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GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION
GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION IN ROMANS 3:21-26
"Possibly the most important single paragraph ever written." Leon Morris
3:21-23
1. What is "Righteousness"? One is righteous when he unfailingly lives according to a
perfect standard of morality and justice. Because God is righteous, He must always do
what is perfectly just, right, and fair. Therefore, God the righteous Judge MUST
punish us for our sins and our sinfulness. It is not right or fair for God to allow us to
go free without the just penalty for our sins being paid.
2. What is meant by "righteousness apart from the law"? We cannot be righteous
through obeying the law. For the law reveals our sinfulness (Rom 3:19,20). We have
all sinned and fall short of God's holy requirements (Rom 3:23). Therefore, our ONLY
HOPE is that somehow God will provide righteousness for us, apart from the law!
3. How is the "righteousness apart from the law" predicted in the Law and the
Prophets? The sacrifices and the Passover Lamb (John 1:29); the Tabernacle and the
Day of Atonement (Lev 16 and Heb 9:6-12); and the prophets' predictions of the
Messiah (Isaiah 53:6; Jer 31:31-34) predict how we can be made right with a holy God.
3:22
How do we receive this "righteousness apart from the law" "through faith"?
Faith is the opposite of trusting in me. Faith begins when our trust in ourselves ends.
It begins when we stop arguing, stop defending ourselves, and stop trusting in
ourselves. It begins when we say, "God have mercy on me a sinner"! (Luke 18:13) and
"What must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:32) Faith is putting our total trust in God for
our righteousness. It is putting our total faith in what Jesus did on the cross for us.
3:24
1. What is "justified"? We are justified only when the legally required penalty is fully
paid. Then and only then are we completely free from guilt before God.
2. What is "grace"? Grace occurs when we get what we do not deserve to get. We do
not deserve to be declared righteous. It is too good to be true, but it is true
for all who have cried out for God's mercy!
3. What is "redemption"? Redemption described a slave being set free from his slavery
by a ransom price. The ransom price that set us free from slavery to sin and
condemnation to hell is the blood of Jesus Christ (Matt 20:28; I Pet 1:18,19; Rev 5:9;
Eph 1:7; Col 1:14; )
3:25.26
1. What is "sacrifice of atonement" or "propitiation"? It is satisfying, appeasing, or
assuaging the wrath of one who has been wronged by us. Our sins have legally, justly,
infinitely wronged an infinite and holy God. The blood of the infinite Son of God
alone is able to appease the just anger of God for our sins. The cross was necessary
because of God's justice. Someone MUST pay the penalty for our sins. Because of
God's love it was just like our all-loving God to take the penalty in our place. (I Jn 2:2)
2. How were the Old Testament saints like David and Moses able to be saved? God
had foreordained that Jesus Christ would one day die for their sins.
OTHER IMPORTANT TERMS:
1. What is reconciliation? God removed the sin barrier that separated us from Him,
thus restoring fellowship between Himself and us (II Cor 5:18-20; Rom 5:10,11;
Col 1:20-22).
2. Why is there such an emphasis in the Bible on Jesus' blood? Why can't we just talk
about Jesus' death? Christianity has been called the "slaughterhouse religion." Jesus'
blood is a dramatic and visible picture to us of the cost that Jesus paid to make us
right with God (Heb 9:22, 10:19; I Pet 1:18,19)
3. What do "vicarious" and "substitution" mean? They simply mean that Jesus took
our place. Vicarious means in the place of another. He died for our sins in our place.
It is also as if we were about to die for our sins and Jesus volunteered to substitute for
us. (Lk 22:19,20; Jn 10:15; Rom 5:8; Gal 3:13; Tit 2:13,14; I Pet 3:18) (Isaiah 53)
4. What is meant by "imputation"? It means that something in our account was taken
out of our account and put in the account of another, or something in someone else's
account was taken out of their account and put into our account. Adam's sin was
imputed to us (Rom 5:12). Our sinfulness was taken out of our account and put in
Jesus' account (Isa 53:4-6; the practice of laying hands on the sacrifices)! Jesus'
righteousness was taken out of His account and put into our account! (II Cor 5:21)!
TRUE AND FALSE VIEWS OF THE PURPOSE OF JESUS' DEATH
The Ransom view: Jesus paid a ransom to Satan to free us from Satan's hold. (Origen)
(Matt 20:28)
The Example view: Christ's death is an example of faith and obedience to encourage us
to follow in His pattern of life. (Pelagius, Socinus) (I Pet 2:21)
Vicarious Propitiation: Jesus took the penalty for our sins in our place (the Bible)
(I Peter 2:24, 3:18)
RESOURCES: THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DOCTRINE by Pentecost; BASIC CHRISTIANITY by John Stott; INTRODUCING BASIC CHRISTIAN DOCTINE by Erickson; CHARTS OF CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY & DOCTRINE by
H. Wayne House
ASSIGNMENT: Pick the term above that gave you a fresh understanding of Jesus' death for you and share about it next week.