Lecture on God's Righteousness and Justification

Key Points

1. God's Righteousness and Justice

   • God does not compromise His righteousness or justice.
   • Sin is truly punished, evidenced by the cross.
   • The cross signifies real propitiation (satisfaction of the demands of God's justice).

2. Vicarious Satisfaction of Sin

   • Satisfaction for sin was accomplished by Christ, not by individuals.
   • We couldn't accomplish it ourselves because it required a sinless person.
   • The righteousness of God is revealed and made available to all who believe through Christ.

3. Exclusion of Boasting

   • Christianity excludes boasting; believers are saved by grace, not by their own merits.
   • Christianity is inclusive in offering salvation to all who trust in Christ, regardless of background.

4. Example of Abraham

   • Referencing Genesis 15: Abraham believed God and was counted righteous.
   • Justification by faith: God counted Abraham righteous before any act of obedience.
   • Emphasis on righteousness being imputed (transferred) from God to believers.

5. Threat to Evangelical Church

   • Concerns about the new perspective on Paul and rejection of the imputation of Christ's righteousness.
   • Imputation is essential for the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
   • Without imputation, there is no gospel, which may lead to works righteousness.

6. Justification and Its Consequences

   • Justified individuals have peace with God and access to His presence.
   • Natural state of humans is enmity with God; only through conversion do they become children of God.
   • Adoption by God's grace changes their status from children of wrath to children of God.

7. Sin and Grace

   • Paul addresses the potential misunderstanding that more sin results in more grace.
   • Anticipates the argument that one might keep sinning to increase the grace they receive.