Foundations of the Christian Life. Chapter 14: - Justification by Faith.

Foundations of the Christian Life.
Chapter 14: - Justification by Faith.

For one to become a Christian, to be born again and go to heaven when we die, all it takes is faith in Jesus Christ.

This saving faith requires on our part two elements:

(1) Belief.
We must believe certain things:

(a) God exists.
Hebrews 11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

(b) All men, including myself, are sinners.
Romans 3:23
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, …”

(c) God has given us a way of Redemption through Christ.
Romans 3:24
“…and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

(d) Christ died as a sacrifice for our sins.
Romans 3:25.
“God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”

(e) We can receive this salvation on the basis of faith alone, i.e. belief and trust.
Romans 3:22.
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

(2) Trust.

We must by an act of will and trust give our lives to God, entrusting ourselves to him for our salvation, that he will do as he promises and give us righteousness and salvation in Christ.

INTRODUCTION TO ROMANS.

Romans is the Epistle of the Gospel. In it the Apostle Paul gives the most detailed explanation of how Christ's death saves us and how we can appropriate it. Romans is often thought by Christians to be "heavy", but in the mind of Paul he would consider it to be only "milk".

Romans 1-4 is part of a prolonged argument Paul is putting forward to prove just one thing - that we are justified (made right with God) by faith in Christ alone. Nothing else matters.

The Bible makes clear that this has always been the case. There has never been any other way to know God. Prior to Christ's coming men were required to have faith in the coming Redeemer. Now that we know that the Redeemer is Christ, and he has come to earth, so we are to have faith in him. This is the good news of the Gospel - that the Promised Redeemer has finally come, and Salvation is available to all who put their faith in him.

Christ's death is valid for all men for all time - including those who died before his coming.

However, there was much discussion in the Early Church as to HOW one could receive this salvation. Paul, because of his dynamic conversion from sin, realized that salvation is a gift, it was nothing that he had done that earned it - in fact quite the opposite. Hence it was the grace of God, hence a gift which could only be received. Receiving is by faith, that is, simply by believing the message and trusting oneself to Christ.

Others felt that people had to do other things to be saved. Romans was written to answer that claim.

Structure of the letter to the Romans.

(1) 1:16,17. Thesis - statement of truth to be proved.
(2) 1:18-3:20. Point One - Everyone is Guilty before God.
(3) 3:21-31. Point Two - Justification is by Faith alone.
(4) Ch 4. Point Three - The Old Testament proves this to be true.

The rest of the book (Ch 5ff) answers specific objections to this teaching, but these are not important for us at this stage.

THESIS:- JUSTIFICATION IS BY FAITH IN CHRIST ALONE.

Romans 1:16,17.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."”

Four things about the Gospel that are totally radical:

(1) It is the Power of God.

The Good News we preach is not man's ideas. It is not a religion - a way to God in which we must strive to achieve under our own steam. It is, in fact, the power of God himself bringing salvation to us.

(2) It Brings Salvation.

This is an amazing idea! No other religion had the gall to promise such a thing. The best they could say was that you might make it if you are lucky and work hard enough. Mahommed, in the Koran, asks his followers to continue to pray for his salvation! Hinduism and its offshoots have no doctrine of salvation. Nor does Buddhism. Christianity promises salvation as a here and now experience!

(3) It is for all men, Jew or Gentile.

This idea was anathema to the Jews: that God could actually save a Gentile who did not convert to Judaism. But it was equally amazing to Gentiles who knew that only the “select few” were allowed to enter into the “mysteries” of religion. Christianity offers no “mysteries”, no “secret hidden wisdom” for a select few. It is a way to know God for everyone.

(4) It comes by faith in Christ alone.

You don't have to do anything in terms of works to get it! All it takes is faith - belief in the proposition God puts before us, and trust in the Saviour who will save all who trust in him.

These four ideas were unknown in the Ancient World. And they contradict everything in the modern world where we desperately want to do something to provide for ourselves.

POINT ONE:- EVERYONE IS GUILTY BEFORE GOD.

Romans 1:18-3:8.

We will examine this again in more detail when we consider the principles of Judgment but for now we need to make a few points.
Paul outlines his position in three steps:

1. Ch 1:18-25 The Gentiles are guilty before God.

Romans 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,”

The basis of their guilt is that there is knowledge of God available to any man – if one chooses to see it. In fact the knowledge is so plain one has to choose not to see it, hence their guilt is not accidental but deliberate. This knowledge is available through:

a. Creation.
Romans 1:19,20.
“…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities- his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

b. Conscience.
Romans 2:14,15.
“Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.”

c. The very fact that people condemn other people for doing wrong shows they know there must be a right and wrong, a law, and hence a lawgiver, God.
Romans 2:1.
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things.”

Not only are the Gentiles guilty because they reject the knowledge of God available to them, they are also guilty because they deliberately have sought pleasure in sin, going beyond limits they knew were wrong, this is seen in two areas:

a. They acknowledge they know there is a God by making “gods” for themselves.
Romans 1:21-23.
“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.”

b. The area of sexual sin.
Romans 1:24.
“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.”

2. Ch 2:19-. Religious people in general, and the Jews in particular, are guilty before God.

The Jews could accept that the Gentiles were guilty before God but Paul takes great pains to show that the Jews are likewise guilty.
The basis of their guilt is that they had a special revelation of God’s nature and purposes and failed to live up to it.

Romans 2:23,24.
“You who brag about the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law?
As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

3. Summary:- Romans 3:9-20. Everyone is therefore guilty before God.

Paul quotes the OT and his point is simply that the Law (i.e. the OT) must have been written primarily to those under the OT. Hence these scriptures he quotes applies to the Jews as much as anyone else. If that is so then clearly the Jew has no advantages before God in terms of righteousness. The Jews already agreed that the Gentiles were guilty so Paul only has to provide scriptures that show the Jews themselves are likewise guilty before God.

Romans 3:9-12
“What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

Paul's choice of OT texts that follow this centre mainly of the sins of the mouth, lying, deceiving, etc. Many men can live exemplary lives in terms of their conduct, but the mouth is untameable by man, we all will fall here. Even Paul's Pharisaical friends would have to admit that these scriptures are true of them.

If it is true that the Jews, with their special revelation, are guilty, then how much more is it true of those Gentiles who never had a full knowledge of God?

POINT TWO:- WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY GOD'S PRONOUNCEMENT.

(1) Definition:- Justification/justified.
This is a word from the Law Court. It means to be pronounced "Not Guilty" according to the Law of the Court. In this case the Court is the Throne of God. In the Biblical sense it means:

(i) To be pronounced "Not Guilty", i.e. we are acquitted of guilt so that we are seen in the eyes of God to be sinless, clean, justified - just-as-if-I'd never sinned. It is as if we had never sinned. The forgiveness of God is that total.

(ii) More than just being cleansed and forgiven, We are pronounced “Righteous”. God's word is creative. When he declares us righteous, he creates in us a new nature of righteousness. We are now Righteous, where once we were sinners. This righteousness comes, therefore, by God's pronouncement, not by anything we do. It is a gift of Grace.

(2) What is a Pronouncement?

At weddings we say, "I now pronounce you man and wife". In law courts the judge will say, "I now pronounce you Not Guilty". I.e. it is a legal word that means the statement says something that is LEGALLY true. Often, as in marriage, it means that there has been a change in the status of the person about whom the pronouncement is made.

I.e. We are forgiven and made holy because God says so, and for no other reason.

Justification is a change in our legal position before God. Where once we were considered to be sinners, now we are considered to be righteous.

(3) Nothing Else Can Save Us.

This means that justification is not achieved by the religious acts that men usually think will make a difference.

(4) Hence Justification is not by:

(a) Being better than any one else morally.

Romans 2:1.
“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgement on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgement do the same things.”

The attempt to justify oneself by comparison with others, who are equally as bad, will not save us. In fact common sense tells us that this approach is illogical. However many attempt to convince themselves that they are “not too bad so God will let them in”.

Such comparisons actually only become a basis for God to judge us and to prove our guilt. We cannot even match up to the standards we set for ourselves and others, so we are condemned.

Modern Equivalent:- "I'm O.K. I'm a good bloke."
"Good blokism" is sending millions to Hell.

(b) Ignorance is no excuse.

Romans 2:12 (a).
“All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law,”

Those who have no law will still perish - because there is a revelation freely available to all men.

(c) Knowing the Truth will not save you.

Romans 2:12(b)-13.
“…and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.”

To be saved one must DO the truth. Many people know all about God and Christ, but do not DO God's will, so will end up in Hell.

(d) Witnessing to the Truth will not save you.

Romans 2:19-21
“…if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth- you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?”

You can even tell others what to do AND BE RIGHT, and even work miracles in Jesus name, and still go to Hell. Paul here refers to those who are teachers of God’s word, “A guide to the blind”. His point is that you can even be a leader in some religious group or organisation but even that does not make you a Christian.

(e) Being born in a Particular country or of a particular race will not save you.

Romans 2:17.
"If you call yourself a Jew".

Modern Equivalent:- "I was born in a Christian Country".
Will being born in a garage make you a car? Why should being born in a Christian country make you a Christian?
In fact there is no such thing as a Christian country. The percentage of practicing Christians in N.Z. is less than 15%, in Britain and France it is less than 5%, while in Nigeria it is estimated by some to be as high as 50%. Which then is the Christian Country?

(f) Going through Religious Rites and Ordinances will not save you.

Romans 2:25.
“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.”

The example given is circumcision, but the same holds true for any other rite - Baptism, Confirmation, Communion, or any other rite. This includes going to church.

Modern Equivalents: "I was Baptised as an Infant." " I was confirmed." “I take communion regularly”. “I pay my tithes.” “I go to Church.”

(g) Doing Good Works will not Save you.

Modern Equivalent: "I do Charitable works." " I give to the poor."

(h) Keeping the Law of Moses, or any other Religious Code, will not Save you.

Romans 3:20.
“Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.”

Paul's point hre is that keeping a law code was never meant to save us. The purpose of Law is to show us where we are falling short, but by its very nature keeping a law code is impossible, so it cannot save us.

(i) Family Background will not save you.

Romans 4:13,14.
“It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. For if those who live by law are heirs, faith has no value and the promise is worthless,”

Modern Equivalent:- "My Parents were Christians." “I was born into a Christian family.”

The problem with this is that God has no grandchildren. You have to be born again for yourself to be a child of God. The fact that your parents believe does not give you salvation.


Christianity is totally radical. In every other religion one has to EARN merit before the god and be saved (if possible) on the basis of works. However, in Christ, God promises justification, forgiveness, a new relationship with him, and eternal salvation to everyone who does nothing and claims no merit of their own, simply trusting in Christ's work and righteousness on their behalf.

Faith (Belief and trust), therefore, brings freedom. Freedom from all religious effort, all laws, all works, all religious bondage and striving to please God. Rather we are set free into a new relationship with God without any effort of our own, and we can continue to enjoy that relationship ONLY on the basis of total freedom from our own effort. We receive it as a gift, and live in it as a gift.

POINT THREE:- THIS JUSTIFICATION IS GIVEN THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST.

Romans 3:22.
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

“Righteousness” – or “justification”.
.
The Greek Church contends that the West has mistranslated this verse, and many others like it. By translating the Greek pistis as “faith” instead of it’s natural meaning of “faithfulness, fidelity”, and by translating the preposition “in”, instead of it’s normal meaning “of” the Western Church makes justification dependent on our faith. The Greek Church contends that the correct translation is as follows:

“The righteousness (justification) of God comes through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

This translation makes perfect sense in the context where Paul’s emphasis is that justification is a gift to us from God. The only requirement on us is that we believe it is so and receive it, i.e. trust our lives to it.

You can probably see that I am quite sympathetic to the Greek Church view. My feeling is that anything that makes salvation dependent on any effort of mine means that I haven’t got a hope. But if even the repentance and faith I need to have has been supplied by Christ then I am in with a guarantee.

The covenant is sealed. Jesus sealed it with his own blood 2000 years ago. We can now receive every blessing contained in it as a gift. It doesn’t depend on how much repentance or faith we have. Rather it depends entirely on how much Jesus has on our behalf. We just simply need to believe that he has got us covered and trust ourselves to that – live a life in the light of that knowledge. The assurance we need will always elude us while we look at the quality of our own repentance or faith. Instead look at the perfected work of Christ on our behalf and we will find assurance.

3:22-26: RESTATEMENT OF THESIS AND EXPLANATION.

“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

(i) All have sinned and come short of God's glory.

(ii) Therefore we are justified (forgiven) by God's grace as a gift.

(iii) This was made possible because of what Christ has done. He was:
(a) A Redemption - he paid the price that brought us back from slavery to sin and Satan.
(b) A Propitiation - he took the punishment for all of our wrongdoing by dying for us.

(iv) Hence God can be just - sin has been punished in Christ; but also God can be the justifier - he can forgive because the penalty has already been paid by another.

(v) This amazing transaction takes place on the basis of Faith; Paul says it several times, in case we miss the point.

POINT FOUR:- THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE WAY OF SALVATION.

Romans 4 is the proof that this is so from the OT. Paul shows it is true in the lives of both Abraham and David.

Romans 4:1-13.
“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather, discovered in this matter?
If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about- but not before God. What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
"Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him."
Is this blessedness only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? We have been saying that Abraham's faith was credited to him as righteousness. Under what circumstances was it credited? Was it after he was circumcised, or before? It was not after, but before!
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So then, he is the father of all who believe but have not been circumcised, in order that righteousness might be credited to them. And he is also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith.”


HOMEWORK:
1. Go through the list of things in the chapter that many people think may make them right with God. Ask yourself, “Am I secretly in my heart relying on these to ‘make me right with God?’” If there are any, repent of them and ask God to forgive you for not believing fully in Christ. Put your trust in Christ and not in that thing you were relying on.

2. Maybe you have never received the gift of justification from God. If not join with the rest of us as we pray the prayer below.


TRANSFORMER VERSE.

Romans 1:16,17.
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of god for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "the righteous will live by faith".

PRAYER:
Father God, I thank you that you have provided a way for mankind to be forgiven through Christ. I thank you that by simply believing that Jesus has justified me, and by receiving that justification as a gift. I believe that Jesus paid the penalty for my sins becoming a redemption for me. I accept his payment on my behalf. I receive your forgiveness now and the gift of justification and righteousness in Jesus name. Amen.