The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.33\00:00:04.23
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:00:04.27\00:00:08.50
It says to
"Receive with meekness
00:00:08.54\00:00:10.87
the implanted Word which
is able to save your souls.
00:00:10.91\00:00:14.61
And to be diligent
00:00:14.64\00:00:15.98
to present
yourself approved to God
00:00:16.01\00:00:18.58
rightly dividing
the word of truth."
00:00:18.61\00:00:21.62
Join us now for the
3ABN's Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:21.65\00:00:26.05
Our study today is
Salvation by Faith Alone,
00:00:26.09\00:00:30.43
the Book of Romans.
00:00:30.49\00:00:31.96
Hello, and welcome to
3ABN's Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:31.99\00:00:35.23
My name is Jill
Morikone and we're so glad
00:00:35.26\00:00:37.57
that you have
taken time from your day,
00:00:37.60\00:00:39.67
from your Sabbath, to
tune in and study along with us
00:00:39.70\00:00:43.04
as we open up the Word of God.
00:00:43.07\00:00:44.91
We're studying
from the Book of Romans.
00:00:44.94\00:00:47.31
We're in the fourth
quarter here in 2017,
00:00:47.34\00:00:50.01
and the study of this
quarter is on Salvation
00:00:50.08\00:00:53.58
by Faith Alone,
the Book of Romans.
00:00:53.65\00:00:56.25
We're in lesson number four
00:00:56.28\00:00:57.92
and I am so
excited about this study.
00:00:57.95\00:01:00.56
If you would like your
own copy of the quarterly
00:01:00.59\00:01:02.86
to follow along with us,
00:01:02.89\00:01:04.39
you can go to the website
that is ABSG.Adventist.org.
00:01:04.43\00:01:10.77
That stands for Adult
Bible Study Guide.Adventist.org.
00:01:10.83\00:01:15.90
You can download the lesson,
00:01:15.94\00:01:17.27
you can follow along
or we always encourage you
00:01:17.31\00:01:20.58
to visit your local
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:01:20.64\00:01:23.51
and get involved
in the local church
00:01:23.55\00:01:25.35
and study with us as well.
00:01:25.38\00:01:27.48
Right now, I want to
introduce our wonderful panel
00:01:27.52\00:01:29.78
that we have to open up
and share from the Word of God.
00:01:29.82\00:01:33.19
To my left, Pastor CA Murray.
00:01:33.22\00:01:34.96
And it's a
privilege to have you here.
00:01:34.99\00:01:36.89
Then Shelley
Quinn, Molly Steenson,
00:01:36.93\00:01:39.56
and Pastor Kenny Shelton.
00:01:39.59\00:01:41.10
And what I like, I think most
00:01:41.13\00:01:43.13
about each one of
these men and women of God
00:01:43.16\00:01:45.03
is that they really
are men and women of God
00:01:45.07\00:01:47.80
that they study
and they practice,
00:01:47.84\00:01:50.37
put into practice
what God shows them
00:01:50.44\00:01:52.44
in his Word and to me,
that's the best testament.
00:01:52.47\00:01:54.88
We can study and we
can just talk about it
00:01:54.91\00:01:57.21
but if we want to practice it,
00:01:57.28\00:01:58.75
we want to live it,
that's the best thing.
00:01:58.78\00:02:00.85
So I'm excited
about today's topic.
00:02:00.92\00:02:03.18
Today's lesson is
Justification by Faith.
00:02:03.22\00:02:06.96
We're in lesson number four.
00:02:06.99\00:02:09.79
One of the major
themes of the Book of Romans
00:02:09.82\00:02:12.06
is the concept of
Justification by Faith.
00:02:12.09\00:02:16.26
We're studying
today, really just 10 verses
00:02:16.30\00:02:19.23
from Romans 3:19-28.
00:02:19.27\00:02:24.57
And along with Ephesians 2:4-10,
00:02:24.61\00:02:27.48
I think the passage this week
00:02:27.54\00:02:29.21
is Paul's most
complete statement
00:02:29.24\00:02:31.75
on the plan of salvation.
00:02:31.78\00:02:34.55
Last week, if you
were with us last week,
00:02:34.58\00:02:36.48
we talked
about, "All have sinned
00:02:36.52\00:02:38.15
and fallen short
of the glory of God."
00:02:38.19\00:02:40.76
Romans 1 talks about the
sin of the Gentile world,
00:02:40.82\00:02:44.03
Romans 2 talks that the
Jews are not without excuse
00:02:44.09\00:02:47.03
and they have some
sins going on as well.
00:02:47.10\00:02:49.86
So then we come
to the conclusion
00:02:49.90\00:02:51.30
that everyone is sold under sin
00:02:51.33\00:02:54.17
and then we need a
remedy, we need a savior.
00:02:54.20\00:02:57.34
Justification by Faith is
a figure or an object lesson
00:02:57.37\00:03:01.88
that's really based on law.
00:03:01.91\00:03:03.35
You could say the transgressor
that would be you or I,
00:03:03.38\00:03:06.82
appears before the
judge and we come guilty
00:03:06.85\00:03:09.28
because we all
have sinned and fallen
00:03:09.32\00:03:10.82
short of the glory of God.
00:03:10.89\00:03:12.39
But the substitute
meaning Jesus Christ appears
00:03:12.42\00:03:16.93
and He takes our
place, the criminals place.
00:03:16.96\00:03:20.93
The substitute,
Jesus lived a perfect life.
00:03:20.96\00:03:24.40
He takes our sins upon Himself
00:03:24.43\00:03:27.40
so that you and I now
stand before the judge,
00:03:27.44\00:03:30.47
not only cleared of guilt,
00:03:30.51\00:03:32.41
we stand as if
we had never sinned.
00:03:32.44\00:03:35.51
That's the beauty of
Justification by Faith.
00:03:35.54\00:03:39.01
Paul's statement on
the plan of salvation
00:03:39.05\00:03:41.98
is really six-part
00:03:42.02\00:03:43.35
and we'll look at
that here this week.
00:03:43.39\00:03:45.12
Number one, "Righteousness
is apart from the law
00:03:45.15\00:03:48.32
or it's not
earned by law-keeping."
00:03:48.36\00:03:51.56
That's Romans 3:21.
00:03:51.59\00:03:53.46
Number two, "Righteousness
comes through faith in Jesus."
00:03:53.50\00:03:57.83
That's Romans 3:22.
00:03:57.87\00:04:00.24
Number three says,
00:04:00.27\00:04:01.60
"All have sinned,
all deserve death."
00:04:01.64\00:04:05.04
Romans 3:23.
00:04:05.07\00:04:07.28
Number four, "God does not
give us the death we deserve
00:04:07.31\00:04:11.38
but what we don't
deserve the free gift of grace."
00:04:11.41\00:04:15.35
Romans 3:24. Amen.
00:04:15.38\00:04:17.29
And the number five,
00:04:17.32\00:04:19.29
the gift is provided by
Christ's death on the cross.
00:04:19.32\00:04:23.93
His sacrifice turns
away the penalty of sin,
00:04:23.96\00:04:27.86
propitiation, He
is the substitute,
00:04:27.93\00:04:30.03
He stands in our place.
00:04:30.07\00:04:31.73
That's Romans 3:25.
00:04:31.77\00:04:33.50
His sacrifice
provides for human redemption.
00:04:33.54\00:04:37.41
Amen. Romans 3:24.
00:04:37.47\00:04:39.44
His sacrifice
provides for our justification,
00:04:39.47\00:04:43.08
that's also in Romans 3:24.
00:04:43.11\00:04:45.38
His sacrifice
provides for our reconciliation
00:04:45.41\00:04:48.92
or that healing
coming back together,
00:04:48.95\00:04:52.15
Romans 5:10.
00:04:52.19\00:04:54.49
His sacrifice cleanses us
from the pollution of sin,
00:04:54.52\00:04:58.93
that's in Hebrews 9.
00:04:58.96\00:05:00.93
And point number six,
00:05:00.96\00:05:02.50
in Paul's statement
on the plan of salvation,
00:05:02.53\00:05:04.83
central to God's work,
00:05:04.87\00:05:06.74
saving work in Christ
is His sacrificial blood.
00:05:06.77\00:05:09.74
Praise the Lord for
that, that's Romans 3:25.
00:05:09.77\00:05:12.47
So let's do our memory text.
00:05:12.51\00:05:14.61
It is Romans 3:28 and
we'll say that together.
00:05:14.64\00:05:18.81
Romans 3:28, if
you have your Bible,
00:05:18.85\00:05:20.72
please read
along with us at home,
00:05:20.75\00:05:23.32
"Therefore we conclude
that a man is justified by faith
00:05:23.39\00:05:28.62
without the deeds of the law."
00:05:28.66\00:05:31.56
So Sunday's lesson, we
look at the deeds of the law,
00:05:31.59\00:05:34.10
what the law is, what it can do,
00:05:34.10\00:05:36.06
and what it can't do.
00:05:36.10\00:05:37.43
And the two verses
00:05:37.47\00:05:38.80
that I have to look
at is Romans 3:19-20.
00:05:38.83\00:05:41.54
So if you want to
turn there, Romans 3:19-20,
00:05:41.57\00:05:46.24
verse 19 begins
with the word, Now.
00:05:46.27\00:05:49.41
So you know if you say
now usually something comes
00:05:49.44\00:05:52.25
before Now.
00:05:52.28\00:05:53.82
And before Now,
you look at verse 9,
00:05:53.88\00:05:57.35
he says, "For we
have previously charged
00:05:57.39\00:05:59.29
both Jews and Greeks
that they are all under sin."
00:05:59.32\00:06:03.19
And then he quotes
from Psalm, from Isaiah,
00:06:03.22\00:06:07.13
and many different Psalms.
00:06:07.13\00:06:08.53
They're from the
Old Testament scriptures
00:06:08.56\00:06:11.00
showing that no
one is righteous.
00:06:11.03\00:06:13.34
No one is
righteous, all have sinned.
00:06:13.37\00:06:15.84
So now we come to verse 19,
00:06:15.87\00:06:18.57
"Now we know that
whatever the law says,
00:06:18.61\00:06:21.48
it says to those
who are under the law,
00:06:21.51\00:06:24.81
that every mouth may be stopped,
00:06:24.85\00:06:26.48
and all the world may
become guilty before God."
00:06:26.51\00:06:30.42
It says whatever the
law says, the word for law,
00:06:30.49\00:06:33.76
nomos means the law scripture,
00:06:33.79\00:06:36.42
any system of
religious thinking or theology.
00:06:36.46\00:06:39.59
We are all, what
does it say, guilty.
00:06:39.63\00:06:42.96
We are under the law,
00:06:43.00\00:06:44.33
we all come
under that condemnation
00:06:44.37\00:06:46.90
from the law or
condemnation of sin
00:06:46.94\00:06:49.20
because we all
have broken the law,
00:06:49.24\00:06:52.11
we all are
condemned, we all are guilty.
00:06:52.14\00:06:55.18
Guilty literally means to be
brought to trial answerable to,
00:06:55.21\00:06:59.28
to come under judgment.
00:06:59.31\00:07:02.12
It's actually used only once
00:07:02.15\00:07:03.52
in the New Testament right here.
00:07:03.55\00:07:04.89
We all are brought
under that judgment.
00:07:04.92\00:07:07.09
On the Day of Judgment,
whether we're Jew or Greek,
00:07:07.12\00:07:10.36
gentile or Jew,
it doesn't matter,
00:07:10.39\00:07:12.13
we all are accountable to God,
00:07:12.16\00:07:14.20
we all are answerable to
God that we have broken the law.
00:07:14.23\00:07:17.70
Verse 20, "Therefore
by the deeds of the law,
00:07:17.73\00:07:20.84
no flesh will be
justified in His sight,
00:07:20.87\00:07:24.67
for by the law is
the knowledge of sin."
00:07:24.71\00:07:27.11
Now from that
verse, I get two things.
00:07:27.18\00:07:29.38
Number one, the
law cannot justify us.
00:07:29.41\00:07:32.61
And I know as we
go through the panel,
00:07:32.65\00:07:35.12
we'll be talking more about
what that justification is,
00:07:35.15\00:07:38.02
but the law cannot justify us.
00:07:38.05\00:07:40.56
Number two, the law
brings the knowledge of sin.
00:07:40.59\00:07:46.09
Without the
law, we wouldn't know
00:07:46.13\00:07:48.00
that we were sinners
or in need of a savior.
00:07:48.03\00:07:51.40
Now if you have watched
the Sabbath School Panel,
00:07:51.43\00:07:53.20
we're on lesson number four,
00:07:53.23\00:07:54.57
but if you've watched
from the very beginning,
00:07:54.60\00:07:56.50
lesson number one,
Pastor John Lomacang
00:07:56.54\00:07:58.64
talked about five
different Greek words for sin
00:07:58.67\00:08:01.31
and kind of that
progression of sin.
00:08:01.34\00:08:03.48
So the word for sin
used here in verse 20
00:08:03.51\00:08:06.28
is hamartia or
Pastor CA can pronounce it
00:08:06.31\00:08:08.98
better than I can.
00:08:09.02\00:08:10.35
Hamartia? Hamartia.
00:08:10.42\00:08:11.75
Hamartia. Okay.
00:08:11.79\00:08:13.72
And it means a sin or
failure missing the mark.
00:08:13.79\00:08:17.76
So we all have
missed the mark basically,
00:08:17.79\00:08:19.76
we all have fallen
short of the glory of God.
00:08:19.79\00:08:22.76
You know, it's
easy to excuse myself
00:08:22.80\00:08:26.40
and to blame other people.
00:08:26.43\00:08:28.00
I don't know if you all
have found that to be the case.
00:08:28.04\00:08:30.04
If I'm driving in a
car and someone passes me,
00:08:30.11\00:08:33.91
it's easy to think the person
who passed me is a maniac,
00:08:33.98\00:08:37.68
but the granny
who is in front of me
00:08:37.71\00:08:39.81
going very slow is a slow poke,
00:08:39.85\00:08:42.35
I alone am doing
the proper speed.
00:08:42.38\00:08:45.92
What about money?
00:08:45.95\00:08:47.29
It's easy to say that
person who spends less than I do
00:08:47.36\00:08:50.86
is a tightwad,
00:08:50.93\00:08:52.56
but yet, the person
who spends more than I do
00:08:52.59\00:08:55.63
is irresponsible.
00:08:55.66\00:08:57.63
I on the other hand,
00:08:57.67\00:08:59.13
I'm a good
steward with the funds
00:08:59.17\00:09:01.47
that God has entrusted to me.
00:09:01.50\00:09:03.57
We kind of do this, don't we?
00:09:03.64\00:09:05.17
We maybe excuse
ourselves, or the way we think,
00:09:05.21\00:09:08.94
we judge ourselves by
our intentions we could say,
00:09:08.98\00:09:11.61
and we judge other
people by their actions.
00:09:11.65\00:09:16.38
Sometimes, I don't know
00:09:16.42\00:09:17.75
if you've ever
met someone like this,
00:09:17.79\00:09:19.12
who says, "I'm a good person.
00:09:19.15\00:09:21.36
I'm a good person."
00:09:21.39\00:09:23.02
Someone just told
me that last week,
00:09:23.06\00:09:24.59
"You know, Jill, I consider
myself to be a good person."
00:09:24.63\00:09:28.10
Good people can trust in
their own unrighteousness
00:09:28.13\00:09:31.63
or their own living
outward conformity to the law
00:09:31.67\00:09:35.50
to think that will save us.
00:09:35.54\00:09:37.54
But what Paul tells us here
00:09:37.61\00:09:39.11
is that the law shows us our sin
00:09:39.14\00:09:42.81
and we all are
guilty before that.
00:09:42.84\00:09:46.38
How does the law show us sin?
00:09:46.41\00:09:48.18
I want to look at three ways
that the law can show us sin.
00:09:48.22\00:09:51.19
Number one, the law shows a sin
00:09:51.22\00:09:52.82
by showing the
absolute righteousness
00:09:52.85\00:09:55.92
and perfect character of God.
00:09:55.96\00:10:00.50
Matthew 5, remember
the Sermon on the Mount,
00:10:00.53\00:10:02.96
what did Jesus say?
00:10:03.00\00:10:04.40
He said, "Is
murder worse than hate?"
00:10:04.43\00:10:07.74
And I think we talked about
this earlier, He said, "No.
00:10:07.77\00:10:10.41
Because what's done internally,
00:10:10.47\00:10:12.21
which would be hate
00:10:12.24\00:10:13.58
is really the same as
what's done externally,
00:10:13.64\00:10:15.71
which would be murder."
00:10:15.74\00:10:17.11
He says, "Is
adultery worse than lust?"
00:10:17.15\00:10:20.02
Now from a human perspective,
we would say, "That's true."
00:10:20.08\00:10:23.05
But from God's
perspective what's internal,
00:10:23.08\00:10:26.62
which would be
lust just thinking
00:10:26.65\00:10:28.79
after someone is the same,
as actually committing the act.
00:10:28.82\00:10:34.76
So the internal would be
the same as the external.
00:10:34.83\00:10:37.63
God's standard of
righteousness and purity
00:10:37.67\00:10:41.50
is so incredibly high.
00:10:41.54\00:10:44.41
That there's nothing
we can do to ever make it.
00:10:44.44\00:10:46.81
We can think outwardly,
we could keep the law.
00:10:46.84\00:10:49.61
And there's many
people in the Bible
00:10:49.64\00:10:51.38
and in society
who think outwardly,
00:10:51.41\00:10:53.25
"I don't steal, I don't covet,
00:10:53.28\00:10:55.48
I don't go out
and kill someone."
00:10:55.52\00:10:57.15
But yet, inwardly in
our hearts and in our minds,
00:10:57.22\00:11:00.36
it's a different story.
00:11:00.39\00:11:02.42
So number one,
the law shows us sin,
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.23
it shows the
absolute righteousness of God
00:11:04.26\00:11:07.00
in His perfect character.
00:11:07.03\00:11:08.46
Number two, it
reveals my sinfulness.
00:11:08.50\00:11:12.70
The law is kind
of like a mirror.
00:11:12.73\00:11:14.10
Let's look at James.
00:11:14.14\00:11:15.54
James 1:23,
00:11:15.57\00:11:21.11
James 1:23,
00:11:21.14\00:11:25.98
I like 22 too, so
let's start with 22.
00:11:26.01\00:11:28.72
"But be doers of the
Word, and not hearers only,
00:11:28.75\00:11:33.52
deceiving yourselves.
00:11:33.56\00:11:35.56
For if anyone is a hearer
of the Word and not a doer,
00:11:35.59\00:11:39.46
he is like a man observing
his natural face in a mirror,
00:11:39.49\00:11:43.80
for he observes
himself and goes away,
00:11:43.83\00:11:46.33
immediately forgetting
what kind of man he was.
00:11:46.37\00:11:51.31
But he who looks into the
perfect law of liberty..."
00:11:51.34\00:11:54.61
We're in verse 25,
"and continues in it,
00:11:54.64\00:11:57.88
it's not a forgetful
hearer but a doer of the work,
00:11:57.91\00:12:01.85
this one will be
blessed in what he does."
00:12:01.88\00:12:04.09
The law's mirror
because it shows us
00:12:04.12\00:12:06.76
God's perfect
standard of righteousness,
00:12:06.79\00:12:10.23
His high and holy character.
00:12:10.26\00:12:11.59
Amen.
00:12:11.63\00:12:12.96
Number three,
the law shows a sin
00:12:12.99\00:12:15.13
and it points me to
Jesus as my only hope.
00:12:15.16\00:12:20.00
When you look in the
mirror and you think,
00:12:20.04\00:12:22.07
"I got something in my teeth.
00:12:22.10\00:12:23.47
I got some dirt on my face.
00:12:23.51\00:12:25.21
I need to go do
something about that."
00:12:25.24\00:12:27.78
We don't break
the mirror and say,
00:12:27.81\00:12:29.28
"What's wrong with the mirror?"
00:12:29.31\00:12:30.65
We say, "I need a remedy.
00:12:30.71\00:12:32.05
I need the cleansing
blood of Jesus over my life."
00:12:32.08\00:12:35.68
And that is justification,
00:12:35.72\00:12:38.22
that is what we're going
to be talking about today.
00:12:38.25\00:12:40.92
I just want to read one quote
from Testimonies to Ministers
00:12:40.96\00:12:43.89
and then I'll pass
it over to Pastor CA.
00:12:43.93\00:12:45.83
This is Testimony to Minister
and Gospel Workers page 456,
00:12:45.86\00:12:50.97
"What is justification by faith?
00:12:51.00\00:12:53.40
It is the work of God
00:12:53.47\00:12:54.80
in laying the
glory of man in the dust,
00:12:54.84\00:12:59.01
and doing for man
00:12:59.04\00:13:00.88
that which it
is not in his power
00:13:00.91\00:13:03.35
to do for himself."
00:13:03.38\00:13:05.41
Amen. So praise
the Lord for that.
00:13:05.45\00:13:07.62
Pastor CA, you have
the righteousness of God.
00:13:07.65\00:13:09.65
Amen. Well said, thank
you for the splendid lead in.
00:13:09.68\00:13:15.69
Romans 3:21, the Bible says,
00:13:15.72\00:13:19.43
"Now the righteousness of God
without the law is manifested,
00:13:19.46\00:13:24.83
being witnessed by
the law and the prophets."
00:13:24.87\00:13:27.54
And the lesson
asked the question,
00:13:27.60\00:13:30.07
how we do understand
what this text means?
00:13:30.11\00:13:31.94
I think I'm going to
read another translation
00:13:31.97\00:13:34.91
which sort of gives
some culture and some context
00:13:34.94\00:13:37.01
to this particular text.
00:13:37.05\00:13:38.68
It says, "But now
God has shown us a way
00:13:38.71\00:13:42.55
to be made right with Him
00:13:42.58\00:13:44.49
without keeping the
requirements of the law
00:13:44.52\00:13:47.36
as was promised in the writings
of Moses and the prophets."
00:13:47.42\00:13:52.46
I hasten to add
00:13:52.49\00:13:53.86
because so much as
in made of those texts
00:13:53.90\00:13:56.60
which appear to say
00:13:56.63\00:13:58.57
that we don't need
to keep the law anymore.
00:13:58.60\00:14:03.81
What these texts are saying
00:14:03.84\00:14:05.64
is that the law
has a specific purpose.
00:14:05.67\00:14:08.94
And I think we
always ought to remember
00:14:08.98\00:14:10.58
the purpose of the law.
00:14:10.65\00:14:12.98
There's nowhere in the Bible,
00:14:13.01\00:14:14.35
particularly in
the Book of Romans,
00:14:14.38\00:14:15.72
where Paul is admonishing
us to do away with the law.
00:14:15.75\00:14:20.36
What he's saying is de facto
the law has a specific purpose
00:14:20.39\00:14:25.53
and if you try to use
it for any other purpose,
00:14:25.56\00:14:28.53
you default the law
and the power of the law.
00:14:28.56\00:14:32.13
That is verified in the
text just prior in 3:20,
00:14:32.17\00:14:36.07
Jill, as you just read.
00:14:36.10\00:14:38.27
The Bible says, "By the
law is the knowledge of sin."
00:14:38.31\00:14:41.84
So if you take away the law,
00:14:41.88\00:14:44.21
you have no objective
reality to know what sin is.
00:14:44.25\00:14:47.72
The only way you can
determine if you are sitting
00:14:47.75\00:14:51.39
is if you have a law
00:14:51.42\00:14:53.82
that gives you
the parameters of sin.
00:14:53.86\00:14:56.79
If there is no law
for crossing the street
00:14:56.83\00:14:59.09
in the middle of the block,
00:14:59.13\00:15:00.96
then you can cross the street
00:15:01.00\00:15:02.40
in the middle of the
block and there's no problem.
00:15:02.43\00:15:05.13
But if you have
a jaywalking law,
00:15:05.17\00:15:08.07
then that law tells you,
00:15:08.10\00:15:10.24
it is illegal
to cross the street
00:15:10.31\00:15:12.14
in middle of the block.
00:15:12.17\00:15:13.88
So by the law is
the knowledge of sin,
00:15:13.91\00:15:16.31
and of course, 1 John 3:4,
00:15:16.34\00:15:19.51
"He that committed sin also
transgressors the law for sin
00:15:19.55\00:15:22.65
is a transgression of the law."
00:15:22.68\00:15:25.75
There is given to us
a definition of the law.
00:15:25.79\00:15:28.36
Hamartia is anomia,
00:15:28.39\00:15:30.33
missing the mark is anarchy
that text is trying to tell us.
00:15:30.36\00:15:34.56
So the law has a
specific function
00:15:34.56\00:15:37.87
and we get into trouble
00:15:37.90\00:15:39.23
when we try to use
the law for a function
00:15:39.27\00:15:41.94
that is not intended.
00:15:41.97\00:15:44.21
The intent of the
law is to show you
00:15:44.27\00:15:46.11
the parameters of sin to
keep you in the right way
00:15:46.14\00:15:49.38
so that when you
go too far this way
00:15:49.41\00:15:51.38
or you go too far
this way, now you know that
00:15:51.41\00:15:53.88
you are outside the
parameters of the law,
00:15:53.92\00:15:55.78
so now you are sinned,
00:15:55.82\00:15:57.15
the laws never
intended to make you righteous,
00:15:57.19\00:15:59.32
it is to show unrighteousness
00:15:59.35\00:16:01.99
and to show you
when you're going wrong.
00:16:02.02\00:16:03.96
So that's very, very important
and it comes back again
00:16:03.99\00:16:06.49
and again and again and
again in the Book of Romans
00:16:06.53\00:16:08.80
because it is
very, very important.
00:16:08.83\00:16:11.60
I want to go into and, sort of,
00:16:11.63\00:16:12.97
just go off script
here just a little bit.
00:16:13.00\00:16:16.04
"Righteousness is
obedience to the law.
00:16:16.07\00:16:18.84
The law demands righteousness.
00:16:18.87\00:16:22.58
And this, the
sinner owes to the law
00:16:22.61\00:16:25.61
but he is
incapable of rendering it."
00:16:25.65\00:16:27.62
And that goes about
what you are saying that
00:16:27.65\00:16:29.52
we've got this standard to meet
00:16:29.55\00:16:31.32
and we know we need
to meet this standard
00:16:31.35\00:16:33.36
but by and of ourselves
we simply cannot do it.
00:16:33.39\00:16:36.52
We don't have the ability,
we don't even have the desire
00:16:36.56\00:16:39.03
without the power of the
Holy Spirit in our lives.
00:16:39.06\00:16:40.40
Amen.
00:16:40.43\00:16:41.73
So you are
defeated before you begin.
00:16:41.76\00:16:46.20
If you're trying to
keep a righteous standard,
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.87
the product of a righteous God
00:16:49.90\00:16:52.14
and you are an
unrighteous person,
00:16:52.17\00:16:53.84
you just, it cannot be done.
00:16:53.88\00:16:56.54
Who can bring
clean out of unclean?
00:16:56.58\00:16:58.45
We certainly cannot.
00:16:58.48\00:16:59.81
But through the
power of Christ we can.
00:16:59.85\00:17:01.38
Now what I want to
say on this is this
00:17:01.42\00:17:04.49
because Ellen White
says this, 1 John says this,
00:17:04.52\00:17:07.09
"Righteousness is right doing."
00:17:07.12\00:17:09.86
Not just right
thinking or right planning
00:17:09.89\00:17:12.19
or right
supposing, it's doing right,
00:17:12.23\00:17:14.76
it's got to get out of your head
00:17:14.83\00:17:17.00
and into your hands, it's
got to get into your heart.
00:17:17.07\00:17:19.60
Think how radical that idea
was to those who first heard it.
00:17:19.63\00:17:26.14
The idea that Christ
can do something for me,
00:17:26.17\00:17:29.31
in me, with me, to
me, and through me,
00:17:29.34\00:17:32.01
and all I have to do is
accept to His leadership
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.15
and surrender to His Lordship.
00:17:35.18\00:17:36.79
Yes, amen.
00:17:36.82\00:17:38.15
That is totally...
00:17:38.19\00:17:39.52
For the Jewish mind and
the ancient near East mind
00:17:39.55\00:17:42.36
and those even
before, that is a...
00:17:42.39\00:17:47.66
Now we've had 500 years
00:17:47.66\00:17:49.50
this out of the
process of reformation
00:17:49.53\00:17:50.87
to sort of digest that.
00:17:50.93\00:17:52.87
But up until 1517, that
was a totally radical idea
00:17:52.90\00:17:59.34
and almost in
some places nonsensical
00:17:59.37\00:18:01.28
because there is
no precedent for that.
00:18:01.31\00:18:03.48
Ellen White says that
00:18:03.51\00:18:04.85
at the heart of
every pagan religion
00:18:04.88\00:18:07.28
was this idea that
you got to work your way
00:18:07.35\00:18:09.78
into pleasure with God.
00:18:09.82\00:18:11.15
It's at the foundation
of every pagan religion.
00:18:11.19\00:18:13.79
And it had crept
its way into Judaism
00:18:13.82\00:18:18.49
even to this very day.
00:18:18.53\00:18:20.53
When I was in New York,
my eye doctor was Jewish,
00:18:20.56\00:18:23.50
my primary care
physician was Jewish,
00:18:23.57\00:18:25.80
my eye surgeon was Jewish,
00:18:25.83\00:18:28.17
and particularly
with my eye doctor,
00:18:28.20\00:18:30.31
his father was a rabbi.
00:18:30.34\00:18:32.51
We had some
wonderful discussions
00:18:32.54\00:18:33.88
while he was
trying to dilate my eyes
00:18:33.91\00:18:35.24
because they had to
put so many drops in
00:18:35.28\00:18:36.61
because it took so long
for my eyes to be dilated.
00:18:36.64\00:18:38.65
So while sitting there we had
all these intense discussions,
00:18:38.68\00:18:41.55
you know, on
different kinds of things.
00:18:41.58\00:18:44.12
And the idea that
you've got to do certain things
00:18:44.19\00:18:47.66
is that the foundation
of a lot of Jewish thinking
00:18:47.69\00:18:50.83
even to this day.
00:18:50.86\00:18:52.19
In fact, when you
look at the names for God,
00:18:52.23\00:18:54.30
Jehovah Rapha,
Jehovah Nissi, Jehovah Shalom,
00:18:54.30\00:18:58.70
all of those are
00:18:58.73\00:19:02.07
representations
of what God does.
00:19:02.10\00:19:05.24
They saw God in
terms of what He does,
00:19:05.27\00:19:07.54
He heals, He saves, He provides
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.28
and so they gave names
in terms of what He does.
00:19:10.31\00:19:13.21
Well, in the mindset
of the Jewish community
00:19:13.25\00:19:16.82
to this day, you are
what you do, you know.
00:19:16.85\00:19:19.65
So the idea that I can be saved
00:19:19.69\00:19:22.36
by letting Christ do through
00:19:22.39\00:19:25.19
is totally without
precedent in their mindsets.
00:19:25.23\00:19:29.13
So it was a
totally radical idea.
00:19:29.16\00:19:31.60
Well, now you come through
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.47
up to just prior to
the Protestant Reformation
00:19:33.54\00:19:36.27
and you've got this idea,
00:19:36.30\00:19:39.54
"I got to work my way
into the pleasure of God
00:19:39.57\00:19:43.35
through the medieval church."
00:19:43.38\00:19:44.71
And it worked its way,
00:19:44.75\00:19:46.08
I've heard you say this
Shelley into Protestantism,
00:19:46.11\00:19:48.18
"I got to please God.
00:19:48.22\00:19:49.55
I got to be perfect.
00:19:49.58\00:19:50.92
I got to pull
myself above my bootstraps.
00:19:50.99\00:19:52.49
God is not going to
have anything to do with me
00:19:52.52\00:19:54.09
unless I come to
Him at a certain state."
00:19:54.16\00:19:56.36
So you've got folks who
are frustrating themselves,
00:19:56.39\00:19:58.86
turning themselves
into spiritual pretzels,
00:19:58.89\00:20:00.70
trying to find a
way to please God.
00:20:00.73\00:20:03.10
And God is saying,
"All you got to do is relax.
00:20:03.13\00:20:06.37
Have faith in
Me, surrender to Me
00:20:06.40\00:20:08.30
and I'll work out
my way through you."
00:20:08.34\00:20:11.54
But it's a totally radical idea.
00:20:11.57\00:20:13.44
It's a whole new way of thinking
00:20:13.48\00:20:16.04
and a whole new way
of presenting yourself,
00:20:16.08\00:20:18.68
which is why
Luther, bless his heart,
00:20:18.71\00:20:24.25
when he saw Johann
Tetzel raising money
00:20:24.29\00:20:28.06
for St. Peter's
Basilica by telling people,
00:20:28.09\00:20:31.93
"As your money clings in
the bottom of the basket,
00:20:31.96\00:20:34.60
soul of the person
00:20:34.63\00:20:37.50
you are praying for is
coming out of purgatory."
00:20:37.53\00:20:39.87
And he was raising tons of money
00:20:39.90\00:20:41.60
and Luther said that
00:20:41.64\00:20:42.97
Just, forgive my
pejorative of English."
00:20:43.00\00:20:44.47
Ain't no way
this can't be right."
00:20:44.51\00:20:46.81
You know, so began
to study and of course,
00:20:46.84\00:20:50.28
he hit the Book of Romans
and it just blew his mind.
00:20:50.31\00:20:53.08
It just, "You got
to be kidding me."
00:20:53.11\00:20:55.68
As a person who was trying
to work his way into heaven,
00:20:55.72\00:20:58.12
wearing clothes inside
out and crawling up steps,
00:20:58.15\00:21:01.19
and doing all
these kinds of things.
00:21:01.22\00:21:02.62
The idea that I can be
saved by just accepting Jesus,
00:21:02.66\00:21:06.09
mind-blowingly radical.
00:21:06.13\00:21:07.50
Yeah.
00:21:07.60\00:21:08.90
But when it hit, you
know, they say there's nothing
00:21:08.93\00:21:10.97
so powerful as an
idea whose time has come.
00:21:11.00\00:21:15.07
Well, the idea that we
don't have to beat ourselves up,
00:21:15.10\00:21:18.04
we don't have to
starve ourselves,
00:21:18.07\00:21:19.41
we don't have to take
pilgrimages to Jerusalem,
00:21:19.44\00:21:21.78
we don't have to beg God,
00:21:21.81\00:21:23.21
or flagellate
ourselves to make God happy.
00:21:23.24\00:21:26.18
God wants to save us,
God's ready to save us,
00:21:26.21\00:21:29.15
God's waiting to save
us, He loves to save us.
00:21:29.18\00:21:31.09
Amen.
00:21:31.12\00:21:32.45
And so once those 95 Theses
00:21:32.49\00:21:34.86
were nailed to the
door of the Catholic Church
00:21:34.89\00:21:37.93
in Wittenberg, the
first thing to dry up
00:21:37.96\00:21:39.96
was Tetzel's business
of selling indulgence.
00:21:40.00\00:21:43.40
Thank you, Jesus. Amen.
00:21:43.43\00:21:44.77
The church mustn't
have been too happy.
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.13
They were not too happy at all,
00:21:46.17\00:21:47.50
which is why
they dogged his steps
00:21:47.54\00:21:48.87
from then till the day he died
00:21:48.90\00:21:50.37
and one of his harshest
accusers was Johann Tetzel
00:21:50.44\00:21:52.97
who was making so much
money by selling a lie.
00:21:53.01\00:21:56.78
So the idea that
man could be righteous
00:21:56.81\00:22:01.15
in the sight of God
by simply having faith in
00:22:01.18\00:22:03.99
and accepting the
sacrifice of Christ,
00:22:04.02\00:22:06.49
there may not have
been a more freeing doctrine
00:22:06.52\00:22:09.89
in the history of all church
00:22:09.92\00:22:11.76
than the doctrine
that Christ is ready,
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.20
willing, and able to
take me and to save me.
00:22:14.20\00:22:16.67
And it ain't about
me, it's all about Jesus
00:22:16.73\00:22:18.97
and the work
that He's done for me.
00:22:19.00\00:22:20.60
Powerful, powerful doctrine
and once Luther lit the fire,
00:22:20.64\00:22:24.57
it was like a firecracker,
it went up and it blew up
00:22:24.61\00:22:27.71
and everybody
began to see that light
00:22:27.74\00:22:29.51
and we're
attracted to the Lord of God
00:22:29.54\00:22:31.68
and this idea that I can
be justified and sanctified.
00:22:31.71\00:22:35.25
Amen.
00:22:35.28\00:22:36.65
Through the indwelling power
00:22:36.69\00:22:38.02
of the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
00:22:38.05\00:22:39.39
Let this mind be in you
which is also in Christ Jesus,
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.96
no more powerful
text in the whole Bible
00:22:42.99\00:22:45.09
and my favorite, Romans 8:1,
00:22:45.13\00:22:47.00
"There is now
therefore no condemnation
00:22:47.03\00:22:49.93
for those who
are in Christ Jesus."
00:22:50.00\00:22:51.80
That's the secret,
you get in Christ Jesus...
00:22:51.83\00:22:53.17
The walk not
according to the flesh.
00:22:53.20\00:22:54.54
A walk not
according to the flesh.
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.84
Once you get into Christ Jesus,
Christ Jesus gets into you
00:22:56.87\00:23:00.68
and you're on
your road to glory.
00:23:00.71\00:23:02.31
And His righteousness
is lived out through you
00:23:02.34\00:23:07.15
then the life
becomes a brand new.
00:23:07.22\00:23:08.55
That's a freeing doctrine.
00:23:08.58\00:23:09.92
Amen. That's a radical doctrine.
00:23:09.95\00:23:11.29
But it is the
heart of this message
00:23:11.32\00:23:13.02
that we have in
the Book of Romans.
00:23:13.05\00:23:15.46
Thank you so much, CA,
for that in the background
00:23:15.49\00:23:18.03
particularly
into the reformation
00:23:18.06\00:23:19.59
because it is 500 years.
00:23:19.63\00:23:23.10
The reformation
began 500 years ago,
00:23:23.13\00:23:26.53
but it's almost like we need to,
00:23:26.57\00:23:31.51
that it needs to be revived
because there is still...
00:23:31.54\00:23:36.64
First of all, some
of us don't realize
00:23:36.71\00:23:38.85
what it means to be
a Protestant to protest
00:23:38.88\00:23:42.55
what the Catholic
Church was doing at the time
00:23:42.58\00:23:45.59
and to separate and
come to Sola Scriptura
00:23:45.62\00:23:48.69
and not the
traditions of priests or popes
00:23:48.72\00:23:51.09
but Sola Scriptura.
00:23:51.13\00:23:52.96
And but I see in
all denominations,
00:23:52.99\00:23:57.00
I see people who still
are trying to save themselves
00:23:57.03\00:24:02.27
and I think it has
to do with our pride.
00:24:02.30\00:24:04.44
Well, let's look at my
lesson is Tuesday's by His grace
00:24:04.47\00:24:10.28
and yeah, we're
going to dissect.
00:24:10.35\00:24:14.55
We'll read and
dissect Romans 3:24,
00:24:14.58\00:24:18.55
Paul says in Romans 3:24,
00:24:18.59\00:24:21.12
"Being justified
freely by His grace
00:24:21.16\00:24:25.79
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus."
00:24:25.83\00:24:30.43
Being justified in the root...
00:24:30.47\00:24:33.23
There's a strong connection
00:24:33.30\00:24:34.64
between the
words of justification
00:24:34.67\00:24:36.81
or justify and righteousness.
00:24:36.87\00:24:38.41
They have the same
root word in the Greek.
00:24:38.44\00:24:42.01
And this means to be
declared righteous by God.
00:24:42.04\00:24:47.28
We're put in right
standing with God simply
00:24:47.32\00:24:51.29
by accepting Jesus
Christ as our substitute
00:24:51.32\00:24:56.36
and our surety.
00:24:56.39\00:24:57.99
So what happens is, and
we're going to look at this,
00:24:58.03\00:25:02.23
as we accept Christ
00:25:02.26\00:25:04.07
His righteousness is
credited to our account.
00:25:04.10\00:25:09.37
It's imputed to our account
00:25:09.40\00:25:12.04
and God cancels our debt of sin.
00:25:12.07\00:25:16.04
We're declared not
guilty, our record is cleared,
00:25:16.08\00:25:19.35
and we're justified.
00:25:19.38\00:25:21.68
This
justification is an act of God
00:25:21.72\00:25:25.85
whereas sanctification
is a work of God within us.
00:25:25.89\00:25:30.23
Okay, so that's what
he's saying being justified,
00:25:30.26\00:25:32.86
God can no longer justly
inflict punishment upon us
00:25:32.89\00:25:37.93
because the record of
our sin has blotted out.
00:25:37.97\00:25:42.00
So now the point is he
says, "Justified freely."
00:25:42.04\00:25:47.81
Our heavenly bank
accounts are overdrawn
00:25:47.84\00:25:51.01
because of our moral bankruptcy.
00:25:51.05\00:25:52.38
Yes. We've all sinned.
00:25:52.41\00:25:54.28
In our moral failure,
what is the penalty of sin?
00:25:54.32\00:25:57.95
Death. Death.
00:25:57.99\00:25:59.65
But I have to point out,
00:25:59.69\00:26:02.76
Christ paid that penalty
by dying on the cross for us
00:26:02.79\00:26:06.33
and if anything the cross proves
00:26:06.36\00:26:10.77
that God did not
relax his standards.
00:26:10.80\00:26:12.80
Amen.
00:26:12.83\00:26:14.17
I mean, this is something
that a holy and just God...
00:26:14.24\00:26:17.84
If He were going to
just do away with the law,
00:26:17.87\00:26:19.87
He could have just simply said,
"Okay, go away with the law."
00:26:19.91\00:26:23.68
Then nobody
would have had to die
00:26:23.75\00:26:25.55
because we broke the law.
00:26:25.58\00:26:28.25
Nobody would have had
to been our substitute.
00:26:28.28\00:26:31.42
But justice demanded
00:26:31.45\00:26:34.26
that He not taken in
different approach to that
00:26:34.29\00:26:38.06
and so that He could
remain both a just God
00:26:38.09\00:26:43.43
and He became the justifier.
00:26:43.47\00:26:49.14
That's right.
00:26:49.17\00:26:50.51
So He demonstrated His love
00:26:50.57\00:26:52.47
when He sent His
Son Jesus Christ to die
00:26:52.51\00:26:54.48
in our place.
00:26:54.51\00:26:55.84
And Christ perfect
record of His perfect character,
00:26:55.88\00:27:00.75
His perfect record of obedience,
00:27:00.78\00:27:02.35
all of this is just
they're given to us freely.
00:27:02.38\00:27:07.29
Now in Romans 4, it's
interesting, the word,
00:27:07.32\00:27:11.03
there's a Greek word, Logizomai.
00:27:11.06\00:27:14.60
Is that how you say that?
00:27:14.63\00:27:15.96
That's close enough. Logizomai.
00:27:16.00\00:27:18.33
Our resident Greek expert. Yes.
00:27:18.37\00:27:20.54
Eleven times in one chapter
00:27:20.57\00:27:23.71
this word is used
eleven times in one chapter.
00:27:23.74\00:27:26.88
That's amazing.
00:27:26.91\00:27:28.24
And what it is
it's a commercial term,
00:27:28.28\00:27:30.48
it's a banking term to mean
to be credited to your account.
00:27:30.55\00:27:32.88
Amen.
00:27:32.91\00:27:34.25
And it's translated accounted,
counted, imputed, whatever.
00:27:34.32\00:27:39.79
But the whole point is
that Paul is making it so clear
00:27:39.82\00:27:45.66
that righteousness
is nothing we can earn,
00:27:45.69\00:27:48.00
it's credited to us freely.
00:27:48.03\00:27:50.57
It is...
00:27:50.63\00:27:51.97
Justification is a free
gift it cost us nothing,
00:27:52.00\00:27:55.60
whereas the cost to
God was incalculable
00:27:55.64\00:27:58.34
because He had to
send His son to die.
00:27:58.37\00:28:00.81
I have a quote that
I want to read to you
00:28:00.84\00:28:02.88
from Oswald Chambers,
My Utmost for His Highest,
00:28:02.91\00:28:08.28
this came from November the 28.
00:28:08.32\00:28:10.72
And this is interesting,
"To be declared righteous..."
00:28:10.75\00:28:14.39
To be declared to
be given something
00:28:14.42\00:28:17.09
that we don't merit
offends our human pride.
00:28:17.16\00:28:22.40
So listen what he says,
00:28:22.43\00:28:24.30
"There is a
certain pride in people
00:28:24.33\00:28:26.50
that causes them
to give and give,
00:28:26.53\00:28:28.77
but to come and accept
a gift is another thing."
00:28:28.80\00:28:31.97
Won't you all agree? Absolutely.
00:28:32.01\00:28:33.58
Okay.
00:28:33.61\00:28:34.94
"I will give my
life to martyrdom,
00:28:34.98\00:28:36.58
I will dedicate
my life to service.
00:28:36.61\00:28:38.48
I will do anything.
00:28:38.51\00:28:40.02
But do not humiliate me
00:28:40.05\00:28:42.12
to the level of the
most hell-deserving sinner
00:28:42.15\00:28:45.62
and tell me that
all I have to do is
00:28:45.65\00:28:47.89
accept the gift of
salvation through Jesus Christ."
00:28:47.92\00:28:52.06
He is saying this
is people's attitudes.
00:28:52.09\00:28:54.50
We feel that because we
are in full service to God
00:28:54.56\00:29:00.97
that we've surrendered.
00:29:01.00\00:29:02.67
Sometimes, we
begin to feel entitled
00:29:02.70\00:29:05.24
like we're better than
the prostitute on the street
00:29:05.27\00:29:09.61
or the drug
addict on the street.
00:29:09.64\00:29:11.81
And we kind of feel like
we're entitled to God's favor,
00:29:11.85\00:29:15.55
but none of us are,
and it is just pride
00:29:15.58\00:29:18.65
that all
righteousness comes from God.
00:29:18.69\00:29:20.82
Amen.
00:29:20.89\00:29:22.46
So we've all sinned.
00:29:22.49\00:29:23.86
There's nothing that we can do
to contribute to our salvation.
00:29:23.89\00:29:27.66
And to this day as much
as I have preached on grace,
00:29:27.73\00:29:30.97
I have to work on
that because occasionally,
00:29:31.00\00:29:34.24
I get into a
little spiritual dip
00:29:34.27\00:29:36.91
and then I'm thinking,
00:29:36.94\00:29:38.27
"Oh, Lord, how can you love me?
00:29:38.31\00:29:39.77
I'm not studying enough,
00:29:39.81\00:29:41.14
I don't have time
to pray enough..."
00:29:41.18\00:29:43.78
I still and God...
00:29:43.85\00:29:45.38
That's why I love the Sabbath
00:29:45.41\00:29:47.32
because every time
the Sabbath rolls in,
00:29:47.35\00:29:49.62
if I get into
that mode of operation
00:29:49.65\00:29:52.62
any time during the day,
what is Exodus 31:13 say,
00:29:52.65\00:29:56.39
"The Sabbath is a
sign that God is the one
00:29:56.42\00:30:00.40
who is sanctifying us."
00:30:00.43\00:30:01.73
So I can come to God and just,
00:30:01.76\00:30:04.53
"Oh, Lord, thank
you for reminding me.
00:30:04.57\00:30:06.57
I am fully dependent upon you
00:30:06.60\00:30:08.50
and anything that is other
than full dependence is pride,"
00:30:08.54\00:30:11.04
you know.
00:30:11.07\00:30:12.41
So, all right, it
says, by His grace,
00:30:12.44\00:30:16.08
you know, God has
plenty against us,
00:30:16.11\00:30:19.05
He's got plenty of
evidence to justly banish us
00:30:19.08\00:30:22.02
from His holy presence.
00:30:22.05\00:30:24.25
Mercy is not
getting what we do deserve.
00:30:24.29\00:30:29.82
Grace is getting
what we don't deserve.
00:30:29.86\00:30:34.36
So without Christ, we
were helpless defendants
00:30:34.40\00:30:37.90
but we were all
guilty and through Christ,
00:30:37.93\00:30:42.54
we now have been made righteous
when we embrace Christ.
00:30:42.57\00:30:47.24
God declares us to be
in right standing with Him,
00:30:47.31\00:30:53.15
right being but also as you said
00:30:53.18\00:30:55.92
we'll get to the right doing,
isn't that sanctification?
00:30:55.95\00:30:59.45
By the way, we can't
have merit and grace.
00:30:59.49\00:31:02.32
When he's saying
we're justified freely,
00:31:02.36\00:31:04.66
there's nothing
we can do to earn it
00:31:04.69\00:31:06.29
because if we
deserved it, it would be wages,
00:31:06.33\00:31:09.90
it would be a debt,
we'd be getting paid for it.
00:31:09.93\00:31:12.47
And it just
makes me think of John
00:31:12.50\00:31:16.17
when he wrote "Amazing
Grace, how sweet the sound."
00:31:16.20\00:31:20.14
Yes.
00:31:20.18\00:31:21.51
All right, the last
part of that scripture
00:31:21.54\00:31:23.71
is through the
redemption that is in Christ,
00:31:23.75\00:31:27.82
"Being justified
freely by His grace
00:31:27.85\00:31:30.35
through the
redemption that is in Christ."
00:31:30.39\00:31:34.29
Redemption is a
slave market term.
00:31:34.32\00:31:38.86
Redemption meant to be...
00:31:38.89\00:31:41.83
When somebody was,
00:31:41.86\00:31:43.20
their freedom was
purchased for a ransom price.
00:31:43.23\00:31:46.57
Historians believe
that half the population
00:31:46.60\00:31:50.04
of the first century
Rome were slaves, half.
00:31:50.07\00:31:55.08
Now the Jews had been enslaved
as well, had they not in Egypt?
00:31:55.11\00:31:58.95
So the gentiles,
half of them are slaves,
00:31:58.98\00:32:02.18
they understood
this word redemption.
00:32:02.22\00:32:04.62
The Jews had been enslaved.
00:32:04.65\00:32:07.09
They understood
this word redemption.
00:32:07.16\00:32:10.03
But you know
00:32:10.06\00:32:11.39
Jesus says in John 8:34,
00:32:11.43\00:32:17.33
"Whoever commits
sin is a slave of sin."
00:32:17.37\00:32:22.14
We are all sinners,
00:32:22.17\00:32:24.97
we are all slaves
held without Christ,
00:32:25.01\00:32:28.71
held in the bondage of sin.
00:32:28.74\00:32:31.05
So He came to pay
that redemption price
00:32:31.08\00:32:34.65
and to deliver us by the ransom.
00:32:34.68\00:32:38.39
I want to read and by the
way, let me say this to you,
00:32:38.42\00:32:42.62
the Lord once
told me many years ago
00:32:42.66\00:32:44.79
when I was first starting
00:32:44.83\00:32:46.43
that I should repeat
this often to audiences
00:32:46.46\00:32:50.30
is that you are worth
nothing less than the price
00:32:50.33\00:32:53.57
that Jesus Christ paid for
you with His own life blood.
00:32:53.60\00:32:58.17
So real quickly, something
that grabbed my attention
00:32:58.21\00:33:02.48
in the Sabbath School
lesson, this is a quote,
00:33:02.51\00:33:06.01
"Justification is presented
in Romans as a punctilio act."
00:33:06.05\00:33:09.52
That is it happens
at a point in time.
00:33:09.55\00:33:11.99
"One moment the
sinners are outside,
00:33:12.02\00:33:13.46
unrighteous,
00:33:13.49\00:33:14.86
unaccepted the next
moment following justification
00:33:14.89\00:33:17.53
the person's inside
accepted in righteous.
00:33:17.56\00:33:20.00
The person who's in Christ
Jesus looks upon justification
00:33:20.03\00:33:23.43
as a past act,
one that took place
00:33:23.47\00:33:26.17
when he or she surrendered
00:33:26.20\00:33:28.74
himself or
herself fully to Christ
00:33:28.77\00:33:31.47
being justified" Romans 5:1
00:33:31.51\00:33:33.78
"is literally
having been justified.
00:33:33.84\00:33:35.94
But of course, if the justified
sinner should fall away
00:33:35.98\00:33:39.55
and then return to Christ,
justification will occur again.
00:33:39.58\00:33:43.28
Also if re-conversion is
considered a daily experience,
00:33:43.35\00:33:47.02
there is a sense
00:33:47.06\00:33:48.39
in which justification
might be considered
00:33:48.42\00:33:50.93
a repeating experience."
00:33:50.96\00:33:54.76
Okay.
00:33:54.83\00:33:56.46
You know, I pick up
on the same scriptures
00:33:56.50\00:33:58.50
that you had in, Shelley,
00:33:58.53\00:33:59.87
that was
presented so beautifully.
00:33:59.90\00:34:01.54
I love it when I am
tacking on to something
00:34:01.57\00:34:04.31
that just laid the foundation
for me, thank you so much.
00:34:04.34\00:34:07.91
Wednesday, we look at
the righteousness of Christ.
00:34:07.94\00:34:10.75
Amen.
00:34:10.78\00:34:12.11
And Romans 3:24, 25
picking up where Shelley was.
00:34:12.15\00:34:18.22
"Being justified
freely by His grace
00:34:18.25\00:34:20.56
through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus,"
00:34:20.59\00:34:22.76
which you
covered so beautifully.
00:34:22.79\00:34:24.76
Now here in verse 25 Paul
goes on in further expanse
00:34:24.79\00:34:30.63
on the great news of salvation.
00:34:30.67\00:34:33.50
He says, "Whom God set forth
as a propitiation by His blood,
00:34:33.54\00:34:39.64
through faith, to
demonstrate His righteousness
00:34:39.67\00:34:44.01
because in His forbearance,
00:34:44.05\00:34:46.35
God had passed over the sins
00:34:46.38\00:34:51.59
that were previously committed."
00:34:51.62\00:34:54.66
Now Paul reminds me of CA Murray
00:34:54.69\00:34:58.26
or maybe CA Murray
reminds me of Paul.
00:34:58.29\00:35:03.00
He knows really big words
00:35:03.03\00:35:06.37
and how to use them
correctly in sentences
00:35:06.40\00:35:09.57
which words I must go to
the dictionary and look up.
00:35:09.60\00:35:12.81
I read a book recently
along with the dictionary.
00:35:12.84\00:35:16.11
It was very educational.
It's a wonderful book.
00:35:16.14\00:35:19.25
Fancy words like propitiation,
now what is propitiation?
00:35:19.28\00:35:23.69
Remember I looked it up,
00:35:23.72\00:35:25.35
"Atonement especially
that of Jesus Christ."
00:35:25.39\00:35:29.42
You see humanity
00:35:29.46\00:35:33.33
was estranged from God,
00:35:33.40\00:35:37.43
separated from God.
00:35:37.47\00:35:40.20
Humanity, we were
fallen and we couldn't get up.
00:35:40.24\00:35:44.94
Yes.
00:35:44.97\00:35:46.84
We had no hope. Yeah.
00:35:46.88\00:35:50.81
Then here comes Jesus. Amen.
00:35:50.85\00:35:53.62
Thank God for the
plan that was laid
00:35:53.68\00:35:57.62
even before the
foundation of this earth.
00:35:57.65\00:35:59.65
Amen.
00:35:59.69\00:36:02.46
By His blood, He atones for us.
00:36:02.49\00:36:06.83
This is what He did, that
word, He propitiated for us,
00:36:06.86\00:36:12.67
He reconciled us back to God.
00:36:12.70\00:36:16.20
Now I'm looking at the
righteousness of Christ,
00:36:16.24\00:36:19.54
only a righteous
one could heal that gap
00:36:19.57\00:36:24.78
between fallen
mankind and a Holy God.
00:36:24.81\00:36:28.75
Amen.
00:36:28.78\00:36:30.12
Only the blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:36:30.19\00:36:32.59
By His blood, He propitiates,
00:36:32.62\00:36:36.26
brings us back into a
right relationship with God.
00:36:36.29\00:36:39.56
He picks us up, He
picked humanity up,
00:36:39.59\00:36:44.47
He made that plan available
00:36:44.50\00:36:46.70
but each one of us
own an individual bases,
00:36:46.74\00:36:50.31
He reached out His hand,
00:36:50.37\00:36:52.51
He picked us up
from our fallen state.
00:36:52.54\00:36:56.04
He cleans us up
and He stands us up.
00:36:56.08\00:36:59.88
Amen.
00:36:59.91\00:37:01.32
And he goes one step further.
00:37:01.35\00:37:02.95
Kenny, we've got
a hope? Praise God.
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.19
He gives us hope.
00:37:05.22\00:37:06.55
He stands us up
and He gives us hope,
00:37:06.59\00:37:09.06
that would be Jeremiah 29:11,
00:37:09.09\00:37:11.59
another one of those scriptures
00:37:11.63\00:37:13.09
we're so quick to
say, I love this scripture.
00:37:13.13\00:37:16.00
One of my favorites.
One of my favorites."
00:37:16.03\00:37:18.23
For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you,
00:37:18.27\00:37:21.34
says the Lord, thoughts of peace
00:37:21.37\00:37:24.51
and not of evil to give
you a future and a hope."
00:37:24.54\00:37:29.41
Oh, when you are down,
00:37:29.44\00:37:31.38
when you're
feeling separated from God,
00:37:31.41\00:37:34.02
when you feel, "I've
fallen and I can't get up
00:37:34.05\00:37:36.38
and there's no hope."
00:37:36.42\00:37:37.75
Oh, thank God, He
says through His blood
00:37:37.79\00:37:41.59
you've got a future and a hope.
00:37:41.62\00:37:43.43
You just take that
hand, He'll pick you up.
00:37:43.46\00:37:47.00
The Greek word for propitiation
00:37:47.03\00:37:50.53
is say it for me, hilasterion.
00:37:50.57\00:37:56.04
Probably came close
and probably CA knows
00:37:56.07\00:37:58.51
how to use it in a sentence.
00:37:58.54\00:38:02.04
Hilasterion,
it's also translated
00:38:02.08\00:38:05.45
and this is
beautiful, mercy seat.
00:38:05.48\00:38:07.18
That's right. Yes.
00:38:07.25\00:38:08.58
It's used here in Romans 3:25
00:38:08.62\00:38:11.92
where Paul says literally
that God presented Christ
00:38:11.95\00:38:17.26
as a propitiation or mercy seat.
00:38:17.29\00:38:22.73
The word mercy
seat is the same root
00:38:22.76\00:38:25.37
for the word atonement.
00:38:25.40\00:38:27.77
It means to cover, to cancel,
00:38:27.80\00:38:32.54
to appease or to cleanse.
00:38:32.57\00:38:35.08
Amen.
00:38:35.11\00:38:36.51
The mercy seat
didn't derive its worth
00:38:36.54\00:38:40.22
for its purity or of gold
00:38:40.25\00:38:43.82
but from the fact
that it was a place
00:38:43.89\00:38:46.05
where the blood of sacrifice
00:38:46.09\00:38:48.46
was sprinkled in
the presence of God.
00:38:48.49\00:38:51.23
Now that's why it was
called the mercy seat.
00:38:51.26\00:38:55.06
Now I'm going to ask you this.
00:38:55.10\00:38:58.37
And we're going to
look at that scripture.
00:38:58.40\00:39:01.07
I've got the scripture.
00:39:01.10\00:39:03.74
And that would be Hebrews 9:12
00:39:03.77\00:39:05.51
and we'll look at
that in just a minute.
00:39:05.54\00:39:07.54
But what, see, in
the sanctuary service,
00:39:07.61\00:39:13.21
the priest took that
blood of the sacrificial lamb
00:39:13.25\00:39:18.09
and they sprinkled
it on the mercy seat.
00:39:18.12\00:39:20.89
And I think I'm getting
way ahead of the teaching
00:39:20.92\00:39:22.89
but that was only
good for that one time.
00:39:22.92\00:39:26.59
But we have this high
priest who made propitiation,
00:39:26.63\00:39:31.70
mercy seat.
00:39:31.73\00:39:33.37
What happened to His blood?
00:39:33.44\00:39:35.64
What happened to the
Lord Jesus Christ's blood
00:39:35.67\00:39:37.61
He says, He Himself.
00:39:37.64\00:39:39.07
And we'll look
that in scripture,
00:39:39.11\00:39:40.58
took that blood up
into the heavenly sanctuary,
00:39:40.61\00:39:44.31
you know, that
earthly sanctuary was just,
00:39:44.35\00:39:47.35
it was a typo or a
pattern of the real thing,
00:39:47.42\00:39:50.49
you know, there
is really a sanctuary
00:39:50.52\00:39:52.55
in the heaven at least.
00:39:52.59\00:39:53.96
And he spread
His blood now there.
00:39:53.99\00:39:55.96
And now when God looks at you,
00:39:55.99\00:39:59.43
He looks at you
through the mercy seat.
00:39:59.46\00:40:01.00
Praise God.
00:40:01.03\00:40:02.36
He looks at us
through the mercy seat.
00:40:02.40\00:40:03.73
You know, there's
a scripture that says
00:40:03.77\00:40:05.80
that the blood of
Jesus speaks better things
00:40:05.83\00:40:09.54
than the blood of Abel.
00:40:09.57\00:40:11.31
What did Abel's blood
cry up from the ground?
00:40:11.34\00:40:13.78
Wasn't it justice? Justice.
00:40:13.84\00:40:15.38
Justice.
00:40:15.41\00:40:16.75
What does Jesus' blood cry out?
00:40:16.81\00:40:18.61
Mercy. Mercy.
00:40:18.65\00:40:20.18
Thank God. We don't get justice.
00:40:20.22\00:40:22.65
Thank God.
00:40:22.68\00:40:24.99
Oh, but God looks at us.
00:40:25.02\00:40:27.56
And, you know, when
we make Jesus Christ
00:40:27.62\00:40:29.99
the Lord of our lives,
00:40:30.03\00:40:31.36
when that blood has
been applied to our lives,
00:40:31.39\00:40:34.36
God looks at us, he says,
though we had never sinned.
00:40:34.36\00:40:38.23
He sees us clean and pure. Amen.
00:40:38.27\00:40:41.04
In the Old
Testament sanctuary service,
00:40:41.07\00:40:43.94
the high priest would
enter into the holy of holies
00:40:43.97\00:40:46.94
once a year
00:40:47.01\00:40:48.34
and sprinkle the blood of goats
in calves on the mercy seat.
00:40:48.38\00:40:52.28
That's Leviticus 16:14-15,
00:40:52.31\00:40:55.75
"Thereby
appeasing the wrath of God
00:40:55.78\00:40:59.12
for that one year."
00:40:59.15\00:41:00.86
Redemption for a year.
00:41:00.89\00:41:03.53
They had to do
it again next year.
00:41:03.56\00:41:06.19
Do you recall what
Christ did with his blood?
00:41:06.23\00:41:09.06
Now I've got
you in Hebrews 9:12.
00:41:09.10\00:41:11.87
Let's look at that,
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.64
"Not with the blood
of goats and calves,"
00:41:13.70\00:41:18.14
but with what?
00:41:18.17\00:41:19.61
"With His own blood,
00:41:19.64\00:41:22.24
He entered the Most Holy Place
00:41:22.28\00:41:25.11
once for all having obtained,"
00:41:25.15\00:41:30.65
what's that word?
00:41:30.69\00:41:32.39
"Eternal redemption."
00:41:32.42\00:41:34.86
We make Jesus Christ
the Lord of our lives
00:41:34.89\00:41:37.86
then that blood, it
doesn't lose its power,
00:41:37.89\00:41:41.83
the blood will
never lose its power,
00:41:41.86\00:41:44.00
that blood that was
applied to and to the doorpost
00:41:44.03\00:41:47.70
and the lentils of your heart,
00:41:47.74\00:41:49.44
it's never going to weaken.
00:41:49.47\00:41:51.04
That blood is always there
giving you a future and a hope.
00:41:51.07\00:41:55.31
That is the
righteousness of Christ
00:41:55.34\00:41:58.68
being applied to your life
00:41:58.71\00:42:02.28
because of His
holy righteous blood,
00:42:02.32\00:42:04.82
He doesn't have to
do it again next year,
00:42:04.85\00:42:07.82
through His blood, it
is once and once for all.
00:42:07.86\00:42:11.33
Amen.
00:42:11.36\00:42:12.69
We can do nothing of ourselves
to obtain eternal redemption,
00:42:12.73\00:42:17.63
whereby our sins are cancelled.
00:42:17.67\00:42:20.84
But in the plan of redemption,
00:42:20.90\00:42:22.97
God has provided a
way for all of our sins
00:42:23.00\00:42:27.08
to be cancelled,
remitted, propitiated, covered,
00:42:27.14\00:42:32.45
appeased, cleansed,
and atone for once for all.
00:42:32.48\00:42:38.45
And that's only through faith
00:42:38.49\00:42:40.99
in the righteous blood
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:42:41.02\00:42:43.83
Now II Corinthians 5:17,
you don't have to turn to it
00:42:43.89\00:42:47.76
but let me read it for you.
00:42:47.83\00:42:49.33
"For He made Him who
knew no sin to be sin for us,
00:42:49.36\00:42:55.50
that we might
become," what's that word?
00:42:55.54\00:42:58.17
The righteousness of God in Him.
00:42:58.21\00:42:59.54
"The
righteousness of God in Him."
00:42:59.57\00:43:00.98
See the righteousness of
Christ has been applied to us.
00:43:01.01\00:43:04.71
It says here that through Him
00:43:04.75\00:43:08.08
we become the
righteousness of God in Christ.
00:43:08.12\00:43:11.12
And I'm going to
read a quote here
00:43:11.15\00:43:13.86
out of the Desire of Ages.
00:43:13.89\00:43:16.06
But let me just
quote for you, 1 John 1:9,
00:43:16.09\00:43:19.93
"If we confess our sins,
00:43:20.00\00:43:21.83
He's faithful and just
to forgive us of our sins
00:43:21.86\00:43:25.37
and to cleanse us."
00:43:25.40\00:43:27.10
From how much
unrighteousness? All.
00:43:27.14\00:43:29.04
If you are cleansed
from all unrighteousness,
00:43:29.07\00:43:32.51
honey, that makes you righteous.
00:43:32.54\00:43:35.14
Not of your own merit
00:43:35.18\00:43:36.81
but the merit of
that blood that was shed.
00:43:36.85\00:43:39.81
That propitiated for you,
00:43:39.85\00:43:41.45
that reached down
and picked you up.
00:43:41.48\00:43:43.22
Let me read this
quote, Kenny, and it says,
00:43:43.25\00:43:45.69
"Christ was
treated as we deserve
00:43:45.72\00:43:48.02
that we might be
treated as He deserves.
00:43:48.06\00:43:51.19
He was condemned for our
sins, in which He had no share,
00:43:51.23\00:43:54.96
that we might be
justified by His righteousness,
00:43:55.00\00:43:58.63
in which we had no share.
00:43:58.67\00:44:00.67
He suffered the
death which was ours,
00:44:00.74\00:44:03.61
that we might receive
the life which was His.
00:44:03.64\00:44:06.44
'With His
stripes we're healed.'"
00:44:06.47\00:44:07.88
Amen. Kenny.
00:44:07.91\00:44:09.38
Oh, beautifully said.
00:44:09.41\00:44:10.75
That gives me the
spiritual goosebumps.
00:44:10.78\00:44:12.21
Praise God.
00:44:12.25\00:44:13.62
You know, think about
the what was in our behalf,
00:44:13.65\00:44:15.85
what He did for us,
thankful for that justification
00:44:15.88\00:44:19.12
and, of course, certainly
the walk of sanctification.
00:44:19.15\00:44:21.36
Praise God for that.
00:44:21.39\00:44:22.72
On Thursday's lesson,
Without the Deeds of the Law.
00:44:22.76\00:44:25.16
So well, you know this
is even though we covered
00:44:25.19\00:44:28.00
some of these same
things it's good for us,
00:44:28.03\00:44:30.23
I feel to go over many times
00:44:30.27\00:44:32.67
because the more that I
hear it the more somehow,
00:44:32.70\00:44:35.54
praise God, it
sticks in my mind,
00:44:35.57\00:44:36.91
I have to hear it
quite a few times.
00:44:36.97\00:44:39.37
And so it's just good
that we go over these things
00:44:39.41\00:44:41.98
because, you know, people,
00:44:42.01\00:44:43.35
I found out they
tune in at different times
00:44:43.41\00:44:45.51
and some miss this
and they pick up on that.
00:44:45.55\00:44:48.02
So it's good that we go over.
00:44:48.05\00:44:49.42
And so our text
in Thursday's lesson
00:44:49.45\00:44:52.15
is Romans 3:28.
00:44:52.19\00:44:54.59
As the Bible says, "Therefore
we conclude that a man is,"
00:44:54.62\00:44:57.63
I love the word,
"Justified by faith
00:44:57.66\00:45:00.63
without the deeds of the law."
00:45:00.66\00:45:03.77
I thought how
interesting that is.
00:45:03.80\00:45:05.33
It's what all has
been said here today
00:45:05.37\00:45:07.27
makes it very plain
as far as I'm concerned,
00:45:07.34\00:45:09.67
others still may want it
00:45:09.70\00:45:11.04
because they
want to be justified
00:45:11.07\00:45:12.74
but yet they want no obedience,
00:45:12.77\00:45:14.71
don't have to worry about
being obedient to anything.
00:45:14.74\00:45:16.78
But, you know, as I read
the Bible the Book of Isaiah
00:45:16.85\00:45:18.68
I think it's 41.
00:45:18.71\00:45:20.55
Isaiah 1:19, it talks about
00:45:20.62\00:45:22.68
if there are first
be, be willing obedient,
00:45:22.72\00:45:26.09
we have to be willing.
00:45:26.12\00:45:27.46
If that we're
willing and obedient,
00:45:27.49\00:45:28.82
we show yield of
the good of the land,
00:45:28.86\00:45:31.43
if we are
obedient, if we're willing.
00:45:31.46\00:45:33.50
So here in my mind as God says,
00:45:33.53\00:45:35.70
"I'm looking for
people who are willing."
00:45:35.73\00:45:38.37
Willing to be what?
00:45:38.40\00:45:39.73
To be obedient to what
He has said in His Word.
00:45:39.77\00:45:43.77
I'd like that but
there's something else
00:45:43.81\00:45:46.54
I thought is interesting,
00:45:46.57\00:45:47.91
there's some
questions down here.
00:45:47.94\00:45:49.28
I want to cover three or
four different areas here.
00:45:49.31\00:45:51.58
You can jot them down
as quickly as possible.
00:45:51.61\00:45:54.12
If I ask you around the
table is God particular?
00:45:54.18\00:45:57.25
Yes. What would we say?
00:45:57.29\00:45:58.99
I thought people
say, "Well, no, He's not
00:45:59.02\00:46:00.42
because of His
mercy, because of His grace,
00:46:00.49\00:46:02.56
because of His long suffering,
He's not really that particular
00:46:02.59\00:46:05.13
but, you know, as I
read the word of God,
00:46:05.16\00:46:08.10
yes, He is particular,"
00:46:08.13\00:46:09.46
because we read
that in James like 2:10.
00:46:09.50\00:46:11.43
He said if you
offend in one point
00:46:11.47\00:46:14.07
then you're guilty of all here
00:46:14.14\00:46:16.71
because we're talking
about the man justified by faith
00:46:16.74\00:46:19.54
without the deeds of the law.
00:46:19.57\00:46:21.58
And so we look at that passage
00:46:21.61\00:46:23.45
and then the
Romans 3:20, we read that.
00:46:23.48\00:46:26.15
What is the law?
00:46:26.18\00:46:27.52
How do we know what the law is?
00:46:27.55\00:46:29.05
What does the
law do, the purpose?
00:46:29.08\00:46:31.39
The knowledge of sin.
00:46:31.42\00:46:32.75
It tells us what
sin is, it gives us...
00:46:32.79\00:46:34.72
you know, so we
can know understand it.
00:46:34.76\00:46:37.03
Like Pastor CA said, if
we're on this side of it,
00:46:37.06\00:46:38.83
if we're on that side of it,
00:46:38.86\00:46:40.23
it can bring us
back to the center
00:46:40.30\00:46:42.00
which we should do.
00:46:42.03\00:46:43.97
In Romans 3:21,
00:46:44.03\00:46:45.67
what relationship,
I asked this question,
00:46:45.70\00:46:47.64
what relationship
does the law sustain
00:46:47.67\00:46:50.37
to righteousness?
00:46:50.41\00:46:52.14
Think about what
relation does the law sustain
00:46:52.17\00:46:55.18
to righteousness.
00:46:55.21\00:46:56.54
Well, in Romans
3:21, we read that,
00:46:56.58\00:46:58.35
there were different times here.
00:46:58.38\00:47:00.38
And we could read it again.
00:47:00.45\00:47:01.78
But do you realize
there what does the law do?
00:47:01.82\00:47:04.22
The law points out
what sin is. That's right.
00:47:04.25\00:47:06.09
We have the
righteous of who Jesus Christ.
00:47:06.12\00:47:08.39
He offers that to us freely
00:47:08.42\00:47:11.16
and I'm so thankful
and grateful for that.
00:47:11.19\00:47:13.53
Does faith... I
have another question.
00:47:13.56\00:47:14.96
Does faith which brings
righteousness abolish the law?
00:47:15.00\00:47:19.20
A lot of people say it does.
00:47:19.23\00:47:20.84
You know, what
does that do here.
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.51
Romans 3:31 talks about
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.77
do we make void
the law through what?
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.78
Faith.
00:47:27.81\00:47:29.14
God forbid we establish the laws
00:47:29.18\00:47:31.11
of those who are
living on the faith as you.
00:47:31.15\00:47:33.28
"Well, I live by faith now,
00:47:33.31\00:47:34.65
I'm living in
New Testament times,
00:47:34.68\00:47:36.02
I'm living in..."
00:47:36.05\00:47:37.39
Do we make void
the law through faith?
00:47:37.42\00:47:38.75
No, God forbid we
simply establish the law.
00:47:38.79\00:47:41.52
Faith is an obedient faith.
00:47:41.56\00:47:43.36
That was Abraham
had an obedient faith.
00:47:43.43\00:47:45.79
Absolutely he
did, absolutely he did.
00:47:45.83\00:47:47.83
And God requires that of
each and every one of us.
00:47:47.86\00:47:50.97
Sometimes we
want to throw it aside
00:47:51.00\00:47:52.37
and push it
aside and cover it up
00:47:52.40\00:47:54.24
but we realize that
this is part of our test
00:47:54.27\00:47:56.81
that we have is
God's challenging us.
00:47:56.87\00:47:59.24
I like to put it
that way. Testing me.
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.84
Well, I'll be
obedient to what he says
00:48:01.88\00:48:03.41
or obedient to
what I might want to say
00:48:03.48\00:48:06.41
or to do in my life.
00:48:06.45\00:48:08.42
The law written in
the heart, what is that?
00:48:08.45\00:48:10.95
You know, it's what God says.
00:48:11.02\00:48:12.35
If we're looking at the deeds
and we're looking at the law,
00:48:12.39\00:48:14.92
we're looking at
works, we're looking at grace,
00:48:14.96\00:48:16.76
we're looking at justification,
00:48:16.79\00:48:18.13
and even going
on sanctification,
00:48:18.16\00:48:20.56
if we look at
this way right here,
00:48:20.63\00:48:22.36
the new covenant is what?
00:48:22.40\00:48:24.20
In Hebrews 8:10, He's
going to write the law where?
00:48:24.27\00:48:26.74
In our hearts.
00:48:26.77\00:48:28.10
In our hearts and in our mind.
00:48:28.14\00:48:30.21
And really when you
read the Spirit of Prophecy
00:48:30.24\00:48:32.04
and you read the
Bible, this is called genuine,
00:48:32.07\00:48:36.44
genuine, you get the word?
00:48:36.48\00:48:38.58
Righteousness by
faith. This is genuine.
00:48:38.61\00:48:41.22
Righteousness by faith
when the law was written where?
00:48:41.25\00:48:44.32
In the heart and in the mind.
00:48:44.35\00:48:47.56
Righteous by faith,
justification by faith.
00:48:47.59\00:48:50.99
And I thought
that was interesting,
00:48:51.03\00:48:52.63
somebody mentioned
Abraham I think here.
00:48:52.66\00:48:54.36
What a good illustration
Abraham was counted for him,
00:48:54.36\00:48:57.33
he believed God,
00:48:57.37\00:48:58.87
and that's what we are required
to do is to simply believe God.
00:48:58.90\00:49:03.00
Justification, several
things that certainly mean
00:49:03.04\00:49:05.91
and been brought out well here.
00:49:05.94\00:49:07.31
Justification to
me simply is pardon.
00:49:07.34\00:49:10.91
I like that, I'm guilty of sin.
00:49:10.98\00:49:12.98
I need pardon.
00:49:13.01\00:49:15.05
You see, that's where...
00:49:15.08\00:49:16.42
To me, that's what we
should is come to Him and say,
00:49:16.45\00:49:18.49
"God, I'm guilty.
00:49:18.52\00:49:20.42
You know, I fell
short of the glory of God
00:49:20.49\00:49:23.56
and I need to be pardoned."
00:49:23.59\00:49:24.93
So that's pardoned.
00:49:24.96\00:49:26.29
And then you talk
about justification is a...
00:49:26.33\00:49:29.10
You talk about...
00:49:29.13\00:49:30.47
It's received by faith,
00:49:30.50\00:49:31.93
the only way that I can
receive it is by faith in Him.
00:49:31.97\00:49:35.87
Somebody said, "Well, you know,
I just repent and I go on."
00:49:35.90\00:49:38.14
Repentance is a
step in justification
00:49:38.17\00:49:41.34
but it's a step,
00:49:41.38\00:49:42.71
it's a process that we
must follow and go through.
00:49:42.74\00:49:46.28
Somebody said,
"Well, I've justified,
00:49:46.31\00:49:47.72
one time I gave my life..."
00:49:47.75\00:49:49.38
To remain justified,
00:49:49.42\00:49:50.79
we have to remain
obedient to God's commandments,
00:49:50.82\00:49:54.46
to remain in that
justification walk with him.
00:49:54.49\00:49:58.06
I think that makes sense to
us, we have to remain obedient.
00:49:58.09\00:50:02.30
It tells us that, you know,
00:50:02.33\00:50:04.37
the man cannot
accomplish it for himself,
00:50:04.40\00:50:06.53
it's been brought
out here wonderfully,
00:50:06.57\00:50:08.04
praise God for that.
00:50:08.07\00:50:09.40
Christ obedience is placed,
00:50:09.44\00:50:11.44
you know, in my
stead or I failed
00:50:11.47\00:50:13.74
and I'm thankful for that.
00:50:13.78\00:50:15.61
Somebody mentioned,
00:50:15.64\00:50:17.01
I don't know
who are on the panel
00:50:17.05\00:50:18.38
mentioned at those...
00:50:18.41\00:50:19.75
We need to talk more about
this righteousness by faith,
00:50:19.78\00:50:22.28
justification by faith.
00:50:22.32\00:50:24.15
It's very interesting,
Ellen White makes a quote,
00:50:24.19\00:50:25.99
it says that, we should,
00:50:26.02\00:50:27.99
we should bring
this to the people
00:50:28.02\00:50:29.69
a lot more often than we do.
00:50:29.72\00:50:31.83
And one of the reasons we must,
00:50:31.86\00:50:33.56
I think bring it
to the people more
00:50:33.60\00:50:36.23
is because that is
one of the messages
00:50:36.26\00:50:38.23
that this movement
had problems with in 1888.
00:50:38.27\00:50:42.80
You know, we can
say what we want,
00:50:42.84\00:50:44.37
we can justify and we
can say it's all accepted,
00:50:44.41\00:50:46.91
it's all
wonderful and it's all good.
00:50:46.94\00:50:48.94
But the message of
righteousness by faith
00:50:48.98\00:50:50.88
was rejected in 1888.
00:50:50.91\00:50:54.05
There's many, many
books you can look at.
00:50:54.08\00:50:55.85
It doesn't make us proud,
00:50:55.88\00:50:57.22
it doesn't make us
go wow, what would...
00:50:57.25\00:50:58.59
It means why.
00:50:58.62\00:51:00.06
When we fail, at
least in my life,
00:51:00.09\00:51:02.36
when I failed, God and His grace
00:51:02.39\00:51:04.66
and His mercy brings me
back to that same place again
00:51:04.69\00:51:09.20
and He allows me giving
that second opportunity.
00:51:09.23\00:51:12.00
To again, if I fail again,
00:51:12.03\00:51:14.10
by His grace and I
still want to do what is right
00:51:14.14\00:51:17.21
and I'm still
asking Him to help me
00:51:17.27\00:51:18.61
but you know the old flesh is...
00:51:18.64\00:51:20.08
He brings me back
to that hurdle again.
00:51:20.14\00:51:22.74
Until by God's grace, He
gives that strength to go on.
00:51:22.78\00:51:25.71
So if we fail in something
00:51:25.75\00:51:28.05
then we need to
make it right, you know.
00:51:28.08\00:51:30.55
But please finish the thought
that although it was rejected
00:51:30.59\00:51:34.32
initially it was
then adopted fully.
00:51:34.36\00:51:37.86
It was adopted fully
in a sense like you say
00:51:37.89\00:51:40.36
if you go back
you read a book 1888,
00:51:40.40\00:51:43.16
you know, revise,
00:51:43.20\00:51:45.07
you go back over
the whole thing again.
00:51:45.10\00:51:46.97
There's many, many quotes
00:51:47.00\00:51:48.34
you can bring to
the aspect of it.
00:51:48.37\00:51:49.70
And that's not just debate,
00:51:49.74\00:51:51.07
that's just is
we've looked at it
00:51:51.11\00:51:52.81
and we've kind
of want to curb down
00:51:52.84\00:51:55.08
just a little bit here.
00:51:55.11\00:51:56.44
So we watered it
down a little bit and say,
00:51:56.48\00:51:57.88
"Hey, we accept."
00:51:57.91\00:51:59.95
If we had accepted...
00:52:00.05\00:52:01.38
Let me pose a question.
00:52:01.42\00:52:02.75
If we had accepted
righteousness by faith
00:52:02.78\00:52:04.29
the way that we should have,
would we still be here today?
00:52:04.32\00:52:07.56
I know it's a question,
it's a big one, it's powerful.
00:52:07.59\00:52:09.49
Would we or would we not?
00:52:09.52\00:52:11.76
Possibly not. Possibly not.
00:52:11.79\00:52:13.26
Possibly not if
we had accepted it,
00:52:13.29\00:52:15.33
righteousness by faith
00:52:15.36\00:52:16.73
because righteousness by faith
as we look at and we've said,
00:52:16.77\00:52:18.80
you know, a lot
different things here.
00:52:18.83\00:52:20.44
Righteousness by faith
00:52:20.50\00:52:22.04
is the third
angel's message in verity.
00:52:22.07\00:52:25.84
Is it not?
00:52:25.87\00:52:27.24
It is in verity, that
means it is a principle,
00:52:27.28\00:52:29.88
doesn't mean
that's what it all is
00:52:29.91\00:52:31.65
but it's a principle,
very important principle,
00:52:31.68\00:52:34.68
of the third angel's message.
00:52:34.72\00:52:36.38
So we should be giving...
00:52:36.42\00:52:37.82
My opinion, we should be
giving that message to the world
00:52:37.85\00:52:41.22
which is what we're doing today.
00:52:41.26\00:52:42.86
Righteousness of Jesus
Christ, not about law keeping.
00:52:42.89\00:52:47.36
You know,
certainly being obedient
00:52:47.40\00:52:48.86
but we have to be very careful
00:52:48.90\00:52:50.30
because this is the
third angel's message,
00:52:50.33\00:52:52.13
justification by faith.
00:52:52.17\00:52:53.87
Message should go far and near.
00:52:53.90\00:52:57.27
And I'm so
thankful that we're willing
00:52:57.34\00:52:59.17
as the church to look at it.
00:52:59.21\00:53:00.81
And there's
nothing wrong with saying,
00:53:00.88\00:53:02.21
"Oh, we might
have made a mistake
00:53:02.24\00:53:03.58
or maybe we didn't see
it at that point of time."
00:53:03.61\00:53:04.95
I've done that on many things.
00:53:04.98\00:53:06.35
But then we come back
and say, "You know what,
00:53:06.38\00:53:08.45
we need to re-examine this
00:53:08.48\00:53:09.82
and look at it
again by God's grace.
00:53:09.85\00:53:12.29
We're going to
pick this thing up,"
00:53:12.32\00:53:14.29
because we want the
blessings of God, right?
00:53:14.32\00:53:17.03
We want that and that's
why resenting it here today
00:53:17.06\00:53:19.46
and you've done so
well in presenting it.
00:53:19.49\00:53:21.40
That justified it's
nothing to do with us.
00:53:21.43\00:53:25.70
It's all about him just
making that commitment to Him,
00:53:25.73\00:53:29.20
totally unworthy and
how wonderful that is,
00:53:29.24\00:53:32.04
you know, as a Christian,
to say we may have slighted,
00:53:32.07\00:53:35.14
we may have went
different direction,
00:53:35.18\00:53:36.91
but God is calling us back
00:53:36.95\00:53:38.55
to give it one more
time in combination,
00:53:38.58\00:53:41.32
you know, with the
third angel's message.
00:53:41.35\00:53:43.45
And so let's give that
message like we're doing here
00:53:43.49\00:53:45.92
and bringing people to
that point that no matter
00:53:45.95\00:53:48.32
where they're at,
what they've done,
00:53:48.36\00:53:50.13
how many times they've done it,
00:53:50.19\00:53:52.36
God is good, He's
gracious and He's kind.
00:53:52.39\00:53:55.16
So, you know, I look
forward to these lessons
00:53:55.20\00:53:57.63
and as we go through them
00:53:57.67\00:53:59.20
and more will be said
on this as we move forward.
00:53:59.23\00:54:02.64
Amen. Thank you all
so much. What a blessing.
00:54:02.67\00:54:05.21
To me, the principal
of justification by faith
00:54:05.24\00:54:09.31
is so powerful
00:54:09.34\00:54:10.68
because we all
are in need of grace,
00:54:10.75\00:54:12.45
we're all in need
of being justified.
00:54:12.48\00:54:14.88
We're all back into
right standing with the Father.
00:54:14.92\00:54:18.25
What I want to do, we have
a couple moments left here.
00:54:18.29\00:54:20.76
Normally at the end of
our Sabbath School Panel,
00:54:20.79\00:54:23.09
everyone kind
of shares something
00:54:23.12\00:54:24.79
or puts a bow on the
package or something,
00:54:24.83\00:54:26.70
but I want to do
something different.
00:54:26.73\00:54:28.40
To me, this is such a
vitally important topic
00:54:28.43\00:54:31.07
and I think there's
people watching who don't know
00:54:31.10\00:54:34.20
if they can be
justified by faith.
00:54:34.24\00:54:36.34
People watching who
are struggling right now
00:54:36.37\00:54:39.34
with this
question in their own walk
00:54:39.37\00:54:41.18
or maybe sharing
with someone else,
00:54:41.21\00:54:42.58
so I'd like to take
just a few seconds apiece
00:54:42.61\00:54:44.95
and give you all opportunity
to either make an appeal
00:54:44.98\00:54:47.85
to someone at home
or share a scripture
00:54:47.88\00:54:50.85
or something that
would be an encouragement
00:54:50.89\00:54:52.72
to someone maybe
right now making a decision
00:54:52.75\00:54:55.89
either for or against Jesus.
00:54:55.92\00:54:57.59
Well, I would
certainly just say that
00:54:57.63\00:54:59.89
if you're watching from home
00:54:59.96\00:55:02.13
know that when
Jesus died on the cross,
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.90
He died for you.
00:55:04.93\00:55:06.37
And we have all...
00:55:06.40\00:55:08.67
He is a bigger Savior
00:55:08.70\00:55:10.04
than any sin
that you could have,
00:55:10.11\00:55:11.91
your sin cannot be too big.
00:55:11.94\00:55:13.98
So God loves you,
00:55:14.01\00:55:15.44
He sent His son to die
for you to pay the price,
00:55:15.48\00:55:18.48
that penalty.
00:55:18.51\00:55:19.85
And all you have to do
is receive Him and say,
00:55:19.88\00:55:22.82
"Lord, please, I'm a sinner,
I need salvation, I need You."
00:55:22.85\00:55:27.16
And He will bring
you out of darkness
00:55:27.19\00:55:31.29
and into the light.
00:55:31.33\00:55:32.66
Amen. Pastor?
00:55:32.69\00:55:34.30
I think one of the great
mistakes in Protestantism
00:55:34.36\00:55:38.93
is the idea that faith
is opposed to something.
00:55:38.97\00:55:42.10
It's faith or law
or faith or works.
00:55:42.14\00:55:45.84
Faith is the
mechanism that opens up the door
00:55:45.87\00:55:49.41
to allow you to
appropriate to yourself
00:55:49.44\00:55:51.48
everything that
Christ has promised for you.
00:55:51.51\00:55:53.08
Amen.
00:55:53.11\00:55:54.45
It's not opposed to...
00:55:54.48\00:55:55.82
The laws just shows you
00:55:55.85\00:55:57.19
when you're going off the tracks
00:55:57.25\00:55:58.59
but as long as you have faith
00:55:58.62\00:55:59.95
in everything that God
has promised is accepted,
00:56:00.06\00:56:02.82
acceptable to you
and is ready for you.
00:56:02.86\00:56:05.63
It's not faith or works.
00:56:05.66\00:56:07.23
Faith allows those works
to come from God through you
00:56:07.23\00:56:11.10
so that you are doing
what God wants you to do
00:56:11.13\00:56:13.94
and living the way
God wants you to live.
00:56:13.97\00:56:15.47
Amen. Ms. Molly?
00:56:15.50\00:56:16.84
Well, you are the very reason
that God sent His son to die.
00:56:16.91\00:56:21.81
Amen.
00:56:21.84\00:56:23.18
That Jesus shed his
blood, falling humanity,
00:56:23.21\00:56:26.82
and you individually,
God would have done it
00:56:26.85\00:56:29.02
just for you and
that is something
00:56:29.05\00:56:30.99
that we all have
to come to understand
00:56:31.02\00:56:33.02
that blood would have been shed
00:56:33.05\00:56:34.39
if I was the only person
that would have accepted it.
00:56:34.42\00:56:37.23
So reach your hand to
Him, He's reaching out to you,
00:56:37.26\00:56:41.16
as falling humanity,
He wants to pick you up
00:56:41.20\00:56:43.93
and stand you up and put you
in right relationship with him.
00:56:43.97\00:56:47.30
Amen. Pastor Kenny.
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:56:47.34\00:56:48.84
Just one thing quickly goes
in my mind is Zachariah 4:6,
00:56:48.87\00:56:53.21
"Not by might nor by power,
00:56:53.24\00:56:54.91
but by the Spirit
of the Savior Lord"
00:56:54.94\00:56:56.71
Just give your
life to Jesus Christ,
00:56:56.75\00:56:58.51
watch things change.
00:56:58.55\00:56:59.91
Your whole life will change
and then you'll bring some...
00:57:00.05\00:57:02.22
You'll find joy and
peace and some happiness
00:57:02.25\00:57:03.82
in serving Jesus.
00:57:03.85\00:57:05.19
Amen. Thank you all so much.
00:57:05.22\00:57:06.65
And we thank you for joining us.
00:57:06.69\00:57:08.26
Know that the Lord
Jesus Christ love you.
00:57:08.29\00:57:10.16
That He died
00:57:10.19\00:57:11.89
so that you can
spend eternity with Him.
00:57:11.93\00:57:14.03
Make a choice right now.
00:57:14.10\00:57:15.43
Reach out, accept Him by faith,
00:57:15.46\00:57:17.27
know that you
can stand justified
00:57:17.30\00:57:20.04
before the Father and
that then He can empower you
00:57:20.07\00:57:22.64
to walk in the spirit.
00:57:22.67\00:57:24.31
Join us next week
00:57:24.34\00:57:26.27
as we continue our
study of the Book of Romans.
00:57:26.31\00:57:29.01
Know that we love
you. God bless you.
00:57:29.04\00:57:30.65
Thank you.
00:57:30.68\00:57:32.01