Warm up question in pairs: One of the key theological terms in today’s passage is redemption. There was a time in the twentieth century that grocery stores gave “redemption stamps” for groceries. Customers would collect these but putting them in booklets provided by the store. When they had so many stamps saved up, they could go the “redemption store” to redeem the stamps for merchandise. If you grew up in that era, do you remember any items in your home from the redemption store.
Romans 3:21-26
- What was Paul referring to when he said,” But now”? This three-letter word is huge. It denotes the turning point from Jews trying to made right with God to being made right by faith in Christ, now that he had come. It was a new and glorious day! For years the “law and the prophets” had pointed to this new day when Jesus would make this possible.
- Would his Jewish audience think it strange when Paul said that righteousness could be achieved apart from the law? Very much so. The idea of works achieving righteousness was deeply imbedded in their way of thinking.
- Now that Jesus had come, how was righteousness achieved, both by Jew and Gentile? By faith in Jesus Christ.
- Would Paul’s Jewish audience have been taken back by the statement that they were sinners as well as Gentiles? While they were aware of their sin, they didn’t think their sin was a as extensive or heinous as the that of the Gentiles.
- What is the meaning of the phrase “fallen short of the glory of God”? There are a wide variety of interpretations by some excellent Bible teachers. According to Vincent’s Word Studies, however, the word “glory” is also translated as praise or approval. Based on that, we could paraphrase and say that only those who place their faith in Jesus are approved by God, not those who try to achieve righteousness by good works as the Jews were doing.
- Can you spot four key theological terms in 3:24-25? Justification-the legal act in which God declares a guilty sinner to be right in his sight. Grace-God’s free and unmerited favor; Redemption-being freed from the guilt and slavery of sin by the payment of Jesus’ life as a ransom. Propitiation-a turning away or satisfaction of God’s wrath against sin through a sacrificial offering. This word is used only here and in Hebrews 9:5.
- What sins had God passed over in the past that Paul was referring in 3:25-26? Some interpret this to refer to the past sins of believers before they placed their faith in Jesus. The preferable interpretation is that those sins refer to the Jews in the old covenant era before Jesus had even come. As they offered the blood sacrifices for forgiveness once a year, God was forbearing with them as they were a foreshadowing of the blood of Jesus.
- What is the meaning of “be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus”? From LifeWay leader’s guide: In his holiness, the Lord cannot overlook sin or suspend its punishment. Rather, Jesus’ sacrifice allowed him to satisfy his justice while extending grace to sinners.” So, God is just and could therefore justify the sinner.
- Romans 3:23 is often used in a four spiritual laws presentation of the gospel. Considering the context here, do you think it is an appropriate verse to use? It is better to use it in conjunction with 3:24. In the context, Paul is making the point that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners. So yes, is okay to use.
Romans 3:27-31
- What does Paul conclude in 3:28? A person in justified by faith (in Christ) apart from works of the law.
- Was his statement that God is God of the Gentiles too a radical idea for the Jews? Very much so. Most Jews thought of the Gentiles as unclean. God was their God.
- How will God justify the circumcised? By faith. What about the uncircumcised? By faith as well.
- If being made right with God is by faith and not the law, did that mean the law was unimportant and could be disregarded? No
Romans 4:1-5
- How was Abraham made right with God? By faith and not the law.
- What verse from the Old Testament did Paul use about how Abraham was made right with God? Genesis 15:6
- What is the background of the word “credited” used in 4:5? It was an accounting term. God credited righteousness to Abraham because of his faith.