So, the first point this morning.
Justification by faith apart from works eliminates the ability to boast.
! It eliminates the ability to boast.
! Verses 1-5 is where we find this from our text.
!
The word in the church is not exempt from those same things.
Lines from movies like, show me the money.
Or, a man's got to do what a man's got to do.
Sit and stew in our minds.
Our society, and not just America, is full of examples.
Athletes embody this me first attitude.
The wide receiver from the NFL, Terrell Owens, famous for saying,
I love me some me.
Grammatically incorrect, but I love me some me.
It's so bad among athletes that college football is starting in the next three weeks
that the NCAA sets up regulations and celebration rules
that if a player scores a touchdown or does something great,
he starts celebrating himself.
He's penalized 15 yards or whatever it is, and he hurts the team.
What they want is they want the players to celebrate the team and not the individual.
It just comes out of that person, though.
Which is ironic, because isn't that what sports are good for,
is teaching kids about teamwork?
It just comes out of us.
Let's be realistic.
It's what we are born with.
It's why we have to teach our kids how to share.
We went to see a Votie Bauckham conference last weekend,
and one thing that he reminded us of is,
you know, parents will complain,
well, my kids just don't share.
And he asked a question to that parent.
He said, did you teach them how to share?
Ouch.
As a parent of four,
yeah, did I teach my kids how to share?
I don't know.
Or do I just yell at them and say,
share with your brother or sister.
Be nice.
We have to teach them these things,
because we are born with selfishness.
It is no wonder that pornography is a multi-billion dollar business,
because we think about ourselves.
We're selfish.
It feeds into that.
Adam and Eve, when they sinned,
they acted on the self-gratifying desire
and not on the selfless God-given joy.
So to our text,
we can go all the way back to chapter 3,
verse 27,
which reads,
Then what becomes of boasting?
Paul says,
It is excluded.
This work of salvation is a work of God,
so there is no boasting.
It is terminated.
It is not possible.
And in chapter 4, verses 1 and 2 says,
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.
Agreed.
The next three words,
or four words,
but not before God.
It is impossible
to boast before God.
Before we go any further,
I thought it would be good
if I could define salvation for us.
Not the act of being saved
or not the way you get saved,
but the three phases of salvation.
Because I'm throwing around this word justification,
and some of you might not even know what that means.
So, here's where we sit.
Three phases of salvation.
We have justification,
we have sanctification,
and we have glorification.
Now, justification is that moment
of being in right standing with God.
When Christ, through His obedience on the cross,
bore the wrath from the Father that we deserved.
So, because of Christ's death,
He gave us,
or in Christ's death,
He gave us His righteousness.
So now, as a Christian,
we are righteous in Christ.
We are made right.
We are not judged by our sin.
Our sin is covered by the blood of Christ,
and we are made right
and can stand before the Father.
Sanctification is the ongoing process.
So, justification is a one-time thing.
Okay?
It is a one-time at salvation,
at faith.
Now, sanctification is an ongoing process
of God perfecting us
through trials,
through struggles,
through discipline,
and through everyday life.
Now, on one hand, we are perfect.
Okay?
On one hand, at justification,
we are made right.
But on the other hand,
living it out, we're not.
Romans chapter 7 reminds us
that we still struggle
to fight against the flesh and sin.
But God is perfecting us.
He is working in us.
He is setting us apart.
And the last thing,
the last phase is glorification.
Now, this is the final perfection
of every saint.
This is what we look forward to
when God will perfect us.
This is what Peter talks about
as the living hope.
The hope that we'll never die,
that never changes
until it comes to fruition.
We have this hope,
this glorification
that's going to happen.
Okay?
So these are the three phases
of salvation.
So when I talk about justification,
I'm talking about that moment,
that moment of faith
when we are made right before God
because of the work of Christ.
So, justification by faith
apart from works
eliminates the ability
to boast in ourselves.
It is impossible to boast.
And when he's talking about boast here,
he's not talking about
check out these skills that I have.
Watch me on the court
or watch me on the field
or look how good I can spill these words
or write or whatever it is.
He's talking about works
that we think lead to salvation.
This kind of boasting.
It cannot be done.
The world around us
is saturated with self-indulgence.
It is no surprise
when we try to base salvation
on our own works.
No surprise
when we try to say,
look what I've done.
Before Christ,
we are selfish.
So that selfishness
even infiltrates
our religious beliefs.
So, if I just go to church,
if I just love my neighbor,
if I just tithe,
or if I just attend
a new members class,
or if I just get baptized,
then,
I can be saved
and go to heaven.
That's not the way it works.
It is impossible
for those actions
to lead to salvation.
And that's the point
that Paul is making here.
If we think that those things
are going to lead to salvation
is a strand of legalism.
John Stott says,
legalism is the misguided attempt
to earn our salvation
by obedience to the law.
And we make laws all the time.
If I just do this.
Let's say,
let's say you are a humble,
you are a humble introvert.
Let's say you would never brag
or boast
about anything you have done.
You say,
that's not me.
I would never do that.
There's going to be a time
when you are going to be forced
from your gut,
from your soul.
There's going to be a moment
when you're going to be forced
to explain
why you chose to live
the life that you live.
There's going to be that time
before the King of Kings
at judgment.
And the news for you
is going to be very bad.
you will say anything
to avoid the punishment
that sin deserves.
Now,
as a Christian,
we won't have to talk.
We'll have an advocate for us
who says,
who claims us,
whose righteousness
we now have.
See,
the gospel works
the opposite in us
and out of us.
See,
we,
with being self-centered
and selfish,
we want to exalt ourselves.
We want to boast
about what we can do
and accomplish.
The gospel, though,
changes that.
We start boasting
about what God has done.
The justification
that He has shown us
by faith.
That's why
we're called
to be salt and light
to our neighbors.
It says,
don't hide it.
It says,
don't cover it with a basket.
Don't cover the light
with a basket.
We have this
to share.
The gospel changes that
from the inside out.
So verse
1-2,
now 3-5.
It gives us the account
of Abraham receiving
righteousness.
It says,
for what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God
and it was counted to him
as righteousness.
Now,
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.
It is nothing
that Abraham did,
but it is what God
did in Abraham.
God gave him
the faith to believe.
And because he believed,
he was counted
as righteous.
Verse 5 says,
and to the one
who does not work,
but believes in him
who justifies the ungodly,
his faith
is counted
as righteousness.
righteousness.
This same action
of being counted
can be applied
to you and to me.
The same counted
that was applied
to Abraham
can be applied
now to us.
But,
like Abraham,
we have no room
to boast.
We are the clay
in the potter's hands.
Read Romans 9.
Take a look.
The clay doesn't say
to the potter,
why did you make me
this way?
The clay just gets
molded into whatever
he gets molded into.
When God changes
our hearts,
He gives us
something to boast about.
I've already referenced
this.
Matthew 5.
You are the light
of the world.
Nobody will cover
the light with a basket.
It is something
to boast about.
It is something
to share
what Christ has done.
That light
only comes
from Christ.
Matthew 13.
44
tells of the
kingdom of heaven
is like a treasure
hidden in a field
which a man
found and covered up.
Then,
in his joy,
he goes and sells
all that he has
and he buys
the field.
The work of God
is big enough
and good enough
to boast about
and it's also
good enough
to sell everything
and go buy
a piece of land.
So,
the grace of God
can move us
to sell everything.
Would you?
The grace of God
can cause us
to stop going to school
and move to the mission field.
Would you?
The grace of God
can cause you
to run to Iran.
Would you?
The grace of God
can cause you
to stay right
where you are.
Can you?
In all situations,
the light that God
has put in you
must not be covered
by a basket.
And the way
it's covered
by a basket
is that
self-gratifying
part of us.
That selfish
part of us.
Once we
cover the light,
who's going to see it?
They're going to see us
and see what we treasure.
So,
don't treasure
what you think
is light.
Treasure the actual light
and let the world
see it.
So,
not only does
justification
by faith
apart from works
eliminate
boasting,
it is also
a blessing
beyond our comprehension.
Verse 7 and 8.
quoted from
Psalms,
David wrote this
and it says,
Blessed are those
whose lawless deeds
are forgiven
and whose sins
are covered.
Blessed is the man
against whom
the Lord
will not count
his sin.
Now,
this truth,
to measure
blessing
is impossible.
And this blessing
is
huge.
So,
I've made a list
to give us
a glimmer,
just a fraction
of this
great blessing.
So,
in Christ,
your sins
are forgiven.
Any and everything,
past,
present,
and future.
In Christ,
your sins
are covered
by the blood
of Jesus,
which means
God the Father
sees only the blood
and not the sin.
In Christ,
your sins
will not be counted
against you.
In Christ,
your sins
have been blotted
out.
In Christ,
your sins
have been thrown
as far as
the east is
from the west.
In Christ,
you are righteous
before God.
In Christ,
you have been adopted
into the family
of God.
In Christ,
your inheritance
is immeasurable.
In Christ,
you can call
Abba,
Father,
Daddy.
In Christ,
there is nothing
you can do
that will make
God love you
any less.
In Christ,
there is nothing
you can do
that will make
God love you
any more.
In Christ,
you can live
with a confidence
and a boldness
in Christ.
In Christ,
you have hope
beyond this world.
In Christ,
you can love
those you wouldn't
love otherwise.
In Christ,
you are being
perfected,
so rejoice.
In Christ,
God is working
all things
for your good.
In Christ,
the Creator
of the universe
who spoke
the stars
and the mountains
and rivers
into existence
wants community
with you.
In Christ,
you are not alone
and will never
be alone.
In Christ,
you have a comforter
who can relate
to anything
you go through.
Anything.
In Christ,
God is for you
no matter
the struggle.
In Christ,
God is always
at work
for your joy
and His glory.
All of this
from Scripture,
all of this
can go on
and on
and on.
fraction
of the blessing.
Now,
I would encourage
you to make
your own list.
Look at Scriptures.
Treasure
the God of the Bible
by exploring
His Word.
Make a list
for yourself
of these things.
If all this
is true,
if every bit
of this
is fact,
then live
different
than the Mormon.
Live different
than the Jehovah's Witness.
Live different
than the Jewish
rabbi
or the Catholic
priest.
Because they
don't have
these truths
to cling to.
Don't just
be the nice guy.
Be the girl
of the guy
who loves Jesus.
So not only
does justification
by faith
apart from works
eliminate boasting,
which is a good thing,
not a bad thing,
not only is it
a blessing
beyond our comprehension,
but it also
defines works
as an outpouring
of faith.
And this frees us.
Find this
in verse 9
through the first
part of verse 11.
Read along with me.
Is this blessing
then only
for the circumcised
or also
for the uncircumcised?
We say
that faith
was counted
to Abraham
as righteousness.
How then
was it counted
to him?
Was it before
or after
he had been
circumcised?
It was not
after,
but before
he was circumcised.
He received
the sign
of circumcision
as a seal
of the righteousness
that he had
by faith
while he was
still
uncircumcised.
Now,
Paul gives us
three questions.
Now,
these questions
he sees
are going
to be asked
when he
goes ahead
and asks them
and answers them
for his argument.
Now,
we're going to
focus on
the last question
first.
That was
the timing
of Abraham
being counted
as righteous.
When was it?
Was it before
or was it
after circumcision?
Now,
if you're like me,
knowing the stories
that I know
from the Bible,
I'm not going
to think of
circumcision
as the
moment of
salvation
for Abraham.
I might think
of,
okay,
when was
Abraham
righteous?
Was it
before he
went and
followed God
and God
called him?
Or was it
after?
Or I might
think of
where he
took Isaac
up.
Was it
before he
took Isaac
up to be
sacrificed
or after?
Because those
are big deals
to me.
I mean,
those are
great moments
of faith.
Not
circumcision.
Although,
as you'll
find out,
I mean,
Abraham
was pretty
old.
Here's
why it
revolves
around
circumcision.
John
MacArthur
wrote,
and he
put it
best,
and I'm
just going
to quote
him.
No sense
to me
trying to
write it.
Most Jews
in the
New Testament
times were
thoroughly
convinced
that circumcision
was not
only,
not only
the unique
mark
that set
them apart
from all
other men
as God's
chosen people.
So,
it not
only set
them apart,
but was
also the
means by
which they
became
acceptable
to God.
So,
they put
all this
weight and
all this
importance
on this
one act
so that
they could
be
acceptable
to God.
See,
many Jews
believed that
salvation was
based on
their obedience
to God
in being
circumcised.
Now,
on top of
that,
their
eternal
security.
So,
they could
say to
God,
look,
God,
I'm
circumcised.
I'm
in heaven.
Listen
to this.
Rabbi
Menachem
writes in
his commentary
on the
book of
Moses,
our
rabbis
have said
that no
circumcised
man will
ever see
hell.
They have
made
circumcision
a big
deal.
Listen
to this.
From the
Jewish book
entitled
Akedeth
Jezahok,
Abraham
sits before
the gates
of hell
and does
not allow
that any
circumcised
Israelite
should enter
there.
So,
Abraham
sits and
if the
man is
circumcised,
you're not
going in
here,
buddy,
go over
there.
You don't
want in
here,
you don't
want in
hell.
They have
elevated
circumcision.
Now,
I'm not
telling you
these things
to say,
look how
much research
I did.
Listen to
these words.
Our
rabbis have
said that
no circumcised
man will
ever see
hell.
That's a
big deal.
Abraham
sits before
the gate
of hell
and does
not allow
that any
circumcised
Israelite
should enter
there.
They have
elevated a
religious act
and thought,
believed,
that this
religious act
saved them.
This
religious act
is where
they became
righteous.
It's like
any other
religion,
though,
truthfully.
Religion has
been created
by man for
the purpose
of being
God or
reaching God
without
Christ Jesus.
Religions have
been created
by man for
the purpose
of being
God or
reaching God
without
Christ Jesus.
But,
justification
by faith
apart from
works is
not a
religious
activity or
an action.
It is a
God activity.
And because
it is God,
the works are
a result of
what God
has done.
So the
timing of
Abraham being
justified is
an important
question.
Now, we
can just
read the
text or
we can go
to Genesis
15 and
see where
Abraham was
made righteous
and then
Genesis 17
where he
gets circumcised
and say,
okay, well,
it clearly
was before.
Pretty simple
for us.
Verse 11 of
Romans chapter
4.
Abraham received
the sign of
circumcision as
a seal of
the righteousness
that he had
by faith
while he was
still uncircumcised.
circumcision was
established by
God first
as a sign
of the covenant
between God
and Abraham.
Genesis 17
11.
It was to
remind the
Jewish people
of the covenant
that God
had made
and to
remind them
who they
belonged to
and to set
apart the
people of
Israel as
God's chosen
people.
That was
the purpose,
nothing more,
which is a
clear example
of how we
can deform
even the
good things
that God
sets up
for His
children.
Now,
in Abraham's
case,
obedience,
Abraham was
99 years old
when he was
circumcised.
Obedience
followed being
made righteous.
Because he
was righteous,
he followed,
he obeyed.
He wasn't
counted as
righteous before
and then
once he
obeyed,
poof,
he's made
righteous.
It is
clearly
communicated
in Scripture
that it
was before.
Likewise,
for us,
our actions
should flow
from what
God has
done,
not
flowing to
what God
is going
to do.
So if we
work hard
enough,
God will
then save
us and
find us
worthy.
Our actions
should flow
from what
God has
done.
Which means
we look
forward to
loving those
we think
we can't.
We love
the body
of Christ.
We love
gathering with
the saints.
Which means
we are willing
to go
anywhere,
wherever that
leads us.
Which means
we love
God's creation
more than
others.
Which means
we hate
sin.
Which means
we mourn
for our lost
friends.
and which
means we
cherish
the mercies
of God
which are
new
every day.
Now one
of the
major
arguments
against
this
doctrine
of
justification
by faith
apart from
works
has been
that this
kind of
thinking
leads to
loose
living.
Well,
if you
were born
again,
if you
were made
righteous
without having
to do
anything,
then now
you have a
license to
go do
anything.
That's the
argument.
Well,
I say it
leads to
obedient
living,
and Paul
does as
well.
Turn to
Romans
chapter 6.
Two chapters.
Romans
chapter 6.
Verse 1,
he starts
by saying,
what shall
we say
then?
Are we
to continue
in sin
that grace
may abound?
And his
answer,
by no
means.
But look
at verse
17.
Romans
chapter 6
verse 17.
But thanks
be to
God that
you were
once slaves
of sin,
have become
obedient from
the heart
to the
standard of
teaching to
which you
were committed.
Verse 18.
And having
been set
free from
sin,
you have
become
slaves of
righteousness.
Which means,
if you're a
slave of
something,
you're going
to do what
the slave
master says.
And if
you're a
slave to
righteousness,
then you're
going to
do
righteousness.
out of
being made
righteous,
we do
then
righteous
things.
Abraham
was
righteous
and he
obeyed
rightly,
which means
he,
in his
case,
was
circumcised.
Our fourth
point this
morning.
Justification
by faith
apart from
works
allows that
all people
can be
children
of Abraham.
allows that
all people
can be
children
of Abraham.
Turn back
to Romans
chapter 4
verse 11
and 12.
He received
the sign of
circumcision as
a seal of
the righteousness
that he had
by faith
while he was
still circumcised.
The purpose
was to make
him the
father of
all who
believe without
being circumcised
so that the
righteousness
would be
counted to
them as
well.
And to
make him
the father
of the
circumcised
who are
not merely
circumcised
but who
also walk
in the
footsteps
of faith
that our
father Abraham
had before
he was
circumcised.
Now God
counting
righteousness
to Abraham
when he
did
before
allows
that all
types of
people,
no matter
their
ethnicity
or race,
their
religious
background
or their
non-religious
background,
black or
white,
Jew or
Gentile,
circumcised
or uncircumcised
can call
Abraham their
spiritual
father.
I started
to feel in the
Martin Luther
King speech
there for a
second.
We too can
walk as
Abraham walked.
We too can
be counted
as righteousness.
righteousness.
It also
means though
that God
will have
mercy on
who he
wants to
have
mercy on.
We cannot
and must
not put
limits on
who we
think God
should
or will
save.
That is not
our job.
Our job is
to proclaim
and boast
about Christ.
Not to
judge somebody
and say,
God,
you're not
going to
save them.
They're
long gone.
All people
can be
children of
God.
Any type
of person.
No matter
who.
So I
can look
at the
Muslim
on TV
and say,
who's
bombing
things and
say,
yes,
he can
be born
again.
He can
receive the
grace that
I have
been shown.
Because he
is no
worse than
I am.
That's what
justification
by faith
does.
It
shakes
up our
thinking.
Verse 11
says,
again,
Abraham
received the
sign of
circumcision
as a
seal of
the righteousness
that he
had by faith
while he
was still
circumcised.
Circumcision
was the
seal that
confirmed or
authenticated
being counted
righteous.
It reminded
the Jews
and God
of the
covenant
that was
made.
It's
what made
that
covenant
binding.
Now,
we too
have a
seal.
We have
the Holy
Spirit.
In
Christ,
we have
the Holy
Spirit.
We are
secure in
Christ with
the seal
of the
Holy
Spirit.
Authenticated,
confirmed by
the Holy
Spirit.
Now,
if any
person,
any people
group can be
counted as
righteousness,
the opposite
is true as
well.
Not everyone
who was
circumcised
was counted
as righteous.
Ishmael
was circumcised
but not part
of the
covenant.
For you
today,
what matters
is not what
you've done
or what
religious
guidelines
you follow.
What matters
is whether or
not you have
been counted
as righteous
as in
Christ.
to be
counted,
this word
counted,
talks of an
exchange or
a credit.
The only
way that
your bank
account can
be credited
is by putting
money in
it.
Credit that
account.
Either you
or the bank
had to have
the money
to then credit
your account.
With me so
far?
To credit
someone,
there must
be ownership.
God is
the owner
of righteousness.
He is
righteous and
He is the
source of
righteousness.
He has
given it to
those who
believe that
Jesus Christ
is Lord.
There is
nothing fancy
or difficult
about this.
It's clear
and it's
simple.
There are
three things
that you
have to do
in order to
believe.
Just three.
Three simple
things.
The first
thing is you
have to
admit and
realize that
you are a
sinner unable
to be
righteous apart
from the
work of
God.
Second
thing is that
you have to
believe that
Jesus lived a
sinless,
perfect life for
sinners like
you and me.
He died for
your sin and
rose from the
grave to free
you from the
bondage of
sin.
So believe
that you are
a sinner.
believe what
Jesus did.
And the
third thing,
Jesus can and
will give you
a new life if
you repent of
your sins and
believe that he
is Lord.
So you
repent and
you believe.
God, I
will give you
a new life if
Now we don't say
that every
Sunday morning.
But in a
topic like
justification by
faith apart
from words,
we can get the
doctrine, we can
get the
knowledge, but we
have to have our
lives changed.
Otherwise it
doesn't mean
anything.
So I
throw those
three things
out at you
and I
plead with
you, if
you do not
know Christ,
believe in
him this
morning.
I hope and
I pray that I
have shown you
clearly how it
works.
Now I know
there's guys in
this room,
there are guys
in this room
that would love
to have a
conversation with
you.
Just look
around, there's
tons of guys.
There's John,
there's Wes,
there's Josh,
there's Nathan,
there's me,
there's Daryl,
there's Stan,
there's tons of
guys in here that
if you do not
know Christ,
that they would
love to talk to
you about it.
Don't wait.
Don't hesitate.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray.