Romans 3:21-26
Introduction:
1. Romans 1:18-3:23 demonstrates that all humanity is guilty of sin.
2. Romans 6:23a declares that sin earns death (separation from God).
3. Romans 3:21-26 describes God’s solution to our sin problem in Christ.
Discussion:
I. Justified by His Grace
A. Justified= to make or render right or just, hold guiltless (Mounce); to render just or innocent (Strong)
B. By removing our guilt in this way, God released us from the penalty we earned by our sin (Romans 6:23b).
C. How could God declare the guilty innocent and remain just Himself?
II. Through Redemption
A. Through= immediate agency, causation, instrumentality (Mounce)
B. Redemption= liberation procured by payment of ransom (Thayer)
C. This was the process by which a wealthy philanthropist would buy freedom for one who was enslaved.
III. In Christ by His Blood
A. Christ is our ransom from the guilt of sin (Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
B. Propitiation= an atoning sacrifice (Thayer)
C. His blood satisfied the demands of violated justice (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:14-17; 9:13-15, 22; 10:10-14; 1 John 2:1-2).
D. In this way, God was able to declare the guilty innocent while also satisfying the demands of His holiness (Romans 3:26).
Conclusion:
1. Every accountable human being is guilty before God (Romans 3:11, 23).
2. Furthermore, no accountable human being can clear his/her guilt through personal performance (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:10-13).
3. This does not mean we have nothing to do to receive the blessings.
4. We must be living the new life in Christ (Galatians 2:20; 3:26-27; Romans 6:1-7, 15-18; 8:14-17; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10, 17; 1 John 1:5-10).