Sunday, August 22, 2010

Romans: Lesson 3 of 12

Lesson 3

The Key to the Trap of God’s Wrath: God’s Righteousness (Romans 3:21-5:11)

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Lesson Theme: We can have a righteousness that comes from God

Lesson Objective: To understand the righteousness that God has given us through Jesus Christ.

Reminder from last week:

· Those who did not have the law had no excuse

· Those under law could not be justified by the law.

Man’s Righteousness Can Never Satisfy God’s Wrath! (Isaiah 64:6)

We are trapped by God’s wrath

This is the most dismal picture of humanity possible, but it is followed by the most uplifting and promising verses in all of scripture:

Read Romans 3:21-26

BUT NOW!

A RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM GOD

HAS BEEN MANIFESTED APART FROM THE LAW (BUT)

THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS BEAR WITNESS TO IT

Two Very Important Statements:

God’s Righteousness is the Key to God’s Wrath

God’s wrath can only be satisfied through God’s Righteousness

Question: What is righteousness?

Answer: Righteousness is the state of being without guilt

I. The Source of Righteousness is:

Romans 3:22 says it all!

A. From God

Another way to say “From God”: By Grace (Romans 3:23-24)

Romans 4:1-5

B. Through Faith (Romans 4:13-16)

C. To ALL who believe (Romans 4:17-18)

Believe in what? The work that Jesus did on the cross.

Romans 4:23-24

Righteousness is given

By Grace

Through Faith

For all who Believe

Question: What exactly is this work of righteousness?

II. The Work of God’s Righteousness is:

A. Sacrifice of Atonement (Romans 3:24-25)

Jesus was a guilt/sin offering

Hebrews 9:6-7, 11-12; Hebrews 10:5-10

Three important requirements for the sacrifice of atonement

1. The atoning sacrifice must be unblemished

2. The atoning sacrifice must be costly/precious (provisions were made for the poor)

3. The atoning sacrifice must be of blood (must be a blood sacrifice)_

Jesus satisfied all of these requirements with his death.

· Jesus was unblemished and without sin

· Jesus was God’s only Begotten Son – how much more costly and precious could that be

· Jesus shed his blood

See 1 Peter 1:18-19

B. Demonstration of both Love and Justice

God’s Love

Romans 5:6-8

Who would die for a righteous man? Very few

Who would die for a good man? Maybe someone

Who would die for a sinner? Jesus

Now we have two diametrically opposed concepts: The Love of God and the Justice of God

In order for the Love of God and the Wrath of God to balance, there must be a demonstration of God’s Justice

God’s Justice

Romans 3:25-26; Isaiah 53:4-12

When Jesus died on the cross, he not only was an unblemished in offering for our unintentional and unknown sins, he paid the full penalty associated with every high-handed and rebellious sin we ever committed or ever will commit. Jesus literally suffered hell for us. (See Matthew 27:45-46; Luke 22:44; Ephesians 4:8-10)

D. Satisfaction of God’s Wrath (Romans 5:9)

The first big “Therefore” in Romans - Romans 5:1

· Because we are without excuse

· Because we cannot obtain righteousness by our works

· Because we cannot obtain righteousness through the law

· God provided his righteousness through Jesus Christ

· THEREFORE… The Results of Righteousness are as follows

III. The Result of God’s Righteousness is:

A. Peace with God (Romans 5:1)

1. We have been reconciled to God – we are literally at peace, not at war

2. We also have God’s peace bestowed upon us

Peace requires a lifestyle of faith

B. Hope for the future (Romans 5:2)

Hope requires a lifestyle of faith

D. Joy in suffering (Romans 5:3-5; Philippians 4:4 )

It is because of God’s righteousness that we can have joy in suffering because:

1. Suffering produces endurance

2. Suffering produces character

3. Suffering produces hope

See Romans 8:16-18

Suffering identifies us with Christ

Suffering requires a lifestyle of faith

We may be trapped by God’s wrath, but because of his great love for us, he has given us the key to unlock that trap. The key is God’s Righteousness, which comes through the work of his Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross.

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