Why Grace Meets Objections

About this sermon

Introduction: Paul is teaching the gospel. He is not ashamed of the gospel (1:16), for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. *He has taught that mankind is universally sinful (Ch.1-3) *He has taught then, that justification is by God’s grace alone through faith in Christ (Ch.3-4) *And he has taught that once justified, salvation is forever. (Ch.5) -Security is found in the position that is given by justification -Security is found in the purpose that stood behind our justification (eternal love) -Security is found in the person in whom we are justified – OUR UNION WITH CHRIST (representation and imputation) But this teaching, he knows, will raise objections. Specifically, in chapter 5, there were two lines of thought explored that he knows will raise objections. (vs.20-21) -The idea that where sin abounded grace super abounded. The idea that God’s grace is greater than man’s sin. -And the idea that God’s law came in to increase the trespass. **What is the relationship between a true experience of God’s grace, and the experience of sin in a person’s life? **What is the relationship between a true experience of God’s grace, and the law of God? Everett Harrison and Donald Hagner frame the issue well: “The query, then, is to this effect: ‘Are we not able or even obliged, by the logic of justification, to continue on in sin now that we are Christians, in order to give divine grace as much opportunity as possible to display itself? The more we sin, the more will God’s grace be required to meet the situation, and this will in turn contribute the more to his glory.’1 He answers that in chapters 6 and 7.” So that chapters 6 and 7 are really parenthetical. When we come to chapter 8, he will return to the theme of security that he leaves in chapter 5. I. THE QUESTION (vs.1) A. A GENERAL RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL The first thing, I think it is obvious, but I want to be sure that we don’t miss it, is that what he is covering right here is in direct relationship to what he has already taught. He is not starting an altogether new subject. 1. THE GOSPEL RAISES ISSUES The gospel is powerful teaching, it is powerful truth, and it has a logical connection to all of life. To have a saving understanding of the gospel is to have your worldview turned upside down. **To think that Christianity addresses just one area in a person’s life is to demonstrate that you really don’t understand Christianity. Christianity is not just some teaching; it is certainly not a single facet in an overall life approach. To be a Christian is to have a real relationship with the living God through His Son Jesus Christ. It is knowing Christ, loving Christ, and walking with Christ. We came to know God through the teaching, without the teaching we would have never known Him. But it is much more than just picking up some philosophy. The teaching led us to God. AND ONCE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP THERE IS MORE TEACHING. There is a lifetime of learning God’s truth. And God’s truth was never meant to be kept in a corner of your life. That truth effects, literally, EVERYTHING. So that if one faithfully teaches the gospel there are going to be questions raised. The listeners begin to realize that there are connections between this teaching and how they approach everything.

Topics

• Grace