Application of Romans 3:25-31

11/15/2023

*Note: The small group discussion for this passage was preparatory, taking place before the study.*

Read Romans 3:25-31

If you came before God's throne of judgment today, and He asked why He should let you into His kingdom/heaven, what would you say?

• Some might think they would start listing off their achievements.
• Or, they lived a life without hating anyone or making any enemies.
• Or, they tried to live a life of obedience to God, keeping his commandments.

How does the last option sound? How do you think God would respond?

• He would tell you your righteousness is like filthy rags (Isa 64:6).
• It may also be more likely that when we come face to face with God's throne of judgment in all of His perfect majesty and holiness that we will be so deeply troubled and disturbed by our sinfulness that we can't even muster up a personal defense (cf. Rev 6:17).
• We will be too deeply convicted and terrified to tell God we did our best.

This is Paul's point in Romans 3:27-31, and this whole section that begins with verse 31.

• We have no room to boast/brag about our accomplishments before God.
• We will see how fruitless our efforts to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind, or to love our neighbor as ourselves.
• When we seriously self-reflect, we notice that we have no grounds to be proud of any accomplishment of righteousness before God.
• The only reason He allows sinners to enter His kingdom is because His grace through Christ's perfect righteousness is more than enough.
• Because Christians receive righteousness as a gift from God apart from their own works/righteousness, we have no room to boast, whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, church or unchurched. 

So, to answer the question from before, he shouldn't let sinners in--but only by grace through faith in Christ will He welcome us into His kingdom as His sons and daughters.