LESSON - ROMANS 3:19-26 (NIV based)

THEME - Justification

OBJECTIVE - to search for the qualities and make personal applications

Q: What is the basis of your faith?  Can you describe it theologically?  Is it based on sound interpretation of Scriptures?

Q: What is the purpose(s) of the Law?  A: 2 purposes listed here

v.20 not to save but to make us conscious of sin

v.21 testify about the righteousness that comes from God = Christ

Q: How does the Law do these 2 purposes?  What is distinctive about its nature or structure that accomplishes these purposes?  A: It contains lots of commands & laws which are impossible to keep as well as the lasting guilt of sin and need for continual forgiveness remedied through the sacrificial system - thus pointing to the need for a Savior (Christ the Messiah)

Q: What does it say in the O.T. about salvation and how to achieve it?
  A: - Salvation comes from the Lord: Jonah 2:9; Ps. 62:5-6
     - Salvation comes from the Messiah (Jesus): Zec. 9:9
     - We are to obey the Law & love the Lord, but salvation comes from Him; we are to
       trust Him for salvation.

Q: Can a person be saved today just from what is contained in the O.T.?      A: No, Galatians 3:19-25 especially v.21 & 25.  If people try to come to God today thru just the O.T., they are rejecting Christ and what He has done (John 14:6).

RIGHTEOUSNESS = acting in accord with or conforming to God's moral
    standard

JUSTIFICATION = the judicial act of God declaring one to be righteous by
    imputation or crediting of righteousness to him

Q: What is God's means of justifying mankind?

v.22 comes from God; comes through faith in Jesus Christ

Q: Why must justification come thru Christ?  Why not thru someone else?
  A: Jesus is God - He is the only person who has pure
       holiness/righteousness to impute or credit to others.

Q: Verse 22 states the word "faith", faith in exactly what?  What means did God implement for us to have faith in?

v.23 that we have sinned & fall short

v.24 that Christ paid the price (redemption) for our sins; comes freely by GRACE = undeserved favor

v.25 that God sacrificed Jesus (which is God Himself) to pay the price - for past sins

ATONEMENT = (found in the O.T.) to cover; to put sin out of sight

Q: Were the O.T. sacrifices sufficient for the complete forgiveness of sins?  A: No. v.25

Q: Was Christ's payment for sin sufficient to pay for present & future sins?  A: Yes v.26

Q: How can the sacrifice of Jesus pay for past, present, & future sins?      A: Jesus is eternal, infinite.

BIG IDEA: When you hear others describe the basis of their faith, you can discern whether they are saved or not when you compare what they say to what God says about the basis of faith in this passage.
    Are you clear about your position in Christ? - that you are justified by God only through your faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross to pay the penalty for your sins.

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Works Cited:
Bible. “The Holy Bible: New International Version.” The Bible Library CD-ROM. Oklahoma City, OK: Ellis Enterprises, 1988.
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Copyrights:
Scriptures taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®
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File name: Romans3_19-26-Lesson.___ (.htm, .doc, .pdf)
Translation used: NIV
Source: www.BelieverAssist.com
Updated: 1-3-15