If you would, go ahead and turn
to the book of Romans that Winston just read. Chapter 1, beginning
with verse 5, that we're going to speak on this morning. This morning we're going to examine
what the Apostle means when he speaks of grace and of peace
as he writes this letter to the church at Rome. As we ended our
last study in verses 3 and 4 in Romans a couple of weeks ago,
where Paul makes clear who Christ is, he says that this Jesus is
the Son of God, and that He is God and He is man. He is the
God-man. Then the Apostle Paul begins
here in verse 5, stating that this Jesus Christ, our Lord,
is who we have received grace and apostleship from. And verse
5, by whom, as Winston said in his opening comments, this speaks
of Christ. It was through the Lord Jesus
Christ, the God-man, and based upon his finished work, that
Paul as well as the other apostles received grace. This grace is
salvation in and by Christ. And also, he received apostleship,
which is the office of an apostle that we talked about a couple
of weeks ago. Now, grace here means a special saving grace.
It's a special saving grace in the calling, in the justification,
in the pardon, the adoption, and sanctification, which all
of God's saints received as well as the Apostle Paul. Along with
saving grace is the doctrine of grace, which we all receive
from Christ. When Paul says, for the obedience
to the faith, he is talking about the calling and the preaching
of the gospel. Obedience of faith, as it may be rendered, may be
meant the grace of faith. Now, this grace of faith attended
with evangelical obedience. This obedience rightly performed
is only that which is by faith and springs from faith. Now the
grace and apostleship that Paul received was given that it may
be exercised, and this the apostle Paul did throughout his life
on this earth once converted. And where did he perform and
exercise this faith? He tells us here in verse 5 that
it was among all nations, not only to the Jews, but to God's
elect among the Gentiles also. In Mark 6, verse 15, it reads,
And he said unto them, speaking of Christ, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. The apostles
were to preach the gospel not only in Judea, where the first
commission of apostleship was limited, But in all the nations
of the world, for this was the commission given by Christ after
his resurrection. Now, and that some among all
nations of the earth might, by the power of divine grace, accompanied
by the word of God, be brought to faith and obedience. The gospel
of Christ must go out to all nations because Christ has sheep
in all nations. In Matthew 24, 14, You don't
have to turn there. And this gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world for witness unto all nations,
and then shall the end come. Also in Matthew 28, 19, Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them
to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo,
I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Then the
Apostle ends, verse 5, with, For his name. This speaks of
Christ and states that all these things are for his glory and
the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ. Christ should receive
glory in all of salvation. In John 10, verse 14, here in
John, Christ says, I am the good shepherd, and I know my and am
known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even
so I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the
sheep, and other sheep I have which are not of this foal. Them
also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall
be one foal and one shepherd." Also in 1 John 2, where the apostle
John says here, My little children, these things write unto you.
that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And he
is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also
for the sins of the whole world. And of course, the whole world
here means that Christ's propitiation was for both Jews and Gentiles
from all over the world. For if this propitiation that
we're speaking of here, or appeasement, toward God was accomplished for
every single person throughout the whole world, then everyone
must be eternally saved. And we know that that's not the
case. Go ahead and be turning to John chapter 6, beginning
verse 36. The finished work of Christ on
the cross ensures that all his people will come to this obedience,
to the faith. that Paul was speaking of here
in verse 5, which is faith in Christ and repentance of dead
works and former idolatry. The following verses make clear
the absolute certainty that every one of God's elect will come
to faith and repentance. This is Christ speaking to those
that had followed him, speaking of John 6 in verse 36. This is
Christ speaking to those that followed him after eating the
loaves and the fish. They were filled and still did
not believe on him. Christ says, but I said unto
you that you also have seen me and believe not. And then he
speaks of the everlasting covenant of grace entered into by the
Godhead, where God the Father give Christ to people called
his elect, his sheep. Christ became surety for all
the sins of God's elect and in time did come to this earth in
order to do the will of God in paying their sin-debt in full. Christ says here in verse 37,
All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from
heaven not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent
me. And this is the will which have sent me. This is the Father's
will which hath sent me of all which he hath given me." Now,
the question might arise, well, when were God's elect given to
Christ? Well, they were given to Christ before the foundation
of the world, before time, in the everlasting covenant of grace
wherein Christ stood in their place as their substitute, representative,
and surety. and became responsible for all
the sin dead of God's elect, then Christ says here that I
should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.
In verse 40, And this is the will of him that sent me, that
every one which seeth the Son believeth on him may have everlasting
life, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is clear
in God's word there will be no sinner for whom Christ lived
and died. that will not partake of everlasting
life. Here in verse 6 we have the apostle
telling the believers there at Rome that they were also among
those that God had called to the gospel. Not only among those
Jews, but among Gentiles also. In verse 6, the call of Jesus
Christ, Christ calls his people into the kingdom by the power
of the Holy Spirit through the word preached, the word heard,
understood, and believed. The Roman believers were among
the elect Gentiles who had been born again by the Spirit of the
Word. They had been invincibly called to faith in Christ and
repentance of dead works and idolatry, to a life of grace
and godliness. Now once again, go ahead and
be turning to Romans 7 verse 4. One of the greatest evidences
of the truth of the gospel of God and the power of His grace
in Christ is the conversion of sinners, in whom the grace of
God has powerfully and wonderfully changed our lives. As we refer
to a lot of these references that I'm going to be talking
about throughout this study, I'll ask you to turn to a number
of these verses during this verse-by-verse study. I won't go into a lot
of detail sometimes on the different verses because of time, the limited
amount of time that I have. But some of these verses that
speak of how the gospel changes the lives of each and every one
of God's elect are as follows. And as I ask you to turn to Romans
7, verse 4, we read, ye also are become dead to the
law by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another,
even to him who was raised from the dead, that we should bring
forth fruit unto God. For when we were in the flesh,
the motions of sins which were by the law did work in our members
to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from
the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should
serve in newness of the Spirit. and not in onus of the letter.
These verses not only speak of the death of Christ and what
it accomplished, but also the experience of the believer as
we come to faith and repentance and how all of our lives are
changed in that process. Also turn to 1 Thessalonians
1 verse 4. Paul here is speaking to the
Thessalonians when he says, Knowing, brethren,
beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance, as ye know that what manner of men
we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us,
and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction,
with joy of the Holy Ghost. so that you were examples to
all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded
out the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia,
but also in every place your faith to God were to spread abroad,
so that we need not speak anything. For they themselves show of us
what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned
to God from idols to serve the living and true God. to wait
for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even
Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come." Now these
verses here that we've just read tells us that once the gospel
is effectually applied by the Holy Spirit, there are facts
within our soul and within every soul of a believer, some of which
are love to God wherein we side with him and against ourselves
in all these things having to do with the matter of sin and
of salvation. We also love the brethren, those
who believe the same gospel that we believe. And we also side
with these same brethren against the world. Here in verse 7, Paul speaks to the body of Christ
here in Rome. And in verse 7, it is clear that
this letter was written Not just to a particular person, but the
whole body of believers in Rome, whom Paul describes as beloved
of God. God's love is his purpose to
save his people by grace in Christ. And it's proven by him sending
his son to the world as he takes our place under law and die the
death we deserve for those sins that we commit. In John 3.16
it says, For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. There is no love from a holy
God apart from his justice being satisfied. Therefore, there is
no love from God apart from Christ and him crucified. Paul also
described these believers as those called to be saints. To
be here was added by the King James translators, you can see
it's in italics, it does not mean they were called to strive
to make themselves saints by their efforts to obey. It means
they were called as saints. A saint is one who is sanctified,
set apart by God. The saints are those who are
set apart by God in unconditional electing grace before the world
began. In Jude 1, Jude, the servant
of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified
by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. God's elect are also sanctified
by Christ on the cross in his redeeming grace. In Hebrews 2.11,
for both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all
one. for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."
Also, if you would, turn to the book of Hebrews chapter 10 beginning
with verse 10. Once again, scripture shows that
God's elect sanctified or set apart through the offering of
the body of Christ. Here in verse 10, it reads, "...by
the which will We are sanctified through the offering of the body
of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standing daily
ministering the offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
the Father, from his forth expecting to his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected
forever. them that are sanctified or set
apart by God. Now, we've seen that God's elect
are sanctified by God in His electing love and also by Christ
in His redeeming grace. Now we will see that God's elect
are also sanctified by the Holy Ghost in the new birth and in
regenerating grace. In Romans 15, verse 16, that
I should be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering
the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable,
being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Also, in 2 Thessalonians
2.13, it reads, But we are bound to give thanks always to God
for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from
the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the
and belief of the truth. A saint is not one who becomes
so by his dedication, his prayer, his devotion, or his works. A saint is one who is made so
by the grace of God in Christ. All true believers are saints.
Here in verse 7 is where we get the title of this particular
message, Grace and Peace in Christ. The Apostle Paul speaks grace
and peace to this church here at Rome. when he says, Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul addresses his readers with
a familiar greeting, combining the greeting of grace and the
Jewish greeting of peace. This grace and peace is not the
kind wish of a friend. They are gifts from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace is God saving us by the
Lord Jesus Christ. Peace is the result of Christ's
work for us. Grace is founded upon righteousness
established by Christ on the cross. Peace is the fruit of
grace that reigns through righteousness by Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans
5.21 says that as sin has reigned unto death, even so might grace
reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ
our Lord. Here we see how that grace reigns
through righteousness, the righteousness that Christ accomplished there
at the cross. In 2 Corinthians 5, 20 and 21, Now then, we are
ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we
pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God, for he hath
made him to be sin for us, that who knew no sin, that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him. When God says in
verse 20, Be ye reconciled to God, this is that peace of mind
that every believer, when he has seen how God is reconciled
to us by the death of Christ our Savior. Now, we also see
how Christ was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. And this is all that takes place
once God regenerates and converts each one of his elect. Here in
verse 8, Paul speaks on two points. He thanks God for the church's
good reputation and also the faith that God had so graciously
given this church. In verse 8, Paul was thankful
to God for the good reputation of the church there at Rome.
Because of its location at the center of the Roman Empire, this
church had a special visibility, an opportunity to glorify Christ
throughout the empire. They had let their light, which
is that gospel of Christ, shine so that the power and the glory
of God would shine forth in their witness to others throughout
the area. Matthew 5.16, Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven. This light that shines
forth is the gospel light, this gospel of Christ that is believed
on and preached throughout the world, and even here at Eager
Avenue Grace Church. The last part of verse 8 reads,
Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Your faith has
reference both to the gospel message of Christ and Him crucified
and the revelation of the righteousness of God in Christ. It also has
reference to the gift of faith given them by God whereby they
believe on Christ and follow Him. Paul here in verse 9 speaks
of two things, his service to God in the gospel and his continual
prayers to the church there at Rome. In verse 9, for God is
my witness, Paul wanted them to know that he was continually
praying for them. He knew that they were in the
midst of great and powerful enemies and would be greatly tested for
the cause of the glory of God in Christ. Paul also mentioned
his service and spirit in which he says in the gospel of his
son. All prayer and motivations for
prayer and obedience must be viewed in the light of God's
grace in Christ. In Hebrews 4, beginning at verse
14, God tells us that Christ, our High Priest, is seated in
the heavens and that we should come before the throne of grace
in prayer. Here in Hebrews 4, beginning
at verse 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest that
is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast
our profession. For we have not a high priest
which cannot be touched with the filling of our infirmities,
but was in all parts tempted like as we are yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we
may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Paul
wanted the believers there at Rome to know that he prayed for
them continually and also prayed that God would, according to
his will, to God's will, allow him to have a prosperous journey
to the church at Rome in time. In verse 10, Paul had never been
to Rome, but he had a great desire to go there, that desire to preach
the gospel in the city and also to minister to those saints there
at Rome. He knew that this was all in
God's hand and had to be according to God's will and His way. And he says this, he says, if
by any means, this shows that Paul was submissive to the Lord's
will in this matter. It is as if Paul was saying,
if God wills that I come to Rome in some kind of a luxury ship,
or if He wills that I come to you in change, then so be it. As we know, Paul did finally
make it there to Rome as he was shipwrecked, a shipwrecked prisoner,
as it states in Acts 27 and 28. Paul here in verses 11 and 12
is no different than any other believer. We all rejoice the
fellowship with other believers who believe the same gospel that
we believe and have the same hope that we have. And as Winston sang in that song
that we sang earlier, trusting in Jesus. Here in verses 11 and 12 of chapter
1, Paul's desire to go to Rome was to minister to those believers
there and to establish them further in the grace of God and love
for the brethren, to comfort them and be comforted by them
in the same gospel of God's grace in Christ that both of them shared.
The preaching of Christ is everything to his people. It is not one
message for one group of believers over in one part of the world
and another message for another group. It is the same gospel,
the gospel of Christ, the gospel of how God saved the sinner based
on the righteousness of Christ alone imputed. and received by
grace, by God-given grace. Here in verse 10, Paul wanted
the brethren there at Rome to know that the reason he was hindered
from coming to them was either that God had work for him to
do in other places, or hindered by Satan, who sometimes, by divine
permission, has had such power and influence. An example of
this is in 1 Thessalonians 2.18 where Paul He says, wherefore
we would have come unto you, even our Paul, once and again,
but Satan hindered us. Or that he was hindered through
the urgent necessities of other churches, which required his
stay with them longer than was intended. In verse 13, for a
long time Paul wanted to visit Rome, what was hindered. It was
not God's will that Paul was to go to Rome at this time. As
I said earlier, he did go, but it was years later. One of the
reasons that Paul recognized why he was not allowed to go
to Rome is that God wanted him to preach the gospel of Christ
to the late Gentiles in other places. There was much fruit
in the salvation of many sinners in the establishment of churches
throughout the Gentile world. The fruit mentioned here in verse
13 is symbolic of the conversion of sinners to Christ, the edification
of believers, and the fruitfulness of believers in grace and in
their works. Some of the verses that tell
us what this fruit is that Paul speaks of in this verse here
is Matthew 7 beginning at verse 15. It says,
Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves. You shall know them by
their fruits. Do men gather grapes or thorns
or figs or thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth
forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt
tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not
forth good fruit is hewed down and cast into the fire. Wherefore,
by their fruits you shall know them. Also in John 15 verse 16,
you have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you,
that you should go and bring forth fruit. and that your fruit
should remain, that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in
my name, he may give it to you." Now, after saying all of that,
having to do with what this fruit is that Paul was talking about,
it is clear that he was talking about the conversion of sinners.
The preaching of the gospel wherein God's elect hear it, God's elect
believe it, and are converted. In the last verse that I will
speak on this morning, it's clear that Paul had a burden to preach
the gospel to all men and not just to the Jews, which he was
in his natural birth. Here in 14, Paul had such a deep
sense of God's love and mercy to himself that he saw this as
an obligation of love. this love that he had for all
men, Greeks who were cultured, barbarians who were uncultured,
to the wise, learned and educated, and to the unwise, who were common
and untaught. Paul was obliged because of the
salvation he had been given freely and because of the call he had
to preach this gospel to all men. 1 Corinthians 9.16, For
though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. for necessity
is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not this
gospel." The gospel is the same for all sorts of men, for all
sorts of sinners in need of God's grace in Christ. In closing this
morning, the main point that I would like to leave with you
is that God instills within each one of us, each one of God's
elect, one degree or the other, a strong desire to fellowship
around the gospel of how God justifies an ungodly sinner based
entirely on the righteousness of Christ alone. Now, God also
causes us to want to share it with others. It is our only hope,
and we know that it is the only way that God is going to save
a sinner. Let us all pray that God will cause this love for
the gospel and this love for the brethren to grow. as we grow
in grace and knowledge of Christ and a salvation full and free
by Christ alone. Amen.