How an I Right with God Through the Gospel

[0:00] I have message number three. How am I right with God through the gospel? If you would take your Bibles, please, and go to the book of Acts chapter 13.

[0:16] If you need to pull that Bible out in the chair in front of you, go to page 103. Towards the back of that Bible, page 103. 103, you'll find Acts 13.

[0:28] I'll start reading in verse 16. Acts 13, starting in verse 16. Acts chapter 13, starting in verse 16, page 103 in that black Bible.

[0:50] And Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said, Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen.

[1:02] The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt. And with an uplifted arm, he led them out from it.

[1:15] And for a period of about 40 years, he put up with them in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he distributed their land as an inheritance about 450 years.

[1:29] And after these things, he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. And then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for 40 years.

[1:42] And after he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, concerning whom he also testified and said, I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.

[1:57] From the offspring of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus. After John had proclaimed before his coming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.

[2:11] And while John was completing his course, he kept saying, What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.

[2:24] 26. Brethren, sons of Abraham's family, and those among you who fear God, to us the word of this salvation is sent out.

[2:36] For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither him, nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him.

[2:47] And though they found no ground for putting him to death, they asked Pilate that he be executed. And when they had carried out all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb.

[3:01] But God raised him from the dead. And for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, the very ones who are now his witnesses to the people.

[3:12] And we preached to you the good news of the promise made to the fathers. That God has fulfilled this promise to our children. And that he raised up Jesus.

[3:23] As it is also written in the second song, You are my son, today I have begotten you. That he raised him up from the dead, no more to return to decay. He has spoken in this way, I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.

[3:37] Therefore he also says in another, You will not allow your holy one to undergo decay. For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay.

[3:55] But he whom God raised, did not undergo decay. Stop there. A couple, two, three, maybe four years ago now, I was a hospice chaplain, Verde Valley Community Hospice.

[4:17] And, you go through training and all this stuff to be a hospice chaplain. Well, my first day on the job, I'm with the other chaplain, going to visit this gal, who was dying from cancer.

[4:34] I'm in there, and I think the other chaplain, Dave, I think he was with me, or maybe he wasn't there or something, I don't remember that part, but, I specifically remember this.

[4:47] I'm visiting her, and she asked me, how do I get right with God? How do I make things right with God?

[4:58] And I said to myself, this is the easiest job in the world. Well, I'm glad you asked. You know, you're thinking, working for the government, have to be careful when people are going to ask you.

[5:13] She just came right out and asked me, how do I, how do I get right with God? Well, I'm glad you asked. And I proceeded to give her the gospel.

[5:25] And that's the question I deal with today. How am I right with God through the gospel? Ask yourself that question. How am I right with God through the gospel?

[5:37] We read from Acts 13, where God graciously kept His promise.

[5:49] Brian was mentioning about the promise. The promise of bringing, preparing, killing, and resurrecting, the Savior, Jesus Christ.

[6:06] Through whom there's forgiveness of sins, and justification before God. Oh, to this we should listen. We should listen and heed.

[6:21] Jesus is the Savior, the promise, fulfiller, the Son, the Holy One, through whom there's forgiveness of sins, and justification to sinners, who repent and trust in Him alone.

[6:36] He's the only way. So, to put it in short version, how am I right with God through the gospel?

[6:48] You can be made right with God only through Jesus Christ. It's the only way. He is the only way you can be made right with God.

[7:00] And it's Christ alone. It's not Christ and your works. It's not Christ and your good deeds. It's not Christ and your merits. It's not Christ plus anything. It's not Jesus plus anything.

[7:13] Faith plus nothing. No, it's faith and trust clinging to Jesus Christ alone. So we see, in these verses, in this exposition that Paul gives, of really the whole Old Testament, bringing the Savior, preparing for the Savior, preparing for the Savior, God had the Savior killed, in verses 26 to 29.

[7:41] Everything that the Old Testament was pointing to, it was fulfilled. Everything the Old Testament was written about, it was fulfilled in Jesus. And then God resurrected Him, the Savior.

[7:54] So, Christianity, truly is, a proclamation, of real, historical facts about Jesus, and just not, embracing the facts.

[8:10] It's clinging to the Christ, about those facts, of which those things are written. how God stepped into time, to act on behalf of sinners, by sending His Son, to fulfill His promises for sinners.

[8:31] It was gracious, kind, compassionate, slow to anger, and sending the Savior. Paul mentions, in 35 and 36, into even verse 37, how Jesus is the one God raised, who did not undergo decay.

[8:52] He did not undergo corruption. And thus, He is the one who fulfills God's promise. He is the one given for His people, bringing salvation to them.

[9:08] So, how are you right with God? How can one be made right with God? It's only through Jesus Christ. And now, I'll give you two points, underneath that. Because, only through Jesus Christ, one, you have forgiveness of sins.

[9:26] Two, you're justified. You're declared righteous. And there's so many other things, we can go into. But I'm just going to touch on two of those.

[9:38] We can talk about adoption. We can talk about redemption. So many things. But we're going to camp on these two right here. Forgiveness. So, it's, how can you be made right with God?

[9:49] It's only through Jesus Christ, because through Jesus Christ, you receive forgiveness of sins, and you're justified in God's sight. Verse 38.

[10:05] Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through him, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.

[10:16] So, Paul, goes through this whole thing in the Old Testament. Jesus has fulfilled it. Jesus has fulfilled the promise. And now, through him, only through Jesus Christ, there's forgiveness of sins.

[10:29] One is made right with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, because in Jesus Christ, you have forgiveness of all your sins past, all your sins present, and all your sins future.

[10:49] It's only through the raised and living Jesus Christ can anyone have forgiveness of sins. So, let's take the concept of forgiveness. And we're going to take forgiveness and split it up into two different parts as well.

[11:06] In forgiveness, there is, and I think Brian mentioned it, or Dean mentioned it, propitiation. Dean mentioned it. That's right. And, expiation.

[11:19] With forgiveness, there's propitiation and expiation. What do those mean? Propitiation means this.

[11:31] God's just, righteous judgment or wrath against sinners had to come against sinners.

[11:43] Judgment had to be poured out upon sinners. It was exhausted. It was poured out. It was divulged upon Jesus Christ as He was on the cross.

[12:01] So, all of God's anger against sin, all of God's justice against sin, all of God's anger that should, and punishment that should come upon sinners, was poured out on Jesus.

[12:15] And, Jesus exhausted that wrath. Did that for all those who believe. So, that's propitiation.

[12:30] And, now, expiation means that as, so God has taken all His wrath on sin and poured it upon Jesus Christ so that His wrath is satisfied because someone has to pay the price.

[12:47] Also, expiation, God takes away the sin. Removes the sin and cleanses the sinner.

[13:02] And, you have a picture of this in the Day of Atonement in Leviticus chapter 16 with the two goats.

[13:14] the two goats. The one goat would slice the neck. Blood was spilled. Blood would be sprinkled.

[13:28] But, then, the other goat, the priest, the high priest, would lay the sins of the people upon that goat and then send it away.

[13:40] so it goes away into the wilderness so that the promise of as far as the east is from the west, Psalm 103, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

[13:57] So your sins are gone, your sins are paid for. Propitiation, it's paid for. No punishment comes to you.

[14:11] God does not punish His people. God does not pour His wrath on His people. God does not exhaust any type of wrath upon His people because it was all exhausted on Jesus.

[14:26] So, sin is dealt with and then sin is taken away, which is the concept of the Greek word for forgiveness.

[14:36] He's removed, He's taken away, it's gone. He's forgiven you. One goat has taken the brunt of sin, the other goat represents sin taken away.

[14:56] Some verses for you to write down and even to look up with me in Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 22.

[15:09] Hebrews 9 22. And according to the law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

[15:25] So, sin has to be paid for. That's just the meaning of that. And then also, you're in Hebrews 9, you can also look at Hebrews 10, verse 18, starting in 18.

[15:45] 10, 18, now where there is forgiveness of these things, there's no longer any offering for sin. There's no need for an offering for sin anymore. which is why the writer of Hebrews says in verse 19, since therefore brethren, we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he inaugurated for us through the veil that is his flesh.

[16:12] Verse 21, and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, you can draw near because sin is paid for and sin is taken away.

[16:35] Both concepts are there. You can come into the throne room of God himself because there's forgiveness of sins. And then the writer of Hebrews also says verse 23, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promises thankful.

[16:53] We can hold fast to this confession of faith as Brian told us. We cling to Christ. Our confidence is taking God at his word.

[17:04] He says there's forgiveness in Jesus Christ. That's what we have. We can grab hold of that. We hold it tight.

[17:14] God God God anyone who responds to this Savior Son this Holy One will receive forgiveness of all their sins. Are you here today?

[17:29] Have you not responded to the gospel? Have you not turned from sin? As Brian mentioned, have you not placed your trust, your faith in Jesus Christ?

[17:40] Faith which only comes from God himself. he gives it. He's a gift. Do you need to repent and cling to Jesus Christ today?

[17:51] We're talking about the gospel but can I proclaim a gospel call to you if you're here and you have not trusted in Jesus Christ? You should do that now.

[18:04] You can come to Jesus now. He'll wipe clean all your wrongs. Come. God's arms are wide open to sinners.

[18:18] He says come I will forgive you. Come and you'll find my love through Jesus. Christian do you not have such confidence that all your sins are washed away by Jesus' blood?

[18:37] Do you not have such confidence confidence? That the things that happen in my life and your life and our lives it's not because God's angry with you and he's going to punish you.

[18:50] He already punished your son. He already punished his son on our behalf. It's not because the sins are lingering. Those sins are taken away. It's God. He loves you.

[19:05] He loves us in Jesus Christ. Let's say that together. He loves us in Jesus Christ. Well, there's more.

[19:18] So first you have forgiveness of sins. But now if you're back in Acts 13 notice verse 39 back in Acts 13 verse 39 and through him so first through him is forgiveness and then second 39 and through him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified through the law of Moses.

[19:48] All gets even better. Can it get better? Yes it does. Not only are sins paid for and your sins taking away your cleanse.

[20:02] It's even more than that. those who believe only through Jesus Christ you are justified. The law of Moses could not do this never do this for us.

[20:14] Jesus provided what Moses and the law could never do. Justify sinners. You're declared righteous in God's sight.

[20:26] How does this work? justification is the legal or forensic act of God whereby he declares he declares he declares I know you don't always act like it.

[20:41] I can attest to that for some of you. So anyways no finger pointing no declares us righteous.

[20:53] God renders a favorable verdict upon the sinner. How does he do that? How does he okay he takes away the sin the sins forgiven and is punished but how does what does he do how does he proclaim the verdict on the sinner?

[21:15] He gives the sinner credits the sinner imputes the sinner with the very righteousness of Jesus. As the reformers would say the merits of Jesus.

[21:31] Jesus credits sinners with Jesus excuse me God credits sinners with Jesus righteousness. The only way one can be made right with God is through forgiveness of sins and through the declaration of being righteous in God's sight.

[22:00] Your good works have no merit with God. Your good deeds have no merit with God. God how do you give something to someone who has everything?

[22:21] I mean that doesn't make any sense. How do you give something? How do you merit something to someone who owns everything?

[22:33] Who's totally perfect and righteous? He can't do that. Your good works mean nothing. So we bank upon the merits of Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

[22:49] As one writer says quote justification and renewal are now available for everyone who believes who trusts in the promises of the gospel and relies on the work of Christ that makes them possible.

[23:02] end quote. The law of Moses the Ten Commandments specifically it only condemns us.

[23:15] It declares us guilty and we are. But through faith alone in Christ alone one finds forgiveness and one is declared righteous.

[23:34] And the channel the channel by which Brian helped us out with this here's God declaring the sinner righteous and the channel by which he credits that the channel the flow by which that comes is through the means of faith.

[23:55] The means of faith alone. Paul spoke about this elsewhere. Galatians chapter 2 Galatians 2 verse 16 Galatians 2 16 Paul says nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Christ Jesus even we who have believed in Christ Jesus 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 shall no flesh be justified.

[24:36] Another verse Romans chapter 5 Romans chapter 5 verse 1 Romans chapter 5 verse 1 therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ there's another thing we can look up if we wanted to having peace with God may write with God how can you have peace with God it's only if you're justified through the means of faith alone one more passage for you Philippians chapter 3 Philippians 3.9 Philippians 3.9 And may be found in him not having a righteousness of my own derived from the law but that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.

[25:40] Well that's interesting because he says righteousness which is through faith in Christ but then he says the righteousness which comes on the basis of faith. I thought you said righteousness is through the channel of faith but then Paul also says it's based upon based upon faith.

[26:00] What does that mean? He doesn't say based upon our faith. He's saying based upon the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. That's the thing that throws us off there on Philippians chapter 3 verse 9.

[26:14] He's not saying the basis is our righteousness. The basis is the righteousness of Jesus but that righteousness flows to us through the means of faith alone.

[26:25] So for anyone who repents and trusts Jesus not only will that person receive forgiveness to taking away of all their sin the payment for sin but that person will also be declared righteous credited with the very righteousness of Jesus.

[26:49] Jesus. So what's the good news? It's not help me to live a better life.

[27:06] It's all what Jesus has done. It's not get your life right and then you can no that's not the gospel.

[27:23] I was talking to a guy in Jerome a few months ago and he said to me he's like you know I gotta get my life right and then I'll come I said no it doesn't work that way.

[27:37] It don't work that way like that. That's not how it works. You don't get your life right. God doesn't want that. He wants you messed up. He wants you to admit you're messed up.

[27:53] He didn't get that. Because people don't get that. They think okay I have to I have to clean myself up. I gotta put the fig leaves on. Remember Genesis 3?

[28:05] What did Adam and Eve do? Shoot! Get the fig leaves out man! Right? I gotta clean myself up.

[28:17] No. It's our natural knee-jerk reaction. You gotta do it like that. You always want to do that. You always want to try and clean ourselves up.

[28:30] That's not how it works. How it works is God slayed the animals. He took the skins and He covered Adam and Eve.

[28:41] God provides it for you. The gospel is you admit your life is not right and never will be.

[28:59] I am such a horrible sinner and you cry out for mercy.

[29:11] I believe Dean mentioned this. This gospel truth is what distinguishes us.

[29:23] It's what distinguishes Christianity from every other religion of the world. Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism.

[29:36] Mormonism. Islam. Hinduism. Buddhism. Shintoism. Sikh. Judaism.

[29:48] Islam. Islam. All of them. Because we are relying upon Christ and we trust in God and His word and we don't try to get God's acceptance with this and this and this.

[30:05] No. God is gracious and merciful and compassionate and His arms are wide open to sinners. He initiates. He moves. He saves.

[30:20] One repents and trusts and clings to Jesus Christ alone. And you can be made right with God. You can be made right with God only through Jesus Christ because through Jesus Christ you can have forgiveness of your sins.

[30:36] And through Jesus Christ you can be declared righteous. Christian God has kept His promise.

[30:48] He loves you. He loves you in Jesus Christ. He has forgiven you of all your sins through Jesus Christ. He's credited you with the very righteousness of Jesus Christ.

[31:04] You are right with God. Let's say together I am right with God through Jesus.

[31:14] I am right with God through Jesus. That's the gospel. Let's pray. Our Father we thank you for the reminder that Dean has given us.

[31:43] That we are responsible to you as your creation you as our creator. And yet the good news is that Jesus Christ has come He's lived He's died He's risen again.

[32:03] And we thank you for the reminder that Brian has left with us. We take you at your word in hope against hope even when we don't feel like it.

[32:16] We take you at your word. You said you bring forgiveness forgiveness and the penalty has been paid in your son Jesus Christ in whom there's forgiveness propitiating our sins taking away our sins declaring us righteous having been credited with the righteousness of Jesus so we take you at your word.

[32:42] We thank you Father that as far as the east is from the west you've removed our transgressions. so we bless you we praise you having forgiven us of all our iniquities we bless we praise you Father because we stand declared righteous in your sight which you know very well our deeds do not match up many times who we say we are.

[33:16] and yet thank you for your continual grace transforming grace in us as Randy will soon encourage us with the transforming power of the grace of the gospel that we would be a people that reflect you and love you and worship you.

[33:42] we pray these things in the name of your son Jesus Christ amen would you stand and we'll sing oh yeah nothing that my hands can do to save my guilty soul I cannot cleanse my filthy stains or make my spirit whole for nothing mention have his spirit then they feel he to do todio ain't too make nigga

[34:56] Entscheid be give