The WAR ON DOUBT (Romans 4:21-5:5)

The War on Doubt Begins with HEARING the Message of the RESURRECTION (4:21-25)

Death is Certain. Death is the great DEFEATER - dismantles progress, destroys dreams, digs into our every aspect of being, it LURKS and LOOMS over us from them moment we are conceived...

FUD surrounds us

One of the hardest things to overcome is distrust, especially when we think someone didn’t do right by us… (Love you didn’t do right by me…) BUT GOD

GOD - ON HIS OWN TERMS - HAS STEPPED IN TO GIVE US A MESSAGE OF REDEMPTION, that BLOWS AWAY the FEAR, UNCERTAINTY, AND DOUBT regarding DEATH

IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS - IF WE BELIEVE

CHRIST - OUR LORD

RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD

DELIVERED FOR (on behalf of, as a sin offering) our offences

RAISED again FOR our JUSTIFICATION

THE DEATH OF JESUS HANDLES THE OFFENSE - THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS - WHEN WE BELIEVE - HANDLES OUR BEING DECLARED RIGHTEOUS!!!

The War on Doubt RESULTS in CERTAINTY That God LOVES US (5:1-5)

Being Declared Righteous because we believe RESULTS IN PEACE WITH GOD - through, by means of our LORD JESUS CHRIST - No Jesus NO PEACE; KNOW JESUS KNOW PEACE!!!

Jesus has opened the door to stand IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD (v. 2) - RESULTING IN REJOICING in HOPE of the GLORY OF GOD (code for Romans 8 - our glorification - the redemption of the body - Paul is stage setting) - v. 3

And this RESULTS in being able to now see GOD work in tribulation, brokenness and amidst the sinful world that surrounds us

PRODUCES: Patience, leading to EXPERIENCE, leading to HOPE

and HOPE PRODUCES A POSITION WITHOUT FUD and SHAME

BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD is SHED ABROAD IN OUR HEARTS BY THE HOLY GHOST - given to us. To whom? To those who believe in the God who Raised Jesus from the Dead