More than Forgiveness
A Sermon on Romans 3:21-31
Originally preached March 1, 1957
Scripture
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23For all have …
Sermon Description
How can the righteousness of God become ours? Is it given to believers through works or by faith? In this sermon on Romans 3:21-31 titled “More than Forgiveness,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains that the righteousness of God is not obtained by works of the law or merely an acceptance in the mind of truth. Righteousness is given when there is a true trust in Christ’s work in salvation. This trust results not only in forgiveness of sins but by the believer being clothed in the very righteousness of God. It is important to understand that forgiveness of sins by itself is not enough for salvation. This belief misconstrues the holy and just nature of God that requires satisfaction of the law’s demands. Therefore, the believer must have a righteousness that satisfies God and so the clothing of the believer in righteousness not his own is essential. May this truth move our hearts to rejoice in this great act of God done on our behalf through Christ’s work.
Sermon Breakdown
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The sermon focuses on Romans 3:24 which states "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
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This verse summarizes the Christian gospel and message of salvation. Understanding this verse is crucial to understanding Christianity.
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The sermon breaks down this verse into three main points:
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What the salvation is: Being justified, declared righteous by God. This is a legal declaration, not an actual change in us. It happens in the present, not just in the future.
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How the salvation becomes ours: Freely by grace. Freely means we do nothing to deserve it. Grace means it is an unmerited gift from God to the undeserving.
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How God made this possible: Through the redemption in Christ Jesus. Redemption means the payment of a ransom to free us from slavery and captivity to sin. Christ paid the price through his death on the cross.
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The sermon emphasizes that salvation is entirely through Christ and his work, not through our own efforts or goodness. We can do nothing, but God has done everything through Christ.
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We should have no confidence in ourselves or our own works, but rejoice in Christ Jesus alone. Our salvation and righteousness are found in him.
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We should praise God for this wonderful gift of grace and the redemption we have in Christ.
Sermon Q&A
What Does Justification Mean According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
Based on Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 3:24, here are some essential questions about justification and redemption with answers drawn directly from his teaching.
What does justification mean according to Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, justification means "being declared righteous" by God. It is a forensic or legal action where God pronounces us righteous, not that we are made righteous. As Lloyd-Jones explains: "What it says is that God regards us as righteous. God pronounces us as righteous. There's been no change. Subjectively, constitutionally, as it were, we are still what we were. But God declares that he regards us as righteous."
How does justification differ from being made righteous?
Lloyd-Jones clarifies that justification is not about an internal change: "It doesn't make any change in us. It is a declaration by God as to the way in which he now views us." He emphasizes that "God justifies the ungodly. God justifies the sinner. He looks at a man who is a sinner, who still has sin within him and who's been guilty of terrible sin. But he says, I pronounce that man to be righteous in Christ Jesus, my son."
When does justification take place in a believer's life?
Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that justification happens immediately upon believing: "The moment we do believe and exercise this faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, God there and then declares us to be righteous. We don't have to wait for it." He adds that "from the moment we believe in this life, in this world, we are righteous in the sight of God." It is not something we must wait for until judgment day.
What does Lloyd-Jones mean by justification being "freely by his grace"?
Lloyd-Jones explains that "freely" means "we do nothing at all to deserve it. It's absolutely free. It's a free gift. It's in spite of me." The word "freely" has the same meaning as "without a cause" in other biblical contexts. Similarly, "grace" means "unmerited favor or kindness shown to the utterly undeserving." Lloyd-Jones says grace is "the whole glory of the gospel" and means "a free gift to the totally undeserving."
How does Lloyd-Jones contrast grace with law?
Lloyd-Jones states that "law revealed sin and revealed man's lost and hopeless estate in sin," while grace offers what the law could not. He explains: "There's nothing free about the law. The law makes its demands... There's nothing free about that. It's the antithesis of law." Furthermore, "Law cannot pardon. It is not its function to pardon," whereas grace offers "free pardon" and "the declaration that we are righteous."
What does redemption mean in Romans 3:24 according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones explains that redemption means "the purchase of release by means of the payment of a ransom price." He emphasizes that this word doesn't just mean deliverance, but specifically describes "the way whereby the deliverance is made, and that the way is the payment of a ransom." It describes both our condition of slavery/captivity and the price paid to free us.
How did Christ accomplish our redemption according to Lloyd-Jones?
Lloyd-Jones teaches that Christ accomplished our redemption through "his perfect obedience to the law" and "his atoning sacrificial death upon the cross that paid the price." He emphasizes that "the Lord Jesus Christ didn't merely come into the world to tell us that God is love and that he is ready to forgive... He is purchasing. He's paying the price. It's his blood. It's his life laid down."
Why does Lloyd-Jones believe this understanding of justification is liberating?
Lloyd-Jones points to Martin Luther's experience, saying, "Luther suddenly saw this, and the moment he saw it, he was liberated." This doctrine is liberating because it shows we "can do nothing" to save ourselves, and we "needn't do anything because everything has been done." He urges listeners to "finish with self in every respect. Your salvation is entirely in Christ."
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.