Lesson 4 for the 24Lesson 4 for the 24thth of July, 2010 of July, 2010

MEMORY TEXT:MEMORY TEXT:

““Therefore we conclude that a Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith man is justified by faith

without the deeds of the law” without the deeds of the law”

(Romans 3:28).

INTRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION: In this lesson we come to the basic In this lesson we come to the basic theme of Romans: theme of Romans: justification by justification by faith. faith. The phrase is a figure based The phrase is a figure based on on lawlaw. The . The transgressortransgressor of the law of the law comes before a judge and is comes before a judge and is condemned to death for his condemned to death for his transgressions. But a transgressions. But a substitutesubstitute appears and takes the transgressor’s crimes upon himself, thus appears and takes the transgressor’s crimes upon himself, thus clearing the criminal, who—by accepting the substitute—stands clearing the criminal, who—by accepting the substitute—stands before the judge not only cleared of his guilt but regarded as before the judge not only cleared of his guilt but regarded as never having committed the crimes for which he was first never having committed the crimes for which he was first brought into court. And that’s brought into court. And that’s because the substitutebecause the substitute—who has a —who has a perfect record—offers the pardoned criminal his own perfect perfect record—offers the pardoned criminal his own perfect law-keeping. Thus, law-keeping. Thus, the guilty one stands before the judge as the guilty one stands before the judge as having never transgressed.having never transgressed.

““Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his God. Therefore no-one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin”become conscious of sin” Romans, 3: 19-20Romans, 3: 19-20

The law is the Torah (the Pentateuch and, by extension, the Old Testament)

It reveals sin and man’s guilt It reveals sin and man’s guilt before Godbefore GodThere is no way it can remove There is no way it can remove guilt or making us righteous guilt or making us righteous before Godbefore GodIt shows us the way to obtain It shows us the way to obtain forgiveness (for example: the forgiveness (for example: the sacrifice rites in the sanctuarysacrifice rites in the sanctuary))It shows God’s characterIt shows God’s character

WHAT IS THE LAW?

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW?

Paul is using the word Paul is using the word lawlaw in its broad sense as the Jew in its broad sense as the Jew in his day understood it. in his day understood it. By the word By the word TorahTorah ( (the the Hebrew word for “law”), Hebrew word for “law”), a a Jew even today thinks Jew even today thinks particularly of God’s instru-particularly of God’s instru-ction in ction in the first five books of the first five books of MosesMoses but also more generally but also more generally in in the entire Old Testament. the entire Old Testament. The moral law, plus the amplification of this in the The moral law, plus the amplification of this in the statutes and judgments, as well as the ceremonial statutes and judgments, as well as the ceremonial precepts, was a part of this instruction. Because of this, precepts, was a part of this instruction. Because of this, we may think of the law here as the system of Judaism.we may think of the law here as the system of Judaism.

To be under the law means to be under its jurisdiction. To be under the law means to be under its jurisdiction. The law, however, reveals a person’s shortcomings and The law, however, reveals a person’s shortcomings and guilt before God. The law cannot remove that guilt; guilt before God. The law cannot remove that guilt; what it can do is lead the sinner to seek a remedy for it. what it can do is lead the sinner to seek a remedy for it.

As we apply the book of Romans in our day, in which Jewish law is As we apply the book of Romans in our day, in which Jewish law is no longer a factor, we think of law particularly in terms of the no longer a factor, we think of law particularly in terms of the moral law. This law can’t save us any more than the system of moral law. This law can’t save us any more than the system of Judaism could save the Jews. To save a sinner is not the moral Judaism could save the Jews. To save a sinner is not the moral law’s function. Its function is to reveal God’s character and to law’s function. Its function is to reveal God’s character and to show people wherein they fall short of reflecting that character.show people wherein they fall short of reflecting that character.

Whatever law it is—moral, Whatever law it is—moral, ceremonial, civil, or all ceremonial, civil, or all combined—the keeping combined—the keeping of any or all in and of of any or all in and of itself will not make a itself will not make a person just in God’s sight. person just in God’s sight. In fact, the law never was In fact, the law never was intended to do that. intended to do that. On the contrary, the law On the contrary, the law was to point out our short-was to point out our short-comings and lead us to Christ.comings and lead us to Christ. The law can no more save than can the symptoms of a disease The law can no more save than can the symptoms of a disease cure the disease. The symptoms don’t cure; they point out the cure the disease. The symptoms don’t cure; they point out the need for the cure. That’s how the law functions.need for the cure. That’s how the law functions.

““But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”the glory of God”

Romans, 3: 21-23Romans, 3: 21-23

This new righteousness is This new righteousness is contrasted with the right-contrasted with the right-eousness of the law, which eousness of the law, which was the righteousness with was the righteousness with which the Jew was familiar. which the Jew was familiar. The new righteousness is The new righteousness is called called “the righteousness “the righteousness of God”of God”; that is, a righteous-; that is, a righteous-ness that comes from God, a ness that comes from God, a righteousness that God pro-righteousness that God pro-vides, and the only one that vides, and the only one that He accepts as true righteousness. He accepts as true righteousness. This is, of course, the righteousness that Jesus wrought out in His This is, of course, the righteousness that Jesus wrought out in His life while here in human flesh, a righteousness that He offers to all life while here in human flesh, a righteousness that He offers to all who will accept it by faith, who will claim it for themselves, not who will accept it by faith, who will claim it for themselves, not because they deserve it but because they need it. because they deserve it but because they need it.

The law teaches that we all are sinners and we are divested of God’s glory.

In addition, God showed the way he was going to save us since the Old Testament.

Nevertheless, we couldn’t understand salvation completely until Jesus came.

Although we are sinners, we can besaved by faith in Jesus.

Only the righteous —those who obey the law perfectly— can be accepted by God’s righteousness.

No one of us is righteous nor can become righteous.

Jesus lived a righteous live. That live is accepted by God.

When a sinner accepts the sacrifice of Jesus by faith, God accepts Jesus’ perfect life instead of the sinner’s. Then, that sinner is declared righteous.

GOD SINNER

The sinner goes before God with his own “righteousness”

REJECTED : The sinner doesn’t fulfill the righteousness that God demands (obeying the law)

JESUS

The sinner accepts Jesus by faith

Jesus goes before God with his righteousness

ACCEPTED : The righteousness of Jesus is accepted instead of the sinner’s

“and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus”

Romans, 3: 24Romans, 3: 24

We are justified when we are declared righteous before God.

The way God has provided to declare us righteous is redemption through the death of Jesus.

That declaration of righteousness has nothing to do with anything we could do; we don’t deserve it. We receive it only by grace, as a gift from God.

“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished– he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith” Romans, 3: 25-27Romans, 3: 25-27

The atonement (“propitiation”) cover of the ark was placed between the glory of God (that appeared between the cherubs) and the law.

Jesus comes between the sinner and God like that, so the divine righteousness is fulfilled and the sinner is accepted by his faith in Jesus.

God is righteous, so that is the only way to fulfill divine righteousness and accept the sinner without breaking the law.

PROPITIATION

“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law”

Romans, 3: 28

Deeds have nothing to do with Deeds have nothing to do with justification, because we can’t do justification, because we can’t do anything to be justifiedanything to be justified..

We can only be justified by faith in the We can only be justified by faith in the expiatory sacrifice of Christexpiatory sacrifice of Christ..

Does justification by faith exempt us from Does justification by faith exempt us from keeping the law? Certainly not; because if keeping the law? Certainly not; because if someone is forgiven, how could he keep someone is forgiven, how could he keep sinning (sin is transgression of the lawsinning (sin is transgression of the law)? )?

Traffic laws say that you must Traffic laws say that you must stop before a red lightstop before a red light..

You go through a red light and You go through a red light and you hit another car. Apart from you hit another car. Apart from paying for the damages caused, paying for the damages caused, you’ll receive a traffic fine you’ll receive a traffic fine because you transgressed the because you transgressed the traffic lawtraffic law..

Then you send a letter to the Then you send a letter to the Police Chief, accepting you made Police Chief, accepting you made a mistake and asking him to a mistake and asking him to forgive youforgive you..

After some time, you don’t After some time, you don’t receive that traffic fine and you receive that traffic fine and you find out that someone destroyed find out that someone destroyed your fine, and it’s like you never your fine, and it’s like you never transgressed the lawtransgressed the law..

AN OBJECT LESSONThe Law of God indicates The Law of God indicates what we should and what we should and shouldn’t do, just like that. shouldn’t do, just like that. That’s for our own and others That’s for our own and others sakesake..

When we transgress it, we When we transgress it, we suffer the consequencessuffer the consequences..

When we cling to Jesus by When we cling to Jesus by faith and we ask him for faith and we ask him for forgiveness, our sins are forgiveness, our sins are removed by his grace. Only removed by his grace. Only then, it’s like we have never then, it’s like we have never sinned before Godsinned before God..

We are not exempt from We are not exempt from going through the red lights going through the red lights after that forgiveness, but we after that forgiveness, but we must keep observing the law must keep observing the law (traffic and divine laws)(traffic and divine laws)

“Righteousness is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son.”

E.G.W. (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 367)E.G.W. (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 367)

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