07-10-2022 - Justified, Crucified, & Sanctified

OPENING

Today we are continuing our journey through the book of Romans. We’ve seen how God is our Abba Father. We’ve talked about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ is The Best News Ever. We’ve dug into the subject of the Wrath of God. And, as I said last week, Paul’s discussion of the Wrath of God continues from Romans 1:18 all the way to Romans 3:20.

However, Paul begins to take his letter to the Romans in a different direction beginning in Romans 3:21. After a lengthy discussion of the wrath of God, Paul turns to a discussion of the benefits or results of the Gospel message. Throughout the remainder of the book of Romans, Paul demonstrates how the Gospel, not only lifts the wrath of God off of us through faith in Jesus Christ, but also how we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live transformed lives that bring glory to God.

This morning we are going to look at three powerful truths Paul gives us in Chapters 6, 7, and 8 of the book of Romans that demonstrate how obeying the Gospel changes our lives. These three truths are the title of our message today: Justified, Crucified, and Sanctified.

MESSAGE

Justified

Romans 3:21–26 NKJV

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Crucified

Romans 5:20–6:6 NKJV

20 Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

Sanctified

Romans 8:1–4 NKJV

1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

CLOSING

Justified, Crucified, and Sanctified. These are some of the great truths and benefits of the Gospel. When we obey the Gospel, we are Justified. God declares us innocent before Him on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. But not only does God change our legal standing before Him, He also begins a transformation process within us as we are in a spiritual sense Crucified with Christ. The old person that we were before we came to Christ “dies” and we are raised into newness of life. And finally, that transformation process continues through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as we are being Sanctified. We learn to walk by the Spirit and not by our flesh. And all of these great truths and benefits are made possible simply by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. So we can say we are Justified by Faith, Crucified by Faith, and Sanctified by Faith.

ALTAR CALL