Bragging Rights Series

Chico Alliance Church

September 16, 2001

Pastor David Welch

“Bragging Rights”

Romans 5:11

Review

Nearly two thousand years ago, Paul presented the plan of salvation to the people of Rome in a systematic manner that stands as the core of the Bible’s teaching on the subject to this day.

Having introduced the theme of God’s righteousness and his own passion for the Gospel in the first 17 verses, Paul proceeded to demonstrate the total failure of all humans to conform to perfect standard of God of God’s righteousness at any level, thus deservedly incurring the wrath and condemnation of God.

There is none righteous, no not one!

So in chapter three, Paul unveils God’s perfect plan to remedy man’s most difficult dilemma without compromising God’s magnificent divine nature.

The dilemma relates to man’s complete violation of God’s standard.

The remedy is forgiveness and justification.

Forgiveness by reason of the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross

Justification or imputation of the righteousness of Christ came as a result of both his death and subsequent resurrection.

In Chapter 5 Paul touched on some of the ramifications of God’s gift of righteousness to man or justification.

Having been justified through faith in Christ…

slide

Enjoy peace with God

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; Romans 5:1-2

click

Exult in hope of reflecting the glory of God in the future.

and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

click

Exult in present tribulations that produce future character

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 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.

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

slide

Your justification guarantees salvation or rescue from the coming wrath

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

Your justification guarantees your complete salvation or rescue to eternal life

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life

There is one more response to this great truth of justification by God mentioned by Paul.

Paul again returns to the present having glanced into our future rescue from wrath and the completion of our full salvation.

We were justified, we are reconciled, we have peace, we now exult in future hope of glory, we now exult in tribulation knowing that we are being developed into the likeness of Christ, we will be saved from wrath, we will be completely saved, we now exult in God through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:11

We exult in God

This is now the third time Paul has urged or highlighted “exultation” in this chapter.

The word means to boast, verbalize one’s delight or pleasure in something or in someone, to enthusiastically describe the virtues or merits of someone or something.

Illustration

My father only missed two days of work for sickness in 35 years working for St Regis.

The Mariners have the best record in baseball and still can achieve a new record for all time.

My children…

My wife…

We exult in things everyday.

What are some of the things that elicit a verbal exclamation?

This boasting or exulting can either be a good thing or a destructive thing depending on the object of our boast and the motive behind it.

Man critically errors when he exults with reference to his own merits, when he fails to realize the true source of all ability.

He who toots his own horn generally plays off tune.

Paul urged the Romans to exult or verbalize their enthusiastic delight in the hope of one day fully reflecting the character of God. “Exult in hope of the glory of God.”

Paul also urged the Romans and us to verbalize or reflect delight and enthusiasm for tribulations by focusing on their end result – spiritual growth and maturity.

Here Paul focuses on declaring or verbalizing our enthusiasm and personal delight in God Himself.