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Peter Barnes | Romans 3:21-23
SERMON NOTES
A NEW RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Romans 3:21-23)
– Romans 3:21-26 is the heart of the epistle to the Romans, and in many ways the heart of the Bible.
1. This righteousness of God is apart from the law.
– 3:21a; can be ‘law’ (NIV) or ‘the law’ (ESV, NKJV)
– the righteousness of God can save (Rom1:17) or judge (Rom.3:5)
– John 1:17; Gal.3:21; Rom.3:28; 4:6
2. The law prophets witness to the righteousness of God.
– 3:21b; note Rom.1:2; Acts 24:14; Luke 24:27, 44
– new covenant (Jer.31:31-34) and coming of the Spirit (Ezek.36:26-27); see Isa.51:5, 6, 8.
3. The righteousness of God is received by sinners by means of faith in Christ.
– 3:22-23; sin keeps us from heaven
– Gladys Aylward tells of a Chinese general who thought someone had be talking to her about him because she knew that he was a sinner.
– ‘I lay my sins on Jesus’ (Horatius Bonar)