Not by Works

Trip to Norway – no paper ticket for Cruise – only mobile app

Fear, concern, back of the mind the whole day as we look at the Windmills of Holland – get to the embarkation terminal and their WIFI is down

Worse nightmare – my irritability was going up, my bp I am sure was going up, but it all worked out fine – we got in line like everyone, they had our names, no issues and we were taken right on board

Taking something by faith is hard, especially something important, something big.  We like tangible.

This is why Salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus is so hard for some people.  What do I have to show for it? Can I really be certain if I don’t have that “thing” that I have done or experienced that really gives me the validity

It is why historically people have often tried to add things to the gospel – you must be baptized, you have to join the church, you must radically transform your life

I think it’s also a part of the redefining of the word “repentance”

If you are new here, we have talked about this a lot and I don’t want to belabor the point for those who have been here, but the best understanding of the word “repent” we have historically it that it means to change one’s mind – meta:mind noia

Repentance is a change of mind or attitude

“Metanoia” – Meta – change; Noia – mind

Afterthought - Change of mind

Faith – what tangible thing do you have?

But if we redefine that it is “turning from sin” – now I have something tangible, something (at least on a good day) I can point to, look at this!

The real problem with adding something is that it is by faith alone in Jesus alone – and if it not faith alone in Jesus then it is not saving faith

So, am I trusting in Jesus or in my baptism?

In Jesus or my church membership? Good works? Better life that I am now living?

If I am trusting in those things, or those things also, then I am not trusting in Jesus alone – and salvation only comes when I put my faith in Jesus alone

And right there is another reason why this is and has always been such a big temptation: The enemy wants us to not put our trust in Jesus, but to keep our trust in ourselves and what we are doing as that keeps us from eternal life

This is a big issue which is why Paul takes so much time with it

Let’s review Paul’s argument of Grace alone, through faith alone in Jesus alone

I. Salvation is by Grace, through Faith in Jesus

A. All stand guilty before God – Romans 1:18-3:23

Wrath of God revealed against all unrighteousness

God has revealed Himself within us and in creation

Though we knew God, we would not honor Him as God

We exchanged the truth of God for lies

We would no longer even acknowledge God

Everyone stands condemned

Even the moralist and the Jew

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

B. We are justified by Jesus as a gift – Romans 3:24

Romans 3:24 - being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus

A propitiation by his blood

Romans 3:25-26 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith…so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

The justifier of those who have faith

C. Abraham was justified before God by faith – Romans 4:1-8

What about Abraham?

Wasn’t Abraham justified by his works?

Abraham was justified before God by his faith, not his works

“Before God” Abaham has nothing to boast in, his justification before God was simply grace through faith

D. Grace through faith even allows the ungodly to be made righteous

4:5 – Gives example of David

The difference between wages and grace

Paul has made the point that what we are due is the wrath of God – Romans 1:18-3:23

God’s grace is the only thing that provides justification to the ungodly

God’s grace provides righteousness to the ungodly

Paul uses David as an example of the ungodly being justified before God

II. We are Saved by Grace, not by Ritual

A. Paul now raises the issue of circumcision

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God made with Abraham

Genesis 12 & 15 – the covenant

Land, descendants, blessing

His descendants would uniquely belong to the Lord

Gensis 15 – unconditional covenant

Genesis 15:6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Genesis 17

At least 14 years later –

Hebrew tradition was 28 years later

Abram 99 – going to have a son with Sarah

Restates the promises

Establishes circumcision as the sign of the covenant

Covenant people

Sign is that apart from the covenant would be cut off

The Jewish people took great pride in their covenantal relationship with God that was represented by their circumcision

This made them “God’s people”, blessed, special

Circumcision was viewed as what brought people into a right relationship with God

Outward Token of the justification Abraham had recieved

B. Jewish people wanted to add circumcision to salvation, to be saved you needed the sign of God’s covenant

So, for Gentiles to be saved, part of God’s people they needed to be circumcised

This was a huge issue in the early church

Paul in Antioch

Acts 15:1-2 Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved. And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them…

Galatia – the book of Galatians is written to confront this issue

C. Is circumcision needful for salvation? No! Faith Alone!

10-12

Abraham was justified before God years before he was circumcised

The father of circumcision was justified when he was uncircumcised 10-12

Circumcision had nothing to do with his justification

When Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem the council concluded – NO! Circumcision not a part – faith only

Paul makes the point to the Galatia believers that if their confidence is in circumcision then Jesus is of no good to them

Galatians 5:2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.

That doesn’t mean that if you were circumcised you can’t be saved

It just means that if you trusting in getting circumcised for your salvation then you are not trusting in Jesus alone and He is of no benefit to you

D. Is baptism or any other Christian “ritual” needed for salvation?  No! Faith Alone!

Do you have to take communion?

Join a church or “The church” (Catholicism)

Baptismal regeneration? Today your sins are being washed away

Faith alone!!!

Just like circumcision was a sign of the covenant that God established with Abrahm through faith, baptism is a sign of the covenant that we have with Jesus through faith

Baptism is important – it is obedience

I can never figure out believers who don’t want to be baptized or go through “believers” baptism

Baptized as an infant – before faith

To embarrassed or prideful – makes no sense

If you have come to faith in Jesus you should be baptized

But baptism has NOTHING to do with salvation

III. We are Saved by Grace, not by Good Works

A. Paul raises another thing that people want to add to “faith alone”, you must also keep the law

13-15

Specifically, the law of Moses here – so all 600+

This was another big issue in the early church, primarily put forth by the Judaizers

B. Paul is emphatic that keeping the law plays no part in justification

Not through the law but through faith

Law did not come for another 450+ years

Romans 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Galatians 2:16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

C. The law brings wrath, not justification

15

That has been Paul’s whole point so far in this book – the wrath of God is revealed – Romans 1

The law brings condemnation

None of us measure up

All have sinned and fall short

D. Salvation must be of grace, or we would have no hope

16

It’s a gift, what we don’t deserve

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.

E. Salvation is not a result of us turning away from our sin and living better or cleaning up our life

The righteousness of faith 13

Titus 3:5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit

We come to Jesus just as we are – that is the only way

We cast ourselves fully, totally on His grace, His mercy

Trusting that He in His grace can forgive us and make us righteous

That’s what true repentance is: we change our minds about Jesus and our need for Him

We see we can’t save ourselves

We see Jesus is our only hope

And we put our trust in Him alone

That is the change of mind that we and everyone is called to

That is true repentance – I need Jesus! Not me!

And then He changes us and makes us new

He gives us a new heart

He sets us on a new course

He gives us His Spirit to live within us to make us holy

We are now called as those who are children of God to walk after Him, to follow Him – but our faithfulness to that has nothing to do with our salvation

F. Salvation is by Grace alone, by Faith alone, through Jesus alone

He offers it to you today

For those of us that know Him, we must keep that message central and we must keep it clear