Justification by faith is the central theme of Romans 3-5, explaining how sinners can be forgiven and reconciled to God through Christ's atoning sacrifice. The sermon outlines the book of Romans, dividing it into doctrinal, dispensational, and practical sections, and then focuses on the doctrine of justification, emphasizing that it is a free gift of God's grace, not earned by works. This justification leads to peace with God and access to His grace, enabling believers to stand firm and even rejoice in tribulations, which develop patience, experience, and hope. The sermon concludes by highlighting that God's immeasurable love, demonstrated by Christ's death for sinners, is the foundation for enduring hardship and looking forward to future glory.
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Thank you, brother. One, two, thing. We need to pray constantly. You must hold said, pray without ceasing. Doesn't mean you have to be on your knees, but it's the condition of the heart. God helps to be that. The condition of the heart. If you will turn with me, please, in your Bible to the fifth chapter of the book of Romans, please. Romans chapter five. I would like to begin reading at verse one. The words of the beloved Apostle Paul, how precious to realize the wonderful message this book of the Romans brings before us in the glory of truth, declaring the full gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The very opening of the book, at the beginning in chapter one, declares that it is called the gospel of God concerning his son, Jesus Christ. Let me begin reading at verse one. in chapter five and read particularly down, if I may, through verse ten and eleven. Paul writing by the Spirit to say, Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. Knowing that tribulations work as patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope make us not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts. by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man, some would even dare to die.
But God commended his love toward us, and in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then. Being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For it when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his son. Much more. Being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also join in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. by whom we have now received the atonement that are rendered is the word reconciliation.
May God bless the reading and the hearing of this portion from his word. Shall we have a word of prayer to seek and ask his blessing? Father, in thy presence again, we commend ourselves as we look into thy precious and holy word. We thank thee for the Holy Spirit, who is the divine revealer, the great teacher of the truths of God. We would submit ourselves to his teaching this morning, praying that by his grace and in his power, our eyes and our hearts and our understanding may be opened to receive the precious truth therein. We pray for thy blessing upon it to the hearts of every believer.
We pray thy blessing to any who may not know the Lord Jesus. guide us by thy spirit to give the word in season for everyone to the glory of our Savior. We ask it in its precious name. Amen. We have a wonderful portion which we have just read from this great epistle of the book of Romans. May I give you very briefly and quickly a simple outline of the whole book. It can be divided into three, and I think it is practically divided, into three great sections. you have the first section comprising chapters one through chapter eight and that whole section can be called the doctrinal section the doctrinal teaching of the book of Romans for it comprises the unfolding of the great truth of the gospel in its entirety to the hearts of those who read it from chapter one through chapter eight Then also you have in chapters eight or nine rather, ten and eleven, what could be called a parenthetical section, more or less we could name it to be a dispensational application concerning
the nation of Israel, in view of the great time that we live in, being the period of the gospel. What is God doing? What has he, what has he, what really do? with that nation that he called his own chosen people. And in reconciliation to the great truth and the presentation of the gospel, Paul writes in chapters nine, ten, and eleven, regarding Israel. He tells in chapter nine concerning their past, chiefly. In chapter ten, he covers in particular their presence.
And then in chapter eleven, He very blessedly reveals their future, that someday the nation at large, the nucleus of a remnant that will be godly shall be restored. Then the last great section of the book could be called the practical section of it, beginning with chapter twelve, going down to the end of the book, chapter sixteen. Now that great section covers the practical application of the truth. that Paul reveals in the previous section of this wonderful book. And may I be very faithful to make clear in declaration whenever you read any of the epistles of God's word in the New Testament, you not only have the teaching of doctrine, the teaching of some special line of truth, but you always have the practical application of those truths as they should be revealed and manifested in the life of a believer.
May I think of the words of James with you, when thus in his epistle he writes to say, Be ye not only hearers of the word, but be ye doers also. So then in Paul's writing to the Romans, you have the fact that the practical application of the truth should be in evidence within the life of those who believe the gospel. Now we have read from chapter five out of the first section of the book, that section that particularly reveals the great gospel. And may I first of all present to you preceding chapter five and as well as including chapter five and the portion that we have read, what is the first great teaching of this doctrinal section of the Book of Romans?
There is one key word You have it in the opening of our chapter in verse one. I want you to think of that word with me very carefully. The word justified. Therefore being justified. So you find that word dealt with particularly in chapter three and chapter four as well as here in chapter five. Now what is the meaning of justification? Many times we might be confused. What does it mean to be justified? What does it mean when God said, therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ?
Well, what you have in this section, beginning in chapter one, concluding with the section that we have read at the end of verse eleven in chapter five, the great theme of this section could be called the justification of a sinner. Now let me repeat it again. The justification of a sinner. Meaning how a sinner can be forgiven. How a sinner can be justified. Let me explain the meaning of the word justified more clear if I can.
The opposite to the meaning of this word, an opposite truth or an opposite fact, would be condemnation, meaning to be condemned. For may I point out to you, when you read chapters one, two, and three, particularly in the opening part of chapter three, one, two, and only a chapter three, you have over that whole section this one fact, whether it be a heathen, whether it be a Jew, whether it be a cultured Gentile. God says, You've all sinned and come short of the glory of God. A universal condemnation.
The sin that we are guilty of condenses in the sight of God. May I make it very clear and emphatic? There's not a man, there's not a woman, there's not a boy, there's not a girl. But what is under the condemnation of sin? You cannot find one person who could and would say, well, some will, but you cannot find they can rightly say, I've never sinned. For as we find in Romans three twenty-three, all have sinned, come short of the glory of God. And that condemnation is universal. One person only of whom we studied in our Sunday school lesson this morning has never sinned.
And that was the person of Christ, the Son of God, when he was here upon the earth. All others condemn. Now, the word justification to be justified means, my condemnation is removed. My condemnation is removed. And you have in the section from chapter three, particularly, and on through into chapter five, That only by faith can I have my condemnation removed. Go with me to chapter three for just a quick moment. Let him point out with you. Begin reading, if I may, from verse twenty-two and find that Paul writes beginning there.
And I want to read down through verse twenty-six. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is unto all It is upon all them that believe, for there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And that's the universal condemnation. But now read on. But being justified freely by his grace. Now may I point out the fact, to be justified means again to lose the condemnation. to have the condemnation removed.
And only God can remove it. We'll see how and why. But please, I want you to notice something in the opening of verse twenty, in twenty-four. Justify freely by God's grace. In other words, you cannot pay for it. You cannot purchase it. God does it freely. By his grace. If you are not saved, let me just say very pertinently and empathically, God is willing to save you. God is able to save you.
So now let me read on. How and why and how can he do it? Through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Only the death of the Lord Jesus permits God to be able to do it. but it does it fully. Now note verse twenty-five when we read through verse twenty-six. Christ Jesus whom God has set forth. Our priest, leave the words to be, I'll say in italics. God has set forth Christ as a propitiation. Meaning, Christ through his death has met my need to clear me for my guilt, to clear me for my condemnation.
How does he do it? Through faith, waiting what? In his blood to declare God's righteousness, for the remission, the taking away of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. Now please know verse twenty-six, that when God does it, when he forgives, it is a just word. As he goes on to say, to declare at this time God's righteousness that he might be just, and the justifier, the clearer of those of him which believeth in Jesus.
Now may I point out very carefully and emphatically, how is it that God is able to take a sinner with his and her sins, no matter how great, no matter how small, no matter how many. And he says, I can forgive them. I can clear them away. I am just when I do it. But why is this? He is just. Please let me say this. On the cross, the Lord Jesus paid the penalty. He was the just one.
If you have your Bible, tell them with me to First Peter, please. First Peter. Let me read a word in First Epistle of Peter that Peter writes, I believe, in chapter three, relative to the Lord Jesus. Look at verse eighteen, please. I want you to know why God is just. And verse eighteen of chapter three, first Peter says, For Christ also hath one suffered for sin, and no. the just one for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Please can I point it out, does it not mean that you and I are the unjust?
Does it not also mean that Christ is the just one? In him was no sin. He did no sin. He knew no sin. But he took the place of the unjust. He took the place of the sin at him. Now go back to Romans three. Look at verse twenty six and read again with me. God is just and the one who just defines him or her, which does what? Believe of him Jesus. Can I say it lovingly and earnestly? Only by faith in the death of the Lord Jesus can God forgive my sins.
And when he does it, he does it because he is satisfied with the payment, the justice that was meted out upon his son. He said, my son took the penalty. He paid every debt of your sin. And if you believe on him, I will lift the condemnation. Clear you. Now, if I wasn't saved, I get saved right now. I'm glad I don't have to do it again, but I'll tell you frankly, look, that's how God saves. And He justifies the sinner. Now go to chapter five from which we read.
I want you to know three things immediately that in verse one and two, the Apostle writes, first of all, we have been justified how? By faith, by faith, by faith. by faith. Let me please that. It doesn't say by works. Well, did one poet write, I cannot work my soul to say, for that my Lord has done. Did you ever sing the old hymn? I'm sure you must know sometime. Jesus paid it all.
All to him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it. Why the snow? Like the old hymn says, I do believe I now believe that Jesus died for me, that on the cross he shed his blood from sin to set me free. Now look, take God's word. He declares them. The moment you believe, and may I give you the thought, what believing is, It's not in your head. You might have to use your head to understand it, but it's in the heart. With the heart, man's believer, wrote Paul in Romans ten.
Let me quote verse nine and ten together. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. And let me emphasize, where the believing is, in my heart. May I say this? I recall it very pointedly, many times. I think of one occasion, speaking to some of my fellow workers in my days of employment, men in the past years, witnessing to them about the death of Christ. I think of one dear fellow worker with me.
when I'm commenting on the fact, yeah, I know Jesus died to me, that's all I need. There was no concern in his heart about his sinful condition, his need of it. But the fact, the mental fact, he believed Jesus said, let me give you something to think about. James said, the apostle, the demons believe and they tremble. The devil knows Jesus died for your sins. All the demons of hell know that Jesus died for your sin. But they don't want you to believe it in your heart. As long as you've got it in your head and it doesn't get down in your heart, it won't bother them.
So it won't bother them when it gets in your heart. Now let me raise the question. Have you believed in your heart? For by faith, being justified by faith, now move the second result. We're not only justified, we have peace with God. Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin, the blood of Jesus whispers peace within. Oh, can I ask you, do you have that peace in your heart with God?
In other words, before you get that peace. You're at war with God. You're at enmity with God. Paul speaks frequently in the scriptures of being at enmity with God in our natural condition. But when saved, peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, let me quote the old hymn, peace perfect peace in that dark this dark world of sin the blood of Jesus whispers peace with him I think it was story once read the incident happened in World War one when a young man was seeking to speak to an older soldier who was quite ill and wounded and in bed and he asked him the question have you made peace with God The young fellow was a Christian, interested in witnessing, and he raised the question to the older man, Have you made your peace with God?
Well, the old man was a Christian too. He knew a little bit more about his Bible than the young fellow did. And he looked at the young man and said, No, I haven't made my peace with God. Jesus made it for me. Do you get the thought? He made peace. Paul writes to the Ephesians in chapter two. He made peace by the blood of his cross. Jesus made the peace. He sent forth a peace treaty for you to accept. And the moment you believe on him, you enter into that peace with God. My, I'll tell you it's a good way to die.
I'll go even further. It's the only way you should die. The only way. Oh, what a joy to be saved. Can I raise the question? If you should die tomorrow. Today even. No impossibility. The way life goes today. Or anytime. Would you leave with peace in your soul between you and God? I'm saved. He's forgiven my sin. Hallelujah. Now there's something else also. If you please know. Something that is done the moment you believe, and you go to verse two, you have something in the present. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.
Now let me please point out very quickly. The moment I'm saved, the moment I'm justified, I'm in a position. I'm standing. Signal that word. We have access by faith into this grace. wherein we stand, and the word means favor. We stand in God's favor when He is justified. What a place to be. We are saved by grace, but we also continue to need His grace. But we are standing with access to God's continued grace and mercy.
Or please let me say, it's not only getting saved by grace, but it's enjoying the grace of God after you're saved. If you have your Bible, go with me to Hebrews chapter four, will you please? Hebrews chapter four, I want you to read something with me, relative to this wonderful privilege of being in God's grace. Let me just read at the end of the chapter. Chapter four, verse fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen. as Paul writes, saying, Seeing then that we have a great high priest, shall we pass into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us all pass our confession, which would be a better word.
For we have now been high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but it was in all points tested like as we, sin accepted, without sin. Now verse fifteen. Let us therefore come boldly. Where? Under the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Please may I say, do I take the Lord Jesus as my Savior? I still need God's grace. Not to save me, but to help me.
To enable me. Well, may I be very faithful? Many of you may know it too well as well as I do. Though you may have the mistaken idea when you're saved, which was mine, I recall in my young days, I said to myself, John, you're never going to have any more problems. That was one big mistake. It didn't take too long to find it out either. And I've been finding it out ever since. In the world you shall have tribulation, said the Lord Jesus. But be of good cheer, I've overcome the world. And it's made provision.
We are standing in a place now after we're saved. I can go to God's throne. To me it's become a throne of grace. Before it was a throne of judgment. I feared it. I was condemned. But it's forgiven me. And I can come boldly. for a throne in Christ. He'll help me. Hallelujah. My, do I need His help? You don't, do you? You don't, yes you do. We all do, don't we? Realize it. He's got the throne of grace. And from that throne above, He sends help. And we receive mercy and find grace to us.
Help! In time of need. I think of the dear old man, I think I may have told you here before. as one of his fellow workers chided him, ridiculed him because he was a Christian, and said, Uncle, what can you do when the devil comes round? That's you. You know much for him. He said, I'll tell you what I do. I get down on my knees. I prayed. Help, Lord, the devil entangling with your property. And he was right. And he talked the right way, too. He knew what he needed. Help, Lord. My beloved, please let me say, please let me say, oh, may I, remember what David said on one occasion, more than one occasion.
The Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man can do unto me. My good to have the Lord for your helper, isn't it? From whence cometh my help, said David, on another occasion? My help cometh from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. Now I want to tell you there isn't a man on earth that can give you that much help as he can. We're standing in a place where His grace helps. Hallelujah. My, if it wasn't for the grace of God, I would be here tonight. Oh, I think of some occasions in my life that have been so difficult, painful and hard, but I know and give testimony it was only the grace of God that brought me through.
His grace did He not say to Paul, my grace is sufficient for me. My strength is made perfect in weakness. But let's go on further in our chapter of Romans and note something else. There's something not only about the present, but something about the future. At the end of verse two, I rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. This is my future. My past. He forgave me. My present. I'm under his grace. My future. The glory of God. Then he reminds you of Romans chapter twenty-three again. We read it. All that's pinned and come short of the glory of God.
Meaning, because of my sin, I cannot reach the glory of God. The only place I can reach with my sin will be the sufferings of hell. But, since he saved me, I have the hope of the glory of God. What a blessed hope. at the coming of the Lord Jesus. Now, let me, this particularly junction, let me please remind you of the three things then. When God justified, when He clears the sinner of his and her sins, forgiveness, and clears the condemnation, and they are justified by faith, what do they have for the present peace with God and the standing in grace?
Oh, the joy of knowing. First the past is under the blood of Jesus, and the present is now under the care of his grace. And the future is glory. Oh, the joy of knowing. Please may I put it how beautiful it is in that threefold way. In the present, what a joy to know. At the present time, I can say, my past is all forgiven. And my presence under his care is great. My future. I'm the opposite of his order. Hallelujah. You know, I'll tell you, I'm glad I'm not going to hell. Do you know how you feel about it? But I said, I'm happy with the one now.
Last place anyone ought to want to go. I think of a dear lady. I went into the hostel of a room many, many years ago and handed a tract to the lady on the bed. I said, Lady, here's a little message. Tells you how to get to heaven. And you know, she really snapped right back at me. She said, I'll let you know how to get out of this place first. I said, I can tell you how, lady. And she said, how? Go to heaven. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You'd have thought I'd told you to go to hell. I didn't. I know she thought I thought it was probably going to the other places, out of the hospital. Isn't it strange that people don't want to go to heaven?
But it's something the matter with us. I think there are plenty. But that's so true, isn't it? Until God awakens us. And what a joy they know. I'm bound for glory. Now I want you to know very quickly. The rest of the chapter that we have part that we read. What we have read in the first two verses they are permanent. The past. The present. The future. Permanent. My past is permanently under the blood of Christ. My sins are washed away. My present under the care of His grace. My future.
I'm going to share in His coming glory. And that's permanent when I believe I'm the Lord Jesus. I say again, if I was saved, I'd hurry up and do it. And if you're not saved, you ought to get saved and do it now. And say, Lord Jesus, That's salvation I wanted. Lord Jesus, you paid for it. You give it to me free. Oh, Lord Jesus, I'll pay for it. And you'll have that joy. But now let me please note something with you. What follows quickly? Now go down the portion quickly. And so Paul goes on to say, because of all this, not only so, we glory in trouble.
What? No, Paul. You don't enjoy having trouble, do you? We glory in what? Tribulation. What do you mean, Paul? Oh, when you know you're saved, those troubles come. We can glory and prosper. We can boast in our troubles. Why? No, what happens? Knowing that tribulation works at what? Patience. And here you can see the development in your life as a Christian, as you meet the difficulties, and as you bear them. And as you went, Do then, patience comes. The young man came to an old brother, a Christian man, and said, Brother Sog, will you please pray for me?
He said, I need patience. He said, Will you pray for me? Sure, said the old brother. He said, Let's get down on our knees. And so they got down together. And the old brother began to pray. Lord, send my dear young brother more troubles and tribulations. Wait a minute, the young man said. I didn't ask for that. Well, said the old brother, you've got to get it the way God gives it. He does it through trouble. Let me ask you something. If you never had any trouble, you would never need patience, would you? The way you go through your troubles, it demands the patience. It's a Christian result as you go through it.
And they go further. knowing that tribulation workers patience and no hurt for it. And patience develops experience. Oh, may I say again, if you want Christian experience, enjoy your troubles. What? Did I say right? Do what Paul said. When the troubles come, prove you can endure them. And go through them, don't, well, go further down. We'll go quickly down. And to experience hooks. No matter what experience I'm going through, I've got a hope. And thank God for that blessed hope. Someday Jesus is coming again. And all my troubles will be over.
And then hope, as you go on, make us not ashamed. Why? Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given to us. And then you can recognize God's love to all these experiences. through tribulation, through patience, and through experience, and through hope, you find you know more about the love of God. And it floods in your heart by the Holy Ghost who's been given. And how do I know he loves me? Or verse six, seven, and eight tells me, For yet, when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly, for scarce if we were a righteous man, will one die?
He gets her revenge for a good man. Some would even dare to die. Stop. God commended his love toward us. And then while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. No matter what I go through, please let me say it. Let me repeat it. When I found out that God loves me, when I found out that he gave Christ to die for me, when I see the greatness of such love, then I can endure tribulations. I will indeed find it will bring patience. I will find it will develop into Christian experience that I need. I will find that it develops the joy of me, enjoyment of my hope.
For God loves me. You say, how do I know he loves me? Please let me say, let me give you an illustration. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. And when you want to measure the love of God, you've got to measure it not what you go through. You've got to measure it by Calvary. The death of Christ. Way back in nineteen thirteen, some of you may not remember it. And very few, if any of us here, might remember the fact there was a great ocean line of a name of the Titanic. My folks came over from England just before the Titanic sank. And in nineteen eleven.
But in nineteen thirteen, this great new ship, the largest ever built, the most powerful one ever built to the time, and one that they tried to, and they did advertise, to be unsinkable. Well, it made a nice bird in its sight, with the many, many, many souls on board perished. There was one man that missed the boat in Liverpool, England. His train connection got him there too late to catch the boat. Well, you can imagine he probably found God that did him a great favor, don't you? He must have felt, well, the Lord sure loved me. He kept me from grinning on that boat and perishing, as many did in the icy waters on the sea.
On that boat there was a man, and there was a man. And this dear man was a preacher in Scotland. John Harper was his name. A faithful treat. Some of my friends I knew up north in my early days, they knew him well. His guys were Scotland. That man would pray all Saturday night before he preached on Sunday morning that God would save sinners, his own soul. But John Harper found himself in the icy waters of the Atlantic. No boat available. Just springing to her feet the wreckage. And that night in the waters of the dark, He went from person to person saying, are you saved?
Are you saved? And if they said no, he'd tell them, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And he went from one to the other that way. And a young man who gave the testimony in a mission in Toronto later on said, John Harper came to me and said, boy, are you saved? And I told him, no. He said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And he went to some others. And then he said, suddenly he came back to me. He said, young boy, are you afraid yet? I said, no, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. And then he said, John Harper slammed away a little, dripped away, and the wave came along, swept him off the wreckage to which he was clinging, clinging, and he sank in the ocean, drowned and went through his death.
And then John Harper's last congress, The boy got saved in the waters of the Atlantic and was fortunately picked up later. Now let me raise the question. Did God love John Harper any more or any less than the man who missed the boat? You can't have measured the love of God. But one way. The death of Christ. The death of Christ. He loved it. He gave himself up. And as Christians. Even once we go through, don't ever forget, may I never forget it, how much he loved us, put in dying pocket.
And so we can certainly say, see that indeed, through his love, we can endure whatever it may be, knowing how much he's loved us. I think of a dear friend of mine in Virginia many years ago, a doctor friend of mine, telling me how I knew what he meant. I knew the young fella of whom he was speaking, one whom he did many kindnesses to. And the dear young fella, unfortunately, didn't reciprocate very kindly at times. And the doctor, unfortunately, had high blood pressure. He went up and down like an elevator sometimes. And especially when somebody irritated him. And this young fella had a way of irritating the dear old Christian doctor.
And he was saying, oh, he said, Gene really gives me a fit sometimes. And he said, I don't know how I'm going to put up with it. Well, he was reciting some of his trouble to a Christian friend. And after he was finished, the Christian friend looked at him and said, Don't.