Roman chapter one, we've got
it. Study this morning verse 5, 6, and verse 7. Verse 5, 6, and 7. Notice how verse 5 begins, by
whom or in whom, that is in Christ. In Christ we have received grace. Grace is not something that's
earned. Grace is something that's not
merited. Grace is received. Grace is received
as the generous gift of God. We have received grace. Paul
says we have also received this commission or this apostleship for the obedience to the faith
or as the marginal reference has to the obedience of faith
among all nations. Remember we read in the revelation
God has a people out of every tribe, tongue, nation, and kindred
among men. He says in the last part of verse
8 that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Now
he's talking about that Roman Empire which covered a vast,
vast area. Now back to verse 5, Romans 1. By whom, by whom? Everything that we enjoy spiritually
and providentially is by the Lord Jesus Christ. By whom, in
whom? We have received grace Pick up
the last part of verse five, for his name. That is for Christ's
sake. We've been blessed with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies because of Christ. God has forgiven us
only for one reason, because of the Lord Jesus Christ. His
name, his name. His name is altogether lovely,
is it not? To you who believe, He is precious. And I like this scripture that
I quote quite often in Acts chapter 4, when the apostles were asked
by What name have you done this notable miracle? Remember Peter's
answer? He said, we believe that salvation
is in no other name than the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. No other name under heaven, given
among men whereby we must be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Savior. And then His
name, Wonderful counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace, His name. I did a study many years ago
about all the names of our Lord Jesus Christ, starting with A
all the way to Alpha and Omega, all through the scriptures. His
name declares who He is. God had highly exalted Him and
given Him a name which is above every name. that at that name,
every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord. God has given him that name and
that name declares all that he is and all that he has done by
whom and in whom we have all spiritual blessings. Now remember
this, all that believers have is by the free gift of His grace,
by whom we have received grace. We believe the gospel according
to the working of His mighty grace, according to the working
of His mighty power. That's the only reason that any
sinner believes the gospel is because of His grace. The grace
of God is the free gift of God. My favorite verse in the book
of Romans, chapter three, verse 24, being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Everything we have is by the
free gift of his grace. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? And then there's another verse
that I like to read when I think about this word free or freely. 1 Corinthians chapter one, or
excuse me, chapter two, 1 Corinthians chapter two, verse 12. 1 Corinthians
2 verse 12, Now we have received not the Spirit of the world,
but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things
that are freely given to us of God. We have received everything
by His grace. All we have is the free gift
of His grace. All that we know is by the revelation
of His Word and His grace. He's hid these things from the
wise and prudent and revealed them unto us by His Spirit. We can say with the Apostle Paul,
I am what I am by His grace. And the only grace that we read
about in the scripture is sovereign grace. Sovereign grace, free
grace, eternal grace, effectual grace, electing grace, the grace
of God that saves sinners. All that we have is the free
gift of His grace. All that we know is by the revelation
of His Word, by the grace and power of God. And all that we
ever will be is owing totally, not to our merit, but rather
according to God's sovereign purpose and grace. Notice he says there, we have
received We have received, already done, already done, past tense. We have received as believers
everything God has for us as believers, as his elect, as his
church. We have received right now. It reminds me of this verse here
over in Romans 8, 28. We know that all things work
together for good to them that love God to them who are the
called Called according to his purpose for whom he did foreknow
He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren verse 30
Romans 8 moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called
And whom he called, them he also justified, already done. And whom he justified, them he
already glorified in Christ Jesus. We have received grace. We have received all spiritual
blessings in Christ. And then the second thing that
he says there, We have received this apostleship. And what he
is talking about here is the commission that the Lord gave
to his apostles and to his church. You remember that commission?
Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. We have as believers, as his
church, as the body of Christ, we have this commission of God
to go and preach the gospel. That's why Paul said, And I believe
this is the true determination of every believer, especially
every God-sent preacher. We are determined not to know
anything among you, but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The
Lord Jesus Christ crucified is all our redemption before God
and all our righteousness before God. And the Apostle Paul again
says, 2 Corinthians 4, we preach not ourselves, We don't preach
ourselves. We preach Christ Jesus the Lord
and ourselves your servant for His sake. This charge and commission
the Lord gave unto His church, they take it and the church of
the Lord Jesus Christ take it very seriously. That's why when
we come together we take His Word and declare His Word, teach
His Word and preach His Word. The Apostle Paul, as he sits
on death row, waiting to have his head removed for preaching
the gospel, writes back to a young preacher named Timothy, and he
says, I charge you before God. These are his last words that
God gave him to instruct Timothy and us. I charge you before God
and the Lord Jesus Christ to preach the word. Preach the word,
that's preaching Christ in the word. Preach him and that's what
we try to do every time we have an opportunity to preach the
gospel This grace of God and notice by whom we received we
have received by Christ. We have received grace We have
received this Commission and this grace leads us to the obedience
of Faith you see that to the obedience of faith the gospel
of God concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, the gospel of God's grace
leads us to be obedient unto the Lord, and it's the obedience
of faith. If you'll turn to the last chapter
in the book of Romans, to the obedience of faith. Faith and
conduct cannot be separated. The faith of God's elect, we're
going to see in just a minute. Romans 16, verse 25. Now to him
that is of power to establish you, according to my gospel and
the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of
the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now
is made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets, according to
the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations. God has an elect among all nations. for or to the obedience of faith. Saving faith is submissive faith. We bow in submission unto our
God. To God only wise be glory through
Jesus Christ forever. The faith of God's elect, let
me tell you several things about this faith. That's the gift of
his grace that we have received as the gift of God. Faith is
not something that's native to this heart, is it? What is native
to our heart? Unbelief. Unbelief. We're still
pounded with unbelief. This faith is the gift of God,
not of worthless any man should boast. The faith of God's elect,
we know this, acknowledges and loves the truth of the gospel. God is sovereign, we are sinners,
and the Lord Jesus Christ is everything in salvation. Titus
1.1 declares unto us, the faith of God's elect acknowledges the
truth. Secondly, This true faith that's
given as a gift of God through the gospel for faith comes by
hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord. Secondly, true faith
has one foundation. One foundation. True faith does. True faith is not based upon
fleshly emotion or religious tradition. or sentimental ceremonies. But true faith is based upon
one foundation, that's the written Word of Truth, His Word. We believe the things we believe
because that's what He says in His Word, the written Word of
the Lord. Thirdly, true faith has one object,
one object. What is that one object? You
know what it is. Turn to Hebrews chapter 11. I
quote this verse all the time, but it would be good for us to
turn and read it. Hebrews 12 verse 2, looking,
looking, looking. That's what saving faith. Now
listen to this. Saving faith is not an isolated
experience of the past. Neither is repentance. Saving
faith and repentance is a state of condition. It's a state of
the believing heart. We are looking, we are believing,
we are repenting, we are coming to Christ. Looking unto Jesus,
the Lord Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. It begins in him and one day
faith will end in sight when we see him face to face. But
now we walk by faith, don't we? We look unto the Lord Jesus Christ,
looking, looking, who is the author, who is the finisher of
our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and he is set down on the right hand
of the majesty on high. By faith we look to him and rest
in him. Faith brings us joy of heart
and we enjoy the blessings of the promises of God and we do
so by God-given faith. He's the author. He is the finisher
of faith. So true faith has one object
True faith has one foundation. True faith confesses the truth
of God. Fourthly, true faith has one
goal. True faith has one goal. Let's
see if we can find out. Roman chapter four, Roman chapter
four, verse 20. Faith has one object, one foundation,
acknowledges one truth and has one goal. Romans 4 verse 20,
He staggered not at the promise of God, that is Abraham believed
God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory
to God. That's what saving faith does. Saving faith doesn't pat itself
on the back and say, oh, look what I've done. You see, true
saving faith always looks to the author of faith. True saving
faith always looks to the one who gave faith. And it gives
God all the honor and glory being fully persuaded that what God
had promised, He is able to perform. I believe God is able. Saving
faith believes he is able to save to the uttermost all that
come to God by him Now let's move on Roman chapter 1 verse
6 among whom are you also? And underscore this word if you
if you like to highlight or underscore a word with a pencil the call
the call God's people are called. They are called the called of
God. The called of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now what kind of a call is this?
This is not the call of the preacher. Although God uses the preaching
of the gospel to call out His people, this is that irresistible
and effectual call of the gospel in the hands of the Almighty
Savior. Thy people shall be willing in
the day of His power. Now, I read this statement back
30 years ago and it has never left me. Arthur Pink said this
years ago, I read this statement. The Lord Jesus Christ is more
than an orator beseeching men, He is a mighty operator, drawing,
quickening, and calling dead men to life. You see, He is more
than just a mighty orator, He's a mighty operator, quickening
the hearts of dead men to life. Now the Lord prayed in John 17,
didn't he? Father, you've given me power
over all flesh, that I should give eternal life to as many
as thou hast given to me. You hath quickened who were dead. You remember in John chapter
six, he said, all that the Father giveth to me shall come to me. And those that come to me, I
will in no wise cast out. We are the called of God, the
called of God. Now turn to a couple of scriptures,
find Galatians or Colossians, Colossians chapter one. We read
a moment ago in Romans eight, you turn to Colossians chapter
one, Moreover, whom he did foreknow,
he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his
son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover,
whom he did predestinate, them he called. Them he called. He calls us out of darkness into
his marvelous light. Colossians 1, verse 12, giving
thanks unto the Father who made us meet or fit to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered
us from the power of darkness and hath translated us or called
us out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now find 1 Peter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2, you remember
this from our study in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9, he says, you
are a chosen generation, you are a royal priesthood, you are
a holy nation, peculiar or purchased people, that you should show
forth the praises of him who called you out of darkness and
He called you into His marvelous light. He commanded the light
to shine out of darkness, and He has shined in our heart to
give us a light of a knowledge of the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, if you want to turn to this
when you can, find 1 Corinthians 1. If you don't wanna turn, just
listen to me because we're very familiar with this. 1 Corinthians
1, verse 23, We preach Christ crucified unto
the Jews, a stumbling block, unto the Greeks, foolishness,
but unto them which are called, the called of God, both Jews
and Greeks, Jew or Gentile, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom
of God. He's called us out of darkness
into his marvelous light, the called of God. Now look back
at the text again. among whom you also are called."
This is that irresistible, effectual call of God with the gospel in
the hands of God the Holy Spirit that cannot be successfully resisted
because He makes us willing in the day of His power. Now, verse
7, in closing, verse 7, Romans 1, verse 7, to all that be in
Rome, Beloved of God now how many people were living in Rome
at this time? I would say probably millions,
but he's not writing to the millions in Rome He's writing to the beloved
of God. Do you see that? To all that
be in Rome Who are believers? He's writing this love letter
This is God's love letter God's gospel concerning Christ to his
people who are beloved of God. Now, all men everywhere are not
the beloved of God. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. He loved his people with an everlasting
love and therefore with loving kindness he does draw us to himself. We are the beloved of God. Now think about this, God speaks
from heaven concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and said, this is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. The Lord God Almighty
says that of every son in Christ, as much as God the Father loves
the son, he loves us. Yeah, think about that. That's
a tremendous statement. We are the beloved of God. You
remember from our study in 1 John 3, verse 1. Beloved, now are
we sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what
we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall
be like him. Beloved, now are we sons of God. Dearer, dearer, I cannot be in
the person of his son, I'm as dear as he. Nearer, nearer, I
cannot be in the person of his son, I'm as near as he. One old songwriter said. We are
the beloved of God. Beloved of God. Nothing can separate us from
the love of God which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And this love
of God is sovereign love. Notice he doesn't say, I write
to all men in Rome, I love every one of them. You know what's
interesting, all through the preaching in the book of Acts,
all through the preaching of the early church and the apostles,
Peter and Paul and all those others, you know how many times
they mentioned the word love all through the book of Acts?
Zero. Now the truth of God's love is
manifested because they lifted up Christ. They preached Christ.
But they didn't put this emphasis on God loves all men everywhere,
has a wonderful plan for your life, why don't you let him have
his way? They didn't preach that way.
They preached like this. God had made this same Jesus
Lord and Christ. Now bow to him. And the beloved
of God do. They bow to Him. To all that
be in Rome, they are beloved of God. We give thanks to God
for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because the Lord hath
from the beginning chosen you unto salvation. The beloved of
God. Isn't that a blessing to think
about God's love to His own? Those for whom God loves, they
cannot perish. They cannot perish. He's loved
them with an everlasting love. And then he says, secondly, they
are called, and I like to, you see the two words there, to be? They're italicized. That means
they're not in the original text. But I like to read it this way,
called saints. They're called saints. Now, every
believer is a saint. Every believer is sanctified
in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our sanctification. He is our righteousness. He is
our redemption. Now by nature we are nothing
but... what are we by nature? We are nothing but sinners. But in the Lord Jesus Christ,
we are saints. He has sanctified us, and we
are sanctified in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now remember from our
study in the book of Jude, verse 1, we're sanctified by God the
Father. He chose us and set us apart
for His holy purposes, His holy use. And then it says in 1 Corinthians
chapter 1, verse 2, we're sanctified in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
then it says here in the book of Romans, if you'll find Romans
chapter 15, Romans chapter 15, we are sanctified
by God the Holy Spirit in regeneration in the new birth. Romans 15,
let's begin reading at verse 15. Nevertheless, brethren, I
have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting
you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 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 God the Holy Spirit. So we're sanctified by
God the Father. We're sanctified by the Lord
Jesus Christ. He is our sanctification. He
is our holiness. and we are sanctified by God,
the Holy Spirit in the new birth. Now, let me have you turn to
one more scripture. I wanna point this out to you.
I quoted this verse a moment ago. Find 2 Thessalonians 2,
verse 13. 2 Thessalonians 2, 13. Now watch this carefully, but
we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren, beloved
of the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning
to salvation. Now watch this, through sanctification
of the spirit. Now what is that? That's regeneration. That's the new birth. And the
fruit of that is belief of the truth and the means that God
uses where unto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining
of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now back to the text.
Verse 7. To all that be in Rome, Beloved
of God, called saints, and then he says here, grace to you. And then he says this second
word, peace to you. We only have peace with God because
of this grace of God. Now this is more than just a
common salutation. This is a declaration of the
gospel. Being justified by faith, we
have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace
for us, reconciled us unto God. He made peace for us. How'd he
make peace? Now we hear people saying, well,
I'm trying to make peace with God. Don't ever say that because
you cannot make peace with God. You cannot satisfy the holy justice
of God. But thank God we have peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. He made peace for us with His
own blood. That's how peace is made. He
satisfied His own law and justice, redeemed us from the curse of
the law, and made us new creatures in Christ Jesus. Grace to you
and peace comes from God our Father through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Okay, we'll pick up there verse
8 next time.