The Battle for the Gospel

INTRODUCTION

In 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door at Wittenberg, he wasn’t expecting a revolution—he was desperate for assurance

How can a sinner be right with a holy God?

Luther discovered the answer in Romans

He said, “At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night…I grasped that the righteousness of God is that by which through grace and sheer mercy God justifies us through faith.”

This became the rallying cry of the Reformation: justification by faith alone

Luther declared, “This article is the head and cornerstone of the church.”

In Luther’s day, people were crushed under the weight of guilt and fear

Indulgences were being sold as a promise of pardon, and many viewed God as an angry judge rather than a loving Father

Luther’s struggle was the same as theirs—and the same as ours

That question still echoes through the centuries: How can a sinner stand right before a holy God?

It’s not just Luther’s question—it’s the cry of every heart that knows its own sin and longs for mercy

And into that darkness, the gospel broke through

From the sound of a hammer striking the Wittenberg door to the hearts of believers across the world, one truth has continued to resound: salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone

Let us walk through the core message that transformed the church, shaped Western civilization, and still changes lives today…

First…

The Problem: Humanity’s Universal Guilt

All Have Sinned

Romans 3:10–12 “10 as it is written, “There is none righteous, not even one; 11 There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; 12 All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.””

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

1 Kings 8:46 “for there is no man who does not sin.”

Ecclesiastes 7:20 “Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.”

1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

1 John 1:10 “If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Psalm 14:2–3 “2 The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, Who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, not even one.”

Isaiah 53:6 “All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.”

Every human being has missed the mark

Every human being has sinned

Every human being is unrighteous

In Romans 3:23, the Greek word for "sinned" (ἥμαρτον, hēmarton) isn’t about small mistakes—it’s failing to reflect the glory (δόξα, doxa) of God in every way

John Calvin remarked, “Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.”

All Are Depraved

It’s not that every person is as evil as possible, but that every fibre of our being is tainted with sin

We are dead, not just sick, in our trespasses (Ephesians 2:1)

Is there hope for the guilty? The answer Paul gives is glorious…

Notice…

The Provision: God’s Gift of Righteousness

Justification is a Gift

Romans 3:21–24 “21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”

Justification is the Imputation of God’s Righteousness to those who Believe

Here, “justified” (δικαιόω, dikaioō) is a courtroom term—declared righteous, not made righteous by our actions. Justification is God’s verdict.

R.C. Sproul says, “Justification is a legal declaration that, because of Christ’s work, justice has been satisfied.”

Through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for our sin, upon belief God declares us righteous

God doesn’t infuse righteousness into us so that we achieve salvation

He imputes righteousness to us—Christ’s perfect record is credited to us (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Paul Washer says, “On the cross, God treated Jesus as if He lived your sinful life. So He could treat you as though you lived His righteous life.”

Faith (πίστις, pistis) is the instrument, not merit—it’s receiving, not achieving

Romans 4:5 “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness”

Luther captured this as alien righteousness—not our own, but Christ’s alone

If justification is God’s gift received by faith—what does it produce in the believer? Paul spells out the fruit…

The Peace: The Result of Justification

Peace through Jesus

Romans 5:1–2 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“Peace” (εἰρήνη, eirēnē) is more than absence of war— it’s reconciliation, acceptance, rest.

John MacArthur notes, “Justification ends the war between the sinner and God. Before it, God is against us; after it, God is for us.”

No More Condemnation

Paul says “having been justified”—it’s past, finished, accomplished

The verdict stands: No condemnation

Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 5:24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”

Romans 8:34 “who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.”

How do we live in light of such peace and assurance?

Justification doesn’t stop at conversion—it defines our Christian walk…

The Power: Freedom and Assurance in the Gospel

Comes Through Faith in Jesus Christ

Galatians 2:16 “A man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus...”

Paul repeats—no Law-keeping, no works, not even our faith’s strength can justify us

It’s God who makes the declaration

John Calvin writes, “Justification is the gate by which we enter into God’s favor…of all blessings, it is the foundation.”

In Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”

Justification Redefines Our Identity

We are no longer slaves to fear, but sons and daughters confident before our Father

R.C. Sproul says, “Justification by faith is not simply another doctrine—it is the gospel itself.”

If all of this is by faith alone, grace alone, in Christ alone—where does the glory go? Paul answers…

The Praise: To the Glory of God Alone

Ephesians 2:8–9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

The Gift is Unearned or Undeserved

The Greek for “gift” (δῶρον, dōron) means unearned, undeserved. Soli Deo gloria—all glory to God.

Martin Luther wrote, “We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.”

Good Works Are Evidence, Not the Cause

Good works are a response to grace, not the price of it

Paul Washer warns, “If your life is not being transformed, your faith is dead. Justification issues in a changed life.”

The right understanding leads to worship, humility, love, and mission

What does this mean for us, today? How do we keep reforming—not by changing the message, but returning to the message…

Living It Out: Always Reforming

The Reformation’s cry was semper reformanda—always reforming

That means always bringing every part of life back under the authority of Scripture and the centrality of the gospel

Do we preach and live justification?

John MacArthur said, “Get justification wrong, and everything else collapses.”

Let us pray, like Luther, “Lord, renew Your church. Begin with me.”

CONCLUSION: The Gospel That Still Reforms

Back to Romans 5:1 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This is the heartbeat of the Reformation—the gospel is not just a doctrine but the power of God to save all who believe

You stand in Christ’s righteousness—not your own

You face life and death with absolute assurance

As Luther wrote in A Mighty Fortress: “Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing…”

We stand in Christ alone

The battle is won; the verdict is secure; our hope rests not in what we do, but in what Christ has done

“He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6)

That is the message that reforms churches, families, cultures, and hearts

But you must get the gospel right first

Have you been declared righteous by God?

Only if you have truly believed

Did your life transform?

If not, you are still in your sins and you need to repent

To do that you must come to Christ and trust Him alone for your forgiveness

His work on the cross is the only thing that can save you

You cannot save yourself

So examine yourself this morning as we pray

Let’s pray