Exclusivity of Christ Romans 3_21_26

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Intro: Sam’s Club Member – Card You can’t get in with out the Card. I belong to another exclusive group and that is the family of God. You can only be restored to the family of God by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone.

Orientate: book/author/theme – Scripture 21-22

CPS: Mankind has a sin problem and the only remedy for it is faith in the blood of Jesus.

I. Universal Problem Vs. 23 (Sin)

Jew and Gentile - from Adam and Eve moving forward to the closing of the age.

What is Sin?

Sin – to fall short of God’s glory and will in thought, word, and deed. It is a continued action, still fall short

Illustration: Archers Bow and the Bulls eye

B. Why we sin?

1. We are sinners by nature

Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Psalm 51:5

2. We are sinner by Choice

Who changed the truth God into a lie, and worshipped the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1:25

C. What is the extent of our sin?

Total depravity - Sin has effected every part of us.

Sin brings the wrath of God as the appropriate response to human sin.

II. Universal Cure Vs. 24-25

A. Man is Justified = declared right by God

B. Jesus is the Propitiation = Mercy Seat

“Propitiation” means the satisfying of God’s holy Law, the meeting of its just demands

Lev. 16 Day of atonement Lev. 17:11 Blood

C. Grace free gift Applied by faith =

Illustration: Salvation is free, but it is not cheap. Dr. G. Campbell Morgan was trying to explain “free salvation” to a coal miner, but the man was unable to understand it. “I have to pay for it,” he kept arguing. With a flash of divine insight, Dr. Morgan asked, “How did you get down into the mine this morning?” “Why, it was easy,” the man replied. “I just got on the elevator and went down.”

Then Morgan asked, “Wasn’t that too easy? Didn’t it cost you something?”The man laughed. “No, it didn’t cost me anything; but it must have cost the company plenty to install that elevator.” Then the man saw the truth: “It doesn’t cost me anything to be saved, but it cost God the life of His Son.”

III. Exclusive Savior Vs. 26

A. Just

B. Justifier

C. for the ONE WHO HAS FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.

Illustration: Court Room - declared righteousness of God in Christ Jessus

2 Cor. 5:21

John 14:6

Application/Conclusion: Dream of Roman Guard -Me –

Invitation: Christian Flag

Notes

Exclusivity of Jesus (His blood) as Savior of the world.

All of mankind has missed God's glorious standard because of this He sent His son to meet His holy requirements so that those who would believe on Him would be made right with God.

Paul wrote this letter from Corinth just before he returned to Jerusalem with an offering for the poor believers there. (possibly 51-52 AD)

His reason for writing is to 1st warn the church of not falling into false teaching. 2nd Paul stresses the equality between Jewish and Gentiles believers. Jews and Gentiles alike are condemned as sinners (Rom. 2:9; 3:9, 23) and are saved by grace through faith apart from the works of the Law (Rom. 3:22, 28–30). 3rd Paul wanted to formally introduce himself to the Roman church and solicit support for his Spanish mission. He has evangelized the eastern portion of the Roman empire now he wanted to take the gospel to the western portion.

Romans 1:16–17 expresses the theme of the letter. Paul is not ashamed to proclaim the gospel because the gospel is God’s saving power that accomplishes salvation for all who believe whether they are Jews or Gentiles. The gospel reveals God’s righteousness, both His justice and His activity of justifying sinners (Rom. 3:21–26). Salvation by faith was not new but was the message of the OT prophets (Rom. 1:17; Hab. 2:4).

Man’s chief sin is failure to give God the glory that He deserves. *Idolatry!!! God has expressed His wrath by releasing humanity to the corrupting power of sin so that man’s sinful behavior is progressively more heinous and repulsive despite his clear understanding that sin results in death.

God will judge each person fairly and give him either the punishment or reward that his deeds deserve. God will judge both Jews and Gentiles equally, fairly, and justly, because God’s judgment is not based on favoritism.

The righteousness of God being manifested is God's saving activity in Jesus which the Scriptures testify to.

Justified - to be declared right - Legal term meaning acquitted

Important Words

Propitiation - hilastēriŏn, hil-as-tay´-ree-on; - The lid of the ARK of the covenant = Mercy Seat - Jesus became the Mercy Seat

(3x) Faith - pistis, pis´-tis - reliance upon Christ for salvation; =

(4x) Righteousness - dikaiŏsunē, dik-ah-yos-oo´-nay - Character of God = Saving Activity

(2x) Justified/Justifier - just or innocent:—free, justify (-ier), be righteous. = Declared Righteous by God.

Culture Context

The Law - prescribed regulations for living - but here righteousness as been manifested by means other than the Law. The Law teaches us what God's standard is but reveals to us our sin by our falling short of God's standard. Adherence to Law can not make a man righteous because no man can adhere completely to the Law.

But the Law and the Prophets (Scripture) Testifies of this righteousness manifested by Faith of Christ Jesus(vs.22)

Cross Reference

and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. 1 John 2:2

Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, Acts 17:30

and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, Phil 3:9

Parallel Passage

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Co 5:21.

Commentary Notes:

Under the Old Testament Law, righteousness came by man behaving; but under the Gospel, righteousness comes by believing.

Many people say, “I trust in God!” But this is not what saves us. It is personal, individual faith in Jesus Christ that saves and justifies the lost sinner. Even the demons from hell believe in God and tremble, yet this does not save them (James 2:19).

***** At great cost to God (vv. 24b–25). Salvation is free, but it is not cheap.

3:25. To “propitiate” (KJV, NASB) God was to turn away his wrath; although in Jewish tradition prayers, alms and other good deeds could turn away wrath (Ecclus 3:3, 20; 32:1–3; Wisdom of Solomon 18:20–21), the law also required bloodshed: something had to die to appease the wrath properly due a person’s sin. The term here may refer to the mercy seat (Ex 25:22). God mercifully “passed over” (Ex 12:13) sins before the cross, in anticipation of the sacrifice that would take place there. (One might compare the rabbinic view that repentance defers judgment until the Day of Atonement atones for sin, although nothing in the text suggests that Paul has this idea in mind here.)

“Propitiation” means the satisfying of God’s holy Law, the meeting of its just demands

Illustration: Dr. G. Campbell Morgan was trying to explain “free salvation” to a coal miner, but the man was unable to understand it. “I have to pay for it,” he kept arguing. With a flash of divine insight, Dr. Morgan asked, “How did you get down into the mine this morning?” “Why, it was easy,” the man replied. “I just got on the elevator and went down.”

**** Paul says that God could be just and simultaneously vindicate as just those who depend on Jesus, only because the sentence of wrath was executed on Jesus in their place (3:25).

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