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­Today's teaching is part four in a series titled; "God Centered Solutions to Man Centered Problems." ­The Apostle Paul has been rising from the pages of this Epistle to the Romans, and by the Holy Spirit, is giving us some much needed answers. ­Namely, that of the divine dilemma in how a righteous God remains both loving and just while keeping the law intact justifying unrighteous man.

­For the benefit of those who have not been with us from the beginning of this series, I'll quickly set the stage with what we've seen up to now.

1. Come from God apart from the law (Verse 21) ­Paul says how that now a righteousness from God apart from the law, testified to by both the Prophets and the law, has now been made known.

2. Come through faith to those who believe (Verse 22) ­Paul tells them that this righteousness from God, comes through faith, in Jesus Christ, to all who believe. It's not through self­righteousness.

3. Come by grace for all have sinned (Verses 23­24) ­He says all have sinned falling short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

4. Come as a substitute in our place (Verses 25­26) ­Here Paul describes Jesus as the sacrifice of atonement, and through faith in His blood God demonstrates His justice, in how He justifies.

­Paul will now round a corner of sorts, and fill in the blanks by letting us in on why it is that God does this, this way. It's really for our own good.

5. Come at the expense of our glory (Verse 27) ­v27 Paul asks three questions; "How then can one boast, if one does on what principle, if so, is it on observing of law? No, it's on that of faith." ­This is interesting for a number of reasons not the least of which is that it reinforces the template of God's salvation solution, to condemnation. ­It comes from God, by grace, through faith, in Christ, our substitutionary sacrifice, so there's no grounds upon which man can stand and boast.

Ephesians 2:8­9 NIV For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— (9) not by works, so that no one can boast.

1 Corinthians 1:26­29 NIV (26) Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. (27) But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (28) He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, (29) so that no one may boast before him.

­This explains why it is, and how it is, that God did what He did in the Old Testament. He's the same, yesterday, today and forever. It's His M.O.. ­We see time and time again where God chooses the Gideon's of this world, and he chooses the David's of this world to defeat the Goliath's. ­The common denominator with them, and many others like them, is that there's no way that they could ever boast about that which God did.

­Perhaps you'll indulge me for just a moment as I share with you something that the Lord ministered to me as it relates to how God is glorified. ­The problem is the motive of my heart. If I can figure it out, and work it out, in my own savvy and strength, then in spiritual pride, I'll get the glory. ­Conversely, when God does it for me, by grace, and instead of me, through faith, then there's no way I can take the credit even if It tried to.

James 4:1­3 NIV (1) What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? (2) You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. (3) When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

6. Come in the gospel upholding the law (Verses 28­31) ­v28­29 Paul tells them that a man is justified by faith, apart from observing the law, and, that He is the God of the Jews and the Gentiles as well. ­v30 He goes on to say that since there's only one God, He will justify the circumcised by faith, and the uncircumcised through that same faith. ­v31 Paul once again asks then answers the question of whether or not this faith nullifies the law by saying; not at all! Rather, it upholds the law.

­For lack of a better way of saying it; this is how Paul seals the deal! Perhaps a better way of saying it would be; "the law is upheld, case closed!" ­Justice has been served by upholding the law, establishing the law, and fulfilling the law. It has come vis­a­vis the only one, Who kept the law. ­Actually, that was the purpose of the law, in that it served its purpose by showing us; "us," and bringing us to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the law.

Galatians 3:19­24 NIV What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. (20) A mediator, however, does not represent just 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 the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. (23) Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. (24) So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

­This is the Gospel The word Gospel means good news. That suggests that in order for there to be good news, there must have been bad news.

­By way of illustration, here’s a simple graphic that communicates a simple message called; “the Gospel,” which, again, means “Good News.” ­In the beginning, God and man were together, but through Adam sin entered the world and separated man from God. (That’s the bad news!) ­Because sin entered the world through Adam, Jesus entered into the world as the second Adam to die for and pay for our sin. (The good news!) ­The finished work of the cross, and the resurrection of the Christ, bridged the gap, and thus reunited man to God. ­It’s for this reason the Christian faith is the truth, and all other religions are false. It’s a relationship as opposed to a religion.