THE ABIDING REALITY
ROMANS 1:1-16
Romans 1:1, “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,”
Introduction:
The most vital need of the Christian worker today is to know what is the most important thing in his life. The one thing that is all-important is that the Gospel of God should be realized as the Abiding Reality.
God has redeemed us from the curse of sin to show forth His Grace in Redemption. How we live our lives is the effect of the redemption that He has brought into our lives.
I. WHAT IS THE ABIDING REALITY IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER?
A. Reality is not…
1. Human goodness, Ecclesiastes 7:20, “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”
2. Holiness, Isaiah 35:8, “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”
3. Heaven, Psalms 14:2, “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.”
4. Hell, 2 Peter 2:4, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”
B. Reality is Redemption, Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
1. Redemption is the only Reality, Titus 2:14, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
2. Personal holiness is an effect of redemption, 1 Corinthians 6:19, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20- For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
a. Paul’s eyes were not on the personal whiteness of his own character, but on Jesus, Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
1) As long as our eyes are on self we will never get to the reality of Redemption, Isaiah 31:1, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD!”
2) What is necessary is to “walk in His way,” Deuteronomy 10:12, “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,”
b. Paul did not say he separated himself, Galatians 1:15, “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,”
c. In God own time, Galatians 4:4-5, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
II. LIVING IN THE REALITY OF REDEMPTION
A. To TALK ONLY is a sign that the reality of the Gospel of Christ has NOT reached us, Exodus 32:32, “Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”
B. Paul was UNCONSCIOUS of HIMSELF and separated by God for one purpose, the preaching of the Gospel, Romans 9:3, “For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:”
C. That is the reality of our redemption, to reach people with the Gospel of Christ, Matthew 10:27, “What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.”
1. We can’t hid the light, Luke 11:33, “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.”
2. Wisdom cries out, Proverbs 1:20, “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets:”
3. Understanding puts forth her voice, Proverbs 8:1-5, “Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2- She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3- She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4- Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5- O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.”
CONCLUSION
The Apostle Paul knew the reality of the Gospel of Christ. It was in the proclaiming of that Gospel that men might know Jesus Christ is redemption. And that redemption can only be known by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
We must say as the Apostle said, 1 Corinthians 9:16, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”