GOD'S ANSWER FOR SIN

Romans 3:21-5:21

I. Introductory thoughts based on the PREVIOUS LESSON

A. Both the JEWS and the NATIONS (Gentiles) are in SIN,

and NEED

SALVATION!

1. The GENTILES had turned away from God, and He

had

32).

given them over to a SINFUL LIFE

(Romans 1:18-

2. The JEW was also without EXCUSE (Romans 2:1-29).

3.
3:9,10)

There was "none righteous," not one!

(Romans

4.
"lacks

"ALL HAVE SINNED"

(Romans 3:23).

The SINNER

the glory of God" through his sin.

B. Under a LAW OF WORKS, no person can be "JUSTIFIED"

(made

right, declared not guilty) in the sight of God

3:20).

(Romans

Notice this same idea in Galatians 2:16.

1. If people could have been RIGHT WITH GOD BY

KEEPING

THE LAW OF MOSES, or any "LAW OF WORKS,"

2:21).

then Jesus Christ DIED FOR NOTHING! (Galatians

WHY DID JESUS DIE ON THE CROSS? Because there

was no otherway for man to be right with God!

2.
The Old Testament Law given by Moses HAD A
WONDERFUL

PURPOSE! Please see below. However, THAT LAW

COULD
(Galatians 3:21).

NOT

MAKE

PERSON

RIGHTEOUS!

C. PLEASE NOTE that the Old Testament Law DID GIVE MAN A

KNOWLEDGE OF SIN (Romans 3:20). See this same

teaching

in Romans 7:7.

D.
In this
FOLLOWING:

lesson,

THE

STUDENT

SHOULD

LEARN

THE

1.
FAITH"

The MEANING of "SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH

2.
The
TESTAMENTS

DIFFERENCE

between

the

OLD

AND

NEW

3. The FULFILLMENT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT LAW

4. SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH INCLUDES

OBEDIENCE

SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH

II. JESUS IS THE ANSWER! (Romans 3:21-31)

A. The NATURE of "JUSTIFICATION" (Process of being declared

RIGHT before God) (Romans 3:21-25a).

1. RIGHTEOUSNESS has been "manifested" "apart from" a

1:16, 17;

Law of WORKS

(Romans 3:21).

See also Romans

Romans 10:1-3; Philippians 3:9.

MAN

2. This PLAN OF GOD TO PROVIDE RIGHTEOUSNESS FOR

WAS "WITNESSED" BY THE OLD TESTAMENT

LAW AND
PROPHETS. Notice the LEGAL
TERM "WITNESSED" here.

See below.

a.

JESUS CHRIST
prophesied in

AND

HIS

GOSPEL

are

Luke 24:44.

the Old Testament.

See Romans 1:2 and also

seen in

b.

Even SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH is

example

the OLD TESTAMENT.

We will see this in the

of ABRAHAM

(Romans 4).

3. The RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD is available FOR

EVERYONE,

and there is NO DIFFERENCE OR DISTINCTION

(Romans 3:22). ALL ARE EQUAL BEFORE GOD!

a. But, this RIGHTEOUSNESS is "THROUGH FAITH IN

way!

JESUS CHRIST! It can be received in no other

believe."

b.

This RIGHTEOUSNESS is "for all those who

believing."

The literal translation is "those who continue

an ACTIVE,

God provides salvation for everyone who has

TRUSTING, CONTINUOUS RELIANCE ON JESUS.

3:24)

4.

We are "JUSTIFIED" by the GRACE OF GOD! (Romans

a. The word "justified" means "declared innocent,"

but because

not because we were without sin, for all sin,

we are forgiven through Christ.

This same

b. "Freely" means "as a gift" or "without a cause."

15:25.

word is translated "without a cause"

in John

OF GOD,

c.

Our "Justification" is on the basis of the GRACE

HIS FAVOR WHICH WE DO NOT DESERVE!

See this principle discussed below.

"REDEMPTION"

d.

God showed HIS GRACE BY PROVIDING

THROUGH CHRIST. "Redemption" means

a release from

Peter 1:18,19.

captivity, freedom (from sin).

Please see I

e.
forgiveness"

Jesus is the "PROPITIATION" or "means of

provided by HIS BLOOD

See this same word

(Romans 3:25).

used for Jesus in I John 2:1, 2.

"propitiate" also means to

To

bring peace and remove WRATH.

FIGURES

f.

In these verses, PLEASE SEE THREE BEAUTIFUL

that describe what Jesus has done for us

through his death:

as in a

(1)

COURT ROOM FIGURE --Declared innocent

court of law ("Justified")

(2) SLAVERY FIGURE --Liberated ("Redeemed")

seat,

(3) SACRIFICIAL FIGURE -- Propitiatory, mercy

tabernacle

place of forgiveness in the temple

or

("propitiation"). See Hebrews 9:5.

B. The NATURE of GOD

(Romans 3:25b, 26)

1.

"GOD IS LOVE!"
GRACE!

God is a GOD OF MERCY AND

(I John 4:8; Titus 3:5)

2.
MUST

But He is ALSO A GOD OF JUSTICE!

Therefore, SIN

HE

BE PUNISHED! IF GOD EXCUSED THE SINS OF MAN,

WOULD NOT BE JUST AND RIGHTEOUS!

3. JESUS SUFFERED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR OUR SIN. HE

TOOK

THE PUNISHMENT FOR US! HE WAS "DELIVERED UP"

TO DIE FOR OUR SINS

(Romans 4:25).

OF

4. Therefore, IN PERMITTING JESUS TO SUFFER INSTEAD

became

US, THE DEMANDS OF JUSTICE WERE MET.

Jesus

a "sin offering for us"

(II Corinthians 5:21).

5. Because of Jesus' self-sacrifice, God could "pass over"

the sins

done in earlier times

(Romans 3:25).

6. Therefore, God is both (1) "JUST" and RIGHTEOUS, and

(2) the

who have

"JUSTIFIER" (the One who makes men right) of those

an obedient faith in Jesus

(Romans 3:26).

C. The NATURE of the "LAW OF FAITH" (Romans 3:27-31).

1. Under the "LAW OF FAITH," or "PRINCIPLE OF FAITH,"

WE MUST RELY ON JESUS TO DO FOR US WHAT WE

CANNOT DO FOR OURSELVES!

have NOT

2. SALVATION PROVIDED BY THE DEATH OF JESUS IS

A "GIFT"
WHICH WE DO NOT DESERVE
(Romans 6:23). We

"SALARY"

EARNED

OUR

SALVATION!

Salvation

is

NOT

THAT GOD "OWES" US.

Romans 4:4).

(Please see below on

3. PLEASE NOTE: Because God GIVES US THE "GIFT" OF

FORGIVENESS, BECAUSE WE DO NOT "EARN IT,"

THEN

WE CANNOT "BOAST" ABOUT IT!

(Romans 3:27). See also Ephesians 2:8-10.

HIS

4. Under a "LAW OF WORKS," A PERSON TRIES TO "EARN"

BLESSINGS, HE TRIES TO "DESERVE" WHAT HE

RECEIVES. He tries to
himself!" However, one

"save

himself

by

mistake, one sin, one broken law CONDEMNS HIM.

See
Galatians 3:10,11.
The Christian
knows that when he sins and

turns back to the Lord, the BLOOD OF JESUS WILL

9)

CONTINUE TO CLEANSE HIM FROM SIN

(I John 1:7-

5.

Does this principle DESTROY LAW?

GIVES LAW! HE

NO!

GOD

of faith"

COMMANDS US TO OBEY HIS LAWS! The "principle

obey

puts LAW IN ITS PROPER PLACE! The Christian will

SINS,

the LAWS THAT GOD GIVES HIM, BUT, WHEN HE

THE BLOOD OF JESUS IS THE WAY TO FORGIVENESS.

(Romans 3:31).

III. The DIFFERENCE between the LAW OF MOSES and the NEW
TESTAMENT

A. DIFFERENCE WITH RESPECT TO SALVATION.

1. The OLD TESTAMENT LAW OF MOSES was GOOD

AND HOLY

(Romans 7:12).

2. But, it COULD NOT SAVE! (Galatians 2:16, etc.).

ANIMAL

The

10:4).

SACRIFICES COULD NOT REMOVE SIN!

(Hebrews

3. If people COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED through the OLD

TESTAMENT

LAW GIVEN THROUGH MOSES, THEN CHRIST DIED

FOR NO PURPOSE

(Galatians 2:21; 3:21).

4. Jesus' BLOOD is the BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

(Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:11-17).

B. WHAT WAS the OLD TESTAMENT LAW OF MOSES?

1. It was God's "Covenant" (agreement) with ISRAEL

(Exodus 19:1-6)

2.
Please note that this "COVENANT" was the "TEN
COMMANDMENTS"

(Deuteronomy 4:13, 14; Exodus 34:27, 28)

1.

PLEASE SEE PAUL'S TEACHING ABOUT THIS IN ROMANS 7:1-7

b. Men are now DEAD TO "THE LAW" so that they can

be JOINED IN MARRIAGE TO CHRIST, and bring

forth FRUIT FOR GOD

(Romans 7:4)

THIS?

MEN ARE DEAD TO WHAT LAW? WHAT LAW IS

7:5)_

c.

"THE LAW" aroused SINFUL DESIRES

(Romans

BUT, WHAT LAW IS THIS?

they

d.

Men were RELEASED FROM "THE LAW" so that

(Romans 7:6).

might serve in the newness of the Spirit

See also II Corinthians 3:6-9.

BUT, FROM WHAT LAW WERE MEN RELEASED?

KNOWN

e.

"THE LAW" was not SIN, but it did MAKE SIN

(Romans 7:7)

BUT, WHAT LAW IS HE DISCUSSING?

COVET"

f.

It was the LAW THAT SAID, "THOU SHALT NOT

(Romans 7:7).

FROM

THUS, MEN ARE NOW "DEAD" OR SEPARATED

INCLUDING

THE LAW OF MOSES GIVEN AT MOUNT SINAI,

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!

IV.
ABRAHAM was "SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH"
(Romans 4:1-25)

A. Abraham was declared "RIGHT" before God ("Justified")

under the "LAW

OF FAITH" (Romans 4:1-8)

1. If Abraham had been declared RIGHTEOUS on the

basis of his "works"

which EARNED SALVATION, then this godly man

could have

BOASTED

(Romans 4:2).

2.
But,
RIGHTEOUSNESS

Abraham's

FAITH

was

"counted"

for

(Romans 4:3). Please read Genesis 15:6. His FAITH

was the condition

was a

"IN ORDER TO" obtain release from sin!

Abraham

FAITHFUL, TRUSTING OBEDIENT MAN!

3. Please see the IMPORTANT POINT:

"WORKS,"

In a system of

that is not

BLESSINGS ARE NOT BASED ON "GRACE" (Favor

deserved), but on DEBT!

(Romans 4:4).

WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT GOD DOES NOT OWE US

ANYTHING

4. Please note again: The Scriptures teach that the one

who "worketh"

CANNOT

is the person who tries to EARN HIS SALVATION. IT

BE DONE!

(Romans 4:5)

5. Paul quoted David (Psalms 32:1, 2) to point out that

the man is BLESSED

who is FORGIVEN BY GOD. Then, the Lord does not

continue to count

him responsible for his sin

(Romans 4:6, 7).

B. ABRAHAM was declared "RIGHT" BEFORE the COVENANT OF

CIRCUMCISION

WAS GIVEN TO HIM

(Romans 4:9-12)

1. Abraham was declared "RIGHTEOUS" before God made

the "COVENANT"

of CIRCUMCISION with him

(Romans 4:9, 10)

2. Please note this CHART:

Mount Sinai

Law

Declared Righteous

Circumcision

The

__________________________________________________________________

(Genesis 15:6)
(Exodus 20, etc)

(Genesis 17)

3.
PLEASE NOTE:
received the command

About 14 years before Abraham

to be CIRCUMCISED, HE WAS ALREADY DECLARED

RIGHTEOUS

BY GOD

(Genesis 15 and 17)

C. Abraham was NOT declared "RIGHTEOUS" ("Justified") by a

"LAW OF

WORKS"

(Romans 4:13-17)

1. The wonderful PROMISES to Abraham DID NOT COME

THROUGH

THE LAW

(Romans 4:13). See Genesis 12:1-3

2. The Law of Moses, WHICH CAME 430 YEARS LATER, did

not destroy

3:17).

the PROMISE MADE TO ABRAHAM!

(Galatians

3. The LAW brought "WRATH," for when men broke that

Law, they

stood CONDEMNED BY IT

(Romans 4:15)

4.
AN
SALVATION is

IMPORTANT

STATEMENT:

The

promise

of

through "FAITH" so that it may be of "GRACE"

(FAVOR that

is not deserved)
NECESSARY

(Romans 4:16). THIS IS SUCH A

POINT!

D. The KIND of FAITH that ABRAHAM HAD (Romans 4:18-25)

1.
He
SITUATIONS

BELIEVED

GOD

in

spite

of

UNFAVORABLE

OLD, OLD

(Romans 4:18, 19).

HOW COULD HE AND SARAH,

BECOME

PEOPLE, HAVE A CHILD SO THAT ABRAHAM COULD

THE "FATHER" OF A GREAT NATION?

2.
He BELIEVED GOD without DOUBT or WAVERING
(Romans 4:20).

4:21)

3.

He BELIEVED GOD in FULL ASSURANCE

(Romans

4. The RESULT of THIS KIND OF FAITH -- ABRAHAM WAS

DECLARED

RIGHTEOUS!

(Romans 4:22).

WAS ABRAHAM AN OBEDIENT MAN?

CERTAINLY!
MEN MUST
"TRUST AND OBEY!"

5. CONCLUSION: This was written FOR OUR SAKES! FOR

ALL OF US

FOR OUR

WHO COME TO JESUS IN FAITH, JESUS WHO DIED

DECLARED

SINS, AND WAS RAISED SO THAT WE CAN BE

RIGHTEOUS

(Romans 4:24, 25).

V.
There are WONDERFUL BLESSINGS THROUGH CHRIST
(Romans 5:1-21)

A. Being declared "RIGHT," ("Justified") through FAITH, WE

HAVE:

(Romans 5:1-11)

1. PEACE WITH GOD!

(Romans 5:1)

("Justified

a. "Justified by faith" literally means "out of faith"

out of faith")

b. Being RIGHT WITH GOD, and having PEACE WITH

GOD has been

made possible "THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!"

c. PEACE COMES because we are "RECONCILED" to

God. We have

AGAIN. SIN

been brought back to FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD

HAD SEPARATED US FROM HIM.

Please
see Romans 5:10, 11 which shows that
Christians were, at one time, ENEMIES,
but

Colossians 1:20-22.

they

are

now

RECONCILED.

See

2. REJOICING!

(Romans 5:2-4)

has

a.

"PEACE" AND "JOY" ARE "TWIN BLESSINGS."

It

been said that "Peace is joy resting, and Joy is

peace dancing."

THE

b. There is JOY because we SHARE IN THE HOPE OF

GLORY OF GOD! WHAT A WONDERFUL FUTURE!

(Romans 5:2). GLORY AWAITS US!

of

c.

Through Christ, we have the blessed PRIVILEGE

GRACE.

APPROACHING GOD AND PARTAKING OF HIS

SUFFER,

d. Oh, YES, there will be SUFFERING! But, when we

IN THE

we can become MORE MATURE AND STEADFAST

"CHARACTER

FAITH.

This PERSEVERANCE will bring about

4). OUT OF ALL

FORMATION" in the Christian

(Romans

5:3,

THIS COMES HOPE!

3. HOPE!

(Romans 5:5-11)

a. Hope will be realized BECAUSE OF GOD'S LOVE!

(Romans 5:5)

also

b. The "PLEDGE" OF GLORY is the HOLY SPIRIT!

See

II Corinthians 1:21, 22 and Ephesians 1:13, 14.

The Holy Spirit is

the "down payment" of our inheritance.

SINNERS,

c. God's LOVE IS SEEN IN THAT WHILE WE WERE YET

5:6-8).

CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY

(Romans

(1) One would hardly die for a JUST MAN.

Perhaps, a few would

die for a good, benevolent man.

we see the

(2) But, JESUS DIED FOR THE UNGODLY. Here

GREAT LOVE OF GOD!

d. REMEMBER! WE ARE SAVED BY CHRIST'S BLOOD

(Romans 5:9).
from the "WRATH"

Because of this, we are saved

of God

(See I Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

5:10)

e. But, also by HIS RESURRECTION LIFE

Therefore,

(Romans

REJOICE!

(Romans 5:11)

B.
TERRIBLE RESULTS brought by the SIN OF ADAM are
OVERCOME in the

GIFT OF CHRIST

(Romans 5:12-21)

1. SIN came into the world THROUGH ONE MAN, ADAM,

and PHYSICAL

DEATH was the consequence or result

5:12). See also

(Romans

I Corinthians 15:21, 22.

2. The expression, "ALL SINNED" does not mean that

when Adam sinned,

that we all sinned personally.

INDIVIDUAL ACT OF

Sin is an

DISOBEDIENCE.
Therefore, GUILT

Sin is PERSONAL

(I John 3:4).

OF SIN IS NOT PASSED FROM GENERATION TO

GENERATION.

WE DO NOT
Representatively, because

INHERIT

THE

GUILT

OF

SIN.

Adam was the beginning of the HUMAN RACE, all

who follow partake

in his act of disobedience, but we do not share the

guilt of that act. Please

see Hebrews 7:9, 10 where we see ANOTHER

EXAMPLE OF A

an

PERSON "SHARING REPRESENTATIVELY" in the act of

ancestor.In this context,

TITHES through

LEVI is said to have PAID

his ancestor,
PERSONALLY. IT

Abraham.

LEVI

DID

NOT

DO

IT

WAS HIS ANCESTOR WHO DID IT.

3. Observe the CONTRAST or DIFFERENCE in ADAM AND

CHRIST

1.
2.

a.
caused to SUFFER

Because of ADAM'S SIN, MANY were