Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. a death row inmate faces a grim prospect.
Sometimes a governor will commute the sentence. In a moment the man's outlook leaps from despair to joy. All of us deserve a spiritual death sentence. Today, another gift God gives to those who trust Christ. From the Moody Church in Chicago, this is Running to Win with Dr.
Erwin Lutzer, whose clear teaching helps us make it across the finish line. Today, we continue a series from Romans chapter 8 on the blessings we've been given as children of an awesome God. Pastor Lutzer, this reminds me of a game we all played as kids: Monopoly. Where one could pick up a get out of jail free card. You know, Dave, I'm telling you more than you need to know, but when I was a boy on the farm and my brothers and sisters were gone, I sometimes played Monopoly.
By myself. I pretended that I was playing against someone else, and guess what? I always won.
Well, yes, it is wonderful in Monopoly if you can get out of jail free. But the news is much better than that. As you explained in your intro, thanks to Jesus Christ who died for us. He died in our place, therefore He bore our penalty and even though we will die physically, we will be with Him in heaven for ever the best news, indeed, that any one could ever hear. Let me ask you a question.
Have you shared that good news with some one? At the end of this message, I'm going to be giving you some hope. I'm going to be giving you some encouragement. And I believe it will help you to see beyond yourself. And to the needs of others, and recognize that God is on your side when you talk about your faith in Christ.
You stay tuned. Yeah. You may be here today. As a Buddhist, As a Muslim As a Catholic, as a Protestant, of whatever variety, as a Baptist. No matter who you are, all of us together need to appreciate the struggle.
of Martin Luther. When Luther entered the monastery in the Erfurt Monastery way back in Germany in the 16th century, He did it in order to save his soul. Luther was troubled with what is known in German as unfechtungen, that is, a sense of existential despair, a feeling of alienation from God, guilt. Depression. And he wanted to find peace and security in his relationship with the Almighty.
He took advantage of all of the graces that the church had to offer in medieval times. The disciplines of the church. He fasted sometimes so often and so long that some of his fellow monks thought that he might die. Because of hunger. He slept on a stone-cold floor without blankets to mortify the flesh.
And then he took advantage of all of the sacraments that the church had to offer. There was the sacrament of confession, which brought some solace to him at times. In fact, he would jog his memory so that he would know what to confess. He would jog his memory and most assuredly, with the Ten Commandments and the seven deadly sins, he would begin to remember his sins so that they could be confessed. One time he confessed his sins for six hours until his confessor Staupitz was so exasperated he said, Luther, the next time you come, let it be for some serious sin like murder or immorality, but not all these little peccadillos, not all these little sins.
But Luther was a better theologian than his contemporaries. He understood that the issue was not whether the sin was big or little, but whether or not it had been confessed and forgiven. Because he rightly understood that one little smidgen of sin would keep you out of heaven if it were not taken care of. But he reached an impasse. Think of it.
Sins in order to be forgiven had to be confessed. In order for them to be confessed, they had to be remembered. But if they were not remembered, they were not confessed. And if they were not confessed, they were not forgiven.
Furthermore, how did he know? Whether or not he had confessed them all, there's some things he did that maybe he thought weren't sin, but God thought that it was sin. But it was even worse. He discovered that his whole nature was corrupt. It was something like mopping up the floor with a faucet running.
Tomorrow was another day with new sins, new confession, endlessly the torturous route. To justification, to holiness, and it had such an uncertain ending, and the challenges became unbearable. Bearable. Luther knew, as our contemporaries do not, he understood that nobody gets to heaven unless he's as perfect as God. In fact, because that is true, you don't get to heaven unless you are as perfect as God.
Some of you wives can now turn to your husband and say, You are in trouble. You can do that right now. Nobody gets, Luther understood that. The question was how to attain it. In the year 1511, he comes to the Wittenberg University to teach philosophy, but his conscience will not be silenced.
He can find no peace. Two years later, he begins to lecture on the book of Psalms. It comes across Psalm 22, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Well, says Luther. It seems as if Jesus Christ himself suffered some alienation from God, an Fechtungen. But why did he do it? The light began to dawn. He did it for me.
He took my place. Wow. He gets to the book of Romans and discovers that in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, and he says that the righteousness of God, that's the phrase that troubled him. If God weren't so righteous, it would be easier to appease Him. How do you appease a righteous God?
Love God, Luther said, I hate him. No matter how much you do, you're never sure that you've pleased him. But then he discovered something else that there is righteousness that is an attribute of God. That is, of course, our challenge. But he also discovered that in the Bible there is a form of righteousness.
There is a righteousness which God gives to those who believe and trust Christ. And he said, when he began to understand that righteousness was not something he had to attain. but something that he would freely receive. And that if he believed in Christ, Christ's righteousness would be credited to him when he understood that. He said it was as if he had.
been reborn and went through the gates of paradise, there was now hope for sinners like him. And sinners like you. And may. Why am I preaching this message, which I think is on one of my favorite topics. And why is it that I think that many people who are listening, you may be listening by radio.
or on the internet. Why is it that I believe that it's going to be transforming in the lives of everyone who is willing to hear it? A couple of reasons. First of all, so that you might understand justification by faith and its implications in terms of your own mind and heart and emotions. But also another reason, and that is that you might be brought to the assurance of faith, the full realization that Jesus paid your debt and you are free.
from the condemnation of God. Everyone who is listening, if you desire to, you teenagers, I'm including you, I'm including everyone, if you desire to, you can indeed come to the full assurance of faith. It's transforming. It's a truth that I never leave. I think of it every single day.
Day. And with that introduction, let's turn, of course, to Romans chapter 8, since this is a continuation of our series: Children of an Awesome God. If you missed last time, you know that in verse 31, and by the way, If you did miss last time, be sure to get the series in context. It'll help you to understand where we have been and where we are going. But you'll notice in Romans 8 it says in verse 31, what shall we say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us? And we stress that If God is for you, nobody of any significance can be against you. Oh, they can kill you even in this life, but. Do not fear those who kill the body, and after that there's nothing they can do, Jesus said. Rather fear the one who could destroy both soul and body in hell.
So, if God is for us, who can be against us?
Now, Paul continues with this series of questioning. And he goes on and he says in verse 33, Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? Oh, I love this. By the way, notice that word, elect, perfectly good word, God's elect. That's why it's important to understand the sweep of what is being written here in the book of Romans, because the elect referred to those who were foreknown, as in a previous message, those who were chosen by God.
If you are here today as a believer, don't ever think of yourself in terrible terms. You are God's elect. What a wonderful thing to think that He chose you, and you revel in the fact that you are elect. You are somebody because God made you into somebody. And the answer to a bad self-image is not self-esteem.
It isn't thinking that somehow I can think of how wonderful and valuable I am. No, no, no, no. What happens is this, when we understand what God has done for us, unworthy though we are, it enhances our sense of well-being. I mean, imagine being a member of God's elect. And if you're here today and you don't know whether you're a member of God's elect, that's why it's so important that you listen to this message even to the very end, because I'm going to tell you how you can find out if you are.
a member of God's elect.
Well, let's look at the text. Who can bring a charge against God's elect? Who is going to tell God that there's a sinner here that is unworthy of going to heaven? Who is it that is going to lay that charge at your doorstep?
Well, your conscience might. Because your conscience tells you how terrible you really are, and your conscience may even be right from that standpoint. Your conscience can certainly do it. That's why some of you can't sleep. I'm speaking to some of you who struggle with alcoholism, and you know how terrible you really are down deep and how deceptive you are.
And I can say that about others who are addicted to various things. And all of us, the human heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. It can certainly bring a charge against God's elect, other people can do it. And they may even do it legitimately, because remember, we're speaking about our relationship with God, not our relationship with others, because there may be those who have things against you, and you need to deal with those because. You need to not only think of your relationship with God, but others.
as well. But they could bring a charge against you and say that God has rejected you because think of what you've done. And then of course there's the devil. The Bible says that he accuses the saints during the day and during the night while you sleep. While you're awake, he's constantly accusing and saying, Oh, you call yourself a Christian, just look at your life.
You know what you did last night? Really looks like Jesus, doesn't it? And he keeps telling you that your sins are too big. You've committed them too many times and you love them too much. God hates you and has rejected you.
That's what the devil says. And he brings a charge against God's elect. Wow. But what happens is, Paul says, it is God. Oh, don't you love this who justifies.
Is there anyone greater than God? Is there somebody who can say, well, you know, there's a judge that God is accountable to, or there's going to be some fact discovered about you that nobody knows, and God is going to look down from heaven and say, Oh, I gave a wrong verdict because I. I just missed it. There was something that I overlooked. There was a technicality I did not take into account.
Is that going to happen? No, because God is going to justify. And if God has justified, who will bring a charge against God's elect? Who's out there? to discredit the verdict of God.
Now what does that word justification mean? It is God who justifies. Does it mean just forgiveness of sins? Of course it means forgiveness of sins, but so much more. Imagine if it only meant forgiveness of sins, then you'd confess your sins like Luther.
You'd confess them today, you'd confess them tomorrow, and then you'd discover that you have to confess them again, and you never know really where you stand with God. varies day by day. No, there's something else that's going on here. The Bible says this, that when we trust Christ as Savior, it is not just that our sins are taken care of, but that you are credited positively with the righteousness of Jesus Christ, so that the holiness that Jesus has is credited to your account, so that you are as righteous as God by declaration of God. Imagine what that means.
Imagine what it means. It means then, of course, that when you die, you're welcomed into heaven as if you are Jesus, because you're clothed in his righteousness, to use an expression. That's what the Bible means in 2 Corinthians 5:21. For God made him who didn't know any sin, namely Jesus, he was sinless. God declared him to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God.
Imagine this. Listen carefully. Jesus got what he didn't deserve, namely our sin, and we get what we don't deserve, namely his righteousness. What an exchange. What an exchange.
And God says, I have justified you, I have declared you to be as perfect as I myself am. It's a legal term, justification. You go into a court and you have a traffic fine to pay and you don't have any money and You're a teenager. And no teenager has money, at least not for long. And your father goes with you and he pays the fine.
Are you guilty?
Well, yeah, on one level, you are. As far as the court is concerned, you're acquitted. But the Bible says that justification is more than that. You're not only acquitted because somebody paid for you, but also because you have been credited with the righteousness of this person. Justification by faith, just as if I'd never sinned, that's the half of it.
The other half is you have lived a life of perfect righteousness, complete obedience to God, because somebody else. did it for you.
So who will lay a charge against God's elect that is God that justifieth? What about this righteousness of God, this acquittal of God? First of all, obviously it has to be a free gift. Think it through. The Bible says the gift of righteousness.
Why does it have to be free? Because it's the kind of righteousness of which you and I have none. We can't contribute to it. We can't make it better. We can't make it any worse because of our behavior.
It is the righteousness of God, and it is given to all those who believe. And that's why God doesn't find it harder to save a big sinner than a lesser one. Why? Because they need the same righteousness, and when they trust Christ, they receive the same righteousness. Truth were known.
Some of you listening to this message today have done some very terrible, terrible things. In some instances, only you know about them. You've been hiding them from others. Crimes. But the issue is not the greatness of your sin.
It's the wonder of the righteousness. I love to use this illustration because it's true. And it illustrates it so beautifully. But remember, I've told you previously about a rapist who wrote to me from jail. As he listens to our broadcasts and says, You know, can I too be forgiven?
Can I too receive Christ? And we all want to say, well, you deserve to burn in hell. And then we're reminded of ourselves that we ought to burn too. And so I rode back and said, there are two roads. One road is messy and ugly with all kinds of ruts that go into the ditch.
It is a crooked, ugly sight. The other road is very well traveled. But if you have an 18-inch blanket of snow covering both of the roads, you can't tell the difference. And in the very same way, you who have messed up your life and you've messed up the lives of others. Permanently, in some sense, you can also receive the blanket of righteousness.
Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. It's a free gift. You don't create the snow from heaven, do you?
All that you can do is to say, I'm entirely helpless. You have to give me the righteousness that I need. Obviously. It's a free gift. But now Now we get to really the thing that I've been praying that we will all understand, because this is mind-boggling.
It is not just that this righteousness is free, but it covers us. past, present, and future. How many sins were of yours were future when Jesus Christ died? Obviously, all of them, because you and I weren't alive when Jesus Christ died on the cross, so he anticipated all of our sins.
Now, let me ask you another question. How many times do you have to be justified by God? How many times do you have to be declared righteous? You say, well, every time you sin, no, no, no, no, then you wouldn't know where you stood with God. When you trust Christ as Savior, God declares you to be as righteous as Christ.
is and he acquits you. He acquits you of all of your sin. In one bundle, he takes it all away. The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 10, by one offering, he perfected forever. Those who are sanctified.
By one offering, God says, I have to just get rid of the whole legal entanglement that exists between me and a human being. And when they trust Christ as Savior, I simply wipe it away. And Credit to them, Jesus Christ's righteousness, and they are mine forever. Praise God. Thank you.
If that didn't ring your bell, your clapper's broken, my friend.
Now, let me ask you a question. Today we're thinking theologically, but I'll tell you why. because I want your life changed. Wimpy theology, wimpy Christians. Strong theology, strong Christians.
Amen? I think you should clap again. Let me ask you something. Was Martin Luther saved back there in the monastery when he confessed his sins six hours at a time? No, of course not.
There are millions of people who are going to be in churches today, in synagogues. And mosques and other places that are going to be confessing their sins, and when they're finished, they have no idea where they stand really with God. And tomorrow's going to be another day, and they have no assurance that they belong to Him forever because tomorrow's another day to sin. And they don't know where they're at. and they are not converted.
You see, confession is not the way into the Christian life. The way into the Christian life is for you to receive the fact that Jesus died for sinners, He died in your place, and when you receive Him as Savior, God acquits you and declares you to be righteous. and gives you the gift Of righteousness when you trust Christ as Savior.
Now, after that, we do confess our sins, absolutely. but we confess them not to be justified again. We confess them because it is a discipline that God puts upon us so that we will walk with Him in obedience, and there has to be deep repentance on the part of us as Christians. But it does not affect the status, the basic fundamental legal status of our relationship with God. God has acquitted us.
And God has said, Your sin, your condemnation for sin, is wiped away.
Okay. Oh no. I have to say this, that no matter how often I hear that good news, I always rejoice when I hear it again. But I have a question I must ask. Are you a believer in Christ?
Have you trusted Him as your Savior? If you have, I have a question for you. Have you shared your faith? Are you intimidated by the idea of letting your neighbors know that you belong to Jesus and that they also should put their trust in Him? If that's you, I have a resource that is going to be of tremendous help.
It's a book entitled SENT. It's written by a husband and wife who show us how to do evangelism. in such a way that it becomes a part of our life, and how God works in advance in the lives of people whom we will meet. to open their hearts to the gospel. Very quickly, I'd like to give you some contact info because we're making this resource available for you for a gift of any amount.
This is what you do. You go to rtwoffer.com. As you probably realized, RTW offer is all one word. That's rtwoffer.com or you can pick up the phone and call us at 1-888. 218.
ninety three thirty seven. The title of the book is simply one word sent. Thank you so much in advance for helping us and joining with us as we run toward the finish line. You can write to us at Running2Win 1635 North LaSalle Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, 60614. Running to Win is all about helping you understand God's roadmap for your race of life.
Does confessing your sins over and over guarantee you a place in heaven? No it doesn't. Certainty only comes when we understand justification by faith.
Next time I'm running to win, why believers can rejoice in their acquittal before God. Thanks for listening. For Pastor Erwin Lutzer, this is Dave McAllister. Running to Win is sponsored by the Moody Church. I'm going to use a bottle of the same method.
