# Great Summary of Romans 3:24



## Semper Fidelis (Mar 23, 2007)

I'm preparing for a Men's Bible Study tomorrow AM and I found Hendrickson's points on Romans 3:24 to be very edifying. It's a great "rollup" of the doctrine of Justification that you could take with you in your back pocket replete with verses that sustain the Biblical doctrine. Without further ado:


> When used, as here in Rom. 3:24, in the dominant forensic sense, to justify means to declare righteous; and justification may be defined as that gracious act of God whereby, on the basis solely of Christ’s accomplished mediatorial work, he declares the sinner just, and the latter accepts this benefit with a believing heart. In defense of this definition see not only the present context (Rom. 3:24–30) but also 4:3, 5; 5:1, 9; 8:30; Gal. 2:15, 16; 3:8, 11, 24; 5:4; Titus 3:7. Justification stands over against condemnation. See Rom. 8:1, 33, 34.
> 
> Justification is a matter of imputation (reckoning, charging): the sinner’s guilt is imputed to Christ; the latter’s righteousness is imputed to the sinner (Gen. 15:6; Ps. 32:1, 2; Isa. 53:4–6; Jer. 23:6; Rom. 5:18, 19).
> 
> ...


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## bookslover (Mar 23, 2007)

I believe it was the late Leon Morris who once wrote that Romans 3:21-26 is the most important paragraph ever written.


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## Herald (Mar 23, 2007)

Rich - you're right, nice "pocket size" defense of justification. Everything you need to know to engage those NPP'ers we run into.


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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 23, 2007)

bookslover said:


> I believe it was the late Leon Morris who once wrote that Romans 3:21-26 is the most important paragraph ever written.



The most important *two sentences* indeed! {and a long two sentences at that}

There are places in Scripture where Paul writes "But..." and I just want to jump out of my chair!

I'll tell you what, can you imagine a person hearing Romans 1-3 for the first time and being convicted by the Holy Spirit? You're literally pulling the hair out of your head by the time he finishes verse 20!

"But now..."

Glory!!!!


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## Herald (Mar 23, 2007)

Rich - that is one of the reasons I get so excited about Ephesians 2.

*Ephesians 2:1-7 * And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3 Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 

I love verse 4, "But God..." Praise God for conjunctions! "Conjunction junction, what's your function?" To tell us that God made us alive together with Christ!!


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## jaybird0827 (Mar 23, 2007)

Rich,

Nice! 

Could you record and post link, as in the Romans 2 study, if possible?

 May the Lord give you grace and wisdom, and may it be to the further sanctification of all who hear it.


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## Semper Fidelis (Mar 23, 2007)

jaybird0827 said:


> Rich,
> 
> Nice!
> 
> ...



I'm planning on it. Thank you for your prayers.


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## bookslover (Mar 24, 2007)

SemperFideles said:


> I'll tell you what, can you imagine a person hearing Romans 1-3 for the first time and being convicted by the Holy Spirit? You're literally pulling the hair out of your head by the time he finishes verse 20!
> 
> "But now..."
> 
> Glory!!!!



You said it. By the time you've gotten through the first 2-1/2 chapters of Romans, where Paul makes sure that the entire human race is completely boxed in by sin, you're almost desperate (being prompted by the Holy Spirit, of course) to read what the remedy is. Even accounting for the fact that Paul is writing under inspiration, his polemics here - and throughout Romans - are just brilliant.


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