Justification By Faith Excludes All Boasting (Rom 3:27-4:8)

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God” (vs2).

Righteousness is not obtained through our effort and improvement; it is God’s declaration to all that believe.  There are two ways to be right with God: I can keep the law perfectly and stand on my merit, or I can trust the obedience of Christ, the promise, and the power of God.  I can believe in me, or I can believe God, but I can’t do both, “For what says the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness“ (vs3).  And, since we are sinful and depraved, our hope is not improvement or human strength; it is MERCY and grace from God, declaring us righteous, by faith, in the promise.

The promise is eternal life and salvation, holiness, heaven, etc - “And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). And, we believe that God will do what He has said, not because I help Him, but freely, mercifully, and justly, through the blood of Christ. He PAID for the blessings that I shall receive, and God is RIGHT to save my otherwise wicked and helpless soul, “But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom 4:5).

We must be emptied of self-confidence, so that we trust Christ, lest we be like those “which trusted in themselves… and despised others” (Luke 18:9). They trusted how strong they were, what they could do, how they improved, etc, and they never trusted Christ.

The unworthy sinner, however, went home righteous.  He trusted GOD to be appeased by the blood of Christ and thereby justified to show him mercy, “for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). He believed God rather than himself; he believed that God could save him through Christ, rather than God “rewarding” him for what he’s done - “Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt“ (Rom 4:4).

If you seek a reward, then don’t call it mercy.  If God is rewarding you for what you’ve done, on top of Christ, then it is merit and not mercy. If you seek righteousness by your improvement or promises for better living, then you’re asking God to pay you what He owes, and He will, but it will be hell eternal, without pity.  But, if you believe God is GRACIOUS enough to save you, then you’re justified as the sinner that you are, “Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works” (Rom 4:6).  Your sin isn’t imputed or charged to you: He won’t hold you accountable in wrath.  Your lawlessness and iniquity is punished and forgiven by Christ’s agony in your place. Your stepping out of bounds in sin is covered up, so that God sees you BELIEVING and thereby righteous, rather than wicked.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,  and whose sins are covered;  blessed is the man whom the Lord will not charge with sin” (Rom 4:7-8).

You can’t stand in your efforts, so boasting is excluded, and that’s necessary to the gospel, because no one shall glory in His face, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law” (Rom 3:27).

God is Right to Declare Believers Righteous (Rom 3:9-26)

Vs26, “To declare, I say, at this time, His righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believes in Jesus”.

I’m justified by faith, bless God.  I don’t stand in what I do; I stand in what the Lord Jesus did for me with His blood, when He took away my sins by His death - “whom God set forth to be a propitiation, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness for the passing over of the sins done aforetime, in the forbearance of God” (vs25).

I am saved, not because I bring God something and He rewards me, but because I believe God FORGIVES me of what I’ve done, “For all have sinned and continually come short of the glory of God“ (vs23).  I’m the publican who says, “God, be propitious… merciful through blood…, to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:9-14).  I’ve obtained favor freely, without any cause in me, “being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus“ (vs24).

I believe Christ because the law has SHUT my mouth and convinced me of sin, for “what things soever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God“ (vs19).  Bless the Lord if you’re guilty and know it, penniless to pay for it and powerless to change it.  The law came to you with power, or you’d reject Christ in love of sin (vs18). But, you need the Son of God, so you trust Him to save you, not merely to pardon you, but to empower you to serve.

You believe God by the blood of Jesus, trusting God is RIGHT to bless you by what Jesus did, even the “righteousness of God”, revealed in the gospel of Christ, “unto all and upon all them that believe” (vs22).

You believe on Jesus at God’s command, because He receives you so freely.  He asks no improvement - that’s His job.  He asks no promises of doing better: He is the One that makes promise that you’ll improve and grow.  You take because He gives.

Bless God if you’re free from merit and live by God-earned mercy!

None Righteous Except by Faith that Works (Rom 2:2-3:12)

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one” (3:10)

“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God” (2:29)

No one can stand on our own, and we all need Jesus Christ.  We will either live thankfully and obtain mercy in the end, or we will be damned as hypocrites and liars - “tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek; 10  but glory and honor and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek“ (Rom 2:9-10). We will honor the Son of God by love, or we will perish as the sinners that we are.  It is not the law-keeper who talks a good game, but the GOSPEL keeper who lives for God’s glory that shall be saved - “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified“ (Rom 2:13). 

Heritage and earthly privileges can’t save you.  Church attendance and outward religion will not help. Only true and sincere goodness, thankfulness, and recognition of God’s goodness will help you in the Day of Judgment - “who will render to every man according to his works:  to them that by patience in well–doing seek for glory and honor and incorruption, eternal life“ (Rom 2:6-7). You’ll be faithful to Christ, not-guilty, and worthy of eternal life as your reward, or you will be guilty and worthy of eternal damnation for your rebellion against Love Divine (Rom 2:8-9).  The choice is obvious: we must be about the Savior’s business, if we will be saved.

Salvation is free, but powerful: it is not a word-only salvation of talk, where God says stuff but won’t fulfill it.  Salvation makes a man rise, take up his bed, and walk - “But that you may know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (then says he to the sick of palsy,) Arise, and take up your bed, and go unto your house.  And he arose, and departed to his house” (Matt 9:6).  He isn’t merely forgiven, but he is able to live for Christ now too.  He loves the Son who saved him freely, picking him, hearing his prayer, and dying so that he could be saved. It is the Son who honored God and died so that sins could be atoned and blessings earned.  It is the Son who’s given us favor with God by His obedience, and to the Son, willful and un-condemned obedience is given.  We live to make His name known, that sinners be saved and His fame would spread throughout the earth (Rom 1:14-15). We live thankful that we are not perishing, and we live in the experience of power divine, moving us to obedience.

The remembrance of His love not only compels us by reasonable service, but it has constraining and supernatural power, causing us to willfully grow in honoring God and man (2 Cor 5:14).  We want to do good, because we’re so forgiven and free of the shame, because we have God’s blessing, and the Spirit is power inside of us.  We want to, and we’re able to obey.  Grace has saved us for real, and not in talk, so we’re THANKFUL and continue in well-doing by faith, in spite of sins.

This LIFE is safe, and all others are being damned eventually (Rom 2:13).  God won’t take your law-keeping, unless it is perfect, but He’ll receive your GOSPEL obedience as the fruit of Christ and as marks that you’re His.

Not Able: The Least of Faith Accepted (Lev 5)

“Not Able” (Lev 5:7)

“And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he has committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering.”

If you’re too poor to bring a lamb, then you may worship God through the turtledoves, so that God ENABLES you to be saved by the LEAST amount of faith. This faith involves CONFESSING my need of Christ and receiving Him as Lord and Savior, believing on Christ for forgiveness of sins.

The young man knows more than the child of grace, but not as much as the aged, but all are accepted in Christ, though all don’t bear the same fruit to the same degree - “I write unto you, fathers, because you have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because you have known the father“ (1 John 2:13). But, God is yielding: He doesn’t say, “Believe as much as you should, and I’ll save you”. He says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).  Thus, you have no need to leave here LOST, when you believe Christ as He is revealed: you shall be saved, and strength shall be given to believe more.  Moses TRUSTED Him more than I can understand, and yet I’ll be in heaven with Moses, though I have much less fruit. Thus, it isn’t the MAN trusting Christ; it is the CHRIST that the man trusts - “For if by one man‘s offense death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:17). If you believe the TRUE gospel of grace, then you and I are SAVED by that grace fully. He is not a small savior to big sinners, but He’s a GREAT Savior to them with LITTLE faith.

“Sin Offering”  (Lev 5:11)

“But if he be not able to bring two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, then he that sinned shall bring for his offering the tenth part of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering: he shall put no oil upon it, neither shall be put any frankincense thereon: for it is a sin offering”.

If you can’t bring the turtledove, then bring a grain offering, the ground up corn and flour that you’ve gotten from God. It doesn’t matter how POOR and sinful you are; Christ SAVES sinners TEN BILLION times more wicked than you. Do not think you have to improve; just come by FAITH to Christ, as you are, believing Him, with EVERYTHING out of whack in your life, doubts and all.  If you come anything less than broken, then you won’t be received. And, the strong in faith are received, even as the WEAK in faith, who can hardly believe, are received too.

He will help your unbelief by ACCEPTING the faith you have.

All in Christ (Octavius Winslow)

Our salvation is all in Christ- our righteousness is all in Christ- our merit is all in Christ- our completeness is all in Christ- in Christ our Covenant Head, our Surety and Mediator; and no flaw in our obedience, no defect in our love, no failure in our service, should so cast us down as to shut our eye to our acceptance in the Beloved.