11/19/06

We Are Justified By Faith

Romans 5:1-11

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, [2] through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. [3] And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; [4] and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; [5] and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. [6] For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. [7] For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. [8] But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [9] Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. [10] For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. [11] And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 The last three lessons were based upon the fallacy surrounding a person’s ability to receive acceptance by God through a performance of the Law.  We saw that it is impossible for a person to be good enough through their own efforts to gain a place of right standing (righteousness) with God.  We saw that the scripture is implicitly clear that man cannot attain the righteousness of God through a life centered upon the “dead flesh.”  It is impossible to please God through the works of the Law (and/or the flesh).  Paul’s teaching is that the flesh is dead; that the flesh is “hostile” towards God; that the flesh cannot “please” God; that the Law “condemns the flesh.”

 (If you arrive in class early enough, please take just a couple of minutes and read the fourth chapter of Romans.  If not, refresh you thinking about what we will talk about this morning by reading the fourth chapter sometime today.)

 In, the fourth chapter of Romans, Paul broadens our understanding on the powerlessness of the flesh.  His teaching places the truth of God’s grace in stark contrast to the work of the flesh.  The outward sign of God’s people was the circumcision of Jewish men.  This was a sign of covenant between God and those called to live in righteous obedience to Him.  Circumcision was “cornerstone” evidence that one was willing to live in obedience to the commands of God.  However, Paul, indicated that he was

[5] circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; [6] as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless… [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, Philip. 3:5-6,9

Paul’s teaching in chapter four is the transitional point from the Law to grace and faith.  He indicated that if the earthly father of God’s people, Abraham, gained acceptance by God through faith, then we must not look upon righteousness any other way.

 Our study this morning begins with Paul’s emphatic statement in Romans 5:1.  The word “therefore” reminds us that what is to come is predicated upon the verses before.  Paul’s instruction before this is that acceptance, righteousness, and the subsequent residual condition of peace is not received through Law living, but through faith.  Because the believer has been given the faith to believe and does, he is “justified.”  The word means to be declared “innocent” or “just.”  You have, I am sure, heard the colloquial Christian definition of the word “justified” mentioned many time as, “JUST IF I’D NEVER SINNED.”  And, in fact, that is what it means.  However we need to remember that one is not “just” on the basis of anything he has done, for in reality we are not just in the flesh, but by the work that Jesus accomplished for us on the cross.  He died because we are not just and could not do anything to make ourselves just. (see Rom. 4:25) 

 Paul tells us how we are justified…by faith.  In Ephesians 2:8, we learn that faith is a part of the grace-gift of God.  Had grace not come there would be no faith.  The ability to exercise faith is extended to us because of the grace of God.  And it is not a self-generated faith…ex. “I will garner up all the faith I can to believe.”  No!  Faith is the embracing of who God is.  It is trusting Him for who He says He is and relying on that alone for salvation.  You see, I don’t have to garner up or prop up anything.  If I did, that would mean it is my doing.  I might be able, at that point, to say to you, “I have more faith than you do,” hence making me a better receptor of God’s salvation.  This is the problem in the church with faith healing.  People will tell you that you did not have enough faith if God does not heal you of your infirmities or diseases.  There is a perverted sense of God’s sovereignty when we assume that God is dependent on me for what He wants to do.  For example, God really wants to heal me, but HE CAN’T because I don’t have enough faith.  In this scenario, who is the powerful one?  I am.  My healing is dependent on me.  Oh, how God must grieve over such heresy.  The problem is our faulty preconception that it is God’s greatest desire that we not suffer.  There is not one verse in scripture that specifically says that God’s desire is that we not suffer.  In fact, there is a reservoir of verses that talk about God’s comfort in suffering, that He specifically uses suffering for our growth and calls us to take joy in it.  Faith is faith, only, when the power of faith is on the object of faith.

 Now lets look at the fruit of justification.  PEACE.  There can be no peace in a person’s life without the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.  And the Holy Spirit can only be present when a person has been justified by faith.  That is the kind of peace that the world will never collectively know.  Warring nations call for peace.  However, this kind of peace is only temporary.  How many peace agreements have been made just in the past century…just between Israel and her neighbors?  And what do we have today?  Peace?  No.  True peace can only be experience by those whose hearts have been made just; only those who are just have had their hearts  changed by the redeeming blood of Christ.

 Paul says that both faith and peace are found in Jesus Christ.  It is in and through Him that we have faith and peace.  Paul calls it at first an “introduction into faith” and we exult in the hope and glory of God.  The word exult in the Greek actually means to “boast in, rejoice in, or glory in.”  Paul uses the verb “glory” to talk about the noun “glory.”  I will glory in the glory is the most accurate rendering.  Paul says my highest emotion (to glory) is in the essence of God (His glory). It is the shout of the heart to cry, “Oh Lord, my heart takes its greatest glory in your glory.”  And so we glory in who He is and what He has done and is doing in us.

 But that is not all we are to glory in.  Uh oh.  Be careful when you read further.  What we find to follow may burst our bubble of our perception of the Christian life.  Paul says that we are to glory in our tribulations.  But wait, how can we do that?  How is it that we can cry out to God and say, “We glory in hardship, trials, suffering, etc.?”  One might say, “I was just getting ready to ‘exercise my faith’ and pray and ask you to remove all my sufferings from my life.  And now, am I hearing Paul correctly when he says that we are to ‘exult’ in them?”  Yes, you are hearing correctly.

 How can we do that?  How can we glory in God’s glory when He intentionally places these things in our lives?  Because He has purposes that we do not see or know about.  Can we glory in suffering?  Really?  Yes.  How?  We can because God is our comfort.  He is our strength.  He is our peace.  He is our glory.  All that God does is for His glory.  When I live for Him in faith, I embrace His glory, which essentially becomes my glory.  So when I trust in Christ…I must trust Christ.  I am brought to the point of trusting that He WILL glorify Himself IN ME.  Do I want His glory in me, or do I want my glory in me?  That is the question we must all ask ourselves.

 But notice, what are the trappings of “glorying” in sufferings?  First, Paul says that the glory works in us  perseverance.  It is not a passive glory.  It is working to bring about a “joyful patience.”  It is one thing to wait, it is yet another to wait patiently, to wait confidently.  Confidence…that is the ticket.  Remember, hope, in scripture, is not wishful thinking, but assurance.  I know that when I glory in what God is doing in and through me it is actually a principle of patience.  I am not leaning upon my understanding; I am not depending in my own strength, but His. 

 As I glory in Him, this confident waiting builds proven character in me.  It is godly character that has been proven time and time again.  It is His strength that has been proven; it is His peace that has been shown over and over.  To the degree, that His character is becoming mine.  It is not a character that is lightly spoken of, but one that has been proven by trial.  The Christian that detests the trials is questionably a Christian. 

 Hope is not a disappointing thing.  It is a part of the work of the Holy Spirit…the encourager, the comforter, the helper, the guide, our friend.  Have you thought lately of the Holy Spirit as your friend?  We talk of Jesus as a Friend, but what about the Holy Spirit?  You see, He is the One working in you.  As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Don’t you know that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit?  It is the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of God…all one in the same that indwells you.  Yes, He  is your dearest friend.  It is through Him, as Paul says, “the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

 Lest, we forget and think that we were somehow deserving, somehow special, etc., for God to pour His love out to us, Paul goes immediately to the point of our most destitute condition: “while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly.”  There was no good thing that God saw in any of us that would coerce Him to die on the cross for us.