'the Blessings Of Justification' (2023)

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). We have peace with God (vs 1)

(2). We stand in grace (vs 2a)

(3). We have hope (vs 2b).

(4). We have daily confidence (vs 3-4).

(5). We rejoice in God (vs 5-11).

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

Word definitions:

• SWAETER: a garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.

• COMMITTEE_ a group of people who keep minutes and waste hours.

• ANTIQUE:

• An item your grandparents bought, your parents got rid of, and you're buying again.

• GROCERY LIST:

• What you spend half an hour writing, then forget to take with you to the stops.

• FULL NAME: What you call your child when you're mad at him/her.

• VEGETARIAN: Old Indian word for bad hunter.

• TRANSITION: from the humorous to the series.

• JUSTIFICATION: in theology, it means,

• To declare someone who is guilty to be made righteous in the sight of God.

NOW CAST YOUR MINDS BACK TO LAST WEEK,

• The apostle Paul ended chapter 4 of this letter with the words,

• “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”

• And he starts chapter 5 verse 1.

• “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith”.

• So “justify” or “justification” is a word found in both those verses,

• We may be in a new chapter,

• But it is the same theme – justification - that the apostle Paul is teaching.

THE WORDS “JUSTIFY”, OR “JUSTIFICATION” IS LEGAL JARGON,

• It comes from a court of law.

• Note: In a human court of law, a person who is guilty can never be made not guilty!

• Now don’t miss that point!

• In a human court of law, a person who is guilty can never be made not guilty!

Ill:

• Suppose you commit a crime & it goes to court.

• Let’s say, you steal something, and you were caught red handed!

• But because it’s your first offence,

• Instead of sending you to prison, the court decide to fine you,

• Now just suppose you cannot pay the fine, it's too much for you:

• But somebody else (Auntie Mable) comes along and pays the fine for you.

• You can now leave that court room,

• And you can walk right past the police officer who arrested you,

• And the police officer cannot touch you because the fine has been paid,

• The penalty of the law has been met,

• And therefore, the law has been satisfied!

Now Christians often use that sort of situation as an illustration:

• To describe Jesus has done for us when he died on the cross.

• We say He has died as a substitute for us (He has paid the penalty for our sins).

• Now that is true.

• But it is not the whole truth!

• You see if you are fined in a court of law:

• And that fine is paid by yourself or by someone else:

• The law has been satisfied and you are free to go!

• BUT and it’s a big but! You are still guilty of the crime!

• The guilt of your crime has not been taken away.

• And if you commit another crime six months later and are caught again,

• You will probably find at the end of the trial,

• Someone will get up before the sentence is proclaimed, and they will say:

"This person has already committed an offence six months ago,

They were found guilty, and the record of that guilt is still on the statute books".

• Although your fine was paid, and the law was satisfied,

• You will forever remain guilty of that crime.

• And you can never, ever get rid of your guilt!

• Yet the Bible teaches:

• That men and woman who have been declared guilty by God:

• Guilty because of their sin, can be justified.

• Just as though they had never done it (committed their crime).

• Being justified is a recognition of innocence, “Not guilty!”

Never in a human court of law someone who is guilty of a crime cannot be made innocent.

• Someone may be granted a pardon because of a mistake.

• But that is different.

• But a person whose guilt has been established,

• Can never be declared innocent.

• Yet, this is precisely what God has done!

• God can justify, make right a guilty sinner!

• God declares or pronounces every true believer to be justified before him.

• That is God sees them, ‘Just as though they had never sinned’.

• He can do that, not because they are perfect,

• But because Jesus Christ is perfect!