Key Memory Verses

Memory Verse:
​Romans 3:23-24 (NKJB)

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,"

Memory Verse:
2 Timothy 3:15 (ESV)

"All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,"

Memory Verse:
John 17:17 (ESV)

"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."

Memory Verse:
Romans 8:1 (ESV)

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Why is this important to know?

  1. First take note of the term “justified”: this is a forensic/legal term which means to ‘acquit’ or ‘declare righteous’. It is the very opposite of being ‘condemned’.
  2. Second, notice who does the justifying — God.
  3. Third, Paul explains that God’s act of justifying a sinner (clarifying a sinner as righteous/not condemned) is an act of God ALONE. The word that the NASB translates as “gift” is better translated as “freely” by the NKJV. Paul is not trying to explain how justification is offered. Rather, he is setting down the nature of God’s act of justifying the sinner; that is, it is an act which is completely of God without any consideration of the works, efforts or abilities of the person. Paul makes it clear that, “a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Rom. 3:28). Furthermore he explains that “by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20).

Why is this important to know?

  1. Note that the scriptures are “breathed out” by God. They are his very breath.
  2. There is a purpose in the scriptures for the believer’s spiritual growth.
  3. Finally, this applies to ALL of Scripture, not certain parts.

Why is this important to know?

  1. Remember that this is our Lord’s prayer to the Father for us. As a believer, Christ continues to intercede for our growth.
  2. Our growth is going to be through truth. Though God brings us through many experiences, the truth is what evaluates and tells us how to live in the midst of those experiences.
  3. “The truth” is God’s word. It is so vital to understand this! The truth is not what we feel God is telling us or how we feel He is speaking to us through his “spirit”. The truth is always found in His Word. To the child of God, this is a source of great comfort and great challenge; comfort because we are not subject to live by our feelings, which change constantly, and challenge because we must bring our feelings, indeed our lives, to the Word of God to be evaluated, challenged, corrected and taught.

Why is this important to know?

  1. The word “condemnation” – It’s used only in Romans. It’s a very special word. There are other words similar to it. But this particular word focuses not so much on the sentencing of a criminal; it focuses on the paying of a penalty after the sentencing. It focuses on the punishment, on the penal bondage, on the imprisonment. It focuses on the execution, not so much as on the verdict.
  2. Paul is saying there is no penalty to be paid. There is no penal bondage to be born. No execution to take place. There is no prison to be put into because the believer’s penalty has already been paid.
  3. When it says “no condemnation,” it isn’t just the simple Greek word for “no”; it is a strong negative, meaning “…no! no!” Not a bit of condemnation, not the slightest tinge of condemnation!