So Great Salvation – Part 2 – Romans 3:24-31

Romans verse by verse: The Apostle continues the majestic description of justification by faith. Redemption and propitiation covered in this message.

Review of previous lesson

• Imputation = God’s righteousness credited to my account by faith (Vs. 22)
• Justification = God declares the repentant believing sinner righteous before the high court of heaven.

These verses answer the age old question spoken by Job, “I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?” (Job 9:2)

Redemption (Vs. 24b)

1. Redemption’s Meaning
   1. It is the basis of our justification. It is freely provided as a gift of God’s grace.
   2. Slave market terminology. Means a buying back. “A deliverance effected by a price as that of slaves, or prisoners, or persons condemned, when they are delivered from slavery, captivity, or death, by means of a ransom.” (Haldane)
2. Redemption’s necessity
   1. Men are enslaved to sin
      1. John 8:34 “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
      2. “Paul views sin as that power from which we need to be liberated.” (Moo)
   2. Men are enslaved to Satan
      1. Satan works in the children of disobedience (Eph 2:2)
      2. Satan takes unsaved men captive “at his will” (2 Tim. 2:26)
      3. Satan holds men in bondage through fear of death (Heb. 2:14- 15)
3. Redemption’s Price
   1. Revelation 5:9 “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;”
   2. 1 Peter 1:18-19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”
   3. Col 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

Propitiation (Vs. 25-26)

1. Displayed (25a)
   1. ‘God’ = the Father
   2. “set forth” = to exhibit to public view, to place before the eyes of men
   3. “Arise my soul arise, shake of thy guilty fears, the bleeding sacrifice in thy behalf appears”
2. Defined (25b)
   1. Propitiation = a wrath appeasing/diverting sacrifice
   2. Translated ‘mercyseat’ in Heb. 9:5. Compare Lev. 16
      1. It was here the high priest sprinkled the blood once a year to atone for the sins of the people. The tables of the law were stored inside the Ark of the Covenant, under the mercy seat.
      2. The two goats on the Day of Atonement reveal the two aspects of propitiation. The blood of the first goat atones for sin at the mercy seat. The second goat typifies the result of the blood payment; sins are removed forever. Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”
   3. God’s Divine wrath was satisfied in the blood sacrifice of the Son of God. God was ‘satisfied’ (Isaiah 53:11)
3. Received (25c)
   1. ‘faith’ = the word ‘faith’ and its related forms occur 9 times in these verses. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone!
   2. “in his blood” = the blood the focus of faith
4. Declared (25d-26)
   1. ‘remission’ = to pass over
   2. “forbearance of God” = By virtue of the atonement Christ would make in the future on the cross, God was able to exercise patience towards to the sins of the O.T. believers. Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world
   3. “at this time” = his righteousness not only demonstrated for the past sins but also for the present age
   4. “just and the justifier” = God perfectly satisfies His attribute of holiness and is also able to declare believing sinners righteous. “Heaven’s peace and perfect justice, kissed a guilty world in love”

Conclusion (Vs. 27-31)

3 questions are raised and answered:

Where is boasting? (Vs. 27)

1. ‘boasting’ = a natural companion of a works based gospel
   1. Illustration: Pharisee & the Publican (Luke 18:10-14)
   2. Eph. 2:9 “…lest any man should boast.”
   3. Roman Catholic Dogma: “If anyone says that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in divine mercy, which remits sins for Christ’s sake, or that it is this confidence alone that justifies us, LET HIM BE ANATHEMA” (Sixth Session, Canons Concerning Justification, Canon 12).
2. Answer: ‘excluded’ = it is shut out
3. How: By the law of works or faith?
   1. “of works” = a works based salvation does not exclude boasting. If you earn your own salvation, then you will be puffed up in self- righteousness. “not of works lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9)
   2. “law of faith” = faith in the finished work of Christ excludes boasting as we recognize our complete dependence upon Christ to save us. Faith acknowledges that God alone can save.

Is God only for the Jews? (Vs.29-30)

1. Paul has before demonstrated that both Jews and Gentiles find themselves guilty before God (Vs. 9)
2. Paul again asserts that the means of justification is also the same for both. Both are sinners and guilty. Both must receive God’s righteousness the same way, by faith.

Is the law abolished? (Vs.31)

1. Answer: No! Faith establishes the law in its proper place
2. The laws function is to lead to Christ. It is not given to save us.

Conclusion

Have you received this gift of salvation? How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? (Heb. 2:3)

Sermon 16 of 42 in Romans Series

Sermon Audio Id: 930172219348