Romans Chapter Three                  Lesson 40

Review:

God’s Method of Salvation

    1. Its Nature  3:21-23

        a. As to its condition 3:21-22   [what we had to do]

            1) it is apart from works  3:21

            2) it is by faith  3:22

        b. Who does it apply to  3:22c-3:23 [who needs it and why?]

 

  "for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

 

1)  Its application is first, universal!

 

     There is no distinction in their "lostness."

 

- God judges on the basis of the standard that they possess! 

 

 

- The conclusion we saw in 3:9  is that "all under sin"  Rem; he is not talking there about the act of sin,   not a verb but a noun; his point is that "all are under sin as a condition"  which says that all are under the guilt of sin, power of sin, and the penalty of sin!  No exceptions!

 

* Note:  this phrase, there is no distinction is found 2x's in Romans.

Here of course; where he is saying that there is no distinction among mankind in their need, their condition of lostness is the same before God.

In 10:12  Read 11-13; there is no difference in God's grace that meets the need man has of salvation.

 

2)  3:23  Why the need?  Universal "lostness" - sinfulness

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

 

 

There are 2 ways to look at this verb, all sinned;

#1 It may simply gather together and views all the acts of sin of all humanity down thru the ages.

 

#2 Or it may indicate that all mankind participated in Adam's sin!

That being the historical point of time indicated by the aorist.

- The second verb (3:23) = fall short = u`stere,w  to lack, to fall short of what one must have;  Mt 19:20 

 

Man having his roots in the fall of Adam in the sin of Adam keeps on manifesting this continually falling short; 

 

  ** What is this saying here??

- That the cause of continually falling short does not consist in something outside of our self but the cause is from within!

 

- Can man on his own ever reach the goal of the glory of God? 

 

- What is it that Paul says that man has fallen short of?? 

 

The glory of God refers to all that He is! The sum total of His perfections! All that He is! 

 

- In the OT "the glory of God" was the expression of the revealed  presence of God.  Ex 24:16-17;  in the tabernacle  40:34-35

 

 

- No one has or ever will attain to the high demand of the glory of God, to measure up to the standard of God's glory.

- Jesus Christ, as the God-man, the monogenhj, perfectly reflected the invisible God, Heb 1:3a

 

 

God's method of Salvation  

     2. Its basis, what is it based on? 3:24-25

a. 3:24  Redemption.

b. 3:25  propitiation

 

Overview!

There are 4 key areas of focus here:

#1. "being justified" dikaio,w this does not mean to make righteous [in an ethical sense] or to treat  as righteous [though one is not +R].

 

 

Some observations:  What Justification is not!!

1. It is not forgiveness;  it is so much more!

 

 

2. Justification is not a pardon; its much more;

 

 

3. Justification is not a change in character!  But it is a change in position!

 

 

4. Justification is not a return to innocence.