Saved by God.Rom.5.6-11.
Introduction
No one has been a Christian so long that they don’t need to get back to basics were going to be looking at basic Biblical belief and Christian behaviour the firm foundations we have in the Christian faith.
The series; Saved by God’. Trusting in God Living God’s way. Listening to God. Talking to God. Meeting with God’s family and meeting the world.
The first message in this series of seven is ‘saved by God’
Bette Midler sang “From a distance God is watching us,”
Many people think as God as one who is distant and far off, dis-interested in the world but the Bible paints a different picture of God… Rom; 5; 8.
Here we see that God is intimately involved with His people and that God demonstrates His love towards us by dying for us. We see here that it is only God who brings about a person’s salvation and the motivation is love.
The Tsunami disaster that hit S.Asia on Boxing Day will stay in our hearts and minds for some time, yet amongst the tragic circumstances of this event there are countless stories of amazing survival, bravery, love and sacrifice.
For instance the Indonesian grandmother Meutria who saved one of her grand children and her self as she clung to a log whilst being taken 60 miles out to sea over a day and a night. She found herself in the next town.
Or the Indonesian Rizyal shaputra who survived for 8 days 100 miles adrift in the ocean on a palm tree survived on coconuts and rainwater. Who was eventually picked up by a passing ship.
And the British grand father Brian Clayton 58 in Thailand who dived back into the waters to save children only eventually to lose his own life.
Through this tragedy we see shafts of light and love in the face of adversity as people have been saved and rescued by others many have been willing to sacrifice their own lives.
What is it that motivates a person to do such an act of sacrifice? Love for others
A Christian is one who has been miraculously saved as a result of outside intervention of God. Paul is pointing us to the immense love of God as the means of our salvation.
Our salvation doesn’t rest upon our love towards God, but on His love towards us! This really demonstrates love in action.
(Brian Clayton who gave his life for others in tsunami was as a result of his love not theirs)
1. Saved by God which was Just at the right time v6. In Gods plan (Appointed time just like in our diary) But when its salvation its God’s diary not ours!
Paul here is referring to salvation being the plan of God and is the result of an eternal love He has for us. Salvation wasn’t an after thought of God.
But was within His eternal plans before the foundation of the world. Here we see The coming of Christ into this world was at the appointed time .
We see here a huge demonstration of Gods love towards His people even before the world was formed, God knew about us and was interested in us personally and has loved us with an everlasting love. This plan was in place in eternity
Eph14 He chose us in Him before the Creation of the world.
Psalm.139;16 the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Just at the right time v6 came Into History
Gal.4.4 under Law to redeem us from the Law
3.20.Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law.
The people of Israel had the opportunity to be right with God through the law.
For 14 hundred years prior to the coming of Jesus yet Christ they consistently failed to live by the law.
This was ample time to prove by God that by the law no- one would be justified. 3v28.We maintain that man is justified by faith apart from observing the law
Gal 3; 24. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. (Schoolteacher and test paper reveal result)
Just at the right time v6 In the life of the individual. When we were still powerless v6 Total inability to work out own salvation.
In the the Greek it means more than just weak, more specific total inability to work out our own righteousness.
We are totally powerless in earning our own salvation we have a paralysis which prevents us from saving ourselves of course its sinful nature . And it has left us totally bankrupt
For many of those people in the Tsunami, whom were rescued, they were powerless to do anything to save themselves it took the intervention of others to save them. And it was just at the right time they were saved, a second later might have been to late.
Christian conversion
You and I are powerless when it comes to salvation, we cannot save ourselves or other people it is the work of God in a persons life.
But when it does happen, it will be just at the right time when you are powerless to save yourself.
Salvation comes at different times, as a small child, for others as a teenager , middle aged or elderly whenever it was, it was just at the right time and when you realised you were powerless to save yourself.
Jim shared with us on Wednesday night at the Bible study about his cousin who recently became a Christian, she wrote in a card “ He has finally got me!”
2.Saved by God, which is through his death. Christ died for us. V6 v8.
Here we see the height of God’s love, through his death. Notice what he says here that Christ died for us he doesn’t mention His life, His teaching, or even His miracles but that ‘Christ died for us ‘
What makes a Christian a Christian?
He doesn’t save us by any of the above mentioned! Albeit these are wonderful things to read about and implement in our lives, but by just following his example although to be commended it will not save anybody. That is why Paul here points to His death. Because if he had not died no one would be saved. V6 v8
Heb;2;9 He suffered death, so by the grace of God that he might taste death for everyone.
The Atonement
This is the act by which God restores relationship of harmony and unity between himself and Human beings. Rom3.25,26@27
Profound truth ‘Atonement’ can be broken down into 3 parts At-one-ment with God.
This is the means in which God restores a relationship and reinstates the sinner into fellowship with Himself
B. The height of Gods love, through his life
in the incarnation of the Son God. The one who became the carpenters apprentice who probably hung doors at Nazareth as a carpenter was the very one who hung the stars in space, the transcendent Son of God should become a man and humble himself. All he did and said was a demonstration of his love to us.
C. The height of God’s love in his suffering
Jhn 3.16 God didn’t just send His Son into the world, it includes giving him over to death upon the cross for us where he would suffer. The Apostle is driving at it was for Us!
Rom.8.32.He who did not spare is own son, but gave him up for us all.
3.Saved by God, despite our character v6 v7 v8
Here we see the depth of God’s love towards us
We have already looked at being powerless, but now he goes further into our nature.
a. We are ungodly means Unlike God
There is no such thing as a naturally godly person
Gen 1.26) Let us make man in our image through the fall that image was defaced.
Rom3.23. Fallen short of the glory of God.
b. As ungodly we have no love for God in fact Paul goes further and says in v10 we are enemies Rom.8:v7 The sinful mind is hostile to God and it does not submit to Gods law and nor can it do so. This is what Paul means by ungodly without love to God without a desire for God, hating God and his law.
c. Paul here wants to show the depth of Gods love to sinners
V7,8. Righteous man governed by duty and a good man governed by love. (Ills Piano player)
Paul is saying we are even worse. V8 We are sinners the exact opposite
A sinner is an offender one who has missed the mark, a sinner has not only failed to keep the law of God but has broken it!
Do you see the depth of Gods love? Luke. 7. 40-50. Jesus anointed by sinful women who loved much. God demonstrates his love…
4. Saved by God, means, we enter into new sphere of benefits.
(In any occupation there are company benefits)
We are justified v9 (just as if I never sinned)
This is God’s act of declaring us not guilty for our sins
Paul tells us we are justified which means to be declared not guilty. When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused. When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. From Gods perspective it is as though we have never sinned.
The story of the Rolls Royce owner who went over to Europe, broke down, he Phones Rolls Royce back in Britain. In no time a mechanic flew out mended the car and flew back and left the man to continue his holiday. ’On returning home to England you can imagine the man was wondering ‘How much was it all to cost? So when he got back he wrote a letter to Rolls Royce asking ‘how much he owed them?’ The reply said, Dear sir, there is no record anywhere in our files that anything ever went wrong with a Rolls Royce. That is justification! (Not only forgiven but forgotten)
So justification is completely of His grace Rom 3.24 on the basis of the work of Christ, accomplished through His blood Rom.5; 9 and brought to his people through His resurrection Rom 4; 25.
The person who is justified is safe for all eternity! Romans; 8. 28 –30,32. Who will bring any charge?
Jhn10;28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, noone can snatch them out of my hand.
We are reconciled. V10
Reconciliation is Gods own completed act something which takes place before human actions like confession, repentance and restitution. God himself brought about the means for reconciliation. He made this first move.
2Cor5.19. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them.
G. Harrison died in December 2001, during his final days of his life his wife, child and sister Louise were at his bedside the fact that Louise was there was particular poignant. Louise and George had been feuding for almost 40 years. The feud began when Louise opened up a hotel called ‘A hard days night’
The rift was only healed when George realised he would probably die of his cancer.
Louise reports the reconciliation was difficult but satisfying “We sort of held hands like we used to do,” she said Talking hours about life God and the universe. “We were able to look into each others eyes again with love.” It was a very, very positive loving meeting,”
This episode tells us exactly what reconciliation is: two people who have been at odds with each othercoming together in a renewed and restored relationship. This is what it means to be reconciled back to God.
The tragedy of course is that George and Louise took so long in reconciling, that they missed out on so much. Similarly, it is a tragedy when we wait so long to be reconciled to those we love especially God!
But when we are its then we can rejoice v11
Because we are saved by God alone!
