Our Hope of Heaven. (Romans 3: 21-31) + Bonus Q&A (Dealing with the 5 Most Common Besetting Sins)

Our Hope of Heaven

(Romans 3:21-31)

We’ve discovered so far that man’s spiritual condition is desperate. He has rejected God’s revelation and plunged headlong into sin. As a result, God's wrath is revealed from heaven. People have given themselves over to idolatry, immorality, and all kinds of unrighteousness. The ungodly and unrighteous stand under divine judgment.

To make matters worse, human righteousness offers no refuge. In reality, people have no righteousness of their own that is acceptable to God. What we call righteousness is nothing more than self-righteousness.

When man stands before God, it will be of no value. Nor can religion save him. Even the rites, rituals, and commands ordained by God cannot shield him from judgment. Scripture itself does not provide a hiding place; instead, it declares all men guilty before God.

Imagine a man standing trial for a crime. As he faces the judge, the prosecuting attorney presents irrefutable evidence—a video recording of him caught in the act. He has no defense, no excuse, no way to plead innocence. That is the condition of every person before God. We are all caught in the act, fully exposed, with no righteousness to cover our guilt and shame. The supposed garments of human righteousness are nothing more than filthy rags. Religion, too, is powerless to shield us; it is an empty shell.

What, then, can man do? Is there any escape? How can anyone stand before God and survive His judgment?

The answer lies in Romans 3:21-31. Years ago, the great Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse called this passage the most important in the entire Bible. Keeping that in mind, let’s examine these verses and discover the hope that God offers.

1. There is a Righteousness from God, Revealed in Scripture

2. The Righteousness from God is Given by Grace through Christ’s Death to Demonstrate God's Justice

Conclusion: The Only Hope of Heaven

Romans 3:21-31 makes three key statements about righteousness:

• The righteousness of God is revealed in the Scriptures.
• This righteousness is by grace, through Christ’s atoning death, demonstrating God’s justice.
• This righteousness excludes boasting, exalts God’s universal reach, and upholds the law.

In other words, God is righteous, the law is upheld, and human boasting is silenced when sinners are justified by faith in Christ, who bore the penalty for sin.

Your only hope of heaven is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith. Trust in Jesus Christ, who died for your sins. That is the essence of the gospel.

Bonus Q & A

How can I deal with a 'Besetting Sin'.

A besetting sin is a persistent, recurring sin that a believer struggles with repeatedly. The Bible acknowledges that Christians will face ongoing battles with sin, but it also provides guidance on how to confront and overcome them.

1. Acknowledge the Struggle (Romans 7:15-25)

2. Rely on God's Power, Not Your Own (Romans 8:1-2)

3. Confess and Seek Forgiveness (1 John 1:9)

4. Renew Your Mind (Romans 12:2)

5. Flee Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)

6. Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-17)

7. Use Christian Commun

Transcript

Our Hope of Heaven

(Romans 3:21-31)

Transcript - Edited

We’ve discovered so far that man’s spiritual condition is desperate. He has rejected God’s revelation and plunged headlong into sin. As a result, God's wrath is revealed from heaven. People have given themselves over to idolatry, immorality, and all kinds of unrighteousness. The ungodly and unrighteous stand under divine judgment.

To make matters worse, human righteousness offers no refuge. In reality, people have no righteousness of their own that is acceptable to God. What we call righteousness is nothing more than self-righteousness.

When man stands before God, it will be of no value. Nor can religion save him. Even the rites, rituals, and commands ordained by God cannot shield him from judgment. Scripture itself does not provide a hiding place; instead, it declares all men guilty before God.

Imagine a man standing trial for a crime. As he faces the judge, the prosecuting attorney presents irrefutable evidence—a video recording of him caught in the act. He has no defense, no excuse, no way to plead innocence. That is the condition of every person before God. We are all caught in the act, fully exposed, with no righteousness to cover our guilt and shame. The supposed garments of human righteousness are nothing more than filthy rags. Religion, too, is powerless to shield us; it is an empty shell.

What, then, can man do? Is there any escape? How can anyone stand before God and survive His judgment?

The answer lies in Romans 3:21-31. Years ago, the great Bible teacher Donald Grey Barnhouse called this passage the most important in the entire Bible. Keeping that in mind, let’s examine these verses and discover the hope that God offers.

1. There is a Righteousness from God, Revealed in Scripture

Paul begins in verse 21: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets.”

Here, "the righteousness of God" does not refer merely to an attribute of God but to a righteousness that He provides—a righteousness that He bestows upon sinners. This is not something man achieves through his own works, religious efforts, or obedience to the Mosaic Law. Instead, it is a righteousness that comes from God alone.

Paul emphasizes that the Law and the Prophets—shorthand for the entire Old Testament—have already testified to this truth. Though the Law condemns man as a sinner, it also points to another kind of righteousness—one that is received, not earned.

How does man obtain this righteousness? Paul explains in verses 22-23:

“Even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

This righteousness is granted through faith in Jesus Christ. Here, for the first time in Romans, Paul explicitly identifies Christ as the object of faith. Furthermore, this righteousness is universally available—it extends to all who believe, with no exceptions.

This verse explains why God's righteousness is offered to all. The word "for" signals that what follows is the reason for the previous statement. Why is this righteousness extended universally? Because there is no distinction among people: all have sinned.

2. The Righteousness from God is Given by Grace through Christ’s Death to Demonstrate God's Justice

Paul continues in verses 24-26:

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith.”

Redemption refers to being set free by the payment of a ransom. Christ paid the price to release sinners from the penalty of sin. Propitiation means "satisfaction." Because all have sinned (Romans 3:23), justice demands a penalty—death. Christ took that penalty upon Himself, satisfying the justice of God.

The Greek word for propitiation is the same word used for the mercy seat in the Old Testament—the place where the high priest sprinkled the blood of a sacrificial lamb to atone for Israel’s sins. In the same way, Christ's blood is the true and final atonement, securing salvation for all who believe.

3. The Righteousness of Faith Excludes Boasting, Affirms God's Universality, and Upholds the Law (Romans 3:27–31)

Justification by faith has profound implications for human pride, God's relationship with all people, and the validity of the law. Paul poses three rhetorical questions to address these issues.

First, “Where is boasting then?” (v. 27). In light of justification by faith, Paul asks whether anyone has grounds for boasting before God. His answer is unequivocal: “It is excluded.” Justification is entirely a work of God's grace, leaving no room for personal merit.

Second, Paul asks, “Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles?” (v. 29). If justification came through the Mosaic Law, then God would effectively be the God of the Jews alone. But Paul emphatically answers, “Yes, of the Gentiles also, since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith.”

Finally, Paul addresses the law in verse 31: “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” The gospel fulfills the moral law by producing lives of love and obedience. It fulfills the ceremonial law by accomplishing what the sacrifices and rituals foreshadowed—Christ’s atoning work. It fulfills the Old Testament as a whole by realizing its promises of the coming Messiah and the forgiveness of sins. Far from abolishing the law, faith in Christ confirms its true purpose.

Conclusion: The Only Hope of Heaven

Romans 3:21-31 makes three key statements about righteousness:

• The righteousness of God is revealed in the Scriptures.
• This righteousness is by grace, through Christ’s atoning death, demonstrating God’s justice.
• This righteousness excludes boasting, exalts God’s universal reach, and upholds the law.

In other words, God is righteous, the law is upheld, and human boasting is silenced when sinners are justified by faith in Christ, who bore the penalty for sin.

Your only hope of heaven is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith. Trust in Jesus Christ, who died for your sins. That is the essence of the gospel.