Sermon 10

How To Be Right With God

Romans 3:21-31

After a hiatus for some Holiday and some Stewardship themes, today we return to Romans. When we stepped out of Romans we were at 3:21. That may have seemed like a strange place to stop, but, actually, it was at the end of the first section. Today, we resume at the beginning of the second section.

The first section was about guilt. 3:19 - that all the world may become guilty before God. The second section is about grace. 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace. The first section was about sin. 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. The second section is about salvation. 5:10 - we shall be saved by his life. The first section is about God's wrath. 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The second section is about God's redemption. 3:24 - through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

Before a person can ever understand the grace of God, he/she must first understand the law of God. Before they can every truly understand forgiveness they must first understand guilt. Before you can appreciate the cure you must first hear the diagnosis. Before you understand that there is a Savior, you must first know that you are a sinner who needs a Savior. Before there can be full understanding of salvation, there must be an understanding of condemnation. Before a person can ever truly understand the love that God has for them, he/she must first understand the righteous wrath of God upon all sin. The good news started with some bad news but beginning in 3:21 and continuing through Chapter 8 comes the best news!

In this long section, Paul is going to say 3 main things about salvation:

3:21-31 - Salvation is free.

4 - Salvation is by faith.

5-8 - Salvation is forever.

Today, we are going to work at that first part. It is packed full of information about salvation. In fact, in these 11 verses there are 7 things you need to know about being right with God.

Not By Law Keeping, 3:21

According to verse 21, the law reveals (manifests; witnessed) the righteousness of God but can never provide righteousness. We are not, and will never be righteous by keeping the law. Verses 20-21 say it plainly and then explain that the law both shows us that we are sinners and that God is righteous. Being right with God is not by reformation or rule keeping.

But By Faith, 3:22a

Being in right standing with God is not by trying but by trusting. It is "the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ." Faith is only as good as the object and so the Paul emphasizes that the object of our faith must be Jesus Christ. We are not saved by faith. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. It is not just believing. It is believing in Jesus Christ, trusting Him that makes one right with God. You may say, "I believe." I believe for every drop of rain that falls a flower grows. Or - I'm a believer. But the most important thing is not that you believe but what you believe in. James says that even the demons believe and tremble, but they are not saved. They will not trust in Christ. Salvation is not by law keeping but by faith in Jesus Christ.

Available For All, 3:22b=23.

Is there a universal need for salvation? That is, does everybody need to be saved? Absolutely. Verse 23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. God's grace is as big as man's need. And if all men need to be saved, then God has provided a way for all men to be saved. It is "unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." We tend to make differences between men, some are nice and some are nasty, some are mean and some are sweet, some are good ole' boys and some are bad to the bone. But God makes no differences. He is no respecter of persons. He sees all as sinners and He provides grace for all who will believe in Christ.

Absolutely Free, 3:24a

We are justified, that is, made to be right before God, freely, by grace. The word translated "freely" is used in John's gospel and translated "without a cause." That is, there is absolutely no cause, no reason, nothing by which a sinner can merit, deserve, or earn redemption. It is absolutely free. It is an unmerited gift from God.

But Not Cheap, 3:24b-25a

Often, we associate "free" with "cheap." The reason why someone is willing to give away something for nothing, for free, is because that something isn't worth much. It didn't cost them anything so they can give it away for free.

Not so with salvation. It may be absolutely free to us, but it is not without great cost to God. These verses contain several theological words that may be unfamiliar to our vocabulary. Redemption takes us to the slave market; Propitiation takes us to the Old Testament Temple; Justification takes us to the courtroom.

Paul uses the word "redemption" which suggests a price and a purchase. Who paid the price? Who made the purchase. "Christ Jesus" - v. 24. What did He purchase? V. 25 - "the remission of sins." What was the price? V. 25 - "His blood", that is, the very pouring out of His life, the shedding of His blood on the cross for our sins on the cross was a "propitiation", a covering, an atoning for our sin. What a cost! What a price! What a Savior! By it, we are justified - declared to be innocent. Salvation may be free to you, but it was purchased at great cost.

To The Glory Of God, 3:26-28

Someone is sure to ask, actually, to accuse God by saying, "If God is so holy and righteous, why hasn't He judged all sin? Why do some seem to get away with it?" Paul brings up "the forbearance of God", that is, His patient tolerance of sinners. But God's restraint is, in no way, at the expense of His holiness and righteousness. The death of Christ declares the righteousness of God. God does indeed punish all sin with death. He did it ultimately with the death of Jesus. It declares (v. 26) God's righteousness. It enables God to be just and, at the same time, to justify (forgive) sin.

So who gets the glory? Or, as verse 27 puts it, where is the boasting? Answer: It is excluded, that is, no human can brag about being saved any more than a drowning man who is rescued by a life guard can brag about not drowning. Keeping the law is impossible. So is working your way to salvation.

Verse 28 sums it all up. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Only One Way, 3:29-31

Is there a Jewish way and a Gentile way to be saved? Are Jews saved by keeping the law and Gentiles saved some other way?

There is only one God (v. 30). He is God of the Jews and the Gentiles (v. 29).

Circumcised Jews who try to obey God's law are not saved by keeping the law but by faith. And uncircumcised Gentiles who made no attempts to obey God's law are also saved by faith, v. 30. Salvation is and has always been by grace through faith. Old Testament saints were saved in the same way we are saved. It is not by works, not by keeping the lay, but by faith.

According to verse 31, saying that does not destroy, negate, undermine or make void the law in any way. No way! It actually establishes the law of God.

This is, by no means, an easy passage of scripture to understand. But it is very important. It explains how a person who sins can ever be right with God.

It is not by keeping rules but by faith in Christ that all who will believe can be given at absolutely no cost, though there was a great price, the gift of eternal life. There is only one way that God has provided forgiveness of sins and that way brings glory, not to man, but to God.

Dearborn Baptist Church exists as a preaching point of the gospel to tell everybody we can how to be right with God. We want you to hear this message and then to embrace it for yourself.