Community Question
- What are the marks of a Christian?
- What depicts, distinguishes or differentiates a Christian (or Jesus-follower) from the crowd?
- What makes a Christian … a Christian?
- How should a Christian stand out?
- What allows a Christian to be seen in a positive light?
- What is special about being a Christian?
Introduction
When Paul gets to chapter 5 of his letter to the Romans, he starts to lay out how a life is changed (from old to new) – which carries on through a number of chapters. And, we read a sort of Gospel summary statement in verse 8 … “But God proves his love for us, in that while we still were sinners, Christ died for us”. There is the Gospel – God’s unconditional love … reaching out to sinful human beings … through the most remarkable voluntary sacrificial act!
Earlier, in verse 6, in a similar vein, Paul wrote, “For while we were still weak, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly”. This is how God reacted to our separation from him – NOT with disdain … no way! Quite the opposite – with compassion! When God could NOT stand this state of separation any longer, God sent Jesus into the world, who would ultimately die to take away the burden of guilt and judgement from those that he loved (i.e. all of us – everybody). There would be an open offer, from this day forward, to each human being, to respond in humility, gratitude, repentance and commitment.
Therefore, a key marker of being a Christian, is that we are a “forgiven people”. And as this passage, and the whole of the new testament points out – we are NOT forgiven simply for our own (eternal) sake, but rather to follow Jesus (in this life), engage in all of God’s intentions for the world, be led by the Holy Spirit, and make new disciples for Jesus – baptising and teaching them (Matt 28:18-20). As we shall see, the earlier verses in this Romans 5 passage, show the sort of new demeanour that an experience of forgiveness brings about.
Needing Forgiveness (vs 6-9)
God proved his love, by reaching out, in a way we might see as remarkable. Even though, from a human point of view it is rare, it might have made sense if Jesus died for those considered good. Yet, Jesus didn’t just die for good people … just to put some icing on the cake. Jesus didn’t particularly die for those who already felt justified or “righteous” in themselves. God was actually responding, in love, to … WHO?? The “ungodly” (v 6), the “sinners” (v 8), and his “enemies” (v 10). Remarkable … extraordinary love!
And, God didn’t just love us when we turned to him, that love was well in place … all the way back (in time). Love is Who God Is!! Jesus died for everybody … Jesus died with everybody in mind, because everybody has sinned. Jesus died so that ‘sin’ could be positively dealt with! Each of us has made wrong choices that has led to various consequences for ourselves and others. These were anti-God decisions that led to alienation from God. I don’t think any fair-minded person anywhere, would suggest that they hadn’t ‘sinned’ – either by something they had done, or something they had failed to do! Often we would have to admit to quite a list of transgressions.
We have here (in verse 8) a historical statement – “Christ died”, accompanied by the best theological statement of all – “for us”. That Divine sacrifice on a cross recorded in the annuls of history, counts for us today! Here was our salvation forged in the cut and thrust of human history. This sacrificial death (of Jesus), takes effect, for anyone who will admit their sin and sincerely want to change (despite the number and depth of their sins). So, we come to the foot of the cross, and admit our fault, and our need, and become a forgiven person.
The Bible leaves us in no doubt, that at this point, a transaction takes place. We read in 1 John 1:9 these words: “If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just {faithful enough to die for us, and completely righteous or just in his purposes}, will forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Wow!! That is really something! The One whose standard we have offended … died himself to save us!!! In this way, any [real or perceived] punishment or penalty is dispensed with!
But we do need to actively say ‘Yes’ to Jesus … for ourselves – receiving the gift (into our own hands), and saying thank-you to Jesus … that you did all this for me. Jesus is seeking to deliver us from the mistakes of the past, from the power that sin can have over us, from the evils in the world, and from any negative judgement. Also, we have to say, that Jesus died to change everything about the world!! Jesus died to bring light into the darkness! Jesus died to defeat the plans of the enemy! Jesus died so that all injustice would bow to him!
Receiving Salvation (vs 10)
As sin once separated, because of accepting what Jesus has done for us – we are now reconciled as children and friends of God. This is, of course, the beginning, not the end – a new beginning! Our future begins with this step of repentance and commitment. We have indeed committed ourselves to a process of change. This is the process of salvation. We are being saved. As we read in verse 10 … “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, MUCH MORE SURELY, having been reconciled, will we be saved through his life”.
Within three short days, Jesus’ death on a cross was turned on its head … through his resurrection to life again! In the same way, we are being drawn from an experience of death (i.e. in our sin) … into new life (through our forgiveness). This is what ‘baptism’ represents – a dying of the old, and the beginning of something ‘new’! We are invited to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection. So, we now engage in the life of Jesus, led by the Holy Spirit (which is on-gifted to us – refer v 5), growing each day, expressing the fruit of the Spirit, learning to contribute the spiritual (and other) gifts we have been given to the local (church) body (for the common good).
Each time we fail to produce that fruit – we return to that cross where we continue to find a tender hand of mercy. [Communion provides us this regular opportunity.] It is important to remember that Christmas didn’t immediately become Easter! Between Jesus’ birth, and the events of the first Easter, were three years of considerable and significant ministry to people. The life Jesus lived through 3 years of ministry (on earth) has been completely vindicated by his resurrection. So, Jesus’ ministry is the sort of ministry … that we are called and empowered to emulate. This is the life … that we are saved INTO! Jesus should change our perspective on everything that happens in life.
Entering Celebration (vs 11)
Verse 11 suggests even more … from forgiveness to salvation … to even more than that! “We even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ”. What does this mean? Obviously, we are NOT boasting about anything we have achieved. And, we would NEVER say … look what we’ve got and you haven’t. We are NOT bragging about God in any impersonal or abstract way. We ARE ‘boasting’ though … about our (special) relationship with God … achieved by Jesus – and how this has changed everything for us! And, we ARE ‘boasting’ about the mercies of God. The NIV and NLT helpfully translate this word “rejoice”. We are ‘rejoicing’ in now knowing Jesus as our friend and Lord.
We are ‘rejoicing’ with the full understanding of where we have come from – lostness and deep need. We are saying, look! Look … what the Lord has done in me!! We are being verbal about our growing relationship with God. We are testifying publicly to our friendship with Jesus. So, we ARE unapologetically worshipping the God who, while we were caught up in sin, provided a way out for us – and gave us a new future. We will celebrate this. There is an old saying … about “joy” … that “joy” … is peace {that inner peace that comes from God alone} dancing!! In this, as John Stott suggests – we would be revealing our humble confidence … that God will complete what he has begun.
Sometimes we might think worshipping with enthusiasm, misses the fact that there is so much unresolved trouble in the world. I sometimes feel that. But that is possibly thinking backwards. It is in celebrating what God has done, and is doing, that we can actually encourage and enlighten the world around us … about the reality of God, and about the wonderful grace of God!! This is why worship must always be God-centred – expressing all thankfulness to Jesus. We still, of course, take time to mourn, and pray for all those areas of concern that crop up on a daily basis – but at the same time … as enthusiastically and faithfully worshipping the God … who can bring about tremendous change. Therefore, we sing LOUDER!
Growing Character (vs 1-4)
There is an earlier reference to “boasting” or “rejoicing” … in verse 2 – which carries on into verse 3. We “rejoice” in “our hope of sharing the glory of God”, and also we “rejoice” in our “sufferings”. This all comes out of … the changing nature of our lives, because of the peace … with God … that we now enjoy. We are no longer at war with God or ourselves, because we have been forgiven … and reconciled with our Creator. One definition of this “peace” that I read this week went … “a condition free from [all] obstacles in [our] relationship with God” (J R Edwards).
To be “sharing the glory of God” – is to be regarded as a child of God, and to be thus … realising the potential of what we were created to be. We can be pleased that we are now participating in the life of God. And, because our lives are changing under the influence of this new sense of peace, all our suffering has a new perspective – and so we even come to ‘rejoice’ over that. That sounds a big leap – but that’s the power and potential of the Gospel. We should be the most joyful and positive people in the world!
So, as we reflect on verse 3, we come to look at our “suffering” much differently – as something NOT just ours – but something intrinsic to a broken world. Also, the new testament generally, sees suffering as normal or inevitable for the Christian. Despite our pain, we consider what this “suffering” is teaching us; and to where, and to whom, this “suffering” is leading us. Easy to say, I know … but where scripture teaches it, we have to come to grips with it.
Suffering is taking us on a journey towards endurance – which is much more than just putting up with it. Today, we might use the word ‘resilience’. All of that suffering Jesus endured on the cross – lest it be wasted, lest it become cheap – was designed to create resilient, joyful, peace-filled, new creations in Christ!! In our own suffering, we can experience again and again … the intimate presence and strength of the One who knows all about suffering (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4: 14-16).
This is all about the (re)forming of our “character”: who we are becoming! ‘Character’ has been described as, “the quality of a person who has been tested … and has passed the test” (Stott). Such ‘character’ brings “hope” – ‘hope’ that all is NOT lost, ‘hope’ that things can be better … no matter how life currently looks – ‘hope’ that we can live into our neighbourhoods; serious and significant ‘hope’ … that can go wherever we go.
As we said last week, it is NOT our ability that changes things around us for the better, but rather allowing God’s strength to enter our weakness. This is also part of the process of salvation – our discipleship, i.e. our lives coming under the discipline and teaching of Jesus. In the old words – this is our justification (and reconciliation) turning towards our sanctification – or our forgiveness taking root in the conduct of our daily lives – God renewing us towards his purposes for us.
Conclusion
We are forgiven people! This is a key marker of being a Christian. This is something that has happened to us on the inside, that then is lived outwards. We are ‘forgiven people’ gathered together, so that we can encourage the best out of each other. This won’t necessarily always look as wonderful as it should, if we are honest – but there should always be the hope of growing character, that will bring all those around us closer to the possibility … of also experiencing that great gift of grace – that God continues to lovingly offer to all humanity. We are being saved! “God proves his love for us, in that while we still were sinners, Christ died for us”! Amen.
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