The Unconverted “Believer” (3): God Justifying the Ungodly

Acts 5: The Apostles’ Witness, Persecution, and God’s Protection

And then pray for us, please. Acts chapter 5.

But a man named Ananias with his wife Sapphira Sold a piece of property and with his wife's knowledge He kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the Apostles feet.

But Peter said Ananias why is Satan filled your heart to the lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the.

Land.

While it remained unsold did it not remain your own and after it was sold was it not at your disposal. Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man, but to God. When Ananias heard these words he fell down and breathed his last and great fear came upon all who heard of it.

The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in not knowing what had happened and Peter said to her tell me whether you sold the land for so much and she said yes for so much.

But Peter said to her. How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold the feet of those who have buried your husband or at the door and they will carry you out. Immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last.

When the young men came in they found her dead and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband and Great fear came upon the whole church and upon all who heard of these things. Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the Apostles.

And they were all together in Solomon's portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem and More than ever believers were added to the Lord multitudes of both men and women.

So that they even carried out the sick into the streets and laid them on cots and mats that as Peter came by At least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem Bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits and they were all healed.

But the high priest rose up and all who are with him. That is the party of the Sadducees and filled with jealousy. They arrested the Apostles and put them in public prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.

And when they heard this they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest came and those who were with him They called together the council all the Senate of the people of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.

But when the officers came they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and reported we found the prison securely locked and the guard standing at the doors. But when we opened them, we found no one inside.

Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priest heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them wondering What this would come to? And someone came and told them look the men whom he put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people.

Then the captain of the officers went and brought them but not by force for they were afraid of being stoned by the people and When they had brought them they set them before the council and the high priest questioned them saying we strictly charged you not to Teach in this name yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us.

But Peter and the Apostles answered we must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel and forgiven forgiveness of sins.

And we are witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. When they heard this they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel a teacher of the law.

Held in honor by all the people stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while. And he said to them men of Israel take care what you are about to do with these men for before these days Thutis rose up claiming to be somebody in a number of men about 400 joined him.

He was killed and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him. He too perished and all who followed him were scattered.

So in the present case I tell you keep away from these men and let them alone for if this plan or this undertaking is of man It will fail. But it is of God, but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.

You might even be found opposing God. So they took his advice when they had called in the Apostles. They beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name and Every day in the temple and from house to house.

They did not cease teaching and preaching that Christ is Jesus. Let's pray Heavenly Father you are a great and glorious God and We're thankful that the teaching of the Apostles has continued today because their teaching is truth.

You are truth. And Lord, we are grateful that we know the truth. We're thankful for your Holy Spirit who teaches us in truth. Who convicts us of our sin and helps us to understand the path that is set before us?

We pray Lord that we would walk in your spirit. We pray that as we go to those scriptures and as we read and as we study as We listen to the sermon being preached. We pray that the Spirit would take these words and implant them deep within our hearts.

Lord help us to understand your truth and help us to live them out. Help us to be disciplined in these things. Lord, we pray that you would bless this time together. We pray that you would bless the sermon.

We pray that The words that come from this pulpit would be your truth and that they would deeply affect each one of us. We thank you Lord in Jesus name. Amen.

Justification by Faith Alone in Romans 4

Well, let's turn to Romans 4 this morning and we'll begin this morning.

Reading how the Apostle Paul called upon the Old Testament scriptures the Hebrew scriptures. To prove that God justifies ungodly sinners. Through faith alone apart from their works. We have already sung about this.

We read about it in the scriptures and here we have the really the heart of the matter the heart of the the teaching here in the book of Romans and We'll give attention here first to Romans 4 1 through 8 and then we'll consider its context.

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God. For what does the scripture say.

Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Righteousness. Now to him who works the wages are not counted as grace, but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly.

His faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin in our discussion of the nominal Christian and this is the third Lord's Day, which we're dealing with this matter. And By nominal Christian, we mean the one who claims to be a believer, but who is still in sin and under God's condemnation.

But he's not aware of it perhaps. It's important for us to address the classical Protestant teaching about justification. For justification is an essential essential important aspect of true salvation and so the Word of God teaches throughout its pages Old Testament and New Testament that God pardons the sinner and Regards him as righteous through faith alone.

And so we'll consider this matter today by using the following outline. God's justification of the ungodly through faith alone will explain the doctrine the teaching. Secondly justification essential to the gospel, but not the entire gospel.

It's so incredibly important to understand. Thirdly what kind of faith results in God justified the sinner and Then fourthly we want to emphasize that God justifies the ungodly. Through faith. That's important, too.

And so God's justification of the ungodly through faith alone. The Protestant Reformation is commonly said to be gone in Germany during the early ministry of Martin Luther. It was of course a movement throughout northern Europe in which Christendom returned to the authority and sufficiency of the Holy Bible While breaking away from long-held unbiblical tradition and practice.

The result was that people everywhere broke away from Roman Catholicism and in particular its teaching respecting the way of salvation. At the heart of this separation from Rome was the Protestant understanding That the Holy Scriptures teach that God justifies the sinner through faith alone.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism stated this foundational Christian doctrine in this concise way biblical way. Question 33. What is justification? Answer. Justification is an act of God's free grace whereas wherein he pardoneth all our sins and Accepted us as righteous in his sight only for the righteousness of Christ Imputed to us and received by faith alone.

Rome of course had taught for centuries That people were saved from sin through the merit of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They certainly Advocated that but with the addition of personal faith generated good works between the two Christ and your efforts you could bring about your own salvation and This could be shown in a number of sources.

But it's quite clearly expressed in what the Roman Catholic Council of Trent Declared which was really an effort to counter the Protestant Reformation and so it was convened and it met over the course of a number of years but it was Asserting Rome's teaching against what the Protestants taught and so in that official Catholic document Which Rome regards as inspired and as authoritative as Holy Scripture?

It declared that those who held to the Protestant teaching on justification were cursed of God. That's what they officially say regarding me and you if you believe what we had asserted about justification about what the Westminster Catechism says about Justification you are cursed of God.

That they who believe and espouse this doctrine were damned by God a cursed of God. And so here are a few of the formal statements of Trent and canon means rule. You know a finding a rule official rule again.

This was the Word of God to them as authoritative as Scripture. Canon 9 if anyone saith that by faith alone the impious is Justified in such wise as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification and that it is not in any way necessary.

That he be prepared disposed by the movement of his own will let him be anathema. So Rome officially declares if you believe Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. You are damned.

Canon 12 if anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than confidence in the divine mercy Pardoning sins for Christ's sake or that it is that confidence alone by which we are justified. Let him be accursed.

And then canon 24 if anyone saith that the justice received is not preserved and what they meant by justice is Justification if Justice is received received is not preserved and also increased before God through good works.

But that the said works are merely the fruits or signs of justification. Obtained and that's certainly what we assert that the Bible teaches. But not a cause of the increase Thereof that is the increase of justification.

Let him be anathema and so Rome is on record of Denouncing decrying the foundational major teachings of the Protestant Reformation. And so it was this denied denial rejection the way of salvation taught by historical Protestants Roman Catholicism.

That was really the issue with the Reformation. R .c. Sproul wrote this regarding Rome's position and Reality. The Roman view of the gospel is expressed at Trent was that justification is accomplished through the sacraments initially.

The recipient must accept and cooperate in baptism by which he receives justifying grace. When you're baptized as a baby you're justified. He retains that grace. You can lose being justified. Until he commits a mortal sin.

Mortal sin is called mortal because it kills the grace of justification. You can lose your salvation. The sinner then must be justified a second time. And this happens through the sacrament of penance.

Which the Council of Trent defined as a second plank or basis of justification for those who have made shipwreck of their souls. The fundamental difference is this. Trent said that God does not justify anyone until real righteousness in here's within the person.

In other words, God does not declare a person righteous unless he or she is righteous. So according to Roman Catholic doctrine justification depends on a person sanctification. That's why you have to go through purgatory.

They say because only after thousands of years to tens of thousands of years through that you come out purified then You are fully truly justified. It's based upon you becoming holy then you're justified.

By contrast the Reformer said Justification is based on the imputation of the righteousness of Jesus. The only ground by which a person can be saved is Jesus's righteousness. Which is reckoned to him when he believes that God justifies sinners through faith alone is taught throughout the Bible and Perhaps it is set forth most clearly and fully by the Apostle Paul in this epistle to the Romans particularly the first four chapters of Romans and.

The Gospel of Salvation in Romans 1–4

So let's consider the teaching of the Word of God respecting this matter by first considering The teaching of the Apostle leading up to Romans for the passage. We read verses 1 through 8. It's very important that we understand what the Apostle was stating and why he stated the truth set forth in these eight verses the Romans.

4 Romans is an epistle or letter Which sets forth the gospel of salvation of Jesus Christ to a church that Paul had never visited in person. We do not know a certainty when or how this church was founded.

But it's likely that there were Jews and perhaps some Gentile proselytes who were residents of the city of Rome that had traveled to Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost shortly after the crucifixion resurrection of Jesus and There they heard the salvation through Jesus Christ.

They repented of their sins perhaps on the day of Pentecost. Embrace Christ in faith then returned to Rome where they had begun this New Testament church.

All.

Had long desired to visit this church so that he could him better ground them in the content of the gospel. That's what he stated in the opening of his letter. But because Paul had been unable to travel there He wrote them this epistle to set forth the doctrine of salvation and its application To the life of the church.

It was in Providence. He couldn't go there. Otherwise, we wouldn't have this letter. Thank the Lord for that.

In.

The first three chapters of this epistle Paul presented the need of all people everywhere for salvation. That was available only through Jesus Christ. He declared the entire world was guilty of sin before God and that all would one day stand before him in judgment.

God had created established his world and righteousness. Having revealed his law by which all mankind were to order their lives, but none did so. All have sinned and come short of the law that God established and one day God would judge that world.

Judge the world by that law and. So here are Paul's inspired words. But in accordance with the hardness in your impenitent heart. You were treasuring up for yourself wrath and the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God who will render to each one according to his deeds a judgment of works awaits us.

Eternal life to those who by patient continuance and doing good seek for glory honor and immortality. Would interject that's the life of faith. But to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath.

Tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil of the Jew first and also of the Greek but glory honor and peace. To everyone who works what is good to the Jew first and also to the Greek for there is no partiality with God.

We're all going to be judged according to the same standard the law of God. For as many as have sinned without law, that would be like Gentiles who never heard will also perish without law. Later, he says they do have the conscience that will condemn them a law of God written on their hearts.

As many as have sinned in the law that would be the Jews who had the written law of God will be judged by the law in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel a General judgment of mankind according to their works the standard being God's law.

Well, everyone is in need of two qualities in order to stand before God in judgment and escape his wrath for their sins. First the sinner is in need of God to forgive him of all his sin forgiveness. Second on judgment day the sinner will need to be righteous.

That's not just a cancellation of guilt of sin. The sinner must be found to be righteous in accordance with God's law. When God examines him he must be found to be in perfect accordance to his law. But how could anyone hope to escape the justice of God when he or she is brought before Jesus Christ and is judged according to his holy and perfect law everyone would be condemned for his sins.

And Everyone would stand without the righteousness that the law of God requires and demands of all people everywhere. Paul reasoned that no one could or would be able to stand Exonerated of sin and no one would be found to be perfect in righteousness.

No, not one. Paul declared that God had revealed through his law the universe universality of mankind's guilt and Mankind's inability to save himself no effort put forth by a sinner. Even if he were to desire and strive to obey God's law.

No effort could save him from certain condemnation on the Day of Judgment the law of God condemns all.

Mankind.

Paul wrote now. We know that whatever the law says It says to those who are under the law That every mouth may be stopped. That all the world may become guilty before God and therefore by the deeds of the law.

No flesh will be justified in his sight. No one will be exonerated on the Day of Judgment because they have been lived a moral life. So called. Even if that morality is an effort to conform to the law of God No one will be justified in his sight for the law was never given as a way of salvation.

The law by the law is the knowledge of sin. But then the Apostle set forth the good news of salvation the gospel. For sinners from the just penalty for his sin through faith in Jesus Christ God could and would forgive a person's sins and provide his gift of righteousness to the believer in Jesus Christ that would enable him to stand justified that is righteous on the Day of Judgment and so Paul wrote but now the righteousness of God apart from the law a different kind of righteousness not According to righteousness by keeping the law but now a different righteousness is Provided by God apart from the law and it's revealed being witnessed by the law of the prophets here.

He's saying the Old Testament spoke about these things Even the righteousness of God Through faith in Jesus Christ to all and upon all who believe. For there is no difference for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus Whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood in other words through Christ's death. He satisfied the justice The law of God he propitiated the wrath of God which mean appeased God's wrath.

God is no longer angry and full of wrath toward believers in Christ In order to demonstrate his righteousness. Because in his forbearance God passed over the sins that were previously committed. Talking about all the believers of the Old Testament.

He passed over those with view to the death of Christ on the cross. He did that in order to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness. That he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus and So God is not in just in forgiving great sinners.

He is just in doing so because his justice was satisfied when Christ died in the place of the sinner and. So although it's impossible for fallen man to atone for his own sin and to stand righteous on the day of judgment God has provided a way that he can be just in his dealing with guilty sinners and yet not Condemn them and damn them for eternity by his grace alone.

God saves the guilty sinner through faith alone who's deserving of his eternal wrath. Who is incapable of standing in his judgment. The sinner who truly believes in Jesus Christ? Will be found free from the guilt of all his sins and will stand righteous on the day of judgment.

When a sinner believes on Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior God freely and fully upon the exercise of that faith Forgives him of all his sins and gives to him the gift of righteousness Which will enable him To stand righteous before Jesus Christ who is the judge on judgment day?

God justifies that is he declares the sinner to be righteous even though he isn't in himself as of yet. Not through his works of obeying God's law but through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone who had kept God's law fully and perfectly.

Jesus Christ died upon his cross in the place of the believing sinner and thereby atone for his sins satisfied the demands of justice of God's law. And because Jesus Christ lived a Perfect life a righteous life a life in full conformity and obedience to God's law he Jesus acquired a life of righteousness that is then Credited to the account of all those who believe on him as Lord and Savior.

So if you're a true believer in Jesus God regards you as righteous as Jesus Christ himself. It's not just that you've never sinned, but you are as holy and righteous as Jesus Christ is Incredible no wonder it's good news.

And so by God's grace alone through the sinner's faith alone in Jesus Christ alone He or she will stand before the judge on the last day Forgiven of all his sins and as righteous as Jesus Christ himself.

Because of the righteousness of Christ credited to his account. The escape of the sinner from damnation on the day of judgment is due wholly to one other than himself. Not through your effort it was through his effort on behalf of the sinner.

God alone save sinners through Jesus Christ alone. He is the only way of salvation. Well now we come to the teaching of Romans 4 1 through 8 In which we read of the Apostle Paul calling upon the Old Testament scriptures to substantiate what he had just been teaching in the first three chapters.

That God justifies sinners through faith alone. He called upon two persons famous persons of the Old Testament. To declare that they were brought into a saving relationship with God not through works of righteousness that they had done.

But solely and wholly through faith alone. And so first we read that Abraham was justified by God through faith alone. Romans 4 1 through 5. Again, what then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh?

What did he discover? What did he learn about God how to relate to God in his life? For if Abraham was justified by works He has something to boast about at least among people not before God. For what does the scripture say.

And then here Paul quotes the book of Genesis. Abraham believed God and it that is his faith his belief was accounted to him to Abraham for righteousness. Now to him who works. The wages are not counted as grace.

But as debt. If you earned it by what you did God would owe you something. And that's not grace by definition. But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly his faith is accounted for righteousness.

And so Paul cited Abraham from the Old Testament to show that the Hebrew Scriptures Set forth the same teaching as he had just declared to this church. God justifies people apart from works. That is the good deeds that they do or have done or might do should do want to do apart from any of that God justifies believers to the instrument of faith alone.

It's not because faith has any value inherent value it's because faith Connects you to Christ and so it's Christ who justifies faith brings you into the union and connection with Christ. Who alone justifies?

So faith is the instrument that God uses to bring you into relationship with Christ to benefit from his life and death. Paul cited Abraham from the Old Testament show that the Hebrew Scriptures taught this and The Paul quoted from Genesis 15 verse 6 and here's a context from this verse from which this verse is taken.

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abraham. This is before he was renamed Abraham. To Abram in a vision say do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield your exceedingly great reward. But Abram said Lord God, what will you give me seeing?

I go childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer Damascus. Then Abraham Abram said look you've given me no offspring indeed one born in my house is my heir. And behold the word of the Lord came to him saying this one shall not be your heir.

But one who will come forth from your own body shall be your heir. And he brought him outside and said look now toward heaven count the stars if you're able to number them and he said to them so show your descendants be and He Abraham believed the Lord and he God Accounted it to him Abraham for righteousness.

And that's what Paul quoted in Romans 4. Years before this occasion God had called Abraham to leave her the call days and travel to Canaan. God had promised Abraham that his descendants would Be great in number and they would inherit the land in which he was dwelling as a stranger.

But years passed and Abraham had no children. He was he and Sarah were childless. And if he were to die without having a natural child then Eliezer of Damascus his head servant his steward Would inherit his estate.

But.

Then God revealed himself to Abraham declaring that his own physical offspring Abraham's offspring would inherit his blessing from God and that his descendants would one day be a great mighty nation and they would inherit God's promises to Abraham.

And so even though Abraham was an elderly man at this time He was 75 years old. He believed God's word to him.

He.

Believed God could bring forth life from this dead body. He believed in the God of the resurrection and. At that time then God declared Abraham a righteous man. Righteous in his sight. Isaac would not be born for another 25 years.

Abraham was a hundred. Amazingly is miraculous obviously. But he was righteous all that time. Here the scriptures declared that Abraham's faith Was credited to him as righteousness. Notice it in the example of Abraham set forth in Romans 4 1 through 5.

There's no mention of God forgiving Abraham his sins now. We should assume he did but there's no mention of it by Paul. Paul brought up Abraham to show that the emphasis God credit credits the gift of righteousness.

Who faith alone apart from works? That's why he cited Abraham. Well, then Paul called up King David as a witness and That's what we have in verses 5 through 8 of Romans 4. King David had been justified by God through faith alone also.

Two greatest men of the Old Testament yet. They weren't saved by their good works their own merit. They were saved through faith. And Paul cited what David had expressed regarding his knowledge and assurance that he related with God.

Not according to his works, but due to the grace of God through faith. And so here's Romans 6 and 7. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God Imputes righteousness apart from works.

David talked about this. Celebrated it sang it. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. And so Paul quoted Psalm 32 1 and 2.

Which David had written a thousand years before. David was a righteous man as far as fallen men are. Or can be but he was a guilty sinner before God who is holy. But he knew that God had saved him from his sin through faith alone.

And he said a man is blessed when he sees this and understands this. Notice that David wrote of a state of blessedness in terms beyond what was testified in the passage to which Paul cited Abraham as having Been justified.

He talked about God crediting righteousness to Abraham. But when he brought up David he talks about how David's sins were freely forgiven. As well as having righteousness imputed to him. And so Paul wrote of the gift of imputed righteousness to David in verse 6.

Just as he had declared of Abraham. But Paul then wrote of the forgiveness of the sins of David in verses 7 and 8. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds and that's what sin is breaking God's law. Lawless deeds are forgiven whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. He doesn't hold sins against that man. And so the Old Testament scriptures validate Paul's teaching As the truth of God regarding the sinner's justification through faith alone.

God had justified both these notable Old Testament persons through faith alone. The early leaders of the Protestant Reformation had set forth the vital importance of this doctrine of justification through faith.

Alone to the Christian faith. John Gerstner. He was a Jonathan Edwards scholar. He was R .C. Sproul's mentor he wrote. Martin Luther called justification the doctrine by which the church either stands or falls.

That's how important it is. Calvin declared it the hinge of the Reformation. The Roman Catholic Church at the Council of Trent where it dealt with the Protestant Reformation Recognized justification as a central doctrine at issue.

That's why they talked against it. They knew it was central. This doctrine is the core of the gospel. It is indispensable. The Reformed Church of the 16th century was purified by reaffirming clearly this doctrine while Roman Catholicism was destroyed by denying it and Luther further stated these words this doctrine is The head and the cornerstone it alone begets nourishes builds preserves Defends the Church of God and without it the Church of God cannot exist for one hour.

For no one who does not hold this article or to use Paul's expression. This sound doctrine is able to teach a right in the church or successfully to resist my any adversary. This is a heel of the seed that opposed the Old Serpent and crushed its head for ever to Genesis 3 15.