Having a Righteous Standing with God
The greatest question that a person could ever ask themselves is, “How is my standing with God?” This one question alone is the revealer of one’s eternity. Actually life and death hangs in the balance of the answer, for how a person stands before God decides their eternal destiny of heaven or hell. So how do we know? What does the bible say on how we can answer that question with assurance that we are right with God? What is the one thing that will cause me to be in right standing with Him. Paul introduces this theme of Justification: God declaring a believing sinner righteous, not guilty.
I. Justification is Impossible by the Laws Divine Indictment
A.The Law Rejects the Plea of the Sinner v.19
1. The Law has Pronounced Guilt on all Humanity
a. The righteous demands of the law completely strips away every defense
b. There is nothing that can be said on our behalf to plead our case
c. It renders that all are guilty before God
d. God has viewed us in light of His Law and found us guilty as charged
e. Many try to keep the law to gain acceptance of God
2. The big question, “What work can I do to inherent eternal life?”(rich young ruler, the multitudes asked Jesus, “What work can we do?”
3. Many are trusting in their affiliation with something or someone
B.The Law Requires the Punishment for Sin
1. It Condemns the Sinner
a. The only sentence that can be render by the law is not acquittal, but death.
Eze 18:4 the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death;
C.The Law Reveals the Presence of Sin v.20
1. The Laws Purpose
a. It reveals God’s Character and His righteous standard
b. It reveals our sinfulness and separation from God
c. God never gave the law to show us how to attain righteousness by trying to keep the law, but to show us the impossibility of keeping the law and point us to Christ.
Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
2. The Laws Proclamation
a. All have sinned = We have missed the mark, and have broken God’s law. We have each worked iniquity in our life
b. All have fallen short of God’s righteous standard. There is no way in and of ourselves we could ever meet the requirements of God’s righteousness.
II. Justification is Imputed by the Lords Divine Intervention
A.The Plan of Justification v.24-26
1. That God would Publically Display His Christ to the World
a. That Christ would come as Our Savior v.24
1. Christ Redeemed Us
a. Redemption means to buy back. It spoke of buying slaves off the slave market. Christ purchased us off the slave market of sin where we were held captive by the devil, and He set us free.
1. The Redeemer had to be Willing
2. The Redeemer had to be Wealthy
He had to have a payment sufficient to pay the price
b. That Christ would come as Our Sacrifice v.25
1. Christ paid the penalty of our sin
2. It is a Old Testament term and means to satisfy the just demands of the law.
3. It pictures the mercy seat and the broken law was under the lid but when the blood was applied there was forgiveness
4. Man is utterly incapable of satisfying God’s justice except by spending eternity in hell.
5. Jesus came and represented man in two ways.
a. He met the standards of the law. He lived sinless life
b. He paid the penalty of sin by shedding His blood
2. That God would Publically Demonstrate His Character to the World
a. God showed His righteousness at the cross when He poured out His righteous judgment on His Son.
b. God is not passive about sin nor does He condone it.
B.The Principles of Justification
1. Justification is Imputed or Deposited into our account. V.22
a. We are completely bankrupt and in debt. (illus. rich man)
b. Old Testament picture of the sacrifices on the Day of Atonement
c. Laying on of hands on the sacrifice and scapegoat
d. The sinner transfers their sin on the sacrifice and receives their innocence.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2. Justification is Received by Faith
a. A sinner looks at what Christ did for them at Calvary and completely trust in His finished work.
b. Faith declares you cannot save yourself and you trust and rest in the work of Christ.
c. Faith is the instrument of justification
3. Justification is Freely Given by Grace
a. God out of His great love and kindness offers us Himself
b. Salvation is free there is nothing we have done or ever could do to deserve it, it is free. It is a gift.
c. God out of his love gives us His unmerited favor. We deserve the punishment for our sin, but God gives us what we don’t deserve, His righteousness and forgiveness.