The BLESSINGS of those counted righteous
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The BLESSINGS of those counted righteous
The BLESSINGS of those counted righteous
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
For many people, faith, hope and love are life ideals that while ideal do not gain the traction that they should in everyday life.
It isn’t that they have not firmly embraced saving faith in Christ.
It isn’t even that those same folks do not unwaveringly confess that they have been saved by grace through faith. Rather, it sometimes seems that what appears more or less clear on Sunday, becomes cloudy and much more difficult to remember and live Monday through Saturday.
For that reason, we will consider the multiple every day implications of justification by faith alone as an integral aspect of salvation and living as a believer.
Our text:
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.
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.
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—
Romans 5:1-12
In , Paul began with a summary statement that what he was about to explain was true because WE have been justified by faith.
The basis of that statement is found in & 4.
The righteousness of God comes through FAITH in Jesus Christ -
Having reminded the believers in Rome and us that,
Rom 3:
as it is written:
“None is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
Paul took that a logical step further in that because we are all sinners, the law can do more than show us our sin and lack of being righteous by God’s standard. No human being can be justified by the law.
For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
The righteousness of God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe - 3:22
Paul repeated that again in the next chapter.
Rom
And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Before we leave this segment, we would do well to note that once more Paul stressed that this was about faith not works.
For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Rom 3:
2. Abraham was JUSTIFIED BY FAITH -
For some who say that they are Christians, but have incorrectly defined Christian in their own terms, being a Christian, they incorrectly say, is as much about how we live as what we believe, how we live make us right with God.
That is not what the Word of God says. Quoting from Moses words in , Paul reminded this about Abraham, Abraham was justified by faith not works.
Rom
What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Justification is a grace gift through the redemption of that is in Christ Jesus whom God put forward as a propitiation - appeases or satisfies - the just punishment needed for sin - by His blood to be received by faith -
Those who would walk in the footsteps of Abraham must see justification as a matter of faith.
Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness.
Rom 4:
Rom 4:
and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
3. The promise of righteousness depends on faith -
For Abraham, faith was not only about forgiveness of sin, it was a way of life.
Everything that God promised Abraham was received by faith -
The birth and preservation of Isaac -
as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
Rom 4:
Heb 11:
He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
Father of many nations -
In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.”
Rom
Faith that God would enable Sarah and him to have a child.
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
Rom
For Abraham, faith was believing that God could do what He had promised.
Rom
fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.
For us, faith has not changed. It is still believing that God can do what He has promised.
Rom 4:
But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
BECAUSE GOD HAS NOT CHANGED & IS STILL ABLE TO DO WHAT HE HAS PROMISED, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH HAVE THE BLESSINGS LISTED BY PAUL.
The blessings of those justified by faith - 5:1-11
PEACE with God - 5:1
This is not a subjective internal sense of calm serenity. Instead, it is an external objective reality.
God has declared Himself to be at odds, at war with every human being. That enmity is because of their sin. That was repeatedly emphasized by Paul and others in the Scriptures.
Moses recorded that in a song.
You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you,
and you forgot the God who gave you birth.
“The Lord saw it and spurned them,
because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
And he said, ‘I will hide my face from them;
I will see what their end will be,
for they are a perverse generation,
children in whom is no faithfulness.
Deut 32:
David confessed his sin.
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you may be justified in your words
and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,
and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Ps
Jesus made it clear that the wrath of God remained on those who did not believe in Him, receive Him as the Son of God.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Jn
Believing what Jesus said, Paul reminded the believers that any promises of peace apart from faith in Christ were empty promises.
Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
The first great result of being justified by faith is that the sinner’s conflict with God is ENDED forever.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,
Col
The Word of God refers to the end of that conflict as being reconciled to 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.
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
2 Cor 5:
THIS PEACE WITH GOD IS THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - NOT TROUGH ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE DONE, NOT THE CHURCH, NOT THE PRAYERS OF OTHERS WHEN WE DIE, NOT THE INTERCESSION OF MARY OF THE “SAINTS”.
2. GRACE in which we stand - 5:2
As believers, we have access to God. This was unthinkable to the OT Jew.
And the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.”
When Moses told the words of the people to the Lord,
And the Lord said to Moses, “Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the Lord to look and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near to the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.” And Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai, for you yourself warned us, saying, ‘Set limits around the mountain and consecrate it.’ ”
What was unthinkable then is now available to those who come in Christ.
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 4:
With the death of Christ, the curtain in the temple was torn.
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
Matt
This is by God’s grace and in that grace we STAND - permanent secure position before God. Our standing in Christ before God was promised by Jesus.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.
Jn 6:
3. HOPE in the glory of God - 5:2
We stand and rejoice in HOPE of the glory of God.
Whereas the English word hope conveys uncertainty, the NT word used here speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized.
The believer will share in the glory of God.
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Rom 8:
Jesus promised that glory to those given to Him.
The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,
Jn
Without the clear and certain promises of the Word of God we would have no basis for this hope.
For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
4. JOY in our sufferings - 5:3
While this seems strange to us, in the NT suffering was viewed as the normal experience of the Christian.
New believers were warned that the kingdom God could be entered only through many tribulations.
strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
Suffering was looked upon as a token of true Christianity - a sign that God counted then worthy of His kingdom
This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—
2
Paul reminded them that suffering has spiritual benefits.
Suffering - tribulation (KJV) 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.
Endurance - sometimes translated patience (KJV) - perseverance (NKJV, NASB)
The ability to remain under tremendous weight and pressure without succumbing - STEADFAST ENDURANCE/WAITING WITH HOPE
Character (NKJV) - experience (KJV) - dokimazn- approved after testing = proof (of character)
For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything.
But you know Timothy’s proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel.
5. LOVE poured into our hearts - 5:5
Hope - God’s love has been poured into our hearts - cc v 8 - we are loved. God has implanted in our hearts that we belong and love the one who first loved us. The giving of the Holy Spirit affirms that we are His and we cry Abba Father.
And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!
6. RECONCILIATION received through Christ - 5:6-11
The central truth in these verses is in v 10. The rest of the paragraph provides the context of the reconciliation received through Christ.
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.
Weak - unregenerate sinners are weak and unable to help themselves.
Jn
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins
- At the right time/moment chosen by God.
But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law,
Christ died for the ungodly. God’s love for those who whom to whom He gives the gift of repentance is not because of how lovable they are, but because of His own character. Christ died not for the righteous but the unrighteous.
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.
Matt
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
Justified by His blood and more wonderfully saved from the wrath of God.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God
Reconciled - exchanged - aorist pass - from enmity to fellowship/family - from death to life
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
Saved by His life.
More than that, we also rejoice in through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Reminders for those who have come to God by faith alone:
We who are justified by faith are also called to live by faith.
We who are justified by faith have been have been saved and will be saved.
We who are justified by faith have been given the ministry and message - be reconciled to God.