Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/Sermons/zz20000813.htm

ROMANS: CHARTER OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH
"Part VIII: Treasuring God's ASSURANCES Of Justification"
(Romans 5:1-11)

Introduction: (To show the need . . . )

When someone "prays to receive Christ" as Savior, though he may at first rejoice in his newfound faith, he can harbor anxiety over what happens in his experience afterwards.

(1) Following Sunday's baptismal service, when thoughts of demonstrating one's faith in Christ by the public act of baptism are fresh on the mind, a believer asked me, "I do not recall an exact time when I believed. Is it necessary to remember such a moment for assurance that I am really saved by Christ?!"

(2) Sometimes believers wonder how in the world they are to "develop Christian character"! After all, now that we are Christians, we feel we have to ACT like it, but aren't sure just how! Does Nepaug Church have a "character development class" or recommend a seminar on Christian character development, or not? If not, WHY?

(3) Sometimes believers wonder if they will stay saved because of some sin or sins they have committed after having made a profession of faith!

(4) Another doubt that comes after exercising faith in Christ is the fear that the presence of trials that surprisingly come after salvation might mean God has changed His mind about accepting us, and therefore is signaling that He does not like us anymore!

(5) If one has come to trust in Christ from a background where he was taught that God is generally irritable, and he has to work hard at keeping God's anger at bay, he may wonder if God has ever really FORGIVEN him for all of his past, vile sins!



Well, HOW does ANYBODY know for SURE where he is in relation to GOD just because he has "prayed the sinner's prayer" at some revival or church meeting?!



(We turn to the sermon "Need" section . . . )



Need: "Though I've prayed to receive Christ,' I wonder: (a) Did God fully forgive me, or does He still harbor some anger? (b) Am I headed to heaven, and will I END UP there for SURE? (c) When troubles arise in life, do they mean God REJECTS me? (d) How do I grow godly character? (e) How do I know I'm REALLY saved?!"
  1. Following his treatise on justification, Paul paused to RELISH in some great ASSURANCES of those who are JUSTIFIED:
    1. Paul treasured the ASSURANCE that the truly justified believer has positional peace with God through Jesus Christ, his Lord, Rom. 5:1!
    2. Paul valued the ASSURANCE that through Christ, the truly justified one also has "'privilege of approach' to a person of high rank," that is, access to the Father through Jesus Christ, Rom. 5:2a (Bible Know. Com., N.T., p. 456). This access is now open via prayer (cf. Heb. 4:16) and will be physically granted at the rapture, see John 14:2-3.
    3. Because this access will be known in its full form at the rapture, Paul relished in the truly justified one's ASSURANCE of boasting in the hope of the glory which God will manifest in him at that rapture:
      1. The phrase, "we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God" (NIV and KJV) in 5:2b means the believer boasts "in the hope of the glory which God will manifest," cf. Ryrie St. Bib., KJV, ftn., Rom. 5:2.
      2. Thus, a truly justified believer can boast and rejoice in what God will do in his behalf in giving him access to heaven's glory!
    4. Paul reveled in the fact that the truly justified believer can EVEN rejoice in temporal sufferings, for even these are used in God's work in his life for blessing. God ASSUREDLY produces patience thru suffering, ASSUREDLY yields "proven character" thru patience and ASSUREDLY makes character in turn produce hope for the rapture's glory, Rom 5:3-4 NIV; Ibid., Bible Knowledge Commentary, N.T.
  2. Then, in case one questioned IF he was TRULY JUSTIFIED, Paul unveiled a great EVIDENCE of REAL justification as follows:
    1. Paul said the true believer's "hope" is not a "false" one, 5:5:a NIV.
      1. The verb for the KJV's "maketh not ashamed" and the NIV's "does not disappoint" (kataisxuno) means "the shame and disappointment that come to one whose faith or hope is shown to be vain," Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Engl. Lex. of the N.T., p. 411.
      2. Thus, Paul announced that the hope of the rapture for the truly justified believer is not one that disappoints, or eventually exposes his faith to be one in a vain religious idea!
    2. Just WHY that hope is not a disappointing one arises from the EVIDENCE of the truly justified one's justification (as follows):
      1. When one is truly justified by God, the Father forever seals him with the indwelling presence of God the Holy Spirit, Eph. 1:13.
      2. One of the great ministries of the indwelling Holy Spirit is His work to flood the believer's soul with love for others, Rom. 5:5b.
      3. As this overflowing love reveals itself in the believer's attitude and actions, he (and others) notice the Holy Spirit indwells him.
      4. The believer's seeing this evidence of the Holy Spirit's indwelling him leads him to confidence that he is REALLY justified.
      5. That confidence keeps his hope in gaining heaven's glory at the rapture going STRONG, Romans 5:2b with Romans 5:4b,5!
  3. In case the believer doubts the INSURANCE of his HOPE of GAINING HEAVEN, Paul revealed the ETERNAL SECURITY of the justified one's SALVATION STATUS in Romans 5:6-11:
    1. God directed His love toward the believer to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to die as his substitute when he was condemned, Rom. 5:6-8.
    2. That being so, after the believer is justified, how much MORE will the Father KEEP him saved by the Savior's constant intercession in heaven FOR him, Romans 5:9-10 with Hebrews 7:25!
Application: (1) If we have NEVER seen the overflowing LOVE of God, the Holy Spirit working in us, we are NOT justified, and must BELIEVE in Christ. (2) Yet, if we HAVE, we are to REJOICE in CONFIDENCE in our relationship and hope of gaining heaven's glory! (3) We can also REST in (a) the peace we have with God, (b) in the access to the Father we have in prayer and one day in person, (c) in the fact that even THIS life's SUFFERINGS are being used of GOD to develop great character FOR our blessing and the glory of God's GRACE, (c) in realizing God's love in is REAL evidence heaven's destiny is OURS, and (d) knowing we will GAIN heaven as SURE as Jesus is our constant INTERCESSOR!

Lesson: A TRULY justified Christian KNOWS he is justified by way of the INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT'S ABUNDANT and OBVIOUS LOVE IN his attitude and actions. That means a HOST of additional assurances are his, including the fact that NOTHING can HARM his JUSTIFIED STATUS with God Who JUSTIFIED him when he was CONDEMNED!

Conclusion: (To illustrate the sermon lesson . . . )

 Fred W. Demara is the author of the book, "The Great Impostor" that was made into a movie, starring Tony Curtis. The story line, a true autobiography, shows how Fred with his photographic memory was able to assume a variety of identifies in different professions and rapidly learn to perform effectively in them.

For example, Fred once assumed the identify of a medical doctor and actually performed general surgery on board ship of a Royal Canadian Naval vessel in front of other medical personnel during a rollicking storm at sea. He did the operation successfully!

Fred eventually made a profession of faith in Christ, and I was privileged to know him while attending College in Portland, Oregon.

But, the way I came to see for myself that Fred knew the Lord was the way the love of Christ shone through him! It happened on a day in which the student body was required to witness for Christ on the school's Day of Prayer and Praise. Though Fred was middle-aged by now and lived in part of royalties from the movie of his life, he went out into the city of Portland with us younger students to witness.

At one point, while trying to hand out a tract at a door, the man at the house spit on Fred's sweater.

Fred responded by saying, "I deserve that! But please read this tract about somebody else who was spat upon who didn't deserve it, and how He loved you so much that He died for you!"

Fred's graciousness eventually caused the man who had done this deed to break down and weep convulsively. The man's wife wrote a check, explaining what had happened, and enclosed a ten dollar check to the school to pay to have Fred's sweater dry-cleaned!

When the very gifted, famous Fred Demara responded in graciousness at this insult, just like Jesus his LORD had done when mistreated near His death, it became apparent to us ALL at The Multnomah School of the Bible that FRED W. DEMARA was a REAL Christian -- He really KNEW Christ! Only the love of God IN him could lead him to respond this way!

This is GOD'S evidence that our hope is not in vain, either!