Blessings of Justification
16 June 2013 AM – Romans 5:1-11 – Scott Childs
Introduction: When you are having a bad day, and the devil is getting you down, and you feel like no one loves you and you are tempted to doubt God, count your blessings of justification.
Hymn writer, Johnson Oatman Jr. penned the following words: Count your blessings name them one by one; Count your blessings see what God hath done; Count your blessings name them one by one; Count your many blessings see what God hath done.
Transition: In Romans 5:1-11, Paul reminds Christians of many blessings that we have because we are justified by faith. We ought to review these blessings often to keep our spirits up, our courage strong, and our faith steadfast.
I. 1st Blessing: We Have Peace with God (1)
A. We all need peace with God.
1. Peace is the absence of conflict, inner calmness.
2. Peace is tranquillity and harmony with God.
B. Only those justified can have peace with God
1. A sinner has no peace with God. He is often troubled by guilt, jumpy, and nervous. He fears being caught. He is far from God and has no hope of heaven.
2. If you have received Christ’s justification, you have peace with God. Christ has paid your sins’ debt in full. Christ forgave you and washed you clean.
3. As a Christian, if you sin, your peace departs, but God will restore it if you will confess your sin.
1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
4. If you have no peace with God, it is either because you are not a true Christian or sin in your life is robbing you of God’s peace.
Lacking peace is like taking a walk on a cold morning without a coat. Not having a coat like one who has not justification. Not wearing your coat is like a Christian who refuses to confess sin in his life. Both lack peace.
II. 2nd Blessing: We Have Access to God’s Grace (2a)
A. Access is a wonderful blessing.
1. It is that which brings us to God.
2. It gives us admission into God’s presence.
It is like my debit card that gives me access to my money.
B. What does access do for us?
1. Christ has washed us and clothed us in his righteousness so we may be admitted to the throne room of God.
Ephesians 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
2. Spurgeon: We feel a freedom now to come into our Father’s presence, because he has forgiven us for Christ’s sake. We feel at home with him now though once we were prodigal sons, and had wandered far away. . .
III. 3rd Blessing: We Can Rejoice in Hope and Tribulation (2b-5)
A. Christians can rejoice in hope
1. Hope in the Bible is a “sure confidence” it is not a wish or dream.
2. Back in Romans 3:23 we learned that we missed God’s mark of perfection and came sort of the glory of God (the perfect character of God’s righteousness). Once justified, we can rejoice in that hope – we now have credited righteous, and when we get to heaven, we will be totally righteous like Christ. AMEN!
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the 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; for we shall see him as he is.
B. Christians can also rejoice in tribulation
1. The word “glory” is the same word translated “rejoice” in verse 2.
2. I do not like tribulation or trials any better than you do, but God says we can rejoice in these. How? It is by knowing that tribulations lead to hope.
a) Tribulations produce patience if we trust God.
b) Patiently enduring produces experience (approved character).
c) Approved character increases hope (sure confidence) of becoming more like Christ and rewarded by Christ.
This is like the process of making maple syrup. The sap must be boiled (tribulation) to evaporate. Evaporation takes a long time during which impurities are skimmed off the surface (patience). Eventually the sap thickens and becomes cleaner (experience). The result is delicious maple syrup (hope). Without going through this hot, long, thickening and cleansing process, sap cannot become syrup.
3. When troubles come your way, look at the resulting hope so you can rejoice in them.
Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
4. Our hope in Christ will never shame us (5). It will come to pass. God will keep His promises. The indwelling Holy Spirit assures us of God’s love, even during trials and tribulations.
IV. 4th Blessing: We Shall be Saved From Wrath (6-9)
A. God’s wrath is upon all sinners
1. God hates sin and His holiness demands that sin be punished eternally in hell. We must never be deceived into thinking that God is all love.
2. His wrath is His divine judgment against sin.
Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
B. Only Christ can deliver a sinner from God’s wrath
1. Christ died for the ungodly (6). Few people would give their life to save another good person, but Jesus died for the ungodly.
2. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners (8). That is amazing love! He did not wait until we cleaned up our lives. He died for us while we were black with sin.
3. Christ will save us from wrath (9). Not only did He justify believers or credit them with His righteousness by shedding His blood on the cross, He promises to save them from God’s wrath (eternal hell). That is a HUGE blessing!
John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
V. 5th Blessing: We Have Been Reconciled to God (10-11)
A. What does it mean to be “reconciled”?
If a fighting husband and wife reconciled, it means they settled their dispute and got back in harmony again.
1. To reconcile is to change from enemies to friends. To mend a broken relationship.
2. Sin in our lives makes us enemies with God.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
3. Christ brought us into harmony with God by His death on the cross. He removed the fence of sin that separated us from God.
Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
B. What does reconciliation do for us?
1. We are no longer God’s enemies.
2. Because Christ has reconciled us, we will be saved from death by His life. He rose from the dead and we too will rise from the dead.
John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Conclusion: Today we have looked at five blessings of justification. Certainly there are many more. If Christ has justified you, ponder these blessings and thank God for them. If you have not yet received Christ’s salvation and justification, you do not yet know these blessings, but you may if you will trust Christ today.
Song: Thank You Lord – 221