How Things Work: Grace

Romans 3:19-31

Big Idea: Followers of Jesus Christ receive what He deserves because He took what we deserve.

1) What law teaches us. (vv. 19-20)

a) The rules and regulations of law do not make us good.

b) The law proves that we are sinful.

Justified: to be declared or proven to be right, just, or good.

2) God’s righteousness on display. (vv. 21-22)

Righteousness: the quality of being right, virtuous, and just.

a) God’s righteousness is “rendered apparent” apart from the law.

b) The Old Testament (law and prophets) talked about it.

c) It is given through faith in Christ to believers.

3) The only way to be righteous. (vv. 22-25)

a) There is no distinction: no one is saved a different way.

b) We all sin, disqualifying us.

c) Whatever righteousness we have is an undeserved debt.

d) This includes deliverance from a debt. (Redemption)

4) The mechanism for righteousness. (vv. 25-26)

a) “Propitiation” or “atonement” refer to rightful punishment being poured out on a substitute.

b) Not deserving punishment, Jesus chooses to take ours.

i) If God does not provide justice to criminals and victims, he is no longer righteous himself!

ii) God cannot just ignore sin.

iii) God also loves the guilty party, so He chooses to pay the penalty himself.

c) There is a sort of union between believers and Jesus, sometimes referred to as a sort of “adoption” (Galatians 4:7) or marriage (2 Cor. 11:2).

Summary so far:

· The law proves that we are sinful and deserve to be punished.

· The penalty for sin is death.

· God is a perfectly fair, just judge, which means he will see all sin punished.

· God also loves us enough that he doesn’t want to condemn us forever.

· Therefore, Jesus volunteers to be punished in our place.

· God remains just by punishing all sin, while at the same time carrying out a plan that means he can now call us “righteous.” We are declared no-longer-guilty.

5) The contrast that defines Christianity:

a) Law says that you get what you deserve.

b) Grace says that Christ took what you deserve on the cross, so you will get what He deserves.

6) Implications (vv. 27-30)

a) Pride is out by definition.

i) There is no sense boasting in a gift received as if that proves anything about you.

ii) Looking down on non-Christians or unlearned Christians denies a fundamental aspect of Grace: it is not deserved.

“I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another. For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:6–7 ESV)

iii) The Roman Gentile Christians were despising the Jews, as if they had been worthy of salvation the Jews had not been worthy of.

b) Law is not a thing of the past.

i) Law will always declare that we deserve death in hell.

ii) Grace merely affirms that the death penalty has been paid.

“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” (Romans 10:4 ESV)

iii) We look to Christ for righteousness, not law!

iv) To think that law has been permanently abolished is to forget our need for Grace.

v) As long as Jesus Christ stands between you and God, the law cannot condemn you.

7) Application

a) Thank God for the undeserved gift of Grace. Confess to another believer a way in which you started taking pride in something that you received as a gift from God.

b) Thank God that your forgiveness is not incompatible with his perfect justice. Pray for (and talk to) someone who is not a follower of Christ, who is still facing eternal judgment.

This Week

Read

Galatians 5:1-15

Consider

What does Paul say will happen to the Galatian believers if they try to be made right with God through following the Old Testament law (in this case, circumcision)? (Hint: see verses 3-4)

What does Paul tell these Christians should be a result of their freedom from the demands of the law? (See vs. 13-14)

Has salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ led you to be more cavalier about sinning, or to serve other Christians in love (v. 13)?

Verse 15 describes one possible consequence of treating Grace as a free pass for sin. Put into your own words what that verse says:

Write out Galatians 5:13-15 by hand. Think of a way that you can serve another Christian this week, and do it.

Pray

Confess ways in which you have tried to follow a set of rules in the hopes of being “worthy” of forgiveness. Confess ways in which you have given other Christians a set of rules that they needed to follow before you would consider them “worthy” of salvation. Thank God that your salvation is entirely a gift, and ask Him to help you use your freedom to serve others in love.