The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Review:

So far according to my records we have studied Romans 1-3:22 We have seen that Paul is attempting to give doctrinal statement of what it means to follow Christ.

We seen that both Jews and Gentiles are under the judgement of God due to their sin and disobedience.

I love the key verse or what everything else in Romans seems to circle back to

Romans 1:16-17 “16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”

In Romans 1:18-3:20 we learn of mankind’s DILEMMA.

· He is under the wrath of God for suppressing and rejecting the truth God has shown him (1:18-32).

· He will be judged by God according to truth he knows, the works his has done, and with complete impartiality (2:1-16).

· Neither religious orthodoxy nor the practice of religious ordinances will appease an offended and angry God (2:17-29).

· National lineage will not protect anyone from God's righteous wrath. Man's condition and conduct is sinful. He is helpless to help himself, condemned, and found willfully guilty (3:1-20)

In Romans 3:21-32 we pass from the storm to the sunshine. With the word, “but now” (3:21) we watch the gate of deliverance swing open wide.

Paul today begins to turn a corner - He has been spending time explaining the bad part of sin and judgement. Now He begins to talk about righteousness and justification and how that is obtained.

While this is stuff most of us have heard all of our lives, it is still the greatest story ever told. Lets try to look at it as thought we are seeing it for the first time.

Reading: Romans 3:23-4:25

1. Righteousness by Faith Explained (Rom. 3:23-31)

Read Romans 3:23-31

Romans 3:23–31 KJV 1900

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. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29 Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

Paul starts this section out with the idea that all have sinned and fallen short

We miss what God has intended for us

2. Justification by Faith Illustrated (Rom. 4:1-25)

Illustrated by Abraham

Read Romans 4:1-12

Romans 4:1–12 KJV 1900

1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? 2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. 9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.

3. God’s Promise Realized through Faith (Romans 4:13-25)

Read Romans 4:13-25

Romans 4:13–25 KJV 1900

13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: 20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. 23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.