Justification: Romans 3:24-5:11

As we have seen, Romans can be difficult to study, but keep this in mind.

“Romans is God’s Word. We must go beyond human effort to get at the meaning. The Holy Spirit alone can teach us.” Now, I would say this is true with all of God’s Word. Discussions are great, and I believe we learn through discussion, and the goal is for us to learn together as we are guided by the Holy Spirit and as each of you offer your unique perspective. Jamie shared her perspective with me about observing the Lord’s Supper, and I appreciated what she said. The point is this. As Christians, we benefit each other’s spiritual growth when we engage in spiritual conversations, and the reason why many Christians never grow spiritually is because they do not engage in those conversations.

Romans 1:18-Romans 3:23 describe the sinful nature of ALL MANKIND. I used the word depravity, and Lauren said I should use the word wickedness. To each his or her own. In that section of Scripture, the Bible says that all men from the immoral person to the hypocrite to the Hebrew are all guilty before God.

Actually, did you know that the sin of the hypocrite is probably worse than the sin of the immoral person? ____________________

Using your own words, how would you define a hypocrite? _____________________________________________________________

Why do you think the sin of a hypocrite would be worse than the sin of someone who totally rejects God with no false pretenses?

Are hypocrites and backsliders the same thing?

The entire section of Romans 1:18-3:23 can be summed up by a few verses.

Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,”

Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,”

Romans 1:22 “Professing to be wise, they became fools,”

Romans 1:24 “Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,”

Romans 2:1–2 “Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.”

Romans 2:5–6 “But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:”

Romans 3:10–12 “As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.””

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Those passages do not paint a pretty picture of mankind. We are a hopeless, doomed, and damned race, but God has made a way for us to be JUSTIFIED.

Romans 3:24–26 “being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

There are three things that happen to you the moment you are saved.

Justification (Instantaneously)

Sanctification (Positional & Progressive)

Glorification (Will be realized in the future but God sees you as if it has already happened)

In this lesson, we are going to look at justification.

Let’s analyze the key parts of Romans 3:24-26.

“Being justified freely by His grace.”

If I were to say justification is the absolute most pivotal idea in the doctrine of salvation. What do you think I mean by the absolute most pivotal? _______

Alright, I am going to try to make this as simple as possible, but this is absolutely critical for your understanding of what God did for us.

Before Christ, there was judgment; now, there is justification. Justification is not just being pardoned or forgiven. Consider this.

The President of the United States has the power to pardon someone. What does it mean for someone to be pardoned?

The criminal record, however, still remains. A pardon deals with the past. It has no bearing on the future.

Through justification, more than just our punishment is cancelled. Our status is changed.

The following passages reveal the changed status of a justified person.

Romans 8:14–17 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

Because of sin, we deserve death, but through justification we become sons and daughters of God and joint heirs with Christ.

What do you think it means to be joint heirs with Christ?

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

How does it make you feel to be the chosen of God?

What does it mean to be His own special people?

Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Justification transforms you. What does transformation mean in the life of someone who places his or her faith in the Lord Jesus?

How are our minds renewed?

Justification, indeed, means our statuses have been changed before God, and with that changed status comes certain expectations that we will deal with later, but let me just say this. If you are justified, you belong to God. If you belong to God, that means He is your Master, and that means He has the right to do with you what He chooses when you disobey Him.

Hebrews 12:6 “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.””

Here is a key difference between a pardon and justification.

A pardon, as I said, deals with the past, but justification covers past, present, and future violations of the Law. Now, here is the key. If we are transformed as soon as we are justified (saved), should we continue to live in sin?

In verse 24, the word freely is used.

We cannot buy our justification. We cannot earn our justification. Our justification is a free gift as result of God’s grace.

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.”

Justification is free to us as a result of God’s grace, but we can only be justified by faith in Jesus Christ.

Another key word is found in verse 25, and the word is propitiation.

“God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith.”

Propitiation is very important too because it is through propitiation that we are justified.

The Greek word translated propitiation is translated from the Hebrew word that described the mercy seat which was the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. Once a year, the High Priest would enter the Tabernacle or the Temple and sprinkle the blood of a sacrifice over the mercy seat making propitiation for the sins of Israel. It was the place of forgiveness based upon the sacrifice offered. Each of those sacrifices pointed toward the future sacrifice of Jesus Christ who became a one-time propitiation for the sins of the world. The Cross in essence becomes the mercy seat for the ages.

Now, putting those elements together, this is what you get.

“Through God’s grace, we are justified through the blood of Jesus Christ whose blood is a perpetual sacrifice for our sins.”

By the way, do you know what the New Testament calls the resurrected Jesus Christ?

As a Christian, you are justified by God through the blood of Jesus Christ. It is justification based upon God’s grace and faith in Jesus Christ. Let me share some more passages with you that explain it.

1 Peter 1:18–21 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”

These people who do not believe in the security of the believer have it all wrong, and you must understand this. If when you die, you have one-half of one sin charged to your account, you will go to hell; however, God accepted the blood of Jesus Christ as the propitiation of all of our sins, and it is faith in what Jesus Christ did that applies that propitiation and justifies us before God.

All of our hopes are based upon God’s justification of us through Jesus Christ, and proof of what Jesus did as being the acceptable sacrifice is the Resurrection.

In your own words, why is the Resurrection so important?

The 8 benefits of justification: (Romans 5:1-11).

(1) Peace

Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

Justification is an act, an act that gives us peace with God. Here is what you must understand.

Peace does not mean a state of tranquility and contentment. Peace means the state of being reconciled to God, of being made acceptable to God. Having peace means we are no longer enemies with God. It means we are wrapped in God’s mercy and grace.

The most important peace is peace with God. It is an eternal peace.

(2) Access

Romans 5:2 “through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Our faith in Jesus Christ gives us access to God the Father. We are no longer shut by our sins. Faith is our ticket to the Father. We did not pay the admission price of the ticket. The admission was paid by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Think about it like this.

Very few have access to the President of the United States, but the weakest, sorriest, most insignificant, low-down sinner can have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ.

When we pray, why do we pray in the name of Jesus?

(3) Hope

Romans 5:2 “through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

Justification allows the Christian to rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

What is the hope that is associated with justification? (1 Corinthians 15:4, Titus 2:11-14).

The hope we have is linked directly to God accepting what Jesus did on the Cross. That is why Jesus said this.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

(4) Triumph

Romans 5:3–4 “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

This is the one benefit of justification that is probably the most difficult for Christians to grasp. Yes, we are all about having peace with God, about having access to God, and about having hope because of the Resurrection, but when it comes to rejoicing in times of struggle, we just draw the line there, but I am telling you, and I have not gotten to this point in my life I freely admit, when a Christian gets to the point where they can rejoice in the face of tribulation, that Christian will be taking a giant leap forward in his or her spiritual journey.

The word glory in verse 3 conveys the idea of triumph/victory and the joy that comes with triumph and victory.

Describe how you felt the moment you were saved.

That is the same kind of experience God wants you to have when you face trouble in this life because it is the trouble we face that propels us to the point God wants to get to in our spiritual journey.

It is one of the most incredible spiritual concepts in the Bible, particularly in the New Testament letters to Christians.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 “And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,”

James 1:2–4 “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

1 Peter 1:7 “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,”

Dear friend, it is the fires of this life and world that refine us, and how we face those troubles can either bring glory to Christ or sadden Christ. When we rely on God in a crisis, both the Son and the Father are glorified, and the Godhead celebrates with us when look at trouble as a way to praise, honor, and glory God.

Are you one of these ostrich Christians? Are you one that wants to stick your head in the sand as trouble comes?

The Bible tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. There should never be a time as a Christian that you bury your head in the sand wondering what to do. Instead of sticking your head in the sand, triumph in the fact that you can hand it to Jesus knowing that something miraculous may occur.

I am telling you, dear friend, this one thing is keeping many Christians from experiencing the peace of God which passes all understanding. When we get to the point in any situation where we realize that Christ is sufficient, we will triumph in that situation, but too many of us restrict what God can do in our lives because of DOUBT.

Listen to me. Let me tell you the scriptural connection in this.

It is through troubles that the fruit of the Spirit is produced in our lives.

Galatians 5:22–23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

God knows what it is going to take you from the point of salvation to where He wants you to get on your spiritual journey. The troubles we face are not meant to weaken us. They are meant to strengthen us.

(5) The Love of God

Romans 5:5–8 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Here we go ding-ding-ding as the bell sounds to start the match.

How many of you have trouble with loving your enemies as Jesus says to do? Do you know why?

It is the love of God that has been poured into our hearts that makes it possible for us to turn the other cheek. It is the love of God that has been poured into our hearts that makes it possible for us to love our fellow man. It is the love of God poured into our hearts that should create within us a zeal to share the Gospel. It is the love of God poured into our hearts that makes it possible for us to obey the Holy Spirit.

The love of God is a supernatural spiritual love that is made possible through justification. It is the love that creates stability within us..

1 John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

What are the two greatest commandments? (Matt. 22:36-40). How is honoring those commandments possible?

(6) The Indwelling Holy Spirit

Romans 5:5 “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

At the moment of salvation, not only are we justified, but we are given the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the game changer for the Christian.

When I say the Holy Spirit is the game changer for the Christian, what do you think I mean? Let me give you some Scriptures to read for you to answer the question: John 14:17, John 14:26, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 Thess 5:21-23).

(7) Deliverance

Romans 5:9–10 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”

The believer, as a result of justification, is delivered, saved, from wrath.

What does that mean?

What is the Rapture?

Will the Church go through the Great Tribulation?

Now this is very important.

God would not have crucified His Son if that act did not save the true church from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 “and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,”

I say this as confidently as I can say anything. Justification delivers us from all wrath. Justification offers us security, and let me tell you why.

When Jesus Christ was hanging on the Cross, He was receiving God’s wrath being poured out on all sin.

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”

When you believe in Jesus Christ, you are putting your absolute faith in the fact that through Jesus Christ you were judged. That judgment was God’s wrath upon your sin. A lost person rejects the fact that Christ was judged for his or her sin, but because you are saved, if you are saved, you are delivered from wrath because Jesus Christ took your wrath. He was your substitute.

To say that the church will go through the Tribulation is to say that Christ could not deliver us, that is blood was not enough.

Let me just say this.

If Christ’s blood does not deliver me from the wrath to come, it will not deliver me from God’s wrath on my sin either, and I am in big-time trouble, but in faith, I believe that Jesus was the accepted sacrifice who will deliver me from all wrath, and I can believe that because God accepted that sacrifice and proved His acceptance by the Resurrection.

(8) Joy

Romans 5:11 “And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”

It should be pure joy for you to know the blessings made available to you through God’s grace. It is a joy made possible by being reconciled to God.

What does it mean to be reconciled to God? What or who made that reconciliation possible?

I want you to read this verse.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

How in the world can you, in everything, give thanks?

Man, what an incredible study. It is a great blessing to be justified, a justification made possible by God’s grace and faith in Jesus Christ.