Justified By Faith

Justified by faith in Christ

Romans chapter 5:1-11

I am certainly glad that we are able to get together as we take a look at God’s Word together.

Prayer-

This morning Lord, would you speak to your servants through your servant so that we might sense your presence and sense what you want to do in our lives. May you draw close to us and prepare us for what you are doing so that we are ready to receive it with gladness and expectation of a new and exciting thing being done. In Jesus Name! Amen.

Have you ever thought you were not good enough?

Wither it be in a sport, at work, at home among your siblings, feeling not worthy to have a spouse or someone to love you?

Not worthy to have a friend that would not dessert you or take advantage of you?

I think it safe to say we have all felt that way in our life about one or more of those things.

But have you also taken those feelings and looked at your relationship with God as not measuring up?

Do you feel on the short end of the stick as you try to measure up to God to be pleased with your life and your actions?

Romans chapter 5:1-11

The book of Romans is a tough book for new believers to understand and believers who struggle with their identity in Christ.

It is a complete book in that the first 8 chapters talk about our problem with righteousness.

9-11 deals with the Jews thinking that they were the chosen people alone, their problem with letting the Gentiles to also enjoy the Lord and His salvation.

The last chapters deal with practical living for a believer.

Roman takes a hard look at our life and where it stands with and without God.

Romans a book that convicts and draws you close to the Lord (because you respond) or pull away from the Lord (rebellion) and want to do things our own way.

One way draws you close and one way pulls you away.

The desire of the Lord is to draw us close to Him.

The desire of the flesh is to pull away from anything or anyone that tells us we are wrong or that we have to live with guidelines.

When I first came to Christ, I struggled with two things-

That I would not do enough- “doer of the word”

I struggled with my sins that were behind me and what was still in me. For me it was in a church in Corpus Christi Texas that as the preacher was speaking that God spoke to my heart that Jesus is enough- It is not Jesus plus anything. Jesus is enough! Repeat.

We are not good people needing lucky charms, we are sinners in need of a savior. That will preach, tweet stand tall on Instagram.

We can be justified by faith only after we have put our faith in Christ. In Christ alone are our sins forgiven.

Jesus is enough

The struggle today is putting God in His rightful position as Lord of our lives.

We want a savior to save us but we don t want a Lord telling us what we can and cannot do.

We want the strength and protection of a mighty God but only when we need Him.

We want the peace and comfort of God that won’t leave us or forsake us.

We also want a God that forgives us even for things we know to be wrong.

We struggle that God has to be first- He does not take second place and we think it okay to give him a participation trophy of our lives.

Christians use the phrase Jesus is enough, but what does it really mean?

Jesus is “enough” for what?

Jesus is enough to save us. Jesus has “by one sacrifice . . . made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:14). Peter preached that “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Jesus is the only name that can take away our sin and save us—the “Name of Jesus” representing all that Jesus Christ is and does. There is literally no one and nothing else that we could add to Christ to aid our salvation. He finished the work on the cross (John 19:30), and what He did is enough to save us.

Jesus is enough to provide for us. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:19, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” This echoes Jesus’ words about God’s care for His creation: the sparrows and grass do not worry or toil for food or clothes (Matthew 6:25–31). It follows that, since God cares for such lowly things in creation, He will also take care of His people. Jesus has the ability and the desire to supply every need we have.