It is not that I did choose thee,
Lord, O Lord, that could not be. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Niver. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Mattawar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 1030 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
945 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com.
Now here's our pastor, Todd Neibert. I've entitled this morning's
message, What is the gospel? What a question. What is the
gospel? Now, I'm imagining that I'm speaking
to a man who only has 24 hours to live. Let's picture that scenario.
Perhaps a man who is sick, and he knows he only has 24 hours
to live, and then he'll die. Or maybe even a man on death
row, knowing that he will be executed in 24 hours. Such a
one coming to me and saying, tell me, what is the gospel? What is the message of this book? I need to know. I don't know
and I need to know. Would you tell me what the gospel
is? I only have 24 hours to live
and I need to know. I would select Romans chapter
3 to tell this person what the gospel is. Romans chapter 3 and
in that passage of scripture, I would ask a series of questions
that would teach us what the gospel is. So here we go. Somebody says, what is the gospel? I want to know, give it to me
in the plainest and most simple terms. Here it is. In Romans
chapter three, verse 19, the apostle says, Now we know that
what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under
the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world
become guilty before God. Now here is the first thing that
I would deal with. What is our state before God? Guilty. I wouldn't begin with
trying to prove God's existence. That's not necessary. Deep down,
everybody knows in their heart that God is, even those who say
they're atheists. There's still a gnawing and a
nagging doubt. What if He is? Well, deep down,
you know He is. And the Bible doesn't try to
prove His existence. In the beginning, God. That's
all we have. And I wouldn't be dealing with
what's our purpose or what's our reason for being here. Here's where I would begin, where
Paul begins, what is our state before God? And our state is
one of guilt. Now, the first part of the book
of Romans, he deals with guilty people who don't have a Bible,
who have no revelation from God. God has not spoken to them. We
read concerning these people who have no revelation from God,
no written word, the Gentiles at this time who were never given
scripture, we read in verse 19 of chapter 1, because that which
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has 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 have no written revelation,
Creation is sufficient to tell them God is, and it speaks of
His eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse
for their sin. In verse 29, these people are
described in Romans chapter 1, these people who have no written
revelation from God. It says, being filled with all
unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness,
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whispers,
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 that do them." Now, these people without a revelation are
described. I want to ask you a question.
Do such people that I just described deserve to be punished by God? Now, you answer that question.
You say, yes. Well, let me go on reading. Therefore
thou art inexcusable, O man, Whosoever thou art that judgest,
for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, for
thou that judgest doest the same things." Now you say someone
is worthy of being condemned who do such things? Then you
and I are worthy of being condemned because we do the same things. Now what about those people who
have a Bible? The ones who don't have a Bible
are left without excuse. Romans 2, 14, and 15 says, for
the Gentiles, which have not the law, they don't have a Bible,
they do by nature, those things containing the law, these having
not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law
written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,
and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one
another. They either have a guilty conscience
or they're trying to make excuses. That's the end of those persons
who have no revelation from God. What about the people who God
has given his word to? Paul describes them in Romans
chapter 2, beginning in verse 17. Behold, thou art called a
Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thou boast of God.
These are the religious people. You know His will and you have
proved the things that are more excellent being instructed out
of the law, this written revelation of God. You're confident that
thou thyself art the guide of the blind, the light of them
which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of
babes, which has the form of knowledge and of truth in the
law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preachest a man should
not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should
not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorrest
idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of
the law through breaking the law, you dishonor God, for the
name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." Now
that's what he said to these people. They said, Know some
things, but you don't live up to your knowledge, and if anything,
you're more guilty. You blaspheme the name of God. So here's Paul's conclusion of
all men in Romans chapter 3, verse 9, talking about those
with the law from God and those without the law from God. What
then? Are we better than they? No,
and no wise, for we have before proved, both Jews and Gentiles,
that they're all under Sin, as it's written, there's none righteous.
No, not one. There's none that seeks after
God. They're all gone out of the way. They're together become
unprofitable. There's none that do us good.
No, not one. What is our state before God? Guilty. Guilty as charged. Paul says that every mouth may
be stopped. No excuses. No extenuating circumstances,
no lack of knowledge. I stand guilty before God, subject
to the judgment of God. If God sends me to hell, He is
righteous. My mouth has been stopped. Now,
this is where we've got to begin. I state before God, I don't care
if I'm religious or unreligious. My state before God is that of
guilt. Now here is the second question. Is there anything we can do to
change our state of guilt before God? Well, look what verse 20
says. 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." Now, this state of guilt that
the Bible says we're in. And believe what God's Word says.
Don't look within your heart. Look with what God says in His
Word. The Word of God says we're guilty before God, and it tells
us that there's absolutely nothing that we can do to change that
state. By the deeds of the law, there
shall no flesh be justified in His sight, for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. By my deeds, I cannot be saved. If my salvation is in any way
dependent upon some deed of mine, If it's in any way dependent
upon God responding to something I do, and He won't save me unless
I do this, I will not be saved by the deeds of the law. I don't
care, right down to an act of your free will, if your salvation
is dependent upon your will. That's salvation by the deeds
of the law. But Paul tells us, by the deeds of the law there
shall no flesh be justified in His sight, for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. There is absolutely nothing. Nothing that you and I can do
to change our state before God. Now, here's my third question. Does that mean there's no hope?
That one who's going to die in 24 hours, does that mean I have
no hope that I'll be saved? Does that mean that I'm for sure
going to go to hell when I die? Is there no hope for someone
who stands guilty before God and cannot change their state?
Does that mean there's no hope? No, it doesn't mean that. There is hope. Let me read the
next verse, verse 21. But now, the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. What does a holy God require
of me? Perfect righteousness. A righteousness that's equal
to His. Now, that's who God is, and He
will not lower those terms. He requires perfect righteousness. Now, Paul tells us now the righteousness
of God without the law. is manifested. This is a reference
to the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. He obeyed God's
law. What this is talking about when
it says without the law is it's without our personal obedience
to the law. Now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested. being witnessed by the law and
prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by the faith
of Jesus Christ. His righteousness is unto all
and upon all them that believe. Now listen real carefully. You
may in yourself be the most evil person alive. You may be as bad
as the devil himself, but you can still stand before God perfectly
righteous. If the righteousness of God,
the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ is given to you
so that you stand before God with the very righteousness of
God. In Romans chapter 4, verses 6
through 8, we read, even as David also describeth the blessedness
of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness. That's talking
about the righteousness of his son without works. without you doing anything to
earn it, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven
and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin." Now, there is hope. There is a way
for a man to stand righteous before God. That's by the very
righteousness of God being given to him. Now, here's my next question. How can I know this is so? That
sounds too good to be true, that I, in and of myself, I'm a sinful,
evil person, and yet I can have the very righteousness of God.
How can I know this is so? Well, look what verse 21 says,
Romans chapter 3, but now, the righteousness of God without
the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets. This is what the Scripture teaches.
You see, the Bible is the Word of God. God's inspired Word. And when Paul wrote that this
was witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, he was talking
about the Old Testament Prophets. For instance, in Isaiah, Isaiah
chapter 54, verse 17, the Lord says, their righteousness, talking
about His people, their personal righteousness is of Me, saith
the Lord. This was the teaching of the
Old Testament. This was the teaching of the New Testament. Paul said
in Philippians 3, 8, 9, O, that I may win Christ and be found
in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith. The believer possesses the very
righteousness of God. Now, here's the next question.
Who is this for? Who gets the very righteousness
of God? Who possesses this? Who has this
great blessing? Let's go on reading. Even the
righteousness of God which is by the faith of Jesus Christ
unto all and upon all them that believe. It is the believer. Those who believe the gospel,
that have the very righteousness of God as they're standing before
God. Now, what is it they believe? It says those who believe. What
is it they believe? Well, let's go on reading. For
there is no difference. For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God. Here is what they believe, that
there's no distinction between men. There's no difference. There's
no good men and bad men. There's no holy men and unholy
men as far as men in the flesh. There's no rich and poor. There's
no black and white. Men are just sinners. There's
no difference between men. I mean, some men are real impressed
with what people would call great men after the flesh. But if you
know what man is, you know he's nothing but sin. No difference
between men. All have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. But look what he says next in
verse 24. This is what we believe being justified, having been
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that's
in Christ Jesus. Now, these people who have the
righteousness of God, God justified them. Now, what does justification
mean? It means he made it to where
they're not guilty. where they stand before the holy
law of God without guilt. Perfect before the law. I think
of that publican in the temple. He was beating on his breast,
crying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. And then you had
the Pharisee congratulating himself on what a great person he was.
And the Lord says regarding that publican, he said, I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified. rather than the other. The one who justified himself
went down to his house condemned, but this one who condemned himself
went down to his house not merely forgiven, not merely pardoned,
but justified, cleared of all guilt. When you're justified,
that means you're not guilty, being justified freely by His
grace. Is there anything I have to pay?
Here's another question. Is there anything I have to pay?
Is there anything I have to do to obtain this glorious blessing? No, he says, being justified. Look at the next word, freely.
absolutely freely, no cost from you, freely by His grace, complete
unmerited favor through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Now,
this justification, this grace comes to us through the redemption,
the redeeming work of Christ on the cross. Now, when our Lord
died, He did something. He redeemed. He redeemed. He put away the sins of all He
died for. His death was a redeeming death. It made it to where there is
no sin. In whom we have redemption through
His blood, even the forgiveness of sins, because of His redeeming
death, All He died for, all who believe are justified freely
by His grace. Now, let's go on reading Romans
chapter 3, verse 25. Whom God, speaking of the Lord
Jesus Christ who redeemed us freely by His grace, whom God
has set forth to be a 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, whom God hath set forth. Now, who planned all this? This
is so glorious. Who planned all this? That word
sent forth means foreordained or purposed. God purposed all
of this to take place. You see, this has always been
God's purpose. Revelation 13, 8 calls Christ
the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. This was not a
plan B after our sin. Before there was ever a sinner,
there was a Savior. God purposed Him to be a propitiation. Now, what in the world is a propitiation? What does that mean? Well, let's
go back to that publican for just a moment. When he beat on
his breast, crying, God be merciful to me, the sinner. That word merciful in the original
is propitious. Certainly being merciful is included
in that, but it's literally God be propitious to me, thee, sinner. Now, the word propitious means
to remove the reason for anger, to remove the reason for wrath. He's saying, Lord, remove my
sin, remove your reason for anger. And that's exactly what our Lord
did on Calvary's tree. In Hebrews chapter 8, verse 12,
we read where God says, I will be propitious to their unrighteousness. I removed the reason for my anger."
You see, my sin became Christ's sin on the cross. He became guilty
of it. The wrath of God came down upon
Him, and now I have no sin for which God to be angry at. He
removed His reason for anger. He said, I'll be propitious to
their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities. Will
I remember no more? And don't miss this phrase, whom
God set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. What does that mean? Faith in
His blood. His blood did something. His
blood removed, put away, took away all the sins of everybody
he died for. 1 John 3, 5 says he was manifested
to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. His reason for anger has been
removed, and that is why that publican went down to his house
justified, not merely forgiven, not merely pardoned, but justified
because all of his sins had been removed. God was propitious toward
him through faith in his blood. Now, let me ask you a question.
Do you have faith in his blood? Somebody says, well, tell me
just what that means. Well, here you go. When Christ said it is
finished. Do you believe That's all God
requires of you. His finished work. Nothing more, nothing less, and
nothing else. It is finished. Do you believe He finished salvation? That's what it is to have faith
in His blood. All God requires of you, you
have, because He finished the work. He didn't merely make me
savable. If I do my part, He saved me. It is finished. Now, notice what
it says next. Through faith in His blood, for
the remission of sins that are past, that's why God passes them
by, 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." Now, in declaring
the gospel, you know what's declared? The very righteousness of God.
To declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that
are past. Not just to declare His mercy. Not just to declare
His grace, but to declare His righteousness. You see, Paul
said concerning the gospel, he said, I'm not ashamed of the
gospel. For it's the power of God to salvation to everyone
that believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein,
in the gospel, is the righteousness of God revealed. The gospel reveals His very righteousness. It shows the righteousness needed.
You look at the Lord on the cross. Would God pass by sin when it
spanned on His Son? No, because God is utterly righteous. My sin became the sin of Christ.
Substitution took place and God killed Him. But His perfect righteousness
is given to me. And now God saves me in a righteous
way that honors His righteousness. His law is honored. His character
is honored. The Gospel is a declaration of
the righteousness of God that He might be just. totally righteous,
and yet the justifier of that one who believes in Jesus. To
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifies the ungodly,
his faith is counted for righteousness." Well, where is boasting then? Paul says. That's the next question.
Is there anything that we can take credit for? Where is boasting
then? Paul says it's excluded. By what
law? Works, but by the law of faith. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
gets all the glory in every aspect of salvation. He gets all the
glory in my election because I was chosen in Him. He gets
all the glory in my justification because I'm justified by His
righteousness. He gets all the glory in my redemption because
He's the one who redeemed me. He gets all the glory in my regeneration
because He gave me life. He gets all the glory in my preservation
because He's the one who preserves me and keeps me from falling.
He gets all the glory in my glorification because it's His work only. We
don't have anything to boast in. We boast in the Lord. We glory in the cross. But we
sure don't boast in our works. Paul says, therefore we conclude,
verse 28, Here's what we conclude about all this, that a man is
justified by faith without, without the deeds of the law. That's our conclusion. That's
how a man can be just and righteous before God. Now he goes on to
say, is he the God of the Jews only? Is this just for the Jews?
Is He not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seeing
as one God which shall justify the circumcision by faith and
uncircumcision through faith, everybody is saved the same way.
There is not one way of salvation for one group and another way
for another group. Everybody is saved the same way by this
gospel that I have just preached. Now Paul says, do we then make
void the law through faith? Well, what about the law? What
about the Ten Commandments? What about the Old Testament?
Do we make void the law through faith? God forbid! Yea, we establish
the law. You want to know how you can
honor the law of God? By believing the gospel. Anything
less than that is dishonoring and disobedience to the law of
God. But believing the gospel, you actually honor the law of
God. Now, what is our state? Guilty.
Can we change it? No. Is there no hope? Yes. How do I know? It's what the
scripture teaches. Who is this for? This great blessing. those who believe. Is there nothing
for them to pay? No. It's free. Who planned all
this? God did. Why? To display his
righteousness. Is there anything a man can boast
of? No. What can we conclude from this?
That a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Now we have this message on DVD
and CD and if you call the church, write or email, we'll send you
a copy. This is Todd Nyberg, praying that God will be pleased
to make Himself known to you. That's our prayer. To request a copy of the sermon
you have just heard, send a request to messages at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Or you may write or call the
church at the information provided on the screen.