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- Preaching
the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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GOD IS JUST AND
JUSTIFIER (Rom 3:25-31) 4/29/07 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I. JUSTIFICATION IS JUST
THROUGH PROPITIATION (25-26) A. God’s Righteous
Indignation was Satisfied (25a) 1. Sinful
man cannot be justified by the Law but God justifies the believer by faith
and He is absolutely just in doing so. 2. Philosophically the question could be
raised, “How can man be justified by faith when man is under the wrath of
God?” 3. God answered that question when He
publicly displayed (protíthemi - lit. to set before, expose to
public view) His Son on the cross as a propitiation. 4. Propitiation (hilastę́rion)
carried the original idea of pacifying or satisfying a deity. In the OT, hilastę́rion
was the Greek translation for kapporeth the Hebrew word for “mercy
seat” (Lev 16:2 cp. Heb 9:5). It was there that God’s wrath was pacified or
satisfied towards man’s sin on the Day of Yom Kippor. However, as the word kapporeth
implies, it merely “covered” sin temporarily. When Christ died on the
cross, it was a permanent hilastę́rion (satisfaction) which did
not merely cover sin, but took it away (Joh 1:29). 5. When one places faith in Christ’s blood,
Christ’s death on the cross appeases the wrath of God that was toward the
believing sinner. B. God’s Forbearance was
Vindicated (25b) 1. The
propitiation of Christ vindicated or demonstrated (endeíknumi - verb,
to prove) God’s righteousness when he passed over sins previously committed
(Psa 78:38-39; Act 14:16; 17:30). 2. God has been forbearing (anochę - delay
or postpone) with His judgment. This is not to say that God winks at sin or
ever fails to judge it. 3. For instance, when Adam and Eve sinned,
even though they died spiritually, they were not immediately and utterly
destroyed. 4. The reason why God could delay his
judgment or temporarily tolerate sin was that God looked ahead to the
propitiation of Christ. C. God’s Justification is
Just (26) 1. Propitiation
not only vindicated God’s forbearance, but also justification. 2. The whole ethical question of
justification boils down to one question, “Is God just in justifying the
wicked on the basis of faith alone?” 3. It was for the very purpose of being just
(dikaios - morally and ethically righteous) that God sent His Son to
be a propitiation for sin. Therefore, God is completely just when he becomes
the justifier (pres part - dikaióō) of those who trust in
Jesus (cp. Rom 4:5). 4. Both God’s wrath and righteousness were
satisfied by Christ’s death. II. JUSTIFICATION EXCLUDES
MEN FROM BOASTING (27-30) A. No One Can Boast in Works
(27) 1. After
Paul has laid down his arguments concluding that all men are sinners (Gentile
and Jew); that no one has an advantage over the other; that justification by
faith is the only basis for salvation; and that God is perfectly just in
justifying the sinner by faith; he asks the all encompassing question, “Where
then is boasting?” 2. No one has the right to boast because
there is no cause for boasting (kaúchęsis - the action of
glorying in or taking pride) concerning salvation. 3. Boasting has been excluded (aor pass - ekkleio
- lit. to shut out, eliminate). It has been eliminated on the principle (nómos
- law, Law, or principle) of works, because no one can work their way to
heaven. It also has been eliminated on the basis of faith because faith is
based on grace, and grace precludes works or boasting (Eph 2:8-9). B. Man is Justified by Faith
not Law (28) 1. Paul
maintains (logizomai - reckon or calculate) the conclusive statement
that, “man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.” 2. Logically speaking, justification can
either be by faith or by works, but not both. Paul teaches that is by faith
and therefore it is apart (choris - separate from) from works. 3. As we have noted before, the doctrine of
justification by faith apart from works is a major theme in the Scriptures
(Rom 3:20-22; 4:5; 8:3; Gal 2:16; 3:11-14; Phil 3:9; Tit 3:5-7) C. God is God of All Who
Believe (29-30) 1. Paul
takes his point even further. Since justification is by faith apart from the
Law, even the Gentiles can be saved. 2. Therefore, God is the God of believing
Gentiles. This would have been a revelation for the Jews because they were
indoctrinated with the idea that Jehovah was the God of the Jews (Deut 6:4).
Indeed, He is, but He is also the God of the believing Gentile. In addition,
a true Jew is one who is also justified by faith in Christ. 3. Since circumcision or uncircumcision has
nothing to do with justification (Rom 2:25-29; 4:9-12) then all those, who
place their faith in the propitiation of Christ will be justified (Rom 1:16). III. JUSTIFICATION ESTABLISHED
THE LAW (31) A. Some would argue then that
the Law is nullified (katargéō - render inoperative or
abolish) by faith. Paul responds with a strong negative, “May it never be” (mę́
génoito). B. The Law was not nullified. It had a
purpose and its purpose was to bring the knowledge of sin (Rom 3:20), not
provide a means of justification. C. In bringing the knowledge of sin, the Law
accomplished its purpose, pointed to justification by faith, and therefore
was established (histemi - cause to stand). IV. PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS A. God is absolutely just in
justifying sinners by faith apart from the Law because His wrath and
righteousness have been satisfied by Christ’s death on the cross. B. By understanding that Christ satisfied
God’s wrath and righteousness on the behalf of the believing sinner,
believers should… 1. Live
each day knowing that God satisfied His wrath against us (1Jo 4:10). 2. Boast only in Christ and His salvation
(1Co 1:29-31) 3. Defend the doctrine of justification by
faith (Gal 1:8-9) |
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