Romans 3: Righteousness Through Faith

Mission and Vision

People of One Book

Today we are jumping back into our soaking our sanctuary in scripture sermon series.

We didn’t hit the goal I had hoped for, which was to finish reading scripture in our sanctuary by Easter

But, that must mean that God has more stuff in this series that he wants us to explore and experience

The reason for this sermon series goes back to the understanding that we as a community of Christ followers need to be sure that we are serious about the word of God

We want to be so serious that we actually do what it says

Paul tells us in 1 TImothy 4:13 that we are to devote ourselves in the public reading of scriptures

This idea of the public reading of scripture goes back to the OT when the Israelites would find themselves following their own path, they would call an assembly and read the scriptures and soak the congregation in the hearing of the word of God

We also know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.

I don’t know about you but since we started this in January, I’ve seen some changes. The Lord has been working and moving and changing the atmostphere

Now with that we have also experienced some attacks

That just means that we are moving in the right direction and the forces of evil and our own human nature that resists dying to self… they are fighting against what God is doing because they know he’s doing something

So today we find ourselves in the book of Romans

READ

PRAY

The context of this book. Paul hadn’t yet made it to Rome, but he was writing this letter to the brothers and sisters in Rome to give them some instructions and encouragement and edification

This section of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is setting up the viewpoint of the Gospel as it relates to both Jews and Gentiles

Paul was a Jew but the church in Rome, though founded by Jewish Christians, was a mix of Jew and Gentile

The beginning of Ch. 3 Paul addresses different logical arguments against the faith, or I should say against living a life of holiness

He talks about, “if we sin and that gives God opportunity to show his grace… shouldn’t we sin more so that God has more opportunity?” He shoots down all of these weird logical arguments and gets to the scriptures

Paul uses the scriptures to call to attention that no one can argue their way out of being guilty of sin

Intellectuals can’t do it by sheer wit and the religious can’t do it by association or affiliation

Paul gets into this thought of what advantage do the Jews have than the non-jews

There were those who believed, and some still do, that being a Jew grant’s you automatic entry into heaven by merely being born ethnically Jewish

Paul was calling that out and saying that the scriptures testify that Jews and Gentiles alike are under the law apart from Christ

By the time Paul Gets to v 23, we should understand that we have fallen short. but just in case, he reiterates it that All have missed the mark

All

Say ALL

That means that each and every person sucking air on earth has failed to live a perfect life

That means that the law of God, which demands perfection, condemns everyone. Because it is only through the law that we have a knowledge of sin

This is a necessary teaching for those who

Believe that the faith of their parents will get them in,

think that being a good person is enough

whatever that means?

Feel like their religious background guarantees them a spot in God’s favor

Lord I was in church every time the doors open… I was present… didn’t really apply any of what I heard to my life nor did I practically engage anyone else in their faith… but I definitely went to church and followed rules

that they are the exception

You may be an exceptional person by all intents and purposes… but you are not the exception

You aren’t the one that gets graded on a curve

You aren’t the only person on God’s creation that intrinsically knows what to do and does the good all the time

You don’t get to lay claim to the title of someone who’s never done anything to put you at odds with the Perfect Creator of all that is...

That idea carries us into vs 24

Not only are you not the exception when it comes to sin… you’re not the exception when it comes to how your sins are forgiven

You can’t work hard enough to be accepted by God

You can’t clean yourself up enough to be acceptable in his sight.

The only way that we are considered righteous is through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. We are only Justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus

There is no alternate salvation plan

Too many times we live our lives as if what we’ve done isn’t covered by the blood of Jesus

Whether it be that it was something that we feel is so large that there’s no way we can bring it to God… or we feel like it’s just a minor thing… we don’t need to bother God with it

Your sins are not the exception and all ground around the cross is level

That means that there are no sins that are too large for Jesus’ sacrifice… that means no sin is too small for it to matter to God and be gathered into the sin offering of Christ Jesus

Paul tells us that this sacrifice is to be received by faith… not earned.

You can’t clean a fish before it’s in the boat… but some of us want to get all nice and clean before we jump in the boat. Come to Jesus and he will do the rest.

You have to accept it by faith. What that means is that you have to not only pray and say that you believe you are forgiven

You have to live in faith and move forward trusting in the sacrifice

Believing that not only did Jesus die for the sins of the world, but he died for you… specifically!

All have fallen short … all have sinned… but the beauty is in the fact that we can all be justified by the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ

You can’t earn it and you don’t deserve it

Because it shows us that

It’s unfair, it’s scandalous, it’s grace

I don’t know where you are today. I don’t know what you’ve been dealing with this week, but I do know that the blood of Jesus is enough

I know that his propitiation… that is the sacrifice given for our sins… was enough.

There is forgiveness for every time you fall short, there is strength in and through every weekness, there is hope for the hopeless

You just have to bring it to him… and accept his righteousness through faith

John Wesley has been described by this title… which means man of one book

This phrase is believed to have been coined by St. Thomas Aquinas, but it definitely applies to Wesley

THis doesn’t mean that he only read one book, but it means that everything in his life was measured and governed by scripture