Romans 5: Who is the Source of Our Justification by Faith?

Class Outline:

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The last Adam should be our first choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re in the resident congregation turn off your electronic devices and put them away. Let this be a place where you aren’t distracted by the world.

 

Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with a worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  Thanks for listening to this Bible lesson!

 

OPENING AGENDA

 

You may be wondering some things about Barah Ministries, like…

 

Who is the God we worship?

What is our source of truth?

Who is our enemy?

 

We're always happy to begin each lesson by answering these questions after a short, thought-provoking introduction.

 

At our core, starting from the first moment we come from the womb, each of us wants to be loved.  If we aren’t, psychologists call the plight “attachment disorder.”

 

There is a story from an orphanage with a group of seven newborns, and one baby at the end of the row of cribsdid better than the others.  He gained more weight than the othersand he had the fewest health problems.

 

The orphanage staff couldn’t figure out why this baby was thriving until they learneda cleaning lady, taking a break every night, would hold the baby on the end of the row. The physical touch and love of this woman helped the baby’s health and helped the baby to thrive rather than just survive.

 

When babies don’t get love, the effect can be life altering.Fortunately, all creaturesare loved unconditionally by God.We are His babies, and He loves us in a way that can’t be described in words…Jude, Chapter 1, Verse 21 recommends…

 

JUDE 1:21

…keep yourselves in the sphere of God’s unconditional love…

 

We come to bible study to learn about God’s unconditional love…to let Him hold us in His righteous right hand as His thoughts feed us and nurture usso we can thrive.

 

Who is the God We Worshipat Barah Ministries?

 

We worship a Triune Godhead.  There is One God who reveals Himself to

mankind as three beings who are separate…distinct…co-equal…co-infinite…

co-eternal Persons…God the Father…God the Son…and God the Holy Spirit.

 

GOD THE FATHER is the author of the Triune Godhead’s plan for all creatures.

His plan for His creatures has always been to love you unconditionally when you are at your worst…Psalm 36, Verse 7 says…

 

PSALM 36:7

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God and Father!  The children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

 

God the Father’s love is a hiding place where we can thrive.

 

GOD THE SON (the Lord) volunteered to execute God the Father’s plan…taking on human form as Jesus…the Christ (the Jewish Messiah).  Believing in Him is the ONE AND ONLY WAY to heaven.  God the Son loved us enough to die for us…and His love does not end…it is abundant…Psalm 86, Verse 15 says…

 

PSALM 86:15

But You…O Lord…are a God merciful and gracious…slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.

 

When you invest your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ…asking Him to save you…by believing in Him you instantly have the resurrection life…eternal life…in His name.

We worship GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT.  He is our Mentor and Teacher…the guide

who is the rudder of a Christian’s life.  He fills us with love according to

Ephesians, Chapter 5, Verse 18, where God commands…

 

EPHESIANS 5:18

…do not get drunk with wine…for that is dissipation…but keep on being filled by God the Holy Spirit…

 

Why does God the Holy Spirit fill us?  The apostle Paul tells us in his prayer to God the Father in Ephesians, Chapter 3, Verses 16 to 19…

 

EPHESIANS 3:16

…(my prayer is that)God the Father would grant you believers in Christ… according to His glorious riches…to be strengthened with enabling power through God the Holy Spirit who is resident in your inner man (placed in residence within you by God the Father)…

 

EPHESIANS 3:17

…so that the Lord Jesus Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…and that you believers in Christ…being rooted and grounded in unconditional love…

 

EPHESIANS 3:18

…may be able to comprehend with all believers in Christ…the saints…what is the breadth and length and height and depth of this love…

 

EPHESIANS 3:19

…and that you keep on knowing through experience the unconditional love of Christ which surpasses experiential knowledge…and that you may be filled up (by God the Holy Spirit’s enabling power) to all the fullness of God the Father.

 

The entire Godhead welcomes you to thrive as youexperience God’s love for you.  In God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit…believers in Christ have a power team that is always on their side…a team specializing in the impossible.  Are you calling on them for help in times of trouble?

 

What is Our Source of Truthat Barah Ministries?

 

It’s important to get to know Your God as a Person.  As Christians, the way to

develop a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with the entire Godhead is

through studying the Word of God.  The Bible is the Word of God.

 

When we know God’s unconditional love for us, we can pass it on to others as the Bible instructs in First John, Chapter 4, Verse 7…

 

FIRST JOHN 4:7

Beloved (divinely loved believers in Christ)…let us love one another unconditionally…for unconditional love is from the source of God the Father…and everyone who loves unconditionally is a born again one of God the Father and he knows God the Father.

 

The Bible is a supernatural work…prompting us to learn and to pass along to others a supernatural love…the Bible is breathed into human writers by Godto provide us with the ultimate source of absolute truth.  At Barah Ministries, we teach the Bible from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective because we refuse to teach as doctrinal truth the precepts of men.

 

Who is Our Enemyat Barah Ministries?

 

GOD HAS AN ENEMY…Satan…whom God made ‘the ruler of this world’ for a finite period.  He is the enemy of believers in Christ as well.

 

Satan loves, too…he loves himselfand himself alone.  John, Chapter 8, Verse 44 describes the devil…

 

JOHN 8:44b

Satan was a murderer from the beginning…and he does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature…for he is a liar and he is the one who keeps on fathering lies.

 

Is Satan filled with love?  Yes, he is…but what kind of love?  Satan loves to lie…he loves to deceive…he loves to accuse…he loves to hurt others, especially believers in Christ.  As the apostle James tells us in James, Chapter 4, Verse 7…

 

JAMES 4:7b

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

 

Satan is a coward.  He runs away at the first sign of love.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is the Source of Our Justification by Faith?

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

The Lord Jesus Christ of course.  In today’s lesson, we go back to the beginning of human history to see why justification by faith is necessary.  We’ll meet the two Adams…the first Adam and the Last Adam (Jesus Christ).

 

OPENING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!When human beings love you, often their love comes with conditions…I love you if.  For example…I love you if you don’t ever make any mistakes…I love you if you always agree with me…I love you if you are willing to give everything and get nothing in return…I love you if you do exactly what I think you should do.

 

God’s love is different.  We have a God who lovesUNconditionally…with NO conditions…according to John, Chapter 3, Verse 16…

 

JOHN 3:16a

“For God the Father loved the world unconditionally…and He loved the world so much…that He gave His uniquely born Son (the God-man…the Lord…Jesus…the Christ…100% God and 100% man in one Person…to be crucified on a Cross)…”

 

JOHN 3:16b

“…so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him shall not perish…instead, he shall have the resurrection life (eternal life).”

 

Here’s June Murphy to remind us what unconditional love is like in her song… one of the best songs ever written…WHEN I SAY I LOVE YOU.

 

MUSIC

OPENING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

WHEN I SAY I LOVE YOU

June Murphy

 

OPENING PRAYER

 

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for your perfect plan for all mankind…thank you for loving us unconditionally when we were Your enemies…thank you for loving us MUCH MORE now that we believers in Christ are Your friends…thank you for sending Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to die for us on a Cross, shedding His blood to pay for our sins…thank you for the reconciliation His work provided…and thanks to You and the entire Godhead for being present with us in this lesson today…

 

…open our spiritual eyes to see the truth…open our hearts to feel the truth…help us to be genuine learners as we hear Your plan which often is vastly different from what we think You ought to do…help us to revel in Your perfection as we learn Your Word…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is the Source of Our Justification by Faith?

 

LESSON PART ONE

 

In Romans, Chapters 1 to 3 we learned of the universal guilt of all mankind… yet Christ is the propitiation for our sins…through faith in His work and in gratitude for His shed blood we can be justified by faith.

 

In Romans, Chapter 4 we learn that we are declared righteous…legally righteous…when we place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

In Romans 5, passage 1 we learned the result of justification by faith.  We are given a series of gifts that stager the imagination.

 

Now in Romans 5, passage 2 we’ll learn the consequence of the trespass of Adam as our Federal Head and  the righteousness work of Christ as the New Federal Head, a righteousness that credited the Lord’s righteousness to our account and gifted us with justification by faith.

 

Charles Dickens was an English novelist and social critic who created some of the world’s best-known fictional characters.  He is regarded by many as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era.His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, andby the 20th centurycritics and scholars had recognized him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories still are widely read today.

 

One of his best works was a novel called The Tale of Two Cities.  What is the Tale of Two Citiesabout?  The opening sentence of the novel, “It was the best of times…it was the worst of times” captures a theme of DUALITY and foreshadows the events to come.

 

Charles Dickens introduces the reader to the contrasting worlds of London and Paris in the late eighteenth century, foreshadows the impending French Revolution, and establishes key themes and characters.

 

The passage we will study today is a passage of duality…it was the best of persons…it was the worst of persons.  When you understand the two people we will study today, you'll appreciate important things you need to know about the source of your justification by faith if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Before we get into today’s passage let’s remind ourselves of a few things we learned in the first passage of Romans Chapter 5 in Verses 1 to 11…

 

ROMANS 5:1

Therefore…having been justified on the principle of faith in the past (an irrevocable fact that cannot be changed)…we believers in Christ now and forevermore keep on having peace with God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

ROMANS 5:2

…and through our union with Christ also we believers in Christ have obtained our direct access to a Person of privileged rank…God the Father…who placed us into this sphere of grace…a sphere in which we presently stand…and also through our union with Christ we keep on exulting in the future hope of the glory of God.

 

 

ROMANS 5:3a

And we believers in Christ not only exult in all these things (from our past…righteousness and justification by faith…in our present…peace, direct access, and a sphere of grace…in our future…glory)…

 

ROMANS 5:3b

…but we also exult in our tribulations that are given to us by God the Father… knowing that tribulation brings about PERSEVERANCE…

 

ROMANS 5:4

…and perseverance brings about PROVEN CHARACTER…and proven character brings about HOPE…

 

ROMANS 5:5

…and hope does not disappoint…because the unconditional love of God the Father

has been poured out within our hearts through God the Holy Spirit who was given to us by God the Father as a pledge of our inheritance.

 

ROMANS 5:6

For while we were still helpless (wallowing in slavery to our sins) … at the right time the Lord Jesus Christ died for the ungodly (for unbelieving, unrighteous… sinners).

 

ROMANS 5:7

For one will hardly die for a righteous man…though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.

 

ROMANS 5:8

But God the Father demonstrates His own UNCONDITIONAL LOVE toward all

mankind, in that while we were yet sinners (while we were unbelieving, ungodly, and unrighteous)…the Lord Jesus Christ died for us (in our place).

 

ROMANS 5:9

MUCH MORE then…having now been justified by the Lord Jesus Christ’s blood… we believers in Christ shall be saved from the wrath of God the Father that is to come…through our union with Christ.

 

ROMANS 5:10

For if, for the sake of argument…while we were the enemies of God the Fatherwe

were reconciled to the Father through the death of His Son…MUCH MORE… having been reconciled…we shall be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ’s life.

 

ROMANS 5:11

And not only this…we believers in Christ also exult in God the Father through our union with the Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

 

We studied these verses in depth last lesson, yet here are some things on which you can reflect…

 

1

Justification by faith is administered by God at a single moment in time and the result stands finished forever.   Like the Lord says on the Cross…“It is finished”

Powerful words!  Justification by faith is permanent…believers in Christ have it and they stand in it, within a sphere of grace.

 

2

Peace in verse 1 is not tranquility of mind, but the cessation of a war.

 

3

Tribulation produces endurance…God gives us the means to withstand anything.

 

4

Our HOPE is the confidence we have in the Lord who sees us through every tribulation so that as storms of life come, we don’t faint in our souls because we have endured tribulations over and over again so we are not fazed by them.

 

6

Hope is the proof that God never disappoints.

 

7

In a court of law, an engagement ring or a wedding ring is a gift that can’t be taken back.  God’s love is like a wedding ring…it is given to us as a gift in perpetuity… endless in duration…God’s love is ours forever…we are the Bride of Christ… God’s love for us is proof for everything we question…God never takes the ring back.

 

8

Man's faith is not appealing to God the Father…but Christ’s blood is very appealing.  If Godthe Father did much for His enemiesby sending His Son to die for them…what is He willing to do for His friends…the reconciled ones…for us believers in Christ?

 

9

The Lord’s death on a Cross established a new relationship with all mankind…we

go from being targets of God the Father’s wrath to targets of God the Father’s

love (if we choose to take advantage of it).

 

10

The passive voice in Verse 11…“we have received (from God)”…indicates that God the Father changed His attitude toward us in reconciliation because of Christ’s work at the Cross.

 

Now today’s passage.  Let’s listen to the New American Standard Translation of Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21…

 

ROMANS 5:12

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

 

ROMANS 5:13

…for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

 

ROMANS 5:14

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.

 

ROMANS 5:15

But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

 

ROMANS 5:16

The gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned…for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

 

ROMANS 5:17

For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 5:18

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men.

 

ROMANS 5:19

For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

 

ROMANS 5:20

The Law came in so that the transgression would increase…but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more…

 

ROMANS 5:21

…so that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

It was the best of persons…it was the worst of persons.  When we return from the break, we’ll take the offering and then we’ll study the second passage of Romans, Chapter 5 verse-by-verse.  We’ll meet the two people we’re talking about.

 

FIVE-MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is the Source of Our Justification by Faith?

 

OFFERING INTRODUCTION

 

Legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said, “You can’t have a perfect day without doing something for someone who’ll never be able to repay you.”  Hebrews, Chapter 13, Verse 16 reflects this sentiment…

 

HEBREWS 13:16

…do not neglect doing good and sharing…for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

 

Our God is generous every second of every day.  As believers in Christ, we choose to reflect His grace.

 

When you give to Barah Ministries you make it possible for people all over the world to get spiritual food to feed their spiritual lives free of charge.  Thank you for your generosity.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with one of his always inspiring offering messages.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

JAMES 1:19

This you know, my beloved brethren (believers in Christ)…everyone of us must be quick to hear…slow to speak…and slow to anger…

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

Instrumental Version

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

Who is the Source of Our Justification by Faith?

 

LESSON PART TWO

 

Welcome back!

 

Let’s investigate Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21 verse-by-verse starting at Verse 12…

ROMANS 5:12

Therefore …just as through one man, Adam…sin entered into the world…and both physical death and spiritual death entered the world through his sin…and so both physical death and spiritual death spread to all men…because all men were considered by God the Father to have sinned when Adam sinned…

 

God made Adam the Federal Head of the human race.  What is a Federal Head?

 

FEDERAL HEADSHIP

Spiritual leadership from a spiritual representative…someone is appointed to act for all…and what they do applies to everyone.

 

When Adam sinned, he engaged in a Federal Headact, so all were considered by God to have acted when Adam acted.  One man’s disobedience brought condemnation to us all.  Sin in God’s eyes is the refusal to be controlled…sin is rebellion…sin is self-will…and Adam acted this way.

 

Adam’s union with Eve produced children…including the first murderer…Cain.

 

Is it fair for everyone to be condemned because of Adam?  We’ll see.

 

From Adam to the Mosaic Law is about 2500 years.  Adam’s sin was in the world as was personal sinning.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 13 and 14 note this…

 

ROMANS 5:13

…for until the Mosaic Law was given…personal sinning was in the world…but personal sinning is not imputed (put into an account…charged as a wage due) when there is no law forbidding it.

 

ROMANS 5:14

Nevertheless (even though personal sins were not imputed to anyone) physical and spiritual death still reigned as the king from Adam until Moses…even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam (which is direct disobedience to a command)…this Adamwho is a type (as a federal head…the same type as) the Lord Jesus Christ who was to come (as a different kind of federal head).

 

What does it say in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verse 22?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS15:22

For all in union with Adam at physical birth (and that is every human being who comes to earth) are set to die the second death in the Lake of Fire…so also for those who choose to be “in Christ” … all of them will be made spiritually alive (as the “born again” ones).

 

There is the first Adam and the Last Adam (Christ)…there is condemnation from

one (the first Adam)…there is justification by faith from another (the Last Adam

…Christ).  There was the creature result from Adam and the Creator result from Christ.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 15…

 

ROMANS 5:15a

But the free grace gift of salvation from God (the word charisma in Greek) is not like the (“gift” from the) transgression from Adam. For if by the transgression made by the one…Adam…the many died (spiritually and physically)…and they did…

 

ROMANS 5:15b

…MUCH MORE did the grace of God the Father and the gift of salvation through grace by the one Man… Jesus Christ…abound to the many (who choose to take advantage of Christ’s gift).

 

The situation was pretty simple from God’s perspective…since man can’t make himself right with God…the Lord would make him right with God.  Abounding and abundant grace from God gives us the gift of righteousness if we want it.

 

Imagine this…a man owns a shabby, leaky boat…seeing it, a man in a yacht offers to take the man to his destination…the man gets on the yacht but feels out of place because he is not wealthy…the wealthy man treats the shabby, leaky boat owner so well the boat owner begins to feel wealthy…he relaxes and takes advantage of the ride without a hint of guilt.

 

Most people would refuse to accept the gift and would be so excited to get back to their shabby, leaky boat…because adjusting might mean change.  Believers in Christ know they will not be getting anywhere in the shabby, leaky boats so they accept the yacht from Christ.

 

Adam’s sin had destructive power…Christ’s blood shed at the Cross had

recoveringpower…His work was done in grace and it was offered as a free gift.

Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 16…

 

ROMANS 5:16a

Also, the free grace gift of salvation from God the Father through the agency of Christ is not like that “gift” which came through the one, Adam, who sinned…for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression of Adam resulting in condemnation for all…

 

ROMANS 5:16b

…but on the other hand the free gift of salvation…(charisma) arose from the many transgressions being laid on the back of Christ for payment…resulting in one righteous act of justification by Christ.

 

Dickens would say, “It was the best of times…it was the worst of times.”  There was the source of death (Adam’s sin) and there was the force for the resurrection life (Christ’s sacrifice).

 

How is the Lord’s grace gift received by most people?  When the religious see believers in Christ enjoying a gifted privilege too much, they act as a group of “crabs in the barrel” who want to pull us back to “reality”…their reality…that salvation isn’t that easy.  Unfortunately, many listen to them because it seems logical.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 17…

 

ROMANS 5:17

For if by the transgression of the one…Adam…physical death and spiritual death reigned as king through the one…and it did…MUCH MORE those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (through simple acceptance… faith)…will reign as king in the resurrection life through the One…Jesus Christ.

 

Who are the REAL kings here on earth?  Believers in Christ through the blood of Christ…the ones with righteousness.  But do we see ourselves that way?

 

Believers in Christ have the abundance of grace…we are children of a King…we reign as a king in this life and the next…we possess the gift of righteousness.  The flesh inside of us doesn’t want us to believe any of this.  Why?  Satan is jealous!

Believers in Christ are in the heavenlies forever!  Satan is going to be kicked out of heaven for good in the near future, so he wants us to feel depressed amid the victory given to us by the Last Adam…Christ.

 

We are reigning in life through Jesus Christ

 

Satan blinds the minds of unbelievers so they will not see a salvation opportunity, and he blinds the minds of believers in Christ with religion so they will not see the victorious ground on which they stand.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 18…

 

ROMANS 5:18

So then as through the principle of one transgression there resulted in condemnation to all men…even so…through the principle of one act of righteousness there resulted in justification of life (the resurrection life) to all men.

 

Is it fair for everyone to be condemned because of Adam?  Probably not if the Lord did nothing else…but the Lord condemned us for being “in Adam” so He could save those of us who choose to be “in Christ.”  BOOM!  Paul slam dunked this idea in Acts, Chapter 13, Verses 38 and 39…

 

ACTS 13:38

Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through Jesus Christ forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you…

 

ACTS 13:39

…and through Jesus Christ (who is a gift to you from God the Father) everyone who believes in Him is freed from all thingsfrom which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

 

Believers in Christ are released from sin, and we are placed into union with Christ through the baptism of God the Holy Spirit.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 19…

 

ROMANS 5:19

For as through Adam’s disobedience the many were made sinners…even so… through the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ the many will be considered righteous before God the Father.

 

Who is your Federal Head…the firstAdam or the Last Adam…the Christ?  Adam’s guilt is our guilt…and the guilt is attributed to all mankind in Romans, Chapter 3, Verses 10 to 18…not for rejecting Christ…just for being born as a part of our federal head…“in Adam.”

 

So along comes the Mosaic Law some 2500 years after Adam’s sin.  What does the Law teach?  Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 20…

 

ROMANS 5:20

The Mosaic Law came in alongside of sin so that law-breaking would abound (to reveal our sinfulness) … but where law-breaking increased, God's grace abounded…overflowing all the more…

 

When we promise to obey the law we fail…when we promise to stop sinning we fail…so we must conclude, “Lord, I can’t do what you are asking me to do!”  Little do we know that’s the exact time when God has us right where He wants us.  Law has no power to get us to keep the law.  We have choice.

 

When Adam sinned, God could have cut him off, but He didn't.  What does that mean exactly?  It’s the definition of grace.  When someone reveals they are not on your side…you can cut them off…when you don’t it’s a lesson for them about grace.  Do they learn the lesson?  Rarely.

 

The apostle Paul learned.  Paul is the greatest sinner and the greatest believer of all time.  In First Timothy, Chapter 1, Verses 15 and 16 Paul says…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 1:15

It is a trustworthy statement…deserving full acceptance…that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…among whom I (Paul) am foremost of all.

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 1:16

Yet for this reason I (Paul) found mercy…so that in me as the foremost sinner, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

 

God is merciful toward unbelievers.  What is mercy?

 

MERCY

A show of kindness and patience toward others when they don’t deserve it

 

Romans, Chapter 5, Verse 21…

 

 

ROMANS 5:21

(…the Lord provided grace abundantly, making it overflow in the presence of sin)…so that, as sin reigned as king in spiritual death (“in Adam”)…even so…by means of the Lord’s grace we believers in Christ would reign as king through righteousness (“in Christ”) to eternal life (the resurrection life) through our union with Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

To what conclusion are we forced, face-to-face with these things?  There is a result of being “IN ADAM” and there is a result of being “IN CHRIST.”  There are two teams…you get to pick one.  You were born on Adam’s team…the losing team.  Christ invites you to be on the winning team.

 

The gift of justification by faith comes from the Lord Jesus Christ as the source.  It is a gift to be received, not earned.  One and only one sin, Adam’s sin, is the source of spiritual death that has been passed to all mankind.  Should everyone suffer for the sin of one man?  Because of Christ, you don’t have to do it.

 

If all the Lord did is place us “IN ADAM” it could be considered to be quite unfair.  That’s what Satan purports…how can a loving God allow this to happen?  Many ask this question but few answer it.  The Lord can allow it because He did something about it on our behalf…He died to reverse the curse…He shed His blood to pay our way out of the predicament.

 

What team do you choose to be on?

 

Let’s close with a look at the New Living Translation of this passage.  Romans, Chapter 5, Verses 12 to 21…

 

ROMANS 5:12

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought spiritual and physical death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

 

ROMANS 5:13

Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin, because there was not yet any law to break.

 

 

 

 

ROMANS 5:14

Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come.

 

ROMANS 5:15

But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 5:16

And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins.

 

ROMANS 5:17

For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

 

ROMANS 5:18

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.

 

ROMANS 5:19

Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.

 

ROMANS 5:20

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant.

 

ROMANS 5:21

So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

Thanks be to God for the Christ…the Jewish Messiah…God the Son in human

form.

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

The closing moments of this lesson could be the ten most important minutes of your life.  You’ll be introduced to the good news concerning how you can spend all eternity in heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  We want you to know that…

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

Where you spend eternity matters to God because YOU matter to God.  He wants you to be saved!  In John, Chapter 4, Verses 13 and 14, the Lord Jesus Christ is talking to a woman at a well…a Samaritan woman whom the Jews wanted nothing to do with.  After a brief introduction, the Lord says to the woman…

 

JOHN 4:13

“Everyone who drinks of the water in this well will thirst again…”

 

JOHN 4:14

“…but whoever drinks of the water that I (the Lord Jesus Christ) will give him (the water of the Word…the gospel message) shall never thirst…but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to the resurrection life (eternal life).”

 

It is the Lord’s will for you to live with Him in heaven forever when you close your eyes in this life.  First Timothy, Chapter 2, Verses 3 and 4 say…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:3

This is what is good and acceptable in the sight of the God who is our Savior…the Lord Jesus Christ…

 

FIRST TIMOTHY 2:4

…who desires all men to be saved and who desires for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

Unfortunately, most people think religion shows the way to be saved.  Is religion the truth?  Billions of people in this world think so, believing religion and its rituals are their tickets into heaven. They embrace religious beliefs that tell them how to live, but the religions never tell them how to have a personal relationship with the Lord.

 

Religions propose that if you don’t do everything their god expects that he will be disappointed.  And regardless of your best efforts to follow religious rituals…which you CAN’T and DON’T do…even IF you do them all, the religion does not GUARANTEE you will get to heaven.

 

Christianity is NOT a religion.  It’s a relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ…a relationship GUARANTEED to save you.

 

The Bible tells you how to get to heaven when you close your eyes in this life.  It’s as simple as a nine-word conversation with God the Father…like the one in Luke, Chapter 23, Verses 42 and 43…

 

LUKE 23:42

And a thief being crucified next to Jesus was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”

 

LUKE 23:43

And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you…today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

 

A nine-word conversation with God can get you to heaven…Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.  Or if you prefer…a couple of five-word conversations with God the Father … “Father…I believe in Christ” …  or as a man said to Jesus when He was on the earth…“I believe…help my unbelief!”  Believe!  Simply take God’s word for what it takes to be saved, and that is the moment of eternal life for you.  Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31 says…

 

ACTS 16:31

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved by God, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4…

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you believers in Christ…as of primary importance…the gospel message I also received from God…that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Old Testament Scriptures…

 

If you reject the relationship offer the Lord Jesus Christ makes to you, He will honor your rejection…Matthew, Chapter 13, Verses 49 and 50…

 

MATTHEW 13:49

So it will be at the end of the age…the elect angels will come forth and take out the wicked (a description of unbelievers) from among the righteous (believers in Christ)...

 

MATTHEW 13:50

…and will throw the wicked into the furnace of fire (The Lake of Fire) … and in that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 

On the other hand, once the Lord saves you, no matter how hard you try, you cannot lose your salvation…John, Chapter 10, Verse 28 says…

 

JOHN 10:28

“…I (the Lord Jesus Christ) give eternal life to believers in Christ, and they will never perish…and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”

 

Anyone who says you can lose your salvation is lying to you.  So, follow the advice in John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment…but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

It’s not religion that gets you to heaven…it’s RELATIONSHIP with the

one and only Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Have that conversation with God the Father right now and you will be saved!

 

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

The Good News of Jesus Christ’s Salvation Offer to the Human Race

 

CLOSING SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  First Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verses 4 to 8 contain one of the most passionate statements about God’s love…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:4

Love is patient…love is kind and is not jealous…love does not brag and is not arrogant…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:5

…love does not act unbecomingly…love does not seek its own…love is not provoked…love does not take into account a wrong suffered…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:6

…love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:7

…love bears all things…love believes all things…love hopes all things…love endures all things.

 

Best of all…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 13:8

Love never fails…

 

The love in view here is God’s love…unconditional love…which God the Holy Spirit pours into the hearts of believers in Christ.  Because of God, we are able to love ourselves and we are able to love others unconditionally.  Here’s Jesus Culture to sing about how LOVE NEVER FAILS.

 

MUSIC

CLOSING SONG

Let’s Sing the Lord’s Praises

 

LOVE NEVER FAILS

Jesus Culture

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Almighty God and Father…

 

Thank you for this lesson of love…thank you for loving us…thank you for not requiring anything for us to be saved except believing the Word of Your Son…we’re looking froward to spending eternity with you…

 

…as we go forth into the week, bring us the opportunities to evangelize that You want us to have…and help us to portray the gospel message accurately…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...Amen.

 

THE ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Please make it a habit to listen to the announcements.  They are posted separately.  Keep current on the things going on and coming up in Barah Ministries.

 

GOT BIBLICAL QUESTIONS?

 

Ask the Pastor

pastor@barahministries.com

 

WANT US TO PRAY FOR SOMEONE?

 

Send your request to pastor@barahministries.com

 

 

KEEP ON STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD DAILY!

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

 

www.barahministries.com