And in the preceding chapters,
Paul has gone about declaring unto the people of Rome and to
all of God's saints throughout time. He clearly states and firmly
proves that justification before God is not of works of the flesh,
but by faith, by belief. Our Lord says in John 3.16, whosoever
believeth, whosoever has been given the gift of faith, Those
who I have gone to the cross for and shed my blood for, those
are the ones who will be recipients of my grace. I will be merciful
unto whom I will be merciful. Paul proves through the Word
of God that justification before God is not of works, but by faith. Now he proceeds to show us, you
and I, the blessings that are ours through Christ. Look at
the first five verses here Romans chapter 5. Therefore being justified
by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
by whom by Jesus Christ by the peace that we have through him
by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not
only so, but we glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation
worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope,
and hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. Now, I wanna start right there
in verse one. Look at this very first word,
it says, therefore. In other words, because of all
of those things that we have gone over in these last three
verses, these last three chapters, because of all the things that
were brought out, the point that we are saved by faith, the point
that we live under the law of faith, as it states in chapter
3, verse 27, Paul goes throughout all those
scriptures declaring that Abraham, he proved through Abraham, through
the story of Abraham, how it was faith, faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Not the actions that Abraham
did, but his faith in Christ that was accounted to him for
righteousness. It's the same faith you and I have. It's not
our actions on what we do. It's not our actions and what
we don't do. It's the faith we have, the belief
that Jesus Christ is God Almighty in the flesh. It's the very gift
that God has given you and I to see the truth of what it was
He did. He laid down His life for all
of those that He has loved from before the foundation of the
world. It's the same faith. That's called the law of faith,
as I mentioned a moment ago in 327. And it's because of those
truths that we now move forward with this conclusion. That's
what therefore is. Therefore, because of, or the
conclusion of, all of that information, it's not just for the Jews only,
it's also for the Gentiles. It's for all of those throughout
all of time who believe, who have been given the gift of belief. Folks, do you understand the
grace of God in giving us that belief? Do you remember a time
when you had no belief of it? Oh, I do. I know it was several
years ago for some of you, but it was only 23 for me. That's
like yesterday. I remember clearly how it was
I had no thoughts for Christ. I'll bet most of you do too.
I'll bet most of you do too. Yeah, we remember. We know this
grace that God gives to His people is something that we have to
experience. And we know that because we deserve
the wrath of God and what we had deserved our Lord laid upon
His Son, we have experienced God's grace, God's love. Therefore, because of all that,
because salvation is of grace alone, through faith alone, in
Christ alone, a gift of God, not of works, lest man should
boast, we have peace with the Almighty God. Not for the Jew
alone, but for all who believe. All whom have been given this
gracious gift of faith. In the first verse there, Paul's
saying, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are justified and accounted
as righteous before God. Just as Abraham was accounted
before God as righteous, not for anything he had done, but
for his faith. He was accounted before God by
faith in his son, the Lord Jesus, believing on him, believing on
his promises, as he is revealed in the scriptures. Now, Abraham
obviously didn't have scriptures, refer to, but God spoke to the
Old Saints, the Old Testament Saints, through the prophets,
through His Spirit, through His angels. Therefore, being justified,
we have peace with God, and this peace arises from the fact that
in Christ we are righteous. In Him we have a perfect righteousness. In Him In Him we are righteous,
our sins are forgiven, and we are holy and unblameable. Look over Ephesians chapter 3,
mark your place there, we'll come back to Romans several times. Look over Ephesians chapter 1,
I'm sorry, Ephesians chapter 1 real quick. Look with me over
here, let's just read a couple of verses in Ephesians 1. All
of the blessings that we have, come through our Lord and Savior,
the blessings of righteousness, the blessings of sanctification,
the blessings of justification. It's in Christ Jesus, our Lord,
as we read in verses 3 and 4. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places, in Christ. That's where our blessings
lay, in our Savior. according as He hath chosen us
in Him, in Christ, before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before Him." Without blame. We're blameless. We're blameless
in the sight of our God because our blame was laid upon our Savior.
Look over at Colossians. Look over at Colossians chapter
1, if you would. In Colossians 1, beginning at
verse 20, we read these words, and having made peace. This is
that peace that Paul is talking about with the Romans. Therefore,
it says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace. This
is exactly what it's talking about. Having made peace through
the blood of His cross, our peace is with our Savior. It's in Him,
it's in what He did on the cross, by Him, it says in verse 20,
to reconcile all things unto Himself, By him I say, whether
they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were
sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works,
yet now hath he reconciled. In the body of his flesh, through
death, to present you holy and unblameable, there's that peace,
and unapprovable in his sight. Folks, outside of Christ, Outside
of Christ, we are at total war with Jesus. We're at total war
with God. We're shaking our hands. If we're
not in Christ, we're outside in the world shaking our hands
saying, I'll not have that one to rule over me. I'll not have
that one to rule over me. We're at war with God. The natural
man is enmity against God. When we are in Christ, we are
reconciled and there's a joy. There's a peace. Listen to these
words in Isaiah chapter 32, 17. And the works of righteousness
shall be peace. Who's the one who does the works
of righteousness? Christ. Not us. Christ. We can't mix our works in with
God's perfect works or we'll taint it completely. That's like
mixing works with grace. It ruins it. It makes it a works
and not a grace, doesn't it? It's like mixing leaven with
bread. It makes it puffed up. Puffs
up the pride of man, doesn't it? And the worth of righteousness
shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness,
and assurance forever. Back in our text in Romans chapter
5, verse 2, we see, and by whom, speaking of by the Lord Jesus
Christ, the one who we have peace with God through, by whom also
we have access. It's by the Lord Jesus Christ
that we have access by belief in Him into this grace, the grace
of God, wherein we stand and we rejoice in hope of the glory
of God. Now, not only does a believer
rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, but we rejoice in our
tribulations, don't we? I'm not talking about taking
joy in the pain that comes from tribulations. I'm not talking
about, oh, I'll tell you folks, Be careful, and I've heard this
said, and I'm going to repeat it. And you've heard it said
too before. Be careful what you pray for. God just might give
it to us. And it might be a little painful.
We don't take a great joy in pain. Polly Mary had no joy in
the loss of her grandson. But she knows God. And she knows
that God does all things right. All things right. Her only peace
is that very fact. My only peace with the troubles
that I have with my own family. My only peace is that my Lord
rules that. He brings these things into the
world to bring me closer to Him. The results of our tribulations
are we look to our Lord and Savior, and we look to Him, and we look
to Him, and we look to Him again. Trials were patience. Patience
is the submission to the will of God. I know this is hurtful. I know it's painful. I know it's
troublesome. But I also know that my Lord
rules everything. That's submitting to the rule
of God. Not just part of the things.
God doesn't just set things out there and say, okay, let's see
what happens. No. Our Lord is a purposeful
God. Everything is purposed by Him
for His glory. Everything. Look over at Hebrews
chapter 13. Submission is to submit to the
will of God. It is to be content and to wait
upon the Lord. Look over at Hebrews chapter
13 with me if you would. In Hebrews chapter 13, the writer
writes these words. He says, verse 5, let your conversation. Now that's the same word as living,
as your walk, as your walk through this world. Not just the vocal
speaking of your words, but your actions. Let your actions be
without covetousness and be content with such things as ye have.
For he hath said, I will never leave thee. nor forsake thee."
Over in Psalms 27, and I'll turn there and read it for you, Psalms
27, we read these words. In 13 and 14 of Psalm 27, it
says, I have fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness
of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord, be
of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart. Wait,
I say, on the Lord. to who He is. I mentioned a moment
ago that we can all remember a day when we walk through this
world shaking our fists. That's what the world is. That's
what the natural man is. The natural man will not bow
to God. Oh, they will in the day of reckoning. Oh, we would have in the day
of reckoning. But aren't you thankful? Aren't you thankful
that God didn't leave us to ourselves to that day? No, because He has
loved us before the world was. He had to come to us, folks.
That day of His love for you and I was marked before anything
was created, before you were ever in your mother's womb. That
day was marked where He would come to you, His child, His blood-bought
child, and say, live. Live. You that were dead, live. Submitting ourselves, patience,
is submitting ourselves to the purposeful will of God as God
Almighty. It involves not only our attitude
toward God and His providence, but also our attitude towards
others during our trials. What do you mean by that, John?
Well, okay. I mentioned I have struggles
with my family. And I don't want to go into a great lot of detail
because it's just personal stuff, not between Kathy and I, but
outside members of the family. It's been difficult, but I have
finally come to a point where I understand that even those
trials with my family are there because God has put them there.
Amen. Now, I don't know how to explain
it any more than that. There's been a great anger in
my heart over some things in my life. Some of you know what
I'm talking about. There's been a great anger towards
the things that happened in my family. And it's just not until
just recently when I started to submit to that point again. My God is God of everything.
That means He's God of that too. And for me to be angry at that
makes me angry at Him. And it draws me to the point
where I get down on my knees and ask for forgiveness. I can't tell you how much that
has relieved my soul and given peace to this soul. To be reminded
that my Lord brings these things into our lives for His glory. Are they painful? Absolutely.
I don't know how to say it any more than that. I don't know
how to express it in a way more than showing you, expressing
to you my experience. You know, that's what getting
together is all about, isn't it? Don't we come together to
edify each other? How do we edify each other? You
know, I don't know if any of you have gone through the same
things that I'm going through, but I know that you're going
through something. I know that if you're a child
of God, you're going through something because this is a cursed
world, folks. Everything in it is cursed. Everything
in it fights against the living God. And the trials that we must
live through as we walk this earth, Our trials that bring
us to that very point where we remember He's God. And as God,
all things are His. Back in our text, verse 4, it
talks about patience, experience. Patience brings experience. It
teaches us. We learn patience through experience. And experience gives us hope.
Patience worketh experience, and maturity of character, and
proof of genuine faith. Trials do not produce faith,
but they reveal faith which is there. Actually, trials may detect
a hypocrite even. We all know that a hardened heart
can cause a person to drop their profession. True faith is stronger
as a result of God's trials. And then we close in verse 5,
where our Lord says, and hope. Oh, what a hope we have. This
is the hope. And we're going to look a little
bit deeper into this hope in the next message. But oh, what
a hope we have, folks. Our hope is that Because we see
the truth that we see now, because we see the truth in God's Word,
our hope is that we are one of His. He proves to us over and
over again that you're mine. I will never let you go. It says
to continue to fight. You know who continues to fight
in us? Our Savior. Aren't you thankful we're not
left to do that fight on our own? Aren't you thankful that
He has conquered all things for us? Those who possess a good
hope in Christ will never be ashamed. We are never ashamed
of that relationship. One thing my family, my friends,
you all saw Will Wilkins here the other day. Now Will has known
me from days before, well let's just say back in the days. He
knows who I am today. I'm not ashamed of my Lord, and
I'm not ashamed to express to that man or anyone who God crosses
my path that I believe God. And that belief that I have is
a gift from Him. It's not something I have done. Those who possess a good hope,
a hope in Christ, will never be ashamed of that relationship,
nor will they ever call to be ashamed, for in our Lord and
Savior we are perfected. Nor will we ever be put to shame,
for a vain hope and a false profession will finally fall away. It will
prove to be empty and result in eternal loss. It is not our
love for God that gives us a strong hope and comfort, although the
grace and the fruit of God is love. It is not that, but the
Holy Spirit Son, the Lord Jesus. It is with
the knowledge of that love that comes and it affects us to have
faith and to be mature and to grow in maturity in the knowledge
and love of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. It is that very thing
which peace, access, and the presence of God brings us to
rejoice and have a hope in eternal life. Turn over to 1 John chapter
4, and we'll bring this to a close with a few verses there. 1 John
chapter 4. Look with me if you would, beginning
at verse 9. 1 John chapter 4, beginning at
verse 9. And this was manifested, the
love of God towards us, because that God sent His only begotten
Son into the world that we might live through Him. Here is love,
not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent his son
to be the propitiation of our sins. This is the love of God
that he gave himself for me. This is the love of God that
I know that he washed me clean in his son. Beloved, verse 11,
if God so loved us, we ought to love one another. Lord, help
us. Lord, help us to go out into
the world and love each other as our Savior has loved us. Amen.