Dying He Saved Me Romans 5:1-11
Sermon by Don Emmitte, Grace Restoration Ministries
Today we come to our second in a series titled Oh, Glorious Day! Each of these messages is built around the theology expressed in the chorus of the song sung by Casting Crowns:
Living He loved me,
Dying He saved me,
And buried He carried my sins far away,
Rising He justified freely forever,
One day He's coming, oh, glorious day, oh, glorious day!
Last week we look at “Living He Loved Me.” Today, we see Dying He Saved Me.”
TAKE YOUR BIBLES, PLEASE…
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:1-11 ESV).
Many years ago I saw an article in Look Magazine quoting some famous people and how they had found “peace of mind.” There were sixteen prominent Americans quoted in the article. The following stood out in my mind:
James A. Michener, who wrote over forty novels, among them South Pacific, The Bridges at Toko-Ri, Texas, and Hawaii, said: “That which brings me the most peace is taking my two dogs for a walk along old streams and fields that haven’t been plowed for half a century.”
Barry Goldwater, former five term senator from Arizona and champion of conservatism launching a revolution within the Republican Party with his candidacy for president of the United States in 1964, said: “I am most at peace through my hobbies – photography, boating, flying, and camping. Most of all, I am at peace when I am hiking in the Grand Canyon.”
Walter Cronkite, television news pioneer and CBS Legend, said: I am most at peace in my solitude. I can truly be at peace going to the sea alone by small boat.”
Sammy Davis, Jr., actor, singer, comedian, who played with Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra as a part of “The Rat Pack,” said: I am at peace looking for the good in other people.”
Bill Moyers, journalist for PBS and White House Press Secretary for LBJ, said, “I find peace in a family reunion, usually in some remote, quiet retreat.”
All of these answers, and usually the answers we hear from others, are dependent upon favorable circumstances. It is interesting to me that though we live in a free nation that which seems to elude most Americans is a feeling of freedom. Peace of mind and heart is truly elusive for many.
Let me begin to unpack some of our text today. Peace with God is by definition a peaceful relationship with God. The establishment of this relationship is our first and deepest need. Man’s greatest need is not peace with other men. It is not even peace with himself. Man’s greatest need is peace with God. The declaration of the Apostle Paul is that we have the answer to our deepest need. This peace with God should be distinguished from the peace of God. Those who know peace with God may enjoy the peace of God as an inner benefit of the spiritual tranquility that is conveyed, but the peace with God is basically a reconciled relationship with God, not an inner peace. It is not a subjective feeling. THAT’S THE BASIS FOR OUR SINGING OH, GLORIOUS DAY! So, with that in mind there are three principles to understand.
First, the Peace With God Is the Fruit of Justification.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Don’t miss the first word of this passage. Therefore is the word on which the entire passage turns. It indicates a direct relationship between what is here stated and what has gone before. Beginning in Romans 3:20 up to this verse, the Apostle Paul has presented the great theme of justification by faith. So, he says, Therefore, since we have had faith which produces justification, we have peace. It is important to understand the use of the particular verb translated “since we have faith” has being a past perfect. That is to say it represents a completed work. The better translation is “having already been justified.” This reconciled relationship with God is the direct result of the justification.
1. This is even clearer in its importance when we understand the nature of the relationship before we were reconciled. God’s conflict with man is over our sin. Sin is the transgression of the law of God. It is an act of treason against the rule and authority of God. God being a just God must punish this sin. He cannot overlook or ignore such an act of rebellion. To ignore it would be to threaten the very fabric of the moral universe. So, as long as man stands before god as responsible for sin, he must be under the wrath of God and must be treated as a mortal enemy. The problem of every guilty sinner is in finding a way to get rid of his sin so that God will no longer treat him as an enemy and so that he may be absolved of any punishment for his treasonous rebellion.
2. To understand the direct relationship between justification and peace with God, we must also understand the nature of justification. Justification is the act of God whereby God declares the guilty sinner to be righteous. By this act God freely bestows on the guilty the very righteousness that God requires, thereby making him acceptable in His sight. And, of course, in the same act all of the sins committed by the sinner are removed, forgiven. The result of the divine records has nothing to show with reference to the sinner but the very righteousness of Christ. THAT gives us peace with God!
Roy Gustafson has the finest illustration of justification I have ever heard. It seems that 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. Martin Luther wrote:
I do not come because my soul is free from sin and pure and whole and worthy of Thy grace; I do not speak to Thee because I've ever justly kept Thy laws and dare to meet Thy face. I know that sin and guilt combine to reign o'er every thought of mine and turn from good to ill; I know that when I try to be upright and just and true to Thee, I am a sinner still. I know that often when I strive to keep a spark of love alive for Thee, the powers within leap up in unsubmissive might and oft benumb my sense of right and pull me back to sin. I know that though in doing good I spend my life, I never could atone for all I've done; but though my sins are black as night, I dare to come before Thy sight because I trust Thy Son. In Him alone my trust I place, come boldly to Thy throne of grace, and there commune with Thee. Salvation sure, O Lord, is mine, and, all unworthy, I am Thine, for Jesus died for me.
Oh, Glorious Day, Dying He Saved Me!
Second, the Peace With God Is the Work of Jesus Christ.
We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul says “through” our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace in any realm comes at a price. Many soldiers have poured out their blood in battle that we might live free as Americans. The peace of God comes at that same high price. Here’s how Paul writes it to the Ephesians:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands—remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13 ESV).
Jesus paid the price for our justification! It was the price of his life! And, there’s more. We are not merely at peace with God through Christ; we are now placed in the same position with God as Christ. We have the same blessing, honor, and privilege as Christ!
Oh, Glorious Day, Dying He Saved Me!
Third, the Peace With God Is the Assurance of Salvation.
D. Martin-Lloyd Jones, the greatest expositor of Romans, makes assurance the theme for this entire chapter. It is his claim that the whole purpose of the Apostle Paul was to present the assurance of salvation that belongs to the justified sinner. The word that jumps off the page for me is we HAVE peace with God! So, here are just four things Jones outlines:
1. First, justification is the starting point for all spiritual blessings. Our restored relationship, being at peace with God, provides the basis for every blessing. The popular belief being put forth from some today that in order for us to be blessed of God we must first make ourselves “blessable” it completely contrary to the gospel. We are blessed through Christ who has accomplished our justification.
2. Second, having been justified through faith in Christ’s work, believers can know that their salvation is secure forever. Nothing can separate us from Christ because it is an accomplished finished work in Him. Nothing we have done, are doing, or will do can change what He has already finished.
3. Third, our circumstances do not determine our position. Let me say it another way: Bad things do happen to good people. You may deflect the needle on a compass with a sharp blow, but it will return to true north. So is our salvation!
4. Fourth, these blessings are ONLY through Christ. Our attempts to rid ourselves of our guilt any other way are all in vain. You will never know the peace with God and consequently peace with your own conscience, until you are willing to admit that you can do nothing to satisfy the demands of God against you and accept His gift of love which Christ has already purchased for you in his death.
Two preachers who differed on the question of the believer's safety in Christ were discussing the question, and one said to the other: "I tell you a child of God is safe only so long as he stays in the lifeboat. He may jump out, and if he jumps out he is lost." To this the other replied, saying: "You remind me of an incident in my own life. I took my little son out with me in a boat. I realized, as he did not, the danger of his falling or even jumping, into the water. So I sat with him all the time, and all the time I held him fast, so he could neither fall out, nor jump out, of the boat." "But," said the first preacher, "he could have wriggled out of his coat and got away in spite of you." "Oh," said the other, "you misunderstood me if you supposed I was holding his coat; I was holding him."
Oh, Glorious Day, Dying He Saved Me!
