Read for This Week’s Study: Gen. 15:6; 2 Samuel 11-12; Rom. 3:20, Romans 3:31; Romans 4:1-17; Gal. 3:21-23; 1 John 3:4. Memory Text: “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law” (Romans 3:31). In many ways Romans 4 gets to the foundation of the biblical doctrine of salvation by faith alone and to the heart … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, The Righteousness of Christ in the Law, pp. 236-239; Come and Seek and Find, pp. 331-335; Perfect Obedience Through Christ, pp. 373, 374, in Selected Messages, book 1; “ Things New and Old,” pp. 128, 129, in Christ’s Object Lessons. “Though the law cannot remit the penalty for sin, but charges the sinner with all his debt, … Continue reading –>
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Rom. 3:28). Does this mean that if the law doesn’t save us we are not required to obey it? Explain your answer. In the historical context, Paul was speaking in Romans 3:28 of law in its broad sense of the system of … Continue reading –>
In Romans 3:25, Paul expounds further on the great news of salvation. He uses a fancy word, propitiation. The Greek word for it, hilasterion, occurs in the New Testament only here and in Hebrews 9:5, where it is translated as “mercy-seat.” As used in Romans 3:25 to describe the offer of justification and redemption through Christ, propitiation seems to represent the fulfillment of … Continue reading –>
Keeping in mind what we have studied so far about the law and what the law cannot do, read Romans 3:24. What is Paul saying here? What does it mean that redemption is in Jesus? What is this idea of “justifying,” as found in the text? The Greek word dikaioo, translated “justify,” may mean “make righteous,” “declare righteous,” or … Continue reading –>
“Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets” (Rom. 3:21). How are we to understand what this text means? This new righteousness is contrasted with the righteousness of the law, which was the righteousness with which the Jew was familiar. The new righteousness is called “the … Continue reading –>
Read Romans 3:19-20. What is Paul saying here about the law, about what it does, and about what it does not or cannot do? Why is this point so important for all Christians to understand? Paul is using the term law in its broad sense as the Jew in his day understood it. By the term Torah (the Hebrew word … Continue reading –>
Read for This Week’s Study: Rom. 3:19-28. Memory Text: “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28). In this lesson we come to the basic theme of Romans: justification by faith-the great truth that, more than any other truth, brought about the Protestant Reformation. And despite all the … Continue reading –>
Further Thought: “Thus the biblical terminology shows that sin is not a calamity fallen upon the human unawares, but the result of an active attitude and choice on the part of the human. Further, sin is not the absence of good, but it is ‘falling short’ of God’s expectations. It is an evil course that the … Continue reading –>
“Despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). What message is here for us in regard to the whole question of repentance? We should notice that God’s goodness leads, not forces, sinners to repentance. God uses no coercion. He is … Continue reading –>
