This is the sixteenth in a series of verse-by-verse expositions of the book of Romans. This message was delivered at Hillcrest Baptist Church on the morning of July 7, 2013. This message deals with our lack of defense against God’s judgment, and salvation through faith alone. This contains an audio recording of my message, along with my sermon notes and a study outline. Please note that the sermon notes are not a full transcript.
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Romans 3:19-26
v.19:
“Those who are under the law” are every unredeemed human being.
This verse makes it clear that “all the world” is guilty.
Jews received the written law through Moses
Romans 3:2
Gentiles have the works of the law written on their hearts
Romans 2:15
Both groups are accountable to God. every mouth… stopped… accountable.
People were “silenced” in a law court when they could raise no objections in their own defense
There is no defense against the guilty verdict God pronounces on the entire human race.
The last time someone accused you of wrongdoing, what was your reaction? Denial, argument, and defensiveness?
The entire world will be silent before God. No excuses or arguments will remain.
Have you reached the point with God where you are ready to hang up your defenses?
v.20:
The law has a purpose of illuminating our sin. It is the “knowledge of sin.”
Galatians 3:24
Doing perfectly what God’s moral law requires is impossible, so everyone is, at one time, under that curse.
The law makes sin known, but cannot save.
Only when you come to the point to where you quit defending yourself and your sin, will you be able to admit your guilt, and accept God’s remedy for it – Jesus Christ.
vv.21-22:
A reference to Christ, and His work of saving grace, which is not dependent upon obedience to the law.
Paul goes on to note that He (Christ) is “witnessed by the law and the Prophets.”
Simply put, Scripture had perfectly foretold the coming of Christ, and He fulfilled every aspect of the law.
Our righteousness is solely through Jesus Christ, there is no other means.
v.23:
Sin is sin, and guilt is guilt – no matter who you are, and no one is exempt from it.
Some sins seem bigger than others because their obvious consequences are much more serious.
Murder, for example, seems to us to be worse than hatred, and adultery seems worse than pride.
But this does not mean that because we only commit “little” sins we deserve eternal life.
All sins make us sinners, and all sins cut us off from our holy God.
All sins, therefore, lead to death (because they disqualify us from living with God), regardless of how great or small they seem.
Don’t minimize “little” sins or overrate “big” sins. They all separate us from God, but they all can be forgiven.
v.24:
By God’s grace, Jesus Christ has offered redemption to all, and the same plan of salvation applies equally to all.
John 3:16
John 14:6
No one has a different set of rules than another.
Paul explains that God declares that we are righteous.
When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused.
When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From his perspective, it is as though we had never sinned.
He could do this because Jesus took the penalty that we deserved.
Christ purchased our freedom from sin, and the price was his life.
vv.25-26:
This great sacrifice was not accomplished in secret, but God publicly displayed his Son on Calvary for all to see.
Nor was Christ nailed to the cross involuntarily.
God set Him forth, He went of His own free will.
John 10:15-18
To be a propitiation means that He was the satisfaction of our sin debt.
The death of Christ was payment in full. He was the appeasement of God’s wrath toward the sinner.
God declares Christ’s death to be the appropriate, designated sacrifice for our sin.
This sacrifice is a demonstration of God’s righteousness.
It is a common sentiment that God’s timing is always perfect.
As such, He passed over previous sins (in terms of eternal condemnation), until the time was right, that His righteousness would be demonstrated in Christ.
By this sacrifice the sinner is justified, but only those who have faith in Christ.
God forgave all human sin at the cross of Jesus.
Old Testament believers looked forward in faith to Christ’s coming and were saved.
Abraham is but one example.
Romans 4:3
In old testament times, before Jesus walked the earth, man was saved by faith.
In New Testament times, man was saved by faith.
Today, faith in Christ is still the only means of salvation.
In Defense: The Blog 
Posted on July 9, 2013
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