Salvation by Faith Alone: The Book of Romans

Justified by Faith

Lesson #4 for October 28, 2017

Scriptures: Romans 3:1-4,19-28[1].

1.    In this lesson we come to the basic theme of Romans: justification by faith—the great truth that, more than any other truth, brought about the Protestant Reformation. And, despite all the claims to the contrary, Rome has no more changed regarding this belief now than it did in 1520, when Pope Leo issued a papal bull condemning Luther and his teachings. Luther burned a copy of the bull because if there were one teaching that could never be compromised, justification by faith was and is it.

The phrase itself is a figure based on law. The transgressor of the law comes before a judge and is condemned to death for his transgressions. But a substitute appears and takes the transgressor’s crimes upon himself, thus clearing the criminal. By accepting the substitute, the criminal now stands before the judge, not only cleared of his guilt but also regarded as never having committed the crimes for which he was first brought into court. And that’s because the substitute—who has a perfect record—offers the pardoned criminal his own perfect law keeping.

In the plan of salvation, each of us is the criminal. The Substitute, Jesus, has a perfect record, and He stands in the court in our stead—His righteousness accepted in place of our unrighteousness. Hence, we are justified before God, not because of our works but because of Jesus, whose righteousness becomes ours when we accept it “by faith.” Talk about good news! In fact, the news can’t get any better than that.—Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide for Sabbath, October 21, 2017.

2.    These paragraphs raise a great number of questions! Does it seem unreal? Can sins actually be transferred or moved around? (Ezekiel 18; 33:12-20)[2] Will heaven be filled with hardened but pardoned criminals for whom a Substitute has been found? Would you want to live in heaven as a Christian or a Jew between a Stalin and a Hitler if they were only pardoned? What would we say about a human judge who did that? Wouldn’t the judge go to jail? Are God the Father and the angels deceived by that legal exchange? If by this process sins can be blotted out, (Micah 7:19) what about David’s sins? Or, Abraham’s? Or, Solomon’s? If they were blotted out, why are we still reading about them in the Bible? Or, is God the Father-the Judge-the only one who does not know about them?

3.    What is faith? Based on all of Scripture, a biblical definition of faith stated so well so many times by one of God’s best modern friends, Dr. A. Graham Maxwell, is as follows:

Faith is [just] a word we use to denote a relationship with God as with a Person well known. The better we know Him, the better the relationship may be.

Faith implies an attitude toward God of love, trust, and deep admiration. It means having enough confidence in Him, based on the more than adequate evidence revealed, to be willing to believe whatever He says [as soon as we are sure He is the One saying it], to accept whatever He offers [as soon as we are sure He is the One offering it], and to do whatever He wishes [as soon as we are sure He is the One wishing it]-without reservation-for the rest of eternity.

Anyone who has such faith would be perfectly safe to save. This is why faith is the only requirement for heaven.

[Faith also means that, like Abraham, Job, and Moses, God’s friends, we know God well enough to reverently ask Him, “Why?”]—A. Graham Maxwell, You Can Trust the Bible 81. [Bold type is added; content in brackets is added based on Dr. Maxwell’s lectures.]

4.    The word justified or justification is a Latin term brought into English; but, it is a translation from the Greek word dikaioo which means to “put right” or “set right.” When a tree is petrified-notice the -fied at the end of the word-is it just “declared stone”? Or, has it really “become stone”? Is the idea of substitution in the plan of salvation a legal fiction? In criminal law there is no way to substitute anything. No righteous person can die on behalf of a criminal and let the criminal go free. Our law would never permit that. By contrast, in civil law we allow substitution frequently. If you have a motor vehicle accident which is not intentional and yet you damage another person’s property, your insurance company can serve as your “substitute” and pay for the damages. But, such a maneuver is never allowed in criminal law. If we say that this is to be allowed regarding sin, aren’t we actually trivializing sin-suggesting that it is nothing more than a civil offense that we did not intend to do rather than a crime?

5.    Read [Romans 3:19-20; Hebrews 10:3-4; and Galatians 3:19-24][3]. These verses suggest that the purpose of law and the sacrifices was to remind us of sin. Paul pointed out elsewhere that if we could truly keep the law, we could be saved by doing so. (Romans 2:13; 7:12[4]) So, the problem is not with the law but with our ability to keep it. If we do not know what is wrong, we need law.

6. What was Paul referring to when he talked about Law in these verses? Scholars recognize that to a Pharisee-as Paul was or had been-Law would mean, at a minimum, the five books of Moses, and often, the term was used to describe the entire Scripture at that time-what we know as the Old Testament. (John 10:34; Psalm 82:6)[5] All the law can do is to point out our sins and hopefully, thereby, lead us to Christ as the only possible solution.

7. The lesson study guide suggests that justification makes us righteous before God. If that is actually true, why couldn’t God just arrange for everyone to be justified just before s/he dies so that everyone could be saved? Why didn’t God change Satan when he first started to rebel? Would you agree with the following statement from the Bible Study Guide as above?

The Substitute, Jesus, has a perfect record, and He stands in the court in our stead—His righteousness accepted in place of our unrighteousness. Hence, we are justified before God, not because of our works but because of Jesus, whose righteousness becomes ours when we accept it “by faith.”

Are we really changed? Or, not? Does God’s declaration change us? When God says something, does that make it so? Or, does He say it because it is so?

8.    For many years, there has been a huge debate among theologians about the precise role of justification versus sanctification. Evangelical scholars would say that when we are justified, God “counts us as righteous” or even perhaps “declares us righteous” without any change whatsoever in us. They come to this conclusion because they want to make it very clear that none of our works can contribute in any way to our salvation.

9.    Read Zechariah 3:1-5.[6] In that judgment scene, it is interesting to notice that the filthy robes-representing his sins-that Joshua was wearing had to be removed before new robes could be put on him. What does that imply? Look at these words from Ellen G. White.

None but God can subdue the pride of man’s heart. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot regenerate ourselves. In the heavenly courts there will be no song sung, “To me that loved myself, and washed myself, redeemed myself, unto me be glory and honor, blessing and praise.” But this is the keynote of the song that is sung by many here in this world. They do not know what it means to be meek and lowly in heart, and they do not mean to know this if they can avoid it. The whole gospel is comprised in learning of Christ His meekness and lowliness.

What is justification by faith? It is the work of God in laying the glory of man in the dust, and doing for man that which it is not in his power to do for himself. When men see their own nothingness, they are prepared to be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. When they begin to praise and exalt God all the day long, then by beholding they are becoming changed into the same image. What is regeneration? It is revealing to man what is his own real nature, that in himself he is worthless. These lessons you have never learned. Oh, that you could realize the value of the human soul.—Ellen G. White, Letter to “Dear Brother and Sister Maxson,” October 12, 1896, from Adelaide, South Australia, [20MR* 117.2-3]; Special Testimonies for Ministers and Workers* - (Series A, No. 9, 1897) 62.1-2; TM* 456.3; FLB*111.2.

Righteousness [justice] is obedience to the law. The law demands righteousness, and this the sinner owes to the law; but he is incapable of rendering it. The only way in which he can attain to righteousness is through faith. By faith he can bring to God the merits of Christ, and the Lord places the obedience of His Son to the sinner’s account. Christ’s righteousness is accepted in place of man’s failure, and God receives, pardons, justifies, the repentant, believing soul, treats him as though he were righteous, and loves him as He loves His Son.—Ellen G. White, Review and Herald,* November 4, 1890, par. 7; 6SDABC* 1073.8; Selected Messages,* book 1, 367.1; FW* 101.1; AG* 265.3. [Bold type and content in brackets are added.]

Is He righteous? What kind of people will populate heaven?

10.    In order to correctly compare these two quotations, we need to recognize that justice and righteousness are translated from the same word in the original Greek manuscripts of the Bible. Notice these words from the Bible Study Guide for October 23, 2017:

The faith of Jesus Christ is here, doubtless, faith in Jesus Christ. As it operates in the Christian life, faith is much more than intellectual assent; it is more than just an acknowledgment of certain facts about Christ’s life and His death. Instead, true faith in Jesus Christ is accepting Him as Savior, Substitute,

Surety, and Lord. It is choosing His way of life. It is trusting Him and seeking by faith to live according to His commandments.

Is that more than justification?

11.    This statement implies a very large change in a person’s life. Would this then be considered sanctification? Or, justification?

The true heart of the discovery of both the apostle Paul and Martin Luther was genuine clarity on how the demands of God’s justice could be satisfied without doing away with His law. Key for them was the fact that Christ met the demands of divine justice [Is God the one who is demanding it?] for us in His life of active, perfect obedience to the law and in His passive, substitutionary death for sinners. Thus, as the Sin Bearer, Christ satisfied the just demands of God’s law, which demands eternal “death” (Rom. 6:23) as payment for the wages of sin. And through Christ’s payment of the debt and His holy life, God has made full provision for the forgiveness of human sin.—Adult Teacher’s Sabbath School Bible Study Guide 53. [Content in brackets is added.]

12.    Is this legal fiction? Surely we do not believe that Jesus would actually spend the rest of eternity in jail, or dead, or in the fires of hell! Wouldn’t that be the just and right thing for Him to do if He takes our place? But, if God can forgive Him so that He does not, in fact, experience that punishment, why doesn’t God just forgive us to begin with if that is all that is needed? What is actually accomplished by this substitution?

13.    What happens to our sins when we confess them? If we are justified, do our sins disappear permanently? (Isaiah 44:22; Micah 7:19; Acts 3:19) Read Genesis 3; Psalms 51; Proverbs 28:13; Romans 3:25-26; Hebrews 9:5; and Exodus 25:18-21[7]. In these verses we learn that Adam and Eve’s attempts to cover their sins were futile. The book of Proverbs warns us against trying to conceal our sins. Proverbs indicates that, rather, we need to confess and forsake them. Romans and Hebrews suggest that like the ancient Jews at the sanctuary, we need to take our sins to a place called the hilasterion or mercy seat in the Most Holy Place where they are blotted out and vanish from God’s sight. Do they truly disappear for good? Does God, the omniscient One, forget? (Ecclesiastes 12:14; Revelation 20:12-13)[8]

14.    Read Romans 3:24[9]. What is happening in this verse? Are we literally “made righteous”-the original meaning of justify? Or, are we only “declared righteous” or “considered righteous”? Do we become “acceptable” to God? What would that mean?

Justification is presented in Romans as a punctiliar act; that is, it happens at a point in time. One moment the sinner is outside, unrighteous, and unaccepted; the next moment, following justification, the person is inside, accepted, and righteous.—Ibid. for Tuesday, October 24, 2017.

Isn’t that a real change?

15.    So, why can’t God just do that for everyone? Of course, we all recognize that this process is not permanent. Despite the belief of some in a “once saved, always saved” kind of salvation, the truth is that we return to our sins. Then, we must do it all over again. What happens if we have sinned and die before we are justified?

16.    There is a very serious flaw in this whole approach to salvation. People are encouraged to focus on their past sins in order to have them forgiven. Focusing on sin is the last thing that we should be doing.

It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell.—Ellen G. White, Great Controversy* 555.1.

What happens to us if we are always focusing on our past sins in order to make sure they get forgiven? The only safe thing for us to focus on is Jesus, His life, and His death, and constantly consider the implications of that most important event in history.

17.    Read Romans 3:25-26.

Romans 3:25-26: God offered him, so that by his blood he should become the means by which people’s sins are forgiven through their faith in him. God did this in order to demonstrate that he is righteous. In the past he was patient and overlooked people’s sins; but in the present time he deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that he himself is righteous and that he puts right everyone who believes in Jesus.—American Bible Society. (1992). The Holy Bible: The Good News Translation* (2nd ed., Romans 3:25-26). New York: American Bible Society.

3:25-26: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.—The Holy Bible: King James Version.* (2009). (1900 Authorized Version., Romans 3:25-26). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

18.    What is a propitiation? Expiation is a term used similarly. What is an expiation? Does God’s wrath need to be appeased? Or, removed by some mechanism? (By propitiation? Expiation?) What do these things have to do with the mercy seat, that golden lid on the ark of the covenant in the sanctuary? And what was Paul suggesting when he said that because of the forbearance of God, He passed over the sins previously committed? (NASB) Will God continue to pass over our sins even today? If so, what is the meaning of the next verse indicating that He demonstrates His righteousness at the present time? Is it really possible for God’s righteousness to come to us? Is that a legal exchange? An instantaneous change? If God’s righteousness is instantly placed to our account, what happens to that righteousness the next time we sin? “Because of the Cross of Calvary, God can declare sinners righteous and still be considered just and fair in the eyes of the universe.” (Bible Study Guide, October 25, 2017. [Bold type is added.]) Why is that? Does having this justification, this righteousness from God, change our behavior over the next 24 hours? Then, does faith change us? In what ways? Can our neighbors, friends, and colleagues see the change in us? (Matthew 5:16)

19.    So, if all this is true, do we still need to obey the law? Can we? (Romans 3:28)[10] Elsewhere in Paul’s writings as well as in statements from Jesus, James, and John, (See Matthew 19:17; Romans 2:13; James 2:10-11; Revelation 12:17; 14:12.)[11] we are told clearly that God’s true people will keep the commandments. How does that relate to justification and salvation? Does our behavior really change? Or, not?

20.    Substitution is another long Latin term.

Key for them [Paul and Martin Luther] was the fact that Christ met the demands of divine justice for us in His life of active, perfect obedience to the law and in His passive, substitutionary death for sinners. Thus, as the Sin Bearer, Christ satisfied the just demands of God’s law, which demands eternal “death” (Rom. 6:23) as payment for the wages of sin. And through Christ’s payment of the debt and His holy life, God has made full provision for the forgiveness of human sin.—Teacher’s Bible Study Guide 53. [Content in brackets is added.]

21.    If the consequences of sin are “eternal death” and if Jesus Christ is our Substitute, doesn’t that mean that He should be eternally dead? If being dead for three days or less pays the debt for all sinners, couldn’t sinners each be allowed to die for three days or less to pay their own debt so that Jesus would not have had to do so? That would be a kind of purgatory!

22.    Romans 3:25-26[12] is the only passage in Scripture that specifically talks about why Jesus Christ had to die and the meaning of His death. This is the central point in the plan of salvation! Why would it be necessary through Christ’s death for God first to demonstrate that He Himself is righteous before He can “put right” those who trust in Jesus? Has anyone ever questioned God’s righteousness? Or, His truthfulness? (See Genesis 2:17 and 3:1-4.[13]) Does the righteousness of God Himself-His own personal righteousness of character and even the way He runs His government-need to be revealed? Has anyone questioned God’s behavior? Or, how He runs His government?

23.    In Romans 1:18-32[14], we learned that the pagan people of Rome were very sinful. Then, in Romans 2, we were surprised to see that in God’s eyes the critical, judgmental Jews were even worse! Then, in Romans 3, Paul tried to draw some conclusions. Even if every person who has ever lived is a sinner, that does not make God a sinner! (Romans 3:9-10)[15] God can and does save sinners, and He can do so in such a way as to convince the entire universe-“the court in heaven”-that it is safe to do so. But first, He must convince all of us that He is right in everything that He has said so far. So, quoting Psalms 51:4, Paul spoke about God:

Romans 3:4 (GNB*): “You must be shown to be right when you speak; you must win your case when you are being tried.”

24.    The original questions in the great controversy were about God. Humans had not even been created yet when that controversy started! (Revelation 12:7-12[16]) If God is a liar, (Genesis 3:14)[17] then no one is left who can be trusted! But, by the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, all of Satan’s accusations have been refuted, and all of his questions have been completely and adequately answered! The questions were not about us. Everyone knows that we are sinners! It has been fully and adequately shown that God has not lied to us. Everything He said about sin and its consequences is true. It is not God that we need to be afraid of; it is sin! Sin kills sinners; it is not God that kills sinners! Or, is God demanding His “pound of flesh”? Learning the truth about God is what “sets us right,” not some legal transaction!

The very attributes that belonged to the character of Satan, the evil one represented as belonging to the character of God. Jesus came to teach men of the Father, to correctly represent him before the fallen children of earth. Angels could not fully portray the character of God, but Christ, who was a living impersonation of God, could not fail to accomplish the work. The only way in which he could set and keep men right was to make himself visible and familiar to their eyes. That men might have salvation he came directly to man, and became a partaker of his nature.

...Christ exalted the character of God, attributing to him the praise, and giving to him the credit, of the whole purpose of his own mission on earth,-to set men right through the revelation of God. In Christ was arrayed before men the paternal grace and the matchless perfections of the Father. In his prayer just before his crucifixion, he declared, “I have manifested thy name.” “I have glorified thee on the earth; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” [John 17:6,4] When the object of his mission was attained-the revelation of God to the world,-the Son of God announced that his work was accomplished, and that the character of the Father was made manifest to men.—Ellen G. White, The Signs of the Times,* January 20, 1890, par. 6,9. [Bold type and content in brackets are added.]

25.    In this larger-view, great-controversy, trust-healing model, the plan of salvation is first and foremost about God and whether or not He can be trusted. The great controversy is not about us; instead, it is about God and how He runs His government.

© 2017, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged. *Electronic version.    Info@theox.org

1-Rom 3:1-4 NIV What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? (2) Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (3) What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? (4) Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: "So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge."

Rom 3:19-28 NIV Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. (20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (21) But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. (22) This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (24) and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (25) God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- (26) he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. (27) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. (28) For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

2-Eze 18:1-32 NIV The word of the LORD came to me: (2) "What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: "'The parents eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? (3) "As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. (4) For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child--both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die. (5) "Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is just and right. (6) He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife or have sexual relations with a woman during her period. (7) He does not oppress anyone, but returns what he took in pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. (8) He does not lend to them at interest or take a profit from them. He withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly between two parties. (9) He follows my decrees and faithfully keeps my laws. That man is righteous; he will surely live, declares the Sovereign LORD. (10) "Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things (11) (though the father has done none of them): "He eats at the mountain shrines. He defiles his neighbor's wife. (12) He oppresses the poor and needy. He commits robbery. He does not return what he took in pledge. He looks to the idols. He does detestable things. (13) He lends at interest and takes a profit. Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head. (14) "But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things: (15) "He does not eat at the mountain shrines or look to the idols of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor's wife. (16) He does not oppress anyone or require a pledge for a loan. He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked. (17) He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor and takes no interest or profit from them. He keeps my laws and follows my decrees. He will not die for his father's sin; he will surely live. (18) But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people. (19) "Yet you ask, 'Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?' Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. (20) The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them. (21) "But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. (22) None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. (23) Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (24) "But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die. (25) "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? (26) If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. (27) But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. (28) Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. (29) Yet the Israelites say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust? (30) "Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. (31) Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? (32) For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!

Eze 33:12-20 NIV "Therefore, son of man, say to your people, 'If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person's former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person's former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.' (13) If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done. (14) And if I say to a wicked person, 'You will surely die,' but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just and right-- (15) if they give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil--that person will surely live; they will not die. (16) None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live. (17) "Yet your people say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But it is their way that is not just. (18) If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. (19) And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so. (20) Yet you Israelites say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' But I will judge each of you according to your own ways."

3-Rom 3:19-20 NIV Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. (20) Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

Heb 10:3-4 NIV But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. (4) It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Gal 3:19-24 NIV Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. (20) A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one. (21) Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. (22) But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (23) Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. (24) So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith.

4-Rom 2:13 NIV For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

Rom 7:12 NIV So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.

5-Joh 10:34 NIV Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are "gods"'?

Psa 82:6 NIV "I said, 'You are "gods"; you are all sons of the Most High.'

6-Zec 3:1-5 NIV Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. (2) The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?" (3) Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. (4) The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes." Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you." (5) Then I said, "Put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the LORD stood by.

7-Isa 44:22 NIV I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you."

Mic 7:19 NIV You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Act 3:19 NIV Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,

Gen 3:1-24 NIV Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (2) The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, (3) but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" (4) "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman. (5) "For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (6) When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. (8) Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. (9) But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" (10) He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." (11) And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" (12) The man said, "The woman you put here with me--she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." (13) Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." (14) So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. (15) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (16) To the woman he said, "I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." (17) To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat from it,' "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. (18) It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. (19) By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." (20) Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. (21) The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (22) And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (23) So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. (24) After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Psa 51:1-19 NIV For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. (2) Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. (3) For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. (4) Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. (5) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. (6) Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. (7) Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. (8) Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. (9) Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. (10) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (11) Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. (12) Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (13) Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. (14) Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. (15) Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. (16) You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. (17) My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. (18) May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem. (19) Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Pro 28:13 NIV Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

Rom 3:25-26 NIV God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- (26) he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Heb 9:5 NIV Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now.

Exo 25:18-21 NIV And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. (19) Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. (20) The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. (21) Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the tablets of the covenant law that I will give you.

8-Ecc 12:14 NIV For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

Rev 20:12-13 NIV And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. (13) The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done.

9-Rom 3:24 NIV and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

10-Rom 3:28 NIV For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

11-Rom 2:13 NIV For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

Jas 2:10-11 NIV For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. (11) For he who said, "You shall not commit adultery," also said, "You shall not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Rev 12:17 NIV Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring--those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

Rev 14:12 NIV This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

12-Rom 3:25-26 NIV God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood--to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- (26) he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

13-Gen 2:17 NIV but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die."

Gen 3:1-4 NIV Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" (2) The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, (3) but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" (4) "You will not certainly die," the serpent said to the woman.

14-Rom 1:18-32 NIV The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, (19) since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (20) For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (21) For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. (22) Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools (23) and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. (24) Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. (25) They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen. (26) Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. (27) In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error. (28) Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. (29) They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, (30) slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; (31) they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. (32) Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

15-Rom 3:9-10 NIV What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. (10) As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;

16-Rev 12:7-12 NIV Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. (8) But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. (9) The great dragon was hurled down--that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him. (10) Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. (11) They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. (12) Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."

17-Gen 3:14 NIV So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.

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