The Gift of Righteousness

Romans 5:8

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when 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. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. (Romans 5:9-11)

All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation.  The Father loved us so much that He sent His Son to bridge the gap between us (John 3:16).  The Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with love and to enable us to live by His power (Acts 1:8).  With all this loving care, how can we do less than serve Him completely!

Jesus Saves Sinners!

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:14-17)

When the Israelites were wandering in the desert, God sent a plague of snakes to punish the people for their rebellious attitudes.  Those doomed to die from snakebite could be healed by obeying God's command to look up at the elevated bronze snake and by believing that God would heal them if they did (Numbers 21:8, 9).  Every time the words "lifted up" occur in the Gospel of John there is a reference to Jesus’ death (John 8:28; 12:32, 34).  When Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, those who looked at it lived.  So it is with the Son of Man (John 1:51).  Our salvation happens when we look up to Jesus, believing He will save us.  God has provided this way for us to be healed of sin's deadly bite.

Our Heavenly Inheritance

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Peter 1:3-5)

In 1 Peter 1:2, believers are chosen to be included in God’s family, not on the basis of what they have done or who they are, but on the basis of God’s eternal wisdom. Sanctification is the ongoing process whereby the Holy Spirit works in believers, making their lives holy, separated from their old ways and to God in order to be more like Him. This verse mentions all three members of the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit.  All members of the Trinity work to bring about our salvation.  The Father chose us before we chose Him (Ephesians 1:4).  Jesus Christ the Son died for us while we were still sinners (Romans 6:6-10).  The Holy Spirit brings us the benefits of salvation and sets us apart (sanctifies us) for God’s service (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

Our God is Always Faithful

But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus, and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.  For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.  Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.  (2 Cor. 1:18-22)

Paul's change of plans caused some of his accusers to say that he couldn't be trusted, hoping to undermine his authority.  Paul said that he was not the type of person to say "yes" when he means "no".  Paul explained that it was not indecision but concern for their feelings that forced him to change his plans.  The reason for his trip - to bring joy (2 Cor. 1:24) - could not be accomplished with the present crisis.  Paul didn't want to visit them only to rebuke them severely (2 Cor. 1:23).  He would still visit them, but at a better time.

Jesus Saves Sinners

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

People can feel so guilt-ridden by their past that they think God could never forgive and accept them. But consider Paul's past. He had scoffed at the teachings of Jesus ("a blasphemer") and hunted down and murdered God's people ("a persecutor and a violent man") before coming to faith in Christ (Acts 9:1-9). God forgave Paul and used Paul mightily for His kingdom. No matter how shameful your past, God also can forgive and use you.

The Thief on The Cross

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:42-43)

The dying criminal had more faith than the rest of Jesus’ followers put together. Although the disciples continued to love Jesus, their hopes for the kingdom were shattered. Most of them had gone into hiding. As some of His followers sadly said two day later, “We had hoped that He was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21). By contrast, the criminal looked at the man who was dying next to him and said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” By all appearances, the kingdom was finished. How awe-inspiring is the faith of this man who alone saw beyond the present shame to the coming glory! Jesus promised eternal life to the thief, doing what the mockers had asked Him to do (Luke 23:39).

The Unconquerable Love of Jesus

Today would have been my son Jim’s 35th birthday. My wife and I plan on going out to the cemetery to put a few fresh flowers on his grave and then spending the rest of the day hanging out together giving comfort and love to each other. Even though it has been seven years since Jim went home to be with our Lord and Savior, it sometimes feels just like yesterday when my wife and I received that devastating news of his suicide. Sometimes the hardest emotion to overcome is the guilt that comes from not being there when your child needs you the most.

God has been so good to us over the years and has given us so many blessings. I want to personally let all of you mom and dads out there know that if you have ever had a child die, for any reason, my sincere condolence and prayers go out to you. I can tell you personally that even though the grief and pain returns every now and then, I can testify to you this day that you can still have the peace, joy and happiness if you have Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ

Paul interrupts his description of his prayers for the Colossians (Colossians 1: 1-14) with a song of praise. This early Christian hymn (Colossians 1: 15-20) emphasizes the superiority of Christ over all creation. Christ is the One who created all things, whether they be material or immaterial, seen or unseen. This idea is in direct contradiction to the false teaching, later known as Gnosticism, that was developing in the Colossian church. In general, Gnostics believed that various angelic beings were the creators of the earth and that Christ was one among many of these angels. Not only did Jesus create all things; everything was created for His purposes (Hebrews 1:2). But the glory of the earth, the heavens, or the sun, moon, and stars cannot be compared with the glory of His new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. (Colossians 1: 15-20)

Where Jesus Is -There Is Hope!

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. (1 Peter 2:18-20)

Many Christians were household slaves. It would be easy for them to submit to masters who were gentle and kind. But Peter encouraged loyalty and perseverance even in the face of unjust treatment. In the same way, we should submit to our employers, whether they are considerate or harsh. By so doing, we may win them to Christ by our good example. Paul gave similar advice in his letters (Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:22-25), as did Jesus (Matthew 5:46; Luke 6:32-36).

I Am Not Ashamed of The Gospel!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)

The New Testament speaks of salvation in the past tense (Ephesians 2:8), the present tense (2 Corinthians 2:15), and the future tense (Romans 13:11). In the past, the believer has been saved from the penalty of sin. In the present, the believer is being saved from the power of sin. In the future, the believer will be saved from the very presence of sin (Matthew 5:10–12; 8:17; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 2:11–13; Revelation 22:12).

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? (PART 2)

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1: 14-15)

What is the good news of God? These first words spoken by Jesus in Mark give the core of His teaching: that the long-awaited Messiah has come to break the power of sin and begin God’s personal reign on earth. Most of the people who heard this message were oppressed, poor, and without hope. Jesus’ words were good news because they offered freedom, justice, and hope. Does the message of the gospel bring freedom, justice, and hope into your life?

“I AM WHO I AM.”

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. (John 8:56-59)

God told Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, that through him all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-7; 15:1-21). Abraham had been able to see this through the eyes of faith. Jesus, a descendant of Abraham, blessed all people through His death, resurrection, and offer of salvation.

Can a Christian lose their Salvation?

There are those who believe that a Christian can lose their salvation after God has given them this free gift. These folks believe that if we, as believers, make a mistake (sin) that our Almighty God will erase their name out of the Lamb's Book of Life (Rev. 21:27). I have to admit, that there are a few scriptures in the Bible that may cause a believer to think God will remove their names from the Lamb's Book of Life, but if you look closer at God's Word you will see that there are so many more scriptures that are so clearly telling us this is not the truth.  When God promises to never leave us nor forsaken us He means exactly that (Deut. 31:6) .

Jesus said, "You must be born again."

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." (John 3: 5-8)

What did Nicodemus know about the kingdom? From the Bible he knows it would be ruled by God, it would be restored on earth, and it would incorporate God’s people. Jesus revealed to the devout Pharisee that the kingdom would come to the whole world (John 3:16), not just the Jews, and that Nicodemus wouldn’t be a part of it unless he was personally born again (John 3:5).

Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.”

And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:35-40)

Jesus had just worked a mighty miracle of feeding over 5000 people (John 6: 10-14) as a setting for a plain talk on His true mission in the world. While He had spent much time ministering to men's bodily needs, the real purpose of His coming into the world was to save men's Souls. In the synagogue at Capernaum (John 6:59) Jesus takes the bread as His starting-point for a deeper lesson. And this lesson was that He came to provide "bread" that will satisfy more than physical hunger. Jesus is the bread God gives, the one who comes to give life to the world (John 6:33). Those who believe in Him will never hunger (John 6:35). When Jesus told them that, they all began to lose interest.

God's Love for You is Everlasting

But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)

In becoming a Christian, the believer acknowledges Christ as Lord and recognizes Christ's saving work. We gain eternal life with all its treasures. We have renewal by the Holy Spirit, and He continually renews our hearts. None of this occurs because we earned or deserved it, it is all God's gift. Renewing of the Holy Spirit is the continual process of Christian living and is enabled by the Holy Spirit, resulting in growth in character and good works.

Assurance of Salvation (Eternal Security)

If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. (1 John 5:9-13)

The witness looks back to the anointing of the believer described in 1 John 2:27 and refers either to the Holy Spirit or to the testimony of the Scripture. The last part of the verse suggests that the Scripture is meant. John is contrasting those who accept and those reject what God says. A person who trusts in Jesus possesses the witness, namely, the truth of God (1 John 5:9). The one who rejects God’s testimony is claiming that God is a liar.

Our Good Shepherd

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” Can you hear the good Shepherd calling you this morning? Listen closely and He will call you by your name because He loves you so much and knows everything about you. Listen as the good Shepherd calls you to follow Him into green pastures where you can lay down and rest with Him. We have no worries or burdens so strong that our good Shepherd can not handle for us. When we begin to drift off course, our good Shepherd takes His staff and gentle pulls us back to Him. Our good Shepherd would even lay down His life for us. What a loving and caring good Shepherd we have that died on the cross for you and me.

“And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” What a wonderful promise our good Shepherd has given us who faithfully follow Him. Just the thought of eternal life in heaven should make our hearts melt like wax in the sight of the Lord. Our good Shepherd has such a loving and firm hold on us that nothing can tear us away from Him. The world (devil) will try its best to make us stumble and fall, but our good Shepherd will never let go of us. We are His forever and ever. Amen.

“My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.” Our good Shepherd is our Lord of Lords, our King of Kings and our God Almighty. Our good Shepherd is the great I AM who will never leave us nor forsaken us. Our good Shepherd gives us who faithfully follow Him this BLESSED ASSURANCE. Amen.

Just as a shepherd protects his sheep, Jesus protects His people from eternal harm. While believers can expect to suffer on earth, Satan cannot harm their souls or take away their eternal life with God. There are many reasons to be afraid here on earth because this is the devil’s domain (1 Peter 5:8).  But if you choose to follow Jesus, He will give you everlasting safety.

Freedom From Sin's Grasp!

The book of Romans, chapter six, deals with sanctification – the change God makes in our lives as we grow in the faith. The Bible makes it clear that we are saved by grace (Romans 10: 8-10) and that once we have repented from our sins and accepted our Lord Jesus as being our Savior, we are “guaranteed” or “sealed” by the Holy Spirit to have a place in heaven (1 John 5:11-13; 2 Corinthians 5:1-11).
It is interesting to see that even the Apostle Paul was criticized by "religious leaders" for his theological belief (eternal security) that once a person turned their life over to the Lord Jesus and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior, they were saved and nothing, and I mean NOTHING, could take the love of God from them (Romans 8:38-39).

Let us look into what the Word of God has to say about the freedom of liberty that each of us have in Christ when we come to know Him as our Savior and Lord.

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? “ (Romans 6:1-2)

We, as believers are free from sin’s control. Since sin in a way makes grace more abundant (Romans 5:20, 21) why not continue in sin? This is certainly a possible conclusion, though a wrong one, from the teaching about grace in chapter 5. Apparently the Apostle Paul had been accused of teaching this false doctrine, called antinomianism, so to silence his accusers, the Apostle Paul shows in this chapter that a believer who continues in sin would be denying their own identity in Christ.

But you might say also, that if God loves to forgive, why not give him more to forgive? If forgiveness is guaranteed, do we have the freedom to sin as much as we want? The Apostle Paul’s forceful answer is “By no means!” The Greek expresses a response of shock, that has even been translated “God forbid!”

The thought of a believer living in sin in order to take advantage of grace was abhorrent to the Apostle Paul. The reason believers should not live in sin is that they have died to sin, as is explained in verses 3 and 4. Such an attitude – deciding ahead of time to take advantage of God – shows that a person does not understand the seriousness of sin.

God’s forgiveness does not make sin less serious; His son’s death for sin shows us the dreadful seriousness of sin. Jesus paid with His life so we could be forgiven. The availability of God’s mercy must not become an excuse for careless living and moral laxness.

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)

In the church of the Apostle Paul’s day, immersion was the usual form of baptism – that is, new Christians were completely “buried” in water. They understood this form of baptism to symbolize the death and burial of the old way of life. Coming up out of the water symbolized resurrection to new life with Christ.

If we think of our old sinful life as dead and buried, we have a powerful motive to resist sin. We can consciously choose to treat the desires and temptations of the old nature as if they were dead. Then we can continue to enjoy our wonderful new life with Jesus.

When a person trusts Christ, they are incorporated into and united to, Jesus Christ, which includes being united to His death. Jesus’ death becomes our death. Christian baptism makes these spiritual realities vivid.

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,” (Romans 6:5)

As believers, we can enjoy our new life in Christ because we are united with Him in His death and resurrection. Our evil desires, our bondage to sin, and our love of sin died with Him. Now, united by faith with Him in His resurrection life, we have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin’s hold on us. Having died and having been raised with Christ, the believer should live a new kind of life.

Word Focus: “united together”
(Gk. sumphutos) (6:5) G4854: The expression, which occurs only here in the New Testament, means “to grow in union” or “to plant in union.” The word describes two plants that have been planted together and are growing together, closely entwined or even united. The context speaks of union, our union with Christ in His death (6:4) and resurrection (6:5). Our union with Christ in death is like being planted with Him. Like a seed, our sinful natures must die with Christ so that we might grow in Christ and bear spiritual fruit (John 12:24). Our union with Christ is now a loving union, in which we are growing with Him “in the likeness of His resurrection.”

“knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7)

The power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. Our “old self”, our sinful nature, died once and for all, so we are freed from its power. The “body of sin” is not the human body, but our rebellious sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. Though our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our body that is defeated.

The Apostle Paul has already stated that through faith in Christ we stand acquitted, “not guilty” before God. Here the Apostle Paul emphasizes that we need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots – we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ.

We, as believers, are “freed from sin”. The word “freed” used here translates the Greek word for “justification”, which is a legal term. The idea is that the believer no longer has any obligation to sin.

“Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.” (Romans 6:8-10)

Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, his followers need never fear death. That assurance frees us to enjoy fellowship with him and to do his will. This will affect all our activities – work and worship, play, Bible study, quiet times, and times of caring for others. When you know that you don’t have to fear death, you will experience a new vigor in life.

Jesus died for our sins and He did it “once and for all.” Jesus is now alive at the right hand of God. Since we, as believers, have been joined to Christ and to His death and resurrection, we can now believe that we too are alive to God.

“Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.” (Romans 6:11-13)

When we see the phrase, “reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin”, this means that we should regard our old sinful nature as dead and unresponsive to sin. Because of our union and identification with Christ, we are no longer obligated to carry out those old motives, desires, and goals. So let us consider ourselves to be what God has in fact made us. We have a new start, and the Holy Spirit will help us become, in our daily experience, what Christ has declared us to be.

Though believers in Christ have died to sin, sin is still a problem. The sin nature is still present and can express itself through the mortal body, the body that is subject to death. The difference is that sin has no right to reign. Thus, the Apostle Paul admonishes the believer not to obey it.

Verse 12 has the whole body in view; Whereas verse 13 focuses on the individual parts of the body such as the hands or mouth. Believers are not to present the parts of their bodies as a means of sinning. Simply put: Do not use your hands to steal or your tongue to lie. Rather believers should present themselves to God and the parts of their bodies as instruments of righteousness.

“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? “Certainly not!” (Romans 6:14-15)

If we, as Believers in Christ are no longer under the law but under grace, are we now free to sin and disregard the Ten Commandments? The Apostle Paul says, “Certainly not!” When we were under the law, sin was our master – the law does not justify us or help us overcome sin. But now that we are bond to Christ, He is our Master, and He gives us power to do good rather than evil.

The Mosaic system consisted of external laws which revealed the sin prevalent in human hearts. In contrast, God’s grace places the believer in Christ, and the Holy Spirit in the believer. Therefore a Christian does not have to sin, they can resist temptation and do what is right (2 Cor. 3:15–18).

References: NKJV Bible; Nelson Study Bible, and the Life Application Bible (NIV).