Doctrine Session Five | Doctrine Five: Justification Through Faith and Eternal Life Big Idea: • Salvation through faith in Christ renders us innocent from our depraved nature and sinful disobedience and fully justifies us before Holy God. The New Birth. A person's first step toward salvation is Godly sorrow, which produces repentance. The New Birth is necessary to all people and, when experienced, produces eternal life (2 Corinthians. 7:10; John 3:3-5; 1 John 5:12). Some struggle to only look to heaven as the starting point for their fellowship with God. However, the Bible is clear that eternal life begins the moment you are transformed through salvation. Eternal life is to be experienced through a relationship with God in this life and will continue into eternity. (1 John 5:11; John 17:3; 1 Timothy 6:12) We believe that God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world and will, through the work of the Holy Spirit, draw people to faith in his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We are, therefore, justified by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. No ordinance, ritual, or work on the part of man is required in order to be saved. This saving grace of God is activated by faith through the power of the Holy Spirit and sanctifies us by enabling us to do what is pleasing in God’s sight in order that we might be progressively conformed to the image of Christ. (John 1:12-13; 6:37-44; 10:25-30; Acts 13:48; 16:30-31; Romans 3:1-31; 4:1-25; 5:6-11; 8:1-17,31-39; 9:1-23; 10:8-10; 1 Corinthians 1:7-9; Ephesians 1:4-5; 2:8-10; Philippians 1:6; 2:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:19; Titus 3:3-7; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 1:7,9; Jude 1; Revelation 13:8). John 3:3-5 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Justification through Faith Galatians 2:16 . . . knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. Justification (dikaiosis dik-ah’-yo-sis) is the act of pronouncing righteous; acquittal: justification. It also means to render just or innocent: free, justify, be righteous. Faith or pistis in Greek is a firm persuasion, conviction, trust, and reliance upon. Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Grace Through Faith “Grace is not opposed to effort, it's opposed to earning” -Dallas Willard Ephesians 2:1-10 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Galatians 3:6 . . . just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:3 “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Romans 4:16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness . . . If men are able to suppress the truth of God, they do it as an act of their will. Romans 1 clearly talks about people knowing God through His creation but willfully rejecting His grace and receiving the penalty of their actions. Romans 1:16, 17 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” Romans 5:1, 2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Hebrews 4:2 For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. The word translated as “right” is exousia in the Greek. It means power, authority, weight, especially moral authority. We have the authority to call ourselves children of God! Galatians 3:1-14 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2 This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” 7 Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, “In you all the nations shall be blessed.” 9 So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.” 12 Yet the law is not of faith, but “the man who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Aionios (ahee-o’-nee-os) is the Greek word translated as age, period of time, eternal, or everlasting. Ephesians 4:22-24 . . . that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Colossians 1:12-14 . . . giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Hebrews 10:19-22 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Ephesians 3:12 . . . in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Take Away: 1. Do you understand that salvation is activated in your life through faith and that your works have no bearing on your justification? 2. Do you understand that your justification by Christ should produce in you good works of righteousness because you are saved? 3. What other questions or clarity do you have that you could pursue study on this topic? Pray over Sweeney's (slide for Brian) • The Elders put in place sabbaticals over a decade ago to give our pastors a time of soul refreshing. (After seven years, they are eligible every three years for a 28-day sabbatical.) • This is not just a vacation but a time to rest and reflect on the next season of ministry without the day-to-day workload. • It's healthy for the pastor but also the church. If, as a church, we cannot go 28 days without one person, then we have built our church too much around that person, and we need to make some changes. We have strong team leadership that leads together, and God can choose to replace any one of us at any time. • Please respect the time off from the ministry workload. • Please be in prayer for the Sweeney's that God will give them rest and refueling for all the amazing ministry opportunities we have ahead.