Introduction
So this is the second of three messages, all of them emphasizing the grace of God. All three sermons are related to the same text. The messages are Salvation by Grace, Sanctification by Grace, and Glorification by Grace. Let us now consider how we are to walk with God by grace alone.
The Text
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement” (Romans 5:6–11).
Summary of the Text
When we had no strength, Christ died for the ungodly (v. 6). Someone might dare to die for a good man (v. 7), but God did the remarkable thing when He sent Christ to die for us as sinners (v. 8). Having been justified, we will of course be saved from wrath (v. 9). And if God reconciled us to Himself by His death when we were enemies, how much more will we be saved by His life (v. 10)? Now that we are friends, just think. And so we are enabled to rejoice in God through Christ, having received atonement (v. 11).
From Where We Stand
From our current position, we look back on the justification we have received through his blood (v. 9). From that justified position, we look ahead to our salvation from wrath (v. 9), which would be the time of our glorification. And because we are justified in the present (v. 9), and we are reconciled (v. 10), and we have received atonement (v. 11), we are in a condition of joy (v. 11). We have those things in our daily walk—reconciliation, atonement and forgiveness, and consequent joy.
The Impact of Not Guilty
Your justification means that the verdict not guilty has been declared over you. This verdict was not earned by us, but it was in fact earned by someone. It was earned for us by Christ. Your permanent legal status is therefore not guilty. This sets you free to work on those areas of your life that definitely need work, but you have been given the gift of working on those areas without any threat of condemnation. When Paul uses that phrase, no condemnation, he is talking about a reality that accompanies you on your daily walk with Him. It arches over everything.
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”Romans 8:1 (KJV)
Notice the status of no condemnation, a status which accompanies those who walk (ongoing) after the Spirit.
We Work Out What God Works In
So here is the basic lesson to be learned with regard to sanctification by grace. We must continue in the same way in which we started. We are reminded of this everywhere we turn.
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”Galatians 3:3 (KJV)
If you began by the Spirit’s grace in you, why would you run the race any other way? Without the Spirit, you couldn’t start running when the starter’s pistol went off, and now are you going to run the rest of the race all by yourself?
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”Philippians 2:12–13 (KJV)
Here in Philippians, Paul gives us a wonderful summary of how this works. You must work out your salvation, but you can only work out what God works in.
“Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working (energeia), which worketh in me mightily.”Colossians 1:28–29 (KJV)
Paul describes this same process when talking about his own apostolic labor. He labors and strives, but according to God’s energy that works in him mightily.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.”Romans 1:17 (KJV)
Notice that this key scriptural passage does not say that “the just shall start out by faith.” No, the just shall live . . . They have lived, are living, and will live by grace through faith alone.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”Ephesians 2:8–10 (KJV)
We are plainly not saved by good works. But what does salvation look like? We are saved by Him to good works. We are God’s craft project (poiema) fashioned by Him to do good works.
I Do Not Frustrate . . .
Paul talks about the beginning of the Christian life in terms of sheer grace. But notice the ongoing nature of it. Not I, but Christ in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in Christ.
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”Galatians 2:20–21 (KJV)
Living the Christian life in any other way is trying to frustrate the grace of God. Righteousness does not come that way. If it did, then Christ died to no purpose. From Christ to Christ. Or, put another way, all of Christ for all of life.