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Romans 5:1-11 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Join me in your copy of God's Word to the glorious book of Romans, chapter 5.
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Hope that you have enjoyed the study thus far in Romans.
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! We know it's been sort of spread out, so our goal now is to kind of continue moving through it, like Nathan said, at a little bit of a faster pace.
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Just indulge me for a few minutes while I just want to emphasize, I guess, the importance of the book of Romans.
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If you're joining us for the first time in Romans, or you can't really remember from several weeks ago what was preached,
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some people here today may think, I understand the gospel message really well.
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I believe the gospel. I'm a Christian. I have for a long time trusted my life to Christ.
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I'm ready to move on to something else more deep beyond the gospel.
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I'm ready for deeper spiritual things.
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You may be thinking I might be bored in Romans. I may not be challenged in Romans.
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And I want to humbly confront people who feel this way this morning.
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There's a great quote by David Pryor and it says this,
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We never move on from the cross.
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We never move on from the cross.
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Only into a more profound understanding of the cross.
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The gospel can help you break free of all sorts of sin in our lives.
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Many of us who may claim that we know the gospel, love it and cherish it,
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and we're ready to move on to something else,
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those same people will forget the gospel probably later today.
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And definitely tomorrow.
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If we watch the lives of many throughout the week, even my own life,
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think about your own life,
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much of it is marked by unbelief in the gospel.
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Your lives would look radically different if the gospel was foremost in your mind
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and in your heart on a daily basis.
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Many of you are lack.
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You have a lack of joy.
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You're often bored.
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You're lazy.
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Depressed.
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Eaten up with anxiety and a lack of peace in your life.
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When facing circumstances,
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you may even lack consistent spiritual growth.
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And it seems like the Christian life for some of you has just been reduced down to
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a list of just don't do this and try to do this during the week.
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Always looking for a new technique, a new book.
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A new truth to take comfort in, to strengthen your faith.
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Many of you may be posturing throughout the week,
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trying to project that you are stronger in your faith than you actually are.
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Many may be performing, trying to prove themselves to others around them and to God.
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And then many of you are just faced with panicking.
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You are looking around with fear and anxiety in your life.
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If any of this stuff characterizes you,
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you need to be reminded that you do not move on from the gospel.
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The gospel itself is powerful enough to give you the confidence to free you from
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joy-robbing, legalistic, pharisaical thinking in your life,
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the crippling effects of guilt and shame in your life.
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It will help you.
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The gospel can set you free just basing the quality of your faith on how you feel on a particular day.
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Free you beyond circumstances and help you grow in joy and in gratitude.
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Because sadly, one of the lingering effects of sin in our lives is we have a tendency to forget.
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We have a tendency to forget the most basic foundational truths of the word of God.
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We forget it.
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And we think that we've moved on.
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And Satan, the world, and sin in our lives would love us just to forget the gospel
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and think that we've graduated from it to another theological level.
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The late Tim Keller learned a lot from him.
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Not a perfect man, but learned a lot from him.
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But one of the things he said I'll never forget is
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the gospel is not just the ABCs of Christianity.
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It's the A to Z of Christianity.
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It's not just the minimum required doctrine necessary for you to become a Christian,
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but it's the way that we make all spiritual progress therein.
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The gospel is that message that is simple, that a child can understand it,
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but yet so deeply profound that the greatest theologians can stare at it every day of their life
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and never get to the depths of it.
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Paul said he wrote a preaching to the Gentiles,
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the unsearchable riches of Christ.
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Ephesians 3, 7, and 8.
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If the gospel is true then, if it's true,
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it must stand up under the harshest scrutiny.
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We need an airtight case for the gospel
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if we are entrusting our souls to his message.
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If your faith, if your salvation was on trial,
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and you were headed into a courtroom,
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what would you take with you?
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Arguably, the book of Romans gives us
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the fullest detailed at-length explanation of the gospel.
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It is written like a court case.
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It is the fullest explanation of our salvation.
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It might have already been said,
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but Martin Luther believed
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that if you understood the book of Romans,
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it was the key to unlocking the entire Bible.
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So never get bored of reading Romans.
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So a quick reminder of where we've been.
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Quick reminder.
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Chapter 1 and 2,
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Paul brings a case against all humanity,
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including himself, Jews and Gentiles,
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that we are all fallen, sinful, and rebellious to our Creator.
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In chapter 3 and 4,
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he then moves to establishing unequivocally
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that salvation only comes on the basis of God's grace,
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working through man's faith.
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This is almost as if he put us all in the same category.
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He said,
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you cannot save yourself.
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You cannot be good enough.
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You cannot keep God's law.
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If you're going to face God,
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who is called the righteous judge,
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one day at the judgment,
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you cannot go on your own.
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If you bring your own works,
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or your own merit into things,
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or your own morality,
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you will be consumed.
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So he makes the argument
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that salvation comes only on the basis of God's grace,
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working through our faith in Christ.
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If we come any other way,
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even trying to keep God's law,
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which we've established in the previous chapters,
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which is impossible,
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we will fail.
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So in placing all humanity under the power of sin,
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Paul then points to the redemptive work of Christ
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in saving sinners.
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Faith in the Savior
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has always been
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the only way
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for us to be made right with God.
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And he points in chapter 4
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that Nathan just went through
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to Abraham's faith.
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That he was justified,
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made righteous
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by his faith.
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So having established that,
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that man is not saved by works
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or by keeping the law,
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but by faith in Christ
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through God's grace,
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here's where we're going
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from chapter 5.
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I will say that chapter 5,
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at least half the time
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that I sit down
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and open the Bible
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to share the Gospel
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with an unbeliever,
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I use Romans chapter 5.
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You'll hopefully see why.
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So that's what we've done
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where we're going.
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Here's just a question for you.
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If the preservation
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of our salvation
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depends on what we do
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or don't do,
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then our salvation
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is only secure
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as our own faithfulness.
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That's scary.
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If your salvation
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that we've talked about
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in the previous chapters
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is kept alive,
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maintained,
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and preserved
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by your own strength
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and willpower,
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then that is very terrifying.
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Thankfully,
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that's not the case.
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So Paul moves beyond that
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to the central theme
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of chapter 5 through 8.
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which is that
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if we are righteous
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in God's sight,
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if God has truly saved us,
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we have a certain hope
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and a certain hope
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of future glory
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and eternal life.
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If you look at verse 1
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in Romans 5,
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it says,
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therefore,
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since we have been justified
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by faith.
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So he now turns
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to the implications
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of that statement
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and describes
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the blessings
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or the benefits,
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the consequences
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of a believer
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being justified
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before God.
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He expounds
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on the results,
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the effects
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of that great reality
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that we are justified
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before God
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in Jesus Christ.
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So,
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really quickly,
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I'll give you
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five,
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maybe not quickly,
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but I will give you
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five certainties,
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okay?
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Not hypotheticals,
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not we hope
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this maybe works out,
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it's certainties,
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okay?
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Five certainties
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that we see
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in this passage.
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So let's read it together.
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Romans 1,
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1 through 11.
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Therefore,
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since we have been
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justified by faith,
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we have peace
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with God
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through our Lord
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Jesus Christ.
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Through Him,
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we have also
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obtained access
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by faith
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into this grace
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in which we stand.
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And we rejoice
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in hope
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of the glory
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of God.
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Not only that,
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but we rejoice
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in our sufferings,
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knowing that suffering
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produces endurance.
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endurance.
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Endurance
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produces character,
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and character
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produces hope.
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And hope
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does not put us
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to shame,
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because God's love
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has been poured out
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into our hearts
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through the Holy Spirit
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whom He has given us.
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For while we were weak,
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still weak,
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at the right time,
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Christ died
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for the ungodly.
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For one will scarcely die
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for a righteous person,
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though perhaps
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for a good person
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one would dare
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even to die.
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But God shows
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His love for us
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in that while we were
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still sinners,
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Christ died
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for us.
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Since therefore
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we have now been
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justified by His blood,
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much more
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shall we be saved
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by Him
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from the wrath
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of God.
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For while we were
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enemies,
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we were reconciled
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to God
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through the death
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of His Son.
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Much more,
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now that we are
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reconciled,
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shall we be saved
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by His life,
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more than that,
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we also rejoice
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in God
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through our Lord
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Jesus Christ
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through whom
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we have now
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received
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reconciliation.
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So from this passage,
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we're going to look
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at five benefits,
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five blessings,
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five results
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of being justified
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before God
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and Christ.
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number one
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is certain peace
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with God.
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Certain peace
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with God.
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And you see that
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in verse one.
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We've been justified
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by faith.
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We have peace
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with God
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through our Lord
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Jesus Christ.
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If we understand
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what Paul has written
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so far in Romans,
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especially chapter
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one
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and two,
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we understand
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that that is
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a remarkable
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statement for us
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to hear,
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that we have
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a peace
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with God.
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Previously,
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our relationship
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with God
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could only be
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described in terms
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of extreme enmity,
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hostility
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towards each other.
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It says in
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Isaiah 57,
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verse 20,
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the wicked
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are like the tossing
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of the sea.
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It cannot
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be quiet.
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And as waters
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toss up mire
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and dirt,
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there is no peace,
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says God
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for the wicked.
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We were locked
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in a serious
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contention,
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in a legal
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dispute
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with God
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as His enemies.
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Look at verse 10.
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We were locked
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in a serious
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dispute with Him.
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But,
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what Paul is saying
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is now,
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by His grace,
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what Christ
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has done
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for us,
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we are justified
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by faith
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in what He
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has done.
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We see that
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in chapter 4,
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verse 25.
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And so,
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hostility
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that existed
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with God
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previously
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is now
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taken away
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because of
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what Christ
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has done.
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We are no longer
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enemies,
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but at peace
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with Him.
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And this is
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a real
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peace.
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Paul's present
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argument
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explained in
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those previous
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chapters
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says that we
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were at war
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with God
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and that we
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now have been
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justified
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by faith.
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faith.
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Now,
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I'm going to
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try to not
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get off
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track too
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far,
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but I'm
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begging you
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if you are
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a believer,
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especially if you
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are a member
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of this church,
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understand what
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being justified
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means.
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Alright?
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It's a word
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that's everywhere
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in the New Testament,
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especially in
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Romans.
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So,
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it is not
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just enough
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for us to
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have our sins
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forgiven.
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To have
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something
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canceled
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or taken
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away
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or forgiven
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is not
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enough
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to stand
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before God.
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Just because
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you've had
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dirty clothes
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taken off
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doesn't mean
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that you have
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clean clothes
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on.
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Right?
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And we need
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clean clothes
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to approach
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God's throne.
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So just to
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have sin
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taken away
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and forgiven
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does not
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mean that
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we are
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righteous.
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So,
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what happens?
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Christ then,
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this is that
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glorious doctrine
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of the great
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exchange,
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Christ gives
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us His
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perfect
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righteousness.
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He gives
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us His
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clean clothes.
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It says
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in Isaiah
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that He
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has wrapped
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us in
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robes of
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righteousness.
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So now,
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we can
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approach God
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actually
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clean,
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actually
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bright,
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actually
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righteous
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in His
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sight.
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When He
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says we
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are justified,
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He is
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declaring
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that you
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have kept
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the law.
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You are
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blameless.
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And He's
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doing that
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on the
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basis of
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what Christ
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has done
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and not
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what we
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have done.
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So that
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is the
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great
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exchange.
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Christ
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takes
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our
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sin
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and bore
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our
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punishment
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and He
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gave us
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His
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righteousness
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so we
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could be
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accepted
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by God.
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So the
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result of
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that
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justification
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is we
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have real
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actual
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peace
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with God.
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Peace
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is not
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subjective
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but
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objective.
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It is a
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legal term.
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We have
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right standing
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with God
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and therefore
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we have
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peace
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with Him.
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If you
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look a little
15:56
further,
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we have
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peace
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not because
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of our
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good moral
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behavior,
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religious
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activity,
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going to
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church,
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good deeds,
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reciting
16:06
Bible verses
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or any
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other good
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thing that
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you can
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think of
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that we
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struck our
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own deal
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with God.
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Spent three
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years in
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college with
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a guy,
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a veteran
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of the
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Iraq war
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and all
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he talked
16:20
about was
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like he
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had his
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own deal
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struck with
16:22
God and
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I kept
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telling him
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you don't.
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Like you
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come on
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his terms
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and not
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yours.
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We cannot
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have peace
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with God
16:30
through anything
16:31
we do but
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we can
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have an
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actual peace
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with God
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through
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our Lord
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Jesus Christ.
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He alone
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is the
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agent of
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our
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reconciliation.
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So let me
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just ask you
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a question.
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Brother or
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sister,
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are you
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fearful that
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God is
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still going
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to punish
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you for
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your sins
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that you
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have
16:53
committed
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in the
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past?
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Are you
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afraid that
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something that
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you might
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do in the
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future is
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going to
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cause God
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to finally
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judge you?
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Does the
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reality that
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if you have
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Christ and
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you are
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justified in
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him,
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does that
17:10
give you
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peace?
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what he
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has done
17:12
for you?
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Does that
17:14
comfort your
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soul?
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Does it
17:17
take your
17:18
anxiety away
17:19
about facing
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God one
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day?
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So that's
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one, we
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have certain
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peace with
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God.
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Number two,
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we have
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certain
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access to
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God.
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Certain
17:29
access to
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God.
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Verse two,
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through him
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we have
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also obtained
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access by
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faith into
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this grace
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in which
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we stand.
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God.
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This would
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have been
17:39
an amazing
17:40
statement for
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particularly
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Jews hearing
17:42
this.
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Many
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generations
17:45
before Christ
17:45
having access
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to God
17:47
was a
17:47
crazy idea,
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scary idea,
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foreign thought.
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Many of the
17:53
people of
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Israel in the
17:54
Old Testament
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knew that
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sinful man was
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incapable of
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approaching God
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and entering
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into his
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holy presence.
18:02
They had
18:02
witnessed
18:03
firsthand,
18:03
men and
18:04
women just
18:04
consumed by
18:06
approaching God
18:07
on their
18:09
own.
18:10
God could
18:11
only be
18:11
approached
18:12
through various
18:12
protocols
18:13
prescribed in
18:14
the Mosaic
18:15
and Levitical
18:16
law.
18:17
But now,
18:18
since Christ
18:19
has secured
18:19
peace by
18:20
his blood
18:21
shed on
18:22
the cross,
18:23
we are no
18:23
longer his
18:24
enemies but
18:25
at peace
18:25
with him,
18:26
because of
18:27
that we
18:28
can have
18:28
access to
18:30
the holy
18:31
presence of
18:32
God.
18:33
Access to
18:34
relationship
18:35
with him.
18:36
Access to
18:37
worship him.
18:39
Access to
18:40
have like a
18:41
child would
18:42
have to a
18:42
father.
18:44
That's what
18:44
we have,
18:45
access to
18:46
God through
18:47
what Christ
18:48
has done.
18:49
So,
18:50
have you
18:50
taken that
18:51
access for
18:51
granted?
18:52
It has just
18:52
approaching God
18:53
become so
18:55
familiar that
18:55
you've forgotten
18:56
that it is a
18:57
huge blessing
18:58
to account
18:59
yourself to
19:01
be able to
19:01
go into
19:02
God's presence
19:03
because of
19:03
Christ.
19:04
It says in
19:06
the psalm,
19:06
psalm 68,
19:07
verse 2,
19:08
that the
19:09
sinful,
19:10
the wicked,
19:10
will not
19:11
stand in
19:12
God's
19:12
presence,
19:13
but they
19:13
will perish
19:14
as wax
19:15
does before
19:15
the fire.
19:16
That's
19:17
scary.
19:19
So,
19:19
how does
19:19
that not
19:20
happen to
19:20
us?
19:21
It's because
19:21
we are
19:22
standing in
19:23
Christ.
19:24
You and
19:25
I would
19:25
never,
19:26
ever dare
19:28
approach the
19:29
holy presence
19:29
of God
19:30
apart from
19:30
Jesus Christ.
19:31
without
19:33
him,
19:33
the
19:33
presence
19:34
of God,
19:34
the
19:35
holiness
19:35
of God
19:35
has to
19:36
be
19:36
protected
19:36
from
19:37
us.
19:38
If we
19:39
try to
19:39
enter into
19:40
God's
19:40
presence on
19:41
our own,
19:41
God would
19:41
be
19:42
dishonored
19:42
and we
19:43
would be
19:43
destroyed.
19:45
Right?
19:45
But now,
19:47
only because
19:48
of Christ,
19:48
our great
19:49
high priest,
19:50
we may
19:51
come near
19:51
and feast
19:52
our hearts
19:53
on the
19:54
flaming beauty
19:54
of his
19:55
holiness and
19:55
his presence
19:56
and stand
19:58
there just
19:58
in awestruck
19:59
glory.
20:00
It says in
20:01
Hebrews 10
20:01
verse 19,
20:03
we have
20:04
confidence to
20:05
enter the
20:05
holy places
20:06
by the
20:07
blood of
20:07
Jesus,
20:09
by the
20:09
new and
20:10
living way
20:10
that he
20:11
opened for
20:11
us through
20:12
the curtain.
20:13
So,
20:14
therefore,
20:14
we do not
20:15
have to
20:15
fear,
20:15
to come
20:16
into God's
20:16
presence,
20:17
but we
20:18
must come
20:18
through Christ
20:19
and through
20:20
Christ alone.
20:22
There is no
20:23
other way.
20:24
Because of the
20:25
work of Jesus,
20:26
we can have
20:26
access to
20:27
God through
20:28
a remarkable
20:29
state of
20:30
his grace
20:31
in which we
20:31
stand firmly,
20:33
securely.
20:35
That word
20:35
stand carries
20:36
the idea of
20:37
permanence,
20:39
of standing
20:39
firm and
20:40
immovable.
20:41
That's awesome.
20:43
We can stand
20:44
there certain.
20:45
So,
20:45
this is a
20:45
blessing of
20:46
justification.
20:47
We can have
20:47
peace with
20:48
God,
20:49
access to
20:50
God.
20:50
Number three,
20:53
number three,
20:54
certain hope,
20:55
a certain hope
20:56
in God.
20:58
See this in
20:59
verses two
21:00
through five.
21:02
We rejoice in
21:03
the hope of
21:03
the glory of
21:04
God.
21:05
Not only that,
21:06
but we rejoice
21:06
in our sufferings,
21:07
knowing that
21:08
suffering produces
21:09
endurance.
21:10
endurance produces
21:12
character,
21:13
and character
21:14
produces hope,
21:15
and hope does
21:16
not put us
21:17
to shame.
21:19
So,
21:19
biblical hope
21:20
is not just
21:20
wishful thinking,
21:21
it's not just
21:22
crossing our
21:22
fingers and
21:23
hoping that
21:23
things just
21:24
turn out the
21:25
way we want
21:25
them to be.
21:27
Biblical hope
21:28
implies looking
21:29
forward to
21:29
something good
21:30
in the future
21:31
with confidence,
21:33
certainty,
21:34
and expectation.
21:37
Here,
21:38
true,
21:39
genuine
21:39
believers can
21:40
be assured
21:41
that as a
21:42
result of
21:43
being justified
21:44
before God,
21:45
they can
21:46
possess true
21:47
hope of the
21:48
glory of
21:49
God.
21:50
Right?
21:50
That is a
21:51
promise that
21:52
one day we
21:54
will be
21:55
glorified.
21:56
We will be
21:57
perfected on
21:57
the last day.
22:00
That is
22:01
amazing.
22:01
So,
22:02
prove it,
22:02
right?
22:03
How do I
22:04
know that?
22:05
Well,
22:05
you don't have
22:06
to turn
22:06
now,
22:06
let's read
22:06
you one
22:07
verse out
22:07
of Romans
22:07
chapter 8.
22:09
Now,
22:09
think about it,
22:09
if we are
22:10
justified,
22:11
it says,
22:12
those whom
22:12
he predestined,
22:13
he also
22:13
called,
22:15
those whom
22:15
he called,
22:16
he also
22:16
justified,
22:19
and those
22:19
whom he
22:20
justified,
22:20
he also
22:21
glorified.
22:23
Like,
22:23
we have a
22:24
certain hope
22:25
if we are
22:26
made right
22:26
in God's
22:27
sight that we
22:27
will one
22:29
day be
22:30
glorified.
22:31
It's one
22:32
of the
22:32
clearest
22:32
hallmarks
22:33
of a
22:33
justified
22:34
believer
22:35
is our
22:36
perspective
22:36
on the
22:36
future,
22:37
how we
22:38
look at
22:38
things in
22:39
the future.
22:40
True
22:40
believers
22:41
who are
22:42
righteous
22:42
in God's
22:43
sight
22:43
have a
22:44
certain
22:44
hope of
22:45
future
22:45
glory
22:46
to be
22:47
with God
22:48
forever.
22:50
So,
22:51
if you look
22:51
a little
22:51
further in
22:52
these verses,
22:53
if that
22:54
amazing
22:54
hope of
22:55
future
22:55
glory
22:56
is in
22:56
Christ,
22:57
if we
22:57
have that,
22:59
it will
22:59
endure.
23:00
endure.
23:00
It will
23:01
endure even
23:02
in suffering.
23:05
You see
23:05
that?
23:07
Sufferings
23:07
here is
23:08
really the
23:08
word
23:09
tribulations.
23:10
It means
23:11
to be put
23:11
under great
23:12
pressure.
23:13
And in the
23:14
context,
23:15
it's not
23:15
necessarily
23:15
referring to
23:16
the common
23:17
hardships that
23:17
we just have
23:18
in our
23:18
everyday life.
23:19
It's
23:20
specifically
23:20
referring to
23:21
the suffering
23:23
that we may
23:23
endure because
23:24
of the
23:26
backlash of
23:27
being a
23:27
follower of
23:27
Christ.
23:28
the suffering
23:28
that we
23:28
endure by
23:30
being right
23:32
with God.
23:34
So,
23:35
some of us
23:35
might think
23:36
that suffering
23:37
would undermine
23:37
our confidence
23:38
in God.
23:40
But Paul is
23:40
actually making
23:41
the opposite
23:42
argument.
23:43
If your
23:43
hope is
23:44
destroyed and
23:45
is obliterated
23:46
by a little
23:46
bit of
23:46
suffering,
23:47
then it
23:47
wasn't
23:47
really a
23:48
hope worth
23:48
having.
23:49
It's not
23:50
a real
23:50
deal.
23:51
But if
23:51
you have
23:52
an eternal
23:52
hope,
23:54
not saying
23:54
it will
23:54
be easy,
23:55
but it
23:55
will
23:56
endure.
23:56
It will
23:57
last.
23:59
And Paul
23:59
proves that
24:00
by arguing
24:01
cause and
24:01
effect here
24:02
in these
24:03
verses.
24:04
And our
24:05
suffering,
24:05
God allows
24:06
into our
24:06
lives,
24:09
He provides
24:09
the opportunity
24:10
and the
24:11
need for
24:12
our hope
24:13
to endure.
24:15
That
24:15
endurance
24:16
that we
24:17
see,
24:18
or that
24:18
perseverance
24:18
through
24:19
trials,
24:20
it produces
24:21
character.
24:23
The word
24:24
here is
24:24
provenness.
24:25
it proves
24:26
something.
24:28
A character
24:29
that has
24:29
stood up
24:30
under
24:30
extreme
24:31
trial and
24:33
examination
24:34
and found
24:34
to be
24:35
genuine
24:35
through
24:35
testing.
24:37
That's
24:37
what we're
24:37
implying
24:38
here.
24:39
So,
24:39
understand,
24:40
like,
24:42
I was just
24:44
trying to
24:44
think of a
24:45
story to
24:46
tell,
24:46
but I
24:46
probably
24:46
will resist
24:47
because it
24:47
will take
24:47
me a
24:47
long time
24:48
to tell
24:48
it.
24:49
But in
24:49
the past,
24:50
like when
24:50
soldiers were
24:51
facing a
24:51
great enemy,
24:53
outnumbered
24:54
three to
24:54
one,
24:54
and they
24:55
were asked,
24:56
like,
24:56
how are
24:57
your men
24:57
just not
24:57
going to
24:58
run when
24:58
the enemy
24:59
shows up?
24:59
They're
24:59
terrifying,
25:00
they outnumber
25:01
you,
25:01
and like
25:02
this particular
25:03
general who
25:04
was Caesar
25:04
said,
25:05
they won't
25:06
run because
25:07
they have
25:08
been tested.
25:09
They have
25:10
been tested,
25:11
they are
25:12
veterans,
25:13
and they
25:13
will stand
25:14
until the
25:15
end.
25:16
He knew
25:16
the quality
25:17
of the
25:18
provenness
25:18
of the
25:19
men that
25:19
were under
25:20
him.
25:21
Right?
25:21
So when
25:22
we face
25:22
trials,
25:24
and we
25:24
endure under
25:26
that extreme
25:26
testing,
25:27
we will have
25:27
proven character.
25:30
And that
25:30
proven character
25:31
produces a
25:33
stronger hope
25:34
and confidence
25:35
facing the
25:36
future.
25:37
You see that?
25:37
It's just right
25:38
in front of us
25:38
in these
25:39
verses.
25:41
So therefore,
25:41
suffering is
25:42
important because
25:44
it is the
25:44
testing ground
25:45
for faith and
25:46
hope to be
25:47
strengthened.
25:48
we all
25:49
would argue
25:50
that the
25:50
most humble,
25:51
mature believers
25:52
we know are
25:54
those who
25:55
endure great
25:55
suffering in
25:56
their lives and
25:57
somehow persevered
25:59
through it,
25:59
still trusting
26:00
God, still
26:01
clinging to
26:02
his promises
26:02
despite the
26:04
pain and
26:05
despite the
26:06
loss.
26:07
God uses
26:08
those trials
26:08
to make us
26:09
more like
26:10
Christ, to
26:11
give us
26:11
godly
26:12
character.
26:14
So therefore,
26:15
we can
26:16
rejoice,
26:17
not only in
26:19
the future
26:19
glory, but
26:20
in present
26:20
trials and
26:21
sufferings.
26:22
Not because
26:23
they're pleasant
26:24
to go through,
26:25
but because
26:26
God uses
26:27
them to
26:27
transform us
26:28
for the
26:29
better, to
26:29
make us
26:30
more like
26:30
Christ, and
26:31
to bring us
26:32
closer to
26:34
him.
26:35
For
26:35
those of
26:38
you who
26:39
may be
26:39
lacking
26:39
hope this
26:40
morning,
26:41
does this
26:41
reality,
26:43
that we
26:44
are made
26:44
right and
26:45
justified in
26:46
God's
26:46
presence
26:47
through
26:48
Christ,
26:48
does that
26:48
give you
26:49
hope to
26:50
face the
26:51
future?
26:52
Does it
26:52
bring hope
26:54
to you that
26:54
all the
26:56
sin that
26:56
you bring
26:57
is not
26:58
going to
26:59
ultimately
27:00
destroy you,
27:01
but you
27:02
will have
27:02
hope to
27:02
stand before
27:03
God one
27:04
day, even
27:04
through the
27:05
sufferings of
27:06
this present
27:07
life, you
27:08
can have
27:08
hope for
27:09
the future.
27:10
number
27:12
four, a
27:14
certain love
27:16
from God.
27:18
Number four,
27:19
a certain
27:19
love from
27:20
God.
27:22
Look at a
27:23
part of
27:23
verse five,
27:24
starting in
27:24
verse five.
27:25
He says,
27:26
connecting it
27:27
to the
27:27
previous
27:28
verses,
27:29
because the
27:29
love, because
27:31
God's love
27:32
has been
27:32
abundantly
27:33
poured into
27:34
our hearts
27:34
through the
27:35
Holy Spirit
27:36
whom he has
27:37
given us,
27:37
for while we
27:39
were still
27:39
weak at the
27:40
right time,
27:40
Christ died
27:41
for the
27:42
ungodly, for
27:43
one will
27:44
scarcely die
27:44
for a
27:45
righteous
27:45
person, though
27:47
perhaps for a
27:47
good person
27:48
one would
27:48
dare even
27:49
to die, but
27:50
God shows
27:51
his own
27:52
love for
27:52
us, and
27:52
that while
27:53
we were
27:53
still sinners,
27:55
Christ died
27:55
for us.
27:57
So in
27:57
these verses,
27:58
Paul grounds
27:59
the subjective
28:00
experience of
28:01
God's love to
28:03
the objective
28:03
work of Christ
28:04
on the cross.
28:06
So we have
28:07
a hope that
28:07
does not put
28:08
us to shame
28:09
or doesn't
28:09
disappoint us
28:10
because it's
28:12
anchored in
28:12
not our own
28:13
goodness or
28:14
our own
28:14
love for
28:15
God, but
28:16
in his
28:16
agape
28:18
unconditional
28:19
love for
28:20
us.
28:22
That's where
28:22
we can ground
28:23
this certain
28:24
hope, is it's
28:24
based in
28:25
God's love.
28:27
Our hope,
28:28
our final
28:29
deliverance is
28:29
certain, again
28:31
because it's
28:32
based on
28:32
God's love and
28:33
that he has
28:34
given us his
28:35
Holy Spirit.
28:36
Now why does
28:37
this matter?
28:38
The Spirit
28:39
enables us to
28:40
trust in the
28:41
atoning work
28:41
of Christ.
28:43
The Holy
28:43
Spirit is how
28:45
he is the
28:45
agent in
28:46
which God
28:46
manifests his
28:47
love to
28:49
us.
28:50
One of his
28:50
primary roles
28:52
is to
28:54
assure
28:55
born-again
28:56
believers that
28:57
are justified
28:58
in Christ
28:58
that they
28:59
truly belong
29:00
to him.
29:01
Jesus said
29:01
in John 14
29:02
verse 26,
29:03
when he
29:03
comes,
29:05
he will
29:05
remind you
29:06
of all
29:06
that I
29:07
have taught
29:07
you and
29:08
to bring
29:09
to remembrance
29:09
all that I
29:10
have said.
29:12
Right?
29:12
So that's what
29:12
the Spirit
29:13
does.
29:13
He brings
29:14
the truth
29:14
of God's
29:15
word,
29:15
the promises
29:16
of God's
29:16
word,
29:17
reminds us
29:18
during those
29:18
trials that
29:19
we go through
29:20
in everyday
29:20
life.
29:22
So he is the
29:23
agent of
29:23
God's love.
29:24
He brings
29:25
it to us.
29:26
Similarly,
29:27
Paul wrote
29:27
in Ephesians
29:28
1 verse 13,
29:30
when you
29:31
heard the
29:31
word of
29:32
the truth,
29:33
the gospel
29:33
of your
29:34
salvation,
29:35
and believed
29:36
in him,
29:37
you were
29:37
sealed with
29:38
the promised
29:39
Holy Spirit,
29:40
who is the
29:41
guarantee of
29:42
our inheritance
29:43
until we
29:43
acquire possession
29:44
of it,
29:45
to the praise
29:46
of his glory.
29:48
So,
29:49
while we
29:50
wait for
29:51
hope to be
29:52
finally fulfilled,
29:54
God's love,
29:54
literally it
29:55
says,
29:55
is being
29:56
poured out
29:56
into our
29:57
hearts
29:58
through the
29:59
Holy Spirit.
30:01
So the
30:01
hope of
30:01
future glory
30:02
and final
30:03
deliverance is
30:04
rooted in
30:04
God's
30:05
unconditional
30:06
love for
30:07
his people
30:07
that his
30:08
son died
30:08
to save.
30:10
So look
30:11
here also
30:11
at verse
30:12
6.
30:13
Look at
30:14
the timing
30:14
of God's
30:15
love.
30:16
It says,
30:16
at the
30:16
right time.
30:18
Alright,
30:19
so we may
30:19
think,
30:19
why did it
30:20
take so
30:20
long for
30:21
Jesus to
30:21
come?
30:22
Well,
30:22
God says
30:23
it was the
30:23
right time
30:24
in redemptive
30:26
history for
30:27
Christ to
30:27
appear to
30:28
accomplish the
30:29
work of
30:29
salvation.
30:31
So how
30:31
many of
30:32
us
30:32
functionally
30:32
believe that
30:34
God helps
30:35
those who
30:36
help
30:36
themselves?
30:38
How many
30:39
of you
30:39
actually
30:39
believe that?
30:41
A few
30:41
years ago,
30:42
a study
30:43
revealed that
30:43
half of
30:44
evangelicals
30:45
thought this
30:46
was a direct
30:47
quotation from
30:48
the Bible.
30:50
Half.
30:51
84% at
30:53
least believe
30:53
that it was
30:53
a biblical
30:54
truth.
30:56
So,
30:57
not true
30:57
at all.
30:58
Both
30:59
wrong,
30:59
both
30:59
heresies.
31:00
Ben
31:00
Franklin
31:01
said that
31:01
in
31:02
Paul
31:02
Richard's
31:02
Almanac,
31:03
not in
31:03
the Bible.
31:05
So,
31:05
what does
31:05
it say
31:06
here?
31:06
Paul writes
31:07
that God
31:07
lovingly sent
31:08
Christ for
31:09
us when
31:10
we were
31:11
weak.
31:12
See,
31:13
that means
31:13
helpless,
31:14
vulnerable,
31:16
defenseless.
31:17
It denotes a
31:19
lack of
31:19
moral strength.
31:21
It is
31:21
connected to
31:22
us being
31:22
ungodly.
31:23
unable to
31:25
save
31:25
ourselves
31:26
or do
31:26
anything
31:27
to pour
31:28
ourselves
31:28
out of
31:28
the pit
31:29
that we
31:29
were in.
31:30
In that
31:30
helpless
31:31
state,
31:32
Christ came.
31:33
And so,
31:34
we see,
31:34
he gives you
31:35
an example
31:36
here.
31:36
There is no
31:36
greater love
31:37
than what
31:37
Christ has
31:38
done.
31:39
He contrasts
31:40
the death
31:40
of Christ
31:41
with other
31:41
examples
31:42
of human
31:43
heroic
31:44
deaths.
31:45
Right?
31:46
Such deaths
31:46
are substitutionary
31:48
in nature,
31:49
meaning somebody
31:49
else dies
31:50
for another
31:51
person.
31:53
Right?
31:53
And he
31:53
says,
31:54
on the rare
31:54
occasion,
31:56
even a
31:56
fallen,
31:57
sinful human
31:57
being might
31:58
die for
31:59
a morally
32:01
upright person,
32:02
a good
32:03
person,
32:04
one that's
32:04
done much
32:05
good.
32:06
But those
32:07
examples are
32:08
radically
32:08
different in
32:09
comparison to
32:10
Christ's love
32:11
for us.
32:11
They pale
32:12
in comparison.
32:14
Human love
32:15
at its very
32:15
best is puny,
32:17
weak,
32:17
and pathetic
32:18
in light of
32:19
who God
32:20
is,
32:21
in light of
32:22
his love.
32:23
Why?
32:24
Now think about
32:25
this,
32:25
because all
32:26
others are
32:27
rooted in
32:27
mutual love
32:28
or friendship.
32:30
Jesus says,
32:31
it's easy for
32:31
you to love
32:32
those who
32:33
love you.
32:34
What benefit
32:35
is that to
32:35
you?
32:35
If even
32:36
sinners love
32:37
those who
32:37
love them,
32:39
he didn't
32:40
die for
32:40
righteous
32:41
people.
32:42
He didn't
32:42
die for
32:43
people who
32:43
did good
32:43
to him.
32:45
Jesus
32:45
died a
32:46
horrible
32:47
death for
32:48
unrighteous,
32:49
ungodly,
32:50
hostile
32:50
enemies.
32:52
It'd be
32:52
easy for
32:53
you to
32:53
maybe die
32:54
for your
32:54
child or
32:54
for a
32:55
really good
32:55
friend or
32:56
a parent,
32:56
a loved
32:56
one,
32:57
but they
32:58
love you
32:58
more or
32:59
less.
33:00
But again,
33:02
Christ died
33:02
for those
33:03
who hated
33:04
him,
33:04
for the
33:05
ungodly,
33:06
for his
33:06
enemies.
33:07
He took
33:07
the place
33:08
of sinners
33:09
like you
33:09
and me
33:10
who lived
33:11
in willful
33:12
rebellion
33:12
against him.
33:14
So,
33:16
in God's
33:16
love,
33:17
he initiated
33:18
our salvation.
33:19
1 John
33:20
chapter 1.
33:23
God's
33:24
love,
33:24
and this
33:24
is the
33:25
love of
33:25
God,
33:26
not that
33:27
we have
33:28
loved God,
33:28
but that
33:29
God loved
33:30
us and
33:30
sent his
33:31
son to
33:32
be the
33:32
propitiation
33:33
for our
33:34
sin.
33:35
Number
33:35
five,
33:36
moving
33:37
quickly here,
33:38
trying to
33:38
land the
33:39
plane.
33:40
Number
33:40
five,
33:40
we have
33:40
certain
33:41
reconciliation
33:42
with God.
33:44
Certain
33:44
reconciliation
33:45
with God.
33:47
Look at
33:47
verse 9.
33:48
Since
33:48
therefore we
33:50
have been
33:50
justified by
33:51
his blood,
33:52
much more
33:53
shall we be
33:54
saved by
33:54
him from
33:55
the wrath
33:56
of God.
33:57
For if
33:58
while we
33:58
were enemies
33:59
we were
33:59
reconciled to
34:00
God by
34:01
the death
34:01
of his
34:02
son,
34:03
much more
34:03
now that
34:04
we are
34:04
reconciled
34:05
shall we
34:05
be saved
34:06
by his
34:07
life.
34:08
More than
34:09
that,
34:09
we also
34:09
rejoice in
34:10
God through
34:11
our Lord
34:11
Jesus Christ
34:12
through whom
34:12
we have
34:13
received
34:13
reconciliation.
34:15
So we
34:16
don't like
34:17
to be
34:17
called
34:17
enemies
34:17
of God.
34:19
Right?
34:19
That is a
34:20
hard term
34:21
to swallow.
34:22
Most people
34:22
think I'm
34:23
cool with
34:23
God.
34:24
I've got
34:24
no problem
34:25
with God.
34:26
Like what
34:26
problem does
34:26
he have
34:27
with me?
34:28
Well,
34:29
unless you
34:29
are in
34:30
Christ,
34:31
you are
34:32
his enemy.
34:33
That means,
34:33
this word
34:33
means one
34:34
who is
34:35
hostile,
34:36
hateful,
34:37
or bitter
34:37
in opposition
34:38
to another.
34:40
The same
34:40
word is used
34:41
of the devil
34:42
in Matthew
34:43
13.
34:43
Romans
34:45
has taught
34:45
us that
34:46
sobering
34:46
reality that
34:47
all of us
34:48
have fallen
34:48
short of
34:49
the glory
34:49
of God.
34:49
Me,
34:50
you,
34:51
the best
34:51
person you
34:52
know,
34:52
everyone apart
34:54
from Jesus
34:54
Christ.
34:55
We have
34:55
all sinned
34:56
and rebelled
34:57
against him.
34:58
It says in
34:59
Ephesians 4
34:59
that we were
35:01
once alienated
35:02
from a life
35:03
with God.
35:05
That means
35:05
to be shut
35:06
out of one's
35:06
fellowship and
35:07
shut out of
35:08
one's intimacy.
35:09
Alienated.
35:11
Apart from
35:11
Jesus,
35:12
our sin
35:13
has shut
35:13
us out,
35:14
excluded us,
35:15
and cut us
35:16
off from
35:18
fellowship with
35:18
God.
35:20
We love
35:20
the world
35:21
and the
35:21
things in
35:22
the world.
35:23
And James
35:24
4,
35:24
verse 4
35:24
says,
35:25
if you are
35:25
a friend
35:26
of the
35:26
world,
35:28
meaning that
35:28
you love
35:29
it,
35:29
it's what
35:30
you go
35:30
for,
35:30
it's what
35:31
you get
35:31
up for,
35:32
if you
35:33
love the
35:33
world,
35:33
you make
35:34
yourself
35:34
an enemy
35:35
of God.
35:37
God said
35:37
through Isaiah,
35:38
our iniquities
35:39
have made a
35:40
separation
35:40
between us
35:42
and God.
35:43
So think
35:44
the idea
35:44
separated.
35:46
Often held
35:47
that many
35:47
people,
35:48
again,
35:49
are enemies
35:49
of God,
35:50
but people
35:50
wouldn't say,
35:51
those same
35:52
people wouldn't
35:52
say,
35:52
well,
35:52
I think
35:53
God doesn't
35:53
have a
35:53
problem
35:54
with me,
35:55
but the
35:56
term here
35:56
is actual
35:57
mutual
35:58
hostility,
35:59
meaning that
36:00
God is
36:01
equally
36:01
angry with
36:03
us for
36:04
our sin
36:04
and for
36:06
our rebellion
36:07
against him.
36:08
God loathing
36:09
the rebellious
36:09
sinner and
36:10
the sinner
36:10
loathing
36:11
God.
36:12
Charles
36:13
Hodge
36:13
once wrote
36:14
about this
36:14
verse,
36:15
there is
36:15
not only
36:16
a wicked
36:17
opposition
36:17
of the
36:17
sinner to
36:18
God,
36:19
but a
36:19
holy
36:20
opposition
36:21
of God
36:21
to the
36:22
sinner.
36:23
Sinful
36:24
man has
36:24
turned away
36:25
from the
36:26
God of
36:26
peace and
36:27
made war
36:28
on him
36:28
instead.
36:29
We all
36:30
have done
36:30
it,
36:31
directly and
36:32
indirectly,
36:33
just rebelled
36:33
against God.
36:35
So it
36:35
says,
36:35
formerly,
36:37
we were
36:37
his enemies
36:38
and we
36:38
needed
36:39
reconciliation.
36:40
And now
36:41
in Christ
36:42
we are
36:43
reconciled.
36:44
Are
36:45
reconciled.
36:46
The New
36:47
Testament
36:47
noun here
36:48
means a
36:48
restoration
36:49
of favor.
36:50
It's used
36:51
three times
36:52
in this
36:52
passage.
36:53
It means
36:54
to change
36:54
the relationship
36:55
of hostile
36:57
parties to
36:58
come together
36:59
again and
37:00
be in peace
37:01
with one
37:01
another.
37:02
To resolve
37:03
their differences
37:03
and to
37:04
restore
37:04
relationship.
37:05
So the
37:06
separation
37:07
and alienation
37:08
our sin
37:09
caused
37:09
with God
37:10
can now
37:11
be resolved
37:12
by what
37:13
Christ alone
37:14
has done.
37:15
He has
37:15
brought us
37:16
back into
37:17
fellowship
37:17
with one
37:18
another
37:18
by removing
37:19
the thing
37:20
that was
37:20
causing
37:21
the hostility,
37:22
namely
37:23
our sin.
37:24
Right?
37:25
That's what it
37:25
says right
37:26
here.
37:27
And this
37:27
is done
37:28
by the
37:28
death
37:28
of Christ.
37:31
In these
37:31
verses,
37:32
some people
37:33
in the
37:34
modern
37:34
church
37:35
want to
37:35
say,
37:35
hey,
37:35
God is
37:36
love and
37:36
He is
37:36
only
37:37
love.
37:38
Others
37:38
may want
37:38
to say
37:39
God is
37:39
wrath and
37:39
He is
37:40
only
37:40
wrath.
37:41
Well,
37:41
in these
37:42
few
37:42
verses,
37:42
you see
37:43
them side
37:43
by side,
37:44
the love
37:44
of God
37:44
and the
37:45
wrath
37:45
of God.
37:46
If
37:47
someone
37:47
says,
37:48
you're
37:49
saved,
37:49
what are
37:50
you saved
37:50
from?
37:50
You were
37:51
saved
37:51
from the
37:52
wrath
37:52
of God.
37:54
So all
37:54
of us,
37:55
even those
37:55
of us
37:56
who are
37:56
in Christ
37:56
will be
37:57
aware
37:57
when that
37:58
wrath
37:58
comes
37:58
one day.
38:00
And in
38:00
that
38:03
you are
38:04
inside
38:04
Christ.
38:06
Inside
38:07
what He
38:07
has done,
38:08
reconciled
38:09
by the
38:09
death
38:10
of His
38:11
Son.
38:12
Now look
38:12
at that
38:12
amazing
38:13
phrase,
38:14
we shall
38:15
be saved
38:16
by His
38:17
life.
38:19
Saved
38:19
by His
38:20
life.
38:21
That is a
38:22
definitive
38:22
certainty.
38:24
If we
38:24
are justified,
38:26
we are
38:27
reconciled.
38:28
And we
38:29
are
38:30
looking
38:31
to the
38:32
future
38:32
with hope
38:33
of glory.
38:35
And we
38:35
shall
38:36
be saved
38:37
by His
38:38
life.
38:38
That is a
38:39
certainty
38:39
and a
38:40
promise.
38:41
So just
38:42
a conclusion
38:43
in that
38:43
very last
38:44
verse.
38:45
What is
38:46
the result
38:46
of this?
38:47
Verse 11,
38:48
we rejoice
38:48
in God
38:50
through
38:51
our Lord
38:52
Jesus Christ.
38:53
The response
38:54
to such
38:55
grace
38:55
and such
38:56
love
38:56
to sinners
38:58
like me
38:58
and sinners
38:59
like you.
39:01
There is
39:01
no response
39:02
but to
39:02
rejoice
39:03
and to
39:04
take up
39:04
your cross
39:05
and follow
39:05
Christ.
39:06
Give
39:06
your life
39:07
to Him
39:07
unreservedly.
39:10
This
39:10
news should
39:11
cause
39:11
great joy
39:12
in your
39:13
heart for
39:13
what He
39:14
has done.
39:15
So this
39:15
is the
39:16
gospel,
39:17
guys.
39:17
This is a
39:18
further
39:19
explanation
39:19
of what
39:20
Christ has
39:20
accomplished.
39:21
You go
39:22
into a
39:22
courtroom
39:22
and your
39:23
faith is
39:23
on trial.
39:25
This is
39:25
your case.
39:26
This is
39:27
your case
39:27
that you
39:27
bring to
39:28
stand
39:29
righteous
39:29
before
39:30
God.
39:31
So let's
39:31
just give
39:31
Him
39:32
thanks
39:32
in prayer
39:34
together.