BEING MADE RIGHT WITH GOD. WHO? HOW? AND WHY?
• HAVE YOU EVER BOUGHT SOMETHING? AND FOUND WHEN YOU GOT IT HOME SOMETHING WASN’T QUITE RIGHT, THERE WAS A FLAW, A DEFECT, A FAULT. YOU COULD MAYBE TRY AND FIX IT YOURSELF BUT THAT NOT THE POINT YOU PAID GOOD MONEY AND YOU EXPECT IT TO BE RIGHT AND SO THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO IS TO RETURN THE PRODUCT TO THE SHOP SO THEY CAN REPLACE THE PRODUCT OR FIX THE PROBLEM.
THE APOSTLE PAUL HAS MADE THE POINT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING NOT QUITE RIGHT WITH ALL OF US IN THESE OPENING CHAPTERS THAT SOMETHING IS CALLED SIN AND INSTEAD OF RETURNING TO GOD PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEMSELVES AS A RESULT THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALLED ROM 1:18 THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST ALL THE GODLESSNESS AND WICKEDNESS OF MEN WHO SUPPRESS THE TRUTH BY THEIR WICKEDNESS. AND THERE IS A DEEPENING DEPRAVITY PREVALENT IN OUR WORLD, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING JUST TRUE THEN BUT STILL TRUE TODAY THERE IS SOMETHING INTRINSICLLY WRONG IN AL OF US.
PAUL DELIVERS A CUTTING BLOW HE POINTS OUT THAT ALL OF US ARE AT FAULT WHETHER WE CONSIDER OURSELVES RELIGIOUS OR NOT, MORAL AND UPRIGHT OR NOT THE SAME CONCLUSION IS GIVEN TO ALL. ROM 3: 9 JEW AND GENTILE ALIKE ARE ALL UNDER SIN: ROM 3: 10 THERE IS NO ONE RIGHTEOUS NO NOT ONE. ROM 3:23. FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.
PAUL WANTS US TO KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL FAULTY BEFORE GOD, WE ARE ALL DAMAGED GOODS, FROM THE MOMENT WERE CONCIEVED PSALM 51:5 (BORN IN SIN) SOMETHING IS WRONG AND THAT ALL OUR RELIGOSITY AND MORAL DO GOODING IS JUST LIKE TRYING TO FIX THE PRODUCT OURSELVES WE CAN’T RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. WE MUST RETURN TO GOD - IF WE WANT TO BE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD.
A. WHO? GOD MAKES US RIGHT
V21 -22 BUT NOW RIGHTOUSNESS FROM GOD, APART FROM THE LAW, HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN, TO WHICH THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS TESTIFY. 22 THIS RIGHTOUSNESS COMES FROM GOD V24 AND ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE
• WHEN A PERSON IS DROWNING THEY FRANTICALLY TRY TO SAVE THEMSELVES AND THE LIFE GAURD WILL NOT MOVE IN AT THIS POINT NOT UNTIL THEY STOP TRYING TO SAVE THEMSELVES , AS THEY ARE UNABLE TO RESCUE THEM AT THIS POINT, IT NOT UNTIL THE INDIVIDUAL STOPS TRYING TO SAVE THEMSELVES AND LETS THE LIFE GAURD TAKE OVER WILL THEY BE TRUELLY SAVED.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WHEN WE COME TO THAT POINT OF STOP TRYING TO WORK OUT OUR OWN RIGHTOUSNESS BEFORE GOD V20 NO ONE WILL BE DECLARED RIGHTOUS THROUGH THE LAW, AND COME TO REALISE THAT A RIGHTOUSNESS FROM GOD HAS COME . THIS IS THE GOOD NEWS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR
V21 IT’S AVAILABLE TODAY -. BUT NOW ITS ALSO AVAILABLE TO ALL.: v22 TO ALL WHO BELIEVE. AND WE ALL NEED IT :. V23 THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD
V21 ITS APART FROM THE LAW - BEING MADE RIGHT WITH GOD OUTSIDE THE LAW.
V21 THE BIBLE WITNESS TO IT - LAW AND PROPHETS TESTIFY - THIS ISNT PAULS THEOLOGY OR AN ADD ON TO JEWISH RELIGION THIS IS WHAT THE OLD TESTAMEMT WITNESSES TO A RIGHTOUSNESS IMPUTED TO US THAT WOULD COME FROM GOD .
V21 ITS NOT A SESCRET: HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN: THIS RIGHT STANDING IS NOT FOR THE SELECT FEW BUT FOR ALL ITS NOT COVERED UP , CONCEALED BUT IS REVEALLED IT HAS BEEN MADE KNOWN. HERE REFERING TO THE HISTORICAL DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST.
V24 JUSTIFICATION JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE. ( A JUDICIAL TERM) IT IS GODS ACT OF DECLARING US NOT GUILTY. BUT IT IS MORE THAN A MERE PARDON WHICH IS THE FREE FORGIVENESS OF A PAST OFFENCES - JUSTIFICATION IS THE BESTOWEL OF A RIGHTOUS STATUS AS THOUGH NO OFFENCES NO SINS WERE EVER COMMITED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
WARREN WIERSBE ILLUSTRATES JUSTIFICATION THIS WAY, THERE WAS A MAN IN ENGLAND WHO PUT HIS ROLLS-ROYCE ON A BOAT AND WENT ACROSS TO THE CONTINENT TO GO ON A HOLIDAY. WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AROUND EUROPE, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO THE MOTOR OF HIS CAR. HE CABLED THE ROLLS-ROYCE PEOPLE BACK IN ENGLAND AND ASKED, “I’M HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY CAR; WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I DO?” WELL, THE ROLLS-ROYCE PEOPLE FLEW A MECHANIC OVER! THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE CAR AND FLEW BACK TO ENGLAND AND LEFT THE MAN TO CONTINUE HIS HOLIDAY.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THE FELLOW WAS WONDERING, “HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST ME?” SO WHEN HE GOT BACK TO ENGLAND, HE WROTE THE PEOPLE A LETTER AND ASKED HOW MUCH HE OWED THEM. HE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE OFFICE THAT READ: “DEAR SIR: THERE IS NO RECORD ANYWHERE IN OUR FILES THAT ANYTHING EVER WENT WRONG WITH A ROLLS-ROYCE.” THAT IS JUSTIFICATION!
BUT WHAT IS THE BASIS OF THIS UNDESERVED JUSTIFICATION BEFORE GOD?
B. HOW? THROUGH JESUS THE REEDEMER . V22- 24.
1. JESUS REEDEMED US - REDEMPTION MEANS… TO FREE SOMEONE FROM BONDAGE. IT OFTEN INVOLVES THE PAYING OF A RANSOM, A PRICE THAT MAKES REDEMPTION POSSIBLE.
REDEMPTION IS SEEN WHEN A PAYMENT PRICE IS PUT UPON AN INDIVIDUAL TO SECURE THEIR RELEASE FOR INSTANCE A PRISONER OF WAR. A HOSTAGE HELD BY TERROSITS, A KIDNAPPED PERSON, WE SEE IT QUITE OFTEN THESE DAYS WITH ISLAMIC TERROSITS OR SOUTH AMERICAN GUN MEN HOLDING INDIVIDUALS FOR A RANSOM..
THE WORD CAME TO BE USED ALSO OF THE RELEASE OF A SLAVE, AND SOMETIMES OF A PERSON UNDER SENTENCE OF DEATH EXOD. 21:28-30. THERE LIVES COULD BE REEDEEMED. REDEEMEPTION ALWAYS MEANS THE PAYMENT OF A PRICE TO SECURE RELEASE.
THROUGH JESUS DEATH UPON THE CROSS WE SEE ITS SPIRITUAL APPLICATION: ALL OF US ARE BORN IN SIN AND SO WE ARE HELD IN BONDAGE WE BECOME SLAVES OF SIN JOHN 8:34;EVERYONE WHO SINS IS A SLAVE TO SIN. WE CANNOT FREE OURSELVES FROM THIS SLAVERY. CHRIST’S DEATH ON THE CROSS WAS THE PAYMENT OF A RANSOM PRICE MARK 10:45 FOR THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE AND GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY. THIS IS HOW WE ARE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD WE ARE REDEEMED..
AT THE CROSS WE ARE REDEEMED FROM THE POWER OF SIN AND THE CURSE OF THE LAW GAL. 3:13 THROUGH JESUS ROM. 3:24; COL. 1:14. WE WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE 1 COR. 6:20; YOU WERE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE 7:23. 1PET: 1:18 19 WE WERE NOT REDEMMED WITH PERISABLE THINGS LIKE SILER AND GOLD BUT WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST.
THAT REMINDS ME OFTEN WE CAN BUY THINGS BACK WITHOUT ANY REAL EFFORT ON OUR PART ONE SUCH CASE WAS AT A GEM AND MINERAL SHOW IN TUSCON AMERICA A GEM DEALER WAS STROLLING THE AISLES WHEN HE NOTICED A BLUE-VIOLET STONE THE SIZE AND SHAPE OF A POTATO. HE LOOKED IT OVER, THEN, AS CALMLY AS POSSIBLE, ASKED THE VENDOR, "YOU WANT $15 FOR THIS?" THE SELLER, REALIZING THE ROCK WASN’T AS PRETTY AS OTHERS IN THE BIN, LOWERED THE PRICE TO $10. THE STONE HAS SINCE BEEN CERTIFIED AS A 1,905-CARAT NATURAL STAR SAPPHIRE, ABOUT 800 CARATS LARGER THAN THE LARGEST STONE OF ITS KIND. IT WAS APPRAISED AT $2.28 MILLION.
IT TOOK A LOVER OF STONES TO RECOGNIZE THE SAPPHIRE’S WORTH. IT TOOK THE LOVER OF SOULS JESUS OUR REEDEMER TO RECOGNIZE THE TRUE VALUE OF ORDINARY-LOOKING PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME …. BUT HE DIDN’T PAY A FEW DOLLARS FOR US IT COST HIM IS LIFE BLOOD AND SO MUCH MORE.WHY SUCH COST ?
WHY? THE ATONING SACRIFICE TO DEMOSTATRATE HIS JUSTICE AND LOVE.
ITS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHY DID CHRIST DIE ? TO SAVE US YES GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE.... BUT ITS MORE THAN JUST LOVE FOR THE WORLD, THATS NOT THE WHOLE STORY BECAUSE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS FOUND IN GODHEAD ITSELF
V25 GOD PRESENTED HIM AS A SACRIFICE OF ATONEMENT TO DEMONSTRATE HIS JUSTICE
ATONEMENT - HERE MEANS PROPITIATION THE GREEK TERM IS HILASTERION USED IN THESE PAGES HAS THE SENSE OF PLACETING ANGER TO APPEASE GOD THIS SACRIFICE OF ATONEMENT TURNS AWAY THE WRATH OF GOD FROM US ONTO HIM. THIS MAKES GOD FAVORABLE TOWARDS THE SINNER AND SATISFIES HIS JUSTICE ENABLING FORGIVENESS TO FLOW OUT TO ALL THOSE WHO TRUST IN JESUS CHRIST.
REMEMBER THE CONTEXT HERE PAUL HAS BEEN DESCRIBING EARLIER HOW WE HAVE ALL SINNED 3:23 AND HOW THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING POURED OUT AND STORED UP 1:18, 2:5, 3,5 AND SO PROPITIATION IS THE EPICENTRE WHERE JESUS PLACEATES GODS HOLY INDIGNATION TOWARDS SIN AND IT IS CENTRED UPON JESUS – WHO GOD MADE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN 2COR5:21 JESUS IS THE ANSWER TO THE HUMAN PREDICAMENT WHICH IS NOT ONLY SIN BUT GODS WRATH UPON US, HERE GODS JUSTICE IS MEET.
• JIM PACKER SAYS PROPITIATION HERE EXPRESS THAT BY HIS SACRIFICIAL DEATH FOR OUR SINS, CHRIST PACIFIED THE WRATH OF GOD. IT ALSO SHOWS THAT HOW GOD OUT OF HIS GREAT LOVE FOR US WHICH IS ALSO A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF HIS NATURE, HAS HIMSELF ACTED TO PROPITIATE HIS WRATH TO SAVE SINNERS.
• IF A LIFETIME OF MY SINS WERE REPRESENTED AS EACH SINGLE DROP OF WATER THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS GLASS OF WATER FILLED TO THE TOP (DRINK A GLASS OF WATER IN ONE GULP) JESUS DRANK MY SINS EVERY LAST DROP AND QUENCHED THE WRATH OF GOD TOWARDS SINNERS, THE WRATH THAT WE DESERVE..WAS LAID UPON HIM.
THATS WHY JESUS WOULD CRY OUT MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME? BECAUSE THE WRATH OF GOD WAS UPON HE WHO KNEW NO SIN WAS MADE SIN AS HE ABSORBED THE WRATH OF GOD.UPON THE CROSS JUSTICE AND LOVE WERE DEMONSTRATED, GOD WAS SATISFIED, SINNERS COULD BE SAVED!
THE MAGNITUDE OF GODS JUSTICE AND LOVE ARE MANIFESTED IN THE CROSS. GOD’S ONLY SON EXPERIENCED GODS WRATH ON OUR BEHALF. GOD PUNISHED JESUS IN OUR PLACE THIS IS AT THE HEART OF THE ATONEMENT. IT MEANS THAT THERE IS AN ETERNAL UNCHANGEABLE REQUIREMENT IN THE HOLINESS AND JUSTICE OF GOD.
ROM:3:25 HE DID THIS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US PAST V26 AND PRESENT V26 IT IS GOD WHO MAKES US RIGHT WITH HIMSELF AND ITS THROUGH THE ATONING SACRIFICE THROUGH FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, HE IS ENABLED TO PRONOUNCE A RIGHT STANDING WITH HIMSELF TO ALL WHO BELIEVE.
SIN MUST BE PAID FOR BEFORE THE ATONEMENT COULD HAVE AN EFFECT ON OURSELVES (BRINGING US REDEMPTION) IT FIRST HAD AN EFFECT ON GOD AND HIS RELATIONSHIP TO SINNERS WHO HE PLANNED TO REDEEM. GOD PROVIDED A WAY BY WHICH THAT RELATIONSHIP COULD BE RESTORED WITH THOSE WHO REPENT AND BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
WHY? THE ATONING SACRIFICE NOT ONLY TO DEMONSTRATE HIS JUSTICE BUT ALSO HIS DYNAMIC LOVE TOWARDS YOU.
THE BIBLE SAYS GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE TOWARDS US WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS CHRIST JESUS DIED FOR US.ROM 5:8
DURING THE 17TH CENTURY, OLIVER CROMWELL, LORD PROTECTOR OF ENGLAND, SENTENCED A SOLIDER TO BE SHOT FOR HIS CRIMES. THE EXECUTION WAS TO TAKE PLACE AT THE RINGING OF THE EVENING CURFEW BELL. HOWEVER, THE BELL DID NOT SOUND. THE SOLIDERS FIANCEE HAD CLIMBED INTO THE BELFRY AND CLUNG TO THE GREAT CLAPPER OF THE BELL TO PREVENT IT FROM STRIKING. WHEN SHE WAS SUMMOND BY CROMWELL TO ACCOUNT FOR HER ACTIONS, SHE WEPT AS SHE SHOWED HIM HER BRUISED AND BLEEDING HANDS. CROMWELLS HEART WAS TOUCHED AND HE SAID, “YOUR LOVER SHALL LIVE BECAUSE OF YOUR SACRIFICE, CURFEW SHALL NOT RING TONIGHT!”
• VIDEO CLIP SACRIFICE FOR ANOTHER:
1 JOHN4:10 THIS IS LOVE NOT THAT WE LOVED GOD BUT THAT HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON AS AN ATONING SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS.
GOD DOESN’T LOVE US BECAUSE CHRIST DIED FOR US, BUT CHRIST DIED FOR US, BECAUSE GOD LOVED US.
HOW ARE WE MADE RIGHT WITH GOD? THROUGH FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST ALONE.
