The Free Gift of Justification

15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:15-17, NRSV)

We say that Adam is responsible for the original sin and the fact all of us are separated from God. But even more than that we are all made right with God through one man, Jesus Christ.

The grace that we receive from Jesus is way more powerful than the sin that keeps us from God.

We all need to rest in the much more grace of God that Jesus gives us.

Sin and Death

12Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. (Romans 5:12-14, NRSV)

For all have sinned so all will die. Interesting to say it that way. Paul implies here that if Adam and Eve hadn’t sinned that they would have lived forever even without eating from the tree of eternal life.

But because they disobeyed God then they will die. And because all have sinned we will all die. So if we never sinned would we not die?

It is hard to say because we all have sinned and fall short of what God expects of us.

But God is able to lift us up and clean us off.

Would you not sin if you could? What is sin that leads to death?

Peace and Hope

28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 3:28-30, 5:1-11, NRSV)

We are justified by faith. But being justified does not mean we will be free from suffering, but we can take hold of peace that comes from knowing we can hold to the promises of the justification we have.

But we can boast also in our suffering for God, because as Paul tells the Romans, “suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” God has poured His love into our lives through the Holy Spirit. We are saved from the wrath that God would have given us and we deserve because while we still deserved that wrath and were not able to stand in the presence of God, Jesus came and died for each of us. Jesus reconciled us when we did not deserve reconciliation. That is how he wants each of us to live. To show His love to all of the world. not based on who deserves it because none of us did, but just give love, and the fountain will continue to fill out hearts.

Abraham’s Faith

13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation. 16For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”) —in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. (Romans 4:13-17, NRSV)

Faith is what gets us our inheritance into the kingdom.

If it is us following the Law, then we can do it all on our own and we don’t need God. But we still need the Law so we have order and know our violations. But the Law and adherence to it will not save us. Only God can do that through faith, the faithfulness of Jesus to show us how to live and love.

The Example of Abraham

What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness. (Romans 4:1-5, NRSV)

Pretty simple actually when you look at it the way Paul lays it out here. When you work, the money you earn is not a gift but is due to you for the labor you did. But the gift we received from God by which we are made right is not due to us for works we have done but is the gift of God.

So if you believe God then you are like Abraham and are justified by God.

But isn’t believing a work? Yes and no. It could be, but it also isn’t.

Faith is trusting that the promises are true but really isn’t doing anything.

So Believe the promises and be justified.

Justified by Faith

27Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. By what law? By that of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,30since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. (Romans 3:27-31, NRSV)

We can’t boast about our place in the kingdom because we did nothing to earn it.

We are all made right by God and it is nothing we ourselves have done.

And we don’t get to do whatever we want, now that we know that God has freed us from our past life, we must live the life he has called us to.

So how do we live to show His love to the world?

Made Right with God

21But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;24they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26, NRSV)

We have all fallen short of what God expects from us, there is no exception to that we are all sinners and deserve to be separated from God, but God gave us Jesus to make a way for us to be redeemed. Because of His righteousness, we are justified to God.

So if we believe that what the Bible says is true then the promise is true for us. If we believe and have faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are justified by God.

It is all God’s doing and nothing we do that justifies us.

Do Not Judge

Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others; for in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things. 2You say, “We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is in accordance with truth.” 3Do you imagine, whoever you are, that when you judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself, you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience? Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:1-4, NRSV)

Why do we judge?

And if you say you don’t judge, please take a moment to think about that. We all judge, it is human nature, but why do we judge?

Usually, we judge someone else because it takes our eyes off of us and our issues, and puts the focus on another. It highlights the problems we see in their lives and helps to push away the things we should be working on.

It is that last line of the reading we should focus on for our lives, “Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” The kindness we have from God should shine a light on the issues in our own lives and we should seek repentance about them. We need to get our life right with God and show others the love God has for us all.

How can we repent rather than judge?

Sinful Humanity

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. (Romans 1:18-25, NRSV)

Who do we worship?

Or better yet who do you worship?

Do you know the truth, and do you suppress it or keep it from others? And if so why?

You see I like to think about the truth that Romans, and Paul, are talking about is much bigger than any of us.

It is like a big ball the angels were playing catch with and one of them missed and it fell to earth and shattered into a million pieces and each of us got a piece, or each denomination got a piece. We think we have the truth, but we only have a part and we won’t know the whole truth until we put all the pieces together. Only God knows the truth, we can get close by being with God and in the word and prayerfully devote our lives to being a conduit for God’s love, but we don’t see the full picture.

We need to worship God and follow after where God is leading us, so we can share His grace.

Are we a part of the problem or getting out of God’s way to bring about the truth?

Called to be Saints

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. 9For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, 10asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. 11For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13I want you to know, brothers and sisters,that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. 14I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish 15— hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’ (Romans 1:1-17, NRSV)

I have always wondered why Paul put verse 16 in there. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel…”

Paul is the person who used to arrest followers of the way and when he met Jesus on the Damascus Road turned around and became the most prolific preacher of the good news of the gospel. Paul was the one who started most of the churches in the Greek speaking areas. Why would anyone think he is ashamed of the gospel.

Maybe he said that to the Romans, a church he had not visited yet to help them be bold in their proclamation.

I mean how bold are we in our proclamation of the gospel? Are the actions of your life showing you are not ashamed of the gospel?

I remember reading at one point a very good phrase we should all wonder about if you were brought to trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?