Justification by Faith - a survey

How does God grow the Church

Justification by Faith

message #3

{Intro}

Scripture reveals that mankind is separated from God as a result of sin. They are under judgment because of their sin which must be punished (Jn. 3:18). God provided the means of forgiveness through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7-8). Jesus, who is the sinless Son of God, gave Himself as an offering for sin (Gal. 4:4-5; 1 Tim. 1:15; 2:3-6). He took our sin upon Himself and received the God the Father's wrath for our sin while He was on the cross (2 Cor. 5:17-21). Jesus' sacrifice satisfied the Father's righteous requirement (Rom. 3:21-26). R.A. Torrey stated the following in a message entitled, The Great Attraction: The Uplifted Christ,

First, Christ crucified draws all men unto Himself because Christ crucified meets the first, the deepest, the greatest and most fundamental need of man. What is man's first, greatest, deepest, most fundamental need? A Savior? A Savior from what? First of all, and underlying all else, a Savior from the guilt of sin. Every man of every race has sinned. As Paul put it "There is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Rom. 3:22-23) There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, at this point, nor is there any difference between English and German at this point, there is no difference between American and Japanese at this point, no difference between the European and Asian, no difference between the American and the African. "There is no difference; for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Every man of every race is a sinner, "there is no difference" at this point. And every man shall have to answer for his sin to the infinitely holy God who rules this universe. Therefore, all men need an atoning Savior who can by His atoning death make propitiation for, and so cover up, our sins-thus reconciling us to this holy God, delivering us from His awful wrath, and bringing us out into the glorious sunlight of His favor. And Jesus lifted up is the only atoning Savior in the universe. He who alone was at the same time God and man, He alone can make atonement for sin. He has made it, has made a perfect atonement, and God has accepted His atonement and, testified to His acceptance of His atonement by raising Him from the dead. The Lord Jesus actually meets our need. He actually meets every man's first, greatest, deepest, most fundamental need, and He alone.

{Message}

Scripture teaches that through Christ's sacrifice, justification was made available (Col. 1:19-23). This justification is received by faith in Christ's sacrifice (Rom. 5:1-2; Tit. 3:4-7). When one trusts in Christ's sacrifice by faith he is declared righteous (justified) by God (Rom. 5:8-11). At that moment the individual receives Christ's righteousness (Rom. 3:21-16). Faith in Christ's sacrifice results in the individual being accepted by God and receiving forgiveness of sins (Col. 2:13-14; Tit. 2:11-14).

This means that for one to attempt to earn God's forgiveness (eternal salvation) is to reject God redemptive plan. Christ's sacrifice is the means of justification and restoration (redemption) (Heb. 9:12-28). Faith is the means of receiving this forgiveness and redemption (Gal. 2:16; Heb. 1:3). Faith in Christ's sacrifice results in receiving God's righteousness (Eph. 2:8-10; Rom. 3:21-26). A person receiving righteousness from God by faith is the only way for a person to be justified in the presence of God (1 Cor. 1:8-9; 1 Thess. 5:23-24; Rom. 8:28-39). When one believes in Christ's sacrifice he is justified and receives forgiveness of sins, which he can never forfeit (Heb. 7:24-27; 10:10-18).

Scripture teaches that no man is justified by good works (Rom. 3:19-20, 28). No man is made righteous by being a good person or doing good things (Gal. 2:16; 3:22). In fact, Scripture teaches that no one is righteous (Rom. 3:10-18). Man's good works are described as a “filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6). Therefore, man is in need of righteousness. Scripture teaches that righteousness is available through faith in Christ's sacrifice (Gal. 3:10-14). Righteousness is received by faith (Rom. 3:21-26).

God justifies men by grace, not because of merit. You and I had no merit. Everything was against us. Demerit was ours, and no merit did we have to plead. But now God says in grace, “I am ready to take up that man and save him, if he will but receive and confess my Son as his Lord.” It is so hard for people to understand this. Men always seem to get the idea that they must do something in order to merit God's favor. It would not be grace if it were merited. Grace is unmerited favor, and it is favor for those who have merited the very opposite. That is grace. ~ H.A. Ironside

This biblical teaching has been under attack from the very moment it was revealed (1 Cor. 1:18). Sinful man has set out to establish his own righteousness apart from faith in Christ's sacrifice (Rom. 9:30-32). This pride results in rejecting justification by faith (Rom. 1:18-23). The truth is that sinful man has no righteousness of his own and is incapable of reconciling himself to God. When one accepts Christ's sacrifice by faith for the forgiveness of sins, he receives Christ's righteousness (Gal. 2:16). Can you fathom that a born-again Christian possesses the righteousness of Christ and he received it by faith? Wow! A man is accepted by God and declared righteous through faith in Christ alone (1 Pet. 2:22, 24-25)! This is the only means of being justified with God (Heb. 1:1-4; 7:26-27).

The Lord Jesus Christ was absolutely without offense. He was the holy son of God, but He looked upon us poor sinners in our deep need and He took our place in judgment. He went to the cross and He bore what our sins deserved. He poured out His life in the shedding of His precious blood, and when we receive Him we can say that He has washed out our sins in His precious blood. He had no sins of His own for which to die. He was there for our sins.

~ H.A. Ironside

This subject is so vitally important that it bears summarizing: an individual receives forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ's sacrifice; as a result of faith in Christ's sacrifice God declares that person righteous, imparting to them Christ's righteousness.

{Conclusion}

So your acceptance with God is entirely based on faith in Christ's sacrifice (Eph. 2:1-10). Your approval with God is not based on how you live. God has accepted you through faith in Christ's sacrifice. You are incapable of earning God's approval. You are incapable of repaying God's grace. Rest in the fact that you are justified with God by faith in Christ's sacrifice. You are accepted by God in Christ. Do not fall into the performance trap! This is when you seek to earn God's approval through a laundry list of actions. Some seek to give a lot of money, time, study, evangelism, teaching, etc...all in an effort to earn God's approval. The reality is that justification by faith results in a personal being approved by God in Christ and it has nothing to do with your performance. Through faith in Christ you have as much of God's approval as you can ever possibly possess. Wow, that is something awesome. So get out of the performance trap! You can only be justified by faith in Christ.

There is another trap that is equally as dangerous, which is the debtor's ethic. The debtor's ethic is a subtle poison. The idea is one reported to be motivated by gratitude. It goes something like this, “Christ has done so much for me, so I am going to do...for Him.” If one is not careful, the Christian life becomes an unending process of attempting to repay God for His grace through Christ. A believer can never repay God for His grace through Christ. A believer can never repay God for His grace period, so stop trying! God never intended for us to repay Him! Salvation is by grace and we receive it through faith (Eph. 2:8-9). As believers we are forever indebted to God's grace. In fact, as we live and glorify God, that is a result of His grace, not our own efforts (Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:12-13; Jn. 3:21). Our obedience to God, our love for Him, our spiritual growth, our spiritual fruit, they are all the result of God's grace in our lives! Some believers think that salvation is by grace through faith, but that spiritual maturity is entirely a personal effort (Gal. 3:2-3). All of the Christian life: positional sanctification, progressive sanctification, and final sanctification are all a result of God's grace at work in our lives (Rom. 8:28-30).

This subject is so vitally important that it bears summarizing: an individual receives forgiveness of sins through faith in Christ's sacrifice; as a result of faith in Christ's sacrifice God declares that person righteous, imparting to them Christ's righteousness.

How does God grow the Church? - message #3 - Justification by Faith

Justification by Faith

Romans 3:21-26

{Intro}

This message is an exposition of the central passage on justification by faith. Justification by faith is crucial to an accurate understanding of Christianity and Scripture. The Protestant Reformation began because of the widespread false teaching concerning how one receives eternal salvation. Men rose up to defend Scripture's teaching of justification by faith. During that time Catholicism taught that men were justified by works. The Reformers boldly proclaimed justification by faith. Their battle cry was, Soli fide, Sola gratia, Sole deo gloria “by faith alone, by grace alone, to God alone by the glory.” Paul writes to teach the Romans that God has provided His righteousness for all who place their faith in Christ's payment for sins on the cross.

In this passage we are going to see 5 key truths that support the doctrine of justification by faith.

{Message}

#1 – Righteousness isn't received through human effort (21)

This is the first key truth of justification by faith. God's righteousness has nothing to do with the Law or good works. The Law reveals guilt, not righteousness (cf. v. 20). God's righteousness was foretold by the O.T. (cf. Gen. 15:6; Ps. 32:1-2; Hab. 2:4).

#2 – God's righteousness is received through faith in Christ's payment for sin (22)

God's righteousness is received through faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone who places his faith in Christ receives God's righteousness. This doesn't not refer to simply believing that Jesus existed or exists. It refers to faith in Christ's payment for sin.

#3 – Everyone is able to receive God's righteousness through faith in Christ's payment on the cross (23-24)

No one is excluded from receiving God's righteousness through faith in Christ because everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's standard. This means that no one is too good and no one is too bad to be saved through faith in Christ.

Everyone who places his faith in Jesus Christ is declared righteous (justified) free of charge (as a gift). This salvation is made available by God's grace (the unmerited favor of God). This righteousness (justification) is available only through the redemption that Christ provided on the cross. Redemption was a ransom payment given to free a slave. In this case Christ's payment provided a release from guilt, judgment, and sin's power.

#4 – Christ's payment on the cross satisfied God's wrath (25)

God provided Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice for sin. Christ's death (shed blood) satisfied God's the Father's wrath. Christ being the sinless Son of God was the perfect offering needed to pay for all of mankind's sin. Every person who accepts Christ's payment for sin by faith receives forgiveness of sin and receives God's righteousness credited to his account.

God provided Christ as a propitiatory sacrifice for sin to demonstrate His righteousness. God has previously refrained from fully judging the sin of mankind. This does not mean that the sins committed previously were forgotten nor forgiven before Christ paid for them on the cross. In the case of the O.T. Saints, they were already in heaven because they had trusted by faith in God's promises which they had during their lifetime. Christ's payment on the cross paid for their sins.

#5 – God declares righteous those that place their faith in Christ's payment for sin (26)

Christ's payment for sin on the cross demonstrates God's righteousness. God is just because He has punished sin through Christ. God is also the justifier of every person who places his faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sins. God declares that person righteous through faith in Christ.

{Conclusion}

Here is a quick review of the 5 key truths that support the doctrine of justification by faith:

#1 – Righteousness isn't received through human effort (21)

#2 – God's righteousness is received through faith in Christ's payment for sin (22)

#3 – Everyone is able to receive God's righteousness through faith in Christ's payment on the cross (23-24)

#4 – Christ's payment on the cross satisfied God's wrath (25)

#5 – God declares righteous those that place their faith in Christ's payment for sin (26)

This is awesome truth. When a person places his faith in Christ's payment for sin on the cross here are two major results: forgiveness of sin; and being declared righteous. Your sins are forgiven and you receive Christ's righteousness credited to your account.

1 Corinthians 1:1-9

1 Corinthians

Introduction

1:1-9

Intro:

Paul wrote this letter around AD 55 from Ephesus (16:5-9; Acts 20:31). Paul founded the church on his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-17). God had to reaffirm that it was His will for Paul to preach the gospel in Corinth (Acts 18:9-10). Apparently opposition had caused Paul to become afraid.

Corinth had a population of about 250,000 freemen and as many as 400,000 slaves. It was not a university town like Athens but its people were interested in Greek philosophy and valued wisdom. Corinth had at least 12 temples in its history. It is unsure whether all were in operation at the time of Paul's writing. There was a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, whose worshipers practiced religious prostitution. A fourth of a mile north of the theater stood a temple to Asclepius, the god of healing. In the middle of the city was the 6^th Century BC temple of Apollo. The Jews also had a synagogue here; the inscribed lintel from the building is in the museum at old Corinth. Since Corinth was a large commercial city it was filled with immoral living. At one time 1,000 prostitutes served at Aphrodite's temple. The immorality that took place in Corinth became so well-known that the Greek verb “to Corinthanize” came to mean “to practice sexual immorality.” In such a place it is not surprising that this new church was plagued by numerous problems.

I) Greetings to the church at Corinth (1-3)

Paul greets the church by providing his credentials. He is an apostle of Jesus Christ (11). The Greek word apostoloV means sent one. Paul was given the office of apostle. He was one of the twelve. Apostles had to be chosen directly by Christ. Sosthenes is a co-sender with Paul. It is likely that this is the same man who was the synagogue ruler at Corinth (Acts 18:17-18). He had been assaulted by the Greeks and apparently converted to Christianity at a subsequent time.

Paul addresses the church in Corinth, the gathering of the body of Christ which lived in that city (2). Paul describes them as having been sanctified in Christ, saints by calling. Paul says that they were set apart by God in Christ. These true believers have become known as being in Christ. They are saved. This is driven home by the following statement that they are saints by calling. God chose them before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) but from a human perspective it came to reality when the individual put his faith in the gospel (Rom. 10:9-11, 13). They were set apart by God in Christ, they were called to be saints, which means holy ones. We are going to learn that their conduct wasn't holy (progressive sanctification) but their standing was holy (positional sanctification) because of salvation through faith in Christ. Paul in his address to the church is pointing out the great standing that they have with God through Christ. Paul also points out that wherever people live, if they have accepted the gospel, they are saints also. Jesus is the Lord of the Corinthian Christians and of all other Christians.

Next, Paul wishes God's blessing upon the Christians in Corinth (3). In the Greek culture individuals would bid someone grace (xariV) in letters or greetings. In Hebrew culture, one would bid someone peace (shalom, or in this case eirenh). Paul combines the two here in his letter to the church in Corinth. He does this in the majority of his letters. Paul desires God's best in the lives of these Christians.

II) Paul's gratitude for God's grace in the Corinthians (4-9)

Paul expresses his gratitude for the Corinthian believers' spiritual giftedness (4). Paul says that the Corinthians were made rich in everything through Christ. Their speech and knowledge refers to spiritual gifts given by God when they were born again (1 Cor. 12:8; 2 Cor. 8:7). Paul thanks God for this grace that He extended to them in Christ. The apostle says that they received these spiritual gifts when they first believed the gospel (6). Salvation by is received by God's grace through faith in the gospel. Paul explains that their salvation was evidenced through the spiritual gifts they received when they believed the gospel (5). As Paul was preaching to them and they believed the gospel, God confirmed the authenticity of their salvation by giving them spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are given by God to each true believer to be used for the spiritual health of the church and for God's glory (Eph. 4:11-16; Rom. 12:3-8; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; 1 Cor. 12:4-11).

Paul states that the church in Corinth is not lacking in any way in regard to spiritual gifts (7). The Greek emphasizes that it is a gift of grace. The church has been abundantly blessed by God in this way, yet it has resulted in selfishness and pride. The apostle mentions that they are saved, possessing spiritual gifts, and awaiting Christ's return. This is speaking of the blessed hope of Church-age believers, the rapture (1 Th. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-58). The N.T. repeatedly urges Christians to wait expectantly for the return of Christ (Jn. 14:1-4; Phil. 3:17-21; 2 Th. 2:1-2; 1 Tim. 6:13-16; Heb. 9:27-28; 1 Pet. 1:13; 2 Pet. 3:11-13). Paul prays for the return of Christ (1 Cor. 16:22). Jesus encourages us to pray for His return (Matt. 6:10). It is unknown whether they truly were eagerly awaiting Christ's return. They were living very selfishly and Paul may have been reminding them of how a mature Christian would feel.

Paul tells them that God the Father will confirm them to the end, blameless when Christ returns (8). God is the one who brings spiritual growth (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Th. 5:23-24). God is supernaturally at work in the life of true believers (Eph. 2:8-10; Phil. 2:12-13; Jn. 3:21; Tit. 2:11-14). God will present every true believer before Himself blameless in Christ (Eph. 1:4; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Th. 5:23-24). Paul says that they can expect that they will be blameless when they stand before God (9). The reason for this is that God is faithful. A true believer can trust God and His Word. God the Father is the one who called (kalew; elect) all true believers into a relationship with Himself through Christ. God is the one who made the person a believer in Christ, choosing him before the foundation of the world, so a true believer can rely on God to complete what He began (Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:3-8; 2:4-10; Phil. 2:12-13; Col. 3:1-4; 1 Th. 5:23-24). Salvation (positional sanctification), spiritual growth (progressive sanctification), and being blameless before God (final sanctification) are all supernatural works of God (Phil. 3:20-21; Gal. 1:15-16; 1 Cor. 15:51-57; Rom. 5:1-2, 8-11).

Conclusion:

Paul begins by mentioning how he thanks God for giving the believers in Corinth spiritual gifts when they believed the gospel and were saved. They received these spiritual gifts as a result of God's grace. Paul concludes his greeting by teaching that God will present them blameless before Himself in Christ. They can expect that as true believers God will do this because He is the one who called them to be saved through faith in Christ. Salvation (positional sanctification), spiritual growth (progressive sanctification), and sinlessness (final sanctification) are all supernatural works of God (Rom. 8:28-30).

All true believers are saints because God has called them to be saved. All true believers receive spiritual gifts to be used to promote the spiritual health of the church and to glorify God. All true believers will stand blameless before God in heaven because God called them to be saved through faith in Christ.