Romans Series #4
Romans 1:16-17
(Exodus 20:1-17 NASB) "Then God spoke all these words, saying, {2} "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. {3} "You shall have no other gods before Me. {4} "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. {5} "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, {6} but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. {7} "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain. {8} "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. {9} "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, {10} but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. {11} "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. {12} "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you. {13} "You shall not murder. {14} "You shall not commit adultery. {15} "You shall not steal. {16} "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. {17} "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
A sinner is one who fails to keep this law in ALL its detail and implication. And, in case you are one who thinks you've done pretty well and will fare better than your more sinful neighbor hear the words of James 2:10 NASB.
"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in ONE point, he has become GUILTY OF ALL."
Whether you like it or not the name sinner applies to every human for all have sinned. We are sinners by nature as sons and daughters of Adam. We are sinners by practice because we have broken God's law. Humans are sinners against the God who made them and owns them. Listen the words of God in Ezekiel 18:4-9 NASB.
"Behold, ALL SOULS ARE MINE; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. THE SOUL WHO SINS WILL DIE. {5} "BUT IF a man is righteous, and practices justice and righteousness, {6} and does not eat at the mountain shrines or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife, . . {7} if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry, and covers the naked with clothing, {8} if he does not lend money on interest or take increase, if he keeps his hand from iniquity, and executes true justice between man and man, {9} if he WALKS IN MY STATUTES AND MY ORDINANCES so as to deal faithfully-- he is righteous and will surely live," declares the Lord GOD."
The soul that sins it will die. But, if there be any soul that lives in perfect obedience to God's law from the cradle to the grave, that soul will live. He will live because he will have proven he is not a sinner like all the rest. He will have proved to be a RIGHTEOUS man. However, we know there are no such people born of women. Hear the word of the Lord.
(Romans 3:19-24 NASB) "Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, (Every human is obligated to the law of God.) that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD; {20} because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for THROUGH THE LAW COMES THE KNOWLEDGE OF SIN. {21} But now APART from the Law the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, {22} even the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; (Between Jew and Gentile.) {23} for ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God, {24} being justified as a GIFT by His grace THROUGH the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;"
All souls belong to God and the soul that sins must suffer the penalty due all sinners, death. None but those in possession of THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST can come into His presence and ultimately into His heaven. No human is in possession of TRUE AND PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS which is what God demands of all who would enter His presence.
Man cannot ransom his own soul from the sentence of death that God has passed upon him. He possesses nothing in his arsenal of "Good Things" that will make atonement for his sin. In Psalms 49 God counsels all who wish to come to Him by the works of their own hands.
(Psalms 49:7-9 NASB) "No man can by ANY MEANS redeem his brother, Or give to God a ransom for him-- {8} For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever-- {9} That he should live on eternally; That he should not undergo decay."
Every man woman or child that expects God to save them on the basis of anything less than Christ's blood and righteousness need not waste his time. He should cease trying forever. If you refuse to come to God on His terms, friend, go fishing. Give it up! You will never make yourself acceptable to God. Why? Because God doesn't grade on a curve.
God does not require seventy five percent, or even ninety nine percent purity. The God who OWNS the souls of men has set the standard at 100% pruity. God requires ABSOLUTE PERFECTION of everyone He saves. His command to all humans is "BE HOLY AS I AM HOLY!" That is the requirement! Without PERFECT HOLINESS no man, woman, or child will enter God's heaven.
The problem, on the human side, is great, isn't it? It is insurmountable because we have all sinned at least once and therefore we come short of perfection. Even if we were free of personal sin we are still sinners by nature as children of the first sinners. Every man's heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. His situation is as hopeless as the leopard who would be rid of his spots or a black man who hopes to make himself some other color. Sinful men and women cannot cleanse themselves from past, present or future corruption of sin. Even if one could live from this day forth in perfect conformity to God's law he could do nothing about his PAST SINS and would therefore remain unacceptable to God. God will not have fellowship with anyone that is not Holy as He is Holy. The question naturally follows, "Who then can be saved?" I have shared Christ's answer to this question with you many times before. Let us hear it again.
(Matthew 19:25-26 NASB) "And when the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" {26} And looking upon them Jesus said to them, "With men this is IMPOSSIBLE, but with God all things are POSSIBLE."
Just how God has chosen to do that which is humanly impossible begins to be described in Romans 1:16-17.
(Romans 1:16-17 NASB) "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. {17} For in IT (The Gospel, the Good News that God does save helpless men out of their sins.) the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED from faith to faith; (This "Righteousness of God" is exactly what men must have to be saved from the wrath to come.) as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." And what is this Gospel in which the Righteousness of God is revealed?
(1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB) "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures, {4} and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures," This is the Gospel, the Good News to all who have been caused to understand the bad news of their guilt before God and the sentence of death that rests upon them even now! "Christ died for our sins!"
In the Gospel we find out how sinful men come to stand before God acceptable and Holy. That answer is found in the phrase, "CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS!" Jesus did not die for the sins of His own soul but for the sins of God's lost sheep. He died for OUR sins. He died in OUR place so that we would not suffer the second death. Remember the text we read earlier, "God OWNS ALL SOULS and the soul that sins must be forever separate from God which is the second death." Jesus Christ lived and died in such a way that He fulfilled God's requirement of absolute perfection on behalf of those He came to save. He lived a perfect life and died a perfect death actually accomplishing their eternal redemption. Hear the words of Scripture.
(2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NASB) "Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. {18} Now ALL THESE THINGS ARE FROM GOD, who RECONCILED us to Himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of RECONCILIATION, {19} namely, that God was in Christ RECONCILING the world (Meaning, all kinds of men as opposed to just the Jews.) to Himself, NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM, (But rather against Christ.) and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (The Gospel) {20} Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. {21} HE MADE HIM WHO KNEW NO SIN TO BE SIN ON OUR BEHALF, THAT WE MIGHT BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM."
This is how sinners are made acceptable to God. They have an alien righteousness given to them. By that I mean a righteousness that is not their own. The righteousness that finds acceptance with God does not originate with men. It is the "Righteousness of God", or a righteousness that "Comes from God" through faith in Christ." Let us read verse seventeen of this text once again.
"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. {18} Now ALL THESE THINGS ARE FROM GOD, who reconciled us (Believers) to Himself THROUGH Christ, . ." Salvation is entirely from God! Salvation is something God does to, for and inspite of the helpless sinner He saves! Here is amazing grace to be sure!
If you've never understood God's plan of salvation before today here is your opportunity. It has to do with the "Righteousness of God" being applied to sinful men through the gift of faith exercised toward Jesus Christ. This plan of redeeming men is quite opposed to man's idea of what might make him acceptable to God. It involves faith, not works of obedience. It has to do with trust in the Lord Jesus Christ who is our righteousness and MAKES US the very righteousness which God demands for salvation. By faith in Christ believing sinners become the "Righteousness of God!" What a wonderful Gospel we have been given!
In addition to revealing how sinners are made acceptable to God, the Gospel also reveals how God remains righteous as He forgives guilty sinners. Look with me to Romans 3:19-26 NASB.
"Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; (All men are equally guilty and condemned before God.) {20} because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. {21} But NOW APART from the Law the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD has been revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, {22} even THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; {23} for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, {24} being justified as a GIFT by His GRACE THROUGH the redemption which is IN Christ Jesus; {25} whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation (A victim sacrificed to satisfy the demands of the offended party, in this case, God.) in His blood through faith. This was to DEMONSTRATE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS, (God put Christ to death to show that He did not wink at sin or despise the demands of His own Law. If God had saved sinners in violation of His own Law He would prove to be unrighteous, or a sinner Himself. On the human level this demonstration was necessary . . ) because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; {26} for the DEMONSTRATION, I say, of HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS at the present time, that He might be JUST AND THE JUSTIFIER of the one (The sinner.) who has faith in Jesus."
What we find here is that God used His own Son as a scape goat. This is an Old Testament idea. Once a year on the Day of Atonement the Priest would take two goats to himself one for sacrifice and one for a scape goat. In this act of worship the whole Elect Nation of Israel was reminded of their sin and that death is the consequence of sin. In this ritual they learned not only of their guilt but that another must bear it away. God commanded that the Priest, symbolically place, the sins of the people on a Scape Goat. The goat was then sent out to the desert to die. As he went away he carried the sins of Israel with him, in a symbolic way of course. This was a picture of what Christ would one day do for the Elect from every nation. One day God would make Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf. Jesus Christ carried our sins away from us to the cross, there, He fulfilled the sentence of death that had our name on it. Our sins were punished in Christ. Christ died in the place of all God's Elect Children fulfilling the demands of the law on their behalf. Therefore, God can remain just and be the justifier of the ungodly. Christ's saving work is applied to us when God the Holy Spirit enables and causes us to trust in Christ's blood and righteousness by faith. Just as our sins were imputed or laid on Christ so His righteousness and acceptance with God is imputed or given to us. By a miracle of grace believing sinners become the very "Righteousness of God." We have been made acceptable, we are saved from the wrath to come. We are new creatures, the old is passed away, all things are new and it has all come from God!
Paul declares in Philippians 3:7-9 NASB. "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. {8} More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, {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,"
The Christians Gospel is this, that God treats believing sinners as though they had personally obeyed and suffered all that Jesus obeyed and suffered, because they are united to Him and His work by faith. God dealt with Jesus on account of what we deserved, which was death. He deals with us on account of what Christ deserved by His perfect Obedience and that is eternal life.
What a glorious plan of Salvation! Man, the helpless, rebellious sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, made right with God by faith! Man the vile and God the Holy becoming Father and Son. Mortal enemies reconciled for eternity through faith in Jesus Christ. He becomes to us the perfection required for acceptance with God.
Folks, just as the gavel dropped to declare all men guilty and worthy of death so "The Great Judge" slams it down again to declare righteous all who believe in Jesus. When God the Holy Spirit gives a man a new heart, the GIFTS of repentance and faith, he always believes in Jesus for salvation and is saved from the wrath to come. At that moment God declares us forgiven, innocent, Righteous and justified, pure in the eyes of God. At that moment there is a new sentence handed down from that eternal desk. That new sentence is that we experience Eternal life! It is Heaven with God without parol! It consists of fellowship forever with the redeemed from all the ages!
How can sinful men be made right with God? It is by faith. Saving faith is not passive, rather it petitions Christ for mercy and life. Such faith looks like that described in the hymn Rock of Ages. The one seeking to be reconciled to God by faith in Jesus comes saying;
Nothing in my hands I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling, (The substitutionary death of Christ for sinners.)
Naked, I come to Thee for dress
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
Foul, I to the fountain fly
Wash me, Saviour, or I die,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee!
This great old hymn makes reference to God hiding Moses in a cleft or split in a mountain wall so that when he passed by Moses would not die. This was necessary for no man can come into the presence of God except through Christ. Christ is the safe hiding place for sinners. By faith we enter into Him and there we are sheltered from the just displeasure of God. There our sins are hidden from view. The beliving sinner cries out, "Rock of Ages, Cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee!"
Come to Christ dear one and then you may say with the Prophet Isaiah
(Isaiah 61:10 NASB) "I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, (The Righteousness of God.) As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you too will have this robe of righteousness that makes sinners acceptable to God.