The Reformation Doctrine of Justification by Faith — Voddie Baucham · Grace Family Baptist

What's in this sermon

The shape of the argument

27 units across exposition, application, illustration, theological claim, and conclusion. The pastor's argument is built from these moving parts.

Doctrinal loci· 10 surfaced

Soteriology · 22 Ecclesiology · 7 Christology · 6 Hamartiology · 6 Theology Proper · 5 Anthropology · 4 Bibliology · 3 Covenant Theology · 2 Ethics / Moral Theology · 1 Sanctification · 1

Bible citations· 25

Illustrations· 1

historical example · unit #4 — Provides a vivid historical example of Johann Tetzel's theatrical sale of plenary indulgences, showing how the doctrine of purgatory was exploited for fundraising through emotional manipulation — appealing to grief and familial love while a monk held his hand over fire to dramatize suffering.

Theological claims· 11

The practice of selling indulgences rests on the grotesque, unbiblical doctrine of purgatory, which denies that believers can be fully justified. unit #5
Righteousness required for salvation means perfect law-keeping in word, thought, and deed, both inwardly and outwardly. unit #8
Human beings cannot achieve the perfect righteousness God requires because they are born in sin and incapable of perfect law-keeping in word, thought, and deed. unit #9
Scripture teaches justification by faith alone, not by doing your best in this life and suffering in purgatory to complete what is lacking. unit #10
Justification is by grace alone, meaning it is a gift that cannot be earned — if you earn it, it is wages, not grace, and there is nothing to boast about when receiving a gift. unit #15
Justification is by the grace of God alone with no human contribution, and the Roman Catholic Church preaches another gospel by requiring temporal punishment in purgatory even after justification, condemning those who believe grace alone is sufficient. unit #16
Justification is through Christ alone because only the atoning work of Christ can satisfy the righteous wrath of God against sin. unit #17
Propitiation from God's wrath is necessary, and we must discuss it because Scripture does. unit #20
Understanding God's mercy requires understanding the wrath we deserve, and facing our guilt and incapacity without hope drives us to the only answer: grace alone, faith alone, in Christ alone. unit #22
Justification comes through the double imputation of Christ's active obedience (His perfect righteousness imputed to us) and passive obedience (our sin laid upon Him and nailed to the cross). unit #25
Christ purchased us by His blood, paying the price we owed and could never pay ourselves, accomplishing justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. unit #26

Quotations· 4

"whenever a coin in the coffers ring, a soul from purgatory springs" — Johann Tetzel (unit #4)

"If anyone says that by faith alone the sinner is justified, so as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, let him be anathema." — Council of Trent, Session Six, Canon Nine (unit #12)

"If anyone says that by faith alone the sinner is justified, so as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, let him be anathema." — Council of Trent, Session Six, Canon Nine (unit #14)

"If anyone says that the guilt is remitted to every penitent sinner, after the grace of justification has been received and that the debt of eternal punishment is so blotted out that there remains no debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world or in the next in purgatory before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened, let him be anathema." — Council of Trent, Session 6, Canon 30 (unit #16)

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Full transcript

22,433 characters 27 units ~25 min reading time

0 · Baucham opens by acknowledging students' musical contribution, directs the congregation to Romans 3:21, and announces the sermon's focus on justification by faith — the central doctrine of the Reformation

Good morning again. Thank you, students, for both of those songs today. We're grateful for your contribution and want to be an encouragement to you as you move on to the next phase in your journey. If you have your Bibles open with you today, open them to Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3. We've heard this text read in our hearing already. this morning, Romans chapter 3, beginning at verse 21. I won't read it again, but I'll remind us that the theme for today is the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith.

1 · Provides historical context for the Reformation, explaining that Luther's 95 Theses on October 31, 1517, were intended as debate points, not a revolutionary manifesto, yet they sparked the Reformation despite Luther's intentions and continued Catholic identity at the time

We celebrate the Reformation. usually were reminded of it on October 31st, because on that day, October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther ignited the Reformation really in earnest when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany. At that time, Martin Luther was still very much a Roman Catholic. He was very much a monk. He was very much committed to Roman Catholic doctrine. The 95 Theses were points to be debated. He had seen things with which he was fed up, and he wanted to debate, not start the Reformation. But start the Reformation he did.

2 · Establishes the financial motivation behind the practices Luther opposed: the construction of St

In order to understand how that connects to this doctrine of justification by faith, and why that is really the essence of the Reformation, one needs to understand a bit about what led Luther to his response. St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome was being built, that same cathedral that you can go to and visit today, most noted for the painting in the ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. It costs what today would be hundreds of millions of dollars. And in order to raise money, there were a number of different tactics that were used. One of them, there was a German bishop who wanted to buy a second bishopric, which wasn't allowed. However, the church needed money to finish the cathedral, so they charged him an insane amount of money. in order to get that second bishop.

3 · Explains Roman Catholic theology undergirding indulgences: the sacramental and sacerdotal system where grace is dispensed through seven sacraments administered by priests, visualized as a jug that fills with grace through sacraments and empties through sin, requiring purgatorial suffering to complete what was left unfilled at death

And one of the many things that they were doing to raise this money was selling what are called indulgences. Indulgences are things that you can buy from the church in order to buy time off your sentence in purgatory. Let me say that again. Indulgences were things that you could buy from the church in order to knock off time from your sentence in purgatory. You see, Roman Catholicism is a sacramental and sacerdotal religion. Sacramental means that grace is dispensed through the sacraments. There are seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church. And by participating in those sacraments, sacerdotal means those sacraments have to be dispensed by the priest. This is where the church gets its power from. In order for you to be right with God, you have to receive those sacraments. In order for you to receive those sacraments, you have to receive them from the priest. Sacraments like baptism, your first communion, penance and confession. Sacraments like the Eucharist, as they would call it, we would call the Lord's Supper. Sacraments like marriage and holy orders and last rite. These sacraments, if you think about it like a jug that you fill up with water. You go and you experience these sacraments and it fills up this jug with grace. Now when you sin, you lower the level in the jug and you have to go for more sacraments so that you can fill up the level in the jug again. You sin, the level goes down. Go get some sacraments, the level goes up. The jug is never completely full. So when you die, you finish filling the jug by suffering in purgatory. Now, you may have to suffer for 1,000 years or 10,000 years based upon how full you were able to get your jug in this life.

4 · Provides a vivid historical example of Johann Tetzel's theatrical sale of plenary indulgences, showing how the doctrine of purgatory was exploited for fundraising through emotional manipulation — appealing to grief and familial love while a monk held his hand over fire to dramatize suffering

Needless to say, you have to pay after you die to finish earning your way to heaven. So why sell indulgences? Well, one of the things that they were doing is selling what are called plenary indulgences. What's a plenary indulgence? A plenary indulgence is an indulgence that you can buy to fill up your jug completely. Well, there's a small problem. If I go today and buy a plenary indulgence and I fill up my jug completely, before I make it back home, I've sinned again and my jug is no longer full, which is why plenary indulgences are purchased for the dead. There's a famous monk by the name of John Tetzel, Johann Tetzel. He was going around selling plenary indulgences to collect money to finish building St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. He was a man of many theatrics. He would do things like put his hand over a fire in front of a crowd, and the crowd would begin to scream for him to stop. And when he would stop, he would use this famous phrase, whenever a coin in the coffers ring, a soul from purgatory springs. Do you not love your dearly departed grandmother? Do you not love your dearly departed father, sister, brother? Would you not release them from suffering in purgatory if you could, as he holds his hand over a fire? In other words, give some money to help build the cathedral in Rome And instantly, instantly, your loved one will be released from purgatory and go to heaven. Now, who, if they were able to do it, would not stop the suffering of their dearly departed relative?

5 · Asserts that Luther's protest moved from objecting to the practice of selling indulgences to attacking the theological foundation itself — the doctrine of purgatory and its denial of full justification — a system still operative in Roman Catholicism today

Martin Luther watched this, and he was appalled. He wanted to debate this practice. But he ended up starting a reformation that debated the very foundation upon which this practice is built. The only reason you have practices like this, by the way, you can buy indulgences today in Roman Catholicism. The only reason we have practices like this is because of this grotesque, unbiblical doctrine of purgatory. this grotesque, unbiblical doctrine that somehow you can never be fully justified.

6 · Pivots from historical narrative to expositional agenda by introducing the five solas of the Reformation and promising to demonstrate that all five are present in the Romans 3 text

And so the heart of the Reformation, the main cry of the Reformation is justification by faith. There are five solas of the Reformation and they all go to the heart of this doctrine. We know the doctrine of sola scriptura, scripture alone. Sola fide, faith alone. Sola gratia, grace alone. Solus Christus, Christ alone. Soli Deo gloria, to the glory of God alone. We'll see here in our text today that all five of those solas are present.

7 · Begins exposition of Romans 3:21 by defining justification as a judicial declaration of righteousness — not merely 'not guilty' or innocent, but positively righteous, a verdict going beyond acquittal to affirmation of complete moral standing

Look with me if you will. Back in Romans chapter one. beginning in verse 21. First, we see this righteousness that justification brings. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. It's important to understand when we talk about justification by faith, it's important to understand what justification is. Justification is a declaration of righteousness. It is to be declared righteous. It is a judicial term. Picture one standing in front of a judge and the judge bangs his gavel and the judge does not say, not guilty. You're beyond just not guilty. Not guilty could just mean you did it, but there's not enough evidence for us to prove it. It even goes beyond this declaration of innocence. It is a declaration of righteousness.

8 · Defines righteousness as complete and perfect law-keeping — both inward and outward obedience — establishing the impossibly high standard required for salvation, using Jesus' Sermon on the Mount to show that righteousness includes not just actions but thoughts and intentions

And what is righteousness? Righteousness means being in perfect standing before God based on the complete and perfect keeping of His law. And righteousness is what is required in order for one to be saved. Complete and perfect righteousness. based upon God's perfect law. By the way, complete and perfect righteousness, both inwardly and outwardly. Jesus alludes to this in the Sermon on the Mount. You've heard it said, for example, that you should not commit murder. But I say to you, don't even hate your brother in your heart. You've heard it said, do not commit adultery, but I say to you, do not even look at a woman with lust in your heart. So when we talk about justification, when we talk about righteousness, we're talking about perfect law-keeping in word, in thought, and in deed. Perfect law-keeping is what is required for you to be righteous before our Holy God.

9 · Asserts human inability to achieve the righteousness God requires due to both insufficient moral performance and inherited sin nature from Adam, setting up the question of whether Rome's alternative system provides the answer

And here's a newsflash. You can't get there on your own. It is not possible. Your words, your thoughts, and your deeds are insufficient. Beyond that, you were born in sin and inherited your sin nature from Adam. So you can't even get started on that quest because of where you started from. You are guilty before God. That is why we have to start here. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it. So if you can't get there on your own, If you can't achieve righteousness, perfect righteousness, according to the law of our perfect God, was Rome right?

10 · Rejects Rome's purgatorial system as the solution to human inability and introduces the first Reformation sola: justification is by faith alone, not by sacraments plus purgatory

Do you somehow have to go do the best you can in this life and then go to purgatory and finish off by suffering there in order for God to be satisfied and declare you righteous? No, the scripture is clear. Justification number one is by faith alone.

11 · Expounds Romans 3:22-23 to establish that justification by faith is the single, unified means of salvation across all human history — for Jew and Gentile alike — using Abraham's faith-righteousness to prove that even Old Testament saints were saved by faith, not works

Paul continues, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. For all who believe, for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. For all who believe, for all who believe. There is no distinction, for all who believe. for the Jew as well as the Gentile. This is incredibly important. I get this question all the time from Christians, young and old, because we're saved by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So what about those who came before? What about the Jews? Does God have one system or program for them and another system or program for us? Absolutely not. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. Abraham was not saved by works. No one has ever been saved by works and no one ever will be saved by works. You're saved by faith alone.

12 · Qualifies 'faith in Jesus Christ' to mean faith in the biblical Jesus, not a culturally palatable or personally customized version — rejecting selective acceptance of Jesus' attributes and insisting the only saving faith is faith in Christ as revealed in Scripture, not in sacramental religion

As the text makes clear, the righteousness of God through faith, and not just blind faith, or not just believing strongly, but through faith in Jesus Christ, the Christ of the scriptures. Again, you can have faith in the Jesus of your own imagination. You can have faith in the Christ of your own invention, and many people do. There are many out there who talk about Jesus, but when you talk about what the scriptures say about Jesus, they don't like some aspect of it. They don't agree with some aspect of it. Yes, I like Jesus. He's a good man and he's a good teacher, but I don't like this idea of judging people and sending them to hell. I like Jesus. He's a good man and a good teacher, but I don't like this idea of Jesus being the only way that people can get to heaven. That seems arrogant and narrow-minded to me. I don't like that Jesus. Newsflash! If you don't like that Jesus, you don't like the Jesus, because that Jesus is the Jesus of Scripture. Faith in Christ as He is revealed in His Word. It's the only answer to everyone who believes, to everyone who believes in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's it. Not to everyone who fulfills the seven sacraments, regularly enough to fill up their bucket, not to everyone who fulfills those sacraments and then goes to purgatory to finish off whatever is left, but to all of those who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

13 · Expounds Romans 9:30-32 to demonstrate the irony that Gentiles without the law obtained righteousness by faith while Jews pursuing the law missed righteousness because they pursued it through works — the law's purpose is to reveal our need for a Savior, not to be a means of earning salvation

Romans chapter nine, verses 30 and 32. What shall we say then? The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it. That is a righteousness that is by faith. but that Israel who pursued a law without, excuse me, pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching the law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. The law is meant to point us to our need for a savior. The law is good. The law is perfect. And God does require perfect obedience to the law. But when we attempt to attain perfect obedience to the law, we find out that we cannot. And it is there that we come to realize that, number one, we are incapable, and number two, we need a Savior. So Paul is saying here that Israel has the law, the Jews have the law, and they missed righteousness in pursuit of the law. The Gentiles did not have that same law, but because they believed in Christ, they find the righteousness that the Jews were pursuing and could not achieve. By faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. We see this in a number of places, chiefly in Hebrews chapter 10. If I take the time, I won't read that.

14 · Pivots from scriptural exposition to historical-theological polemic by introducing Rome's Council of Trent and its Canon Nine, which pronounces anathema — damnation — on anyone who believes in justification by faith alone, revealing the irreconcilable opposition between Reformation and Roman Catholic doctrine

But listen to this. 1517, we have Luther nailing the 95 theses to the door of the Wittenberg Church. 1531, we get the Augsburg Confession, which is the confession of the Lutheran Church. A little over a decade later, we get the Council of Trent, which lasts for almost two decades. In the Council of Trent, Rome met with all of their bishops and cardinals in order to respond to the Reformation, to give the Roman Catholic response to the doctrine of the Reformation. Listen to this. Council of Trent, Session Six, Canon Nine. If anyone says that by faith alone the sinner is justified, so as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to obtain the grace of justification, let him be anathema. Anathema is the strongest form of cursed. Let him be anathema. Anathema is damnation. To anyone who believes This Protestant doctrine, this Reformation doctrine of being saved by faith alone, Rome says, you are condemned. You are anathema.

15 · Introduces the second Reformation sola from Romans 3:24 — justification by grace alone — defining grace as gift by establishing the logical incompatibility between earning and receiving, supported by Ephesians 2:8-9's declaration that salvation is a gift to exclude boasting

Secondly, justification is not only by faith alone, but it is by grace alone. Paul continues, and are justified by his grace as a gift. are justified by His grace as a gift. Listen, if I give you a gift and you do something to earn it, it is no longer a gift. It is your wage. We are justified by faith alone, through grace alone. By faith alone and through grace alone. It is a gift of God. Ephesians chapter 2 makes this very clear. By grace have you been saved, and that not of yourselves. It is a gift of God so that no man can boast. There's nothing to boast about when you receive a gift. You haven't earned a gift.

16 · Reinforces sola gratia by excluding all additions to grace — works, sincerity, temporal punishment — and addresses the antinomian objection by asserting regeneration changes desires

Justification is by faith alone, and justification is by grace alone, solely by the grace of God, solely by the mercy of God. Not the grace of God and your works, but the grace of God alone. Not the grace of God and your sincerity, but the grace of God alone. This is hard for us to embrace. By the way, the immediate comeback to this is, oh, oh, so you're saying I can live any way that I want to live? Actually, I am. But I'm also saying that if you're genuinely regenerate, God will change your want to, amen? He will change your desires, and your desires will be in accordance with the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. But it is by grace it is not earned. Listen to Trent's response to this. Trent, Session 6, Canon 30. If anyone says that the guilt is remitted to every penitent sinner, after the grace of justification has been received and that the debt of eternal punishment is so blotted out that there remains no debt of temporal punishment to be discharged either in this world or in the next in purgatory before the entrance to the kingdom of heaven can be opened, let him be anathema. Let him be anathema. You believe that the grace of God is sufficient to save you completely? You are anathema. You believe that the grace of God alone is enough? You are anathema. By the way, anyone who's sitting there and thinking to yourself, wait a minute, That was the Roman Catholic Church in the mid-15, late 1500s. Certainly the Roman Catholic Church today doesn't believe any of these things. Trent has not been rescinded and cannot be. This is the doctrine of Roman Catholicism. They preach another gospel. and they condemn in the harshest terms the gospel that we preach. The gospel of justification by faith alone, of justification by grace alone.

17 · Introduces the third Reformation sola from Romans 3:24-25 — justification through Christ alone — defining propitiation as the satisfaction of God's wrath through Christ's atoning death, establishing Christ's work as the exclusive means of satisfying divine justice

Thirdly, justification is through Christ alone. Paul continues. So, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood to be received by faith. So we go back and bring faith into it again. But here we see that this is by Christ alone. The atoning work of Christ alone is the only thing that can satisfy God's righteous wrath. By the way, that's what that word propitiation means. That the death of Christ satisfies the wrath of God.

18 · Establishes the anthropological foundation for the doctrine of divine wrath by observing the universal human appeal to fairness — rooted in being created in the image of a just God — while exposing the hypocrisy of demanding justice for others' actions but mercy for our own intentions

We stand guilty before a holy and righteous God. In fact, you know, One of the earliest phrases that human beings learn to say, regardless of what language they speak, one of the earliest things you learn how to say with conviction is, that's not fair. And all the parents in the room said, amen. Our children learn that one. That's not fair. And they say it with conviction. unless they're talking about their own sin. You can't say amen, you ought to say ouch. Everybody else needs to be judged by their actions, but me, I need to be judged by my intent. And the reason that we feel so strongly about things being fair and being just is because we're created in the image of a just and righteous God.

19 · Directly confronts the congregation's appeal to divine justice by turning the argument back on them — if God answered their prayers for justice against others, He would justly kill them in their sleep for their own sin — establishing that human survival itself is an act of undeserved mercy, not justice

who must punish sin. And you're right. There are things in this world that are just not fair, and they need to be made right. But right now, what I want to ask you to do is, rather than pointing your finger out there at all of the things that are wrong in the world, the things that you go to bed at night begging God to take care of, God, they mistreated me. Would you fix that? God, they were mean to me. Would you take care of that? God, there was corruption. Would you root that out? God, there was sin there. Would you take care of it? All of that is good. And I'm not taking that away from you, but what I wanna say is this. If God were to answer your prayer at night and get rid of all corruption and injustice and sin, he'd kill you when you're asleep. because you're corrupt, you're sinful, you're unrighteous, and yet God allows you to continue to live. That's not fair. You should have been put to death for what you thought, said, and did just this morning. That's not fair. It's not fair that you have not been consumed by the holiness and righteousness of God. That's not fair. I would say you just borrowed your last breath, but you have no intention of giving it back, so you stole it. That's not fair. You deserve death, hell, and the grave, and nothing else. Nothing else. And unless something or someone, thank you, takes care of that on your behalf, that is exactly what you will get. Death, hell, and the grave.

20 · Asserts the necessity of propitiation — a satisfaction of God's wrath — and justifies discussing the uncomfortable doctrine of divine wrath by appealing to scriptural precedent

There has to be perpetuation from the wrath of God. And this is something that we don't like to think about, let alone talk about. But we have to because the scriptures do.

21 · Rapid-fire citation of seven passages across Romans and Ephesians demonstrating the pervasiveness of the wrath-of-God theme in Scripture, building cumulative weight for the claim that divine wrath is a central biblical reality, not a peripheral or outdated idea

Romans 1, 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans chapter 2, verse 5. Because of your hard and impenitent heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath, when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans chapter two, verse eight. But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Romans chapter three, verse five. But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? Romans 9, 22. What if God desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power has endured with such patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction. And not just in Romans, Ephesians chapter two and verse three, among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just like the rest of mankind. Ephesians five, six. Let no one deceive you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. And we could go on and on and on.

22 · Brings the cumulative weight of divine wrath to bear on the question of human hope — if we are guilty, incapable of righteousness, and deserving of wrath, the situation appears hopeless — but pivots to the answer: grace alone, faith alone, in Christ alone

Yes, our God is a merciful God, but that means nothing if we don't understand the wrath that we deserve. And we do. So what do we do if we are guilty before a holy God and we deserve the wrath of God? If the things that you thought and said and did just this morning deserve death, hell, and the grave? And if, as we said earlier, you are incapable of the perfect righteousness that God's law requires, it would seem that there is no hope. But remember, we're talking about grace alone, faith alone, in Christ alone.

23 · Returns to Romans 3:24-25 and cross-references Isaiah 53 to expound the mechanics of propitiation: our iniquity was transferred to Christ, making His death the satisfaction of divine wrath on our behalf

But notice what Paul says. Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. Isaiah 53 puts it this way. All we like sheep had gone astray. Each of us had turned to his own way, but God hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all.

24 · Provides a rapid-fire biblical-theological exposition of Christ's substitutionary atonement through five cross-references showing: the fullness of God dwelling in Christ to reconcile (Colossians), Christ's death as ransom (Mark), the great exchange of sin and righteousness (2 Corinthians), and Christ bearing our sins in His body (1 Peter)

God laid our iniquity on Christ. Colossians 1, 19 and 20. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. God reconciles us through Christ and his death on the cross. Mark 10, 45, for even the son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 2 Corinthians 5, 21, for our sakes, he made him to be sin who knew no sin that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And lastly, 1 Peter 2. 24, he himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, we have been healed, as we were reminded on last week.

25 · Introduces the doctrine of double imputation through Christ's active and passive obedience: Christ's virgin birth freed Him from Adamic sin, His active obedience (perfect law-keeping) provides righteousness imputed to us, and His passive obedience (bearing our sin on the cross) removes our guilt — together accomplishing justification

So what is the answer? The answer is the active and passive obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ's active obedience, He kept the whole law, and He kept it perfectly. By the way, it goes back even before that, because remember I talked about Adam and his federal headship. Because of Adam's federal headship, everyone born in Adam is born in sin and born with a sin nature. Interesting thing about Jesus is he was conceived in the womb of Mary, but he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He was born of a virgin. Why was that important? It was important for him to be born of a virgin because if he was born by normal conception, he would have inherited Adam's sin and he could not have been anyone else's savior. But he was born of a virgin so that he was not inherently sinful. And then in his active obedience, he kept the whole law at every point in thought and word and deed. Righteous, completely righteous through his active obedience. And it is his righteousness through his active obedience that is imputed to us when we place our faith in him. But that's only half the equation. The other half of the equation is his passive obedience. In his passive obedience, Our sin is laid upon Him, and it is nailed to the tree. When He dies on the cross, Christ dies for sin once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God. And this double imputation is what brings us justification.

26 · Synthesizes the three solas covered so far into a single declaration and introduces the language of purchase and payment, framing the atonement as a transaction where Christ pays a debt we could not pay

By grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. By his blood, he purchased us. He paid the price that we owed and could never pay ourselves.

Where this fits

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This sermon

The Reformation Doctrine of Justification by Faith

Justification is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone, as taught by Scripture alone — the five solas of the Reformation that stand against any system requiring human works for salvation.

Romans 3:21-26

Take it further

Discuss · apply

Small groups

6 discussion questions

In Romans 3:21-26, Paul says righteousness comes apart from the law, yet the law and the prophets testify to it. What do you think Paul mean…

Daily readings

5-day reading plan

This week we walk through the Reformation doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone — beginning with Abraham's exemplary faith, moving through God's wrath and our incapacity, and culminating in Christ's atoning work that accomplishes what we cannot.

Family table

Can We Ever Be Good Enough?

This prompt anchors in the sermon's central claim: that perfect law-keeping is impossible for human beings, which is why grace through faith…

Couples

Grace Alone, Faith Alone—Together

When you heard that justification is a gift we cannot earn, what stirred in your heart—relief, conviction, wonder, or something else?…

Memorize

Romans 3:24

This verse is the doctrinal heartbeat of the entire sermon, crystallizing the central Reformation claim that justification is grace alone, through Christ alone, received as a gift that cannot be earned. Memorizing this single verse arms the congregation with the essential biblical refutation of any system that conditions salvation on human works, merit, or purgatorial suffering.

Memory verse this week

Romans 3:24

and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

Why this verse: This verse is the doctrinal heartbeat of the entire sermon, crystallizing the central Reformation claim that justification is grace alone, through Christ alone, received as a gift that cannot be earned. Memorizing this single verse arms the congregation with the essential biblical refutation of any system that conditions salvation on human works, merit, or purgatorial suffering.

Daily readings · Monday–Friday

5-day reading plan

This week we walk through the Reformation doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone — beginning with Abraham's exemplary faith, moving through God's wrath and our incapacity, and culminating in Christ's atoning work that accomplishes what we cannot.

Monday Genesis 15:6

Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness — not because of his deeds, but because of his trust in God's promise. In this single verse, the entire Reformation doctrine finds its Old Testament anchor: justification comes through faith, not through human achievement or the accumulation of works. We, like Abraham, are justified not by what we do but by what we trust God to do.

Tuesday Romans 1:18

God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness — and this is not a side doctrine but the essential context for grasping grace. Until we feel the weight of divine wrath against sin, mercy remains cheap sentiment rather than scandalous gift. The gospel humbles us as we grasp that we are the targets of this wrath, and only in that terror do we run to Christ.

Wednesday 2 Corinthians 5:21

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him — the cosmic exchange at the heart of justification. Christ takes our guilt and death; we receive His perfect obedience and standing before the Father. In this single verse, the double imputation stands complete: our sin flows to Him, His righteousness flows to us, and the justice of God is perfectly satisfied.

Thursday Mark 10:45

The Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many — a price paid, a debt satisfied, a purchase completed. We could never accumulate the merit or endure the punishment our sin demands; Christ alone could and did. Grace means this ransom was given freely on our behalf, not because we earned it but because He chose to pay what we owed.

Friday Romans 9:30-32

Israel pursued righteousness as if by works, but stumbled over the stone — the tragic irony of trying to earn what God offers as a gift. We, like Israel, stand incapable of the perfect law-keeping God requires; yet faith alone unites us to Christ, who fulfilled the law in our place. The five solas stand together: by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God's glory alone, as Scripture alone declares.

Sunday-evening family table

Can We Ever Be Good Enough?

For the parent

This prompt anchors in the sermon's central claim: that perfect law-keeping is impossible for human beings, which is why grace through faith is our only hope. Listen for how your children understand their own inability and God's provision — this opens the door to gratitude for what Christ has done.

Pastor Voddie talked about how God requires perfect righteousness — perfect in our words, our thoughts, and our actions. Do you think anyone in our family, or anyone you know, has ever been perfect in all three of those things, even for one whole day? What happens when we realize we can't do it?

works for ages 7+ — younger children can share observations about imperfection; older kids and teens can wrestle with the weight of the standard and why grace becomes necessary

Couples · three questions over coffee

Grace Alone, Faith Alone—Together

When you heard that justification is a gift we cannot earn, what stirred in your heart—relief, conviction, wonder, or something else?
How do we subtly slip into earning God's favor in our marriage—through performance, conditional love, or unspoken debts—rather than resting in the grace that justifies us both?
What is one area where your spouse needs to hear and believe that they are fully accepted in Christ, not because of what they do but because of what He has done—and how can you pray that truth over them this week?

Small-group discussion

6 questions for your group this week

In Romans 3:21-26, Paul says righteousness comes apart from the law, yet the law and the prophets testify to it. What do you think Paul means by this apparent paradox, and why does he emphasize that this righteousness is revealed now?

Romans 3:21

→ How does this help us understand why the Roman Catholic system of earning righteousness through works actually misses what Scripture itself has been pointing toward all along?
The sermon emphasizes that the righteousness God requires means perfect law-keeping in word, thought, and deed—both inwardly and outwardly. When you honestly examine your own life, what does this standard reveal about your condition before God?

Romans 3:22-23

→ Rather than trying to improve your record, what happens in your heart when you realize you cannot achieve this perfection on your own?
Paul describes justification as a gift of grace (Romans 3:24). The sermon notes that if something is earned, it becomes wages rather than grace—there is nothing to boast about in receiving a gift. Why is this distinction so important for understanding what it means to be justified?

Romans 3:24

→ Can you think of a time when you were tempted to take credit for your own spiritual progress, and what shifted your perspective back to grace?
The sermon teaches that propitiation—God's wrath being satisfied—is central to justification. Looking at Romans 3:25-26 and the cross-reference in Isaiah 53:6, how does understanding that Christ bore God's wrath on our behalf change the way you see your own standing before God?

Isaiah 53:6; Romans 3:25-26
The doctrine of double imputation means Christ's perfect righteousness is credited to us, and our sin is imputed to Him on the cross. How does grasping this exchange—His active obedience for our failure, His passive suffering for our guilt—reshape your gratitude and your willingness to follow Him this week?

2 Corinthians 5:21

→ What would it look like in a specific situation you're facing to respond to someone out of joy at this exchange rather than out of obligation?
The sermon presents the five solas—grace alone, faith alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, glory to God alone—as a unified whole, each protecting the others. Which of these solas do you find yourself most tempted to compromise, and what does that reveal about where you're still seeking righteousness apart from Christ?

Where this was preached

About the preacher

Voddie Baucham

Grace Family Baptist · ACU
Read the Guild Hall profile · All three stewarded sermons

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# Grace Family Baptist · ACU

Significant sermons by Voddie Baucham, stewarded by Sermon Steward as a sample.

## Sermons
- [The Hidden Beauty of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)](/SignificantSermons/voddie/sermons/the-hidden-beauty-of-the-gospel)
- [The Heart of a Father (Proverbs 3:1-7)](/SignificantSermons/voddie/sermons/the-heart-of-a-father)
- [The Reformation Doctrine of Justification by Faith (Romans 3:21-26)](/SignificantSermons/voddie/sermons/the-reformation-doctrine-of-justification-by-faith)

## About
- About the church
- Plan a visit

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