1. The Gospel A series in Romans

2. Everyone stands before God guilty in their sin Everyone (1:18-20) Educated (1:21-31) Moral (ch. 2:1-16) Jew (ch. 2:17ff) “No one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by observing the law.” Romans 3:20,28

3. We can be Declared Righteous By Grace Alone Thru Faith Alone In Christ Alone Salvation cannot be earned but must be received by faith as a gift of grace.

4. 3 Views of Salvation Humanism Religion Justification You already ARE Righteous You must BECOME Righteous You can be DECLARED Righteous Universalism: Everyone goes to heaven Thru Faith AND Works By Grace alone thru Faith alone in Christ alone

5. We can be Declared Righteous By Grace Alone Thru Faith Alone In Christ Alone Salvation cannot be earned but must be received by faith as a gift of grace.

6. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ A Free Gift

7. Abraham 2000 BC Moses 1500 BC David 1000 BC Daniel 500 BC Jesus 30 AD “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”Genesis 15:6 Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

8. Abraham 2000 BC Moses 1500 BC David 1000 BC Daniel 500 BC Jesus 30 AD “I will bless you… and through you all nations will be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-4 Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

9. Hebrews 11:8-12 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he made his home in the promised-land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.

10. Hebrews 11:8-12 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

11. Abraham 2000 BC Moses 1500 BC David 1000 BC Daniel 500 BC Jesus 30 AD “Abraham believed God, and it was CREDITED to him as righteousness.”Genesis 15:6 Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ

12. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. DEBT Forgiveness pays off our debt CREDIT Justification gives us credit for Righteousness

13. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. DEBT Forgiveness pays off our debt CREDIT Justification gives us credit for Righteousness

14. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. Grace: the utterly undeserved provision of new life in Christ A Free Gift, not an Obligation

15. Abraham 2000 BC Moses 1500 BC David 1000 BC Daniel 500 BC Jesus 30 AD “Just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ‘Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.’ ” Romans 4:6; Psalm 32 Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace.

16. A Free Gift, not an Obligation Of Forgiveness Received through confession and repentance “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long… Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:4-5

17. Faith Fruit “Faith, if it is not accompanied by works, is dead.” James 3:17

18. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. A Free Gift, not an Obligation Of Forgiveness Received through confession and repentance “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long… Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” Psalm 32:4-5

19. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. DEBT Mercy forgives our debt CREDIT Grace gives us credit for Righteousness

20. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. A Free Gift, not an Obligation Of Forgiveness AND Righteousness For Everyone who Believes The SIGN came AFTER the Declaration, not before it

21. Faith Sign “He received circumcision as a SIGN, a seal of the righteousness he [already] had by faith.” Romans 4:11 Baptism is an external expression of an internal reality.

22. Salvation cannot be earned but must be received as a gift of grace. A Free Gift, not an Obligation Of Forgiveness AND Righteousness For Everyone who Believes The SIGN came AFTER the Declaration, not before it Baptism is an external expression of an internal reality