If you would, turn to Romans
chapter 1. We're going to begin this morning
with verse 1 in the book of Romans. Romans 16 and 17, right here
that our brother Winston read, where Paul says, I'm not ashamed
of the gospel of God, this gospel of Christ. For it is the power
of God and salvation to everyone that believeth. And Paul tells
us what's there in this gospel that we're talking about here.
And he says, and he makes clear, that the righteousness of God
is revealed within this gospel. Now, as we begin our study this
morning, I'm going to go ahead and, like I said in verse 1,
We'll start reading, we'll read through verse 4. Paul, the servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the
gospel of God, which he had promised to afford by his prophets and
the holy scriptures, concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord,
which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh,
and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the
spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. Historically, it is believed
here that as the Holy Spirit uses the Apostle Paul to write
this book of Romans, that Paul was probably in Corinth during
the winter of his third missionary journey, as described in Acts
20, verses 2 and 3. It was probably anywhere from
A.D. 53 to A.D. 58. By the time Paul wrote Romans,
he had been preaching the gospel some 20 years historically. They pretty much say that Paul
was converted around 37 A.D. And in Corinth, on his way to
Jerusalem, he perhaps thought that this was a good time to
ride ahead to the church there in Rome, a church he had planned
to visit after his visit to Jerusalem. And it is also thought that Paul
probably knew that he might be hindered there in Jerusalem from
going to Rome. So when he wrote this book of
Romans, it contains here the fundamentals of the faith. as
he wrote this letter to the church at Rome here. Now, I'm going
to give you a preview, first of all, here of the book of Romans
before I begin verse 1. The chief design of this epistle
is set in the clear light of the doctrine of justification.
Paul here showing that the Gentiles, that it's not by the light of
nature, And it is not by their works of obedience. Then he also,
to the Jews, he shows them that it is not by the law of Moses.
It is not by their deeds to that law. And then he clearly proves
by observing the sinful and wretched estate both of these Jews and
Gentiles throughout the book of Romans. Then he makes clear
that that this justification that we're talking about before
God is by the righteousness of Christ imputed. It was imputed
through the grace of God and received by faith. Now, as we
talk about being received by faith here, we're talking about,
as Bill made clear last week in his message about the seed
and the sower, as he talked about that ground, that prepared ground,
which is the heart, the mind, the affection, and the will of
the believer. As the gospel goes out to all the world, and God's
elect, where the heart's been prepared, where God has come
by His Holy Spirit, prepared the heart to receive this gospel. So when we say received by faith,
this is what we're talking about. Now, he also, as he tells these
Jews and Gentiles, that it's not conditioned on them in any
way by their works or anything. And he also illustrates his own
experience. Paul says, O wretched man that
I am. And that's all of us by nature
as we come into this world. And yet, knowing that we're wretched
by nature, knowing that we have no hope in and of ourselves to
approach a holy God based on our works. All of this, and as
we walk through this life here as sinners saved by grace, He
talks about yet being possessed of various privileges as sinners
saved by the grace of God. Paul points to some of those
privileges as freedom of condemnation. Romans 8 says, There is therefore
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh but after the Spirit. He speaks of the
blessing of adoption. Romans 8.15, for ye have not
received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but ye have received
the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Paul also
speaks here in the book of Romans concerning predestination. Romans
8.30, moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called, and whom
he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he
also glorified. He speaks of the calling of the
Gentiles. In Romans 15, verse 16, Paul says that I should be
the 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. Then he exhorts the various
duties incumbent on the saints as we walk through this life
as believers. as those saved by the grace of
God. He speaks of how we should walk as respect to one another
as believers in the church and to the world and how we should
treat all men as we go through this life. He also speaks of
the duties of a moral and of a civil nature and the use of
things indifferent And he closes the book of Romans with salutations
of different people. So as we think of all these things
that we're talking about right here, and especially what Winston
read here in the beginning about Paul not being ashamed of the
gospel, and what's within that gospel, what is that gospel message
all about? Let's go ahead and begin in verse
1, where Paul says, He is a servant of Jesus Christ. Paul identifies
himself first as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ. This sets the
tone and the theme of this entire epistle. The law of bond-slavery
was established under the law of Moses in Exodus 21. A bond-slave or a bond-servant
is one who serves his master, not to pay a debt but because
that debt has already been paid. This is the essence of the gospel,
salvation full and free by God's grace in and by the Lord Jesus
Christ, and based entirely on his obedience unto death to pay
for the sins of those that God elected in eternity to give to
Christ. This righteousness that Christ
established by which God could be a just God and a Savior. The gospel of God speaks of Christ's
finished work as the entire merit and ground of a sinner's whole
salvation. What we experience in salvation
as to the new birth, as to good works, to our perseverance and
our final glory are all fruits of what Christ on the cross to
save us from our sins. We who are bondservants of Christ
serve him not out of any obligation of law, but out of obligation
of love and gratitude for his grace. Paul also speaks, and
he says, called to be an apostle in verse 1. An apostle is a special
messenger or an ambassador. sent by Christ. His authority
and doctrine were given to him directly by Christ. It was an
office appointed for the early Church in its formation until
the revelation of God and his word was completed. The apostles
back then had special gifts and power to work miracles. And all
of this, as you read about all these miracles and everything
that the apostles did in their was in confirmation of the preaching
of the word that they were preaching, this gospel of how God saved
the sinner based on Christ alone, based on his righteousness alone.
Paul said he was separated unto this gospel of God that Winston
read about. The gospel is the good news of
salvation from God by his grace in the Lord Jesus Christ. This
is what separates Christ's messengers from the world. It is the gospel
of God, as God is the author of salvation and the author of
this good news that we are talking about. Paul is a minister of
the gospel in Galatians 1.15. He reads, But when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me
by his grace. God is the one who empowers it
unto salvation of all his people. It is not the origin, the wisdom,
nor the works of man in any way. It is of God as He is the author,
He is the executor of it, He is the subject of it, and He
is the revealer of it by His Holy Spirit. In verse 2, Paul
speaks of this gospel which he had promised afore by his prophets. in the Holy Scriptures. It's
so important to understand that the gospel of the New Testament
is the same gospel that's in the Old Testament. In Luke, and
you don't have to turn there, Luke 24, beginning with verse
26, it says, It ought not Christ to have suffered these things
that enter into his glory. And beginning at Moses and all
the prophets, he expounded unto them and all the scriptures the
things concerning himself. And also in Acts 8 verse 26, here we're talking, Paul speaks
of this, he says, And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip,
saying, Arise, and go toward the south, until the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza. which is the desert. And he rose and went, and behold,
a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch. And these verses here, and I'm
not going to read all of them, but as Philip, it says, And Philip
ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah,
and said, Understandeth thou what thou readest? And he said,
How can I, except some man should guide me? And so what this eunuch
was reading was Isaiah, and specifically Isaiah 53. And then it goes on
to talk about what happened here in this visit that Philip had
in preaching the gospel to this eunuch. Then it said, then Philip,
after this eunuch asked Philip to explain these scriptures to
him, said, then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same
scripture and preach to him Jesus. So Jesus is preached throughout
Scripture. This is not some new gospel that
we believe here at Eager Avenue Grace Church. It's always been
there throughout Scripture. The gospel of God is no new doctrine. It is the eternal, the everlasting
gospel that reveals the terms, conditions, the fulfillment,
of that everlasting covenant of grace that was ordained before
time by the Godhead and all these terms, conditions and fulfillment,
this is the gospel that we hear that is preached here in this
place today. All of God's prophets pointed sinners to the future
coming of the Messiah who would save his people from their sins
and establish the only righteousness by which God could be a just
God and a Savior. If you would, go ahead and turn
to Isaiah 45, verse 21. Once again, speaking of Christ
in the Old Testament having to do with Isaiah that we are about
to read. Isaiah 45, Tell ye, and bring them near.
Yea, let them take counsel together. Who hath declared this from ancient
time? Who hath told it from that time?
Have not I the Lord, and there is no God else beside me, or
just God and a Savior? There is none beside me. Look
unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth. For I
am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself the word
is gone out of my mouth in righteousness." and shall not return. That unto
me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Surely shall
one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. Even to him shall
men come, and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.
In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall
glory." God has always saved His people by grace through Christ,
even from the beginning. from Abel to Noah to Abraham
to Paul and even today in Albany, Georgia. God is always saved
the same way. There is no other way. The reason
so many misunderstand the Old Testament is because they fail
to see Christ and him crucified in it. The whole book of Hebrews
sets forth this clearly. You know, the whole book of Hebrews
in this book, it talks about all those pictures and types
in the Old Testament there. All of those pictures and types
and what it does in the book of Hebrews, it tells you what
they stand for. It shows you who they are. It
reveals Christ in all these things. Whether it be that high priest,
whether it be that sinner, that's bringing that spotless lamb to
it, to sacrifice, the blood that was shed, entering beyond the
veil, all these things, pictures and types of Christ. And as we look at the book of
Hebrews, that commentary on all these things happening in the
Old Testament scriptures. In verse 3, here in in Romans, Romans 1. Paul is also speaking here concerning
what these scriptures are all about. He says they are concerning
his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Christianity and believing the
gospel is not simply following the moral teachings of Jesus.
And I need to do some explaining there on this statement. There are multitudes out there
today in religion. and in the past that teach some
way that if you just keep those moral precepts within that Ten
Commandment law, that at least do the best you can and believe
on Jesus that he'll make up the difference and somehow or another
it'll all work out. And that's pretty much what they
teach. Salvation, they put faith in
there. There's so many different things.
They teach, but it all works in some way. Now, and we know
they stake out these signs in the yard, so we know what they're
talking about. We were there at one time. Now, after seeing
all that, we do need to teach our children right from wrong. We need to teach them not to
steal. We need to teach them not to
kill and all these other things. This is something that we need
to train our children up, knowing right from wrong, especially
today, because you would think everybody would know right from
wrong, but it's so much confusion today out there in the world
that we do need to teach them right from wrong. But at the
same time, we need to tell them that Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness. We need to do that. Now, this true Christianity that we're
talking about is founded upon and finds its power in the person
of Christ. The gospel of God is the preaching of Christ and
him crucifying. There in 1 Corinthians, and I'm
going to be reading some scriptures, and if you'll bear with me, but
I know any time that we read the Word of God and it goes out
I know God uses it. And so I will be reading quite
a few scriptures here. In 1 Corinthians 1, 23, and you
don't have to turn there, but it says, We preach Christ crucified
unto the Jews a stumbling block, unto the Greeks foolishness.
But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ
is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Also in 1 Corinthians
2, chapter 2, verse 1 and 2, And I, brethren, when I came
to you, came not in excellence of speech or of wisdom, declaring
to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know
anything among you save Christ and him crucified." It concerns
this gospel that we are talking about, this gospel of God. It
concerns both the glory of his person and the power of his finished
work on the cross. all which led to the glory of
his resurrection from the dead. If you would, go ahead and turn
to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Now, once again, Paul here is
speaking of Christ's finished work on the cross as we look
at 1 Corinthians 15. Paul here says moreover, brethren,
I declare unto you the gospel which I preached to you, which
also you have received, and wherein you stand. This gospel that we
talk about is the power of God and the salvation wherein this
righteousness is revealed, by which also you are saved, if
you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you believe
in vain. For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I received, how that Christ died for our
sins according to Scripture, and that he was buried, and that
he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Now, the key
word here is according to the Scripture. You know, everybody
out there believes in a Jesus. They say they believe in a God
and they believe in a Jesus. You know, we all believe in a
God. By nature, we all. We go about.
We have a God of our imagination. I'll be honest with you, the
God that I was raised up in, well I wasn't really raised in
a church or anything, but I know what was being taught out there
by these religious places on TV and radio. And we're taught
this thing, this false God, a false God that we're brought up in,
we're First of all, it's by nature. We think of different gods like
this, but we're taught, Scripture says, to do evil. We're taught
by false preachers, by even our parents, as we're raised up. And of course, they're taught
by their parents. And unless the gospel is preached out plain
and clear and believed, You're going to get all different kinds
of false notions of who this God is. So the key word here is according
to the Scriptures. We need to look at Scripture.
We need to see what Scripture says about this God that we'll
have to meet, as Bill says in the back, one day. At death, we meet him and have
to stand before him, or whether or not it is when Christ comes
back. Also here, it says, which was
made of the seed of David according to the flesh. Now this speaks
of Christ and his holy, sinless humanity. Christ is fully man,
and as he had to have a human body and soul without sin to
die for the sins of his people. Then John 1, and the word was
made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace
and truth. Hebrews 2.14, Forasmuch then
as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy
him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. Verse 16,
For verily, he took not on him the nature of angels, he didn't
come to save angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore,
in all things, it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren,
that he might be a merciful and a faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of his people."
Also in Hebrews 4, For we have not an high priest which cannot
be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in
at all points tempted, like as we are. Hebrews 10 verse 5 says,
Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice
and offerings, thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared
me. So as we look at all these scriptures, this is what God
says about his son. This is what we need to look
at. Not what some man says, but we need to look at what God says
about Christ. God cannot die, but Christ, who
is God, did die. And this is attributed to his
sinless humanity. Yet it was the act of his entire
person. He died for our sins, imputed and charged to his account.
He had no sin. He was spotless without blemish. But sins, all those that the
Father give him, those sins were charged to his account. This
also proves that Jesus of Nazareth was and is the one who was prophesied
and pictured throughout the Old Testament. The Messiah was promised
to come from the royal tribe of Judah as it speaks of made
of the seed of David according to the flesh. So in his humanity
he was made or became of the seed of David, of the tribe of
Judah This also points out the family from which he sprung,
which was from the posterity of David, in particular, his
mother Mary. As we look in verse 4, it says
that, "...and declared to be the Son of God with power." This
speaks of his deity, the deity of Christ. And in Isaiah 9, verse
6, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the
government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall
be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting
Father, the Prince of Peace. Also in Matthew 1, verse 21,
And he shall bring forth a son, and she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name
Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sin. Now all
this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of
the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is God with us." Christ is both
God and man. In one person, he was not made,
nor did he become the Son of God. He was declared the Son
of God with power. He had eternal existence, as
we read in Micah 5, verse 2. But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah,
though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of
thee shall he come forth unto me, that is, to be a ruler in
Israel. whose going forth have been from
old, from everlasting. And also in John 8, verse 58,
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that
before Abraham I was, I am. Only God can save and only man
can die. He had to be both God and man. Man cannot give or sustain life
but Christ, who is man, can and does give and sustain life. This is to be attributed to his
deity, yet it is the act of his entire person. These are things
we cannot fully understand and explain, but cause us to step
back and marvel at what greatness and glory of Christ this is. Go ahead and turn to John 17. beginning at verse 1. Paul speaks of according to the
spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. The word declared
in the opening of this verse also means appointed or determined. This means that Christ's resurrection
from the dead was more than just a declaration of his deity. It was also his open public appointment
to the throne of David as the King of Kings because he finished
the work that the Father gave him to do. Here in John 17, beginning
at verse 1, we read, These words spake Jesus as he lifted up his
eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify thy
Son. that thy son also may glorify
thee, as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he
should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified
thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me
to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with
the glory which I had with thee before the world was." Also,
if you would, please turn to Philippians 2. This will be the
last scripture that I'll ask you to turn to. Philippians 2,
beginning at verse 8. In being found in the fashion
of a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath highly
exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven,
and things in earth, and things under the earth. king of kings and his essential
deity. But now he rules and reigns as
the God-man, the author, the finisher of all our salvation. This was and is the Holy Spirit's
testimony of the crucified and the resurrected Christ. Christ's
resurrection from the dead assures all of us who believe in him
that he is our salvation, that he is all of our righteousness
before God. and that he is our glory. The
gospel is the preaching of Christ's death, of his burial, of his
resurrection, not just as a point of historical fact, but as the
eternal salvation of all for whom he died. Herein we see God
as both a just God and a Savior when he saves sinners. and that
his elect are justified by the work of Christ on the cross. As we read in Romans chapter
4 verse 23 through 25, it says, Now it was not written
for his sake alone, speaking of Abraham, that it was imputed
to him But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe
on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered
for our offenses and was raised again for our justification."
So as Winston read in the beginning in verses 16 and 17 of Romans
1, where he talks about Paul not
being ashamed of the gospel, for therein is the righteousness
of God revealed. This righteousness, where all
our hope is, is Christ and His perfect Word. As he came into
this world, he lived a perfect life. Then he went to the cross,
and he paid a debt that all of those that the Father give Christ
He paid their debt in full. He worked out that righteousness,
that perfect satisfaction to God's holy law and justice, whereby
we can stand before Him even now and throughout eternity with
this righteousness. This righteousness that is not
something within us in any way, but is something that's charged
to our account. This righteousness that we have all our hope in,
which is at the right hand of the Father, even now, in the
person of our representative, our substitute, and our surety. This righteousness that, as I
said, is all our hope. As we preach this gospel here
to this generation, this is what we need to tell them, that there
is no hope. There is no hope for a sinner
based on anything that we do. anything that we're unable to
do, but our only hope is based on the perfect satisfaction by
Christ. And this righteousness that he
worked out, God freely imputes it and charges it and reckons
it to all those that he gave Christ to come and live and die
for. And I pray that God will bless the preaching of his word.