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You may turn in your Bibles to 
Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter 5, we'll focus 
this evening on the section verses 6 to 11, specifically the demonstration 
of God's love according to Romans chapter 5 and verse 8. I've often 
thought that if given just a brief moment To speak the truth concerning 
Christ, Romans 5.8 is about the best or one of the best summaries 
of the entirety of the gospel. It deals with God, it deals with 
man, it deals with Christ. But I'll just read beginning 
in chapter 5 at verse 1 and read to the end of the chapter. It's 
good to see the context in which we find specific verses. Therefore, 
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith 
into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory 
of God. And not only that, but we also 
glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, 
and perseverance character, and character hope. Now hope does 
not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in 
our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when 
we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the 
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous 
man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would 
even dare to die. But God demonstrates his own 
love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ 
died for us. Much more than, having now been 
justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, 
we were reconciled to God through the death of his son, much more, 
having been reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not 
only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus 
Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Therefore, just as through one 
man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death 
spread to all men, because all sinned. For until the law, sin 
was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no 
law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over 
those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression 
of Adam, who was a type of him who was to come. But the free 
gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense 
many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace 
of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift 
is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment 
which came from one offense resulted in condemnation. But the free 
gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For 
if by the one man's offense, death reigned through the one, 
much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness 
will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, 
as through one man's offense, judgment came to all men, resulting 
in condemnation, even so through one man's righteous act, the 
free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For 
as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also 
by one man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover, 
the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, 
grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, 
even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, let us pray. Father, thank you for your word, 
and thank you for both the Old and the New Testaments, the fact 
that it all testifies concerning your redemptive plan in and through 
your son, the Lord Jesus Christ. How we praise you and how we 
thank you that you've made us partakers of this fact, of this 
blessing. We thank you that you've justified 
us freely by your grace, that you've given us all things necessary 
for life. And we just praise you for all 
of your mercy and all of your kindness to us. And help us now, 
God, to consider, to study, to think through your great love 
for sinners. And we pray through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. Well, as I said, Romans 
5.8 serves a great summary statement concerning the entirety of the 
gospel. It speaks of God, it speaks of the demonstration of 
His love, it speaks of the targets of that, while we were still 
sinners, and then gives the means by which this salvation is brought 
to bear. Christ died for us. Now, just to give a few observations 
concerning the larger context. Back in chapter 3, At verse 21, 
the Apostle shifts course. He has been dealing with the 
universal condemnation of sin over all men everywhere. He begins 
his argument in chapter 1 at verse 18. and concludes in chapter 
3 at verse 20 when he says, Therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh 
will be justified in his sight, for by the law is the knowledge 
of sin. So Paul has shown that man by 
nature, man in sin, cannot work his way to heaven. Man by himself 
cannot achieve the righteousness of God it must come as a gift 
by God given to us and that is what Paul says in chapter 3 at 
verse 21 but now he says the righteousness of God apart from 
the law is revealed being witnessed by the law and the prophets, 
even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ 
to all and on all who believe. And then he explains justification 
by faith alone, the end of chapter 3 and pretty much all of chapter 
4. And then here in chapter 5, in 
verses 1 to 5, He indicates the blessings associated with having 
been justified by faith. Notice in chapter 5, verse 1. 
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with 
God through our Lord Jesus Christ. In the section that we're going 
to look at this evening, in verses 6 to 11, he indicates the foundation 
for those blessings. It comes as a result of Christ's 
mediation. Christ's work on behalf of his 
people. And then the latter half of chapter 
5, verses 12 to 21, explain how it is that Christ can die for 
us. I know that just the reading 
of 5, 12 to 21 is somewhat confusing, But essentially what Paul is 
setting forth there is that in Adam all died. All those for 
whom Christ died, those for whom Christ shed his blood, will live. He basically summarizes all of 
history under these two men. Adam the first, and then Christ 
as the last Adam. So 12 to 21 is an explanation 
of how it is that Christ can die on our behalf and bring these 
redemptive benefits. But as I said, we're going to 
focus this evening on verses 6 to 11 and primarily on verse 
8. The first thing I want us to 
observe is the statement concerning our helplessness in verse 6. For when we were still without 
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. You see, 
the scripture teaches two things with reference to sin. It actually 
teaches a lot, but we can summarize the biblical doctrine of sin 
under two categories. The first is total depravity. And oftentimes Calvinists or 
reformed people are known by that tulip, and the T stands 
for total depravity. That doesn't mean we're as bad 
as we can possibly be, but it does mean that every part of 
us is affected by sin. our minds, our hearts, our affections, 
our wills. So while we're not as evil as 
we could possibly be, we are evil through and through. In 
Adam we are sinners, and in Adam we have died spiritually. But the scripture not only indicates 
that we're totally depraved, but the scripture highlights 
that we're totally unable to merit God's favor. We're totally 
unable, without supernatural grace, to put ourselves into 
favor with God. The Lord Jesus indicated this 
in John 6 at verse 44. He says, no one can come to me 
unless the Father who sent me draws him. Notice what Christ 
says. He says, no one can. That's total 
inability. We do not possess the ability 
in Adam to go to God on his terms. We do not possess the ability 
to reconcile ourselves before God. We are unable, we have no 
ability. In fact, Paul describes us in 
Ephesians 2 verses 1 to 3, not as being a little bit impaired 
as a result of our sin, not being a little bit hindered as a result 
of our sin, but he describes us as being dead in our trespasses 
and sins. Later in Romans chapter 8, Paul 
the Apostle describes or at least highlights or states these two 
ideas concerning sin. Notice in Romans chapter 8 at 
verse 7. He says, because the carnal mind 
is enmity against God. For it is not subject to the 
law of God. There's total depravity. The 
carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to 
the law of God. Being subject to the law of God 
means that we do what God says. It means that we obey. It means 
that we have no other gods before Him. We do not manufacture idols. We do not blaspheme his name. 
We do not break his Sabbath days. We do not dishonor lawful authority. We do not murder. We do not commit 
adultery. We do not steal. We do not lie. And we do not covet. But carnal 
man is not like that. We are not subject to the law 
of God. But then notice what Paul goes 
on to say in verse 7. Nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the 
flesh cannot please God. So when we go back to chapter 
5, verse 6, when Paul indicates for when we were still without 
strength. In due time, Christ died for 
the ungodly. He is highlighting this reality. It didn't depend on our ability. 
It didn't depend upon our ingenuity. It didn't depend on our lawfulness. We were without strength. We 
were without hope. We were dead. We were gone. We 
were outside. That's the emphasis of the Apostle. And I believe this portrays or 
sets forth the backdrop so that we can appreciate in full what 
Paul says concerning God's love in verse 8. So we have a statement 
concerning our helplessness in verse 6. Notice, secondly, an 
illustration presenting God's graciousness in verse 7. He's 
trying to show us, or He's trying to indicate, and I think what 
Paul is doing here in verses 6 to 11 is highlighting this 
love that has been shed abroad or poured out in our hearts by 
the Holy Spirit, which was indicated in verse 5. Verses 6 to 11 wants, 
or Paul wants us to have assurance. He wants us to have a steadiness. 
He wants us to have a rock-solid hope. He wants us to have confidence, 
not in ourselves, but in our Savior. And in verse 7, again, 
this is all leading up to this declaration of verse 8. We have 
our inability in verse 6, and we have God's ability or God's 
graciousness in verse 7. For scarcely for a righteous 
man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone would 
even dare to die. He's setting up the stage. We're not supposed to see two 
categories of man. Scarcity for a righteous man, 
yet for a good man. He's using those terms synonymously. 
The idea is simply this. Most of us would not, for a moment, 
think about dying for someone that was unrighteous. Most of 
us, if we saw someone that we thought deserved it, about to 
die, we probably wouldn't push him off of the train tracks and 
take his place. There might actually be a secret 
rooting in our hearts. Yeah, he's getting what he deserves. He's getting what is coming to 
him. You see, Paul wants you to understand, 
again, how great, how magnificent, and how glorious is the love 
of God. That's the theme. Scarcely for 
a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man someone 
would even dare to die. So you're walking home and you 
see some guy that you think deserves it standing on the train tracks. 
He happens to be blind. He doesn't see that the train 
is coming. And you conclude that this guy really does deserve 
it, so you're going to look the other way or walk the other way 
and he's going to get smacked down. Now another time you walk 
home and you see somebody that's a really nice person. You like 
them quite a bit. You start to do the math. Maybe 
I can run over there and push him off the train tracks and 
escape the train myself. You see, Paul's logic is formidable. For scarcely for a righteous 
man will one die, yet perhaps, he says, for a good man someone 
would even dare to die. It might be the scenario, it 
might be the case. If we had the equivalent of the 
KGB, throw a grenade into this room, one of us might jump on 
that grenade and take it in our own flesh to spare all of our 
brothers and sisters. Paul understands that hypothesis. Paul realized that perhaps for 
a good man, someone would even dare to die. And then verse 8, 
thirdly, is the Declaration highlighting God's love. He says that's not 
the scenario with the Gospel. We're not dealing with righteous 
men. We're not dealing with good men. 
So you can't conclude that God looked down upon the mass of 
humanity and saw this one, and saw that one, and saw this one, 
and said, well, there's some righteousness there, and there's 
some good there, and there's some kindness there, and there's 
some love there, and there's some nobility there, so I'll 
go ahead and dispatch my son into this world so that he can 
die for that. That's not the scenario at all. 
God demonstrates His own love to us in that while we were still 
sinners, we were not righteous, we were not lovely, we were not 
good, we were not godly. God demonstrates His own love 
toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for 
us. Sounds a lot like what we find 
in John 3, 16. God so loved the world that He 
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. Sounds a lot like what 
we find in 1 John 4, 10. In this is love. I love what 
John says here. In this is love. Not that we 
love God. That's a no-brainer. We should 
love God. He's altogether lovely and chief 
among ten thousand. The glory, the magnificence, 
the beauty and the majesty of the Christian gospel is not that 
sinners have come to love God. That's a no-brainer and that's 
the way it ought to be. No, John says, in this is love, 
not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His Son 
to be the propitiation for our sins. He sent His Son in accordance 
with the prophet Isaiah, that it would be pleasing to bruise 
him, to spend his wrath upon his son. That's what the idea 
of propitiation is. Charles Hodge says, the gift 
of Christ to die on our behalf is everywhere in Scripture represented 
as the highest possible or conceivable proof of the love of God to sinners. Let me just read that again. 
The gift of Christ to die on our behalf is everywhere in scripture 
represented as the highest possible or conceivable proof of the love 
of God to sinners. Paul states, God demonstrates 
his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, 
Christ died for us. Now let's consider the specific 
terms the apostle employs there. He speaks of God. What do we 
know of God according to the scripture? The Shorter Catechism 
is a great place to start. God is spirit, infinite, eternal, 
and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, 
goodness, and truth. Think about that word, holiness. 
Think about the prophet Habakkuk, who said that the eye of the 
Lord is too pure to behold any evil. You see how in stark contrast 
between sinful man and the glory of God, this love shines, it 
blazes, it's magnificent. God the Holy One, God the Glorious 
One, God the One who is love Himself. Demonstrates this love. He doesn't just speak about it. 
He doesn't just hypothesize about it. He doesn't just talk. He 
actually demonstrates it. He demonstrates it in the person 
and in the work of His beloved Son. That's the purpose of John 
3.16. God so loved the world that He gave. 1 John 4.10, in 
this is love, this is amazing, not that we love God, but that 
God loved us and he sent his son as a propitiation for us. And here in this text, God demonstrates 
his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, 
Christ died for us. Do you know there's four categories 
or four descriptions Paul gives to us that I think just makes this 
love pop out. We were helpless. I've already 
mentioned that in verse 6. Total depravity, total inability. Who's the object in this passage? Who's the target of God's love? Not righteous men, not good men, 
but helpless men. And not helpless just because 
we're creatures, but helpless because we're sinners. The carnal 
mind is enmity against God. We cannot please God in and of 
our own strength. It is God the Lord who must undertake. When you read verses 6 to 11, 
there is no way you conclude that salvation or justification 
or us being accepted before God is anything but monergism. That means God alone working 
in the salvation of his people. We were helpless. Secondly, he 
says we were ungodly. Notice verse 6. In due time, Christ died for 
the ungodly. How do we know God loves? Because 
he sent his son to die for the ungodly. You see, Paul doesn't 
forget chapter 1 verse 18 to chapter 3 verse 20. He doesn't 
forget the doctrine of sin. He doesn't forget the doctrine 
of depravity. He understands that this sets 
the context and the stage to display the gloriousness of God's 
gospel. Notice back in chapter 4 at verse 
5. But to him who does not work, 
but believes on him who justifies the ungodly. God demonstrates 
His own love toward us. We were helpless. We were ungodly. There was nothing in us to commend 
us to Him. You see, when you love something 
that's lovely, there's nothing amazing about that. You should 
love what's lovely. We should love God. We should 
adore God. We should honor God. We should 
praise God. But for God to look upon guilty, 
vile, helpless sinners, and purpose to save them? That's what makes 
Paul say God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while 
we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We were ungodly 
men, ungodly women. John Murray says it is not a 
love constrained by commendable qualities in them. You see, this 
wouldn't be cause for rejoicing or it wouldn't be cause for promoting 
assurance. It wouldn't be hope-building 
if God owed us this love. He doesn't owe us. We are ungodly. We are vile. We are wretched. 
We hold up our fist. Murray says, it is not a love 
constrained by commendable qualities in them, not even by the qualities 
which they would one day exhibit by the power of God's grace. 
So the argument isn't, he knows what they're gonna be, so he 
sends Christ to die for them. He knows what their potential 
is, so he sends Christ to die for them. That's not the argument. The argument is, is that this 
holy God commendeth his own love toward us, in that while we were 
still sinners, Christ died for us. We were helpless, we were 
ungodly, we were sinners. Verse 8. We see that there. One man rightly comments on what 
men call Calvinism, or we might call it the reformed faith. This 
particular author says, for to Calvinism there is really only 
one point to be made in the field of soteriology. I hope everyone 
here knows what's soteriology, the doctrine of salvation. The doctrine of salvation says 
it's not five points that we elucidate. He says in Calvinism 
there's only one point in the field of soteriology. He says 
the point that God saves sinners. This is Romans 5.8. He says, 
God, the triune Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit, three persons 
working together in sovereign wisdom, power, and love to achieve 
the salvation of a chosen people, the Father electing, the Son 
fulfilling the Father's will by redeeming, the Spirit executing 
the purpose of Father and Son by renewing. He then says, saves. does everything, first to last, 
that is involved in bringing man from death and sin to life 
and glory. He plans, achieves, and communicates 
redemption, calls and keeps, justifies, sanctifies, glorifies. So we have God, saves, and then 
the third sub-point is sinners. He says, men, as God finds them, 
Guilty, vile, helpless, powerless, unable to lift a finger to do 
God's will or better, their spiritual lot. As I said, Paul hasn't forgotten 
what he's written in chapters 1 to 3. When he gets to chapter 
5, verse 8, when he says, God demonstrates his own love toward 
us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
He hasn't forgotten the sins of chapter 1. We could turn there 
for just a moment to see the sorts of things that are true 
of us. See, I think at times we come 
to a passage like this. They're called vice lists, a 
list of vices. And we focus on this one, or 
we focus on that one, or we look at this particular thing, or 
that particular thing. What we need to understand is 
these are the results, these are the symptoms, these are the 
fruits of idolatry. Notice in chapter 1 verse 18, 
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness 
and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Because what may be known of 
God is manifest to them, for God has shown it to them. For 
since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes are 
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, 
even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." 
Now notice verse 21. This is absolutely crucial that 
you get this, that you understand this. That our problem, first 
and foremost, is religious in nature. That our problem, first 
and foremost, is turning our back upon the true and living 
God. Our problem, first and foremost, 
is theological in nature. When we resist the one true and 
the living God, then all of these vices flow inevitably. You want 
to see what the answer is to society that looks like ours? 
It is the cross. Because we live in a day and 
age of idolatry. Notice what Paul says in verse 
21. He says, because although they 
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, 
but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were 
darkened. You see, that's the issue. We know God exists, but 
we don't glorify Him as God. We don't thank God as God. And as a result, these sins flow. Notice in verse 22, professing 
to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the 
incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man and 
birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. You see, 
first and foremost, our issue is ungodliness. And it's based 
on that reality, rejecting God, not glorifying God as God, not 
being thankful. It is on that basis that God 
then gives us over. And it's in that state that we 
pursue sin. Verse 24, therefore God also. 
gave them up to uncleanness in the lusts of their hearts, to 
dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God 
for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature, rather than 
the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave 
them up to vile passions, for even their women exchanged the 
natural use for what is against nature. Likewise, also the men, 
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for 
one another. Men with men, committing what 
is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their 
error, which was due. The problem in a same-sex marriage 
is not that one of them needs to go marry a woman. They both 
need Christ. They need to be free. You see, 
idolatry inevitably leads to manifold wickedness. And we don't 
treat symptoms. We don't say, clean up your life. 
We say, go to the Lord of glory. Go to Jesus. Believe on Him who 
died and who rose again. Verse 28, and even as they did 
not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over 
to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting, 
being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality. The man who's 
addicted to internet pornography needs the cross. Yes, he can use a filter. Yes, 
he can get rid of his computer. Yes, he can get rid of his iPhone. 
All those things may deal and may treat symptoms, but what 
the man needs is the power of the cross of our Lord Jesus. Because he's not glorifying God 
as God, nor is he thankful, but rather he is worshiping and serving 
the creature rather than the creator. You see, we need to 
preach the gospel to combat sin. not preach moralism to combat 
sin. We preach the cross, we preach 
the blood, we preach justification by faith alone. It is that which 
breaks the power of reigning sin. Notice in verse 29. It's 
not just sexual sin. You know, it's easy to say, oh, 
those homosexuals, or oh, those internet porn guys, or oh, you 
know, it's easy to see that sin out there. Paul doesn't let you 
do that. Paul gives these vice lists which 
are comprehensive. It doesn't just deal with them 
out there. But notice how he goes on in 
verse 29. Wickedness, covetousness. Sure, none of us, or perhaps 
many of us, weren't addicted to internet pornography, or many 
of us never engaged in a homosexual activity. Covetousness? Can any one of us ever say we 
never coveted? If you can, you may have a bigger 
problem with the Ninth Commandment. You see, the same scripture, 
the same vice list that denounces homosexual activity, that denounces 
sexual immorality, denounces our respectable covetousness, 
maliciousness, full of envy, murder. Now, we may not actually 
cut people's throats. In that, we are to be applauded. 
We may not actually take guns and shoot people in the head. 
But if we hate our brother, if we say, fool Iraq, if we have 
unwarranted, unjustified anger, if we reshape our lives to avoid 
that person, we may be guilty of violating the sixth word. 
Strife, deceit, evil-mindedness, they are whisperers, back biters. We won't even open that one up. 
How many times have we slandered? How many times have we gossiped? 
How many times have we backbitten some brother or sister? Haters 
of God, violent. Notice, Paul doesn't want any 
of us to escape. Proud. Proud. Not me, pastor. I'm the most 
humble guy I know. Again, check that ninth word. 
You shall not bear false witness. Anybody who ever says, I'm the 
most humble guy I know, wow. Wow. Boasters, inventors of evil things, 
disobedient to parents. Notice how comprehensive the 
vice list is. How many times do we rail against 
the homosexual community and never say anything about kids 
in our churches that act like brats. It is a sin against the holy 
God to disobey your parents. When did we actually think it 
was okay to do this? What's happened along the way? How has it become, you know, 
the way it's supposed to be when children are disobedient? when 
husbands don't love their wives, when wives don't submit to their 
husbands. How is it that in the professing church, more often 
than not, we look just like the world? Disobedient to parents, 
undeserving, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful. It's quite a list, isn't it? 
God demonstrates his own love toward us while we were still 
sinners. These kinds of sins. This kind 
of muck, this kind of garbage, this kind of sewage, this kind 
of wretchedness, it is in that matrix, it is in that context, 
it is in that framework that Paul wants us to appreciate this 
magnificent love of God. He didn't send His Son to save 
righteous people. He didn't send His Son to save 
good people because there were not. He sent His Son to save 
sinful people. Sin that looks like this. You 
know, Jesus Christ is a real Savior for a real sinner. The 
proof of God's love is seen not only in His holiness, not only 
in the demonstration at the cross, but in the objects of that love. 
We're helpless, we're ungodly, we're sinners, but Paul doesn't 
stop there. He says in verse 9 that we're 
enemies. We're enemies, verse 9, much 
more than, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved 
from wrath through him. Verse 10, for if when we were 
enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his 
son. Now in light of what I've said about total depravity and 
about total inability and about the fact that we are ungodly 
people and that we are sinners and that we don't honor God as 
God and that we're not thankful to God, you might conclude the 
reference here in verse 10 to enemies is our view of God. We treat Him as our enemy. The Bible certainly presents 
that fact. The Bible certainly teaches that. 
We've already seen it in Romans 121. He is God. We don't glorify 
Him as God, and we aren't thankful to Him. He's given us all things. 
He's given us bread. He's given us water. He's given 
us sunshine. He's given us rain. He's given 
us love. He's given us families. And yet 
we don't honor Him as God, and we're not thankful to Him. What 
is that but seeing Him or viewing Him as our enemy? But that's 
not what Paul means in verse 10. Paul means that we were the 
enemy of God. Hodge says it this way, there 
is not only a wicked opposition of the sinner to God, but a holy 
opposition of God to the sinner. That's Paul's point in verse 
10. Not only are we helpless, not 
only are we ungodly, not only are we sinners, but we are God's 
enemies. He looks upon us as vile. He 
looks upon us with anger. He looks upon us with wrath and 
fury. He looks upon us with great disgust. and disdain, the way we might 
look at some loathsome thing. We despise it, we abhor it, we 
don't want it near us, we treat it as an enemy. Well, that's 
what the argument is. For if, when we were enemies, 
we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son. You see, 
not only do we need to look upon God favorably, and this is what 
the cross does, but God needs to look upon us favorably, and 
this is what the cross does. It is through the reconciling 
work of the Lord Jesus Christ that the Father looks upon us 
with any degree of approbation or approval or with any degree 
of love. You see, I think these four terms 
set in stark contrast the glorious love of God. He doesn't love 
lovely objects, he doesn't love righteous men, he doesn't love 
good men, because there are none. God set his affection before 
the foundation of the world upon us. Us in our helplessness, us 
in our ungodliness, us in our sinfulness, and us as enmities. God sent his son to reconcile 
us unto himself And Paul's point in verse 8 is that this is a 
great demonstration of his love. And then Paul draws conclusions. Paul draws implications in verses 
9 to 11. He wants His people. He wants 
His audience. He wants us to have assurance. He wants us to have hope. He 
wants us to have confidence. And notice where we get assurance, 
where we get hope, and where we get confidence. It's not in 
our performance. It's not in our doing. It's not 
in our ability. It's all outside of us. It's 
all in Christ. Verse 9, He says, much more than, 
having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved 
from wrath through Him. We've been justified, note the 
language, by His blood. We've been washed. We've been 
purified. We have pardoned for sin. We have the imputation of 
righteousness. We will be spared from the wrath 
to come. I think Paul is thinking about that future great day. 
He starts his presentation in Romans 1.18 with the wrath of 
God. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness 
and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. 
But based on what God has done in Jesus Christ in reconciling 
us to Himself, in justifying us through His blood, we shall 
be saved from wrath through Him. On that great day it will be, 
nothing in my hand I bring, simply to thy cross I cling. On that 
great day of judgment we will fowl we to the fountain fly, 
wash me, Savior, I die. We find our refuge and our hope 
in Him." That's a great blessing Paul wants us to understand. 
He explains this in verse 10. For if, when we were enemies, 
we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, 
having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. In other 
words, take comfort, be encouraged, have hope, have assurance. Christ 
died. He washed us in His blood. We 
have justification. We have reconciliation. With 
His resurrection from the dead and His current session at the 
right hand of the Father, there is nothing that can separate 
us from this. We have hope, we have confidence, 
we have assurance. And then notice, this ought to 
result in joy, verse 11. And not only that, but we also 
rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we 
have now received the reconciliation. Again, this follows up with what 
he's already mentioned in chapter 5, verse 2, through whom also 
we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand. 
and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Why is that? Because 
Christ died. Because Christ shed His blood. 
Because Christ rose again. And because Christ is stationed 
at the right hand of God Most High. In other words, the doctrine 
of justification by faith alone, the reality of gospel truth, 
not just understood, but appropriated by the grace of God, brings joy. Don't ever read your Bible and 
not smile. Don't ever read your Bible, read, 
you know, Romans 5, 6 through 11. Say, wow, isn't that great? 
Be happy, smile, rejoice, delight. This is what he says. And not 
only that, but we also rejoice in God. When you consider our 
helplessness, our ungodliness, our sinfulness, and the fact 
that we were enemies, God's sworn enemies. He looked at us with 
disdain. And now we've been brought to 
life through the blood of Jesus Christ. I hope that makes you 
smile. I hope at one point or another, 
when you're singing, long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound 
in sin and nature's night, thine eye diffused a quickening ray, 
and he speaks about the chains breaking off and godly, you can 
smile when you sing those things. You can be happy. And this idea 
that Calvinism, a Reformed theology, is so dour and so serious and 
so somber, we ought to be joyful in the realization that God commendeth 
his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ 
died for us. That's the stuff of happiness. 
That's the stuff of rejoicing. These are the truths that should 
be in our minds and our hearts on Lord's Day worship. We sing these hymns, brother. 
You get one shot a week. You know, when I actually used 
to take the gym seriously, I would look at it that way. I get one 
bench day, I gotta go in and give it everything I got, because 
I don't get another bench day until next week. And of course, 
you go in there and you're tired and you're sluggish and you don't 
do much weight, and then you feel terrible. You get one out 
of the seven to come into this place and worship God corporately 
and publicly. Fill your minds, fill your hearts, 
get your thoughts wrapped up with the glory of God Most High 
in the gospel of Jesus Christ the Lord, so that when we say, 
let's sing, we sing. We praise, we worship, we honor, 
we adore, we glorify, we focus, we meditate. We are consumed 
with the glory of God in Christ who has saved us from our sins. 
We deserve that wrath to come. We deserve damnation. We deserve 
hell. We deserve burning. We deserve 
everything that a vile, loathsome, guilty, wretched sinner deserves. And God has freed us. You see 
what Paul is doing here. I want you Roman Christians to 
delight. I want you Roman Christians to 
let the gospel be that fuel so that you'll have joy in your 
Lord. And that it will be finally the standing or the foundation 
for that blessed assurance. That blessed assurance. That's 
what Paul wants his readers to get. Much more than, verse 9. Much more, verse 10. I want you 
to get this truth. Your salvation is firm. Your 
salvation is grounded. Your salvation is founded upon 
the mediation of Jesus Christ. See, that's the blessing and 
the benefit of the covenant of grace. If we're under the covenant 
of works, what is demanded? What is requisite? What is necessary? 
Our personal, our entire, our exact, and our perpetual obedience. But as recipients of the covenant 
of grace, as those who have, by God's grace and mercy, benefited 
in this, it is because of Christ's personal, Christ's entire, Christ's 
exact, and Christ's perpetual obedience. That's the foundation 
upon which we can jump up, click our heels together, and praise 
God Almighty for what He has done in and through the Lord 
Jesus Christ. And you'll see, if you continue 
to read the Book of Romans, that this understanding, that our 
assurance, that our hope, that our foundation is outside of 
ourself, it's in Christ. It is that alone which promotes 
biblical holiness. You see, if we don't understand 
that, and we think that somehow our doing, our good deeds, our 
activities, our tasks is what finally commends us to God, the 
motivation's all wrong. You see, then we're working, 
and then it's wages, and then it's reward, and then it's payment. That's not the case in the gospel. 
God has saved us freely by his grace. Those who have been saved 
freely by His grace now live in light of that reality and 
they seek to honor their blessed Master. Well, brethren, remember 
what you were, remember what Christ has done, and hopefully 
the table tonight will reinforce that reality. It is because of 
his broken body. It is because of his shed blood. 
Paul says, having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved 
from wrath through him. If you do not have an interest 
in this, if you have not believed this, then please do not take 
the supper. The Lord's Table is for the Christian 
Church. It's not for unbelievers. It's 
not a converting ordinance. There's no magic. You don't eat 
this bread and drink this cup and become Christians. You become 
Christians by the grace of God, by believing in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And it is then for those who 
have tasted, those who have come, those who do know Him. Now, having 
said that, of course, believe on Him. Believe on the Lord Jesus. Do not think eating physical 
bread or drinking physical wine or grape juice makes you a Christian. Believing in the truth of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ, that is the one thing needful. Well, 
let us pray. Our Father, we thank You for 
Your Word and we thank You for this section in Romans 5 God, 
I do pray that our hearts would be drawn out to rejoice as well. We'd have a rock solid hope, 
not because of what we are, what we do, but because of what Jesus 
Christ has accomplished on behalf of his people. Thank you for 
this great demonstration of your love. Thank you that the cross 
does preach the love of God. preaches your justice, it preaches 
your righteousness, it preaches many lessons. Certainly, the 
love of God is proclaimed fully there. We ask now that you would 
bless our thoughts, bless our time together as we remember 
Jesus in a very specific and special way. And we ask in his 
name, amen.