Join me in your copy of God's Word to the glorious book of Romans, chapter 5.
Hope that you have enjoyed the study thus far in Romans.
! We know it's been sort of spread out, so our goal now is to kind of continue moving through it, like Nathan said, at a little bit of a faster pace.
Just indulge me for a few minutes while I just want to emphasize, I guess, the importance of the book of Romans.
If you're joining us for the first time in Romans, or you can't really remember from several weeks ago what was preached,
some people here today may think, I understand the gospel message really well.
I believe the gospel. I'm a Christian. I have for a long time trusted my life to Christ.
I'm ready to move on to something else more deep beyond the gospel.
I'm ready for deeper spiritual things.
You may be thinking I might be bored in Romans. I may not be challenged in Romans.
And I want to humbly confront people who feel this way this morning.
There's a great quote by David Pryor and it says this,
We never move on from the cross.
Only into a more profound understanding of the cross.
The gospel can help you break free of all sorts of sin in our lives.
Many of us who may claim that we know the gospel, love it and cherish it,
and we're ready to move on to something else,
those same people will forget the gospel probably later today.
And definitely tomorrow.
If we watch the lives of many throughout the week, even my own life,
think about your own life,
much of it is marked by unbelief in the gospel.
Your lives would look radically different if the gospel was foremost in your mind
and in your heart on a daily basis.
Many of you are lack.
You have a lack of joy.
You're often bored.
You're lazy.
Depressed.
Eaten up with anxiety and a lack of peace in your life.
When facing circumstances,
you may even lack consistent spiritual growth.
And it seems like the Christian life for some of you has just been reduced down to
a list of just don't do this and try to do this during the week.
Always looking for a new technique, a new book.
A new truth to take comfort in, to strengthen your faith.
Many of you may be posturing throughout the week,
trying to project that you are stronger in your faith than you actually are.
Many may be performing, trying to prove themselves to others around them and to God.
And then many of you are just faced with panicking.
You are looking around with fear and anxiety in your life.
If any of this stuff characterizes you,
you need to be reminded that you do not move on from the gospel.
The gospel itself is powerful enough to give you the confidence to free you from
joy-robbing, legalistic, pharisaical thinking in your life,
the crippling effects of guilt and shame in your life.
It will help you.
The gospel can set you free just basing the quality of your faith on how you feel on a particular day.
Free you beyond circumstances and help you grow in joy and in gratitude.
Because sadly, one of the lingering effects of sin in our lives is we have a tendency to forget.
We have a tendency to forget the most basic foundational truths of the word of God.
We forget it.
And we think that we've moved on.
And Satan, the world, and sin in our lives would love us just to forget the gospel
and think that we've graduated from it to another theological level.
The late Tim Keller learned a lot from him.
Not a perfect man, but learned a lot from him.
But one of the things he said I'll never forget is
the gospel is not just the ABCs of Christianity.
It's the A to Z of Christianity.
It's not just the minimum required doctrine necessary for you to become a Christian,
but it's the way that we make all spiritual progress therein.
The gospel is that message that is simple, that a child can understand it,
but yet so deeply profound that the greatest theologians can stare at it every day of their life
and never get to the depths of it.
Paul said he wrote a preaching to the Gentiles,
the unsearchable riches of Christ.
Ephesians 3, 7, and 8.
If the gospel is true then, if it's true,
it must stand up under the harshest scrutiny.
We need an airtight case for the gospel
if we are entrusting our souls to his message.
If your faith, if your salvation was on trial,
and you were headed into a courtroom,
what would you take with you?
Arguably, the book of Romans gives us
the fullest detailed at-length explanation of the gospel.
It is written like a court case.
It is the fullest explanation of our salvation.
It might have already been said,
but Martin Luther believed
that if you understood the book of Romans,
it was the key to unlocking the entire Bible.
So never get bored of reading Romans.
So a quick reminder of where we've been.
Quick reminder.
Chapter 1 and 2,
Paul brings a case against all humanity,
including himself, Jews and Gentiles,
that we are all fallen, sinful, and rebellious to our Creator.
In chapter 3 and 4,
he then moves to establishing unequivocally
that salvation only comes on the basis of God's grace,
working through man's faith.
This is almost as if he put us all in the same category.
He said,
you cannot save yourself.
You cannot be good enough.
You cannot keep God's law.
If you're going to face God,
who is called the righteous judge,
one day at the judgment,
you cannot go on your own.
If you bring your own works,
or your own merit into things,
or your own morality,
you will be consumed.
So he makes the argument
that salvation comes only on the basis of God's grace,
working through our faith in Christ.
If we come any other way,
even trying to keep God's law,
which we've established in the previous chapters,
which is impossible,
we will fail.
So in placing all humanity under the power of sin,
Paul then points to the redemptive work of Christ
in saving sinners.
Faith in the Savior
has always been
the only way
for us to be made right with God.
And he points in chapter 4
that Nathan just went through
to Abraham's faith.
That he was justified,
made righteous
by his faith.
So having established that,
that man is not saved by works
or by keeping the law,
but by faith in Christ
through God's grace,
here's where we're going
from chapter 5.
I will say that chapter 5,
at least half the time
that I sit down
and open the Bible
to share the Gospel
with an unbeliever,
I use Romans chapter 5.
You'll hopefully see why.
So that's what we've done
where we're going.
Here's just a question for you.
If the preservation
of our salvation
depends on what we do
or don't do,
then our salvation
is only secure
as our own faithfulness.
That's scary.
If your salvation
that we've talked about
in the previous chapters
is kept alive,
maintained,
and preserved
by your own strength
and willpower,
then that is very terrifying.
Thankfully,
that's not the case.
So Paul moves beyond that
to the central theme
of chapter 5 through 8.
which is that
if we are righteous
in God's sight,
if God has truly saved us,
we have a certain hope
and a certain hope
of future glory
and eternal life.
If you look at verse 1
in Romans 5,
it says,
therefore,
since we have been justified
by faith.
So he now turns
to the implications
of that statement
and describes
the blessings
or the benefits,
the consequences
of a believer
being justified
before God.
He expounds
on the results,
the effects
of that great reality
that we are justified
before God
in Jesus Christ.
So,
really quickly,
I'll give you
five,
maybe not quickly,
but I will give you
five certainties,
okay?
Not hypotheticals,
not we hope
this maybe works out,
it's certainties,
okay?
Five certainties
that we see
in this passage.
So let's read it together.
Romans 1,
1 through 11.
Therefore,
since we have been
justified by faith,
we have peace
with God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Through Him,
we have also
obtained access
by faith
into this grace
in which we stand.
And we rejoice
in hope
of the glory
of God.
Not only that,
but we rejoice
in our sufferings,
knowing that suffering
produces endurance.
endurance.
Endurance
produces character,
and character
produces hope.
And hope
does not put us
to shame,
because God's love
has been poured out
into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit
whom He has given us.
For while we were weak,
still weak,
at the right time,
Christ died
for the ungodly.
For one will scarcely die
for a righteous person,
though perhaps
for a good person
one would dare
even to die.
But God shows
His love for us
in that while we were
still sinners,
Christ died
for us.
Since therefore
we have now been
justified by His blood,
much more
shall we be saved
by Him
from the wrath
of God.
For while we were
enemies,
we were reconciled
to God
through the death
of His Son.
Much more,
now that we are
reconciled,
shall we be saved
by His life,
more than that,
we also rejoice
in God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ
through whom
we have now
received
reconciliation.
So from this passage,
we're going to look
at five benefits,
five blessings,
five results
of being justified
before God
and Christ.
number one
is certain peace
with God.
Certain peace
with God.
And you see that
in verse one.
We've been justified
by faith.
We have peace
with God
through our Lord
Jesus Christ.
If we understand
what Paul has written
so far in Romans,
especially chapter
one
and two,
we understand
that that is
a remarkable
statement for us
to hear,
that we have
a peace
with God.
Previously,
our relationship
with God
could only be
described in terms
of extreme enmity,
hostility
towards each other.
It says in
Isaiah 57,
verse 20,
the wicked
are like the tossing
of the sea.
It cannot
be quiet.
And as waters
toss up mire
and dirt,
there is no peace,
says God
for the wicked.
We were locked
in a serious
contention,
in a legal
dispute
with God
as His enemies.
Look at verse 10.
We were locked
in a serious
dispute with Him.
But,
what Paul is saying
is now,
by His grace,
what Christ
has done
for us,
we are justified
by faith
in what He
has done.
We see that
in chapter 4,
verse 25.
And so,
hostility
that existed
with God
previously
is now
taken away
because of
what Christ
has done.
We are no longer
enemies,
but at peace
with Him.
And this is
a real
peace.
Paul's present
argument
explained in
those previous
chapters
says that we
were at war
with God
and that we
now have been
justified
by faith.
faith.
Now,
I'm going to
try to not
get off
track too
far,
but I'm
begging you
if you are
a believer,
especially if you
are a member
of this church,
understand what
being justified
means.
Alright?
It's a word
that's everywhere
in the New Testament,
especially in
Romans.
So,
it is not
just enough
for us to
have our sins
forgiven.
To have
something
canceled
or taken
away
or forgiven
is not
enough
to stand
before God.
Just because
you've had
dirty clothes
taken off
doesn't mean
that you have
clean clothes
on.
Right?
And we need
clean clothes
to approach
God's throne.
So just to
have sin
taken away
and forgiven
does not
mean that
we are
righteous.
So,
what happens?
Christ then,
this is that
glorious doctrine
of the great
exchange,
Christ gives
us His
perfect
righteousness.
He gives
us His
clean clothes.
It says
in Isaiah
that He
has wrapped
us in
robes of
righteousness.
So now,
we can
approach God
actually
clean,
actually
bright,
actually
righteous
in His
sight.
When He
says we
are justified,
He is
declaring
that you
have kept
the law.
You are
blameless.
And He's
doing that
on the
basis of
what Christ
has done
and not
what we
have done.
So that
is the
great
exchange.
Christ
takes
our
sin
and bore
our
punishment
and He
gave us
His
righteousness
so we
could be
accepted
by God.
So the
result of
that
justification
is we
have real
actual
peace
with God.
Peace
is not
subjective
but
objective.
It is a
legal term.
We have
right standing
with God
and therefore
we have
peace
with Him.
If you
look a little
further,
we have
peace
not because
of our
good moral
behavior,
religious
activity,
going to
church,
good deeds,
reciting
Bible verses
or any
other good
thing that
you can
think of
that we
struck our
own deal
with God.
Spent three
years in
college with
a guy,
a veteran
of the
Iraq war
and all
he talked
about was
like he
had his
own deal
struck with
God and
I kept
telling him
you don't.
Like you
come on
his terms
and not
yours.
We cannot
have peace
with God
through anything
we do but
we can
have an
actual peace
with God
through
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
He alone
is the
agent of
our
reconciliation.
So let me
just ask you
a question.
Brother or
sister,
are you
fearful that
God is
still going
to punish
you for
your sins
that you
have
committed
in the
past?
Are you
afraid that
something that
you might
do in the
future is
going to
cause God
to finally
judge you?
Does the
reality that
if you have
Christ and
you are
justified in
him,
does that
give you
peace?
what he
has done
for you?
Does that
comfort your
soul?
Does it
take your
anxiety away
about facing
God one
day?
So that's
one, we
have certain
peace with
God.
Number two,
we have
certain
access to
God.
Certain
access to
God.
Verse two,
through him
we have
also obtained
access by
faith into
this grace
in which
we stand.
God.
This would
have been
an amazing
statement for
particularly
Jews hearing
this.
Many
generations
before Christ
having access
to God
was a
crazy idea,
scary idea,
foreign thought.
Many of the
people of
Israel in the
Old Testament
knew that
sinful man was
incapable of
approaching God
and entering
into his
holy presence.
They had
witnessed
firsthand,
men and
women just
consumed by
approaching God
on their
own.
God could
only be
approached
through various
protocols
prescribed in
the Mosaic
and Levitical
law.
But now,
since Christ
has secured
peace by
his blood
shed on
the cross,
we are no
longer his
enemies but
at peace
with him,
because of
that we
can have
access to
the holy
presence of
God.
Access to
relationship
with him.
Access to
worship him.
Access to
have like a
child would
have to a
father.
That's what
we have,
access to
God through
what Christ
has done.
So,
have you
taken that
access for
granted?
It has just
approaching God
become so
familiar that
you've forgotten
that it is a
huge blessing
to account
yourself to
be able to
go into
God's presence
because of
Christ.
It says in
the psalm,
psalm 68,
verse 2,
that the
sinful,
the wicked,
will not
stand in
God's
presence,
but they
will perish
as wax
does before
the fire.
That's
scary.
So,
how does
that not
happen to
us?
It's because
we are
standing in
Christ.
You and
I would
never,
ever dare
approach the
holy presence
of God
apart from
Jesus Christ.
without
him,
the
presence
of God,
the
holiness
of God
has to
be
protected
from
us.
If we
try to
enter into
God's
presence on
our own,
God would
be
dishonored
and we
would be
destroyed.
Right?
But now,
only because
of Christ,
our great
high priest,
we may
come near
and feast
our hearts
on the
flaming beauty
of his
holiness and
his presence
and stand
there just
in awestruck
glory.
It says in
Hebrews 10
verse 19,
we have
confidence to
enter the
holy places
by the
blood of
Jesus,
by the
new and
living way
that he
opened for
us through
the curtain.
So,
therefore,
we do not
have to
fear,
to come
into God's
presence,
but we
must come
through Christ
and through
Christ alone.
There is no
other way.
Because of the
work of Jesus,
we can have
access to
God through
a remarkable
state of
his grace
in which we
stand firmly,
securely.
That word
stand carries
the idea of
permanence,
of standing
firm and
immovable.
That's awesome.
We can stand
there certain.
So,
this is a
blessing of
justification.
We can have
peace with
God,
access to
God.
Number three,
number three,
certain hope,
a certain hope
in God.
See this in
verses two
through five.
We rejoice in
the hope of
the glory of
God.
Not only that,
but we rejoice
in our sufferings,
knowing that
suffering produces
endurance.
endurance produces
character,
and character
produces hope,
and hope does
not put us
to shame.
So,
biblical hope
is not just
wishful thinking,
it's not just
crossing our
fingers and
hoping that
things just
turn out the
way we want
them to be.
Biblical hope
implies looking
forward to
something good
in the future
with confidence,
certainty,
and expectation.
Here,
true,
genuine
believers can
be assured
that as a
result of
being justified
before God,
they can
possess true
hope of the
glory of
God.
Right?
That is a
promise that
one day we
will be
glorified.
We will be
perfected on
the last day.
That is
amazing.
So,
prove it,
right?
How do I
know that?
Well,
you don't have
to turn
now,
let's read
you one
verse out
of Romans
chapter 8.
Now,
think about it,
if we are
justified,
it says,
those whom
he predestined,
he also
called,
those whom
he called,
he also
justified,
and those
whom he
justified,
he also
glorified.
Like,
we have a
certain hope
if we are
made right
in God's
sight that we
will one
day be
glorified.
It's one
of the
clearest
hallmarks
of a
justified
believer
is our
perspective
on the
future,
how we
look at
things in
the future.
True
believers
who are
righteous
in God's
sight
have a
certain
hope of
future
glory
to be
with God
forever.
So,
if you look
a little
further in
these verses,
if that
amazing
hope of
future
glory
is in
Christ,
if we
have that,
it will
endure.
It will
endure even
in suffering.
You see
that?
Sufferings
here is
really the
word
tribulations.
It means
to be put
under great
pressure.
And in the
context,
it's not
necessarily
referring to
the common
hardships that
we just have
in our
everyday life.
It's
specifically
referring to
the suffering
that we may
endure because
of the
backlash of
being a
follower of
Christ.
the suffering
that we
endure by
being right
with God.
So,
some of us
might think
that suffering
would undermine
our confidence
in God.
But Paul is
actually making
the opposite
argument.
If your
hope is
destroyed and
is obliterated
by a little
bit of
suffering,
then it
wasn't
really a
hope worth
having.
It's not
a real
deal.
But if
you have
an eternal
hope,
not saying
it will
be easy,
but it
will
endure.
It will
last.
And Paul
proves that
by arguing
cause and
effect here
in these
verses.
And our
suffering,
God allows
into our
lives,
He provides
the opportunity
and the
need for
our hope
to endure.
That
endurance
that we
see,
or that
perseverance
through
trials,
it produces
character.
The word
here is
provenness.
it proves
something.
A character
that has
stood up
under
extreme
trial and
examination
and found
to be
genuine
through
testing.
That's
what we're
implying
here.
So,
understand,
like,
I was just
trying to
think of a
story to
tell,
but I
probably
will resist
because it
will take
me a
long time
to tell
it.
But in
the past,
like when
soldiers were
facing a
great enemy,
outnumbered
three to
one,
and they
were asked,
like,
how are
your men
just not
going to
run when
the enemy
shows up?
They're
terrifying,
they outnumber
you,
and like
this particular
general who
was Caesar
said,
they won't
run because
they have
been tested.
They have
been tested,
they are
veterans,
and they
will stand
until the
end.
He knew
the quality
of the
provenness
of the
men that
were under
him.
Right?
So when
we face
trials,
and we
endure under
that extreme
testing,
we will have
proven character.
And that
proven character
produces a
stronger hope
and confidence
facing the
future.
You see that?
It's just right
in front of us
in these
verses.
So therefore,
suffering is
important because
it is the
testing ground
for faith and
hope to be
strengthened.
we all
would argue
that the
most humble,
mature believers
we know are
those who
endure great
suffering in
their lives and
somehow persevered
through it,
still trusting
God, still
clinging to
his promises
despite the
pain and
despite the
loss.
God uses
those trials
to make us
more like
Christ, to
give us
godly
character.
So therefore,
we can
rejoice,
not only in
the future
glory, but
in present
trials and
sufferings.
Not because
they're pleasant
to go through,
but because
God uses
them to
transform us
for the
better, to
make us
more like
Christ, and
to bring us
closer to
him.
For
those of
you who
may be
lacking
hope this
morning,
does this
reality,
that we
are made
right and
justified in
God's
presence
through
Christ,
does that
give you
hope to
face the
future?
Does it
bring hope
to you that
all the
sin that
you bring
is not
going to
ultimately
destroy you,
but you
will have
hope to
stand before
God one
day, even
through the
sufferings of
this present
life, you
can have
hope for
the future.
number
four, a
certain love
from God.
Number four,
a certain
love from
God.
Look at a
part of
verse five,
starting in
verse five.
He says,
connecting it
to the
previous
verses,
because the
love, because
God's love
has been
abundantly
poured into
our hearts
through the
Holy Spirit
whom he has
given us,
for while we
were still
weak at the
right time,
Christ died
for the
ungodly, for
one will
scarcely die
for a
righteous
person, though
perhaps for a
good person
one would
dare even
to die, but
God shows
his own
love for
us, and
that while
we were
still sinners,
Christ died
for us.
So in
these verses,
Paul grounds
the subjective
experience of
God's love to
the objective
work of Christ
on the cross.
So we have
a hope that
does not put
us to shame
or doesn't
disappoint us
because it's
anchored in
not our own
goodness or
our own
love for
God, but
in his
agape
unconditional
love for
us.
That's where
we can ground
this certain
hope, is it's
based in
God's love.
Our hope,
our final
deliverance is
certain, again
because it's
based on
God's love and
that he has
given us his
Holy Spirit.
Now why does
this matter?
The Spirit
enables us to
trust in the
atoning work
of Christ.
The Holy
Spirit is how
he is the
agent in
which God
manifests his
love to
us.
One of his
primary roles
is to
assure
born-again
believers that
are justified
in Christ
that they
truly belong
to him.
Jesus said
in John 14
verse 26,
when he
comes,
he will
remind you
of all
that I
have taught
you and
to bring
to remembrance
all that I
have said.
Right?
So that's what
the Spirit
does.
He brings
the truth
of God's
word,
the promises
of God's
word,
reminds us
during those
trials that
we go through
in everyday
life.
So he is the
agent of
God's love.
He brings
it to us.
Similarly,
Paul wrote
in Ephesians
1 verse 13,
when you
heard the
word of
the truth,
the gospel
of your
salvation,
and believed
in him,
you were
sealed with
the promised
Holy Spirit,
who is the
guarantee of
our inheritance
until we
acquire possession
of it,
to the praise
of his glory.
So,
while we
wait for
hope to be
finally fulfilled,
God's love,
literally it
says,
is being
poured out
into our
hearts
through the
Holy Spirit.
So the
hope of
future glory
and final
deliverance is
rooted in
God's
unconditional
love for
his people
that his
son died
to save.
So look
here also
at verse
6.
Look at
the timing
of God's
love.
It says,
at the
right time.
Alright,
so we may
think,
why did it
take so
long for
Jesus to
come?
Well,
God says
it was the
right time
in redemptive
history for
Christ to
appear to
accomplish the
work of
salvation.
So how
many of
us
functionally
believe that
God helps
those who
help
themselves?
How many
of you
actually
believe that?
A few
years ago,
a study
revealed that
half of
evangelicals
thought this
was a direct
quotation from
the Bible.
Half.
84% at
least believe
that it was
a biblical
truth.
So,
not true
at all.
Both
wrong,
both
heresies.
Ben
Franklin
said that
in
Paul
Richard's
Almanac,
not in
the Bible.
So,
what does
it say
here?
Paul writes
that God
lovingly sent
Christ for
us when
we were
weak.
See,
that means
helpless,
vulnerable,
defenseless.
It denotes a
lack of
moral strength.
It is
connected to
us being
ungodly.
unable to
save
ourselves
or do
anything
to pour
ourselves
out of
the pit
that we
were in.
In that
helpless
state,
Christ came.
And so,
we see,
he gives you
an example
here.
There is no
greater love
than what
Christ has
done.
He contrasts
the death
of Christ
with other
examples
of human
heroic
deaths.
Right?
Such deaths
are substitutionary
in nature,
meaning somebody
else dies
for another
person.
Right?
And he
says,
on the rare
occasion,
even a
fallen,
sinful human
being might
die for
a morally
upright person,
a good
person,
one that's
done much
good.
But those
examples are
radically
different in
comparison to
Christ's love
for us.
They pale
in comparison.
Human love
at its very
best is puny,
weak,
and pathetic
in light of
who God
is,
in light of
his love.
Why?
Now think about
this,
because all
others are
rooted in
mutual love
or friendship.
Jesus says,
it's easy for
you to love
those who
love you.
What benefit
is that to
you?
If even
sinners love
those who
love them,
he didn't
die for
righteous
people.
He didn't
die for
people who
did good
to him.
Jesus
died a
horrible
death for
unrighteous,
ungodly,
hostile
enemies.
It'd be
easy for
you to
maybe die
for your
child or
for a
really good
friend or
a parent,
a loved
one,
but they
love you
more or
less.
But again,
Christ died
for those
who hated
him,
for the
ungodly,
for his
enemies.
He took
the place
of sinners
like you
and me
who lived
in willful
rebellion
against him.
So,
in God's
love,
he initiated
our salvation.
1 John
chapter 1.
God's
love,
and this
is the
love of
God,
not that
we have
loved God,
but that
God loved
us and
sent his
son to
be the
propitiation
for our
sin.
Number
five,
moving
quickly here,
trying to
land the
plane.
Number
five,
we have
certain
reconciliation
with God.
Certain
reconciliation
with God.
Look at
verse 9.
Since
therefore we
have been
justified by
his blood,
much more
shall we be
saved by
him from
the wrath
of God.
For if
while we
were enemies
we were
reconciled to
God by
the death
of his
son,
much more
now that
we are
reconciled
shall we
be saved
by his
life.
More than
that,
we also
rejoice in
God through
our Lord
Jesus Christ
through whom
we have
received
reconciliation.
So we
don't like
to be
called
enemies
of God.
Right?
That is a
hard term
to swallow.
Most people
think I'm
cool with
God.
I've got
no problem
with God.
Like what
problem does
he have
with me?
Well,
unless you
are in
Christ,
you are
his enemy.
That means,
this word
means one
who is
hostile,
hateful,
or bitter
in opposition
to another.
The same
word is used
of the devil
in Matthew
13.
Romans
has taught
us that
sobering
reality that
all of us
have fallen
short of
the glory
of God.
Me,
you,
the best
person you
know,
everyone apart
from Jesus
Christ.
We have
all sinned
and rebelled
against him.
It says in
Ephesians 4
that we were
once alienated
from a life
with God.
That means
to be shut
out of one's
fellowship and
shut out of
one's intimacy.
Alienated.
Apart from
Jesus,
our sin
has shut
us out,
excluded us,
and cut us
off from
fellowship with
God.
We love
the world
and the
things in
the world.
And James
4,
verse 4
says,
if you are
a friend
of the
world,
meaning that
you love
it,
it's what
you go
for,
it's what
you get
up for,
if you
love the
world,
you make
yourself
an enemy
of God.
God said
through Isaiah,
our iniquities
have made a
separation
between us
and God.
So think
the idea
separated.
Often held
that many
people,
again,
are enemies
of God,
but people
wouldn't say,
those same
people wouldn't
say,
well,
I think
God doesn't
have a
problem
with me,
but the
term here
is actual
mutual
hostility,
meaning that
God is
equally
angry with
us for
our sin
and for
our rebellion
against him.
God loathing
the rebellious
sinner and
the sinner
loathing
God.
Charles
Hodge
once wrote
about this
verse,
there is
not only
a wicked
opposition
of the
sinner to
God,
but a
holy
opposition
of God
to the
sinner.
Sinful
man has
turned away
from the
God of
peace and
made war
on him
instead.
We all
have done
it,
directly and
indirectly,
just rebelled
against God.
So it
says,
formerly,
we were
his enemies
and we
needed
reconciliation.
And now
in Christ
we are
reconciled.
Are
reconciled.
The New
Testament
noun here
means a
restoration
of favor.
It's used
three times
in this
passage.
It means
to change
the relationship
of hostile
parties to
come together
again and
be in peace
with one
another.
To resolve
their differences
and to
restore
relationship.
So the
separation
and alienation
our sin
caused
with God
can now
be resolved
by what
Christ alone
has done.
He has
brought us
back into
fellowship
with one
another
by removing
the thing
that was
causing
the hostility,
namely
our sin.
Right?
That's what it
says right
here.
And this
is done
by the
death
of Christ.
In these
verses,
some people
in the
modern
church
want to
say,
hey,
God is
love and
He is
only
love.
Others
may want
to say
God is
wrath and
He is
only
wrath.
Well,
in these
few
verses,
you see
them side
by side,
the love
of God
and the
wrath
of God.
If
someone
says,
you're
saved,
what are
you saved
from?
You were
saved
from the
wrath
of God.
So all
of us,
even those
of us
who are
in Christ
will be
aware
when that
wrath
comes
one day.
And in
that
you are
inside
Christ.
Inside
what He
has done,
reconciled
by the
death
of His
Son.
Now look
at that
amazing
phrase,
we shall
be saved
by His
life.
Saved
by His
life.
That is a
definitive
certainty.
If we
are justified,
we are
reconciled.
And we
are
looking
to the
future
with hope
of glory.
And we
shall
be saved
by His
life.
That is a
certainty
and a
promise.
So just
a conclusion
in that
very last
verse.
What is
the result
of this?
Verse 11,
we rejoice
in God
through
our Lord
Jesus Christ.
The response
to such
grace
and such
love
to sinners
like me
and sinners
like you.
There is
no response
but to
rejoice
and to
take up
your cross
and follow
Christ.
Give
your life
to Him
unreservedly.
This
news should
cause
great joy
in your
heart for
what He
has done.
So this
is the
gospel,
guys.
This is a
further
explanation
of what
Christ has
accomplished.
You go
into a
courtroom
and your
faith is
on trial.
This is
your case.
This is
your case
that you
bring to
stand
righteous
before
God.
So let's
just give
Him
thanks
in prayer
together.