The Benefits of Being Justified Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
It’s been a while since we were in the book of Romans. I began preaching a series through the book on Sunday mornings back before Christmas, and just haven’t had the direction to continue on until today.
Martin Luther said, “In the whole Bible there is hardly another chapter which can equal this triumphant text.”
It truly is an amazing text.
Thus far in Romans, Paul has spent considerable time dealing with man’s need for salvation. Reading through the previous chapters will teach you that man is a sinner and that he abides under the wrath of God. The previous chapters also teach that nothing associated with religion, works, the Law, or with rituals can ever provide salvation to humanity.
The book of Romans teaches us that we are totally dependent upon faith to bring us into a right relationship with the Lord. It all comes down to realizing that it is not what we do that makes the difference in the saving of our souls, it is all about Who we know. When we know Jesus, we have salvation, when we do not know Jesus, we are lost, 1 John 5:12 “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.”
With this truth firmly nailed down, Paul now moves forward in his discussion of the doctrines of salvation. Now, Paul begins to tell his readers the benefits of being saved by grace through faith.
For a little while this morning, I want to preach on “The Benefits of Being Justified”
I-A Peace For Our Situation
I-A Peace For Our Situation
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Paul declares that because we are justified we have peace with God. Lost man is at war with God. He is an enemy of God and resides under condemnation. Jesus said, John 3:18 “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Just a few verses later, He says, John 3:36 “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
What an awful state of hostility, or enmity (that’s the Bible word) that once existed between me and God.
God’s wrath was against me…Romans 1:18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;”
God’s judgment was against me…Romans 2:2 “2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.”
God was angry with me…Psalm 7:11 “11 God judgeth the righteous, And God is angry with the wicked every day.”
Anything good and religious that I tried was unacceptable to God…Prov. 15:8 “8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: But the prayer of the upright is his delight.”
There was nothing I could do to please Him…Rom. 8:8 “8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
Yes, I was God’s enemy because I was wicked...
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Oh, but listen, as a result of salvation, the believer is no longer at war with God. The war is over and Romans 5:1 “...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Now, I want you to notice something very important right here...
The Bible never says we have peace with the devil, peace with the world, peace with the flesh, or peace with sin.
You’ve switched sides as a Christian!
James 4:4 (KJV 1900)
4 ...know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Life is still a battle for the Christian but it is no longer a battle against God – it is fighting for Him.
And, while I’m here, I’ll say, if you call yourself a Christian, and you’re at peace with the world, or at peace with your flesh…You better check up!
Luke 11:23 (KJV 1900)
23 He that is not with me is against me...
We see a lot of people playing good in the world and in the church, we have a lot of people straddling the fence so to speak, but honey, you read the Bible, and you’ll find that there’s no place found where it says there is middle ground between having peace with God and peace with the world around you.
Hallelujah! God is no longer against me! He is for me! Rom. 8:31 “…If God be for us, who can be against us?”
We have a peace for our situation, a peace with God!
II-A Position For Our Standing
II-A Position For Our Standing
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
As believers, we have a new standing in Jesus Christ. This standing is not gained by any work or ritual of our own, but simply through the grace of God. It’s by faith alone in Christ alone through grace alone...
A little boy once stood outside the gates of London’s Buckingham palace. He wanted to talk to the king but was strongly rebuked by the royal guards. With his grimy little fingers, he wiped the tears from his eyes. At that moment, a well-dressed man asked the little boy what was troubling him. When the man heard the story, he smiled and said, “Take my hand.” The boy took the man’s hand and noticed that the soldiers jumped to attention when the man walked by them. Past the guards, along carpeted hallways, through wide-flung doors and a large group of people, the boy was led straight to the throne of the King of England himself. The boy had taken the hand of the Prince of Wales, the son of the king. Through the son, the lad had gained access to the throne.
This is exactly what Jesus Christ has done for us. We not only have peace with God, we have access to God the Father.
There is only one way to Heaven: Jesus said, John 14:6 “...I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
If He’s holding our hand like the little boy in that story just a moment ago, we will have no trouble entering into the presence of the Father!
Notice, verse 2 continues…We have access through this position, how is it that we stand? by grace...
I’ve mentioned grace a lot this morning...Grace is God’s undeserved favor towards us…It’s not only the way salvation comes to us, it is also a description of our present standing before God. It is not only the beginning principle of the Christian life, it is also the continuing principle of the Christian life.
Standing in grace means that:
· I don’t have to prove I am worthy of God’s love.
· God is my friend.
· The door of access is permanently open to Him.
· I am free from the “score sheet” – the account is settled in Jesus.
· I spend more time praising God and less time hating myself.
This word stand carries the idea of permanence, of being firmly fixed and immovable…You know what that means? It means we are absolutely secure in the Lord Jesus Christ!
The eternal security of the believer is a doctrine that many do not hold to.
Many people prefer to believe that a person can be saved and then, somehow, they can lose their salvation and need to be saved all over again. These people laugh at us Bible believers who affirm the security of the believer. And, one of the main problems they have with the doctrine is that it leads to loose living among many who profess to be eternally saved.
Sadly, they are right! Many use the eternal security of the believer as a license to commit sin. However, the person who lives such a life neither understands eternal security, nor does he understand salvation!
Here’s the thing ya’ll…To say that we are saved by trusting Jesus and then, after that, we must keep ourselves saved, is a total contradiction…What saved me keeps me! If could lose my salvation, I would...
I know there are people out there that say they are Christian and they paint a horrible picture of Christ and what a Christian ought to be...Our security in Christ leads the genuine believer to live a clean, holy life. A life of gratitude to the One Who paid the ultimate price to provide salvation in the first place.
The logical conclusion to this peace and such a standing of grace is found at the end of verse 2…Romans 5:2 “...rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Because of the salvation Christ gives to us, we have a peace for our situation, we have a position for our standing, then we also have...
III-A Patience For Our Struggles
III-A Patience For Our Struggles
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
You remember what I said earlier about now that, as a believer, you are at peace with God, but at war with the world? I’m glad we have a patience for our struggles...
We are saved and we are secure, but right now, we live in a world of trials and tribulations.
Paul says that the Christian can rejoice in the bad times of life. Why is this true? Because of the little word “knowing”. When the trials of life descend, the true believer knows that God is working our His will in our lives and is attempting to produce in us a state of Christlikeness. God is trying to make us like Jesus.
The word tribulations means pressure…Let me tell you, there are times when this life will definitely pressure the child of God!
The mature Christian also knows that it takes pressure to produce Christlikeness. Pressure is the process used to turn coal into diamonds. And, it is pressure in the life of the believer that forces out more of the old, sinful nature and reveals more of the image of God.
We are told to glory in tribulations…because they work patience…patience works experience…and experience hope.
Note the progression mentioned in these verses:
1. Tribulation—Pressure
2. Patience—Endurance
3. Experience—Proven Character or Maturity
4. Hope—The confident expectation that we will not be disappointed.
Think about Job for a moment…He said, Job 19:26 “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God:”
Job didn’t understand what he was going through, but he did trust God. He knew even if he died, he would see God. Such is the believer’s hope!
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
Life can often be challenging and full of strife. However, Paul highlights a way to have peace amidst it all. The immense love of God, like an overflowing river, is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit - allowing us to rest in His care and rejoice in His grace!
When we accepted salvation, God placed His Spirit inside us. The Holy Spirit is like a channel through which flows vast quantities of God's great love.
3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace,
Whose mind is stayed on thee:
Because he trusteth in thee.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Rejoice in God and in His salvation today!
Maybe you aren’t saved and want to get in on what I’ve been preaching. Jesus is available if you’ll come to Him by faith!
Maybe you’ve been worried over doubts concerning your salvation…There’s help if you’ll come to Him!
Maybe the tribulations of this life have been getting the better of you…Why not bring them to Jesus?
Will you come if the Lord is speaking to you?