Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

 (Rom 4:1) “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? (2) For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”  “Just”: not guilty of any sin. Obviously his efforts to live worthy of God (works) fell short. Such will it always be in this life. We need to embrace the Savior for salvation and cling to Him, never again looking at self to obtain worthiness. 

 (Rom 4:1)“What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh hath found?”  Notice that Paul, a Jew, is including all the saved as the children of Abraham: “our father”. The promise made to Abraham was not only of those physically his offspring, but all those spiritually his offspring, (Rom 4:16)“ Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,”.  I pray you are a child of Abraham by faith, that is, acting upon that which the Word of God reveals.

(Rom 3:29) “Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: (30)  Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. (31)  Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.” The act of Jesus dying for our sins did not say, “The law is of no value so do away with it.” No, it says, “Look, you cannot keep the law. You need a sacrifice – a Savior!” Therefore the act of salvation establishes the law as the perfect standard of God for all men. 

(Rom 3:28)  “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Our sinful nature seeks even to glory in one’s faith. Friend, that’s nothing to glory in. It is simply right to do, for all should have absolute faith in God – period; faith being “believing what He has said and them responding rightly to it”. No. The point here is that one is justified in the sight of God because of what He in Jesus did (v.24-27).  

(Rom 3:26)  “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (27)  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.” Many a new believer has been burdened with and taught they needed to “keep” their salvation. It seems “right”, for it appeals to our sinful nature of pride. Yet, plainly we see (our text) it is all of Jesus without human effort, the keeping of the law. Our attempts soil the purity of that blessed sacrifice of Jesus! 

( Rom 3:26) “To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”  People who are taught they have to keep their salvation need to consider this passage. God is “just” declaring us “innocent of all charges” because He bore our sin Himself and is thus the ‘justifier”.  It is done. How can you possibly think you can add anything to that? 

( Rom 3:24)“ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25)  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare His righteousness….(26)  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”  Why the stressing of the declaration of “His righteousness”? A judge is not righteous who does not hold those before him accountable. God is righteous to justify (forgive the sin) because the sin was paid by another. God remains righteous.

 (Rom 3:25)  “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;”  The last part of this verse proves “propitiation” speaks of the sacrifice upon the altar. Before the crucifixion of Jesus, when God saw the blood, the sacrifice, it appeased Him and He restrained His judgment knowing that the true sacrifice was coming – His Son bearing our sins upon the cross. I say, “You are wonderful, merciful, loving. You are my Savior!”

  (Rom 3:25)  “Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood,…”   The word “propitiation” literally speaks of the sacrifice upon the altar.  Sin had to be paid by blood beginning with Adam’s, all the way through the ministry of the Lord Jesus to the cross itself. It is an appeasement of justice for “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). This is what Jesus did for you and me.  He bore our judgment so that we might live forever!