Bill Acton :: Romans 3:21-4:8 - Justification by Faith

Sermon Outline for Romans 3:21-4:8

Justification by Faith

1. The Object of Justification – Rom 3:25-26
   1. Christ’s sacrifice displays God’s righteousness in His dealings with men in Old Testament dispensations
      1. How can a holy God forgive sin and still be righteous?
         1. Through the cross
         2. Through forbearance
      2. God’s righteousness is declared
   2. Christ’s sacrifice displays God’s righteousness in His dealings with men in this present time
      1. God is just – sin has been punished
      2. God is justifier – He took the punishment
2. The General Consequences of Justification by Faith – Rom 3:22-31
   1. It humbles man
      1. Man is unable to merit justification
      2. Salvation is available to all on exactly the same condition
      3. Boasting is excluded – Eph 2:8-9; 2Co 11:16-18; Phl 3:4-7; 1Co 1:26-31
   2. It honors God – Rom 3:28
   3. It eliminates any national aspect to Christianity – Rom 3:29-30
      1. Not solely the God of the Jews
      2. Not solely the God of the Gentiles
   4. It eliminates salvation through ordinance – Rom 3:30
   5. It confirms the law – Rom 3:31
      1. Faith in the atoning work of Christ is a confession –
         1. That the law is righteous
         2. That the law is just in its’ demand
      2. Faith in the atoning work of Christ is the confession that Christ alone could satisfy the demands of the law
3. The Condition of Justification – Rom 3:28
   1. It is by faith “alone”
   2. Faith is not a work which merits justification
   3. Faith has an object – a Person
   4. Faith is a commitment to a Person of trust – 2Ti 1:12
4. Faith Is Sufficient for Complete Justification
   1. Justification is immediate
   2. We can never be more justified
5. Faith Is Sufficient for Certain Justification
   1. The “works” system cannot produce assurance
   2. The “experience” system cannot produce assurance
6. Faith Is Sufficient for Permanent Justification
   1. Cannot be lost by lack of works
   2. Not based on our faithfulness
   3. Resident in God’s righteous character and activity
7. Faith Is Sufficient to Demonstrate Justification
   1. Empties of boasting – fills with praise
   2. Change toward Christ
   3. Change toward sin

Practical Observations

1. Justification is an objective reality based on concrete historical facts – 1Co 15:3-4
2. Justification is not experience-centered, and the church is drowning in the sea of experience today.
   Eastern Religion: “You go in and in and in and then you go in and in and in and after that you go in and in and in.”
3. There is no deeper life – there is no higher life – there is nothing greater than the revelation of justification by faith in the Gospel of Christ