“This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian’s while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.” ‘Therefore it seems that St. Paul, in writing this letter, wanted to compose a summary of the whole of Christian and evangelical teaching which would also be an introduction to the whole Old Testament. Without doubt, whoever takes this letter to heart possesses the light and power of the Old Testament. Therefore each and every Christian should make this letter the habitual and constant object of his study. God grant us his grace to do so. Amen.’
- Martin Luther
Incoming warning.
2 Peter 3:15-16
15 And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, 16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
“Is it possible for a perfectly holy God to forgive the guilty and still be just?”
Big Idea: How the righteous God declares unrighteous people righteous without compromising His own righteousness.
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
What is the Gospel
SOMETHING ABOUT…
God, man, Jesus, and our response.
GOD occurs more in Romans than any other book. ** (except the short 1 Peter and 1 John).
Romans 153 times (every 46 words)
Acts 166 times (every 110 words)
Luke 122 times
1 Corinthians 105 times
‘God’ occurs more in Romans than any other theme
Romans 1:16-17
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
1:18-3:20: Our Desperate Need-- why we NEED the GOSPEL
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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“What goes around comes around.”
“You reap what you sow.”
“They had it coming.”
“You made your bed, now lie in it.”
“Play stupid games…
“What goes around comes around.”
“You reap what you sow.”
“They had it coming.”
“You made your bed, now lie in it.”
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
“What goes around comes around.”
“You reap what you sow.”
“They had it coming.”
“You made your bed, now lie in it.”
“Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.”
“Instant karma!”
What is the Gospel
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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The righteousness of God is made available to us because God demonstrated in Jesus' sacrifice that He is in fact righteous.
CURIOSITY
OPENNESS
SEEKING
Listen | 4H’s & Tell “Mini” Gospel Stories.
Heart What do you love to do for fun?
History Tell me your story.
Hurts What would you change about your life?
Hopes What are your dreams?
Listen | 4H’s & Tell “Mini” Gospel Stories.
Heart What do you love to do for fun?
History Tell me your story.
Hurts What would you change about your life?
Hopes What are your dreams?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
Fall | Damaged by evil. What’s wrong with the world.
Cross | Restored for better. God’s remedy.
New Creation | He will return. He makes all things new.
CURIOSITY
OPENNESS
SEEKING
CURIOSITY
OPENNESS
SEEKING
SPARK CURIOSITY
SPARK CURIOSITY
BELIEF
Ongoing Spiritual Transformation
SPARK CURIOSITY
BELIEF
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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The righteousness of God is made available to us because God demonstrated in Jesus' sacrifice that He is in fact righteous.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,�The wrath of God was satisfied;�For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—�Here in the death of Christ I live.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,�The love of God was magnified;�For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—�Here in the death of Christ I live.
In Christ Alone
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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2 Samuel 12:7-13
7 Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul…9 Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.
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Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
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“I greatly longed to understand Paul’s Epistle to the Romans and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, ‘the righteousness of God’ … Night and day I pondered until … I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before ‘the righteousness of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”
- Martin Luther
MONDAY Matters:
MONDAY Matters:
MONDAY Matters:
Spark Curiosity
Ongoing Spiritual Transformation
SPARK CURIOSITY
BELIEF
Listen | 4H’s & Tell “Mini” Gospel Stories.
Heart What do you love to do for fun?
History Tell me your story.
Hurts What would you change about your life?
Hopes What are your dreams?
Listen | 4H’s & Tell “Mini” Gospel Stories.
Heart What do you love to do for fun?
History Tell me your story.
Hurts What would you change about your life?
Hopes What are your dreams?
Creation | Designed for good. How life was meant to be.
Fall | Damaged by evil. What’s wrong with the world.
Cross | Restored for better. God’s remedy.
New Creation | He will return. He makes all things new.
MONDAY Matters:
MONDAY Matters:
Does the gospel have you?