The Unchanging Truth

Announcer (Male): Welcome to the unchanging truth, the verse by verse Bible teaching ministry of Dr. Jared Gilcher, lead pastor of Christ Community Bible Church in Arlington, Texas. Through the living and active word of God, the unchanging truth exists to encourage your soul, transform your life, and help you trust and treasure Christ as redeemer, savior, and king. Now, opening the scriptures and proclaiming the truth that never changes, here is Dr. Jared Gilcher.

Dr. Jerod Gilcher: Just waiting to scold us for our our sins and our failures and our stupidity. No. No, the great king and redeemer who chose us and made us and bled for us will greet us and embrace us and he will rejoice over us. Isaiah 61 says like a like a husband on his wedding day. Wine. Not because we are particularly lovely, but because by faith in him we are clothed with his very righteousness. And so this we've just got to see. If if this is true and this is real and this is not pretend and this is not a legal fiction and it's not that we have got to see this from the pages of scripture which we're going to do right now, part three.

Part three, a display of justification. A display of justification. Meaning we need to see from the Bible that this is true. If we're going to put our faith in this, we're going to put our joy in this, we're going to see this as the doctrine on which the church stands or falls, then we have to anchor our faith in the sacred text which is exactly what happened to Martin Luther. I have to do this. In 1517, a German monk named Martin Luther was in his study, a low lit room, candle on the desk, Greek New Testament open to Romans chapter one in a particular verse 17.

He's preparing to lecture on Romans at the university. That's what that's what monks did in that day and and which have to understand is that Martin Luther was not a a true Christian in in any sense of of the term. He he's a typical Roman Catholic seeking to obtain his own salvation through the contribution of his own good works and and yet he didn't understand salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone for the glory of God glory of God alone. He he did not get that. And yet here he is deep in meditation on Romans 1:17 agonizing over the text and what it means and here is what he said.

Listen carefully. I had indeed been captivated with an extraordinary ardor for understanding Paul in the epistle to the Romans. But up until then, it was a single phrase in chapter one verse 17 that stood in my way, namely the righteousness of God. I hated that phrase, the righteousness of God, which according to Catholic tradition, I had been taught to understand the righteousness of God with which he punishes the sinner. And though I lived as a monk without reproach, I knew that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience. I could not believe that his wrath was appeased by by my good works.

I did not love. No, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners. I was angry with God. And thus I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience. Do you hear his issue? God is righteous. I am not. I work my fingers down to the bone to be counted as righteous by God, but no matter what I do, it's never enough. And I know it's never enough. How how could I possibly cobble together enough good works to appease the righteous wrath of this God. He he knew that no matter what he did, he was doomed. He was doomed because God is righteous and he was profoundly unrighteous.

That's exactly the case. But you see, here's here's the thing. Here's the the suspense of the story. As he studied Romans 1:17, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope because as he studied the text in its context, it seemed to challenge the traditional Catholic interpretation. And so listen to what he says. Nevertheless, I beat unrelentingly upon Paul at that place in Romans, most ardently desiring to know what he wanted. At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, the righteous shall live by faith.

And there I began to understand, listen carefully, that the righteousness of God is that which God gives to the sinner by faith. That through faith in the gospel, we are counted as righteous as a gift of God and that on the basis of faith, we are justified before the merciful God. Here I understood. Here I felt altogether born again and and felt as though I had entered through open gates into paradise itself, which is exactly what he happened what happened. And so you you hear what happened to him. You hear what he saw, right? The exact same thing that you and I are going to see in Paul's letter to the Romans right now.

So turn to chapter one, 16 and 17. And guess what we're going to do? We're just going to walk through all of Romans to see how the righteous God righteously righteousizes the unrighteous. Chapter one starting in verse 16, Paul declares the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it in the in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith as it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. And there's that phrase, that massive phrase, the righteousness of God.

It's massive. Because here's the thing you need to understand, it's not just that the gospel saves, beloved. It's how the gospel saves. You see, righteousness, it isn't only a perfection of God. It isn't just his attribute. No, get this. Righteousness describes God's saving activity. It's the way he saves sinners, namely by giving them his own righteousness in and through his son. Righteous isn't just what God is. Righteous is what God gives to the believing sinner. And all of that is crammed in that tiny little monumental phrase, the righteousness of God. Which Paul literally takes the rest of the letter to unfold because look what he says in the very next verse, verse 18.

For the wrath of God is revealed. Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. You you see you see the logic, don't you? The reason why all people need the saving righteousness of God in the gospel is precisely because they are profoundly unrighteous. And not just that, they suppress the truth in further unrighteousness. And then for the next two chapters going all the way to chapter three verse 20, Paul beats the drum of the depravity of man, belaboring the case that human beings are woefully unrighteous and under the wrath of God.

Chapter one, you remember the condemnation of the nations. Chapter two, the condemnation of the Jews. Chapter three adds them together. What do you have? Notice chapter three verse 10. Turn there, chapter three verse 10. There is no one righteous, not even one. Righteous at the top of the list. Imagine that. And then he goes on, there was no one who understands. There's no one who seeks for God. All have turned aside. Together they have become worthless. There is no one who does good. There is not even one. And then look down at verse 19. Judgment is coming.

The world is doomed. It's hopeless. And there isn't a darn thing that you or I or anyone else can do about it. Look at the end of the verse. Why? By the works of the law, no flesh will be justified before him because through the law comes knowledge of sin. Did you see that word there? Justified. Do you see it in the text? Justified. The point is clear. No good works of any kind whatsoever can in any way earn a righteous standing with God. It's hopeless. They don't clear the guilt. They they don't they don't they're not powerless.

They they they they're powerless to make you right with God. They don't have the leverage, the buying power to redeem your soul. They're worthless. But notice verse 21. Apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested being witnessed by the law and the prophets. What does it mean? It means God revealed away that sinners may be justified. There is a way to receive the saving righteousness of God. But how? How do we get that righteousness? If it's not by works of any kind, then how do we get it? Verse 22. Even, notice very carefully, there's glory in the grammar, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Notice for all those who believe. Do you see? Righteousness isn't just what God is. It is what God gives. It's for the believing sinner. And you how does this work? Because it it sounds like a legal fiction. Like we're we're just pretending this is real. No, it is more real than anything because the way we got justified was through the wrath bearing payment of the son of God. Look at verses 24 and 25. We are justified as a gift by his grace. Here it is through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Here it is whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation through faith in his blood because in the forbearance of God, he passed over sins previously committed.

Now, that was a ton. But I hope you saw redemption and I hope you saw propitiation because those two things added together is what made your justification possible. Do you see? A ransom a redemption pays a ransom price. Propitiation satisfies the wrath of God. We were bought with a price that satisfied the wrath of God. And when we put our faith in Christ, all of the faultless faultless, flawless, perfect, righteous obedience of the son got transferred to our accounts, his robes for mine. And therein lies the answer, beloved. How does a righteous God righteously punish sin and pardon sinners all at the same time?

How does he do it? The answer is Golgotha. The answer is the cross. You see, that's why faith that's why faith is so critical. Because you know the thing about faith, right? Faith as opposed to works. Faith is not just that you tweaked your theology. Faith isn't just that you changed your mind. It isn't just that you believed some facts. No, faith get this. Faith the empty, trembling, desperate hands of saving faith is a union with Christ. Meaning when we put our faith in Christ, our lives became so inseparably intertwined with his that all of the riches of redemption he bought with his blood became ours in full.

That's faith. And now the father sees us with the very righteousness of his son. And Paul really needs to know that we get this, which is literally why chapter four exists. Chapter four, all about Abraham and Abraham's faith. This chapter is proof proof that that one is saved and counted by righteous only by faith. Look at chapter four verse three. Abraham believed God. He had faith in God. And notice what does it say? What happened to him? Counted as righteous. Verses four and five. To the one who works, that is try to earn salvation by works, his wages are not counted as a favor, but what is due, what you deserve.

But to the one who does not work, but believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as what? As righteousness. Do you see? Either you trust in your own works and merit at some level to save you or you have despaired in your worthless works and trusted in Christ alone. Which is why the Jews to this day are largely unbelieving. Largely unbelieving. And you understand this is the heart of the gospel. We are saved by grace alone through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone. And this has been this has been the topic on the table ever since chapter three.

And so it makes sense why when we get to chapter five verse one, Paul says this. Look what he says. Chapter five verse one. Having therefore been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse nine, having been justified by his blood, we will be saved from his wrath. Do you see the results? Peace with God, saved from wrath. Does that matter to us? It means everything. And then and then verses 12 through 21, a tale of two Adams. Adam made a horrible mess. The second Adam will not only clean up that mess, but give his people the status of righteous.

Look at verse 17 chapter five verse 17. For if by the transgression of the one death reigned through the one in much more, those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through the one Jesus Christ. Beloved, have you received the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness? Have you received that? Have you have you done this? Have you despaired of your works? I mean, no wonder Paul exclaimed in chapter eight. You don't have to turn there, but chapter eight verse 33, who will bring a charge against God's elect?

God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is he who died, rather he who was raised, who is at the right hand of the father who also intercedes for us. I hope you can tell justification is a really really big deal. It is the heart of Paul's letter to the Romans. It is the heart of of the gospel. It is the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. And so I have just got to know. I've I've got to make sure that you get this. I am asking you this question.

Is it your confession and your conviction this morning that the only basis upon which you are accepted by God and counted as righteous is the righteousness of Christ and his work alone and not any work of merit in you. That was probably longer than it had to been, but I think you get the point. What I'm at what I'm asking is have you truly despaired in your worthless works to save you and have you cast yourself on Christ alone. And can you see why why justification is sweet and and precious beyond all measure? I mean, should we get this and should we love this?

It has the power to save us from a thousand troubles in this life. I am convinced. I am persuaded that our deepest problem in this life is focus on the self. Focus on the self. And two things happen when we focus on the self. You know what they are? Pride or despair. Self-righteousness or hopelessness. And justification saves from both. The saving righteousness of God crushes and humbles our pride because the only reason why we are not in hell right now is because of the saving righteousness of God in his son. And on the other hand, justification frees us from despair because we look inside our hearts and what do we see?

What do we see? The slime of sin in every word and and deed and thought. It's everywhere. It's in everything. Romans 7:18, there is nothing good in me that is in my flesh. And that is cause enough to drive us to despair. And yet in Christ, the verdict remains profoundly unchanged, forgiven, adopted, reconciled, and righteous. Counted righteous in Christ. So I promised you implications. I'm going to deliver six implications, six implications of justification that exalt Christ's glory, that encourage the soul, that empower the proclamation of the gospel. These are all in your notes, but here we go.

Number one. Number one, justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul most fully exalts the worth and beauty of Jesus Christ, doesn't it? Why? Because we come to understand that there was no aspect of our salvation not wrought or bought by him. He did it all. He lived the life we could not live. He paid the debt we could not pay. He bore the wrath we could not bear. And then he gives us his very righteous standing that we could never ever obtain. And it's incredible. And so the more we know in love what justification is, the more we see that Christ is matchless and supreme.

Number two. Number two, justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul points us to the glory of the whole Trinity, doesn't it? The father who sent his son to be the propitiation, the son who laid down his life and gave us his righteousness and the spirit who awakened the very faith we needed to get the righteousness of Christ. Bottom line, salvation comes from the Trinity. It is through the Trinity and it brings us home to the Trinity. Number three. Justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul frees the believing sinner from the free from the fear and torture of trying to earn our acceptance with God.

There there there are no points to score here. There's there's nothing left to add. There's no point trying to take dollar bills and nail them to the cross and try to make some other contribution. There's no ground to make up. There's nothing you can do. Get this. There is nothing you can do to try to make God like you more because guess what? Guess what? In the son, the father already loves you as he loves his own son. John 17:23. I mean, not because we are especially lovely, but because in the son we are adopted as sons and counted as righteous.

Number four. Number four, justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul results in a life of holiness and true transformation. It results in holiness, which is interesting because people oftentimes use this very doctrine to say, well, I see what Christians are like. I see what you've got going on here. You're justified. You're counted as righteous. That means you can live any way you want and you're fine. You've got immunity. You could do whatever because you're justified. You're counted righteous. And that is nonsense. Why? Because number one, the same faith that justifies is the same faith that sanctifies.

It's nonsense because number two, according to Romans 8:4, those who are justified have the very spirit of God dwelling within them, transforming their lives from the inside out and renovating them into the image of Christ. And it is nonsense because number three, justification actually gives us the strength and freedom to fight our sin knowing that even if we fail, we don't have to win God's love back with our performance. Do you see? Number five. Justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul frees the believer from needing the approval of others. And I don't mean some kind of rebellious, stinky attitude.

I don't don't mean that. I I just mean I mean the fear of man and the craving for people's approval and the need to be validated and the fear of rejection. Justification frees us from all that nonsense. Why? Because because whose approval do we have? Whose love and affection is secure? Whose rejection do we never need to fear? Do you see? I mean, if you're in Christ, you are in the in crowd at the highest level of the universe, namely the triune God, whose glory you will see and share and enjoy forever. Number six, justification rightly understood and treasured in the soul unleashes bold proclamation of the gospel and zeal for the great commission.

John Piper says this and I close. Pastors who care about building, sending, and planting churches must give themselves to breed doctrinally deep people who are not given to emotional dependency on fads, but know how to feed themselves on Christ exalting truth, which is precisely why I'm preaching this. And then he says God-centered, truth-treasuring, Bible-saturated, Christ-exalting congregations ready to lay down their lives for the salvation of the nations comes only by embracing Christ crucified as our righteousness. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. We dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

Announcer (Male): Thanks for joining us for the unchanging truth, the verse by verse Bible teaching ministry of Dr. Jared Gilcher and Christ Community Bible Church in Arlington, Texas. At Christ Community Bible Church, we exist to prize, portray, and proclaim the supremacy of Christ as we trust in his word and wait for his return. We hope today's teaching has encouraged your soul and helped you trust and treasure Christ as your redeemer, savior, and king. If you're in the DFW area and looking for a church home, join us for worship Sunday mornings at 10:30. To learn more about the mission of the church, meet the pastoral staff, or plan a visit, go to ccbiblechurch.com.

You'll find ministry services and additional teachings there as well. Just click on the resources tab to get started. That's ccbiblechurch.com. Join us again next time as we open the scriptures together and proclaim the truth that never changes. This has been the unchanging truth.