
- For NO flesh [Jew or Gentile] can be JUSTIFIED in the eyes of God [just as if we never sinned]
- The purpose of the LAW is so we can KNOW [ἐπίγνωσις] we are SINNERS!
- 1st – Saved by grace … vs. 21-26
- 1st – Apart from the Law… vs. 21
- But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed!
- Having established God is NOT partial – He will JUDGE everyone [Jew and Gentile]
- That it does NOT matter what LABEL we give to ourselves [what religion]
- And the ONLY purpose of the LAW is to establish that we are SINNERS – Romans 3:20
- NOW – we are ready to SEE the ANSWER…
- Being RIGHT with God [righteous] is REVEALED [passive] apart from the LAW [νόμος]!
- Most people have it set in their minds – they are good because of what they do…
- If they cheat – lie – steal – and hurt others – then they are a BAD person…
- If they go to church – help those in need – are kind to strangers – they are GOOD!
- But trying to be right with God [righteous] – by keeping RULES [νόμος] does NOT work…
- We might keep most of the LAW [613 commands] – most of the time…
- But the moment we break just ONE – we are NOT righteous – James 2:10
- NO matter how hard we try – we CANNOT be right with God by keeping the LAW…
- So there has to be another way to heaven – APART from our own efforts!
- 2nd – Witnesses… vs. 21
- Old Covenant…
- Being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets!
- The LAW [τοῦ νόμου] and the PROPHETS – together making up the Old Testament…
- Anticipated [μαρτυρέω] our inability to meet the STANDARD…
- God gave Israel all the RULES they needed to keep – He gave them the LAW…
- But even before Moses died he told Israel they would NOT be able to keep the LAW…
- The Law would be a WITNESS [μαρτυρέω] against them – revealing their sinful nature!
- Deuteronomy 31:26-29 – “Take this Book of the Law… that it may be there as a witness against you… For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you.”
- The FAULT is NOT in the Law – the Law is PERFECT – Romans 7:12
- The FAULT is in US – we are NOT perfect – Romans 7:14
- And while the LAW has the power to show us our FAULTS – show us we are SINNERS…
- The LAW is LIMITED – it has no POWER to make us PERFECT!
- New Covenant…
- Since the OLD way did NOT work – there was a need for a NEW way…
- There was a need for a BETTER way – one that did NOT depend on us…
- What was needed was a way to get to heaven APART from our own works…
- NEW Covenant – where God does ALL the work for us – He makes us RIGHTEOUS!
- Jeremiah 31:31-33 – “The days are coming says the LORD – when I will make a new covenant… I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts.”
- The NEW Covenant is NOT about what we have to DO – but what God DOES for us…
- Only Jesus can bring LASTING change – a transformed heart and new life…
- As we come to Jesus – we are CHANGED from the inside out!
- 3rd – By Grace… vs. 22-24
- Through Faith… vs 22
- Even the righteousness of God – through faith in Jesus Christ!
- We access this NEW covenant [promise] – though FAITH [πίστις]
- By FAITH in Jesus Christ – we are made RIGHTEOUS [δικαιοσύνη]
- The word RIGHTEOUS – means to be RIGHT with God [without sin]!
- Romans 12:3 – “God has dealt to each one a measure of FAITH.”
- Jesus said some have GREAT faith – while others have LITTLE faith – Matthew 8:26
- The wording leads us to think of FAITH in terms of QUANTITY…
- As if one person is given a LOT of faith – while another is LIMITED…
- But Jesus rejected this idea – when the disciples asked Him to INCREASE their FAITH!
- Luke 17:6 – “[All we need is the] faith of mustard seed.”
- FAITH is not about QUANTITY or QUALITY – it is about WHO we put our TRUST in…
- We can have LOTS of FAITH – but if it is NOT placed in the right place it is useless…
- Because if we put our FAITH in something has NO power – it CANNOT save us…
- If we think our good WORKS can get us to heaven – we have FAITH in ourselves…
- If we think our RELIGION can get us to heaven – we have FAITH in a men…
- Only when we place our FAITH in Jesus [all power] – can we get to heaven!
- For everyone… vs. 22-23
- To all and on all who believe. For there is no difference.
- For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God!
- This RIGHTEOUSNESS of God is available to [εἰς] EVERYONE [πᾶς]
- And comes UPON [ἐπί] ANYONE [πᾶς] who BELIEVES [has faith] in Jesus…
- Because there is NO difference – ALL [πᾶς] have SINNED [missed the mark]
- We have ALL fallen short of the STANDARD [δόξα] God gave through His LAW…
- So EVERYONE needs the salvation that ANYONE can receive – by FAITH!
- This is one of the most QUOTED verses in the entire Bible…
- But it is often MISUNDERSTOOD – it is not CONDEMNATION – it is a CHOICE…
- It is saying we are ALL sinners – but knowing that open the door to be SAVED…
- Because EVERYONE can choose to put their FAITH in Jesus Christ!
- Romans 10:13 – “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
- The Gift of God… vs. 24
- Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus!
- By FAITH we are JUSTIFIED [δικαιόω] – same root word as RIGHTEOUS [δίκαιος]
- This is our KEY word in ROMANS – the JUST live by FAITH – Romans 1:17
- JUSTIFIED – just as though we had NEVER sinned…
- FREELY [δωρεάν] – the word means to without COST [δωρεά]
- By GRACE [χάρις] – 156x in NT – better translated as GIFT…
- Without any COST to us – we have been given the GIFT of our REDEMPTION [ransom]!
- We were all in DEBT – every SIN we did sank us DEEPER…
- It was as though SIN had kidnapped us – and we were POWERLESS to get free…
- But Jesus came and PAID our DEBT [ransom] in FULL [all of our sin]
- To us it was FREE – but our forgiveness came at the GREATEST of all costs!
- Mark 10:45 – “The Son of Man [came] …to give His life a ransom for many.”
- We are sinners who have made countless mistakes…
- But FAITH in Jesus is the KEY that unlocks our access to the GIFT [χάρις] of REDEMPTION…
- So that when God looks down on us – He does NOT see our FAULTS…
- He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect – FAULTLESS!
- II Corinthians 5:21 – “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
- 4th – Justified… vs. 25-26
- Covered… vs. 25
- Whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood through faith!
- God set up Jesus as a PROPITIATION for our SIN – through FAITH in His blood [cross]
- PROPITIATION [2x in NT] – also translated as MERCY Seat – Hebrews 9:5
- MERCY SEAT – from the Hebrew verb [כָּפַר] – to COVER [atonement]
- The LID of the ARK that sat in the Holiest of All – with TWO angels on top – Exodus 25:18
- Symbolic of the THRONE ROOM of God – surrounded by the CHERUBIM – Revelation 4:8
- This was the place where the HIGH priest would come once a year on Yom Kippur…
- To make ATONEMENT – COVER the sins of all Israel – Leviticus 16:14
- We come to the MERCY SEAT [to the Throne Room] – to be forgiven by the Lord…
- But our sins are NOT just COVERED – our sins are REMOVED – Hebrews 8:12
- Righteous… vs. 25
- To demonstrate His righteousness.
- Because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed!
- God had a DILEMMA – one in which the CROSS [blood] was the ONLY solution…
- God LOVES us – He desires for us to be with Him FOREVER in Heaven – II Peter 3:9
- But God is RIGHTEOUS – and could NOT overlook our SIN…
- Therefore the ONLY way for God to PASS over the SINS we had committed [perfect]
- Was for Jesus to DIE for our sins [shed His blood] – to SATISFY the penalty of the LAW!
- If you have a law – but do not enforce it – then there really is no law at all…
- If I say you have to wear a HELMET – but do NOT enforce it – it is NOT required!
- If God gave us the Law and there was no penalty – the Law would be meaningless…
- Therefore someone had to pay the price [death] for our SIN – Romans 6:23
- By paying the price for sin on the cross – God proved [ἔνδειξις] He was RIGHTEOUS!
- Justifier… vs. 26
- To demonstrate at the present time His righteousness.
- That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus!
- Therefore the cross PROVED [ἔνδειξις] TWO things…
- It demonstrated that God is JUST [δίκαιος] – He punishes SIN…
- And He also the JUSTIFIER [δικαιόω] of those who put their FAITH in Jesus!
- It is like if we took a test in school and got an F – but the best student in the class got an A…
- That student came to us and offered to swap grades and take our F – and give us their A!
- We failed the test of life – we got an [F] – Jesus got it all right – He got an [A]
- He took our SIN [F] and gave us His RIGHTEOUSNESS [A]
- The New Covenant simply says we need to ask and receive His free GIFT!
- 1st – Apart from the Law… vs. 21
- 2nd – No boasting … vs. 27-31
- 1st – The contrast… vs. 27-28
- Under the Law…
- Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works?
- Therefore [οὖν] – since we are JUSTIFIED as a GIFT from God…
- We do NOT have anything we can BOAST about – we did NOT do any of the WORK!
- The Law encourages boasting – because it is all about our works…
- People love to act HOLY – tell us how GOOD they are…
- People love to tell us how much BETTER they are compared to others [self-righteous]
- Walk into a church and see the donation plaque – or the thank you announcements!
- Under Faith…
- No – but by the law of faith!
- Under the law [νόμος] of FAITH there is no more boasting…
- FAITH removes bragging because we did NOT do anything – God did it ALL!
- Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God – not of works – lest anyone should boast.”
- If we bought a new CAR – we could boast in what we had PURCHASED…
- But if we are given a CAR – might boast about who gave it – but NOT in ourselves!
- Jesus did all the work to save us – we go to heaven as a FREE gift from God…
- We cannot boast how good we are – we are no good sinners – we can only boast in God!
- Psalms 34:2 – “My soul shall make its boast in the LORD.”
- Apart from the Law… vs. 28
- Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law!
- Therefore – pointing back to the first THREE chapters of Romans…
- Having established God is NOT partial – He will JUDGE everyone [Jew and Gentile]
- That it does NOT matter what LABEL we give to ourselves [what religion]
- And the ONLY purpose of the LAW is to establish that we are SINNERS – Romans 3:20
- The ONLY conclusion we can REASONABLY [λογίζομαι] come to is…
- We are JUSTIFIED [just as if we never sinned] by means of FAITH [instrumental]
- APART [without] any of the works of the Law [no article]
- Salvation by GRACE alone – though FAITH alone – in CHRIST alone…
- There is NO other option – there is NO other way to get to heaven…
- Because if there were – then Jesus died for NO reason!
- Galatians 2:21 – “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.”
- 3rd – Jew and Gentile… vs. 29-30
- 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!
- Is the Lord ONLY the God of the Jews [religious] – NOT the Gentiles [worldly]
- NO – there is only ONE God – and only ONE way to be JUSTIFIED [δικαιόω]
- CIRCUMCISION [religious] are JUSTIFIED from [ἐκ] FAITH [not the Law]
- UNCIRCUMCISED [worldly] are JUSTIFIED through [διά] the [τῆς] FAITH [same as the religious]
- We all have to come to the SAME God – to be saved the SAME way!
- There is NOT a God of the CATHOLICS – and different God of the BAPTISTS…
- There is only One God – and only One church – those who believe by faith in Jesus!
- Ephesians 4:4-6 – “There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called in one hope of your calling. One Lord – one faith – one baptism – one God and Father of all.”
- 4th – Fulfilling the Law… vs. 31
- Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not!
- On the contrary – we establish the law!
- One might argue then that through [διά] the [τῆς] the FAITH – the Law becomes irrelevant…
- Certainly NOT [μὴ] – on the contrary [ἀλλά] FAITH makes it possible to keep the LAW…
- The Law only has the power to CONDEMN us – it cannot make us GOOD…
- But FAITH that opens the door to GRACE – has the power to CHANGE us!
- That Law can tell us NOT to be angry – cheat – or covet what others have…
- The Law can tell us to love our enemies – be kind to those who hate us…
- But it cannot change our heart so that we can – or even want to do those things!
- It is only through the gift of GRACE – through faith in Jesus…
- God can change our DESIRES – changes our HEARTS – so we can do GOOD…
- He gives us the power of His Spirit to live a changed life – one that upholds the LAW!
- 1st – The contrast… vs. 27-28