The Righteous Shall Live by Faith
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
What is it that makes Paul so thankful for these fellow believers in Rome?
Hearing about their faith!
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,
Faith is a key theme in Paul’s letter to the Romans and he sets it forth at the very beginning.
He has mentioned faith 6 times already in chapter 1 and will use this word 40 times throughout the letter.
Being that this is such a prominent theme in Romans, let us slow down and look at this word in depth.
What is faith?
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It is not just that they had believed the gospel that caused Paul to rejoice but that the evidence of their faith was being seen throughout the world.
Faith is more than believing.
It is ALWAYS followed by action!
14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! 20 Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
What is the evidence of your faith?
V. 12
Gathering together is so important because it encourages our faith.
We all need to be encouraged!
When you come to church you don’t just come to receive, you also come to give!
If everybody comes only to receive something everyone leaves empty!
0+0=0
V. 15
Paul understood that what we need to hear most is the gospel.
We never move on from the gospel, we only move deeper!
V.16
Are you ashamed of the gospel?
Do you find it difficult to share the good news of Jesus with other people? Uncomfortable?
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
You need to remember that the gospel is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes!
V.17
It is in the gospel that God reveals His righteousness.
This comes from faith and for faith.
The goal of the gospel is that all of our lives would be a work of faith, from beginning to end.
This is the way that God designed it to be.