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Saturday, February 25, 2017

P4 - Solving The Divine Dilemma Of Salvation - Romans 3:21-31


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Romans 3:27-31 "Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.

31 Do we then nullify the Law through faith? May it never be! On the contrary, we establish the Law."

Introduction:

We have been exploring these last three posts what we are calling: The Divine Dilemma of Salvation. In other words, how is it that a Holy righteous God could rightly and just acquit sinners whom he desires to forgive? We've considered three of the four particular decisions needing to be made by God the Father, Son and Spirit to ensure the solution to this alleged dilemma. All four are listed below:

1. God the Father had to willingly authorize salvation's plan.

2. God the Son had to willingly accomplish salvation for sinners with the Father's willing to acceptance of His accomplishment.

3. God the Holy Spirit had to willingly apply the salvation accomplished to those responding in faith to His call. 

4. The Father had to willingly agree to accept faith in the accomplished work as necessary and sufficient to acquit the sinner

Paul's exposition of the Gospel in his letter to the Romans centers upon the doctrine of justification by faith. To define once more, Justification by faith, per the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, states:

"Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God."

Today we will conclude by noting where all of the combined activities and decisions made by God lead to the solving of the Divine dilemma of salvation. 

The Father has to agree that faith alone is necessary and sufficient to declare the sinner innocent in His sight

Once God has called and convicted the sinner and shown them the awfulness of sin and the awesomeness of Christ, the sinner responds by faith. Justification is a Divine declaration that goes full circle.  It is by God the Father, through God the Son and to God the Holy Spirit for the pleasure of God the Father. We must underscore the fact that all that the Triune God accomplished in making salvation a reality was not the by-product of three-wills, but One Divine will. All three persons share in One Divine nature, which means of course that this is the effort of one, unified will. Henceforth we understand from the Bible that there was never any conflict between the three persons of the Trinity.

In short, the doctrine of justification involved the Son expressing His willingness to co-sign a Divine loan issued by the Father and served by the Spirit to sinners that upon their conviction of sin respond in saving faith.


The Dilemma is solved by God in the truth of justification by faith

By planning, purchasing and applying salvation, God is able to solve the dilemma of justifying sinful human beings without violating His Holy Character. This is the whole point of the closing verses in Romans 3:27-31. Romans 3:21-31 spells all of these Divine decisions by God in full detail. Once we understand that only God could solve the otherwise impossible task of justifying guilty sinners, we can truly see why Justification is by faith alone and not by human effort.

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