D6 S-O w5: Justified by Faith

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ACTIVITY: Ok! If you have your hair in a ponytail, take it out. And if not, take ONE shoe off. (trust me on this)

Alright, now everyone put your DOMINANT hand behind your back. It is gone. You do not have that hand anymore.

Now, with the only hand you now have, either put your hair back into a ponytail or tie your shoe (whichever applies to you)!

Was that tough? Why?

We can really exhaust ourselves trying certain things; however, some things require another hand right? Today, we are going to look at the Word of God and see that we, alone, cannot achieve salvation. We need another hand, we need Jesus.

Those Justified by Faith in Christ have Peace with God

What does justification mean?

Romans 5:1–11 (ESV)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

When we think about salvation, we often use the term “justified.” We are justified to God when we accept His salvation, and when we are saved, there will be evidences in our lives. First of which is peace!

Now, this peace isn’t some temporary state of emotion or an “inner peace.” Rather, it means that we have a relationship with God. We are in unity with Him. The separated state we were once in has been defeated and we belong to God.

Before salvation, we had no peace with God because we were not God’s children. Now, we are once we are justified.

This will cause us to have peace emotionally and within ourselves as well.

How does justification bring us peace with God?

What prevents people from being at peace emotionally and spiritually?

Justification also brings us into grace. God’s favor is upon the believer. We could never hope to stand before God on our own, with our own actions and merits. Right standing before God comes through faith. Through faith, then, we have the confident assurance of His grace.

How has God shown you grace and favor if you are a Christian?

In what ways do we often misunderstand the favor of God? (we expect an easy life, we don’t understand when hardships come, we don’t want to give up our way of thinking and living, etc).

If we rejoice in the hope we have in Jesus, then we can even rejoice in our suffering. Because we know that our sovereign God has a plan in our suffering. Our suffering grows us, matures us, and brings us closer to God if we allow it to. All because of the great love of God!

Our justification out to produce joy

If you are a Christian, are you glad to be? If you are glad, do others see that?

One of our first tools in leading people to Jesus is joy! When people see the Joy of God in our lives, they are going to notice something different about us, which will lead to questions and when answered, may lead to Christ.

We know the Holy Spirit must convict people in order to be saved, but people need to see Christ in us.

Believers Have Grace, Righteousness, and Eternal Life through Faith in Christ

Romans 5:12–21 (ESV)

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul did a little compare/contrast here. He compared the results of Adam’s sin and Jesus’ righteousness. Why are all people sinners? We inherit the sin nature of Adam. Why can we all be saved? We can all be imparted with Christ’s righteousness.

Adam’s sin condemned us all, but Jesus sacrifice can save us all.

when we are saved, we have the grace of God, the righteousness of God, and eternal life through our faith in JEsus Christ.

Our salvation is only by faith in Christ and the grace He bestows upon us. Nothing you can do will get you to heaven, but the invitation of Jesus to salvation.

Why do all people have sin?

How can we all be saved?

What will that salvation give us? (grace, righteousness, eternal life, peace, joy, etc)

One author, D.T. Niles said that evangelism is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread. We have been richly blessed because of God’s provision of salvation. We should be happy to share it with others, but it takes courage!

Tonight, we are going to take an opportunity to pray for a couple who stepped out on faith and with the courage and strength of Jesus abandoned all they knew here and now live in remote Africa sharing the Gospel with people who have never heard about Jesus.

They are the Simmons. The Simmons spread the Gospel to the Samburu people in a remote part of Africa outside of Kenya. They sleep in hammocks year round, have a bucket for a shower, meet for church on the dirt under a tree. They are in constant danger to black mamba snakes, elephants, and many other dangerous wildlife. They run a clinic to help people with physical needs and then have opportunities to share the Gospel. They raise money to buy MP3 player Bibles in the Samburu language so everyone there has an opportunity to hear the Gospel and be justified. Pray for Eddy and Amanda.

Sharing the Gospel is scary at times, but, wherever you are, if you are saved, remember the joy Jesus has imparted on you and unashamedly live for Christ, share joy and love, and tell people what Jesus did for you by faith and grace so they can know what they need to do.

Just like tying your shoe or fixing you hair, salvation cannot be done with one party. You need Jesus, not just you.