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Romans 3:21-31 Why the GOOD NEWS is GOOD
Romans 3 21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood (atonement), to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3 27Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
Religion and Fear • If there is no God, then, to be intellectually honest you have to admit meaningless • And that no one is objective • Freud, Russell, and others say religion is a means to deal with this fear and with death • Why does it bother us? • CS Lewis
Beginning with Fear • Proverbs 9:10, Psalm 111:10 • Disillusionment and despair produce fear • The Bible says this is where you get to know God • This is the BEGINNING of wisdom, not the END • Love drives out fear (1 John 4:18)
Power and Holiness • This place is where you reckon with an all-powerful God • Our experiences with power have made us afraid and skeptical of those with power • Humans abuse power • What Paul is asking here is this, “How does God use His power?”
Otherness and the Cross • Holiness as otherness • God does things differently • Humans can take any GOOD and make it BAD • God can take any BAD and make it GOOD • God saves by giving up power, and is thus totally other
The Way of Love • God doesn’t act out of fear, but out of love • He is HOLY and LOVE • We pass through His HOLINESS on the way to LOVE • Love is OTHER ORIENTED by nature • Fear is self-preserving
The Problem of Meaning • Life isn’t meaningless is there is a God that is transcendent and infinite • This means you have to deal with meaning • Actions do matter • There is a higher moral law and purpose that this transcendent being has put in place
Why Am I Here? • The multi-layered GOOD NEWS • Doesn’t just save from meaninglessness • Justification • We all have reasons for saying, “This is why I matter.” • What gives you meaning and purpose in life? • Always relational • Righteousness as a relationship that gives you meaning, purpose, identity, and value
Covenanting • In the Bible, this relationship is called a covenant • Promises are made between two parties • This is where you get your righteousness and justification • Job, Boy/Girlfriend, Money, Grades, etc.
Unforgiving Little gods • The problem is that none of these things care about you • Nor can they forgive you when you fail them • NONE of them can justify an ETERNAL sort of life • They all fall short of what we need and want (Romans 3:23) • Glory as PRESENCE and WEIGHT
Rules or Relationship? • Romans 3:23-24 • God justifies our existence and redeems us • Picture of a slave being bought back • Hosea and Gomer • We want to justify and redeem ourselves • Rules (goodness) or lack of rules (badness) • Legalism or lawlessness • It’s a gift!
Atonement • Someone has to ATONE for the brokenness of this relationship • The cross is God’s “NO!” to all our self-justification • He calls us back to Himself, to meaning and purpose! • Col. 2:13-15 • Moral influence, Christus Victor, Satisfaction, Penal Substitution, Ransom, The Final Scapegoat • Refusing this gift is ACTIVELY choosing the ABSENCE of GOD, which is Hell • Hell is full of people who have chosen relationship with rules rather than with God
The Danger of Grace • Javert • Kills himself because of grace extended to him • Jean Veljean enters it and finds redemption • Salvation by grace is scary if you don’t want to be known • Justification and meaning from outside yourself are difficult for those who like control • Facing that control was an illusion means entering further into it • Fear=beginning of wisdom
What’s My Motivation? • Why should I live a good life? • If grace causes you to think this it means FEAR was your motivation • Verse 31 • Other oriented vs. self preserving • God doesn’t need your good deeds to justify you, so the legalistic paradigm falls apart
Good Deeds and Relationship Relationship Good Deeds
Good Deeds and Relationship Good Deeds Relationship
Jesus and the Law • Matthew 5:17-20 • Jesus FULFILLS the law because he gives it meaning • Shows how it has worth and value and what it was meant for • He does the same with people • There are rules, but they function to deepen relationship and meaning and purpose • Cheating on your wife • Stop looking at your sin and your good deeds and look at Jesus • And the invitation from Paul is to look closely • Col. 2:3, Psalm 130:4
The Logos • Greek philosophers for hundreds of years debated what the meaning of life was and they claimed there was a LOGOS • Some thing or idea external to the person that would show what the person was meant for • Fish and water • By Jesus’ day, people had basically given up • John 1:1 • Not a thing, but a person • When you submit to Him, you experience freedom and find out who you are
