The Gospel A series in Romans

Everyone stands before God guilty in their sin

Everyone (1:18-20)

Educated (1:21-31)Moral (ch. 2:1-16)

Jew (ch. 2:17ff)

“No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law.” Romans 3:20,28

We can be Declared Righteous

By Grace AloneThru Faith Alone

In Christ Alone

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received by faith as a gift of grace.

3 Views of SalvationHumanism ReligionJustification

You already ARE

Righteous

You must BECOME Righteous

You can be DECLARED Righteous

Universalism: Everyone goes

to heaven

Thru FaithAND Works

By Grace alone thru

Faith alone in Christ alone

We can be Declared Righteous

By Grace AloneThru Faith Alone

In Christ Alone

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received by faith as a gift of grace.

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ• A Free Gift

Abraham

2000 BC

Moses

1500 BC

David

1000 BC

Daniel

500 BC

Jesus

30 AD

“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as

righteousness.” Genesis 15:6

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

Abraham

2000 BC

Moses

1500 BC

David

1000 BC

Daniel

500 BC

Jesus

30 AD

“I will bless you… and through you all nations will be blessed.”

Genesis 12:1-4

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

Hebrews 11:8-12By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised-land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

Hebrews 11:8-12For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

Abraham

2000 BC

Moses

1500 BC

David

1000 BC

Daniel

500 BC

Jesus

30 AD

“Abraham believed God, and it was CREDITED to him as

righteousness.” Genesis 15:6

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

DEBT Forgiveness pays off our debt

CREDITJustification gives us credit for Righteousness

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

DEBT Forgiveness pays off our debt

CREDITJustification gives us credit for Righteousness

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ• A Free Gift, not an Obligation

Abraham

2000 BC

Moses

1500 BC

David

1000 BC

Daniel

500 BC

Jesus

30 AD

“Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.’ ”Romans 4:6; Psalm 32

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.• A Free Gift, not an Obligation• Of Forgiveness

Received through confession and repentance“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long… Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:4-5

Faith

Fruit

“Faith, if it is not accompanied by works, is dead.”

James 3:17

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.• A Free Gift, not an Obligation• Of Forgiveness

Received through confession and repentance“When I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long… Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:4-5

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

DEBT Mercy forgives our debt

CREDITGrace gives us credit for Righteousness

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.• A Free Gift, not an Obligation

• Of Forgiveness AND Righteousness

• For Everyone who BelievesThe SIGN came AFTER the Declaration,

not before it

Faith

Sign

“He received circumcision as a SIGN, a seal of the righteousness he [already] had by faith.”

Romans 4:11

Baptism is an external expression of an internal reality.

Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.• A Free Gift, not an Obligation• Of Forgiveness AND

Righteousness• For Everyone who BelievesThe SIGN came AFTER the Declaration,

not before itBaptism is an external expression of an internal reality