Righteousness From God by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ Romans 3 and 4

The Romans letter answers the question -

The Gospel is the power of God! “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.” Romans: 1:16-17 The Gospel is the power of God!

The Gospel Reveals a “righteousness from God” the state acceptable to God which becomes a sinner's possession through that faith by which he embraces the grace of God offered him in the . . . death of Jesus Christ” “integrity, virtue, purity of life, uprightness, correctness in thinking, feeling, and acting” “blameless”

The Jewish Background Jewish people thought that they could be righteous by keeping the law because they were the people of God. But . . . . The Reality: Romans 3:20 -- ”Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin.”

Principles of Salvation Romans 3:21-26 Righteousness comes through faith in Christ (3:22) The reason: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (3:23) We are justified freely by his grace (3:24) Through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ

Redemption Paid in Full “a releasing effected by payment of ransom” “everywhere in the N. T. metaphorically, viz. deliverance effected through the death of Christ from the . . . wrath of a holy God and the merited penalty of sin:”.

 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19 Redemption

Redemption

Redemption The Problem: Our perception of the part of Jesus and our part can contribute to a division between ourselves and God

Question: go before the judgement seat of God, “If you were to die tonight and go before the judgement seat of God, and He were to say to you, ‘why should I let you into heaven’ what would you say?”

A Law/Works system A Grace/Faith system vs.

the active keeping of a law system so that God will owe you salvation The Law/Works system The law/works system means that the basis of going to heaven is: the active keeping of a law system so that God will owe you salvation

The Problem with the Law/Works System Keeping a law keeping system means that one must keep it completely James 2:10 – “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Gal. 3:10 – “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law” Gal. 3:11 – “Clearly no one is justified before God by the law because ‘the righteous will live by faith’ The law is not based on faith.”

The Law/Works System Keeping a law system means one can boast in their accomplishments Romans 3:27 – “Where, then is the boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 4:2 – “If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about, but not before God.”

The Grace/Faith System The example of Abraham (Romans 4:1-6) Called out of Ur Goes to Haran Goes to Promised land Worships God Faith credited for righteousness Never under O.T. Law

The Faith of Abraham Romans 4:17: -- “As it is written ‘ I have made you a father of many nations.’ ” Romans 4:18 – “Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations”

The Grace/Faith Principle for us Romans 4:23-5:1 -- “The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness for us who believe in him, who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Faith: Faith is an active trust in the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus that He was raised for our justification, not a trust in what we do.

When is faith initially credited for righteousness? Romans 5:1 -- “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” Romans 6:2-4 -- “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

When is faith initially credited for righteousness? Romans 5:1 -- “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” When? When your trust in the sacrifice of Jesus expresses it self in Lordship of Jesus (repentance) and baptism into Christ Romans 6:3-4 -- “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

When is faith continually credited for righteousness? James 2:20-24 -- “You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.” Faith is made compete by actions. Faith without actions does not save. Actions/works are NOT credited for righteousness Completed faith/belief is credited for righteousness “Walking in the light”

What happens when your faith is credited as righteousness? Sin is not credited to your spiritual bank account Romans 4:8 – “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him” Sin is forgiven I John, 1:7 – “If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

A closer look at faith Belief in facts with conviction such as God exists, Jesus resurrected from the dead A trust in the sacrifice of Jesus for the full payment of my sins for my redemption A walking with God with commitment as I trust Him to work in my life.

A closer look at faith

Question: “If you were to die tonight and go before the judgement seat of God, and He were to say to you, ‘why should I let you into heaven’ what would you say?” Law/Works system answer: You only mentioned things you did yourself. You trust in your works. There is no mention of the cross. Grace/Faith answer: You mention the cross and the sacrifice of Jesus. You also mention how your faith is active in following Jesus. VS

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do A faith credited for righteousness is active But the activity are not works of earning so one can boast A faith credited for righteousness follows God’s directives, but does not earn salvation by doing so.

Galatians 5:6 “One thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” Our faith is a trust in Jesus for salvation But our faith produces action in love As it does, our faith is continually credited for righteousness.

Titus 3:5-6, 8 Even repentance and baptism, do not earn us anything. “he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,” This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. Even repentance and baptism, do not earn us anything. These are simply a part of our faith that trusts in God. It completes our faith which saves us.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:5 – “Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit” Being born of water and the Spirit is part of faith and completes faith. One has a saving belief when that faith leads to being born of the water and the Spirit

Righteousness by Grace Through Faith The problem Salvation The Law -> trusting in our works to earn it Grace-> trusting in Jesus who earned salvation for us