
Practical Theology
Part 12a - Romans 3:21-31
Lead Pastor, Randy Ponder
By faith, Christ followers are declared: Righteous, vs. 21-23
Romans 3:21-23
21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Ephesians 2:4-9
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
1 Timothy 1:14
14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.
By faith, Christ followers are declared: Redeemed, vs. 24-26
Romans 3:24-26
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Micah 7:18-19
18 Who is a God like You,Pardoning iniquityAnd passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?He does not retain His anger forever,Because He delights in mercy. 19 He will again have compassion on us,And will subdue our iniquities.You will cast all our sinsInto the depths of the sea.
1 Peter 1:18-19
18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
I Timothy 2:5-6
5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,
By faith, Christ followers are declared: Received, vs. 27-31
Romans 3:27-31
27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.
Matthew 5:17-18
17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 18 For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Galatians 3:24
24 Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Ephesians 1:6
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.
Takeaway: It’s not behaving, it’s believing.