Such a blessing to be with you,
it always is. Romans chapter 15, Paul says to the church at Rome
in the 15th verse of Romans chapter 15, Nevertheless, brethren, I
have written the more boldly unto you. I've written them more boldly
unto you. Now this word in verse 18, For
I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ
hath not wrought by me. I will not dare to speak. This
word more boldly is the adverb form of this word, dare. I dare not. For instance, somebody
could say, how dare you say something like that? How dare you? Can you really make a statement
like that? How dare you? And that is what Paul is saying
his preaching and his writing to the Romans has been. How dare
you say something like that? Now what I would like to do is
take a statement and run through them quick out of each chapter
and see what Paul meant by these daring. How daring? Did you really say that? Do you
mean that? In Romans chapter 1, I love the
way Paul says, and this is not the daring statement, but I love
the way Paul says in verse 16, I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. You know what? I'm not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. I'm proud of it. I'm not ashamed, or I'm ashamed
of myself. There's plenty of reason to be, but I'm not ashamed
of the gospel. It's the power of God unto salvation, and it's
a gospel worthy of God. a gospel that glorifies God. And I despise to hear a preacher
preach the gospel in such a way as to try to package it in a
way to make it less offensive, less daring, more appealing to
the flesh. That neuters the gospel. It makes
it to where it has no saving power, no life-giving power. Look with me in verse 20. Here's
the first daring statement. For the invisible things of Him
from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood
by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead,
so that they are without excuse. Now, here's where the gospel
begins, our state before God. No attempt to prove the existence
of God. Everybody knows God is. We're
born into this world knowing God is. Everybody can see from
creation that somebody had to make this, and He's all-powerful,
and nobody made Him. He's eternal. He caused all this. Nobody caused Him and that leaves
every man without excuse before God. There's no excuse for my
sin. There's no excuse for my disobedience. I can't excuse
anything about myself. The light of creation tells me
that God is that he is all-powerful, that he created the universe
and nobody caused him. He is eternal. Now, how bad is
this thing about being without excuse? We'll look in chapter
2, verse 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for wherein thou judgest
another, thou condemnest thyself, for thou that judgest doest the
same things." Dare you say that? You mean anything that I judge
anybody about on any subject, I'm practicing hypocrisy because
I do exactly what I'm judging them for. Dare you say that I'm
that bad? Yes, we are. That's the state
we're in. Inexcusable. Anything that I look down my
nose at anybody about, regarding anything, I'm practicing hypocrisy. Because I do the same things. That's hard to admit, isn't it?
That's hard to deal with. But it's the truth. You know,
we make statements, oh, society's so bad. Well, I agree, and I'm
part of the problem. Society is bad, and so am I. That's the condition we're in. Now, here's an amazing statement
regarding these people who are without excuse. Look at Romans
chapter 3, verse 24. These same people we're speaking
of being justified. Being justified. Now what does justified mean?
It means justified. It means without guilt. It means
without sin. It means I didn't do anything
wrong. I've always done that which is right. That's what justification
means. Being justified. Standing before God without guilt,
without sin, without iniquity. These very ones who are so sinful. than anything they stand in judgment
on anybody for anything. They're guilty of doing the same
things and they're practicing base hypocrisy. That's me. That's
you. Guess what? People like that
are justified. Justified before God. How? Look at the next word. Freely. You know what that means? Without a cause in you. God did
not do this for me or you because of something we did. He did it
freely, without a cause. Well, that's good news. God doesn't
have to find a reason in me to do something for me. Freely. I don't have to bring anything
to the table. Freely. How? By His grace. the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Have you found that attractive?
Somebody that's described the way they are in Romans 2.1 can
be justified freely by His grace through the redemption, through
the redeeming work of Christ Jesus on the cross. How's all
this work? In chapter 4, verse 5. But to
him that worketh not. The first thing I got to say,
it's about somebody who doesn't work. This person knows that salvation
by works is impossible for them. They're convinced of this. If salvation is dependent on
me to any measure, to any degree, it's over for me. I got no hope.
To him that worketh not. Would that describe you? But,
believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted. for righteousness. Now, what
about this person who's justified? Tell me something about him.
He's somebody who doesn't work. And he believes on him who actually
justifies the ungodly. Who does he justify? The ungodly. Now there's two descriptions
of me in that verse. I work not, and I'm ungodly. But I like the
other thing, too. Believe it. I do believe that
what Christ did made a way for God to actually be just and justify
ungodly sinners. You believe that? That's the
gospel. That's the gospel. Oh, thank
God for that. That man is righteous before
God. Now, look in chapter 5, verse
12, we learn a little something else about these men that God
justifies. Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, how did sin get here? By one man. Well,
could God have prevented it? Of course He could have. Why
didn't He? Because He's God. Whatever He does is right and
glorious and holy and just and true. If He allowed sin to come,
it's best. What would we know of the character
of God? if we didn't have sin in the
world. And I hate sin. I'm not justifying it in any
way, but sin entered the world. It was all part of God's purpose.
It was all part of God's plan. It's His will. Only God can bring
good out of evil. I'm glad He does, don't you?
He brings good out of evil. But look at this. Romans 5, 12,
Wherefore, by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin. So death passed upon all men,
for that all have sin. You know what that says? Let
me tell you first what it doesn't say. It doesn't say me and you
were charged with something somebody else did. Doesn't say that at
all, does it? It says when Adam sinned, I sinned. When Adam sinned, you sinned. You were in Adam, and what he
did You and I did. Somebody says, maybe I hadn't
known I would have. Well, I know. I know. I mean,
you think about it. One thing to not do. One thing
to not do. And what did he do? And do you
think you'd be any different? Let's say you didn't have any
part in Adam's sin. Well, what difference does that
make to you? How do you stand on your own? It doesn't help you, and he does
it. But when Adam sinned, you sinned, I sinned. But here's
the glorious part of this. If I'm in Christ, when He obeyed
God's holy law, you know who else did? I did. United to Him, one with Him,
what He did, I did. And when He died, I died. When He was raised from the dead,
you know who else was? Everybody in Him. The hope of this sinful one who
is justified is being united to Christ. So much so that in
Romans chapter 6, verse 11, we read, Likewise reckon ye also
yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through our Lord, through Jesus Christ, our Lord." Now, what's
that say? It says, Reckon yourselves to
be dead indeed in reality, not just a legal language, but indeed
to sin. Sin has absolutely nothing to
say to you. Well, how can you say that? Because
I am dead to sin. Everybody Christ died for is
dead to sin. Sin has nothing to say to you.
What about all the stuff I feel guilty about? You're dead to
sin. You're dead to sin. Now, that's what the Bible says.
Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive unto
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now, if God says reckon yourself
to be dead indeed to sin, what are you supposed to do? You're
directing yourself to be dead indeed to sin. You know when
I say that, I got all this stuff that I feel guilty about. I got
all these sins that I commit over and over and over again
that I'm not... Yet God tells me, you're dead
to sin. In Romans chapter 7 verse 14,
now here's some kind of amazing daring statement. Paul says,
for we know that the law is spiritual. But I am carnal. Sold. Sold as a slave to sin. Well, Paul, how do you expect
me to listen to you preach when you're like that? This is the honest man. Sold. Not, I was sold as a slave to
sin before God saved me. He's talking about his own experience
right now. I am carnal, sold under sin. That's why he ended up this chapter
saying, Oh, wretched man that I am. Not that I was, but that
I am. Paul, dare you say that? Yeah. What's somebody like this need? Grace. What's somebody like this
need? Nothing short of God being for
them. Turn to Romans chapter 8. That same man who said, I am
carnal. The law is spiritual. You know,
we love God's law, don't we? I love the law of God. I delight
in the law of God after the inward man. I love the Ten Commandments.
They glorify God. They exalt God. And you know
what? I don't try to keep them. I've kept them. I've kept them. That's the only way. I've kept
them. I stand before that law without guilt. How can you say
that when you say, I know I'm carnal, sold under sin? I do,
I know that. Do you know that too? You know,
when Paul says, I know, I love it when he says, I know, don't
you? I know, I know. This is not something that I
waver back and forth on. I know this. Look here in Romans
chapter, these same people, Romans chapter eight, verse 31. What
should we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be
against us? He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely? with no cause in us, freely,
nothing to prevent Him, freely give us all things. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Who is He that condemneth? It's
Christ that died, yea, rather, that's risen again, who's even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. Now, that one that Christ died
for cannot be condemned for anything. You look at them. Paul's almost
giving up. Breaking off. Try to condemn
me for something. Christ died. Hey, you got to
answer that. It's Christ that died. Well, what if he's in the top
one percentile of the most wicked people to ever live? What if
he commits this Particular sin over and over and over again. You're gonna tell me that person
will be in heaven. Absolutely No scary saying something like
that, isn't it? Scary saying something like that, but absolutely
Anybody that's in heaven. They know that's the way they
are but it's Christ that died. I need no other argument I need
no other plea it is enough that Jesus died and That he died for
me Romans 9, Paul says in verse 20, Nay, but,
O man, who are you to reply against God? Now, this is in answer to
the objection He knew men would make when he said, therefore,
hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will.
He hardened in verse 18, verse 90. That will say unto me, why
does he yet find fault for who has resisted his will? If God
controls me, if he hardens my heart, how can he hold me responsible
for doing the bad things I do? Paul says, who are you to set
in judgment on God? Do you think that you have the
moral authority to say something that God does and say, I don't
agree with that? Whatever God does is right. And he doesn't
do it because it's right. It's right because he does it.
He's God. Who are you? How dare you reply
against God? Look at you. Look at how weak
and stupid and sinful you are. Yeah. And you're going to sit
in judgment on God and say, I don't agree with that. Who are you
to reply against God? Chapter 10, verse 20. But Isaiah
is very bold and sayeth, I was found of them that sought me
not. I was made manifest unto them
that didn't even ask for me. Really? Yeah. You know who finds him? Well,
it's he found them. They weren't seeking him. When
the Lord came to you, were you seeking him? No. You were fine
without him. You weren't looking for him.
Now, he put it in your heart to seek him. There's no salvation
apart from seeking. There's no doubt about that.
But when he came to you, it's not because you asked him to.
It's not because you were seeking Him. It's not because you desired
Him. But He came to you. Isn't that amazing? Why me? He came to you. Chapter 11, verse 6. I love this
verse. If by grace If salvation, and in the context,
he's talking about the election of grace. The election of grace. I love that name for election,
don't you? The election of grace. If by grace, then it's no more
of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then it's no more grace. Otherwise, work
is no more work. Now, I've got a question. How
much of salvation is by grace? How much is election, my grace? It's all grace, isn't it? He
didn't look at you and choose you because he saw some kind
of good work in you that would help him out. How much is redemption,
my grace? Did you help any there? He by
himself purged our sins. What about regeneration? How
much did you have to do with that when he gave you a new birth?
Nothing. It's a work of His grace. What
about justification? Justified freely by His grace. What about the fact that you
persevered up to this point? How much of that is by grace? How
much? You take any aspect of salvation,
how much of it is by grace? Why? It's all of grace. Every bit of it. And how we rejoice. Now, this gospel always produces
this. Chapter 12, verse 1, I beseech
you, therefore, by the mercies of God, that you present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service. What I've been preaching, the
mercies of God, is something that demands me to present my
body. Now, it's not talking about some
kind of promise I'm making. Lord, I'm going to start doing
this. I know better than that. I hope I do. But I'm called upon
to do this. Lord, here am I. Present. Do with me what you
will. Cause your grace to reign in
me. Order my steps in your word and
let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Now, grace preaching
produces this. Works preaching, it doesn't do
this. Grace preaching does. and you
realize this is your reasonable service. Anything less than this
is completely unreasonable, isn't it? The presentation of my body
because of the mercies of God. I beseech you by the mercies,
the saving mercies, the electing mercies, the redeeming mercies,
the justifying mercies, the preserve all the mercies of God. I beseech
you that you present your body a living sacrifice. Somebody
says, I believe The way you do, I sin all I want to. Now I can
say this, I sin a whole lot more than I want to. And I don't want
to sin anymore. I don't. I don't want to sin
anymore. But grace preaching never led anybody to sin. It
might lead to sin. If somebody's looking for an
excuse to, they'll use that. But this is what the gospel does. And remember this in chapter
13, verse 1, let every soul be subject under the higher powers. For there's no power but of God,
the powers that be are ordained of God. Now don't forget we're
living in God's world. And the powers that be, right
now, and the powers that are going to be after November 2nd
are ordained of God. Let every soul be subject to
the higher powers. God bless you there. Whatever
that power is or is ordained of God, God is sovereign. And
you know, our government may have many things that we personally
disagree with, but as long as the government does not order
us to disobey God, it's offended. It's offended. The fact that
we allow abortions, I'm against that. I'm against that. But I'm
not commanded to abort my baby. So the powers that be are ordained
of God. Remember, this is God's world.
Aren't you glad? This is my Father's world. And in chapter 14, oh, what a
statement. Verse 17, a reminder to us, for
the kingdom of God is not meat and drink. It's not do's and
don'ts. It's not, touch not, taste not,
handle not. It's not, you'll be better if
you do this, but you'll be worse off if you do that. That's all
what the kingdom of God is about. You know, all this how-to preaching,
how-to this and how-to that, all this is wood, hay, and stubble.
Any preaching that causes me to look anywhere other than Christ
alone is wood, hay, and stubble. Now, that's all what the kingdom
of God's about. It's about righteousness. Whose righteousness? There's
only one righteousness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ
the Lord. His perfect obedience. David said, I've made mention
of thy righteousness, even thine only. Why, David? Because that's
the only one there is. His righteousness. Do you know
any righteousness other than the righteousness of the Lord
Jesus Christ? The Kingdom of God is not about meat and drink.
It's about righteousness and the peace that comes from really
believing that everything God requires of me, He looks to His
Son for. Doesn't that give you peace?
You know what else it does? It makes me happy. It gives me
joy. Chapter 15, verse 13, Now the
God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in What must we do that we might
work the works of God? And the Lord replied, this is
the work of God, that you believe on Him. whom he hath sent. What else? Nothing. If there was something
else, what could you do? But what joy and peace there
is simply in believing. Believing that all that God requires
of me, I have in His Son. that God looks at me and is pleased
with me and He says, well done thou good and faithful servant.
How can He say that to me? Well, as He is, so are we in
the world. Is He a good and faithful servant?
Is He perfect? Is He holy? Is He altogether
beautiful? Is He lovely to the Father? As He is, so are we in
this world. And you know what that gives?
Hope, joy, and peace. The joy and the peace of believing. The God of hope fill you. You
know what I'm talking about, or what Paul's talking about,
is something God does. God fills you with all joy and
peace of believing. Remember, everything in salvation
is what He does for you. Yeah, we believe because He gave
you faith. He poured it in you, and that's why you believe. Everything
God requires of you, He gives you. Everything God requires
of you, He looks to Christ for. And that gives me peace. That's
the only thing that gives me peace. And in chapter 16, He said in
verse 17, Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them. which cause
divisions and defenses contrary to the doctrine which you've
learned, what I've just been saying, mark them and avoid them. Anybody that doesn't preach what
I've just preached, what God's Word says, it doesn't matter
whether I preach it or not, it's what God's Word says regarding this thing
of salvation. Anybody that doesn't preach this,
mark them, stay away from them. For they that are such serve
not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly. And by good
words and fair speeches, plausible arguments, they deceive the hearts
of the simple. Anybody that doesn't preach this,
stay away from them. Those are daring statements. We love them though, don't we?
That's true.