Explore the Bible Series for Oct. 2: No boasting, salvation comes through grace

Posted: 9/23/05

Explore the Bible Series for Oct. 2

No boasting, salvation comes through grace

• Romans 3:21-28; 4:1-2,18-25

By Trey Turner

Canyon Creek Baptist Church, Temple

In July, Reuters reported the stepped-up efforts of groups in Angola to fight polio once again. It seems that while most Americans thought polio had been wiped from the surface of the planet, many on the other side of the globe began to suffer its ravages again.

Humanity cannot ultimately take polio for granted. Neither can Christians afford to take for granted the great salvation God gives and which so many have not yet personally received. Like anyone else, Christians have many events, bills, responsibilities and other demands on their time and resources. However, the salvation message that Jesus gave us is a great message.

The Christian can be excited that the greatest offer he or she has is not the appropriation of a religious behavior in which Christians must convince them to adopt. Instead, they have complete standing before God because of something he himself provides. This is good news.

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Salvation: God offers it (Romans 3:21-26)

After talking about humanity’s common miserable circumstances due to sin’s destruction, the Apostle Paul tells the Roman believers about an offer new to them. This “righteousness from God” (v. 21) is contrasted to any other religious system, especially the Jewish system from which Christianity arises.

The phrase Paul uses is unique. A.T. Robertson calls it a “God-kind of righteousness.” The long-anticipated rest of the biblical redemption story is here. It is the biblical redemption story, but it is not limited to the children of Abraham. God’s passionate heart expects the gospel to be personally carried into every segment of his world.

What is the basis of this salvation? The word used is one that would make people think of slave-redemption money. This is a ransom paid to get people out of slavery. That is what Jesus did for humanity—a plan begun in the heart of God demonstrating his justice (v. 25). It is a “God-kind of righteousness” because God acted first from his mercy and love rather than because anyone deserved it. It is a universal solution to a universal need.

It is God’s kind of righteousness that makes provision for those who believed God and acted out of faith before Jesus’ sacrifice. Paul says that sins committed prior to Jesus were not glossed over or ignored. Neither does God hold Old Testament people to another standard than those in the New Testament—after all, Paul is talking about God’s justice. He talks about how the sins prior to Jesus’ death had gone unpunished and now are under the blood of Christ. Salvation is now available for everyone.

Salvation: We cannot brag about it (Romans 3:27-28; 4:1-2)

David Jeremiah tells a story about a woodpecker working on a tree when lightening struck and split the tree down the middle. The woodpecker flew back to get a better look and then flew off. He came back with several other woodpeckers saying: “There it is gentlemen. That’s what I did.”

There is no room for anyone to brag about what they did in regard to God’s salvation. People who grasp salvation as a unique gift from God to which they can contribute nothing will have compassionate hearts for the “least” of this world (Matthew 25:40,45). Paul’s example of Abraham’s faith shows the Jewish hero and the source of their religion also had been given grace and had no leverage against God because of his goodness. Completing the thought, if Abraham could not boast about himself before God, neither could anyone else.

Salvation: We receive it by faith (Romans 4:18-25)

How does one appropriate this salvation if it can’t be earned? Simply by trusting in the outworking of God’s plan through his Son, Jesus. Paul shows how Abraham believed God even when circumstances would have led to other conclusions.

When Abraham’s faith became shaky, God built it back for him. Connecting with the phrase in the Old Testament, Paul tells his hearers how Abraham was given credit for righteousness. The righteousness was there because Abraham believed God and acted on the belief.

Likewise, God will credit those who believe Jesus’ death is God’s provision for them. “He was delivered over to death for our sins” (v. 25). In Jewish parallel and poetic thought, Paul also talks about Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection are both seal and sign of the Christian’s redemption.

Discussion questions

• What words or actions could show that a person is bragging about personal standing before God and salvation?

• What discussion about salvation do others see in churches or church people which might be interpreted as holier-than-thou?

• How can believers show humility about their salvation? How can sharing the gospel’s message show humility about the believer’s personal salvation?