(Rom 5:6-11) Our Assured Hope

The Gospel of Jesus Christ promises us many truths. Since the cross is the decisive victory over sin, death, and Satan we get to enjoy wonderful riches in Christ. However, in many ways we wait until the day when he returns and the final judgement to fully be able to appreciate those wonderful riches. Until then, the natural effect of waiting is doubt whether those riches will ever come. Paul anticipates this doubt and teaches us how we can be confident that we are saved from the final judgement.

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INTRODUCTION:

When we consider WWII in retrospective, D-Day was the decisive victory over Germany.

It was the battle that determined the rest of the war.

But D-Day did not mark the official end of the War

For another almost, year and a half, Allied forces would struggle inch by inch with doubt and fear in order to bring victory, V-Day in June 1945.

In fact, December 1944 represented a point in history in which we wondered if we had lost the war.

The Germans launched a counter offensive the nearly changed the course of the war.

You can imagine being a soldier in the trenches.

D-Day may historically have been the decisive battle.

But the time in between D-Day and V-Day would have been full of doubt and fear.

Yet history tells us the war was already won when allied forced established a beach head in Normandy.

The gospel is very similar to this.

The cross represents the day when Christ decisively saved all those who believe and trust in his perfect payment for our sins.

From those who looked forward to the Messiah in the OT, to all those who have believed in Christ since his death - were decisively saved when he died on the cross.

Jesus bought them Justification and reconciliation with God, peace with God, Grace with God, Hope with God,

Jesus bought them Justification and reconcilation with God, peace with God, Grace with God, Hope with God,

Jesus won the decisive battle over our souls

But we remain here - waiting for the final battle; the battle when victory is officially won.

And while we wait we battle sin, death, and demonic forces, who have already been defeated, but continue to resist.

And it is natural while we wait for the official day of victory, the final battle … when every knee will bow to Jesus>>>> to doubt our salvation.

- Sometimes that doubt is because of sin.

The natural struggle fighting sin and apathy in our lives – is the doubt our salvation because were still waiting for the victory we have in Christ.

- Other times, are doubt simply because we waiting for the day when we will see victory in the full list of ways.

It is this reason that Paul assures us of our salvation in .

Background:

You can imagine why the Jews struggled with assurance of their salvation - for the first time they realize they cannot be justified by the law.

Having grown up under the Old Testament law

– it was hard to realize they cannot be justified by the law,

>>>but they could be justified by Christ.

You can imagine as a Gentile, a non-Jew, that it was just as easy to doubt your salvation.

We often act like living in a multicultural world this something new

– but a Gentile Christian would've been saved in a world of paganism.

This multicultural world of paganism would've mocked Christ and even persecuted them.

and it was natural for them to wonder – do I really believe in the one true God? Do we really have peace with God?

And so you can understand why Paul addresses the assurance of our salvation in .

Likely, everyone sitting here has also had times where you've doubted whether you really are saved by Christ.

Maybe you sitting here and wondering – would God really save a sinner like me?

Maybe you are sitting here and wondering – Did Christ really give me eternal life?

According to ,

we have peace with God,

the grace of God,

and the hope found in God.

But how do you know that you have peace, grace, and hope?

To say it more simply,

How do you know You are saved this morning?

> Now I don’t want to assume your saved.

Salvation comes only be believing that Christ died to pay the debt you owe to God for your sins.

And everyone of us have sinned.

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

But if you do confess - I believe in the Gospel.

Then, doubt

These are all natural questions for those who are waiting for victory

- the day when every person who believes in Christ will officially hear the verdict, saved under the blood of Christ.

So don't be surprised if you face these struggles – because Paul expected you to have these struggles.

So Let's read . The Assurance of our Hope.

Romans 5:611

Romans 5:6–11 ESV

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Our text teaches,

According to to 5,

we have peace with God, the grace of God, and the hope found in God.

But how do you know that you have peace, grace, and hope?

To say it more simply,

How do you know You will be saved?

PROP: We can be confident that we are saved in Christ

PROP: We Can Be Confident in our Salvation

TRANS: And this text gives us 2 reasons why.

Why can we be confident we are saved?

because of the

We can be confident in our salvation,

first, because of the

(1) We can be confident in our salvation because of - the Love of God ()

Many times we doubt our salvation because we don't understand the depth of God's love.

Our first struggle with understanding God's love is understanding is that I don't have to be good enough for God's love.

This kind of love is outside our culture isn't?

When you went to marry your spouse – did you look for the weakest, most ungodly person you could find?

And of course not.

If you are Christian at the time, then you looked for someone who strong in the faith and who had a life that obeyed the Scriptures.

Even if you weren't a Christian – you are at least looking for someone you could build a life with. You ignored those who were a mess and were controlled by their foolish desires.

Even if you weren't a Christian – you are at least looking for someone you could build a life with. You ignored those who were a mess and were controled by their foolish desires.

You certainly were not looking for these kinds of people -

Romans 1:29–31 ESV

29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Rom 1:293

Is that the kind of person you looked to marry?

Yet, that is exactly the kind of person Christ came to die for.

We don't understand the depth of God's love because we don't understand –

a. Christ died for the unworthy and helpless (weak). (v. 6) “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.”

Romans 5:6 ESV

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

What does it mean that Christ died for the weak?

The word weak is modified by the word ungodly.

They are parallel words in this setting.

What does it mean that Christ died for the weak?

We were weak in that we were controlled and enslaved to sin.

The word “ungodly” and the language of enslavement to sin in >>>> helps us to understand that this word has the idea we were trapped in sin.

We were weak because we cannot help ourselves out of our sin nature.

Grant Osborne describes this as being powerless to resist sin.

You ask, did God really save a sinner like me in the cross?

And the answer of that is you are exactly who God came to die for.

CHALLENGE:

In fact,

if you have never struggled with whether you're worthy of God's salvation

– you may not have understood fully why you needed the cross.

- You may not fully understand just how bad you are and how much God has shown you love and compassion.

You may not fully understand just how bad you are and how much of love God has shown you.

ILLUSTRATION:

Sometimes,

I think we and our churches put our pastors on too high of a pedestal.

We act as though they have everything together.

As though pastors have never been touched by sin.

But I stand here today not because I was this great and godly person - and thus qualified to be a pastor.

But because Christ died for me when I was weak and trapped in sin. and the same is for you.

If I was Honest about where my sin nature would've led me without the perfect wisdom of the cross - I would've literally made a mess of my life.

Advantage of being saved as a junior in high school is that I can remember the temptations and foolishness of my life.

Temptations of lust, selfishness, envy, malice - and I can actually remember my thinking being summed up by Romans chapter 1.

I can remember the first time I read the fruit of the flesh in Galatians - that was a tough chapter because that was me.

And if you are honest - you would realize that without the cross that is you too.

And if you are honest - you would realize that without the cross that is you to.

We can be assured that we have salvation in Christ because the love of God was for those who are weak and ungodly.

God’s Love is not about being good enough.

But further - our text teaches that

b. Christ’s compassion is greater then our compassion. (v. 7-8) “For one will scarcely die for a righteous person...but God shows his love for us”

Understanding God's love is like trying to understand something that has no end.

God's very nature is infinite,

that is he has no limits and no end,

so naturally his love is without limit and without end.

But we are not like that - we are not infinite.

We are not infinite in our power,

and neither are we infinite in our love.

Every one of us has someone in our life that we fail to fully love,

And Paul uses that universal self righteousness and conditional love we all have

to help us understand how Christ is infinitely more compassionate than anyone of us.

Romans 6:7–8 ESV

7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Romans 5:7–8 ESV

7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Rom

The reality of human nature - is that some might consider dieing for a generally good person.

Many of our military have courageously died for our country.

Our police and fire are examples of people who generally put their lives on the line for generally good people.

At times ordinary people will risk their lives for those they care about.

But how many of those,

would do the same for the enemy?

for people they knew in advance were full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness?

But was is most remarkable about Christ - is that God showed his love to sinners.

When we understand how Holy God is and unholy we are - then we realize our salvation is all about his love for the undeserving.

CHALLENGE:

Again, on one hand - if you don’t marvel at the compassion and love of the cross…then you don’t fully understand your sin nature and what God has done for you.

On the other hand, this is a passage of assurance.

It is meant to give us confidence that we are saved.

We are assured that we have salvation because Christ died when we still sinners.

- The natural implication, If Christ died when we are sinners>>>> then won’t we remain saved when we are his redeemed sinners.

The natural implication, If Christ died when we are sinners>>>> then won’t we remain saved when we are his redeemed sinners.

So first we can be confident in our salvation because of the surpassing love of God.

So first we can be confident in our salvation because of the love of God.

He loved us in our greatest moral weakness.

He loved us when we were completely unworthy of his love.

But secondly,

(2) We can be confident in our salvation because of - The Work of Christ. ()

An honest evaluation of what Christ has done … it should assure us that we are truly saved from God’s wrath.

This is why our churches need a strong understanding of the doctrine of salvation.

Because it is how we know we are saved.

An honest evaluation of Christ's work demonstrates we are saved from God's wrath.

Paul gives us two essentially if/then statements.

The text doesn’t actually have if/then, but he essentially is saying if this is true … then this is even more true.

The text doesn’t actually have if/then, but he essentially is saying if this is true then,

So first, we are told -

a. Our legal justification in Christ guarantees we are saved from judgement. (v. 9)

The moment we believe in Christ as savior - our legal standing changes in heaven.

Romans 5:9 ESV

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

Paul draws on what he has already taught in Romans.

First, why are we under wrath?

Romans 1:18 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Romans 1:17 ESV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Rom 1

Humanity is under the anger of God because of sin.

You and me have commited sin before a holy creator - and we will stand accountable in final judgement.

says it well -

Hebrews 9:27 ESV

27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

But - thanks to Christ - we have justification.

If we are a believer in Christ - our legal standing before God as changed.

We are justified.

If you recall .

Romans 3:21–25 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Justification is about Christ paying for our sins and satisfying the wrath of God. (Propitiation)

So when we recall >>> We understand why our justification gives us confidence we are saved from the Wrath or Judgement of God. .

So understan

So when we recall that >>> We understand why our justification gives us confidence we are saved from the Wrath or Judgement of God. .

We can be confident we are saved because Christ satisfied the wrath of God with his blood. We are justified.

The word “justify” in our text is a legal term and essentially teaches us that our legal standing before God saves us from the judgment.

But Paul then switches to a second comparison.

It Almost sounds the same.

b. If Christ died for his enemies, then his resurrection demonstrates seemed from God's wrath.

But it is suttely different.

So we need to be especially observant as we read v. 10

Romans 5:10 ESV

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

b. Our reconciliation through Christ guarantees we are saved from judgment. (v. 10)

Paul alludes to our former state - we were once enemies of God.

Word "enemies" gives us the word picture of being soldiers fighting against God.

We may not feel like soldiers - but when you are person created and sustained by God.

You are either a worshiper of the creator or a rebel fighter against God and everything he represents.

You can’t be neutral - you can’t be Switzerland.

You either are God’s enemies or God’s worshipers.

But Christ by his death reconciled us to God.

While the “justified” was a legal term describing us with a new legal standing.

The word “reconcile” is a word from the world of personal relationships.

By Christs death, we are reconciled to God.

Our relationship to the creator is restored.

It is restored because we are no longer are enemies of God, but children of God.

This is Jesus through his death changing us.

We changed the moment we confessed Jesus as our savior.

But it is also restored because God is showing grace rather then wrath.

By the death of Christ we now receive grace (v. 2)

So Christ has reconciled us to God and God to us.

But remember this is a passage in which Paul assures us of our salvation.

So what v. 9 and 10 teach -

Because we were reconciled to God in Christ death, much more are we reconciled by his resurrection.

If the death Jesus brought us a new legal standing and a restored relationship to God,

then his resurrection should give us that much more hope that we will be saved from God’s wrath.

Afterall,

God doesn’t condemn those who have righteous standing before him (justification).

God doesn’t condemn those who are his children, worshiping the creator. (reconciliation).

Justification and reconciliation should give us a confidence that we are saved from the final judgement.

CONCLUSION:

is one of the most powerful descriptions of what Christ death has accomplished in our NT.

Romone of the most powerful descriptions of what Christ death has accomplished.

These verses teach us -

we have peace with God. (v. 1)

We have the grace of God. (v. 2a)

We have the hope of God. (v. 2b)

We have God’s love. (v. 5a)

We have the Holy Spirit. (v. 5b)

We have justification in Christ. (v. 9)

We have reconciliation in Christ. (v. 10)

It is a powerful description.

But even such a great salvation … is not without it’s doubts and fears.

The cross represented

These verses teach the cross as the decisive victory over sin, death, and Satan.

Like D-Day, the cross has determined the outcome of this war.

But we are still here - waiting for Christ return.

Thought the battle has been already decisively won, we are waiting for the final judgement to fully be able to appreciate and live out the victory found in Christ.

And so as we wait, it is natural to doubt our salvation.

As we engage the enemy of sin, death, and Satan - it is natural to doubt our salvation at times.

In fact, Paul anticipated our doubt in .

And so he challenges us to be confident in our salvation because we know

The Love of God.

and the Works of Christ.

When you doubt - remember the:

Love of God

and the Works of Christ.

The love of God and the works of Christ demonstrate that we can have complete and total confidence that every person who confesses trust and belief in the cross - is saved.

And if that is you today - rejoice in your salvation.

How do we respond to such a great salvation?

To often we are quick to demand doctrine, orthodoxy.

but we fail to respond to orthodoxy with right emotions, orthopathy.

Paul concludes this paragraph with a call to rejoice in the salvation found in Christ.

Romans 5:11 ESV

11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

As we end paragraph,

A salvation in which Christ justified us - he paid our debt so we can stand in good standing before God.

I hope you have been challenged with your need for Christ.

A salvation in which Christ reconciled us to God - the greatest relationship we could ever have.

(If you not a believer - come let us show you the great truths of Scripture.)

As we end this paragraph,

I hope you have learned to be confident of your salvation.

Amazed at what Christ has done.

And as we end this paragraph,

I hope we leave here rejoicing in the peace, hope, and grace we have in Jesus Christ.