A Celebration of Salvation!

Romans 5:6-11

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

 

Where are we??

  1. Four Chapters on Justification

Paul has been focused on justification now for four chapters.

  1. The Gentiles need it as evidenced by their complete ignorance of God and His ways (End of chapter1)
  2. The Jews need it as evidenced by their inability to keep the law, adding hypocrisy and arrogance to their issues. (Chapter    2)
  3. Everyone needs it because all are sinful, a review of the Old Testament bad news. First half of chapter 3
  4. Jesus has provided complete justification for all who believe. End of chapter 3
  5. Abraham’s experience with God demonstrates justification comes only through faith in Jesus. Chapter 4
  6. The promises given to Abraham are only fulfilled by faith Chapter 4

 

Now, Paul is turning his attention to the impact of our full justification on our lives today, or, Sanctification.

He begins with the issue of peace 5:1 We have secured peace with God

He moves to the purpose of suffering, which is it produces the glory of God in our lives. (We would have no need of faith or many of the character qualities of God {mercy, forgiveness, patience} apart from suffering). And suffering produces that character in us, making us a more beautiful example of what God can do in someone’s life.

Examples: Amish forgiveness. Nick Vujacic. Your personal experience with God. And your own testimony to others.

In today’s passage we see a celebration of (bragging on) God’s salvation as it applies to our lives today!

And what we see in our great salvation is the greatness of God, and the possibility of that greatness in our own lives today!!!

What do we see????

  1. A Demonstration of God’s Character!

 

  1. At Just the Right Time! Wisdom v.6-7

        There is a time and place for every activity under the heavens!    Wisdom is acting at the right time.

This is true in our justification, and will continue to be true of our lives. God will work in our lives for His glory and our good at just the right time.

What makes Christ’s work for you “at the right time?” Well, Christ died for you in your time of need. For those in the past, He      died for them in the future. Their forgiveness was in doubt, Jesus       removes the doubt. Their weakness is in view, Jesus changes the       channel. And the issue becomes Jesus’ strength!

Whatever the difficult circumstances of your live, I assure you      that God is at work. Look for what He is doing. Ask Him what He        is doing. Embrace what He is doing. This will require faith and a      positive attitude. If you want a sincere way to fight for this in     your live, then choose to be grateful in all things.

 

  1. God’s love is worthy of praise v.8

While it may seem pretentious, tell God He is doing a good job. Tell Him that His love is better than anything else at giving life.

  1. Ask God to show you His love in a new way so that you might trust Him better!
  2. If you don’t see the love of God in your life today, ask Him to show it to you!

Ephesians 3: And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

 

  1. Boast in the love of God for all v.11

We boast in Jesus. What would you say to Jesus about His work?

Brag on Jesus to Jesus!

Brag on Jesus to others.

For God so loved the world. Not just me! He loves you. In       fact, it is easier for me to tell you that He loves you than it is to         accept this for myself. This I know: God loves you.

 

If you love someone, what happens in their lives matters   to you! The more you invest in someone, the more the outcome      of their life is personal to you!

 

I don’t see the point in being warm, fuzzy and gooey in our attitude toward the love of God. God is not your lover! He is much more. The point of seeing God’s love is this:

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. We live in a world that is steeped in fear and anxiety. I was thinking about this as I drove to work Monday. I wanted to have a really good day, and I was afraid that I would not. My Monday’s are almost always great. As I type this I am having a great day. Why should I be motivated by fear when my fear does not reflect the love of God for me?! Paul is going to really pound this point home in Romans 8!

So, we see in our justification, the character of God demonstrated that gives us assurance of an ongoing relationship that is beneficial! We are children, not slaves.

Secondly, Paul points out that because of the work of Christ on our behalf,

III. We Have a Completely Secure Future v.9-10

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

  1. Your past is managed by Christ’s death

This is clear from chapter 3:

21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.

  1. Your future is managed by a living Christ

We are saved from God’s wrath by Jesus’ intercession for us. Who will be able to separate us from the love of Christ? Paul asks this question in Romans 8. Why does He ask? Because this will be necessary in order keep Jesus from saving us in the future!

Romans 8:

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

 

  1. Boast in your secure relationship

You are not making it secure.

Jesus is as you trust Him.  (Lord I believe, help my unbelief)

Faith of a mustard seed. Biblical heroes are in process!

Mock the devil in His attempts to condemn you!!

Make fun of his weakness. Not because you are strong, but     because you have your mind on the right things. Brag on Jesus!!

I was an enemy of God, and I still have enemy stuff in me. While I was an enemy, Jesus reconciled me to God and I had no part in it whatsoever!! As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know I was God’s enemy when I believed. I am no longer God’s enemy. I am God’s child. I am a part of the Bride of Christ, the called out people of the God of the universe. I am not an enemy! How will I not be saved by a living Jesus from the wrath of God in the future? How could I possibly mess this up? The only issue is whether or not I will believe! And even then, God knows that I am weak. I am enjoined to trust in His love and compassion which extends to a thousand generation of those who love Him.