Justification by Faith: Who Can be Declared Not Guilty

Today we launch into the second big section of Romans. 

I.  The reason for the Gospel: universal guilt (1:18-3:20)

II. The heart of the Gospel: justification by faith (3:21-4.25)

As we do, we begin to unpack a paragraph of the Bible that some have viewed as the most important information of all. For this paragraph is answering the question of who can be declared Not Guilty by God. 

Condemnation is a declaration that a person is Guilty in the eyes of the Law. 

Justification is a declaration that a person is Not Guilty in the eyes of the Law.

Impute means to ascribe, attribute, reckon to or credit.

1. The righteousness of God is available to you even though you have not kept the law.
Romans 3:21
Hebrews 5:8–9
The phrase, “the righteousness of God” refers to the righteousness of Christ that is His by perfect fulfillment of the Law in His earthly life. What is sometimes called his “Active Obedience.”

2. The righteousness of God is only available to you through faith.
Romans 3:21-23
It does not matter if you are a Jew or Gentile (22).
It does not matter that you have sinned (23).

3. The righteousness of God is only available to you as a gift.
Romans 3:24
Mark 2:17