Romans 3:20 “…through the law comes knowledge of sin.”
Romans 4:1-25 Romans 4:4-5 Our faith is credited to us as righteousness. Ephesians 2:10 Our faith is credited to us as righteousness. Romans 4:16 Our faith is credited to us as righteousness. Romans 4:23-25 Our faith is credited to us as righteousness.
Four practical things we can take away from the example of Abraham:
Romans 4:20-21
Hebrews 10:23 Hebrews 11
Faith is unwavering. Be steadfast in your faith.
Faith can be strengthened. Build up your faith muscles.
Faith brings glory to God. Greater faith brings greater glory.
Faith is confident in Him. Be assured that God will come through.
Romans 3:19 Romans 3:20 Justice (dikaioo) means “to be declared just or righteous (in right standing).” Romans 3:21-26 (reference) Romans 3:21-22a Romans 3:22b-23 Once we realize we’re all in the same sinking ship, we’ll see that we all need rescuing. Romans 3:24-25a Grace (charis) means “kindness, grace, favor.” Redemption (polutrósis) means “a release, effected by payment of ransom.” Propitiation (hilastérion) means “to win or regain favor by doing something that pleases someone.” Isaiah 53:5 Romans 3:24-25a Romans 3:25b-26 God is both just, AND the justifier. Romans 3:26
In order for God to be just and true He had to satisfy every requirement of the very law He gave.
Matthew 5:17-18
In order for God to be just and true He had to satisfy every requirement of the very law He gave. (add next line) He did so in Jesus.
Self-effort is pursuing righteousness by trying hard to observe the right rules, regulations and rituals. Romans 2:12 Romans 2:13 James 2:10-11 Romans 2:14-16 Romans 2:17-20 Romans 2:21-24 Romans 2:25-27
The Problem with Self-Effort: Keeping all the rules is seen as the way to get into heaven. But even when we fail to keep them, we still expect to receive a good judgement from God in the end. There is almost always a loophole: something else we can DO to make us right when we fail to follow the other rules. Romans 2:28-29
Summary: Salvation can’t be attained by self-effort. It’s only possible through Jesus. It’s an issue of the heart. It’s a matter of the Spirit.
Matthew 5:17-20 When it comes to reaching others, help them see how exhausting and futile self-effort really is.
Romans 2:1-11 Moralism is making personal judgements about someone’s righteousness based on our own rationale and thinking. Romans 2:1 The moralist can always find a comparison that affirms he/she is good enough to warrant heaven. Romans 2:2-5 2 Peter 3:9 Romans 2:6-11 Summary: The Problem with moralism is our standards aren’t God’s standards. We don’t judge impartially, and we’re all guilty of not measuring up – even to our own standards.
Question: How do we connect with others who seem to have a moralist mentality?
We have to lovingly help them see they don’t measure up to God’s standards. We can start by sharing with them how we ourselves have come up short. 1 Timothy 1:12-16 Remember we have a secret weapon: The Holy Spirit. John 16:8
Almost all Christians, young and old, prefer peace to war. In particular, most of us don’t like fighting a culture war—but sometimes, if we are to be faithful to biblical teaching, we have no choice. We do have a choice of tactics, and at times Christians have chosen poorly, but we still should not cry “peace, peace, when there is no peace.” ~Wayne Grudem Title: The Problem with Pagan Thinking
Romans 1:16-17 Salvation comes through righteousness, and righteousness comes through faith. Romans 1:18-19 “wrath” literally means “settled anger”
Paganism is about worshiping created things, or worshiping creation rather than the creator.
Romans 1:20 Romans 1:21-23 Nothing created can possibly be greater than its creator. Romans 1:24-25 Romans 1:26-27 When we ignore God, there are no righteous standards. When there are no righteous standards, anything goes.
Romans 1:28-31 Pagan thinking does not lead to righteousness. It actually brings out the worst side of our nature, and so deserves God’s wrath. Romans 1:32
Ephesians 4:14-15 Paul wants to: “…no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, [speaking the truth in love], we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ…”
Regardless of what the issue is, be sure you are holding to the truth, AND be sure you are living it out in love.
Romans 1:16-17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel 1 Corinthians 15:1-5 for it is the power of God for salvation sótéria (so-tay-ree’-ah): deliverance, salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek Romans 1:17 for in it, the righteousness of God dikaiosuné (dik-ah-yos-oo’-nay): righteousness, justice. The central dilemma for all of humanity is obtaining righteousness. is revealed God has revealed the standard of righteousness through the person of Jesus. God has revealed the means of attaining righteousness through faith in Jesus. from faith for faith “The righteous shall live by faith.” Salvation comes through righteousness, and righteousness comes through faith.
