Rom 3:21-31 "God's Righteousness"

Does your employer have a gap between the end of the pay period and the issue of payroll?

When I worked for a chain restaurant in High School our pay periods ended at midnight on Saturday. The process before the days of direct deposit was that on the next day (Sunday) our manager would call the national office in Nashville with the number of hours and any change to payrate for each employee. 4 days later (Thursday) the location would receive an envelope with checks for each employee that were dated and to be distributed 3 days after the envelope arrived (the following Sunday). The employees would then cash or deposit their checks and funds would be available per the bank’s policies.

The point is that there was a delay between the work being accomplished and the compensation being available to the worker. When does the reward for work benefit the worker?

Jesus died for the sins of the world and was raised 3 days later making the righteousness of/from God available to sinners. When does the benefit of Christ’s work become useful to us?

The last 4 weeks we have been deepening our thirst for a remedy to our separation and rebellion against God. When do we experience resolution to the gap between our need and God’s requirement?

Unlike that payroll deposit or tax refund that you anticipate, the righteousness mentioned has no delay!

 For any tempted to believe that salvation is only an “after you die” remedy, Paul reminds that today is the day of salvation!Introduction

TRANSITION: The text in front of us today uses now to indicate that a transfer is available and the past perfect tense of has been manifested says the transfer has been completed.

Just Wrath against sin (Rom 1:18; 2:5,8; 3:5)

Wherever sin/wrath exists, an antidote is needed

God’s Righteousness Demands it (1 John 1:5)

1 John 1:5 ESV:2016

that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1. Exodus 19 gives great detail about the holiness of God when He met with Moses that is later summarized as…

Exodus 24:17 ESV:2016

Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel.

2. We’re later told that the Ark of the Covenant that represented when God visited His people was so holy it was to be transported with poles through rings, because just touching the box that represented the presence was lethal. Just ask Uzzah!

1 Chronicles 13:9–10 ESV:2016

Uzzah put out his hand to take hold of the ark, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark, and he died there before God.

Human Rebellion Deserves it (Rom 3:10)

Luke 16:26 ESV:2016

between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’

Go to our website and pull up last week’s sermon where we summarized all humanity with selfish priorities, hurtful words, and evil actions.

TRANSITION: I’ve been hinting and promising for 4 weeks that good news was on the way. It is finally here!

A Righteous Remedy Appears

The righteous remedy is not just an added comfortlike an extra blanket on the bed, it is essential like shelter from a freezing blizzard. Those who were calving a month ago, know exactly how shelter becomes a life-or-death necessity.

Declaration of source (21-22b)

The remedy is not something that we pull up from within ourselves or something that we resolve to accomplish!

This righteousness comes from God through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ for all who believe.

This righteousness originates in God Himself (as undoubtedly stated in v.26) and is mercifully extended to all who believe.

Distance requires a solution (22c-23)

Evel Knievel was a daredevil of a previous generation. Even his museum, that used to be in Topeka, has closed. Evel traveled all over the country jumping his motorcycle across rows of cars and trucks. But when he determined to jump the Grand Canyon, he rightly concluded that no motorcycle engine could get across that gap over the Snake River Canyon. Even his specialty rocket-powered Skycycle X-2 came up short.

After describing the various ways that man tries to offset the wrath of God, Paul concludes that a gap remains. This is the universal lostness of every single person summarized in Rom 3:23 text

Divine mercy extended (24-26)

It is important that we understand what is being described and that we are not substituting our ideas upon this exchange.

While God IS love, His love is not mentioned in this paragraph. While God forgives, forgiveness is not mentioned in this paragraph. While God at a future time will welcome the dead into His presence, Heaven or life after death are not mentioned in this paragraph.

The manifested righteousness of this paragraph is manifested now with both past and future ramifications. While in good English we are told to keep all the verb tenses similar, in the language Paul wrote it was common to mix things that are, things that have ended, and things yet to happen in one big idea.

Notice the 2 verbs in red font show something that started in the past but remain true. Any time the verb has red ℓvertical linesℓ on either side, this describes something that currently is happening or is in a state of being. Any of the verbs with a blue closed bracket shows things that used to happen, but have concluded. The one verb with a green open bracket is the only action yet to be completed.

For any tempted to believe that salvation is only an “after you die” remedy, Paul reminds that today is the day of salvation!

A month ago, Elder Bruce Wells led one of our Discipleship classes through a 3-week survey of the 33 majesties that happen at the moment of salvation. Getting saved, being born again, accepting Christ’s forgiveness and righteousness is WAY MORE than Hell insurance.

Now that we know WHEN things happen, lets get back to the words that describe WHAT is happening.

1. justified – righteousness applied. We are justified when God decides to look at the blood of Jesus and apply it to our guilt as our basis of righteousness, rather than look at our rebellion that deserves wrath.

You may find it helpful to learn that the word righteous (4x in today’s text) and the word justify (4x in today’s text) share the same root. While these 2 words don’t seem close in spelling, we can easily see the overlap between something that is just and something that is right.

This concept of justification (v.24) introduces the clause (v.25) where we encounter a word that probably needs some help for us to understand.

2. propitiation – exchange of wrath for favor

Example: Mouthwash that both kills germs and leaves you minty fresh

If you have an NIV, it mentions the atoning sacrifice. If you have an CSB is describes the mercy seat. This word can mean either the act of expiation or the place of propitiation.

forbearance – in the past sin was temporarily tolerated (or covered), but propitiation means the guilt has been eradicated! Amen!?

The Righteous Remedy Applied

Accomplished by Christ (v.24)

redemption that is in Christ Jesus

This righteousness is not because some people have more potential than others.

This righteousness is not because some people are more sorrowful of their sin than others.

This righteousness is not because some people do more kindness than others.

This righteousness is not found in ANY of the world religious system whereby man tries to reach god.

This righteousness is fully accomplished by a perfect God who took on human flesh, lived sinlessly, and died sacrificially as our substitute.

Accessed by faith (28-31)

if v.23 is an “open and shut case” for those outside of Christ, v.28 becomes the “open and shut case” for those in Christ. This deserves underline and highlight in your copy of the Scriptures. This is a verse that gives assurance of salvation.

Whether you received ashes last Wednesday or not, justification can become yours by faith! Whether you are faithful in your act of sacrifice during Lent or not, justification can become yours by faith! Whether you are Jewish or not, justification can become yours by faith! Whether you were raised religious or not, justification can become yours by faith! Whether you are baptized or not, you can transfer from the world of darkness to the kingdom of light! Whether you observe communion or not, you can transfer from the world of sin to the Kingdom of God!

2. This IS the good news! This IS the gospel!

Conclusion

For any tempted to believe that salvation is only an “after you die” remedy, Paul reminds that today is the day of salvation!

Today you can have the assurance, hope, and strength of salvation from God.text

Light & Lamp Application:

A Light for my Path

Before your feet hit the floor each morning recall “one is justified by faith apart from works”

A Lamp for my Steps

When tempted to boast in my accomplishments, remember that Jesus paid it all!

When tempted to give up hope, recite “Jesus paid it all!”

When tempted to doubt God’s love, reclaim the promise that He justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.