Studies From Romans

Lesson #4: The Answer to our Problem (Romans 3:21-31)

 In the previous lesson we saw that the law was given to show us our sin and because we have broken the law we are unrighteous before God. In this passage we will see the answer for this problem. The answer is Jesus Christ, and it will be by faith in his work that we can obtain four things connected with our salvation, Righteousness, Justification, Redemption, and Propitiation.

What is the answer to our Problem?

 The law had requirements for what could be done if you had broken it. These requirements usually consisted of a sacrifice. According to what we see in the bible someone was considered righteous when they did what the law said by faith. Some examples are Zachariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-6). This righteousness was a personal righteousness not the righteousness of God as is mentioned in our passage from Romans.

Therefore, since all have sinned and come short of the glory of God then what was needed was someone who had never sinned. This is why we need Jesus Christ. Jesus was virgin born so he was not born with sin form Adam like we are (Romans 5:12). He was tempted by Satan in all points like as we are, yet he sinned not (Hebrews 4:14-16). So when he died on the cross he was the perfect sinless sacrifice that was needed to take away our sin. He was the righteousness of God (Romans 3:21), and he fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17).

What do we obtain by faith in Jesus Christ?

 1)  Righteousness (Romans 3:22)

• Through faith in Jesus Christ and his finished work we can now have the righteousness of God through being in Jesus Christ.
• We no longer need the personal righteousness from following the law because Jesus was the end of that (Romans 10:1-4). We can have God’s righteousness which is way better.
• This is what Paul tells us in Philippians 3:7-9.

2)  Justification (Romans 3:24,26,28)

• Justification is the judicial act of God whereby he declares us righteous.
• God could not just simply declare us righteous because he wanted to, he had to be just in doing so. This was made possible by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and we obtain it by faith (Romans 3:26).

3)  Redemption (Romans 3:24)

• Redemption means to be bought back from the power of another. Through sin we were under bondage and the penalty of death (Hebrews 2:14-15)
• Jesus Christ and his blood is the price that was paid for our redemption (Hebrews 9:12).

4)  Propitiation (Romans 3:25)

• This word is only found 3 times in a KJB yet when we look at its meaning we learn a valuable truth. It is defined as the act of appeasing wrath and obtaining favor of an offended person.
• The law had the penalty of death. The result of sin is hell. So, Jesus had to pay those prices for us and that is just what he did.
• In Isaiah 53:9-12 it is clearly shown that God did accept the sacrifice and his wrath was appeased and through faith in Jesus Christ we gain the favor of God who was the offended person as a result of our sin.

The problem of man’s sin and his punishment is totally taken care of through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Studies From Romans

Lesson #4: The Answer to our Problem (Romans 3:21-31) : Handout

1)  What are four words from the passage that we are going to study in this lesson?

2)  How was Jesus Christ the answer to our problem?

3)  What are four things we obtain through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ?