Outstanding Aspects Of The Gospel

1. Outstanding AspectsOf The Gospel Romans 3:20-26

2. Romans 3:20-26, because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin, 21 But now apart from the law a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God; 24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God; 26 for the showing, I say, of his righteousness at this present season: that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus.

3. The theme of this epistle of the apostle Paul to the brethren in Rome is expressed in Rom. 1:16, .... For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. In thistext (Rom. 3:20-26) Paul writes of some of theout-standing aspects of thegospel. APART FROM THE LAW A RIGHTEOUSNESS REVEALED Romans 3:20,21, because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin. 21 But now apart from the law a righteousness of God a plan of God to make sinners righteous) hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Romans 8:3, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.

4. Hebrews 7:18, For there is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness. It was impossible before God to be justified by the Law of Moses because in that way the Jew would have had to live a perfect life, without sin even a single time. With the exception of Jesus Christ, no Jew had ever done that! THE LAW HAD ANOTHER PURPOSE Paul speaks with great respect for the Law, Romans 7:12, So that the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and righteous, and good. Of course, since the Law was given by God through Moses, but Paul wants us to understand the true purpose of the Law. Romans 3:20, because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight; for through the law cometh the knowledge of sin.

5. Rom. 7:7, What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Howbeit, I had not known sin, except through the law: for I had not known coveting, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Upon committing such sins the Jew knew that he was a sinner, and therefore condemned before the eyes of God. ... And then, upon realizing that he was a sinner and con-demned, what could he do? Keeping the law was no longer an option because he had violated it and “because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight” (Romans 3:20). TESTIFIED BY THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS Galatians 3:8-14 gives us examples of this: And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. 9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. ....

6. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them. .... 11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith; 12 and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (see Acts 2:38,39). Romans 15:4, For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that through patience and through comfort of the scriptures we might have hope. Luke 24:44, and he said unto them, These are my words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must needs be fulfilled, which are written ....

7. in the law of Moses, and the prophets, and the psalms, concerning me. Therefore, upon rejecting Christ the unbelieving Jews re-jectedtheir prophets and even the Law of Moses that spoke of the coming Christ (Jn. 5:39, and these Scriptures bear witness of me). Many are the texts of the Old Testament that speak of the coming Christ. Some are cited in various New Testament passages. THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD APART FROM THE LAW OF MOSES Romans 3:21-23, But now apart from the law a righteous-ness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; .... 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.

8. The term “righteousness of God” does not refer to God’s character; of course he is righteous, but to his plan of sal-vationdesigned to make a sinner a saint (a set-aside-one). The “righteousness of God” manifests that the sinner is condemned and then provides salvation for him. Compare Romans 10:2,3, For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. Upon rejecting the righteousness of God, exactly what did they reject or ignore? They rejected the gospel! They ignored the gospel, the means that God uses to justify the sinner, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe. ....

9. They wanted to seek their own righteousness. People who do that condemn themselves. Romans 3:24, BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE Of course, the grace of God is the principal part of every outstanding aspect of the gospel. Paul says, in Acts 20:24, But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. Paul says “freely” because salvation is a gift of God; no one merits salvation. Rom. 8:32, He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things? 1 Cor. 4. 2:12, But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from God; that we might know the things that were freely given to us of God.

10. Eph. 1:6, to the praise of the glory of his grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved: Rev. 21:6, And he said unto me, They are come to pass. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Rev. 22:17, And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely. Rom. 5:8, But God commendeth his own love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ... Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. BY MEANS OF THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS

11. “Redemption” indicates that the sinner was before a slave of sin; but now is redeemed. A slave could be bought, purchased, or redeemed from his slavery. Christ is our Redeemer. 1 Ped. 18,19, …. knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers; 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ. Being found in Christ one is redeemed (purchased) from the slavery of Satan. 1 Cor. 6:20, for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. Matt. 20:28, even as the Son of man came not to be minis-teredunto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. These texts show that the death of Christ on the cross was the price of liberation from our slavery to sin. This ....

12. is precisely what “redemption” from sin means! Romans 6:17,18, But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were servants of sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18 and being made free from sin, ye became servants of righteousness. CHRIST IS THE ONE PRESENTED AS THE PROPITIATION FOR SINS. Remembertheprayer of the publican (Lk. 18:13), Butthe publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, saying, God, be thou merciful (Gr., hilastheti, propitious) to me a sinner. The Spanish version says: God be thou propitious to me a sinner. Propitiation is the showing of mercy! God is merciful toward the sinner who believes in Christ, in “whom God set forth to be a propitiation (Gr., hislasterion, the making of atonement), through faith in his blood” (Rom. 3:25).

13. Hebrews 9:3-5, And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holy of holies; 4 having a golden altar of incense, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was a golden pot holding the manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; ..... 5 and above it cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat (Gr., hislasterion); of which things we cannot now speak severally. The “mercy-seat,” or “propitiatory,” (some versions) was the coverof the ark (box) of the covenant. The ark of the covenant, called the propitiatory, was the “foot stool of our God” (1 Chron. 28:2). , Paul employs the word “cover” as a synonym of “pardoned,” Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, And whose sins are covered.

14. CONCLUSIONS (or summary of the outstanding aspects of the gospel): 1. The gospel dates from before the foundation of the world. It was no ephemeral (Gr., “lasting a day”) thing! The gospel reveals that we are chosen in Christ. Eph.1:4, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish before him in love. Its parables predate history, Mat.13:35, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world. 2. There was no salvation, redemption, by the Law of Moses; that was not its intent or purpose. So, its glory passed (2 Cor. 3:7-11). 3. The Law and the prophets testified of the coming gospel. 4. The Jews knew that the Law would be superseded, Heb. 8:8,12, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, That I will.....

15. make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; ...their sins will I remember no more(from Jer. chapter 31) 5. By the gospel one is justified freely by God’s grace. 6. It does it by the redemption that is through Christ. He bought us from the slavery of sin, of Satan. 7. Christ is the one presented as the propitiation (satisfaction, show of mercy) for sins. 8. All have sinned, each one shall give account of himself to God, 9. The Law showed what is sin. 10. Man must obey the gospel. --in Romans are shown the steps of conversion: Hear, 10:18; Believe, 10:17; Repent, 6:4, (“death”, unto sin); Confess, 10:10; Be baptized, 6:4, (buried).

16. 11. Those that obey the gospel are added to the church (to the body of saved persons), Acts 2:47. 12. God provides the gospel, man must obey it! Romans 6:17,18, But thanks be to God, that, whereas ye were ser-vantsof sin, ye became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching whereunto ye were delivered; 18 and be-ingmade free from sin, ye became servants of righteous-ness. Such are the outstanding aspects of the gospel! (Don’t be foolish and turn it down!)