Bootstrap
Todd Nibert

Important Questions Answered

Romans 3:31
Todd Nibert June, 28 2026 Video & Audio
0 Comments

Sermon Transcript

Auto-generated transcript • May contain errors

100%
Want to congratulate Jalen and Rachel Whitehead on the birth of their son, Hudson, the Harry's new grandson. If someone came to me and said, I've only got one hour to live, and I'm gonna stand before my maker. And I am confused. I don't know what the gospel message is. Can you tell me what the gospel message is? I don't wanna hear what your opinions are. I wanna hear what God actually says. Please tell me. I've only got one hour to live. The time of doing is over. It's too late. I'm confused. Would you give me the gospel message?

Now, if somebody came to me with this question, the message I'm going to bring this morning is how I would answer that person. I don't believe there could possibly be a more important thing for you and I to understand than the message I'm going to attempt to bring this morning. I've entitled this message, Important Questions Answered. And I hope you'll give me your most careful attention. By the grace of God, you're going to hear the gospel preached as simply as it can be preached. And that's what we needed. Important questions answered.

Religion is confusing. Amen. Religion is confusing. There's so many religions, all of which claim to be true. Within Christianity, there are thousands of denominations, all claiming their brand to be the best and the most accurate. Add to that, we're confused.

Now these are questions that we all should be asking And the questions and the answers will all come from the Bible. Let me remind you, all scripture is given by inspiration of God. God breathed and it's the only source of truth. All of these questions and all of these answers will come from the word of God.

And remember, I'm trying to preach to the gospel to that man or woman who says, I've only got 24 hours to live. I'm confused. Would you give me what God says in his word? Now you may be surprised to know that the first question is not, is there really a God? I love the way the Bible gives no attempt to prove the existence of God. In the beginning, God. In the beginning, there's time. God created the heavens, there's space. And the earth, there's matter. In the beginning, God.

Romans chapter 1 verse 20, we read, "...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." There is no excuse for me or you to not believe God. Why is there something and not nothing?

There's only one answer. God. So I'm not going to begin by trying to prove the existence of God. I think it's so majestic that the Bible makes no attempt to prove his existence. It's a self-evident fact. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now, God is Hebrews 11 verse 6 says, he that cometh to God must believe that he is. God is. And he is as he declares himself to be in this book we call the Bible. This is God's revelation of himself. This is where we gotta begin. This is God's revelation of himself. Look in Romans chapter three, verse nine.

Now the first question is not, is there a God? The first question is, what is our state before this God? That's the first question that must be dealt with. What is our state? What is our standing? before this God of the Bible. Look at verse 9 of Romans chapter 3.

What then? Are we better than they? Are we Jews better than the Gentiles? No, in no wise, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles that they are all under sin. Now this is our state before God. We are all under sin. That means sin's over us. That means we're drowning in it. We're all under sin. Now just what does that mean?

We'll look in verse 10. As it's written. Don't you love the way Paul always appeals to it's written. Not here's what I think, as it is written. Here's what it means to be under sin. There is none righteous, no, not one. Me and you are not righteous. Here's how far this goes. There is none, verse 11, that understandeth you and I Do not understand God or the things of God. That's the result of being unrighteous. We have no understanding. You can just write this down. Whatever you think about God is wrong.

There's none that understands. Let's take it a step further. There's none that seeketh after God. Not one. Now, we might seek to avoid hell. We might seek to Go to heaven, but that's not seeking God. That's just some kind of self-preservation. There's none that seeks the living and true God, not one. Verse 12, they are all gone out of the way. Every one of us, you, me, we've willfully gone out of the way. It's our fault we are the way we are. We can't blame our circumstances, it's our fault. We've willfully gone out of the way.

They are together become unprofitable. There's nothing in you or me that could benefit or profit God. We have nothing that we can do for Him. He has no needs. We're all unprofitable. There's nothing we can do that would benefit or help God. We're unprofitable. There is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Now that is our state before God. You'll notice He said in verse nine, what then? Are we better than they, us Jews? Are we better than the Gentiles? No, in no wise. Now, all the world is divided into two groups, Jews and Gentiles. And here's what that means. People with a Bible, the Jews, people without a Bible. Gentiles.

People who have this written revelation from God and people who have no written revelation from God. You know, there's a lot of folks who've never seen a copy of the Bible. Most of the world's population has never read the Bible. They don't have any direct revelation from God in the Scriptures. What about these people? Well, look in Romans chapter one, beginning in verse 18. This is the description of these people who have no Bible, no written revelation from God.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known of God is manifest in them. God have showed it unto them, 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." These people who do not have a Bible, they have enough light from creation that renders them without excuse.

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, They were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened, professing themselves to be wise." This is talking about Socrates and Plato, Aristotle, all the best man can produce as far as man's wisdom. They professed themselves to be wise. We got some understanding. They became fools and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like the corruptible man, to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves, who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than, or more than, the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. These are people without a Bible.

For this cause God gave them over unto vile affections, for even the women to change the natural use into that which is against nature. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lusts one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves the recompense of their error which was meat. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, what they knew of God by nature they didn't like, God gave them over to a reprobate mind to do those things which are not convenient. This is the people without a Bible being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful, who, knowing the judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them to do them.

What a wicked bunch of people. Now look what Paul says in chapter 2 verse 1, Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges. You hear of these horrible things that the Gentiles do and you say, that's awful. That's awful. That's wicked. That's bad. These are bad people.

Now look what he says with regard to that response from me or you. Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judges. For wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself. For thou that judgest, doest the same things." That's God's testimony. Somebody says, I don't do those things. God says you do. God says you do. Believe what God says. Verse two, but we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such thing.

And thinkest thou this, O man, that judges them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? but after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.

For there's no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned without the law shall be judged without the law, and as many have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, these people without a Bible, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, they know it's wrong to steal, they know it's wrong to lie, they know the commandments, God's laws written in their heart. These having not the law are alone in themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness in their thoughts, the meanwhile either accusing or excusing one another. in the day when God should judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Now there's the Gentiles, the people without a revelation from God.

Verse 16 or 17, here's the Jews. Behold, thou art called a Jew. You've got a revelation from God. You rest in the law. You make your boast of God. God's given us the law. And you know his will and approve the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the law. And you're confident that thou thyself are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which has the form of knowledge and of the truth of the law. You've got this written revelation from God.

Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest the man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest the man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhors idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law, dishonest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you. They say they talk about their law-keeping, look at their law-breaking, that's all they are. They blaspheme the name of God through you when you're making your boast. I've got this revelation.

Verse 25, for circumcision verily profits if you keep the law, but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision, and shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision doth transgress the law. For he's not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he's a Jew, which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not of the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. Now here we have The people without a law, without the law condemned. We have the people with the law condemned.

That is the state of every man before God. Look at verse nine once again. What then? Are we, Jews, the people with the law, better than they, the Gentiles, who have no revelation from God? No, in no wise, for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin. Look down in verse 19. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, either in your heart, knowing the law naturally, or from the scriptures. Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them that are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God. You say you've only got an hour to live, Let's begin here.

Not is there a God, but what is your state? What is my state before God? Guilty as charged. Subject to the judgment of God. That means if God sends me to hell, Just and righteous is He. I've got no excuses. My mouth has been stopped. I can't justify myself. Guilty before God.

Is there anything we can do to change our state before God? Are you leaving me? Helpless in myself? Is there nothing I can do to change this? I mean, that's an awful state to be in. Guilty before God? If he sends me to hell, I'm getting exactly what I deserve? Is there anything I can do to change this?

No. Verse 20. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, For by the law is the knowledge of sin. All God's law does is show us we're sinners. Salvation by works is impossible because all of our works are sinful. What about the good things we do? I just read there's none that do us good. No, not one. Don't talk about the good things you've done because you've not done anything good. No, not one.

There is absolutely nothing we can do to change our state before God. That's God's testimony. Believe it even if you can't fully see it. This is God's testimony with regard to me and you. Now, the next question is, does that mean there's no hope? If I stand guilty before God and there's nothing I can do to change that state, does that mean I have absolutely no hope? It sounds like my case is hopeless. Is there no hope? Yes, there is. Yes, there is. Verse 21, but now the righteousness of God Not man's righteousness. Not any man's law-keeping. The righteousness of God. Now, there's not a more important word in the Bible than this, the righteousness of God.

I love what Paul said in Romans 1, 16 and 17. He said, I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it's the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for therein In the gospel is the righteousness of God revealed. Yes, His mercy is seen. Yes, His grace is seen. But what does the Holy Spirit use to describe what is revealed concerning the character of God? His righteousness. The righteousness of God. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested. Without my law keeping, it's not something I do.

Somebody says, how can I know this is true? This seems too good to be true. You mean I can actually have the righteousness of God as my personal righteousness? That sounds too good to be true. How can I know it's true? Well, it's what was witnessed in the law and the prophets. It's what the Old Testament scriptures have always taught. That's how I can know it's true. It's what the Bible teaches. It's what the Old Testament teaches.

Listen to this scripture, Isaiah 45, 24. Surely shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength. Isaiah 54, 17. Their righteousness is of me. Jeremiah 23, 6. This is the name wherewith he shall be called, the Lord our righteousness. Jeremiah 33 16 says, this is the name wherewith she shall be called, the church, the Lord, our righteousness. This is the righteousness of God that every believer can possess. This righteousness can be yours. Listen to this scripture.

For he hath made, this is 2 Corinthians 5 21, for he God hath made him, Jesus Christ, to be sin. Christ was made to be sin. God made him that way on Calvary's tree. He bore the sins of God's elect. And he was made to be sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

That is what every believer possesses, the very righteousness of God. Verse 22, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ. Notice it didn't say by faith in Jesus Christ. but by the faith, the faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now I'm saved by His faithfulness. He was faithful to perfectly obey God's law. He was faithful to become obedient unto death and put away the sins of everybody He died for. I'm saved by His faithfulness. I'm not saved by my faith. I'm saved by His faithfulness. And that's what I believe. That we're saved by the Faith of Jesus Christ.

Now who's this for? To have the righteousness of God. To be saved by the faith of Christ. Who's this for? Verse 22. It's unto all and upon all then that believe. It's unto all and upon all Them that believe. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for. Now somebody is thinking, okay, believe what? It's given to them that believe. What do they believe? Well, let's go on reading.

Remember, everything is simply from the text of Scripture. I've only got 24 hours to live. Tell me the gospel from the Scripture. I'm not interested in your thoughts or your opinions, but what does God's Word actually say? Well, here's what they believe.

There's no difference. There's no difference between me and you. There's no difference between Jew and Gentile. There's no difference between the moral and the immoral in the world's eyes before God. No difference. Now I've said this before, let me say it again. You take the most moral man alive and you take the most immoral man alive. Before God there is no difference.

All have sin. and come short of the glory of God. This is the description of me and you. All have sinned. I sinned in Adam. Wherefore, as by one man, sin entered the world, and death by sin, and death passed upon all men, in that all have sinned. When Adam sinned, I sinned. When Adam sinned, you sinned. Somebody says, well, I don't agree with that. Well, it's true whether you agree with it or not. It's what the Bible teaches. In Adam, all sinned. In Adam, all died.

But let's take away your connection from Adam. Have you done on your own? Let's say you weren't connected with Adam. You sinned on your own. Every thought, every imagination, God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. That's what you've done on your own. There's no difference between men. All have sinned.

And I love this definition of sin. They've come short of the glory of God. Have you ever done anything that measured up to God's glory? Why, of course not. Everything we've done has come short of the glory of God. That is what sin is. Here's what we believe. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Verse 24, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus. Now I've sinned, you sinned, I've fallen short of the glory of God, you've fallen short of the glory of God, but here's the gospel, having been justified.

Now, if you're justified, that means you've never sinned. This is God's judgment. You've never sinned. You stand before the law of God without guilt. Well, what about all that sin you were talking about? I was justified freely by His grace through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus. This is the gospel, having been justified. All that sin I was talking about was blotted out by the blood of Christ, freely, by His grace, through the redemption that's in Christ Jesus.

Is there anything I have to pay? Is there anything I have to do? No, freely, freely, no strings attached, without a cause, freely, by His grace, God's grace is free. God's grace is saving. It's not some kind of offer. It's up to you to accept it, reject it. No, when he gives grace to you, he saves you by his grace. It's him giving grace to whom he will. I'll be gracious to whom I will.

God's saving, sovereign, free grace through the redemption that's in Christ. Jesus, now His grace is free, but it's not given at the expense of His character or His justice. It's through the redemption, the redeeming work of Christ on Calvary's tree. Hebrews 9, 12 tells us that a redemption was made by His own blood, not by the blood of bulls and calves, but by His own blood. He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. It is finished. The price is paid." Now, what do we believe? Salvation is given to them that believe. And here's what they believe.

There's no difference. between me and all of sin, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth." Now, my marginal reading says, whom God foreordained. This has always been God's eternal purpose. This is not God's plan B. This is God's eternal purpose to save sinners by the Lamb. He's called the Lamb having been slain from the very foundation of world." This is God's eternal purpose which was purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, whom God hath set forth, ordained a propitiation, a propitiation.

Now somebody says, what in the world is a propitiation? That's not a word we hear very much. It's in the Bible. A propitiation is a sin-removing sacrifice. A sin-removing sacrifice. By His sacrifice on Calvary's tree, He blotted out sin. He made it not to be. It's gone. That's what His propitiatory sacrifice does. When that publican in the temple cried out, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. The word merciful is actually be propitious. Take my sin away. I can't do that. I can't make it be removed. Do something for me. Do something about my sin. I can't do anything.

Be propitious to me, the sinner. God said, I'll be propitious toward their unrighteousness. I'll be a sin removing sacrifice and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more. A propitiation through faith in His blood. Don't miss that. There is no salvation. There is no understanding, there is no knowledge of God apart from faith in His blood. I have faith in His blood because it's His blood. That's where the power of the blood comes from, whose blood was shed. It's His blood. And whatever He does is of necessity absolutely successful because of who He is. This is His blood. You know, even the thief understood that on the cross. He knew, you're not going to stay dead. You can't fail because he knew who he was. Failure is impossible for you. Remember me when you come back as a mighty reigning king in your kingdom.

Do you have faith in His blood? Do you believe that the virtue of His blood is such that if He died for you, you must be saved? You can't be anything but saved. The very righteousness of God demands your salvation because of His blood. Now, I'm saying to that man or woman that has 24 hours to live, Yes, there's hope.

Because Jesus Christ made a perpetuatory sacrifice for sin and put it away. He's the Son of God. And if you rely on Him, faith in His blood, this is for you. Verse 25, whom God has set forth to be propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say at this time, his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. If Jesus Christ died for you, The righteousness and absolute justice of God demands for you to be saved.

That's how glorious This is. The very law of God demands my salvation because the blood of Christ made me to be without sin, without guilt. I've never sinned. I'm holy, unblameable, and unreprovable in His sight because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And the very absolute righteousness and justice of God demands my salvation. You know, this is what the Bible's all about. to declare, I say at this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

Well, is there anything we can boast in or take credit for? Verse 27, where is boasting then? What can you take credit for in this salvation? Where is boasting? It's excluded. It's altogether banished. There's no room for boasting in any man. I can't put an eye before anything. Are you saved? Well, I, no. The only thing you can say with regard to I is I've sinned and come short of the glory of God, but everything else is He. There's nothing for me to boast in.

He did it all. By what law? Verse 27, works? Nay, but by the law of faith. And I love the way he calls it the law of faith. You know, if you're a believer, you cannot not believe. It's a law in you. You cannot not believe the gospel. You hear the gospel and you believe the gospel. You really do have faith in his blood. It's a law written in your heart. the law of faith. Therefore we conclude, this is our conclusion, that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Now is this for Jews and Gentiles? Is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, seeing it's one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith.

Do we make them void the law through faith? What about the commandments? What about the 10 commandments? Are we just saying all that is useless and gone? God forbid, yea, we establish the law. The only way you honor the law is by looking to Christ as your righteousness before that law. Anything short of that is dishonoring and debasing the law of God and bringing it down to your level. Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish the law. Now, what is our state before God? Guilty. Can we change that? No. Does that mean there's no hope? No, there's hope. And the hope is that we might have the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ because of his redeeming work on Calvary's tree.

How can we know that's true? It's what the scriptures always taught. Who's this for? Everybody who believes. Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God? Then it's for you. Do you believe that he's the Christ? Then it's for you. What do they believe? That Christ accomplished salvation. That simple. Is there anything we can boast in? No, but this is the conclusion. A man is justified before God by faith. In closing, turn to Luke chapter 18. Verse nine.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. Two men went up into the temple to pray. The one, a Pharisee, and the other, a publican, a Jew employed by the Roman government to collect taxes, and he was somewhat of a mafia member. He had people working for him. He could take as much from you as he wanted. There wasn't anything you could do about it. And he was protected by the Roman government.

Can you imagine how hated and despised this despicable publican was? It was a reprehensible way to make a living. And he was the most despised person in Israel. A Pharisee, the most respected, the most religious, a publican. the most despicable and despised.

Verse 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. The Lord adds that to let us know he wasn't praying to God. He thought he was, but he wasn't. He was praying to himself. He prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee. I'm giving you the credit. I'm not giving myself the credit. I'm no freewheeler. I'm giving you the credit. I thank thee for your mercy, for your grace, for Christ. No, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are. I'm different. I've got to change life. I'm different. I'm not an extortioner, unjust, an adulterer, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week. I give tithes of all that I possess.

Now, everything he said was a lie. He was an extortioner. He was unjust. He was an adulterer. And so are you and I. But he said, I'm not like these moral, immoral, bankrupt people. And I'm giving you the credit for it. Now we have the publican, verse 13, The publican standing afar off. I imagine that Pharisee was up front where everybody could see him. And I'm sure he was praying aloud so everybody could hear his prayer. Let him know how good he was. But the publican standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven. But he smote upon his breast, saying, God, be propitious.

God, be merciful. God, be propitious to me, a sinner. Now, I would say to that person who's dying, you take this man's place. God, do something about my sin. Be propitious. Remove my sin through the sacrifice of your Son. There isn't any other way to look. You pray this prayer, and I'm not talking about the prayer itself that'll save you. You know, I pray this prayer after me, no don't do that. But if this is in your heart, you are nothing but a sinner. And the only hope you have is that Christ made propitiation for your sin and removed your sin. God be propitious to me, the sinner. The Lord says in verse 14, I tell you. Here's the words of authority. I tell you that this man went down to his house justified. No guilt. Having never sinned. Having the righteousness of God.

This man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. The man who congratulated himself for how good he was, he went down to his house in his sins. But this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone that exalts himself, shall be abased. But he that humbles himself, and that's what this publican did, he shall be exalted. So with regard to this man who wants to know the gospel, he's only got 24 hours to live, here it is.

Jesus Christ came into this world and did what you could never do. He kept the law. He did what you could never do. He put away sins. He was raised from the dead because God accepted what he did. And now God can be just and justify somebody as sinful as me or you by the work of Christ on the cross.

Believe on him. Amen. Lord, I ask in Christ's name that you would Give us, each person in this room, the grace to take the place with the publican, crying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. Be propitious to me, the sinner. May the sacrifice of your son remove my sin. I can't do anything about my sin. I'm asking you to do something about it. God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And oh Lord, we know that everybody who by thy grace says that goes down to their house justified before you. Bless this message for Christ's sake, in his name we pray, amen.
Todd Nibert
About Todd Nibert
Todd Nibert is pastor of Todd's Road Grace Church in Lexington, Kentucky.

Comments

0 / 2000 characters
Comments are moderated before appearing.

Be the first to comment!

0:00 0:00