I invite you to turn tonight to the book of Romans, the book of Romans chapter 3, found on page 1118, and we continue looking at this great subject of justification. I'll read back at verse 21, and we will read through verse 5, verse 5. Beginning at verse 21 tonight, this is the holy word of the Lord. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forth as a propitiation by His blood to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness because in His divine forbearance, He had passed over former sins. It was to show His righteousness at the present time so that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus Christ. And now our text. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded by what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this means? By no means. On the contrary we uphold the law. What then shall we say was gained by Abraham our forefather according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before God. For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him as righteousness. Now to the one who works his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due and to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly his faith is counted as righteousness and there tonight i will end the reading of god's word well without wanting to draw a lot of attention to it i want to set the context tonight a little bit because what played out and what was a big discussion in society this week is what happened at the olympics with the shameful display of the lord's supper in a transgender display aimed at mocking Christianity. I raise that only to say that that really does capture, I think, Romans 1. That really does capture what Paul described in Romans 1 playing out in the world and in society. The outcry that followed from that was fierce all over the news and social media. And of course, we have great zeal for the name of the Lord. And it's sad and shameful when the Lord's name is blasphemed to such a degree. But we remember that there's Romans 2 of what Paul has done to set all of this up. In Romans 2, remember that he expressed that those who have the oracles of God, those, you might say, who are the religious, do the same things. This was all tempered in Romans 2. There's a tempering effect, if you will. After you've read Romans 1 when you come to Romans 2 we could have said yes in Romans 1 look at that wickedness and then we come to Romans 2 and we see that the religious are described with law of God in hand just was shocking also Paul said blaspheme the name of the Lord that was the great sort of theme in Romans chapter 2 that happened among the Jews so so maybe not in the overt way of Romans chapter one but notice that in chapter two paul brings this to to all around with the great conclusion that we conclude that all alike are under sin and that no one at the end of romans by 320 he says no one will be justified by the works of the law by the law comes the knowledge of sin we've looked at all that we've spent time in all of that um that's really what we saw this morning if you if you were to put it now in the theological categories of romans we saw those who come on the last day and are boasting in their works that's that's really what they were doing this morning in matthew's gospel look at all that we've done in the kingdom well last week we came to the heart of the book we came to what paul's aiming in the book when in romans chapter 3 he announced the great truth of justification by grace through faith alone but now a righteousness from god is revealed apart from the law what that was simply saying is god has made known a righteousness that is apart from anything that we do anything that we perform and that's what he developed in those verses of of romans 3 21 through 26 that we looked at last time this righteousness that god provides for us and there's that shocking little statement there that says in the middle of it you can't miss that you you really can't get over that all of this is a gift a gift that god is giving us god is giving us a righteousness by which we can stand god is providing a righteousness for us This is what he said in the first chapter when he came to the thesis of the book. For a righteousness of God is revealed apart from the law. And then he celebrated in Romans chapter 1, remember in 16 and 17. I'm not ashamed of this gospel, for it is the power of God. For Jew and for Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. From faith for faith, as is written, the just shall live by faith. That's what he's been developing and helping us to understand. and what a wonderful truth that is. God provides this for you. God has laid the case about the state of humanity after the fallen Adam. God has diagnosed the problem. God has rendered the verdict. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That is the final verdict right there, legally. That is where we are. Nobody will be able on that day to claim anything else other than that they have sinned, they won't be able to say a word before the majesty of God. Well, Paul is now helping us to understand how wonderful this great truth is for us. It comes to us that we receive by grace through faith alone. We receive this great truth by faith. We are forever made right with him by faith. All the war is over. Think of what's anticipated in Romans 5 1 having been justified by faith we have peace with God think of Romans 8 there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus it is from him and to him and through him that all praise might be given to him well Paul now wants to explain and help to understand how wonderful this is but also he knows that this is not a easy truth for us to accept. The beauty of the Christian gospel says to us tonight, God has done everything for you in Christ. There is not one thing that's lacking. That's hard for people. He gives you a free gift. Receive it is all he's saying. Believe what I'm telling you. Receive that all of it's been done already outside of you. You don't add to it. You cannot add to it. You don't add one word to it. Paul knows that's hard for people to accept about the history of the church. When you preach this gospel clearly, when you speak like that, everyone gets nervous a little bit for what are you saying now, Paul? Are we antinomians? Well, that's what he addresses in the book. He somewhat addresses it tonight. We're seemingly out of the blue. He says, no, we established the law in our lives. We'll come back to that thought in the course of the book. But he knew this would be hard for people to receive the free gift. It's that good. It's that good. God is giving us a free gift, imputing and reckoning to us the righteousness of Christ. God wants us to rest in this. God wants us to trust everything's done. But he knew there'd be objections to this. And that's where we are tonight. And he raises probably the most crucial one. He raises one that he knows, and he knows really one that he has raised that is his goal. If this is truly a free gift, what does it mean for our response to God? How are we to respond to him? Paul solidifies this by turning to Abraham tonight to help us with that great question. what did Abraham learn about the great truth of justification by grace through faith alone? And the answer was, if indeed it is a free gift, the first thing we have to deal with, the first thing that seems like, well, do we really need to talk about something like this? Who runs around boasting? He wants to make sure. It does happen. He wants to make sure we understand how important this issue is to the Lord. That's why it matters. All boasting is completely removed before God. We need to wrestle a little bit with that and think about what that looks like. And that's where we begin tonight. In verse 27, Paul says, If we understand what has just been said to us, that apart from the law, apart from our works, that God provides a righteousness for us, that all the law and the prophets bore witness to, a righteousness that comes to us, that meets the divine standard by which we can stand before Him, that is given to us in Christ Jesus by faith alone, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are justified by His grace as a gift through the redemption that's in Christ. If you've heard it, if you've understood it, what you heard was everything was done outside of you for you that you need. all of it. There is nothing that is left behind. There is nothing that still needs to be done other than the second coming, which is really the next thing on the time calendar. So Paul begins in verse 27. If we've understood what's been said to us, what does it do to boasting? And he says in verse 27, then what becomes of our boasting? It's excluded by what kind of law? By the law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. What he's saying is very simple. If we've accepted this great truth, if we've understood this great truth, if we've heard this great truth, what is the proper response? It completely removes from us any attitude or any achievement mentality in the human heart that we are going to make it on Judgment Day or in this life because we are, I might just say plainly, good people. Now that seems reasonable to say, doesn't it? But isn't it the very thing that we hold on to? The argument is simple. If the great conclusion is that we're justified by faith alone apart from works, do we have any reason in ourselves to claim this inheritance? Do we have any ability in and of ourselves to claim heaven, glory, any good benefit from God? This matters to God. This matters that we think about this, that we accept this, that there is absolutely no place for human boasting before God. Why would that matter? Look to the cross. you know all he went through for us you know the life he lived for us you know what he accomplished for us there's a reason there's a gravity to jesus when you study him and you struggle to get personality if you will the whole reading of jesus in the scriptures the man was on a mission he had to fulfill the will of God he was serious he was focused he went to achieve it and then on his heart and life the whole time was the weight of the cruel death of the cross that he would bear for you see why it would matter to God for somebody to come in and act like they deserve it to act like they've earned it to act like because they're good people god accepts them that undermines everything he's saying to us paul says all boasting has to be totally excluded if it could be achieved by works he says we could boast but there's two competing principles in life if you remember uh this is romans 9 where the jews would not submit to the righteousness of god so they tried to establish their own righteousness that was the great heart of the problem that jesus dealt with in the nation of israel that they were trying to establish before him their own righteousness and paul draws out these two competing principles there's either a law of works or a law of faith either it's a gift of righteousness that is a free gift as it comes by faith which too is a gift and if that's the case on that law of faith it excludes all boasting jew and gentile like okay argument seems simple enough but not as easy to accept as we think paul knew this would be hard and so what he does at this point is appeal to the greatest figure in the jewish mind and their struggle to accept this what about the old testament saints what was the whole old testament about what was the singular message through the old testament he already said the law and the prophets bear witness to this truth what did the old testament saints really believe and this is this is somewhat confusing for people throughout history you look at what we do to the old testament saints look at how the church has treated old testament saints we've made them great figures of morality we've approached the scriptures not seeing jesus this is paul's whole point in second corinthians that when the jews read the old testament there's a veil over them they can't see christ so he's answering this concern do they understand things did the old testament saints understand things like i'm presenting and and you hear in this the great charge against paul that he's presenting some new doctrine some new idea some strange doctrine that he has to continue to defend all throughout the scriptures but it's interesting here that he defends it from the greatest figure in the old testament paul raises the single great figure in the old testament that all the jews put their hope in and that figure was father abraham and that's where he begins in verse one what then shall we say was gained by abraham our forefather according to the flesh for if abraham was justified by works he has something to boast about but not before god paul is is very pressing on this issue we could paraphrase the question maybe a little bit like this so that it's a little clearer for us what do you think abraham abraham himself discovered about his life and how he could stand before god himself what did abraham think of himself what does abraham's life say and now that's what he does here in addressing our great forefather paul is reacting to something since abraham was held out as the greatest figure in the old testament there were a lot of great figures in the old testament uh that we could go to there was moses there was elijah there was daniel there's david he does go to david next but none of them was considered as great as abraham in fact you remember when jesus confronted the jews of his day he said if you knew my truth my word you would be free when he pressed them with regard to their unbelief here's how they shot back we have abraham as our father you could almost hear in that what the jews would say standing before entering the kingdom on the last day we have abraham as our father we have abraham as our father we're abraham's descendants we've never been in bondage to anyone they said how can you say we will be made free are you saying jesus we're not free that we are in bondage we have abraham so we come to this and we're initially struck with the question of what was what was their view of abraham maybe many people think they're entering the kingdom because they have some figure in their life maybe even their parents by which they stand it's the same mentality the jews thought simply being a son of abraham guaranteed access to heaven it was really the issue again of this morning that we were dealing with all kinds of things the mentality that comes out on the last day we did this we prophesied we cast out demons we did all kinds of good works and abraham's our father and we have the circumcision you know that's what's behind all of what jesus is doing there in matthew well they taught that abraham was the only truly righteous man of his generation they taught he was the one that would bring back the shekinah glory cloud to the nation of israel at the age of three they believed he began to serve god i don't know where they got that but reading the writings is fascinating all of his righteousness they said was made totally complete by his circumcision you understand what paul's doing when you when you see in this chapter how he goes after circumcision with regard to abraham believing before he was circumcised rabbi akita has been quoted as saying all israelites are kings since they descend directly from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The prayer of Manasseh says this, Therefore, thou, O Lord God of the righteous, has not appointed repentance for the righteous. You really see in these statements what Jesus was up against. For Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not sin against thee. but thou has appointed repentance for me who am a sinner okay now that's interesting they didn't sin i may be a sinner but they didn't sin abraham didn't sin the book of jubilees uh second century bc abraham was perfect in all his deeds before the lord and well-pleasing in righteousness all the days of his life. Unbelievable, right? You guys have been so trained so well, right, by all your catechism teachers and pastors. You say, that sounds crazy, doesn't it? You get the point. I can't help but thinking that the Jews had a doctrine of justification. It was justification by Abraham. justification by blood, justification by family. As long as, to the Jews, Abraham was the perfect saint and the perfect representation of righteousness, that was the basis upon they would be accepted. Who's the Savior? The Jews saw their blessedness as flowing right through him. Abraham was a moral man. Abraham was a righteous man. God justified him based on his obedience by listening and believing God. You can appreciate exactly what Paul's going after here. It gives such clarity, I think, to this particular passage. Okay, let's listen to that. Let's interact with that for just a minute. What shall we say that Abraham our father discovered? In other words, what was Abraham's view of himself? That's really the most important question for all of us, isn't it? What is your view of yourself? What do you believe about yourself? What have you discovered? If you can answer that, therein lies the heart of where you are. Paul says, well, what did Abraham discover about his own nature, his own works? and how a sinner is right before God. Is this such a foreign doctrine, dear Jews? Did the greatest figure in the Bible think he was justified by faith or works? Paul draws a conclusion. For if Abraham was justified by works, then he can boast before God. Everything he was, everything he accomplished, he could boast before God on the law of works. See, now Paul has no middle ground here. He'll say in Romans 11, it's either a faith or it's either of works. There's no mixture here. There is, there is no middle road here. It's all one or the other and you have to decide where you stand on that point and in the history of the church this has been a confusing thing for people sadly because people have not wanted to accept the law of faith well let's imagine for a minute god was searching down if you could imagine paul's argument looking through the land and he came to the land of ur of the chaldeans and he looked down and he said you know i'm looking for one righteous man i have seen this one individual in the world that's good that you're all trusting in that man desired to serve me is that what we have in the record says paul in fact the lord said to israel your fathers including terah the father of abraham and the father of Nahor dwelt on the other side of the river. Eber in old times, and they served other gods. Abraham's family in Jewish history was said to have come from the evil general of the Old Testament, wicked king Nimrod. And you'll remember in the table, I think it's Genesis 10, Nimrod's mentioned. Worst of all, Terah and his family worshipped and lived in Ur of the Chaldeans. This was an important city on the mighty Euphrates River that was well known for one of the most wicked, notorious regions of the time. History told us, if you study the history on this, there was a massive, just like the Tower of Babel, three-stage tower that they built there dedicated to the moon god Nana. In recent years, they uncovered this royal cemetery there that showed the horrors of ritualistic burial and human sacrifice. All these nations did that. But this was Abraham's family. This is where it came from. Abraham marries Sarah at that time. Sarah, whose name meant queen, who was the name of the wife of the moon god. It doesn't prove much, I guess, until you see the man in action. We tend to think, boys and girls, that these Old Testament figures that we study were so good before the Lord and model in their behavior. And the New Testament does surprising things in speaking about their good deeds in ways that shock us. But when you read the Old Testament, it's brutally honest about them. i had uh and this is this is important i had a man one time tell me he he killed a person and he said to me how could could god ever forgive me and i said well let me tell you about a man named david this is the the way that the old testament helps us to look at these figures to prepare us for the coming of the messiah you could go through any of the major sins that people struggle with to this day and these same sins are captured in the lives of the old testament saints if it's drunkenness and alcoholism you have noah if you have a thief and somebody stealing you have jacob if you have a man caught in a web of sexual immorality lies and luxury and living a worldly life you have samson if you think of a man who was known as wise and then ruined his life in many anyways, by the many wives that he took, you're going to come to Solomon. If you're going to look at the mess of the line of Christ, you're going to come to Judah and Tamar. You're going to think of Rahab the harlot. You're going to think of Lot and his daughters. This is the whole way the New Testament, the Old Testament continues to present the Old Testament saints. God tearing down any sort of view in us that these were good people that merited or deserved his righteousness. so this is important isn't it the greatest in the old testament did what well as soon as he receives the promises he runs down to egypt in fear pawns off his wife twice in a lie i've never done that by the way tried to produce the seed himself by taking another wife another woman this was not a good man let me introduce you to father abraham a moon god worshiper whom god called out who still had all kinds of problems with sex lies and deceit it's a good hollywood movie if they wanted to make it i look at certain people in life and they're way more righteous than i am i think they should be pastors they're holy in speech we tend to think beloved throughout history built into us god justifies the pious God justifies the pious whose families are together who are in church who are good Christians it's one of the hardest messages I think today to overcome for people coming in from the outside said this because we are his people We are his righteous people. But what have we learned about ourselves? What have you learned about yourself? It's the important question. Are we thinking like the Jews in some way? Paul wants you to think about great father Abraham. There was nothing different of great father Abraham than any other sinner in the Bible. If you've ever had weeks of struggle with sin, what do you feel like? I'm a wretch. Romans 7. Why did I do that? How could I do that? It's amazing what we're capable of. Do you know how far you are from running? Not far. Do you know what you're capable of doing? have you ever said how could i be a believer oh i'm sure you have you're not alone you're not alone you know what abraham learned about himself the same thing he found that the very description that was given in romans chapter 3 was him There is none righteous, no, not one. There is none who understands. There is none who seek after God. All have turned aside. All have gone their own way. They are liars, all men. Abraham learned, I'm the chief of sinners. That rings everywhere in the Bible. Paul, the greatest figure, really, outside of Jesus in the New Testament. His whole testimony is, I am the chief of sinners. It's intensely pastoral, this book. This book is intensely pastoral. God didn't look down and say, when he looked at any one of you, And say, that person has it together. That's why I'm going to bring him into my kingdom. Every sin you ever have done and every sin you ever will do, he knew about, he didn't just know about, he gave his son, Romans 5, to die for you while you were yet sinners. Nothing has surprised him about you. But has it surprised you about you? Paul takes us to this great point. Well then, how do you think Abraham was saved? I don't need a lot of illustrations tonight in this sermon. I'm not really good at them. Because Abraham is the illustration. The Bible has told us one thing about how Abraham was saved. For what does the scripture say? What does the Bible say about Abraham? abraham how important is this in light of this morning's challenge believed god and it was accounted to him for righteousness who's righteousness what's he saying to us apart from the law this is the best news ever it's genesis 15 6 one of the most single most important verses in the whole bible paul interacts with from the Old Testament to make the case, Paul is saying that was the moment Abraham was justified that night. God showed him the stars. God showed him the sand on the seashore. God comes down and makes a promise to this rebel. And he says, I will do that for you. I will, I will, I will, I will. And in the next phrase, Genesis, Abraham And believed God. And it was counted to him for righteousness. What a story. What an account. That was the moment. When we say justification. You understand boys and girls. Sanctification is a lifelong process. It's up and down. And we typically. When we struggle with sin. We ask that question. How could I be a believer? And we struggle with that. And we wrestle with that. you need to think about this great truth when you believed right then and there god justified you once and for all and he gave you and imputed you the righteousness of christ as if you've never sinned or been a sinner it's not a cheap thing his son died for you this is the beautiful christian gospel think of how paul was pressing this down on us everywhere in the new testament by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not of your own doing you say what is it grace or faith the whole thing it's a gift it's a free gift receive it believe it that's what he's saying to us not a result of work so that what no one may boast that boasting thing matters to god that attitude of superiority matters to god because why would you need a son if you're going to hold on to that does anyone believe apart from grace of course not but now a righteousness from god is revealed apart from the law even the righteousness of god through faith abraham believed god by the means of faith which is a gift and god accounted to him apart from his works outside of him done for him anticipating the work of jesus god accounted to him the very righteousness of christ and covered him in a rich robe and abraham never would become unjustified and that's our story it's a gift god grants and credits to us to our accounts the righteousness of christ as if we had been listen to this perfectly obedient as christ was obedient in our place abraham's faith was a gift god justified him based on this righteousness announced in the gospel so that's what's being explained shocking conclusion tonight in verse four is now to the one who works his wages are not counted as a gift but his debt and to the one who does not work so don't work for this don't try to work for this it's the greatest offense don't look to yourself don't think you deserve it listen to this i want you to feel and i want you to hear the effect of this great verse five as it comes and the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies hear it the wicked let that set in your God justifies the wicked so that when I look out at an Olympic terrible blasphemy I'm grieved at the offense against God God justifies the wicked that's what he does don't forget that verse every time you struggle it leaves no middle ground you didn't work for it you can't work for it if you try to work for it you're on your own you don't want to stand before god on your own that's this morning but listen to what all the saints are telling you about all scripture listen to the record from the beginning of time from adam when god clothed him that day in the garden and put garments on him all the way through to joshua the high priest standing in filthy garments that were removed and clothed the father abraham rest in the promises of the gospel that's the news receive the gospel believe this good news god on that day on this basis will never raise your sins this is why i was saying you enter in the gates of righteousness this way he's the gate your sins were transferred do you remember when you believed remember when you first believed maybe some say I've always believed praise God you don't want the other story but we're all sinners in need of such grace when you believed God forever accounted you as righteous once and for all there's no going back there's no going back I might close with this I said that to that man I was witnessing to this this week when he said to me that I will not believe i said you're just the kind of person that god will come after and when you believe you're not going back that's really good news isn't it it's the most wonderful news in the world paul says thanks be and praise be to god for this indescribable gift amen let's pray Heavenly Father, thank you for this gift. We don't even know where to begin. Sounds too good to be true. But this is what you've done. And we praise you for it. We stand in awe that you gave a Savior, the eternal Son of God, truly God, truly man, to come down to earth to fulfill all righteousness for us. And to stand in our place and shoulder the wrath and curse of God. So that we might tonight stand justified before you, the holy God of Israel. Praise you for doing this. For the wicked who are us. In Jesus' name we pray, amen.