Romans 3:21-31
We know God is super righteous because his standards are so high. But there is another way his righteousness is manifested (made visible): his ability to turn guilty people into innocent people.
Just judges condemn guilty people. God turns guilty people into innocent people without overthrowing the law, ignoring the crime, or compromising his righteousness in any way. This is called justification.
How? In a word, Jesus.
1. Jesus redeems. This means that he frees people by paying their debt.
If someone owes you $30 and you tell them to just forget about it, the debt didn’t disappear. You absorbed it. Essentially, you paid it. Similarly, God doesn’t just forgive our debt to him. He absorbed it on the cross. He paid it with Jesus.
2. Jesus propitiates. This means he also absorbed the wrath we earned through our sin.
God’s threats of wrath all through the Bible are not empty, like a parent counting to three and then failing to discipline their child. No, his wrath is powerful and real and he could not simply ignore it and let us off the hook. Instead, he absorbed it on the cross. He poured it out on Jesus, instead of us.
Who receives this justification? In a word, believers.
Not everyone will be forgiven by God. Some will be held accountable for their debt to him. Some will face the punishment God promised for sin. But those who believe will be justified.
This is groundbreaking. This is why it’s called the gospel (literally good news). It’s news, not advice. Because there is nothing for us to do in reference to our justification before God. There’s something for us to believe.
Christianity is not about effort, but faith. It’s not about your record, but Jesus’. It’s not about achieving, but receiving. Salvation is not a reward, it’s a gift.
So relax! The disciples were on a boat with Jesus and a huge storm hit. They were freaking out. He was asleep below deck. They grabbed him and shouted, “Don’t you care that we’re all gonna die!” He calmly came on deck and quieted the storm, then turned to his disciples and said, “Have you still no faith?” He didn’t say, “Why didn’t you guys do something!” In other words, stop scurrying about in busyness like Martha, and sit at Jesus feet in faith like Mary.
As the gospel takes deeper root in our hearts, I’m convinced that we’ll become less busy and more fruitful.
Why? In a word, worship.
Why would God do this? Why would the most righteous judge of all go through these lengths to justify guilty people?
This was to show God’s righteousness…
I really wanted to make this passage about us; but it just isn’t. It’s about God. It’s about the majestic display of his righteousness that infinitely exceeds that of earthly judges. In short, it’s not about you. And it’s not about me. It’s about God. And we’re swept up into it to worship him.
We have such an ingrown Christianity around here where it’s all about us. All the books in the book store are about us and our self-improvement, when the gospel turns us inside out and frees us from ourselves. The gospel makes us about God and other people, not about ourselves.
Implications: Verses 27-31
1. Humility. There’s nothing to boast, brag, or be proud about. We’re just a bunch of messed up people who were given a gift.
2. Unity. We have the same God. We were under the same condemnation. And we’ve received the same gift.
Discussion Starters
1. How do the Law and the Prophets bear witness to the good news of justification through faith in Jesus? (See Luke 24:25-27)
2. What does it mean to believe in such a way that one is justified? (See Hebrews 11)
3. Read verses 23 and 24. Do these verses indicate that all people will be justified just like all people are sinful?
4. Would God have justified Osama Bin Laden if he believed? Why or why not?
5. Describe your experience with law and faith. Which do you gravitate toward? Which is easier, rules or trust? How so?
6. Would you say that Dulins Grove is a “law church” or a “faith church”? Explain.
