Grace, Obedience, Faith and Glory

Let’s do some word association. When I say the word, ‘Grace’, what comes to your mind? Everyone is familiar with the word, but it brings so many different images to mind. For some of you, you hear the word ‘grace’ and you picture a ballerina ...

Some hear the word ‘grace’ and you think of a lady you know - maybe a special lady who’s an amazing musician, with a great smile … who drives like Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Others hear the word, and you think of a family, gathered around the dinner table, heads bowed to give thanks for the food they are about to eat - saying ‘grace’.

Others hear the word ‘grace’ and they think of receiving a kindness that isn’t deserved - that’s grace.

Grace is a great CHRISTIAN word. It’s a great Pauline word - and it shows up in verse 5 of chapter 1, for the very first time in this letter. I don’t assume that we are all on the same page in our understanding. This is a letter about grace. So before we wade any deeper into the letter, we need to be clear on what grace means and how it fits with some other key Christian themes that also happen to show up in verse 5. So, let’s dig in.

________________________

GRACE

The first thing that Paul says in v. 5 is, ‘We have received GRACE ...”.

The word is used 155 times in the New Testament—over 100 of them in the writings of Paul, and almost a fourth of those in Romans (24 times). You cannot comprehend this book if you don’t comprehend grace. We will see it again and again. It is at the heart of the book and the heart of the gospel and the heart of God.

1 Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (1990–1999). Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God.

“… through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations ...”. Remember where we are in the letter (that’s not hard, you say, since we are 3 weeks into the journey and we are only on verse 5 of the first chapter!). Remember Paul is writing this letter to the Church in Rome -- a church he didn’t start, a church he’s never even been to … but is hoping to visit soon and is hoping to have fruitful ministry among. Now, he does know some of the Christians in Rome, but most of the believers there - he’s never met. So he’s not just introducing the letter, here in the early verses of … he’s introducing himself.

Remember how he began introducing himself in v. 1, “Paul, a servant (slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel (the good news of God) ...”. As soon as he mentions the ‘Gospel of God’, Paul stops talking about himself and starts expanding on this Good News of what God has done … he stresses, in vv. 3-4 that this good news is all about His Son - Jesus Christ - ‘who was descended from David, according to the flesh’ … in other words, He was fully human, a fulfillment of God’s OT promises - NOT a plan ‘B’ when things in the universe didn’t go the way He thought they would … when Adam and Eve went and messed up . Jesus Christ was always ‘Plan A’. But, he’s more than just human. Verse 4, “… and was declared to be the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead ...”.

This Jesus, who didn’t look like much in his flesh - suffering Servant on the cross - looked like a loser, rejected by God … but in His resurrection, He entered into a new sphere of existence. Now forever, He is the triumphant, God-Man, reigning for eternity as the Son of God in power. “That’s Who I am a slave to, That is the One who defines my life,” Paul says. Now he goes on in verse 5 to pick up on his explanation of who he is. “Do you want to understand me? Then you need to know THIS about me ...”

Verse 5, “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name, among all the nations.”

“Through whom we have RECEIVED grace.” The verb is the key to understanding grace … it is RECEIVED. It can only ever be received, or it isn’t grace.

So what IS grace? Grace is a theme that runs through this whole letter, so we will be dealing with it over and over again - not going to unpack it all today.

The main meaning of grace IN THIS VERSE is an undeserved calling by Christ - for salvation - and power for Paul’s ministry. In Paul’s case - it was the ministry of apostleship. Paul is saying that God ‘graced me, in setting me apart to be an apostle.’ For you and me, there are different ministries that God will give us for the building up of His body - but you can be sure that He has ministry that He has graciously gifted you to do.

Notice how GRACE comes to Paul. This is important, because it’s the same way that grace comes to every one of us. Grace is NOT God’s response to how good you are. Hear this, you who are here this morning, trying to live under a load of guilt … feeling like you’ve made a royal mess of your life.

The reason God let Paul be a hater of Jesus Christ, a persecutor of His Church … and even a murderer. The reason God didn’t stop Paul, when he was standing, guarding the jackets of the people who were stoning Stephen to death, while Paul was cheering them on and clapping his hands … the reason why - even though he was set apart from birth, as he tells us in … God let Paul carry on in his murderous, hate-filled ways, for so long ....

… was so that, on that road to Damascus, without the slightest willingness, let alone desire, on Paul’s part, to surrender his life to the Lord he was persecuting, that Jesus would show his matchless, Divine, Sovereign grace in saving him … so that Paul would be stunned and filled with wonder and praise,

“I was not heading this way! I wasn’t even on the right road!”

God is not in the business of looking for people who are heading in the right direction, keeping their noses clean and deciding, “I like where you’re headed … I’ll save YOU.” That’s not the way God operates. Not with the Apostle Paul in His day, not with guilty rebels today.

“God helps those who help themselves” - not a Biblical teaching about salvation.

God is in the habit of choosing his Sauls and saving them, on their way to spit in His face by persecuting His precious church … He is in the habit of saving people on their way to the bar … on their way to the drug deal … on their way to the dark room where they’ve planned their hidden sin.

Testimony yesterday, Anand Pillai, a businessman from Bangalore, India. Raised in a Hindu family. When he was 10 years old, his father took his own life. Through seemingly random events, from that time on, every 2 years, someone else in his extended family ended up committing suicide. The last straw came when his sister died.

“When my sister ultimately died, I felt ashamed that I was living and everyone else was dying. I ran away from home with the intention of committing suicide. However, I could not follow through with it because I did not have the answer to my question of “where will I go after death”?

None of the scriptures that I read gave me a definitive answer. About three months after my sister’s death, I was still in this confused state and decided that enough was enough. I got a rope and decided that it was time for me to end my own. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at a thick green book in a nearby cupboard. It was a Gideon New Testament. The gold guilding is what caught his eye. “This was given to me at school, but I had never bothered to read it. But he didn’t want to throw it out, because of its gold letters.

“At that moment, I felt compelled to pick up the book. I found an index of where to find passages to help you when you have a specific need, such as “when you need peace”, or “when you are feeling sad”, and so on. My name is Anand, which means ultimate bliss. In fact, it is the culmination of peace, bliss and joy. I knew that my need of the hour was peace so I looked up the passage that it referred to. The verse was , “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I thought that I would like to pray to this God. I basically said, “Dear God, you are a Christian God and I am a Hindu, and I want to know more.” I finally made a personal decision to follow this Jesus as my Lord & Savior. He wasn’t looking for God. He wasn’t searching for Jesus Christ. That’s grace!

… or on their way to church.

He is free and that’s the meaning of Grace. Some of you came here this morning, because you feel obligated - you didn’t come here because you want to worship … you’re here because somebody pressured you. I’m here to tell you that no matter what YOU think brought you here … at the root … you are here because God brought you here … and He brought you here because He loves you.

And God loves you, NOT in response to anything you have ever done. Grace is God’s absolute GIFT. That’s what Paul means in , “Now, to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a ‘gift’ (literally - ‘GRACE’) but as his due.” In other words, grace is not a paycheck given for doing your job.

, “But if it (election) is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Grace is pure gift. If you are here this morning, saved by God’s grace, through faith … it’s gift. Pure gift. And I stress that because Paul stresses it. The Bible stresses it. And we need to understand. Because it goes completely against the way we think the world is supposed to operate.

In fact, Grace has been a battle in the church from the beginning …

AUGUSTINE

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about Augustine, end of the 4th century. Maybe the most important person in the history of Christianity from the close of our New Testament until the Reformation. Augustine came from Hippo in North Africa, went to Milan to study … was brilliant, but also absolutely depraved in his life … he was converted when he was sitting in a garden one afternoon, ready to give up on life … when he heard some kids calling out, “Tolle lege” - “Take up and read” .... so he did. He went into the house picked up the first book he found - the Bible. Started reading at the first place the page opened to - - - which just happened to be Romans. He was saved.

Augustine knew his need for God’s grace … he knew where his life was headed. He knew that he didn’t go looking for God. He was a debtor to God’s grace.

Augustine prayed a prayer that became famous: “Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire.” “Grant what you command and command what you want.”

There was a British monk, at the time, by the name of Pelagius. He heard that prayer - and he recoiled in disgust. “The idea that a gift of God’s gracce is necessary for people to perform what God commands?! That can’t be right!” For Pelagius and his followers, responsibility ALWAYS implies ABILITY. If God commands us to obey Him .... then we must have the ability to carry out that obedience.

Pelagius emphasized the free will that God gave humanity, had and his followers rejected predestination they rejected original sin, the belief that the sin of Adam and Eve spiritually contaminated the human race. They taught that the sin of Adam and Eve affected only them, and that human beings are born without sin and with the freedom to choose their own path in life.

Emphasizing the free will that God gave humanity, Pelagians rejected predestination as well as original sin, the belief that the sin of Adam and Eve spiritually contaminated the human race. They taught that the sin of Adam and Eve affected only them, and that human beings are born without sin and with the freedom to choose their own path in life.

Augustine saw the Fall very differently - He said that mankind is a ‘massa peccati’ - a ‘mess of sin’, not capable of raising itself from spiritual death. For Augustine - a person can just as easily move or inclinee himself to God as an empty glass can fill ITSELF. Augustine understood what Paul is saying in Romans … grace is the power of God’s love in action. You don’t deserve it, you cannot earn it … and you cannot be a Christian or serve the Lord and enjoy Christ, without it. IT IS GIFT. And without Grace - Christianity is gone.

Pelagianism was spreading, and as it did, it became an increasing problem for the church, and the aging Augustine worked fervently to stop it. At risk, believed Augustine, was the doctrine of grace. If humans are born without sin, what is the need for God’s grace? And why not let humanity save itself by exercising free will and choosing to live the holy life? The biblical scholar Jerome joined Augustine in condemning Pelagius, calling him a “corpulent dog … weighed down with … porridge.”

Grace, Obedience, Faith and Glory

Augustine was right. If the teaching of Pelagius had taken hold and become the accepted teaching of the Christian Church - then I’m here this morning to tell you that we wouldn’t be here this morning. The Church would have been destroyed. Because what you would have been left with is NOT Christianity - but just another form of every other man-made religion: “You can do it … just try a little harder … work a little longer … pick yourself up by your bootstraps.” And WE CAN’T DO IT.

Thank God, Pelagius didn’t win. Augustine fought and refuted and finally demolished the teachings of Pelagius … and do you know how he did it? Simply by expounding this very letter: Paul’s letter to the Romans. This letter was the bedrock, the foundation on which the faith of the church was held firm and grew.

________________________

Let’s do some word association. When I say the word, ‘Grace’, what comes to your mind? Everyone is familiar with the word, but it brings so many different images to mind. For some of you, you hear the word ‘grace’ and you picture a ballerina ...

Some hear the word ‘grace’ and you think of a lady you know - maybe a special lady who’s an amazing musician, with a great smile … who drives like Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Others hear the word, and you think of a family, gathered around the dinner table, heads bowed to give thanks for the food they are about to eat - saying ‘grace’.

OBEDIENCE OF FAITH?

Others hear the word ‘grace’ and they think of receiving a kindness that isn’t deserved - that’s grace.

Grace is a great CHRISTIAN word. It’s a great Pauline word - and it shows up in verse 5 of chapter 1, for the very first time in this letter. I don’t assume that we are all on the same page in our understanding. This is a letter about grace. So before we wade any deeper into the letter, we need to be clear on what grace means and how it fits with some other key Christian themes that also happen to show up in verse 5. So, let’s dig in.

1 GRACE

Paul goes on, in verse 5, with another phrase: “… we have received grace and apostleship … TO BRING ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH ...”

The first thing that Paul says in v. 5 is, ‘We have received GRACE ...”.

The word is used 155 times in the New Testament—over 100 of them in the writings of Paul, and almost a fourth of those in Romans (24 times). You cannot comprehend this book if you don’t comprehend grace. We will see it again and again. It is at the heart of the book and the heart of the gospel and the heart of God.

“… through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations ...”. Remember where we are in the letter (that’s not hard, you say, since we are 3 weeks into the journey and we are only on verse 5 of the first chapter!). Remember Paul is writing this letter to the Church in Rome -- a church he didn’t start, a church he’s never even been to … but is hoping to visit soon and is hoping to have fruitful ministry among. Now, he does know some of the Christians in Rome, but most of the believers there - he’s never met. So he’s not just introducing the letter, here in the early verses of

Wheels turning. What does Paul mean by the ‘Obedience of Faith?’ And how can you have two seemingly opposite thoughts one after the other like this - - ‘we have received GRACE - that’s gift ---- to bring about OBEDIENCE … (the obedience of faith)?”

… he’s introducing himself.

Remember how he began introducing himself in v. 1, “Paul, a servant (slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel (the good news of God) ...”. As soon as he mentions the ‘Gospel of God’, Paul stops talking about himself and starts expanding on this Good News of what God has done … he stresses, in vv. 3-4 that this good news is all about His Son - Jesus Christ - ‘who was descended from David, according to the flesh’ … in other words, He was fully human, a fulfillment of God’s OT promises - NOT a plan ‘B’ when things in the universe didn’t go the way He thought they would … when Adam and Eve went and messed up . Jesus Christ was always ‘Plan A’. But, he’s more than just human. Verse 4, “… and was declared to be the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead ...”.

This Jesus, who didn’t look like much in his flesh - suffering Servant on the cross - looked like a loser, rejected by God … but in His resurrection, He entered into a new sphere of existence. Now forever, He is the triumphant, God-Man, reigning for eternity as the Son of God in power. “That’s Who I am a slave to, That is the One who defines my life,” Paul says. Now he goes on in verse 5 to pick up on his explanation of who he is. “Do you want to understand me? Then you need to know THIS about me ...”

Let’s get our minds around this idea: ‘the obedience of faith’. It could be understood in two different ways. If you have the NIV, your translation gives you one way that you can understand, because the translators make the choice for you: “The obedience that comes from faith”. In other words, the obedience that SPRINGS FROM faith. In other words, the faith I have bubbles over like a fountain into obedience.

Verse 5, “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name, among all the nations.”

“Through whom we have RECEIVED grace.” The verb is the key to understanding grace … it is RECEIVED. It can only ever be received, or it isn’t grace.

Another option is to understand it as the obedience which IS FAITH. In other words, God says, ‘Here’s my Son - I give Him for you … now I command you to put your faith in Him to be saved.’ So, if you do put your trust, if you do ‘have faith’ in him … you are obeying him. KJV translates it in this understanding. “obedience to the faith (but it gives the option of the other reading in the margin)”.

So what IS grace? Grace is a theme that runs through this whole letter, so we will be dealing with it over and over again - not going to unpack it all today.

Another option is to understand it as the obedience which IS FAITH. In other words, God says, ‘Here’s my Son - I give Him for you … now I command you to put your faith in Him to be saved.’ So, if you do put your trust, if you do ‘have faith’ in him … you are obeying him.

The main meaning of grace IN THIS VERSE is an undeserved calling by Christ - for salvation - and power for Paul’s ministry. In Paul’s case - it was the ministry of apostleship. Paul is saying that God ‘graced me, in setting me apart to be an apostle.’ For you and me, there are different ministries that God will give us for the building up of His body - but you can be sure that He has ministry that He has graciously gifted you to do.

Notice how GRACE comes to Paul. This is important, because it’s the same way that grace comes to every one of us. Grace is NOT God’s response to how good you are. Hear this, you who are here this morning, trying to live under a load of guilt … feeling like you’ve made a royal mess of your life.

The reason God let Paul be a hater of Jesus Christ, a persecutor of His Church … and even a murderer. The reason God didn’t stop Paul, when he was standing, guarding the jackets of the people who were stoning Stephen to death, while Paul was cheering them on and clapping his hands … the reason why - even though he was set apart from birth, as he tells us in

That word, ‘of’ in Greek is ambiguous. The ESV doesn’t make a choice for us, just translates it as it sits in the Greek.

… God let Paul carry on in his murderous, hate-filled ways, for so long ....

… was so that, on that road to Damascus, without the slightest willingness, let alone desire, on Paul’s part, to surrender his life to the Lord he was persecuting, that Jesus would show his matchless, Divine, Sovereign grace in saving him … so that Paul would be stunned and filled with wonder and praise,

“I was not heading this way! I wasn’t even on the right road!”

Acts of love .... acts that spring from love ..... The g

God is not in the business of looking for people who are heading in the right direction, keeping their noses clean and deciding, “I like where you’re headed … I’ll save YOU.” That’s not the way God operates. Not with the Apostle Paul in His day, not with guilty rebels today.

“God helps those who help themselves” - not a Biblical teaching about salvation.

God is in the habit of choosing his Sauls and saving them, on their way to spit in His face by persecuting His precious church … He is in the habit of saving people on their way to the bar … on their way to the drug deal … on their way to the dark room where they’ve planned their hidden sin.

Acts of courage .... acts that spring from love .....

Testimony yesterday, Anand Pillai, a business executive from Bangalore, India. Raised in a Hindu family. When he was 10 years old, his father took his own life. Through seemingly random events, from that time on, every 2 years, someone else in his extended family ended up committing suicide. The last straw came when his sister died.

“When my sister ultimately died, I felt ashamed that I was living and everyone else was dying. I ran away from home with the intention of committing suicide. However, I could not follow through with it because I did not have the answer to my question of “where will I go after death”?

None of the scriptures that I read gave me a definitive answer. About three months after my sister’s death, I was still in this confused state and decided that enough was enough. I got a rope and decided that it was time for me to end my own. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at a thick green book in a nearby cupboard. It was a Gideon New Testament. The gold guilding is what caught his eye. “This was given to me at school, but I had never bothered to read it. But he didn’t want to throw it out, because of its gold letters.

OR, if you say - how could you be so UNLOVING? Do you have a heart of STONE?! ‘heart of stone’ - ‘OF’ has a very different meaning there - heart made of stone.

“At that moment, I felt compelled to pick up the book. I found an index of where to find passages to help you when you have a specific need, such as “when you need peace”, or “when you are feeling sad”, and so on. My name is Anand, which means ultimate bliss. In fact, it is the culmination of peace, bliss and joy. I knew that my need of the hour was peace so I looked up the passage that it referred to. The verse was

, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

I thought that I would like to pray to this God. I basically said, “Dear God, you are a Christian God and I am a Hindu, and I want to know more.” I finally made a personal decision to follow this Jesus as my Lord & Savior. He wasn’t looking for God. He wasn’t searching for Jesus Christ. That’s grace!

So, which is it here? Is it the obedience that comes from faith … or is it the faith that makes up obedience?

… Sometimes God steps in on your way to church.

He is free and that’s the meaning of Grace. Some of you came here this morning, because you feel obligated - you didn’t come here because you want to worship … you’re here because somebody pressured you. I’m here to tell you that no matter what YOU think brought you here … at the root … you are here because God brought you here … and He brought you here because He loves you.

And God loves you, NOT in response to anything you have ever done. Grace is God’s absolute GIFT. That’s what Paul means in , “Now, to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a ‘gift’ (literally - ‘GRACE’) but as his due.” In other words, grace is not a paycheck given for doing your job.

Both interpretations are theologically correct - you can find both of these ideas in the rest of the Bible. All true obedience comes from faith. And true faith always results in obedience. The question we’re dealing with right now is, which one does Paul mean HERE?

, “But if it (election) is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

Grace is pure gift. If you are here this morning, saved by God’s grace, through faith … it’s gift. Pure gift. And I stress that because Paul stresses it. The Bible stresses it. And we need to understand. Because it goes completely against the way we think the world is supposed to operate.

In fact, Grace has been a battle in the church from the beginning …

The commentators are divided, with excellent Bible scholars lining up on both sides of the interpretation question. I tend to go with the NIV here and understand Paul here as saying, ‘I have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience THAT SPRINGS FROM faith.”

AUGUSTINE

A couple of weeks ago, I told you about Augustine, end of the 4th century. Maybe the most important person in the history of Christianity from the close of our New Testament until the Reformation. Augustine came from Hippo in North Africa, went to Milan to study … was brilliant, but also absolutely depraved in his life … he was converted when he was sitting in a garden one afternoon, ready to give up on life … when he heard some kids calling out, “Tolle lege” - “Take up and read” .... so he did. He went into the house picked up the first book he found - the Bible. Started reading at the first place the page opened to - - - which just happened to be Romans. He was saved.

The reason I land here - is

Augustine knew his need for God’s grace … he knew where his life was headed. He knew that he didn’t go looking for God. He was a debtor to God’s grace.

This isn’t just academic. This matters to your life. Do you see what it means for you?

Augustine prayed a prayer that became famous: “Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire.” “Grant what you command and command what you want.”

There was a British monk, at the time, by the name of Pelagius. He heard that prayer - and he recoiled in disgust. “The idea that a gift of God’s gracce is necessary for people to perform what God commands?! That can’t be right!” For Pelagius and his followers, responsibility ALWAYS implies ABILITY. If God commands us to obey Him .... then we must have the ability to carry out that obedience.

Pelagius emphasized the free will that God gave humanity, had and his followers rejected predestination they rejected original sin, the belief that the sin of Adam and Eve spiritually contaminated the human race. They taught that the sin of Adam and Eve affected only them, and that human beings are born without sin and with the freedom to choose their own path in life.

It means, if you want to be an obedient Christian - then work on your FAITH. Don’t focus on working on your obedience FIRST OF ALL. BUT, FIRST OF ALL … focus on your FAITH. Focus on trusting Jesus more.

Augustine saw the Fall very differently - He said that mankind is a ‘massa peccati’ - a ‘mess of sin’, not capable of raising itself from spiritual death. For Augustine - a person can just as easily move or inclinee himself to God as an empty glass can fill ITSELF. Augustine understood what Paul is saying in Romans … grace is the power of God’s love in action. You don’t deserve it, you cannot earn it … and you cannot be a Christian or serve the Lord and enjoy Christ, without it. IT IS GIFT. And without Grace - Christianity is gone.

Pelagianism was spreading, and as it did, it became an increasing problem for the church, and the aging Augustine worked fervently to stop it. At risk, believed Augustine, was the doctrine of grace. If humans are born without sin, what is the need for God’s grace? And why not let humanity save itself by exercising free will and choosing to live the holy life? The biblical scholar Jerome joined Augustine in condemning Pelagius, calling him a “corpulent dog … weighed down with … porridge.”

Augustine was right. If the teaching of Pelagius had taken hold and become the accepted teaching of the Christian Church - then I’m here this morning to tell you that we wouldn’t be here this morning. The Church would have been destroyed. Because what you would have been left with is NOT Christianity - but just another form of every other man-made religion: “You can do it … just try a little harder … work a little longer … pick yourself up by your bootstraps.” And WE CAN’T DO IT.

If you are a true Christian, you will have an area in your life, where you aren’t where you want to be. You aren’t where you know you SHOULD be. You love the Lord, you know that Jesus Christ has saved you from your sins and is shaping you … but there’s that area where your obedience isn’t what it should be. Whether it’s in the area of sexuality or the way you use your money, or your attitudes - bitterness, anger ...

Thank God, Pelagius didn’t win. Augustine fought and refuted and finally demolished the teachings of Pelagius … and do you know how he did it? Simply by expounding this very letter: Paul’s letter to the Romans. This letter was the bedrock, the foundation on which the faith of the church was held firm and grew. But I’ll tell you something – it’s a battle that seems to need to be fought in every new generation.

2 OBEDIENCE OF FAITH?

Paul goes on, in verse 5, with another phrase: “… we have received grace and apostleship … TO BRING ABOUT THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH ...”

Conventional wisdom says, “Your problem is that you aren’t working hard enough in the struggle. You need to clench your teeth a little tighter, roll up your sleeves a little higher … and need to focus more on stomping out that sin ....”

Wheels turning. What does Paul mean by the ‘Obedience of Faith?’ And how can you have two seemingly opposite thoughts one after the other like this - - ‘we have received GRACE - that’s gift ---- to bring about OBEDIENCE … (the obedience of faith)?”

Let’s get our minds around this idea: ‘the obedience of faith’. It could be understood in two different ways. If you have the NIV, your translation gives you one way that you can understand, because the translators make the choice for you: “The obedience that comes from faith”. In other words, the obedience that SPRINGS FROM faith. In other words, the faith I have bubbles over like a fountain into obedience.

Another option is to understand it as the obedience which IS FAITH. In other words, God says, ‘Here’s my Son - I give Him for you … now I command you to put your faith in Him to be saved.’ So, if you do put your trust, if you do ‘have faith’ in him … you are obeying him. KJV translates it in this understanding. “obedience to the faith (but it gives the option of the other reading in the margin)”.

And it’s true - the Bible says, “Flee temptation” and ‘Put to death whatever is earthly in you - sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.” And you say, “You don’t have to remind me … I know! And I’m struggling … but I’m not winning the battle here!”

That word, ‘of’ in Greek is ambiguous. The ESV doesn’t make a choice for us, just translates it as it sits in the Greek.

Acts of love .... acts that spring from love ..... Kids, when mom or dad, take you to football and soccer games, and spend their day off, standing in the rain, watching you run around with your team … or when they stay up with you during a sleepless night …. That’s an act of love --- an act that springs from love.

Let me ask you, How Great is your God? How satisfied are you in your resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ?

OR, if you say – to mom or dad, “Why won’t you let me borrow the car for my special event? How could you be so UNLOVING? Do you have a heart of STONE?! ‘heart of stone’ - ‘OF’ has a very different meaning there - heart made of stone.

But if your MAIN FOCUS is on the sin you want to stomp out … you will live in frustration and defeat.

So, which is it here? Is it the obedience that comes from faith … or is it the faith that makes up obedience?

Both interpretations are theologically correct - you can find both of these ideas in the rest of the Bible. All true obedience comes from faith. And true faith always results in obedience. The question we’re dealing with right now is, which one does Paul mean HERE?

The commentators are divided, with excellent Bible scholars lining up on both sides of the interpretation question. I tend to go with the NIV here and understand Paul here as saying, ‘I have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience THAT SPRINGS FROM faith.”

Piper: “Can’t fight flesh TANKS with PEA SHOOTER regulations”.

The reason I land here - is because Paul uses both words. Faith AND obedience. The two words do go together in Paul, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing. So if Paul was must meaning to say that he was given apostleship to bring about faith … why wouldn’t he just say that? Why complicate things by using two words for one meaning?

This isn’t just academic. This matters to your life. Do you see what it means for you?

It means, if you want to be an obedient Christian - then work on your FAITH. Don’t focus on working on your obedience FIRST OF ALL. BUT, FIRST OF ALL … focus on your FAITH. Focus on trusting Jesus more.

The way to grow your obedience isn’t to look at the things here below … but to look up … to focus on Jesus Christ - - “… the Son of God in power … Jesus Christ our Lord.” And the more you see Him in His glory … the more you grow to understand Him … (that’s why doctrine matters) … the greater and greater the vision of the glory of God in the face of Christ becomes in your mind and before your eyes ....

If you are a true Christian, you will have an area in your life, where you aren’t where you want to be. You aren’t where you know you SHOULD be. You love the Lord, you know that Jesus Christ has saved you from your sins and is shaping you … but there’s that area where your obedience isn’t what it should be. Whether it’s in the area of sexuality or the way you use your money, or your attitudes - bitterness, anger ...

Conventional wisdom says, “Your problem is that you aren’t working hard enough in the struggle. You need to clench your teeth a little tighter, roll up your sleeves a little higher … and need to focus more on stomping out that sin ....”

And it’s true - the Bible says, “Flee temptation” and ‘Put to death whatever is earthly in you - sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.” And you say, “You don’t have to remind me … I know! And I’m struggling … but I’m not winning the battle here!”

.... the more that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Let me ask you, How Great is your God? How satisfied are you in your resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ?

But if your MAIN FOCUS is on the sin you want to stomp out … you will live in frustration and defeat. Because your focus is in the wrong place.

Piper: “Can’t fight flesh TANKS with PEA SHOOTER regulations”.

Reminded of a story ...

The way to grow your obedience isn’t to look at the things here below … but to look up … to focus on Jesus Christ - - “… the Son of God in power … Jesus Christ our Lord.” And the more you see Him in His glory … the more you grow to understand Him … (that’s why doctrine matters) … the greater and greater the vision of the glory of God in the face of Christ becomes in your mind and before your eyes ....

.... the more that the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Reminded of a story ...

_________________________

There was an extremely wealthy man who possessed vast treasures of art. The man had one son who was a very ordinary boy, who passed away his adolescence in obscurity and had little effect on anybody. He reached a certain age in his life and he died rather unexpectedly as a young man. The father mourned the son greatly. Within a few months after the death of his son, the father died as well.

And he left this incredible wealth bound up in art treasures. He left a will and he said that everything was to be auctioned. And strangely enough in the will, the father stipulated that one particular painting had to be auctioned first and that was a painting of his son done by an artist that no one really knew. And so the auctioneer in accord with the will did exactly what was to be done, and first of all, to the large crowd that had assembled, he directed their attention to this painting of the rather obscure son of the wealthy man and started the bidding there. No one knew the boy. No one knew the artist. No one really cared about the boy.

A long time passed without any bid at all, and finally an old man who had been a servant in the house of the wealthy man came forward and he said he would like to place a one-dollar bid on the portrait of the son, whom he loved very much. And at that point in his life that was all he could afford. He was retired - didn’t have a retirement plan and was barely existing on his pension. There were no other bids and the old, illiterate servant was able to purchase the painting of the son for one dollar.

_________________________

Then the dramatic moment came as he read the next portion of the will. It said this. "All the rest of the treasure shall go to the one who loved my son long enough and strong enough to purchase his portrait."

There is no way to comprehend the riches that God has provided for those who love His Son, no way. They are infinite. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. The Bible says eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. And this, friend, is the good news—

3 GLORY

FAITH

But why? Why does God do things this way? Why does He set in place a way of rescuing people and leading us to maturity and giving us gifts to serve His church with .... why does He do it all so that everything depends on HIS GRACE, through faith? The end of

tells us: “… FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME among all the nations ...”. HE DOES IT ALL BY GRACE - FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME!

God’s ultimate goal in everything he does … IS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME (or the name of Jesus Christ)

There was an extremely wealthy man who possessed vast treasures of art. The man had one son who was a very ordinary boy, who passed away his adolescence in obscurity and had little effect on anybody. He reached a certain age in his life and he died rather unexpectedly as a young man. The father mourned the son greatly. Within a few months after the death of his son, the father died as well.

:17puts it like this, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” God dealt with Pharaoh - He allowed him to keep the people

Will people look at your life and see that Jesus Christ is glorious? Is that how you live your life? In every interaction - at work, at home, in your social circles -- with your friends …

The way Peter says it, is perfect:

And he left this incredible wealth bound up in art treasures. He left a will and he said that everything was to be auctioned. And strangely enough in the will, the father stipulated that one particular painting had to be auctioned first and that was a painting of his son done by an artist that no one really knew. And so the auctioneer in accord with the will did exactly what was to be done, and first of all, to the large crowd that had assembled, he directed their attention to this painting of the rather obscure son of the wealthy man and started the bidding there. No one knew the boy. No one knew the artist. No one really cared about the boy.

, “Whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Don’t miss how clearly Peter makes the connection: We live and serve in the strength that God gives by GRACE … and as we live and serve in that Grace … GOD gets the glory.” It’s a great exchange: I get help from God’s Unlimited storehouse of grace .... and God gets the glory for being the God of Grace.

CONCLUSION

A long time passed without any bid at all, and finally an old man who had been a servant in the house of the wealthy man came forward and he said he would like to place a one-dollar bid on the portrait of the son, whom he loved very much. And at that point in his life that was all he could afford. He was retired - didn’t have a retirement plan and was barely existing on his pension. There were no other bids and the old, illiterate servant was able to purchase the painting of the son for one dollar.

Now, just as we wrap things up, we can’t stop without dealing with one last question here. The question is this: “Is it right for God to do everything for His glory?” “Is that God-like?” “It sounds like pride to me. And pride is sin, isn’t it?”

If that’s your struggle, let me just say to you that, yes - for any human - any CREATURE to walk around saying, ‘Look at me! Look at me and praise me!’ .... that’s wrong. It is sin … and it’s ugly.

But when we’re dealing with God - it’s a whole different issue.

Then the dramatic moment came as he read the next portion of the will. It said this. "All the rest of the treasure shall go to the one who loved my son long enough and strong enough to purchase his portrait."

Peter, on the day of Pentecost preaching: “There is salvation in no one else … there is no other name under heaven, given among human beings, by which we must be saved.” Right here in Romans …

, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If God is the only One who can rescue us from our prison cell - TOMB of sin … then not only IS IT LOVING for God to spread the glory of His name … but it would be UNLOVING if He didn’t spread His name as our only hope.

There is no way to comprehend the riches that God has provided for those who love His Son, no way. They are infinite. Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure. The Bible says eye hath not seen, nor ear heard the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. And this, friend, is the good news—

If you’ve been following the news in the past couple of days, you’ve heard about the Corona Virus coming out of China right now … deadly … as of last night, 1400 people sick, over 40 people already dead … with all the travel around the world - especially now, during the Lunar New Year celebrations … people being quarantined … a case of it already in Seattle.

If there was a doctor who had done the work and found the one cure that would stop the spread of the virus and save the lives of every person who has already contracted it .... and if the doctor was interviewed about his discovery - his ability to do something … and he said … ‘it’s all true … but please, don’t spread my name around … I don’t like being in the spotlight ...’ - wouldn’t you say,

WE HAVE TO SPREAD YOUR NAME .... FOR THE SAKE OF THE DYING PEOPLE.

_________________________

And when you have tasted and seen that God is GOOD – Then WE NEED HIM TO TRUMPET HIS NAME …

If whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved … and if God does not spread the glory of that name among the nations … then He can’t be a God of love.

HIS PROCLAIMING HIS NAME AND OUR GOOD go together like your heart pumping in your chest and your blood flowing through your body go together.

But why? Why does God do things this way? Why does He set in place a way of rescuing people and leading us to maturity and giving us gifts to serve His church with .... why does He do it all so that everything depends on HIS GRACE, through faith? The end of tells us: “… FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME among all the nations ...”. HE DOES IT ALL BY GRACE - FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME!

God’s ultimate goal in everything he does … IS FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME (or the name of Jesus Christ)

puts it like this, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” God dealt with Pharaoh - He allowed him to keep the people

Will people look at your life and see that Jesus Christ is glorious? Is that how you live your life? In every interaction - at work, at home, in your social circles -- with your friends …

The way Peter says it, is perfect: , “Whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies - in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Don’t miss how clearly Peter makes the connection: We live and serve in the strength that God gives by GRACE … and as we live and serve in that Grace … GOD gets the glory.” It’s a great exchange: I get help from God’s Unlimited storehouse of grace .... and God gets the glory for being the God of Grace.

CONCLUSION

Now, just as we wrap things up, we can’t stop without dealing with one last question here. The question is this: “Is it right for God to do everything for His glory?” “Is that God-like?” “It sounds like pride to me. And pride is sin, isn’t it?”

If that’s your struggle, let me just say to you that, yes - for any human - any CREATURE to walk around saying, ‘Look at me! Look at me and praise me!’ .... that’s wrong. It is sin … and it’s ugly.

But when we’re dealing with God - it’s a whole different issue.

Peter, on the day of Pentecost preaching: “There is salvation in no one else … there is no other name under heaven, given among human beings, by which we must be saved.” Right here in Romans … , “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

If God is the only One who can rescue us from our prison cell - TOMB of sin … then not only IS IT LOVING for God to spread the glory of His name … but it would be UNLOVING if He didn’t spread His name as our only hope.

Corona Virus coming out of China right now … deadly … over 40 people already dead … with all the travel around the world - especially now, during the Lunar New Year celebrations … people being quarantined … a case of it already in Seattle.

If there was a doctor who had done the work and found the one cure that would stop the spread of the virus and save the lives of every person who has already contracted it .... and if the doctor was interviewed about his discovery - his ability to do something … and he said … ‘it’s all true … but please, don’t spread my name around … I don’t like being in the spotlight ...’ - wouldn’t you say,

WE HAVE TO SPREAD YOUR NAME .... FOR THE SAKE OF THE DYING PEOPLE.

And when you have tasted and seen that God is GOOD -