Author: John Johnstone

Sermon: Sunday, 3rd November, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 5:3-11

There are times when God’s message to us can be surprising and even counterintuitive. Such a teaching comes in verse 3 when God calls us to rejoice or glory in our sufferings.  That might not be an easy thing for you to hear.  We rejoice more intuitively in the things we heard about last Sunday, such as justification and peace with a holy God and adoption into God’s family and the grace God pours on us, not just at conversion, but all through our lives.  These truths put a spring in our step.  We rejoice in them.  But what does it mean for us to rejoice in suffering?  Has Paul lost the plot here?  Of course not. This is God’s Word. 

And this teaching is also conveyed by Christ himself: ‘Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’   (Matthew 5:11-12). 

James says: ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers whenever you face trials of many kinds…’   (James 1:2) 

Peter also gets in on the act: ‘Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.’   (1 Peter 4: 12-13)

1. The problem of suffering

We all need to have a good and robust theology of suffering because to varying degrees we all suffer.  There is no ‘get out of jail free’ card for the Christian.  We live in a fallen and broken world and we are broken people.  How is it possible to rejoice in our suffering?  It is not that we rejoice that bad things are happening to us.  But we rejoice in what God is doing within us through suffering.  Through suffering, God brings us to maturity and to a place of greater dependence upon him. 

Speaking personally, and I am sure many of you will agree with me, we often learn the most and grow closer to Christ in the school of suffering.  I don’t always like being in this school, because there is so much I don’t understand when I am there; however, we know our suffering is not meaningless but is actually producing something: ‘… suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.’   (Romans 5:3-4)

Suffering produces perseverance.  This means the ability to keep on going while under pressure. Even from a secular point of view, a skilled football manager will learn longevity in the job through experiencing the highs and the lows.  His resolve is tested through an injury crisis and a financial crisis, but if he can keep going in these conditions, then he will emerge all the stronger.  That’s the kind of thing which suffering does for us.  We experience bereavement and illness and persecution and disappointed hopes and unhappiness and these things are far from easy.  We often come to an end of our own resources, and all we can do is cry out to God for help.  Our grip on the things of this world loosens and we find ourselves in the place of prayer more.

It does not always happen that way.  Christians who lack an understanding of suffering might just keep on asking, ‘Why me?’ and never get past that question.  They might end up becoming angry towards God, and praying even less.  Suffering, even in Christians, can make us bitter.  But Paul reminds us here that it can also make us better, if we respond to it in a godly way.

We’re never given facile answers to suffering in the Bible.  But we are given some helpful answers.  Our perseverance produces character.  In other words, we are those who have been tested and passed the test, by depending on God.  We learn to trust in him in the darkness.  God can even use evil circumstances for our good.  In fact, that is what is happening to us in suffering.  And even those trials which seem at first to challenge our hope in God often end up strengthening our hope in him, as we experience his presence with us in our suffering as well as his sustaining grace.   ‘But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.’   (Job 23:10)  It is in the crucible of suffering that God burns away our impurities, refining and purifying us.

Even Jesus himself learned through his suffering: ‘Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered…’   (Hebrews 5:8)

Again and again, I go back to the picture we are given in John 15: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.’  Friends, often our suffering has a pruning effect in our lives.  We become more humble and compassionate and understanding through suffering. 

We often receive more empathy and wisdom to help others in their suffering.  When Abraham is tested on Mount Moriah in Genesis 22, he grows in faith.  When Peter denies Christ and is then later restored to usefulness, I believe he was strengthened, though at the time, these things were unspeakably hard.  God always has a loving purpose in our suffering – it’s just that we don’t always see it at the time.

2. The problem of doubting God’s love for us

Can we really be certain that God loves us?  How can we be sure that if we hope in Christ, our hope is not misplaced?  These are important questions.  How do we know that our hope in Christ is not an elaborate fantasy?   

John Stott: ‘What is the ultimate ground on which our Christian hope rests, our hope of glory?  It is the steadfast love of God.  The reason our hope will never let us down is that God will never let us down.  His love will never give up on us.’

‘… God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.’   (Romans 5:5) This is a wonderful verse:  We’re not told God’s love drips slowly or trickles into our hearts.  It floods our hearts.  God is lavish with his love when we are converted and then on through our lives.  The term ‘poured out’ is the same used for the Holy Spirit being poured out at Pentecost and speaks of God’s abundant giving.  The channel of this love is the Holy Spirit himself, who assures us of God’s love.  Christians are the objects of lavish divine love.  You might feel this is too touchy-feely, and too subjective.  What about the times when we don’t feel this love?  What exactly is this love spoken of here?  There are different ways we show love to one another.  We show love by spending time with someone or through helping them or by telling them we love them.  We might buy them a present.  How do we know God loves us?

Paul goes on to explain the dimensions of this unmatched love: ‘You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.’   (Romans 5:6)  Christ did not die for us because we were deserving of such a sacrifice, or because we were attractive or had great potential.  Not at all.  In fact, we were powerless to help ourselves and were in a moral mess.  We were ungodly (verse 6) and sinners (verse 8) and were even God’s enemies (verse10).  That’s quite a situation to be in. 

John Murray: ‘The marvel of God’s love is that it was to the ungodly.’

To put it bluntly, God loved me in spite of me.  Surely, our state of lostness and rebellion amplifies God’s love for us. 

John Stott: ‘The more the gift costs the giver, and the less the recipient deserves it, the greater the love is seen to be.  Measured by these standards, God’s love in Christ is absolutely unique.’

Do you want proof that God loves you?  ‘Christ died for us.’   (Romans 5:8)  What further proof do you need? Paul explains how the love of God is so much greater than human love in verses 7-8.  Rarely will someone die for someone they respect, though at times a person will lay down their lives for a loved one.  God’s love is so extraordinary in that he gives himself to those who are his enemies.  This is a different order of love altogether.

If we’re honest, there are times when Christians doubt the love of God.  Perhaps you are in a long period of suffering just now and doubt his love for you.  Or perhaps you have fallen into sin and feel guilty and feel like you are going backwards in the Christian life.  Either way, the solution is to look once more at the cross, where God demonstrates his love for us.  It is a sacrificial love, dying for us.

3 The best is yet to come

In Christianity, when we hear the word ‘salvation’ we usually think about when we became Christians, and rightly so.  But in the Bible, there are past, present and future elements to our salvation.  We have been saved, on the day we were born again; we are being saved now, which means God is at work in us now making us more like Jesus (sanctification); and finally, there’s a sense in which we will be saved, at the end of time, when we will receive our new bodies and souls and be perfect for evermore.  The next few verses (9 and 10) look forward to our future salvation, with utter confidence.  Why with such confidence?  Because Paul argues that if God has already done such a great thing for us in saving us, of course he is going to complete the task.  The Lord always completes what he begins.  We even see that in the very first chapter of the Bible,

‘Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!’ (Romans 5:9)  Here’s the good news again – we are justified right now in God’s sight, through Christ’s blood.  So, logically, if God has already accepted Christ’s death on our behalf (and he has), then on the Day of Judgment, we can be assured that no wrath will fall upon us.  Our future is secure.

‘For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!   (Romans 5:10)  Again, we need to follow the flow of logic here.  If God has already done the difficult thing by reconciling us to himself while we were enemies, then of course he will do the comparatively easier thing and complete our salvation by giving us new resurrection bodies, like those of Christ.  We are united to Christ by faith and so his resurrection power will be given to us.

What a salvation!  No wonder (verse 11) we can boast in God.  Think of the dimensions of his love, dying for us while we were still sinners.  Think of the fact that enemies have brought into the very family of God and have a spectacular resurrection to look forward to.  Let’s rejoice in God for what he has done, for what he is doing, even in our suffering, and what he will do on the Last Day.

Sermon: Sunday, 27th October, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 5:1-2

This week we are going to slow down in our studies in Romans, looking at just the first 2 verses of chapter 5. Our direction of travel is simple – we want to see what these verses tell Christians about our past, our present and our future. That’s pretty comprehensive. If you are not a Christian yet, this is not the time to go to sleep – quite the opposite. The Christian’s past, present and future is so good, my hope is that as we consider each stage, you will long to share in the amazing blessings which only come through knowing Jesus as Saviour and King.

1. The Christian’s past – a wonderful verdict

‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God…’ &nbsp (Romans 5:1)

What does it mean to be justified. What is justification? We looked at his a few weeks ago, but let’s remind ourselves because it’s so foundational. It means that in spite of the many ways in which we have wronged and offended God, God is able the Judge is able to pronounce the verdict on us ‘Not guilty’. When we come to realise the true gravity of our moral guilt before God, this news is the best news we could ever hear. There are so many ways I have been selfish in my life and have hurt others. There are so many ways I have relegated God from his rightful place in my life, which ought to be first place. My sins are not trivial but resulted in my estrangement from God my Creator. I was an enemy of God, fully deserving his punishment.

We might be fed up with all the talk of sin and judgment in Romans, but the truth is that we do live in a moral universe where right and wrong matters to God. Imagine God was not perfect and righteous and a God who judged wickedness. That kind of universe is unthinkable. It wouldn’t matter how anyone behaved. It’s not God the just Judge who is the problem in the universe, but us, the ones who break God’s rules of love again and again. This makes the following question a question of supreme importance: how can we be right in the eyes of God, having so much moral failure in our lives?

Thanks be to God that he has provided the solution to our moral failure. He loved us so much that he sent his Son into the world to die on the cross so that anyone who believes in him can be saved and forgiven and hear the verdict ‘Not guilty’ from God himself.

Let’s not be scared of long Bible words like ‘justification’. When learning to make cider, I had to learn new words, and concepts such as scratting and racking and VWP powder and Campden tablets. You don’t need to know these words. But you do need to know the word ‘justification’. It means that God as Judge forgives all our sins, past, present and future. The moment we place our trust in Jesus we are born again and experience this divine forgiveness. God no longer holds anything against us. However, justification is more than God’s pardon. It also involves God declaring that we are righteous in his sight. God says, in the eyes of the law, you are a righteous person. Of course, this is not because we have kept God’s law, but because Jesus has kept it on our behalf. And if that were not good enough, justification also means that God adopts us into his very own family, giving us the rights and privileges which accompany that, such as his love and protection and provision and becoming heirs of God’s inheritance. Justification is a word worth knowing!

Who is it who is justified? Last week Alistair reminded you, from Romans chapter 4, of the way in which Abraham was justified. It was not through circumcision or trying to keep the law himself. ‘What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’ &nbsp (Romans 4:3) Why is Abraham so important? Because he is the prototype of all who would be justified. We are justified today in exactly the same way in which Abraham was, by faith. God wants your faith. ‘The words ‘it was credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.’ &nbsp (Romans 4:23-24 )

What does it mean to be justified by faith? It this any old faith? No. It is specifically faith in Jesus Christ and in what he has done on the cross. ‘This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.’ &nbsp (Romans 3:22) Faith involves giving up on yourself and your own ability to save yourself, and instead placing all your confidence in Jesus. Faith admits our own helplessness to God and at the same time rejoices in Jesus’ adequacy to help us.

Does this faith have to be strong faith? No! It does not. We are not saved on account of our faith, but through our faith. The key aspect is the object of our faith, Jesus and his work, rather than the quality of our faith.

Thomas Watson: ‘A weak faith may receive a strong Christ; the promise is not made to strong faith but to true faith’.

So, the question for us all is this: are you willing to give up on your own efforts and place your confidence in Jesus? For those of us who are already Christians, let us relish this great fact that God has already pronounced the ‘Not guilty’ verdict on us. On the Day of Judgment, this verdict will be repeated.

2. The Christian’s present – peace and grace

‘Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…’ &nbsp (Romans 5:1) What kind of peace do Christians enjoy in the present, in the here and now?

This peace is not a subjective peace. What do I mean by that? It’s not primarily about our feelings. For example, someone might not even be a Christian but have feelings of peace when out in nature or when they paint or watch a sunrise or practice meditation. God-given peace in is objective peace, which means it is dealing with a fact. This is the fact, from God’s point of view, we are no longer his enemies but know his peace. We now enjoy harmony with God. This is not only the end of hostility with God, but also includes a general sense of well-being in our lives. Listen to Isaiah where this wider concept of peace is painted: ‘And the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.’ &nbsp (Isaiah 32:17-18)

Friends, as Christians we already have this peace. The question is, do we enjoy it as we should? If we are honest, we often forget that all is now well with God. What enables us to sing ‘When peace like a river attendeth my way’? How can we sing ‘It is well with my soul’? It is because: ‘Our sins, not in part but the whole, are nailed to the cross and we bear them no more’.

You may find temporary peace in certain worldly things, such as a good holiday, or in a fulfilling job or relationship. However, we can only find lasting peace and peace with God in Jesus Christ. RC Sproul reminds us that peace treaties between countries are fragile at best; they always contain and element of the uncertain in them. He says: ‘But when God declares peace, when he declares us just, the war is over’. This is such a blessing.

But peace in the here and now is not the only blessing to flow out of justification. We also enjoy access to God in the here and now. ‘… through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.’ &nbsp (Romans 5:2) Notice what is said – right now, Christians stand ‘in the grace of God‘. This is a beautiful phrase. It’s not just that God grants peace, now having nothing against us. It is much richer than that. We now stand in God’s favour. In other words, he loves us and delights in us and his generosity will stay with us all the days of our lives and on into eternity. We have God’s active, loving favour. He is favourably disposed towards us.

This is a truth we need to rub into our hearts more that we do. Sometimes we revert back to a human and works related way of thinking, that if we keep performing at a great level as a Christian then perhaps God will bless us. This is incorrect. God wants you to know that you are adopted.

Just as a good father will always welcome his children and seek their good, so our heavenly father always seeks our good. ‘He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?’ &nbsp (Romans 8:22) Imagine one of our children came to us trembling, asking for our help. We would say, ‘It’s ok, I’ll help you.’

‘Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.’ &nbsp (Hebrews 4:16)

Listen to the access to God and his grace we have in 1 Peter chapter 3: ‘For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…’   (1 Peter 3:18) Let’s hear this loud and clear – as Christians we have a new status before God. We stand permanently in his grace. We cannot stand in this grace today and then tomorrow lose that position. Our feelings might go up and down like a yoyo, but our status as those under God’s grace never changes. At the funeral on Wednesday we sang Amazing Grace. It is indeed God’s ‘amazing grace’ which saves us when we become Christians. But the hymn goes on to say: ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead we home.’ The whole Christian life is one lived out each day depending on God’s grace.

3. The Christian’s future

‘And we rejoice/ boast in the hope of the glory of God.’   (Romans 5:2b) Because Christians are justified through faith, we have a wonderful future to look forward to. We always remind ourselves that when the New Testament speaks of ‘hope’ this does not mean just a vague wish, like we might hope that this summer is a good one, or that the economy improves. Christian hope speaks of something completely certain and so we can look forward to it now in anticipation. We hope for the glory of God.

How is God’s glory shown today? We see it in the creation around us. Psalm 19 declares: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’   (Psalm 19:1) We see God’s glory every time someone becomes a Christian or grows in their faith. We have seen God’s glory in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ. ‘What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory.’   (John 2:11) However, in all of these areas, there is much more of the glory of God to be seen. Romans 8 reminds us that the creation is groaning now as it is in bondage. When it is remade in perfection and liberated it will placard God’s glory much more. Likewise, Christians are a saved, yes, but we are still sinners. But in Heaven we shall be perfect both in body and soul. There, each Christian will be like a masterpiece painting, painted by God himself, and reflecting even more of God’s glory and grace. And in Jesus’ first coming, we could see his glory in many ways, but it was veiled. When he comes again in power and glory, there will be a far greater glory for us to see and enjoy and bask in. Faith will be replaced by sight, and we will see the glory of God.

There are many blessings of justification: we have peace with God, we stand each day in his generous grace, and we have something quite awesome to look forward to, the display of God’s glory in the earth, in us, and in Christ. You don’t want to miss out on these things. Why not come to Jesus in prayer, admitting your need of forgiveness, and placing your confidence in Jesus and his work? You will never regret doing so.

Sermon: Sunday, 6th October, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 3:9-26

In the very first verse of Romans, we hear the phrase ‘the gospel of God’. As we know, gospel means ‘good news’. However, it doesn’t seem like Paul has had much good news to share with us so far. He keeps talking about sin, and humanity’s lack of goodness or righteousness. For three weeks now, we have seen that when it comes to righteousness, the overtly immoral, the respectable and even the deeply religious are all in the same boat – we all fall well short of God’s standards and so we lack a righteousness of our own, and are unable to change this on our own. Why is Paul labouring this point? Does he get a kick out of puncturing the balloon of human pride? Is he just one of those preachers who wants to weigh us down with guilt, and leave us there? Absolutely not!

RC Sproul gives us the reason: ‘…it is impossible to really hear the gospel until one has first heard the gavel crash and the verdict sounded unequivocal – Guilty!’ The truth is, unless we come to terms with our own enormous problem with sinful thoughts and actions, and until we come to understand that a holy and fair God must punish sin, then we will not understand the good news of gospel, that Christ saves sinners. You cannot appreciate the Saviour until you know what you are being saved from.

1. Is God right to judge us?

Verses 9-20 are a summary of all that Paul has been saying since chapter 1:18. Verse 9 states that: ‘Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.’ What does it mean to be under the power of sin? It means more than just to be sinners. It pictures sin as a kind of slave-master, and we are slaves to sin, under its dominion, until Christ sets us free. Sin is no small problem. We suppress the truth of God and exchange it for a lie because we are slaves to sin. We approve of the evil other people do and judge other even when we do the same things because we are slaves to sin. We can make as many resolutions as we want to stop doing certain wrong things but we are unable to keep them, unable to live in a good way, because we are slaves to sin. The human race is a race of helpless prisoners to sin. ‘But now that you know God – or rather are known by God – how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces ? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?’ (Galatians 4:9) It’s hard to hear, but we cannot stop sinning!

Many people who are not Christians will still agree that all humans are addicted to something. It might not be something obvious like drugs or alcohol. But we might be so addicted to our phones, or a relationship with someone, or with work or even with worry. Some are addicted to eating certain things or shopping, or their own image. We do these things or think about these things to a degree that they become harmful to us and even to others. Humans are slaves to many things, many gods. We are trapped under the power of sin.

This is the doctrine of total depravity. It doesn’t mean that we are as bad as we could be. But it does mean that (RC Sproul): ‘…sin affects every aspect of our human existence: our minds, our wills and our bodies are affected by sin. Every dimension of our personality suffers at some point from the weight of sin…’ It’s true that we are not as bad as we could be, but every part of us is not what it should be. Are my emotions, sexuality, personality and feelings affected by sin? Yes. Are yours? Yes. Dr Addison Leitch said that if sin were blue, every aspect of us would be some shade of blue.

Is this really true? What evidence is there that we are slaves to sin? Well, verses 10-12 explain that we have hearts which have turned away from God. We are so keen to be the bosses of our own lives that rather than seeking after God and his way, we run from God and go our own way. Even the good things we try and do are tainted by sin. Is this true? It is still true of Christians- we give money to the church and before long we start to feel proud and look down on others. We get married and that teaches us new things about just how selfish we can be.

Paul illustrates the human condition in verses 13-16 by outlining some of the dark conduct we are capable of, and indeed fall into. Parts of the body, such as the throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet and eyes, which ought to be used for good, are in fact used for evil purposes. Paul quotes 6 different Old Testament verses to back up the truth that our sinfulness and alienation from God is a universal problem, affecting every single one if us. Our tongues, which could be used to praise God and encourage others, are often the instruments of boasting, lying, character assassination, and bitter words. That is, indeed, the human condition. Are verses 15-16 true? Are humans swift to shed blood and do we bring misery to others? In the last 3421 years, only 268 have seen no war. It seems that we can’t stop killing one another.

This takes us back to our heading: is God right to judge humanity? Yes, because we are all guilty. And if anger is the correct response of goodness towards sin and injustice, then God is right to be angry with us all.

Human justice often has great weaknesses. For example, sometimes the rich and powerful can afford better lawyers and get away with things which poorer people do not ordinary get away with. That’s not fair. God’s justice is always fair, however. Imagine the Day of Judgment, standing before God, with none of our thoughts or actions hidden from God. ‘He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.’ (2 Corinthians 4:5)

What will we say to God on that Day? Verse 19 tells us that we will have nothing to say. The evidence of our guilt will be so obvious and overwhelming that ’…every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.’ This is a picture from the courtroom – a judicial picture. God is the prosecuting attorney. Even those who thought they were good at keeping the law will have nothing to say. Finally, they will see that God’s law (verse 20) reveals just how far we fall short from God’s standards. Even the simple command to honour our parents condemns us, as we cannot even manage to do that. And which of us has not coveted what another has? Who has loved God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength? The situation seems desperate. It seems bleak.

But Paul does not end there. Verse 21: ‘But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known…’ These 2 words ‘but now’ is music to our ears. There is a way for us to be set free from slavery to sin. There is a way to be right with God. But it is not by keeping the law.

2. Is God right to save us?

We will answer this question by looking at 3 wonderful pictures which we are given in verses 24-5. God saves those who stop trusting in themselves and in the law, and instead, place their trust in Jesus and what he has done on the cross. Faith is the key to being transformed. ‘This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.’ (Romans 3:22)

The first picture is from the courtroom – justification. Yes, all human beings are guilty before God. We have not loved him or our neighbours as we ought. However, as soon as we have faith in Jesus, God the Judge pronounces a once-and-for-all verdict on us, and that verdict is ‘not guilty’. This is more than a royal pardon. God actually wipes the slate clean. He treats us as if we had never sinned. It almost sounds too good to be true, but it is true. Is it fair? Is God right to save us? Yes. God is right to justify us, because on the cross, Jesus died to completely take away all of our guilt. This includes the guilt from our past, present, and even our futures. ‘Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!’ (Romans 5:9)

Donald Macleod: ‘What justification changes is our status. We were guilty, condemned, convicted men. Now we are acquitted. We were in the wrong before God. Now we are in the right. We lived in fear, frightened of condign punishment for our sins. Now that fear is gone. We have no reason to be afraid.’

And God is right to save us because justice has been satisfied. Our long record of disobedience has been transferred onto the shoulders of Jesus and he has paid the price. And Jesus’ perfect record is transferred to us. ‘God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Satan does not want us to enjoy this wonderful truth of justification. He was us to carry our guilt around, even though it has been dealt with. We must be aware of this. Satan is the Accuser. Satan wants to make you feel like rubbish. He wants to paralyse you into inactivity every time you sin and fail, so that you feel you cannot serve God. He wants to rob you of your peace. So, what should we do? The hymn, ‘Before the Throne’ advises:
‘When Satan tempts me to despair, and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look and see Him there, who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Saviour died, my sinful soul is counted free,
for God the Just is satisfied, to look on Him and pardon me’.

We must believe that we really are justified. Next time you sin, be quick to confess it to Jesus, and then remember that you are clean in God’s sight. Robert Murray McCheyne once said: ‘For every look at yourself, take ten looks at Christ.’ This is the best advice. Remember what he has done for us.

The next picture Paul gives is that of redemption. This is a picture from the slave market. This might be far removed from our context today but is a precious picture. Redemption means to set someone free through the payment of a price. When does this happen for the Christian? As soon as we have faith in Christ. That’s when we become Christians. That’s when we are born again.

We’ve already seen in verse 9 that all are born as slaves to sin. We are under its power. But the wonderful news of the gospel is that Jesus comes and pays his Father an extremely high price in order to set us free. What is that price? ‘For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.’ (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Does this truth make any difference to you at the workplace or in your home? You are no longer a slave to sin. Once there was a slave who was set free from his cruel horrible master by a generous benefactor. This former slave was out in the field one day when his old master rode by on a horse, came up to the man and barked an order at him, commanding him to fetch him a drink. In fear, the man obeyed his former master. But he didn’t need to. His response didn’t make sense; he was a free man. This is how I feel every time I sin, following Satan’s voice. I’ve been set free from his dominion, and it no longer makes sense to obey him. We have been redeemed. We need to remember that when Satan comes to tempt us into following him. He wants us to think true freedom is following him.

The final picture is one from the temple and is that of propitiation. ‘…whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.’ (Romans 3:25) Don’t be scared of the word propitiation – it just means turning away God’s wrath through a sacrifice. We’ll already seen that God is right to be angry with human rebellion. But the focus of the gospel is not on what we have done to mess up our relationship with God, but on what God has done to sort it out. Although God is the one who is rightfully angry and offended, he is also the one to provide the only solution for his wrath, the sacrifice of his only Son on the cross.

Let’s ask the basic question – if we are Christians, how much of God’s wrath can we receive on the Day of Judgement? The answer is none! Jesus has already absorbed all the anger of cross when he experienced Hell in our place. There is no wrath left for us. Hallelujah!

Sermon: Sunday, 29th September, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 2:1 – 3:8

It can be heart-breaking when people trust in the wrong things or the wrong people. Having a false confidence in something or someone can be so dangerous. For example, those who set sail on the Titanic in 1912, trusted that they would arrive safely in New York City. Around 1500 lost their lives. Their confidence in human engineering and in the skill of the sailors was misplaced. In 1991, following the death of Robert Maxwell, it came to light that he had embezzled 460 million from employees, whose pension funds dropped by 50% as a result. You cannot trust powerful figures, and you cannot trust that you will have financial security in the future, and if you do then you will ultimately be disappointed.

When it comes to thinking about our eternal security – life after death – you need to make sure your confidence is not misplaced. Tragically, there are many people who think they have a guaranteed place in Heaven, but they are trusting in the wrong things. It is a false confidence. They trust in their own goodness, or in their religion or in their Christian heritage, or in their churchgoing, but the bottom line is this: they do not know God or trust in Jesus as their Saviour. We’ve probably all been to funerals where it is assumed that the deceased is now in Heaven, even though during their lives Jesus meant nothing to them. This is the worst form of self-deception we can have, believing that we are at peace with God, when we are not.

Paul has been going to great lengths to underline to us that when it comes to the greatest human need, which is forgiveness with God, we are all in the same boat. We have already seen that it is not just the openly immoral who fall short of God’s righteous standards, but the respectable and moral in society fall short as well. They might not commit obvious sins such as murder and adultery in their actions, but in their hearts, they commit these sins repeatedly.

This week, we complete the dark picture of humanity by looking at a final group, that of the deeply religious within God’s covenant community. Many Jewish people wrongly assumed that all was well between them and God just because they attended the synagogue or because they were circumcised. Paul presents them with the shocking truth; if you rely on your Jewish heritage for your salvation, you will be eternity lost. For us in Kirkcaldy Free Church this morning, the shocking truth is this, if you are relying on your baptism or Christian upbringing, or church membership, or keeping of the Lord’s Day in order to get into Heaven, then you too have a false confidence.

1. Relying on your Christian heritage is a deadly mistake

What were the Jews relying on for their salvation? ‘Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law…’ (Romans 2:17-18) The Jews thought they were okay with God because they were the ones who possessed God’s truth by having the Bible. Of all the nations on the earth, they were the ones who had been given the ten commandments on tablets of stone. They were the chosen ones. In effect, they were saying: ‘we don’t need to worry about God’s wrath or judgement, because we have God’s law’. However, like those on the Titanic, although they thought they were safe, they were not.

This leads us to the question, what impact should the 10 commandments have had on them? If they had really understood God’s law, they would have seen how beautiful the law is, because it teaches us how to love God and love our neighbours. However, God’s law should also unsettle us and make us feel guilty, because externally and internally, we fail to keep it. God’s law is like an MRI scan which shows up all the wrong and twisted things in our hearts. The law shows us our sin. So, rather than thinking: ‘We have the law so we’re okay.’ they should have thought, ‘We’ve totally failed to keep the law God entrusted us with, and we are in desperate need of his mercy.’ The law should lead us to cry out to Jesus on prayer for forgiveness.

So, let me ask each one of us here, are you relying on your knowledge of the Christian faith to get you into Heaven? If so, then you have a false confidence. What Paul is saying is that just possessing God’s truth and laws is not enough. In fact, there is a sense in which it makes us more guilty because we have been given more light by God: ‘You, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?’ (Romans 2:21-22) Paul is rightly accusing them of failing to practice what they preach. They might teach others God’s law, or teach their own children, but that does not cover the fact that they too are law-breakers. God sees into our hearts, seeing our lack of love for him and for our neighbours.

It is not only God who sees their hypocrisy – the Gentiles see it too: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’ (Romans 2:24) What does this mean? It means the failure of the religious to love others was a massive stumbling block for Gentiles. ‘If that’s what following the Lord looks like”, they thought, “then I’m having none of it.’

The application for us today us obvious. If you fail to practice what you preach at home and at the workplace and on a work night out, and in your neighbourhood and at church, then you yourself might be a barrier which keeps people from God. If you say ‘Yes, I’m a Christian.’ but are then lazy at work, or join in in gossip, then people will see through you. Of course, we are all far from perfect, but our aim, with God’s help, is to live out the Christian faith in everyday life. The opposite is also true: ‘…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.’ (Matthew 5:16) I can think of a student who was known as a Christian in his halls of residence, but who slept around. God’s name was blasphemed amongst the students because of him. God’s name was dragged through the mud. May the same not be true of us.

2. Relying on your baptism is also a deadly mistake.

As well as the law, the Jews also relied upon the fact that they were connected with God’s people on account of being circumcised. To be blunt, they thought their place in Heaven was secure because they had been circumcised. It was good that they had been circumcised! This was God’s covenant sign which spoke to them of the righteousness which comes to us by faith. However, outward circumcision is not what makes us believers. For that, we need circumcision of the heart, which is a work of God: ‘A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.’ (Romans 2:28-29)

The Jews had misunderstood the covenant symbol of circumcision. They relied on the sign of circumcision but ignored the key thing, what the sign pointed to, a relationship of trust with the living God. What God cares about most is your heart. Do you love Jesus, trusting in his death on the cross? Imagine a man who wears a wedding ring all the time, as a sign of his marriage vows to his wife. The truth is, he is an adulterer. Then imagine another man who doesn’t wear his ring, but has been faithful all his life and loves his wife. We all know the first man cannot claim to be right with his wife because he wears a wedding ring. That’s just the outward sign, important though it is.

Let’s get more personal. What kind of wrong things can we trust in today? What might our false confidence be? For the Jews it was their possession of the Scriptures, and it was circumcision. For some of us it might be baptism. We might think that because we were baptised as a baby, or even as an adult, that our place in Heaven is secure. But that is nonsense. Our place in Heaven is only secure if we have received Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Our confidence must not be in our baptism but in Jesus. Jesus’ perfect life and death on our behalf must be the only basis of our confidence.

You might be from a country where there are many Muslims, and you might have grown up as a Christian, and attended church regularly. Is that your passport to Heaven. No! That would be relying on our Christian heritage, instead of relying on a person – Jesus Christ. If your confidence is in the fact that you are Free Church, Catholic or that you take communion, that is a false confidence. Again, as we sang together, we must say: ‘In Christ alone my hope is found.’ He is our confidence.

Let’s recap. Paul tells the whole world, the openly immoral, the respectable in society and the deeply religious, that they all fail to live up to God’s standards. This means that we all need Jesus to rescue us from the moral debt we have built up, no matter what our background might be. Make no mistake- the deeply religious would have been shocked by this. They had taken refuge in their religion and in their ethnic identity as Jews, but Paul has torn this shelter down, telling them it is no good and that Jesus is the only one you can shelter under.

Paul knows many of the religious Jews will object. Paul knows this from experience because he used to have this false confidence himself before he met Jesus. And so, Paul begins to deal with some typical objections to the truth that we are justified through faith alone in Christ alone.

3. Phoney objections

The first objection is, if they cannot save you from judgment, what’s the point in circumcision or in having the Scriptures? Wouldn’t Jews be better off as Gentiles? Paul says ‘No!’ We could ask a similar question in 2024, if it doesn’t save you from judgment, is there an advantage in having Christian parents? Indeed, there is. It is a massive privilege to be brought up in a Christian home and to be taught: who God is and what he has done, the value of human life and what our greatest need is, and also the way we can be forgiven and have eternal life. Of course, just knowing such facts is not enough; we must experience a true hatred of sin and turn to God for forgiveness. But to have the Bible, God’s instruction manual for our lives, is a tremendous blessing, revealing to us the unmatched, loving and gracious character of God.

The next 3 objections seem more spurious. Verses 3-4 seem to ask, if God’s people are unfaithful does that mean that he is unfaithful? Well, no it does not mean that. God is the Faithful One. He is always true to his word. If God chose the Jewish people, but some of them fail to trust him, does that mean God’s plans and promises are being frustrated? No, it does not mean this.

In verses 5-6, we have a twisted objection to God’s grace. The objector is arguing that the more we sin, the more glorious God’s grace appears, so surely God should be pleased when we sin, as our sin just underlines his grace more. It’s almost like arguing that we should be so delighted in the black cloth under the diamond, because this background shows off the beauty of the diamond more. So then, how could God judge our sin if our sin helps to highlight God’s grace and forgiveness? Would God not be unjust to bring his wrath on sinners? This is a feeble argument. Paul counters it by saying that God is the Judge of all people, and of course he is competent to judge justly.

The final objection in verses 7-8 is the worst of them all. The crux of this argument is this: if our being bad makes God look good, then we will be bad so that he looks good. These arguments are twisted and irrational. But the arguments remind us just how much human beings object to being told the truth that that they have a problem with sin and cannot be righteous in God’s sight by their own efforts. Rather than humbling ourselves before God, receiving Jesus as Saviour with great joy, many are determined not to believe. They will throw up smokescreens and ask all kind of questions, some of which might be unanswerable. But our God has told us more than enough about what we must do to be saved.

Sometimes people ask good questions and are genuinely seeking answers. At other times, however, questioning God and his ways are just our stubborn way of refusing to humble ourselves before him. We can legitimately ask why there is so much suffering in the world, and where evil came from, and we can ask about other religions and about God and science. But at the end of the day, the fact remains that one day each one of us will have to stand before God and give an account of our lives. We must focus on how to be saved. We must focus on how to receive the righteousness of God that is by faith. Do you want to have a true and right and genuine hope for Heaven? It is only found in Jesus.

Sermon: Sunday, 22nd September, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 2:1-16

The judgment of God is not an easy thing for us to think about.  It’s an extremely unpopular topic today, especially for those who are not Christians but even for some who are, but who genuinely struggle with the concept of Hell and are more than a little uncomfortable with it.  We cannot think of a more serious topic than God’s judgment.  We need to be careful to stick closely to the contours of the Bible and not go beyond them.  When we think of God’s anger at evil, I think it is helpful to think about our own anger towards evil. 

When I visited Auschwitz, I felt great anger at what happened there in the gas chambers.  We feel anger at injustice and evil because we care about people.  Gavin Ortlund says: ‘Anger is how goodness responds to evil.’  So, when we see women or children exploited, or countries where the politicians syphon off all the money to line their own pockets while their own people starve, righteous anger is the best response.  It’s hard for us to imagine just how angry our perfect God must be, at the sin in the world, including the sin in our hearts.

If God were to ignore sin, there would be no justice in the world.  Even this week, with multiple accusations about the former owner of Harrods, it seems like he abused his power to exploit his employees.  Now he is dead, and we might think he got away with it.  And what about the countless others in positions of power down through the centuries who lived comfortable lives at the expense of others?  Did they get away with it too?  The fact is no one will get away with their evil deeds.  God clearly states in this passage that there is a day of ‘God’s wrath’ (verse 5) when all wrongs shall be put right.  Verse 16 speaks of a day when God will ‘judge people’s secrets through Jesus Christ’.  We can sometimes manage to hide our sins from others, but we cannot hide them from a God who sees and knows all things. One day, or secrets will be brought into the open.

I’m glad that it is Jesus who will judge everyone.  Why?  Because he knows exactly what we have done, including what our motives have been and any mitigating circumstances.  He will judge fairly.  He will not make any mistakes in his judgments.  It might seem from a human point of view that Christ will judge in a way that is too severe, and to our limited minds, sometimes it might seem that way.  Abraham is quite right when he says to the LORD in Genesis: ‘Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25)

‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9)  Here, Peter shows us God’s heart for the people he has created: he wants them all to be saved, but he will not force them all to be saved.

Last week, we considered God’s attitude to pagan people, whose sins are obvious and who worship idols.  We saw how even those who have no Bible of their own have no excuse in the rejection of God, because the creation around us is evidence of both his existence and his goodness.  To take his good gifts throughout our lives whilst failing to praise and thank him for them is a serious business.  People actively suppress the truth about God because they want to be the boss of their own lives, and so they reject God’s rightful authority over us.  We act as if we were God rather than letting God have the first place in our lives, which he alone deserves.  As a result of this rebellion, God removes his hand of restraint, and leaves people to their own wrong desires and behaviours.

This week, we come to consider another group of people, the respectable people in society, who seem good on the outside.  But all is not what it seems.  They might pay their taxes, climb the career ladder, raise their children, give to the foodbank and donate blood four times a year; however, they too fail spectacularly to keep God’s good and holy laws and they too, just like the pagans, are in need of a Saviour, to save them from God’s just judgments.  Morally, they are in the same boat.  They fall short of God’s standards, and even their own standards.

1. The respectable judge others, but God will judge them.

 
I have a friend who likes to talk about the evil in the world and in other people.  He is a respectable man in the community.  He speaks about racists, and corrupt politicians.  However, he will not accept that he himself has a problem with sin.  And I think most people in Scotland are like that.  They live respectable lives, and as they read the newspapers and read of Putin and Fayed and drunk drivers and shoplifters they avoid their own guilt, by putting others down and lifting themselves up.  Most people do this.  But God is having none of it (verse 1).  He calls it hypocrisy, because they too do the same things!

Yes, people can see the overt sins of murder and adultery in others, but we too break those commands through the murderous anger and lustful thoughts in our hearts.  Jesus clearly teaches that adultery can be committed in our thoughts as well as our actions.  We desire to cheat on our spouse.
Such people take the place of God by judging the lives of others (as if we ourselves were God) but at the same time, we break the exact same commands ourselves, but are too blind to see it: ‘…at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.’ (Romans 2:1)

Have you fallen into this trap?  You often tut-tut at the wrongs of others, and disapprove of the ills in society.  But do you see your own faults and failings?  Do you consider how you covet better cars or holidays or houses?  Do you consider how you might give to a good cause once in a while, but the truth is that you have far more than most people in the world, but have very little interest in sharing what you have with others?  Moral, respectable people often think they have nothing to be judged by God for.  God begs to differ: ‘… do you think you will escape God’s judgment?’ (Romans 2:3)

2. When I am not judged immediately, it is because God is giving me time to repent.

Just because your life, your family and career, are going well, does not mean that God is pleased with you.  Many presume they are good people, and that God must be pleased with them because their lives are relatively smooth.  They wrongly assume that God will not judge people like them.  What do we read in verse 4?  Why is God being kind to them?  ‘Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?’ (Romans 2:4)  God’s patience is not a sign of your goodness, but rather his patience is to give you every chance to confess your sin to God, and put your trust in Christ, rather than in yourself.

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, ‘The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished…’ (Exodus 34:6-7)

If you are not yet a believer, God’s patience with you is not a sign that he isn’t bothered by your sin.  It is not a sign that he doesn’t notice what you are doing – he does. He is holding back judgement in order to give you an opportunity to repent.  The question is: are you responding positively to God’s patience with you?  The only right response is to change direction, away from our sin and towards Jesus.

3. God will judge us fairly, based on our actions.

 
If God’s patience with us is designed to bring us to a place of humility and confession of sin, but we fail to do that, and carry on judging others, then we build up more and more moral debt with God.  Verse 5 We are storing up wrath for ourselves. The fairness of God’s judgements is seen in the fact that it is based upon the actions of our lives.

Those who are Christians are justified by faith, and not works.  However, the evidence that we have come to trust in Christ is that we show forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.  If we are attached to Christ the vine by faith, then of course, we must bear fruit.  ‘To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life.’ (Romans 2:7)  In other words, the hallmark of a true Christian is one who seeks God’s glory and honour in their actions.  It is to such that eternal life will be given.

Sadly, there is another category of person, one who refuses to seek God’s glory, but rather rejects God and his truth and is self-seeking.  Their eternal destination will be one without the goodness of God.  All of us here must stand before our Maker one day, and our lives will be evaluated based upon our deeds.  Our lives will not be evaluated based on what others think of us, or on if we are church members, or have been baptised, but rather based on the level of our obedience.

Verse 11 states that God does not show favouritism.  You could be highly respected in your community or be a member of the Free Church, PCA, COS, or another church, but God will still judge you with total fairness based on how you have lived.  There are 2 destinies mentioned here: eternal life, and a place of wrath and anger. I would urge you not to live for yourself, ignoring your Maker and the truth he has revealed in the Bible.  Instead, place your trust in Christ alone, and then your life will be lived out for God’s glory, and be marked by good works.

God’s patience does not go on forever.  Remember the days of Noah.  God’s patience with human wickedness came to an end and a flood of judgement eventually came.  God asked Noah to build an ark.  What was so special about the ark?  It was the only place to be safe from the judgement which was deserved.  What is the equivalent of the ark for us?  It is to be safe in the arms of Jesus.  That involves turning from sin and asking God for forgiveness.

4. Even those without Bibles have knowledge of God’s commands in their hearts.

 
The Jews, of course, were privileged to have been given the 10 commandments and other laws in the Bible.  However, some wrongly thought just by possessing these commandments, they were right with God.  Paul says ‘No’, the commands need to be obeyed by those to whom they have been given.

What about non-Jews?  What about those Gentiles who have never read the Bible?  How can they be expected to know God’s rules?  God tells us here that even those without Bibles have an inbuilt sense of right and wrong.  You can go around the world, and there is agreement that murder is wrong.  Most cultures understand that stealing is wrong, and that we must respect the property of others.  These things are self-evident.  Why?  ‘They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts…’ (Romans 2:15)  This is an amazing teaching, reminding us that all human beings have an at least some understanding of right and wrong.  Sometimes this is referred to as ‘natural law’.

This passage also speaks of the human conscience.  Those who are not Christians can still feel guilty about things they have done because their own consciences accuse them.

Many people like to put God ‘in the dock’.  We say his judgement of the people he has made is unfair.  Friends, we are reminded here that God has made himself plain to the world through the creation and by giving them a sense of right and wrong and consciences to make them aware of wrongdoing.  So let us be clear: God will not judge people unfairly but based on the knowledge they have been given and based on their actions.  The truth is that we are all accountable to God for our actions. He will make no mistakes in his judgements, because he knows all about us.  He even knows our secrets.  ‘This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.’ (Romans 2:16)   There will be no miscarriages of justice on that Day.  The Post Office scandal, where 900 sub-postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for stealing, reminds us that human judgements are imperfect at best. God will make no errors in his dealings with us.  He knows all the information, including the secrets no one else knows.

Why is the gospel such good news?  Why should Romans 1:17 cause us to do cartwheels, and sing for joy?  Because all people need to be saved.  None of us is righteous.  Pagans aren’t righteous and respectable and moral people aren’t righteous.  How much we all need God’s righteousness!  Why then will you not come to Jesus and ask for it?

‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ (Romans 1:17)

Sermon: Sunday, 15th September, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 1:18-32

Last week, Geoff was preaching on the best news we could ever hear – that although no one in the world is good enough to make it to Heaven by their own efforts, because we lack the righteousness or goodness that God requires, we can still get to Heaven because Jesus is able to forgive us and give us the goodness which we lack from his own stores of goodness. Jesus’ goodness is offered to the whole world, but there is a condition to receiving it; we must turn away from our sin and believe that Jesus if the Son of God who died on the cross in order to clean us of sin. In a word, God wants our trust. He wants our faith: For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed — a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ (Romans 1:17)

Martin Luther is arguably the most influential Christian in the last 1000 years. He became a monk, living in a monastery; however, he did not have faith in Jesus. He was not a true Christian. Instead of receiving Jesus’ goodness as a gift, he tried and tried to earn God’s favour through acts of penance and self-sacrifice, and even self-flagellation. In other words, he tried to make himself good enough for God. But no one is good enough for God. If we were good enough, we wouldn’t need Jesus to save us, and Jesus would not have needed to die on the cross. Luther describes his pre-Christian days as a monk: ‘If you had asked me, did I love God, I would say love God? Sometimes I hated him. I saw Christ as a terrifying judge, who had the sword of judgement above my head, and I had no peace.’ Luther came to understand that the righteousness he needed could not come from his own actions. Rather, it is a righteousness that God makes available to us who are not righteous; that righteousness of God that is granted to us as a gift in faith. When Luther understood justification by faith alone, and not by our own efforts, he said it was like ‘the doors of paradise swung open and I walked through’. Do you understand that you cannot make yourself good, but need God to do that for you? Do you understand that this goodness only comes to those who place their trust in Jesus?

As a monk, Luther discovered that no one can find God’s forgiveness through their own efforts. Our good deeds will never outweigh the bad. The early chapters of Romans hammer this point home to us. In chapter 1 we are told that pagans fall well short of God’s standards. In chapter 2, Paul tells us that likewise, moral people fall short of God’s standards. Finally, and for some most shocking of all, we’re told that the deeply religious also fall short of God’s standards and without faith in Jesus, are under God’s wrath. Paul goes to great lengths in these early chapters of Romans to show that all human beings are in the same boat. Romans chapter 3 sums up the problem of all humans: ‘For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’ (Romans 3:23)

Why does Paul spend so long trying to convince us of this? Imagine going to your doctor, and he asks you to sit down and tells you he has some bad news for you – even though you might feel ok, you have an extremely serious illness. However, thankfully there is a cure available. Unless you are convinced that there is a problem, you will never agree to surgery needed to cure this disease. It is crucial that you understand the true nature of your problem. The same is true spiritually. Until you understand that you cannot get into a right relationship with God by your own efforts, and that you have a problem with sin in your heart, you will never accept God’s solution, which is Christ’s death on the cross. It was when Luther stopped trying to earn God favour, and rested instead on what Jesus had done for him by dying in his place that peace flooded into his heart. So let me be blunt: like a good doctor, the best of doctors, God wants to break this bad news to you today – you are not a good person.

Let’s try to understand what lies at the heart of the human problem of sin.

1. There is no such thing as an atheist

That might sound like a crazy thing to say. Even last week, I was speaking with a group of young people, a third of whom claimed to be atheists. Are they wrong? Yes! The Bible clearly teaches us that all humans beings know something about God. They might never have heard about Jesus Christ or his death or resurrection. They might never have read God’s book, the Bible. However, they have read another book – the book of nature. That is to say, when they look at the stars in the sky, or a newborn baby, or the beauty of a landscape, they know deep down that there must have been a God to have designed and created these things: ‘… since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.’ (Romans 1:19-20)

God is telling us something logical. Just as when we see a great painting, we know there must have been an artist who painted it, in the same way, when we see the creation, we know there must have been a Creator behind it. And we know this Creator must be powerful and glorious to have been able to form the created order. This is what it says in Psalm 19: ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.’ (Psalm 19:1-4)

In other words, the stars themselves are like an internationally understood language shouting out to all people – there is a God! There is a Creator! Deep down, everyone knows this fact. That’s why even the staunchest atheists often end up praying on their death beds. And that’s why the world is full of religion – we know within ourselves that there is a God. There is no such thing as an atheist.

Many times, I’ve heard people say,’Why does God make it so hard to believe in him?’ The assumption is that God is playing a horrible game of hide and seek with us, making it really hard to find him. The truth is the very opposite. We see the fingerprints of God all around us, and yet we hide from him.

2. Human rebellion

It’s an interesting fact that people do not always respond to truth in the way that we should. For example, a man with a spending problem started off opening his credit card bills when they came through the post, but they really upset him. As time went on, he began to leave them unopened, but continued to rack up even more debt. He chose to suppress the truth of his debts, and carried on spending money he didn’t have, and even managed to convince himself at times that he didn’t really have a problem.

Many people do the same with God. They know he exists, but they: ‘… suppress the truth by their wickedness.’ (Romans 1:18) The squash down the thought of God in their lives. But why? Because they do not want to be answerable to a supreme being. Instead, they want to be the boss of their own lives. God is an inconvenient truth, so rather than face this truth, they squash it down more and more, until they convince themselves that they are atheists.

I’ve been thinking about rainbows a lot recently. They are the sign of God’s covenant with Noah and indeed his covenant with all human beings and with animals too. God promises to sustain and preserve the human race until Jesus comes again. He is good to all he has made. He sends the sun and the rain and causes things to grow. Paul and Barnabas inform those in Lystra that God: ‘… has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.’ (Acts 14:17) We ought to be so thankful to God for his gifts. However, in our rebellion, human beings have the opposite reaction: ‘For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him…’ (Romans 1:21) Being unthankful to God is a serious business.

Verse 18 describes the dark side of the human condition using the words ‘godlessness and wickedness’.

‘John Stott: Scripture is quite clear than the essence of sin is godlessness. It is an attempt to get rid of God and, since that is impossible, the determination to live as though one had succeeded in doing so… It is not just that they do wrong, though they know better. It is that they have made an a priori decision to live for themselves, rather than for God and others, therefore deliberately stifle any truth which challenges their self-centredness.’

A son went off to university in Glasgow. He had been brought up with love and the best his parents could offer. They even supported him at university. However, when he began to taste a life of independence, he began to ignore the texts and calls of his parents. He wanted no accountability and no interference. When his dad turned up at his flat and knocked on the door, he refused to answer, and even said to his flatmates: ‘I don’t know who that guy is banging on our door. Tell him to go away.’ That’s a shocking scene. But that’s how many people treat God. God has been kind to us, giving us our lives, and many of its accompanying gifts. We turn round to God and say: ‘I don’t want you in my life.’ This is human rebellion against God. This is thanklessness. This is wickedness.

When volunteering at the church café, I really appreciate it when people say ‘Thank you’. Some people don’t. Some even complain about the service, take far more than their share, as if that’s their right. Sadly, we can all be guilty of entitlement and thanklessness. Not saying thank you to me is not such a big deal. But when we behave like that towards God, the King of Kings, it is serious.

3. God is a God of both love and wrath

What have we learned so far? We’ve seen that the invisible God is made visible to us by what has been made. However, we have a tendency to ignore God in his world, to pursue our own selfish path. We suppress the truth of his existence, and this sets off a negative chain reaction. Because when we push God out of our lives, our thinking is darkened and this vacuum is replaced by all kinds of ugly idols which take God’s place. ‘For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.’ (Romans 1:21-23)

We’ve already thought of God’s love, sending his own Son to die to pay the price for our sin and to gift us his goodness. Now we come to a more unpopular truth – the wrath of God. God will not be mocked. His wrath is not like human wrath, which can often be out of control or unjust or too severe. God’s wrath is a holy wrath directed at those who mistreat him and other human beings.

John Stott: His wrath is his holy hostility to evil, his refusal to condone it or to come to terms with it, his just judgement upon it.’

I’m glad that God is not neutral towards wickedness. What kind of God would he be then, if the wicked were never brought to justice?

This leads to the question – how is God’s holy anger revealed? We know it will be revealed at the end of time on the Day of Judgement. However, what’s striking about this passage is that God is also revealing his anger in the here and now. What do we mean? Well, we see that for those who reject God, God ‘gives them over’ to the wicked desires of their hearts. We see this phrase 3 times, in verses 24, 26 and 28. The shocking thing is this: in the here and now, God’s judgement comes not by God’s intervention, but by not intervening, by allowing us to go our own way.

John Stott: ‘God abandons stubborn sinners to their wilful self-centredness, and the resulting process of moral and spiritual degeneration is to be understood as a judicial act of God. This is the revelation of God’s wrath from heaven.’

It is as if God is saying: ‘So you want to live without me – ok then do that.’ God removes his hand of restraint, and leaves people to their own wrong desires and behaviours. These wrong behaviours are anything which is outside the will of God. God is the Creator and Designer of the world, and so it goes without saying that he decides what is right and wrong and reveals to us in Scripture how we are to love God and love our neighbours. Part of this design is that the only context for sexual activity is in the lifelong marriage of a man and a woman. Of course, in 2024 our culture has completely moved away from the basic foundational truths of marriage, gender and sex.

Church is a place where homosexuals are welcome and respected and loved, but that does not mean we agree with homosexual practice, if the Bible clearly teaches it is out with his design. But we might object and say, well, why do people have these strong desires? I don’t know about you, but often I have wrong desires, and have to fight against them. Not everything which I desire is necessarily right. Sam Allberry, a pastor who is himself same-sex attracted, writes with great love and sympathy for the gay community. He says: ‘All of us have desires that are warped as a result of our fallen nature. Desires for things God has forbidden are a reflection of how sin has distorted me, not of how God has made me… as we reject God, we find ourselves craving what we are not naturally designed to do. This is as true of a heterosexual person as a homosexual person.’

Here’s the thing. When God is rejected, what happens? Society starts to unravel. Verses 29-32 catalogue 21 other sins which flow out of suppression of God and his truth. Verse 32 even says we approve of those who do evil. When we fail to honour and love and serve God, it results in the disordering of human life. It leads to envy and boasting and disobeying our parents. Let’s take a step back from this passage and think of our own Scottish culture in 2024. It seems to me that we are a culture which has repressed our knowledge of God, and exchanged him for our own idols, resulting in moral chaos.

Sermon: Sunday, 1st September, 2024
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Romans 1:1-5

Paul’s letter to the church in Rome has been used mightily by God down through the centuries.

Matin Luther: ‘The more thoroughly it is treated, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.’

I hope that you will be able to say the same! As we begin this letter, let’s put it in context. Paul is writing to Christians in the church in Rome. He has not yet been able to travel to Rome, so is writing to Christians whom he has never met! We read in Romans chapter 16 of Paul’s desire to visit Rome on route to Spain. Some think he wanted the church in Rome to become partners in this Spanish work, through their prayers and financial support.

Some of the key themes of the letter are that:
• all people are sinners and with exception need to be saved from their sin;
• through the righteousness of God, sin is judged and salvation is provided;
• we can only be accepted in God’s sight through faith in what Jesus has done.

The letter also deals with the future of God’s ancient people the Jews, our future hope of Heaven and how Christians ought to live out the gospel in their everyday lives. One verse which encapsulates the message of Romans is: ‘For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed – a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ (Romans 1:17)

When ministers start talking about how we all need to tell others about Jesus, it’s all too easy to switch off. We don’t need another guilt-trip. It’s just not something we are comfortable doing, even if we’re glad when other people do. We just want to be background Christians, blending in at work and with neighbours and not being seen as odd or weird. Plus, the truth is, many are afraid to talk to others about Christianity. We don’t want to look stupid, and we don’t want to be asked questions which we can’t answer. Or perhaps our faith is wobbly and we’re just not as sure about things which we used to be sure about. Then we read Paul’s words which ooze with a heartfelt resolve to speak to others no matter what: ‘For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.’ (Romans 1:16)

Paul has confidence in the gospel. He believes the message is one people urgently need to hear. Here’s a question for us this morning – how can we come to share more of Paul’s confidence in the message of the Christian faith? How can we get to a place where even though we might feel uncomfortable, we will actually start taking opportunities to talk about Jesus when they arise, rather than shying away from them? I believe Romans chapter 1 is an excellent place to start. Or, perhaps you haven’t yet come to a place where you trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Why should you listen to Paul? Again, this passage provides some helpful reasons.

One of the key words in this passage is the word ‘gospel’. Many of us know that this word means ‘good news’. It means good news which really changes things significantly. This is crucial for us to understand. Christianity is not a mere set of rules to follow, or a way to earn ‘brownie points’ with God. It’s not advice about how to improve our lives. It is good news that all humanity desperately needs to hear, because it deals with our greatest need – how to have a right relationship with God. What does this passage teach us about this good news?

1. Where does this good news come from?

Verse 1 tells us that it is the ‘gospel of God’. In other words, the message of Christianity is not made up or concocted by people trying to deceive us. It does not have its origin in Paul, clever as he was. It is not a human invention, designed to make a world full of suffering more bearable. Rather, it is true because it comes straight from the mouth of God. God revealed the truth of the gospel to the prophets and to the apostles (such as Paul) and God has made sure it was written down, so that we may know how to get into a right relationship with him.

When we preach at this church, we’re not making stuff up as we go along. We are sharing what God has revealed to the world, and this has many important implications. It means that we can never change the message of the gospel. The message is not ours to change; it is the gospel of God. It belongs to him. We must stick to what God tells us in the Bible. Sadly, some so-called churches (which are not true churches) change the message of the Bible saying that as long as we try our best then that’s all God wants. But that’s not the gospel and that’s not what God wants. The good news isn’t about what we can do for God, but about what he can do for us.

The fact that the gospel has its origin in God is an encouraging truth. This alone ought to help us to share it with others. What could be more important to share with others than the message of God? It also means that when people reject the good news, they are not rejecting our good news, but God’s good news. Christians are to be just like postmen and postwomen, delivering God’s letter of love to others in the world.

R C Sproul: ‘It is God’s gospel. God owns it, God originated it, God designed it and now God is simply using the apostle Paul to communicate it to us.’

We listen to many voices today, from celebrities and influencers to friends. There’s a voice you must listen to above all others – God’s.

Is the good news brand new? No, it is not! As well as New Testament writers such as Matthew and John and Paul proclaiming this good news, we also find the good news foretold in the Old Testament. In this way, the trustworthiness of the gospel just seems to increase more and more. It is God’s good news, attested to by both Old Testament prophets and New Testament apostles: ‘the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures…’ (Romans 1:2) When we have to carry something which is valuable but also heavy, we sometimes use 2 carrier bags instead of 1 to make it more secure. The truth of this news is carried by God’s servants spanning many hundreds of years. This ought to give us double confidence in the gospel. It is impossible to make this news up, bearing in mind that all the Old Testament gospel prophecies come true.

2. What is the gospel about?

Verse 3: ‘regarding his Son…’ If you want to tell other people the gospel then you must be telling them about Jesus Christ. Telling people about our church is not sharing the gospel. Nor is telling them about our café, good as that might be. Christianity is essentially good news about a person – Jesus Christ. Again, it’s not a mere set of rules, a religion or a philosophy. It is a relationship with the person called Jesus Christ. We talk to him in prayer and he talks to us as we read his Word- the Bible.

John Calvin: ‘..the whole gospel is contained in Christ…to move even a step from Christ means to withdraw oneself from the gospel.’

What does Paul tell us about the person Jesus Christ? He tells us that he is fully human and fully God at the same time. That is absolutely unique. We cannot say that about anyone else. And it is essential, because Jesus had to be fully human to die on the cross in the place of humans, and he had to be God so that his sacrifice was big enough to atone for all of his people. Paul says: ‘… regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.’ (Romans 1:3-4)

Jesus is so glorious because he is both Christ and Lord. He is truly human. He is the long-promised king, descended from David, through whom God was going to save a lost humanity and right all the wrongs in the world. Because he shares our humanity fully, he understands all that we go through. He understands our doubts and fears and anxieties. He is the Christ, God’s anointed king. But he is also the Lord. This means that he is God. How do we know this? Because of the empty tomb! Jesus’ resurrection proves beyond doubt his identity as God the Lord. This qualifies Jesus as the only Saviour of the world. Jesus’ resurrection tells us that the cross was a complete success in that sin has been paid for and death has been destroyed.

There is no one who loves us more than Jesus. No one else has conquered death. No one else has lived the perfect life we could not live. No one is more glorious or just or wise. The gospel contradicts our culture which so often places human beings at the centre of the universe. In reality, Jesus is the centre of all things. He deserves our worship and allegiance. In sport, we speak of the GOAT (the greatest of all time). In tennis, that might be Federer or Nadal or Djokovic. In snooker, it is Hendry or O’Sullivan. However, sport doesn’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things. I hope we only loosely follow teams or sports stars or favourite singers. Jesus is the only one truly worth following and surrendering our lives to. He will never let us down.

3. Who is the gospel for?

‘Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.’ (Romans 1:5)
‘all the Gentiles’ is another way of saying all the nations of the world. Paul was a patriotic Jew, and yet God called him as an apostle to the other nations of the world. He was the first great missionary of the early church. God’s message of salvation extends to every man and woman, boy and girl in the world. No one is excluded. That means it is good news for you today.

J Stott: ‘If we are to be committed to world mission, we have to be liberated from all pride of race, nation, tribe, caste and class, and acknowledge that God’s gospel is for everyone, without exception and without distinction.’

We know in theory that we must not keep the gospel to ourselves. Imagine during the pandemic, we discovered a comprehensive vaccine but kept it to ourselves. That would have been so wrong. We must not do that with the gospel. We have the only vaccine for eternal life – a relationship with Jesus.

4. What does the gospel demand from you?

The gospel demands a response from you. ‘… to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.’ (Romans 1:5) If you are not a Christian yet, you need to understand the urgency of listening to and acting upon the message of the gospel. It’s not the kind of news which you hear and then just shrug your shoulders. You must act upon it. Like if you were on a ship which was going to sink and you heard good news that there are lifeboats you can get into! You wouldn’t just stand on the ship’s deck with total apathy.

I’ve been challenged this week by someothing RC Sproul said. His concern was that too often we present the gospel as a mere invitation, as if people can take it or leave it, like an invitation to attend a party or not. But Sproul points out that the gospel is more of a command than an invitation. ‘In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.’ (Acts 17:30-31)

R C Sproul: ‘God does not invite people to repent, he commands them’.

So, yes, the gospel is good news. It is the best possible news, but we only realise that when we understand are enormous need of God’s forgiveness. And it is certainly not ‘take it or leave it’ news, but rather news about the only person qualified to rescue us from God’s judgment. Will you believe in his death in your place?

One of the most famous Christians of all time is St Augustine. Before placing his trust in Jesus, he lived a life of wine, women and song. He lived a licentious life, with a pagan philosophy of life; however, he was not content. In fact, he was depressed with his life. One day, the young man was walking and heard children chanting in a game ‘tolla lege, tolla lege’ which means ‘Pick up and read, pick up and read’. Just then, he saw and New Testament and began to read a section at random. It was from Romans: ‘Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.’ (Romans 13:13-14)

Augustine was immediately convicted by God the Holy Spirit, and this was his conversion to Christ. For the first time he saw that he needed God’s forgiveness and came to realise the wonderful news that through trusting in the life and death of Jesus, our dirty clothes can be removed and Jesus’ goodness can be wrapped around us, making us righteous. This is really what the letter of Romans is all about. It’s a wonderful letter. Will you pray to God admitting your clothes are filthy and you’ve nothing with which to remove the stains? Will you ask Jesus to clothe you anew with his goodness?