Gospel Application-Romans 3:27-31

New Testament, Romans, Sermons

* What would you say (How would you answer) if you were to die tonight and stand before God, who asks you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”

* If there really is a heaven, what do you think are the general requirements for admission? Who gets in and who doesn’t?

* Do you pretend that you’re honest when you’re lying, sincere when you’re faking it, pure when you’re thinking dirty? Why do people pretend being something they’re not?

* Do you boast about how much you serve God and sacrifice for God? How faithful, loyal and committed you are to your church? How much you care for refugees, the marginalized, the oppressed and for displaced people? Why do people boast?

* Do you distinguish (discriminate) between rich and poor, black and white, Asian and Caucasian, Democrat and Republican, missionary and indigenous?

“…the righteousness of God has been made known…through faith in (the faithfulness of) Jesus Christ…” (Rom 3:21-22).

“The man who has faith is the man who is no longer looking at himself, and no longer looking to himself. He no longer looks at anything he once was. He does not look at what he is now. He does not look at what he hopes to be … He looks entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work, and he rests on that alone.” Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans 3:20-4:25.

Romans is “really the chief part of the New Testament, and …truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul.”  Martin Luther, Preface to the Epistle to the Romans.

“The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power, but that it is (continually –  present tense) power, and God’s (omnipotent) power at that.” Leon Morris.

Romans 1-5

  1. Gospel of God’s Grace (1:1-7): We received grace. (MLJ 14 sermons)
  2. Gospel Enthusiasm (1:8-15): Eager to preach the gospel. (MLJ 5 sermons)
  3. Gospel Power/Faith (1:16-17): The gospel is the power of God. It is by faith. (MLJ 5 sermons)
  4. Gospel Suppression (1:18-2:5): Wickedness suppresses the gospel. (MLJ 10 sermons)
  5. Gospel Impartiality (2:6-29): God does not show favoritism. (MLJ 6 sermons)
  6. Gospel Accusation (3:1-20): No one is righteous. (MLJ 6 sermons)
  7. Gospel Righteousness (3:21-26): Righteousness is through faith. (MLJ 6 sermons)
  8. Gospel Application (3:27-31): No boasting. (MLJ 3 sermons)
  9. Gospel Example (4:1-25): Abraham and David. (MLJ 9 sermons)
  10. Gospel Fruits (5:1-21): Peace and joy. (MLJ 19 sermons) [Total: 83 sermons]

Romans 3:21-26 is regarded by scholars and theologians as “the center and heart” of Romans and as “possibly the most important single paragraph ever written.” Martin Luther called this passage “the chief point, and the very central place of the Epistle, and of the whole Bible.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the great British preacher, preached 9 sermons just on Romans 3:21-31 as follows:

Romans sermons by Martyn Lloyd-Jones.

How can I, a sinner, become righteous? How does righteousness come to sinful people?

  1. Word. God’s word (3:21). The Law and the Prophets testify/bear witness/attest to God’s righteousness.
  2. Son. God’s Son (3:22). Righteousness is through faith in Jesus Christ.
  3. Not through our own efforts or actions, which fall short of God’s glory/righteousness (3:23).
  4. Free gift. God’s free gift (3:24a). Righteousness is given freely, which means “for no reason.” This is grace.
  5. Redemption. God’s redemption (3:24b).
  6. Blood. God’s Son’s blood (3:25-26). Jesus’ blood demonstrates God’s righteousness.
  7. Not by works, no boasting (3:27-31). Only faith.

Boasting. What you boast in is what gives you confidence to go out and face the day. It is the thing of which you say: I am somebody because I have that. I can beat what comes against me today because I am this. What you boast in is what fundamentally defines you. It is where you draw your identity and self-worth from.

Do I boast? I thought that I generally do not boast except in jest. But it was pointed out to me that I have boasted by saying, “Go ahead, make my day” or “Stab me in the front. I can take it,” or “If you think I’ve become soft in my old age, try me!” When such boasting was expressed to me I felt defensive because I thought that I said those things with a spirit of levity and by being myself. I never thought I was boasting. But the fact that I became defensive revealed that I was indeed basing my identify and self-worth on the fact that I am not afraid of criticism or of what others say or think of me. It’s not going to change my trajectory of life if I disagree with they said. I took pride in my boldness, courage and fearlessness of public opinion. In this way I boasted and was not rooting my identity in Christ alone.

How does Jesus and the gospel of my salvation free and liberate me? Because Jesus always accepts me in spite of me:

  1. I am deeply satisfied with Jesus paying the price for me.
  2. I have freedom from criticism, bad news and negative evaluations.
  3. I have freedom from worry and anxiety about my future or other people.

Questions:

 

  • What would you say (How would you answer) if you were to die tonight and stand before God, who asks you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?”
  • If there really is a heaven, what do you think are the general requirements for admission? Who gets in and who doesn’t?
  • Do you pretend that you’re honest when you’re lying, sincere when you’re faking it, pure when you’re thinking dirty? Why do people pretend being something they’re not?
  • Do you boast about how much you serve God and sacrifice for God? How faithful, loyal and committed you are to your church? How much you care for refugees, the marginalized, the oppressed and for displaced people? Why do people boast?
  • Do you distinguish (discriminate/show favoritism) between rich and poor, black and white, Asian and Caucasian, Democrat and Republican, Israeli and Palestinian, missionary and indigenous?
  1. Why does Martyn Lloyd-Jones exclaim that “there are no more wonderful words in the whole of Scripture than just these two words ’’But now…’” (3:21a) and “But God…” Eph 2:4)?
  2. How does Rom 3:22b-23 summarize a main theme in chapters 1-3? What does “apart from law” suggest? What does the law expose about man’s spiritual state (Rom 1:18-20; 2:1, 4-5, 23-24; 3:9, 19-20)? How does “the Law and the Prophets testify” to “the righteousness of God” (Rom 4:1-8; Gen 15:6; Ps 32:1-2)? What does “has been made known” refer to (Rom 3:21-22)? How can we know “the righteousness of God” (3:22a, 25a; Lk 23:47)?
  3. “Righteousness” is having a “right relationship with God.” John Stott explains “the righteousness of God” (21-22, 25-26; 1:17; Phil 3:9) in three ways as:
    1. An attribute of God: This is a quality–who God is.
    2. An activity of God: This is an action–what God does. (N.T. Wright.)
    3. An achievement of God: This is a gift–what God bestows, confers and accomplishes. (Reformed.)
    4. Explain each phrase? Can the righteousness of God mean all three?
  4. How are we “justified freely by his grace” (Rom 3:24a; Eph 2:8-9). What is redemption (3:24b; Gal 3:13; Ex 6:6)?
  5. Explain “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood” (3:25a; Heb 9:14, 22)?
  6. What sins did God pass over that were previously committed (Rom 3:25b)? How can God be just and still justify those who sin (25b-26)?
  7. Why do we tend to: Boast (27-28)? Feel that Jew and Gentile are different (29-30)? Not uphold the law (31)?

 

References:

  1. Douglas Moo —The Epistle to the Romans (New International Commentary on the New Testament, 1996).
  2. Douglas Moo —Exegetical examination of Romans. This course was recorded during a D.Min. seminar at the Carolina Graduate School of Divinity in May 2012.
  3. John Stott —The Message of Romans (The Bible Speaks Today, 1994).
  4. Tim Keller —Romans 1-7 For You (The Good Book Company, 2014).
  5. Study Guide for Romans by David Guzik.
  6. Bible study questions on all of Romans.
  7. Introduction to the New Perspective on Paul. Douglas Moo.

 

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