What God Has Given To Us(2013) Series

Chapter 5 is a new beginning. Chapters 1-3 demonstrate that sin is an issue that every man, woman, and child must deal with. ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT. Chapter 4 Paul shows us that dealing with this problem is only possible through one means. Works righteousness is impossible….even Abraham demonstrated that by his life….only faith in Christ can deal with sin in our lives. THEREFORE: Pointing backwards, ‘because of all that I have proven you can now count on these wonderful truths’.

Pointing backwards but moving forward with hope

Self-made millionaire Eugene Lang greatly changed the lives of a sixth-grade class in East Harlem. Mr. Lang had been asked to speak to a class of 59 sixth-graders, most of whom would drop out of school? He wondered how to get these children from another world to even to look at him. Scrapping his notes, he decided to speak to them from his heart. "Stay in school," he admonished, "and I’ll pay the college tuition for every one of you." At that moment the lives of these students changed. For the first time they had hope. Said one student, "I had something to look forward to, something waiting for me. It was a golden feeling." Nearly 90 percent of that class went on to graduate from high school. A NEW BEGINNING WITH HOPE:

THREE THINGS PAUL SHARES WITH US IN Verses 1-5

Blessings of the Past Blessings of the Present Blessings of the Future

(1) Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (2) through Whom we also have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

(3) And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; (4) and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; (5) and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who was given to us.

Things that are truly available to them because they understand how a true relationship of God happens: Admitting our sin(1-3) & Resting by Faith on the Finished Work of Jesus Christ based upon His shed blood on the cross(4).

Now they can know the riches/benefits of a genuine relationship with God.

There is great hope in having God’s name on a promise. I can remember the excitement of getting a tax rebate check from the IRS. In your hands is a promise from the US government to pay you X amount of dollars. You know the check is as good as our government is solvent.(cash it quick!) Why don’t we get even more excited about the promises God has attached His Name to? The great truths we can cash in on regarding what it means to be His child!

THE BLESSINGS IN THE PAST: Therefore, having been justified by faith….

Past tense statement of what is now true of us if we have trusted by faith in Jesus Christ. You may have in your Bible, ‘Therefore being justified by faith..’.

AORIST tense verb meaning a simple past act with lasting effects today. Also has a PASSIVE VOICE: Means that it is something received without any effort or action of your own.

We have no point of boasting regarding our relationship with God.

Except in what Christ has done for us. It was our only hope.

JUSTIFIED: Comes from a root meaning a ‘measuring reed’.

They went to a riverside and picked up a straight reed to measure with. We might use a yardstick.(Straight as well as a certain length)

Because of what Christ has done for us our record can be taken and placed up against God’s standard and we pass.

Made acceptable, in right standing up against God’s standards. We Measure Up

Not because of our own works but because of our faith upon the finished work of Jesus thru which God has imputed His righteousness to us.

Every word in Hebrew/Greek that talks about sin describes it as a deviation from a standard: missed the mark, fallen short.

Sin is not achieving God’s acceptable standard. In Christ we find our only hope.

Our only action in our justification is the exercise of our faith.

If you have a ball handed to you with a closed hand the ball does not stay. But when you receive it with an open hand the ball is easily taken. It is the same action by the giver on both occasions but only the open hand received what is given. Faith is the willingness to receive demonstrated by the opening of a life: SURRENDER, Acceptance of His will. We live in a world that has a clenched fist towards God instead of an open hand of faith. Hands closed while holding onto their things this world offers. God wants to give to everybody the gift of salvation. God put in my heart a desire to know His Son and at one point I opened my hand, opened my life and received what God was trying to give. The Holy Spirit’s ministry is to convict us before God of our sin and to place into our hearts a desire to receive God’s provision. To convince us to OPEN OUR LIFE.