Good morning and welcome in. Today we are going to continue taking a look at a passage of scripture that we studied the other day.
Rom 2:1-4
2 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
To simplify the first three verses in this passage is to say that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Without God’s grace none of us would ever be able to get to heaven. Instead of standing in judgment over somebody else, we need to be forgiving with each other when they confess and apologize for their faults. Forgiveness is an act of divine charity. God grants each of us forgiveness when we admit sin and we are supposed to treat each other the same way.
It’s the goodness of God that leadeth us to repentance.
The change in our life comes after we recognize the goodness, forbearance and the forgiving nature of our God. When we understand how much He cares for us, we can come to Him in faith to be completely cleansed of our sins. It’s only then that lasting change can truly begin to happen in our lives.
Today there are numerous people preaching that change is required first before you can truly be forgiven. That is like putting the cart before the horse. If that were truly the case, heaven would be beyond the reach of any of us. it would no longer be a gospel of grace but attempting to gain salvation from works.
Rom 11:6
6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Works are activities involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result while grace is defined as God’s divine favor toward the unworthy. As the Apostle teaches us they are two completely different things. The works that the Apostle Paul did in his life we’re a direct result of God’s forgiveness on His heart.
1 For 15:9-10
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
The Apostle Paul got forgiven first and then God caused the change to happen in his life, not the other way around.
The truth is that there are none righteous, no not one. We are all the same in the eyes of God, sinners who need redemption. God displays grace to the entire world by allowing His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. He freely grants divine benevolence upon the undeserving by granting us forgiveness even before we have changed or put away the filth of the flesh.
1 Peter 3:21 – The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
God is ready and willing to forgive us even though we don’t deserve to be treated so well. Is this how you treat others? When you stand in judgment over others and are unforgiving with them, remember that you didn’t deserve God’s forgiveness either. That’s the entire thrust of our study passage. Each of us makes a mistake occasionally, but it is grace and forgiveness that leads us to change and eventually become transformed into the person that God wants us to become.
Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
When I first became a believer in the Lord Jesus, I understood in my heart how much God loved me. I realized what Jesus had done for me at the cross and that I could be forgiven with Him when I came to Him and asked for it. Knowing these facts about God filled me with great hope and led me to change my life. This is one of the reasons that the gospel of peace needs to be preached. When we have faith in what it says, it can cause us to completely change direction in our lives.
We must first come to God as we are, wretched sinners that are in desperate need of forgiveness. God wants us to confess our sins and to admit our faults, not only to Him but to each other. He wants us to call out to him for mercy, and He is more than willing to grant it. Is this how you treat others?
God wants us to be forgiving with one another in the church. Even in the church, people make mistakes at times but because we have received mercy from God, He wants us to show that same mercy to others who apologize and make an attempt at reconciliation. It’s the goodness and kindness of God by extending forgiveness through His Son Jesus that leads us to repentance. It’s not repenting and changing our lives that leads us to God’s forgiveness. That is completely backward theology and comes from false teachers in the world today.
Titus 3:4-6 – But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
When a baby comes out of its mother’s womb it doesn’t walk over to the kitchen table and ask for a hamburger and french fries. It’s just a baby that needs to go through a growth spurt and mature. It’s the same in the Christian church. This is why God wants us to be so forgiving with each other.
The goal is to completely change over from dead works to serve and do the will of God, but it is a process that requires confession, forgiveness and reconciliation, not only towards God but each other. Some people require a lot more grace than others, up to seventy times seven, but even in such a case, God wants us to forgive others upon the confession of their fault.
Many people really don’t understand how forgiving God is but when we look at the life of the Apostle Paul we can see the results of what God can do with a sinner.
When people apologize and admit fault, be forgiving with them as God has forgiven you. Instead of standing in judgment over others, be merciful as God is towards you.
Salvation is not by our own works but by God’s grace.
Anything other than that is putting the cart before the horse.
Let’s think about these things for today and Lord willing I’ll talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye-bye everybody.❤️
tlkjbc.wordpress.com
Teufer Lake King James Bible Church 