Romans 5:1-5

Romans chapter 5.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

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Our sermons are all on there.

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Alright, so Romans chapter 5.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

One verse this morning.

Verse 1.

Before we dig in, John Lennon wrote.

He said,

Imagine there's no heaven.

It's easy if you try.

No hell below us.

Above us, only sky.

Imagine all the people living for today.

Imagine there's no countries.

It isn't hard to do.

Nothing to kill or die for.

And no religion too.

Imagine all the people living life in peace.

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

I hope someday you'll join us and the world will be as one.

Imagine no possessions.

I wonder if you can.

No need for greed or hunger.

A brotherhood of man.

Imagine all the people sharing all the world.

You may say that I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one.

John Lennon may have been a dreamer, but his dream was peace.

And we as humans desire to have peace.

Since the fall though, Genesis chapter 3, we've been unable to find any type of peace.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

We have desired it.

Look around the afternoon TV schedule.

Most of you guys don't do that, I know.

But look around.

Show after show is filled with conflict resolution counseling.

Host after host trying to help people find peace in their situation.

With their families.

With their neighbors.

And sometimes with themselves.

The TV is filled with these shows because people are looking for peace.

And John Lennon, imagine all the people living life in peace.

Peace between people is important.

In fact, the gospel demands it.

The gospel teaches us to love others as we love the Lord.

It tells us to live generously.

It demands radical living.

Radical loving for the glory of God.

Jesus, our example, lived a radical life.

A life that pointed everything to the work of the Father.

Not what He was doing, but always to what the Father was doing.

And we as image bearers of God must do the same thing.

The Bible teaches two main types of peace.

Peace with others.

In the church and outside of the church.

Peace with God.

A peace that has everything to do with what God has done and nothing with what we have done.

Peace with God is the grandeur of the two.

It trumps the other peace.

And that is, of course, if you are comparing the two.

Both are important.

And this peace is our subject this morning.

I will be asking and answering questions about this peace.

Like, why do we need peace with God?

What is it?

What is it not?

And finally, what do we do with it?

Why does this or how does this change our life today?

Alright, Romans chapter 5.

Romans 5 · chapter mention

I am going to start reading in verse 22 of chapter 4 to kind of put it into context.

And we will read through verse 5.

Verse 22 says,

That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness.

Him being Abraham.

But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also.

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord.

Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand.

And we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings,

knowing that suffering produces endurance.

And endurance produces character.

And character produces hope.

And hope does not put us to shame.

Because God's love has been poured into our hearts,

through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Pray with me.

Father, I thank you for this day, this day that you have made.

I thank you that the breath I breathe,

I thank you that the sunlight we see,

the cooler weather,

is all your grace to us.

evidence of you being at work.

God, I pray and I ask now that you would speak to us.

That you would speak clearly to us,

that we leave here different because your word has been revealed to us.

I thank you for your word as we set it in our laps and read it in front of us.

I thank you that that is your word to us.

God, we pray and plead that you would speak.

Holy Spirit, penetrate the hardened and hardest hearts in this room.

Soften those hearts.

Soften all of our hearts so that we can be receptive to your word.

And that we can walk out of here with our faith strengthened,

at peace with who we are because of who you are.

In Jesus' name I pray this.

Amen.

Romans 5 verse 1 is the text this morning.

Romans 5:1

And it says,

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now before we jump into peace,

I feel it's important that we establish,

if we haven't already,

what does justified by faith mean?

So that we all are on the same page.

And this is our launching pad.

This is where we're jumping from.

And if it's where we're jumping from,

I need to make sure that we're all jumping in the right direction

with the same trajectory.

So what is justification by faith apart from works?

Well, it's what Paul has been writing about

for the last chapter and a little bit.

First of all, justification by faith for the believer is a one-time event.

Okay?

It is a one-time, once and forever.

It isn't an action that we have to constantly come back to,

like repentance or confession.

So once you have been justified,

that's it.

Done.

Forever.

Justification also is that moment that we have been made right before God

because of Jesus Christ's righteousness.

And that righteousness was given to us,

and from us our sin was taken away.

So because of Christ,

we stand forgiven,

righteous,

and holy before God.

And apart from Christ,

we have none of those traits.

None of those things.

Justification by faith is the act in which God declares that in Christ,

in Christ,

He regards us as if we had never sinned at all.

That's good stuff.

He pronounces that we are just and righteous in Christ.

Our sins are forgiven.

We are clothed by the righteousness of Christ.

And it is God who declares it.

Not us.

It is God who declares that.

Apart from Christ,

it is impossible.

It is impossible to be righteous.

Justification by faith,

apart from works,

is an action by God,

through Jesus Christ,

on our lives,

apart from anything and everything that we think we deserve or have done.

So verse 1 of chapter 5 says,

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

now we can move on, right?

Now we can...

What is the result?

Being justified by faith is a single moment.

We need to understand this.

It is a single moment.

The implications last forever.

Now Paul,

it's almost like a change in direction for Paul as he's writing this letter.

The first four chapters have been instructional.

This is who you are.

This is why you can't do what you think you can do.

This is why what you do doesn't matter.

We're all sinners.

We come to chapter 5.

And he changes his tone a little bit.

It goes from instruction to almost a celebration.

Some commentaries and scholars say that this next paragraph,

or a couple paragraphs,

is written as a celebratory song.

It's as if Paul was writing this first section,

and he's realizing the truth that he just got done talking about,

writing about,

and he's filled with awe and wonder.

And now he rejoices in the result of God's work.

This is where we sit in chapter 5.

Paul is celebrating by saying,

since we have been justified,

since God has brought death to life,

since He has done it,

oh, what a great God.

Since we are standing as if we've never sinned,

we have peace with God.

Peace with God.

We also have access to His grace.

And we rejoice in hope.

Hope from God,

rooted in God,

because of God,

for His glory.

This is what Paul is writing.

He says,

what a great God who shows us mercy daily.

And as you keep reading,

you go all the way down to verse 11.

He says,

more than that,

we also rejoice in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

through whom we have now received reconciliation.

He is celebrating this justification by faith.

He is celebrating what Christ has done.

And He's revealing to us now,

you've been justified

and this is what it looks like after.

This is what your life,

this is the result of being justified.

So the question is,

the question is,

why do we need to have peace with God?

That's our first question.

Why do we need to have peace with God?

Our first point.

In chapter 1 of Romans,

verse 18,

Paul writes,

God's Word says,

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven

against all ungodliness

and unrighteousness of men,

who by their unrighteousness

suppress the truth.

All men,

women,

and children,

every person who has ever lived

or will live is born into ungodliness

and unrighteousness.

And it's not just born into,

it is ungodly and unrighteous.

We are ungodly and unrighteous.

In verse 10 of chapter 5,

it says that we are enemies with God.

That we were enemies before being justified.

Before Christ,

we were at war against God Almighty.

We fought against Him and His truth.

In verse 6 of chapter 5,

it says we were ungodly.

Verse 8,

it says we were sinners.

God does not fellowship with,

partake in,

or entertain any unrighteousness.

Which is why,

in verse 18 of chapter 1,

it is His wrath,

not His righteousness,

not His holiness,

not His love

that is against the ungodliness

and the unrighteousness of men,

but it is His wrath.

Because God

cannot fellowship,

partake,

and entertain.

And He must judge.

Because that is who He is.

John says in 1 John,

that if we love the world,

then we are at enmity with God.

We are enemies.

We are of opposition with God.

Because we are born into this world,

condemned,

loving the world,

born into ungodliness and sin,

we are enemies with God.

And you guys can picture

war,

two sides fighting against each other.

That's who we are,

the Lord Christ.

We are fighting against God

and His plan.

That's what sin is.

And that's what sin is.

Ephesians 5, 6 says,

Let no one deceive you with empty words.

For because of these things,

which are found in verse 5,

which are sexually immoral,

impure,

covetous,

and idolaters,

the wrath of God

comes upon the sons

of disobedience.

I know some of you

might be thinking,

God created us.

And He said it was good.

And we're created in God's image.

All true.

But chapter 3 of Genesis

thwarts all of that.

Chapter 3 of Genesis

is the fall

where sin comes into the picture.

And we have been corrupted

since that time

and fought against God.

So because of sin,

because of no matter

what bad thing you do,

big or small,

because of sin,

there is a need

for peace with God.

Sin is the barrier

that we cannot

get over or around.

It is in us

and corrupts

every part of our lives.

Flip back to Romans 3.

It corrupts so much

of our life

that Romans 3,

Romans 3:11

verses 11 and 12,

the last part of 10 says,

None is righteous.

No, not one.

No one understands.

No one seeks for God.

All have turned aside.

Together they have become worthless.

No one does good.

Not even one.

It sounds harsh.

But it's the truth.

We were created

originally,

Adam and Eve

were created

to fellowship with God.

They were created

to have community with God.

But because of sin,

that fellowship

and that community

has been broken.

And until

we trust

and place our trust

in Christ,

who makes us righteous,

we are at war with God.

So until you trust

and are justified

by faith,

you are at war

with God.

That's the reality.

Christ is the Prince

of Peace

who gives peace

to those who don't

deserve it.

Who haven't earned it

and who frankly

don't even seek it

from Him.

We seek peace,

but we seek it

in all other places

except in Him.

So,

why do we need

peace with God?

Because of our sin.

Because we are at war

with God.

So our second point

this morning is

what does peace

with God look like?

So what does this

peace look like?

What is it?

So because

our justification,

verse 1 of chapter 5,

therefore,

since you have been

justified by faith,

we have peace with God

through our Lord

Jesus Christ.

The justification

is a once and forever

action.

It's done.

This peace with God

is as well

a once and forever

action.

Peace is the result

of being justified.

or me.

Peace is the result

of being justified.

Okay?

We have peace with God

because of Christ

and no other.

Anyone who places

their trust in Christ

who believes in Him

will no longer

be an enemy,

but be eternally

at peace with God.

This peace

is an eternal

assurance of God,

His promises

and His salvation

for us.

Okay?

Now,

since it's an eternal

peace,

an eternal assurance,

hear me clearly,

there is nothing

that you do

or can do

to break the peace

with God

that you have

in Christ.

Nothing.

Now,

if that isn't

freeing

and empowering,

then

check your pulse

and see if you're alive.

Nothing you do

will break the peace

that you have with God.

You have peace

because of Christ,

not because of you.

Now,

what other religion

out there

can say

that no matter

what you do,

no matter

what you say,

no matter

what you think,

you're loved

and have peace

with God.

There isn't.

There isn't

another religion.

And it's not like

I'm leading you

down a path here

that,

okay,

I made the decision.

Well,

it's not like

you weighed the pros

and cons

between Buddhism

and Christianity

or Islam

and Christianity.

You didn't.

You didn't want

to be a Christian.

You didn't want

to serve God.

God chose you.

He called you

and He made you

righteous

because of Christ

and not because of

something you had done.

The glorious beauty

of the Gospel

is that you did not choose.

That's what grace is.

Not choosing,

but Him choosing you

for no reason.

Your salvation

is rooted

and founded

in Christ.

And there is

nothing that changes

the peace

that you have

with God.

So here are

a few characteristics

of a life

that fully understands

their justification

and their peace

with God.

First thing is,

a man who understands

his justification

is a man who knows

that God loves him

even or in spite

of his sin.

A man who knows

that God loves him

in spite of his sin.

Before Christ,

we may ask the question,

how can God love me?

Why would God

want to love me

of everything

that I've done?

We may ask those questions.

We may be troubled

Troubled by the wrath

of God.

Why?

How could God

love me?

Why would He want

to bless me?

But now,

we can look at Christ,

we can look at His death

and resurrection

and say,

I know He loves me.

I don't understand it,

but I know He loves me.

It's not a feeling

or a sentiment.

We know solid facts

leading to a strong faith

with evidence

that God loves Him.

In chapter 5 of Romans,

down in verse 6,

it says,

For while we were still weak,

at the right time

Christ died for the ungodly.

That was us

before Christ.

For one will scarcely die

for a righteous person,

though perhaps

for a good person

one would dare even to die.

But God shows His love

for us

and that while we were

still sinners,

Christ died for us.

Since therefore

we have now

been justified

by His blood,

much more

shall we be saved

by Him

from the wrath

of God.

For if while we were enemies

we were reconciled to God

by the death of His Son,

much more now

that we are reconciled

shall we be saved

by His life.

More than that,

we also rejoice in God

through our Lord Jesus Christ

through whom we have now

received

reconciliation.

reconciliation.

God loves us

and we know it

because we have peace

with God,

because we understand

our justification

and our standing

before God.

we cannot have peace

without Christ.

The second characteristic

of a man

who understands

His justification,

who gets

and understands

His peace with God,

he can answer

the accusations

of his conscience.

There's going to be

a moment,

there's going to be

moments,

plural,

when we doubt.

I guarantee it.

that doubting

leads to questioning.

Questioning along

the lines of

how could all this

be true?

How can it possibly

be true

that God has

forgiven me?

How can I be

at peace with God

who knows

exactly what

I've done?

But a man

who understands

His justification,

a man who is

at peace with God,

can answer

these questions

and squash

the doubt.

So,

for you,

can you answer

those questions?

Do you fully

understand

where you stand

with God?

Do you fully

understand your

justification?

Do you fully

understand the peace

that you have

with God now?

Because of Christ

and not because

of anything

you've done.

If you can't

answer these

questions,

then you're going

to be miserable

and unhappy

and that peace

is not going

to feel like peace.

it's not going

to be freeing.

It's going

to be enslaving

to you.

So,

can you answer

those doubts

and those questions

that will arise?

So,

not only

can He answer

the questions

from His conscience,

but thirdly,

can He answer

the accusations

of the enemy?

John Newton

wrote the hymn

Amazing Grace.

And before

writing that hymn,

He was a man

engaged in

slave trade

and slave trafficking,

it is said

that there wasn't

a sin that He

did not commit.

And God's grace

was shown to Him

as He trusted

and believed

in Jesus Christ.

See,

the devil was given

artillery,

ammunition,

rock after rock

to throw at John

Newton because

of his past.

To bring his past

back,

to haunt a man

changed by grace.

He could,

the devil could

raise up his past,

throw it in his face,

and then say,

do you still claim

to be a Christian,

forgiven and at peace

with God?

John Newton

had his answer.

An answer that

all of us can use

to silence the devil.

John Newton

wrote in his hymn,

Approach My Soul

to Mercy See.

He wrote,

Be thou my shield

and hiding place

that sheltered

near thy side.

I may my fierce accuser

face and tell him

thou hast died.

In other words,

what can I tell

my accuser?

I can't tell him

I'm a good man.

I can't tell him

about my past

or even my present

or what I'm trying

to do.

There's only one way

of silencing the enemy.

I can my fierce

accuser face

and tell him

thou hast died.

The only way

to silence the enemy

is to bring to light

not what we've done

but what Christ

has done for us.

Revelation 12

Revelation 12:11

verse 11 says,

And they have conquered

him, the enemy,

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word

of their testimony.

For they loved

not their lives

even unto death.

A man who understands

his justification

will be able to give

answers to the enemy

who accuses

and questions.

But not only that,

a man can do

all of these things

while in sin.

While fallen in sin.

A man can answer

these questions,

these accusations.

That's my fourth

characteristic of a man

who understands

his justification

and peace.

When a temptation

is too strong

and you fall,

when you've been living

a victorious life

and fall in sin,

can you employ

the argument

that I have been

describing?

Can you say,

I stand in Christ

and in Him alone.

I am at peace

with God.

Can you say

those things?

Can you see

out of your sin

or are you defeated

and blinded

by your sin?

I find in my own life

that this is the hardest

of times

to proclaim the truth.

It's the moments

that I'm most vulnerable

to the enemy

and his schemes.

And yet,

these are the times

that we should be boasting

about what God has done.

These are the times

proclaim the truth.

Because in the truth

there is freedom.

There is comfort.

There is victory.

See,

the temptation

in these situations

is to just doubt.

It's to doubt

our own justification.

It's to doubt everything.

Doubt the very foundation

of our faith

that we believe.

See,

when you do that,

you're giving evidence

that you do not understand

your justification

or your peace

with God at all.

When you do that,

you say,

I'm not getting it.

Listen carefully.

You cannot

be just

one minute

and not the next.

If you are made righteous,

if you are made justified,

that's it.

You are justified

forever

in Christ.

It is in the moments

of sin

and after

that we must remember

the truth.

of God's Word.

And as chapter 4,

verse 21 says,

be fully convinced

that God will do

what He says

He will do.

If He says

He forgives,

He forgives.

If He says

He will never forsake,

He will never forsake.

So,

why do we need

peace with God?

Our sin.

What does peace

with God look like?

I've given you

some characteristics.

Our third point

this morning.

What peace

with God

is not?

What is it not?

A man who has

a false peace

is resting

on his own faith

rather than

on Christ

and His work.

See,

they look at

their own faith

instead of

what Christ

has done.

Churches are

filled with people

like this

because it isn't

usually rooted

from an intellectual

ascent.

It's rooted

in a false faith.

They would define

faith by simply

believing

and salvation

by simply

confessing.

pulled from

a verse

like Romans

10.

10.

And with the

mouth one

confesses

and is

saved.

See,

there's

teachings in

our churches

today

and in the

past

that all

you have

to do

is say

that Jesus

is Lord

or all

you have

to do

is say

a prayer.

A magic

prayer.

And the

problem,

though,

is that's

not biblical.

Read the

rest of

Romans

Romans 10 · chapter mention

chapter

10.

And

if

they

if

if a

person

speaks

a prayer,

if they

initiated,

then

then they're

the instigator

and not

the recipient.

It's not

a prayer.

It's a

it's a

person

in Jesus

Christ.

And if

you're

if you're

the instigator

and not

the recipient

of God's

grace,

then who

needs

Christ?

Who

needs

the Holy

Spirit?

For

the

person

who

instigated,

decided,

and it

happened.

And all

they have

to do is

look at

the faith

that they

have

created

and not

what

Christ

has

done.

And

that is

a false

sense

of

peace.

Peace

with God

is not

a feeling.

It's

not an

emotional

peace.

It's

not a

balanced

life.

Or

however

new age

thing

you want

to say.

having

peace

with

God

does

not

give

you

a

happy

life

or

a

perfect

life.

In fact,

having

peace

with

God

will

actually

make

this

life

more

difficult

because

you are

now a

Christian

proclaiming

Christ

with the

title

that you

take.

you are

now a

cross

bearer

and a

person

with

Christ

who

is

hated

and

will

be

hated

by

this

world.

Peace

with

God

is

more

about

the

life

to

come

and

less

about

how

comfortable

you

are

in

this

life.

man

who

has

false

peace

is

only

interested

in

forgiveness

and

not

in

righteousness.

He

doesn't

want to

go to

hell.

So

he

wants

to be

forgiven.

He's

not

concerned

with

being

holy

and

walking

in

holiness.

So

he

lives

a

negligent

life

without

concern

for

the

commands

of

God.

He

ignores

warnings

like

Hebrews

Hebrews 12:14

12

verse

14

to

strive

for

peace

with

everyone

and

for

the

holiness

without

which

no

one

will

see

the

Lord.

He

is

only

interested

in

forgiveness

and

cares

nothing

about

living

the

Christian

life.

Well,

I've

been

saved.

I

can

live

however

I

want

now.

The

last

characteristic

of

false

peace

is

not

caring

enough

when

you

fall

into

sin.

You

take

it

much

too

lightly.

A

person

with

a

false

peace

isn't

shaken

by

their

sin.

It

doesn't

affect

them.

Jesus

and

his

blood

are

more

of a

security

blanket

and

less

a

relationship

and a

right

standing

before

God.

When

this

man

does

fall

into

sin

he

would

say

something

like

it's

alright

the

blood

of

Jesus

covers

me.

Now

and

he

continues

on

in

his

life

he

continues

living

and

just

goes

on

doesn't

confess

doesn't

repent

now

all

of

us

should

do

this

when

we're

in

sin

we

should

say

Jesus

blood

covers

me

it's

I'm

still

okay

but

then

we

should

confess

!

that

sin

we

should

repent

of

that

sin

not

move

on

with

our

life

and

take

care

of

it

later

or

say

we'll

take

care

of

it

later

we

should

there

should

be

some

mourning

over

our

sin

not

tears

but

we

should

be

saddened

by

and

moved

by

the

sin

that

we

have

committed

because

a

holy

God

has

paid

for

that

sin

Matthew

says

blessed

are

those

who

mourn

for

they

shall

be

comforted

you

will

only

be

comforted

by

Christ

and

his

work

on

the

cross

because

you

have

peace

with

God

alright

so

our

last

point

is

how

should

we

now

live

knowing

this

peace

we

have

with

God

so

what

do

we

do

in

light

of

having

peace

with

God

and

I've

touched

on

some

of

those

things

here's

some

practical

what

do

we

do

now

the

first

thing

is

we

must

always

be

aware

of

our

sin

and

the

sin

around

us

we

must

always

be

aware

must

be

a

seriousness

over

sin

if

you

know

and

understand

the

peace

that

God

has

given

you

then

you've

been

given

a

glimpse

into

hell

you've

been

given

a

small

picture

of

what

you

deserve

and

in

light

of

that

you

now

see

the

grace

that

God

has

shown

you

and

given

you

and

if

you

know

that

then

you

won't

be

lighthearted

about

sin

you

won't

be

frivolous

about

your

actions

and

those

actions

of

others

around

you

so

we

must

always

be

aware

of

our

sin

we

must

always

be

in

awe

of

the

grace

that

God

has

shown

us

amazement

and

wonder

will

be

the

songs

that

we

sing

we'll

proclaim

the

good

news

because

of

what

God

has

done

we'll

echo

the

words

of

Charles

Wesley

and

his

hymn

and

can

it

be

that

I

should

gain

an

interest

in

the

Savior's

blood

died

he

for

me

who

caused

his

pain

for

me

who

him

to

death

pursued

amazing

love

how

can

it

be

that

thou

my

God

should

die

for

me

echoing

the

amazement

and

they

awe

in

the

wonder

of

what

God

has

done

not

only

that

we

must

also

be

humble

now

this

of

course

isn't

something

that

we

just

can

do

or

be

we

can't

just

be

humble

we

can

act

humble

but

we

cannot

be

humble

and

it

comes

from

being

amazed

and in

awe

of what

God

has

done

when we

when we

realize

the truth

about

who we

are

who we

were

who

Christ

is

humility

is the

only

logical

response

see

what

can

you

and I

boast

in

nothing

justification

by faith

destroys

boasting

it is

all by

grace

and

finally

we

must

always

keep

a

watch

on

our

lives

always

being

aware

of

the

traps

of

the

enemy

because

we

have

been

justified

and

we

have

peace

with

God

always

keeping

our

eyes

open

keeping

a

watch

on

our

lives

this

peace

with

God

is

freeing

Romans

8

1

there

is

no

condemnation

there

is

no

death

no

fear

of

man

this

peace

with

God

is

assurance

there

is

nothing

that

can

change

God's

love

for

us

turn

over

to

Romans

Romans 8 · chapter mention

chapter

8

nothing

can

change

God's

love

for

us

Romans

Romans 8:31

8

verse

31

says

what

then

shall

we

say

to

these

things

if

God

is

for

us

who

can

be

against

us

he

who

did

not

spare

his

own

son

but

gave

him

up

for

us

all

how

will

he

not

also

with

him

graciously

give

us

all

things

who

shall

bring

any

charge

against

God

elect

it

is

God

who

justifies

who

is

to

condemn

Christ

Jesus

is

the

one

who

died

!

than

that

who

was

raised

who

is

at

the

right

hand

of

God

who