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So this morning I feel absolutely privileged because I get to share with you out of the book of Romans and the book of Romans. I love it. And the reason is, is that contains perhaps the clearest vision, the clearest message of the gospel found in all of scripture. And the reason for that is the book of Romans is truly a unique letter, a unique epistle, for it is the most systematic treaty’s of the gospel. And the reason for that is all the other books, all the other letters that are written in Scripture, like Titus or Timothy, that are written to specific individuals or Colossians or Galatians or Ephesians that were written to specific churches. Paul is familiar with them. He knows them intimately. He spends years with Titus and Timothy. He spends years in Ephesians, in Ephesus, in Corinth. He spends months or weeks with the people of Thessalonica in Philippi and a lot of the other places that receive letters from Paul. So when Paul is writing those letters, the letters of Philippians, the letters of Titus, the letters of Timothy, he is building on a foundation that he has already laid out, such as? And what he does is he clarifies doctrine that he’s already taught them or he addresses specific moral failings that they’re having in the church, such as the letter of First Corinthians, or he confronts bad theology that has corrupt, crept up in the church like the Gnosticism that happens in colossi.
Or he outs the super apostles or false teachers that you see in Second Corinthians. But the thing is, when Paul writes the letter of Romans to the people of Rome, the Church of Rome, he has never met them. He has no idea what they know and what they do not know. Which because he hadn’t spent months or years teaching them. Therefore, he goes about writing the book of Romans in a completely different way. And he builds from the foundation. And he lays out brick by brick the message of the gospel. Why people so desperately need it. What the gospel is, how you can receive it, and what happens when you receive the gospel. What’s the end? And you don’t have to take my word for it that this is the reason that Paul is writing this letter. He he tells us. So when I get this working in Romans 114 through 17, this is what he says. I am obligated both to Greeks and non Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. And that is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome, for I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith, from first to last, just that is written.
The righteous will live by faith. Paul gives his reason to the people of Rome, of why he’s writing this letter to him, and it’s because he’s compelled to share the gospel to everyone, whether they be Jewish like him or Gentile, unlike him, whether they be wise or whether they be foolish, whether they’re learned or whether they have never learned, because the gospel alone is the power of God that is able to save, no matter who you are, whether Jew or Gentile, and there is nothing else that can save you. For in the Gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that only comes by faith and is continued in faith. And nothing beyond faith. And this is the thesis that Paul lays out the the foundation that falls lays out Paul lays out at the start of the book of Romans and what he will continue to prove and what he will build on throughout the rest of the book of Romans this. Romans 114 through 17. So when we get to the passage, Romans five one through 11. And as we go through today, remember why Paul is saying this, because this is so important. Romans five one If you guys have your Bibles, you can turn there. This is where we’ll be for the majority. But excuse me, we’ll hop around a little bit. Romans five one says this Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, that is an amazing verse to start out with. But before we move on, we need to understand some things. We need to understand the context of Paul writing this. For without the context, we won’t be able to understand some of these things and what the author is meaning and what he’s trying to get across. And the reason why is a he says, therefore, which I highlighted for us, which means that he is referencing what he wrote prior in the book of Romans. B If we ask a few questions of the text, it becomes apparent that there’s some questions that need answering. And I don’t want to assume that we know what the context is. Some of those questions could be why is justification or why is being justified necessary? Why is peace with God something that we need? Are we at war with God or why is it through Jesus Christ? And by faith, I mean we can’t just assume we know those things and see if you are reading your Bible. That is a good hermeneutic You want to read the passage in context of the surrounding passages and the book. And RD If you want to understand the meaning of anything, you’re going to have to know the context in which it is in. For example, here is a picture. Now you guys can understand a few things about this picture, right? You can understand that there are a lot of people that it looks like they’re in a city.
And it was a picture that was taken probably before any of us were born. It’s 70 to 100 years old. Maybe some of you guys are here. Remember that time? Sorry, I don’t want to assume. All right. But it’s an old picture. Sorry, guys. I apologize. But what gives the picture? This picture meaning is when it was taken. Right. I could tell you that this picture was a protest that was organized by labor unions that wanted better living conditions and better wages for their workers. But that would give this picture a completely different meaning from the truth of it, because the truth about this picture is that this was taken the moment that they learned there was peace. Right. They lived through and were alive during the most bloody war in history that ever happened up to this time, where more than likely they lost a relative. See when they’re when they get the news of the German empire surrendering in World War One. They are out to celebrate because after four years of horrible industrialised warfare that saw the death of 20 million people and saw the wounding of 20 million more people, that would leave families all over the world never whole again. It is finally over. And they are, of course, celebrating. They’re out to celebrate with one another.
Why? Because there is peace. They and their relatives who are at the front line will be able to return home. And that this good news. Is going to save them from the brutality and hardships of war that they’ve had to face up to this point. The death, the suffering, the pain, the fear, it’s gone. And when you understand the why in this picture, you can see and understand the celebration. And believe it or not, the gospel. And, you know, we hear that and we immediately think, oh, that’s a religious term. But it wasn’t always a religious term. In fact, it was adopted by the Christians from the Greek language and the word is yo and yo. And Jillian, I think I pronounce that right. Yo. And Jillian, where we get the word Evangelion or Evangelical, right. Yo. And Jillian, in the time of Paul writing Romans literally means good news. And it’s where we get the English word gospel from. And it literally means glad tidings are good news. But what it was often used for was to proclaim news of a victory on a battlefield. Which was good news indeed to the people who heard it because they understood. The gospel, a gospel as a message of salvation. Because. Especially back in the day, if you lived in a city or in a country whose army was gone and fought in combat and they lost, what could happen to you is that you would have nothing, no army to defend yourself.
And at any moment the enemy army could be coming over that hill and it could take whatever it wanted, whether that be your life, whether that be your children, whether that be your stuff. They could take whatever they wanted. So when they heard gospel. Good news, a victory. They knew that they were saved, that there was peace, and that they no longer had to live in fear. And this is exactly what Paul is declaring to the people of Romans. And what he has dedicated his life to is going throughout the ancient world and proclaiming this gospel, this message of victory. But Paul isn’t declaring a victory over enemy armies, a barbarian army that fought with spears or shields. What he is declaring is a victory against the powers of darkness that have separated mankind from their creator since the fall. And the problem that has always been in the human heart, the victory over sin. And Paul is declaring deliverance from both sin and the power of sin being death. Romans Chapter one Paul begins explaining why the gospel is so necessary, laying out the problem with mankind, which is their sinful hearts, their depravity. He explains how it how the problem with mankind has never been about ignorance. That has always been about arrogance. Knowing that, thinking that they know better than God, thinking that they are beyond the the morality of God, and that we can somehow make our own morality that is better than his.
Or that were, in fact, an exception of that fact. Romans 132 says this although they knew the ordinances of Ordinances of God, meaning they knew what God said was right and wrong, and that those who practice such things are worthy of death, meaning they knew the results of doing those things. Not only do they do the same, but they give hearty approval to those who practice them. The problem with mankind. Is the arrogance of their heart, their sinful tendencies, their depravity, and Romans, too. Paul starts explaining that God is just that God isn’t just going to sweep evil or wickedness under the rug and not leave it unpunished. And he is right to be just. Therefore, he must judge the wickedness. He must judge evil. And he must judge sin. And the question that we should ask is what is sin? What is evil? Well, sin is anything that misses the mark. That’s what it literally means in Hebrew. The word sin means to miss the mark. And the mark is the character of God who God is. God is truth. God is just God is love. God is gracious. Et cetera. When you lie, you are breaking or missing the mark of God’s character by breaking from the truth, which often leads to doing something that is unloving. When you slander someone, you do the same thing.
When you murder someone, you are not being loving and you are probably not being just right. All those things miss the mark of who God is, and therefore it is sin. And God doesn’t leave sin unpunished. Romans two five says this Because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. Romans two nine through ten. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil first for the Jew and then for the Gentile. Romans 216 There will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ. As my gospel declares, God’s wrath is coming. There will be a judgment day where every human being will be accountable to God for things that they’ve done in the open and things that they’ve done in secret. In every person who has participated in evil. Will be in trouble when that day comes. Will be in distress. That’s what Romans two says, however uncomfortable that makes us feel. And the question from that is, is what is evil? Right. Well, it puts me into the category of someone who has done evil or someone who is going to receive the judgment of God. I mean, does God see those things as either misdemeanors or felonies? Right. As one worthy of capital punishment, as one, you know, just worthy of maybe putting me in jail or something for a little bit or paying a fine? Well.
Romans Chapter three makes it clear that every single person who has ever lived. As in the exact same boat. Romans three, nine through 12 says this. What shall we conclude? Do we have any advantage? Now, Paul is talking as a Jew and he’s talking as a Jew who has received the commandments of God. And he’s saying, do we have an advantage because we have it explicitly laid out to us what is good and what is bad? And he says, No, not at all, for we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. Sin reigns over humanity, whether that be Jew or gentile. And it goes on. There is no one righteous, not even one. There is no one who understands. There is no one who seeks God. All have turned away. They have become worthless. And there is no one who who does good. Not even one. In Romans 319 through 20. It’s further clarified. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be silenced in the whole world, held accountable to God. Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law. Rather, through the law, we become conscious of sin.
What Romans three clearly demonstrates is that every single person is in the same boat, that there is no one who does good continually. As Solomon said back in the book of Ecclesiastes, we have all sinned and fallen short of that glory, of God, of God’s character. We’ve missed the mark. And we are all under the power of sin. Romans three says Therefore, the law is unable to give us a right standing before God. That’s what righteousness means. Righteousness means a right standing or in right relationship with someone. And because we are under the power of sin, because of our depravity and the sinfulness of our human heart, we are in a wrong standing with God and no amount of living by the law. Can put us in a right standing with God. That’s what Romans three, 19 through 20 says. And then you ask, what’s the purpose of the law? And he tells us right here, it’s he says that the law illuminates our brokenness. It lays evident our inability. And it shows us our need. The law is meant to humble us before a holy God. And if you remember what we are talking about in the book of Romans. Which is wholly about the gospel. The good news of victory, which leads to salvation. You might be a little lost because it doesn’t sound like salvation and it doesn’t sound like victory. What? Romans One through three sounds like a lot of is defeat.
And a defeat that leads to death, destruction and even damnation. Yet. Romans 321 through 25 says this. But now, apart from the law, meaning apart from the good things you do, apart from not doing bad things and apart from doing good things, the righteousness of God are right. Standing with God has been made known, has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ. For all those who believe, for there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God, he passed over the sins previously committed. This is the good news. That although we had no chance of overcoming sin, overcoming the powers of darkness which separates us from God and the penalty of sin death, Christ has won the victory on our behalf by taking the punishment that we deserved for rebelling against God. He took upon himself, even though he never rebelled, he never sinned. And what we were powerless to do, we were powerless to satisfy the wrath of God. But he did it on the cross, being a propitiation for our sin. And propitiation is maybe a word that you’ve never heard of.
Maybe you’re used to reading from the KJV or SB, But it is one of my favorite words. And what it means is the complete satisfaction of God’s wrath and is only found a couple of times in Scripture. But that is what Paul is saying here, is that Jesus Christ on the cross completely satisfies the wrath and justice of God. And by his resurrection, he proves his triumph over the powers of darkness, over sin, over death, over Satan. That has held mankind prisoner for so long, that power of sin which has ruled over him. And he demonstrates his victory over sin and death. And now he offers us justification to those who believe by grace. Romans for. Details for us. How salvation has always come. By grace through faith. That Paul writing Romans 114 through 17 wasn’t anything new, but in fact was demonstrated in the Old Testament time and time again. And he uses examples from both Abraham and David. Romans 416 says this for for this reason it is by faith in order that it may be in accordance with grace so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. And I know it’s been a long journey and I appreciate you staying with me. But it is incredibly important to know why.
Romans five one says they’re for. Because that is what Paul is saying right there. Therefore, all these things from Romans one through four. Says therefore. Having been justified by faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, justified, meaning counted as just. This is a legal term that Paul uses that doesn’t just mean being proclaimed innocent or pardon, but actually in the right. We are declared in the right or righteous in a right. Standing with God no longer condemn by our sin before God. How? Only by faith. Exactly what he said in Romans chapter one, verse 17, exactly what he said in Romans 322, exactly what he said in Romans 416. Faith in what? The person and work of Jesus Christ. What he has done on the cross, that he has made it possible to for us to have peace with God, and that his death, his work, his victory is sufficient. This is the good news. Christ has won the victory. He has done it. Peace has been made and we are saved now from the wrath of God that Romans two talks about. Romans five two says this. Though through whom? Christ, We have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace and which we stand and we exalt in the hope of the glory of God. Again, Paul reiterates, It is by faith. That we enter into the grace of God.
And this word right here, grace in Greek, it’s pronounced carries. And it’s c h a r is transliterated in is actually where we get the word charity from. And they are somewhat similar, but a little different because like charity carries means un earned favor. You don’t earn charity. Right where we’re giving charity. We do the food pantry. The people who receive those things don’t earn it. Just like grace. It is unearned favor. Just as the favor of God rests on those who believe in what Christ has done, not to the one who has earned God’s favor. Therefore, we can exalt. In the hope of the glory of God because He did it for us. Because I want to clarify something if we had done it. If we had to earn God’s favor. Certainly our hope wouldn’t be in what God has done on our behalf, but it would be found in our own glory. Our hope would be found in what we have done. For others, for ourselves, we would have to prove to God that in some way that we have accomplished enough to earn His favor for us. And this would certainly not give hope and exaltation to the glory of God, but it would lead to existing. And not knowing if you or I had done enough to merit. The favor that God has. Romans Five through five, three through five says this and not only this, but we also exalt in tribulations, knowing that the tribulations brings about perseverance and perseverance, proving character and proving character.
Hope and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. How can we exalt in tribulations? How can we praise God and tribulations? I mean. This is something that I could go way more into. But if we have received the favor of God, should we then expect suffering? Paul says. Obviously. So don’t be surprised when it when it comes. What he also tells us as believers is that we are living for something that transcends suffering, that it is greater than suffering, that it is building up something that is greater than suffering for. No amount of suffering can take away the hope that we have in Christ. And in fact, suffering refines our character and molds us into people who rely more and more on the hope that Christ gives. We believe God is greater than our suffering, and we believe that God is able to use our suffering for our good and for His glory. And I’m going to tell you guys that takes faith. Demonstrated so often in the Old Testament and the new God is able to. That popular song right now turn Graves into gardens. And that is seen by faith. And we know that God won’t disappoint us because of the love that He has displayed for us on the cross and that he has now given us by His Holy Spirit.
Now we have been talking mostly about being delivered from the penalty of sin, which is death and separation of God. But what the Bible also tells us is not only when you believe, not only when you have faith in Christ, are you delivered from the penalty of sin. You are now delivered from the power of sin in your life that Romans three talked about. The the Bible tells us that when you put your faith in Christ, we are given the Holy Spirit and we are no longer just bound to the flesh in its desires, but we now are able to live to God no longer. Under the dominion of sin. Ephesians 430 says. I must have not put that on. If you have your Bibles, please, please slip there. But Ephesians 430 says the believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit. Meaning that it cannot be taken away. Second Corinthians five five says the Holy Spirit is a deposit. Meaning the Holy Spirit that God gives to the believer is proof of purchase. That God is going to continue and finish the good work that he has started. Galatians 522 through 23 gives us the list of the fruit of the spirit of what happens when a believer receives the Holy Spirit, that the fruit comes with it. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self control, etc.
I think I missed one. But anyways. Obviously. If it is the good works, the fruit of the Spirit comes by God giving us the Holy Spirit. The glory belongs to God alone. Because it is. Because it is Him doing it. Our salvation as well as our sanctification. And sanctification is the process of being set apart for the purposes of God. Becoming more Christlike. Right. Every believer. Receive salvation and is now in the process of sanctification, which is only accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit, the Fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. And it is nothing that we can take credit for because we were helpless without him. And it’s something that we’ve received. As unearned favor from God. Romans five, six through eight says this For while, we were still helpless at the right time. Christ died for the ungodly, for one will hardly die for a righteous man, though perhaps for a good man, someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love towards us in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us. And if you are listening to me and thinking that I am too far gone. There is no way that God could ever forgive me or accept me. Or maybe you’re thinking I don’t deserve. Remember what the Book of Romans says. The gospel is saying every single person is in the exact same boat.
Every single person does not deserve salvation. There is no one who has received salvation that isn’t deserving of it. We are we are all helpless in our sin. And no one is good enough to approach God but Jesus Christ alone. And God proves his love for us that while we were at war with him, while we were helpless, while we were sinners, while we could not approach God. He died for his enemies. He suffered and died so that we might be lived and he was judged so that we wouldn’t have to be. His righteousness. Becomes our righteousness by grace, through faith in Christ alone, to the glory of God alone. And we know this because the Word of God says this. Romans five, nine through 11 says this much more than having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from the wrath of God through him, for if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only this, but we also exalt in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Justified by his blood, reconciled by his death, save by his life. Romans five one through 11 demonstrates so clearly that without Christ, we are without hope. But through Christ, we have absolute certainty of victory, and we have nothing to fear for the gospel.
Of his victory. Secure salvation to those who have placed their faith in him. That is the message that Paul has been elaborating on and building brick by brick throughout the book of Romans. And if I think if I could summarize. Romans five one through 11 in any way. I would use the words of Jesus on the cross. It is finished. It is finished. Martin Luther. The old in great reformer who was one of the starters of the Reformation, says this quote, That has stuck around with me for a little while. And I think it is something that is so important. For all of us to remember. Because it’s true. He says the sin underneath all sins is to trust the lie of the serpent. That we cannot trust the love and grace of Christ and must take matters into our own hands. That’s it. That’s the lie that we believe. Time and time again. Don’t believe that. Don’t believe that God will disappoint you or will leave you hanging or is holding out on you. If you put your faith in Christ, he alone can save you. Every other idol, every other savior. Will disappoint. Acts 412. Says. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given unto men of which we must be saved. And as Jesus said in John 14 six, I am the way the truth in the life and no one comes to the father but through me.