Justification (Chapters 4-5)

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¹ Abraham was, humanly speaking, the founder of our Jewish nation. What did he discover about being made right with God? (Romans 4:1)

⁶ And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his . (Genesis 15:6)

² If his good deeds had made him acceptable to God, he would have had something to boast about. But that was not God’s way.  ³ For the Scriptures tell us, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”  ⁴ When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned.  ⁵ But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. (Romans 4:2-5)

¹⁸ Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping — believing that he would become the father of many nations. …  ²⁰ Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God.  ²¹ He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.  ²² And because of Abraham’s faith, God counted him as righteous.  ²³ And when God counted him as righteous, it wasn’t just for Abraham’s benefit. It was recorded  ²⁴ for our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.  ²⁵ He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. (Romans 4:18, 20-25)

¹ Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  ² Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.  ³ We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. (Romans 5:1-3)

Maturity in my faith is revealed by my in problems and trials.

⁴ And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  ⁵ And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. (Romans 5:4-5)

I have hope in times of suffering. Because by faith, I have this with God.

⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.  ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.  ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.  ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.  ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.  ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. (Romans 5:6-11)

Am I to Jesus?

Additional Notes

What’s Happening at Crossroads

NEW HERE?

We’re so glad you’ve chosen to come to Crossroads today! We want to thank you for visiting and would love to get to know you. Stop by and say hello at one of our Welcome Centers, our First Step area, or check out ecrossroads.info for more. We can’t wait to meet you!

FALL SMALL GROUPS

When we say “We become more like Jesus together,” we mean it! God designed each one of us to be connected to others. It’s an essential component to a growing faith. At Crossroads, that connection happens through groups. Starting today, we will have about 20 opportunities for you to get connected. We have groups for couples, women, men, empty-nesters, young adults, young professionals, and those needing healing. Find out more and sign up.

ROMANS RESOURCES

The New Testament letter to the Romans is one of the most detailed explanations of how the gospel impacts our lives. Over the next six weeks, let us discover how the grace of God transforms us from the inside out, changing how we live day to day. If you want to dig deeper, we have resources available for you.

PRAYER ROOM IS ALWAYS OPEN

Today, we will be invited to be fully surrendered to Jesus and live fully in his grace. Sometimes, it’s difficult to find the words on our own. Our prayer teams are ready to help you bring anything to the Lord every week. You can come to the prayer room at the back of the auditorium after each gathering and we will pray with you and for you.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

Are you struggling with a hurt, habit, or hang-up? You can find healing through Jesus by attending Celebrate Recovery at our Downtown campus. Celebrate Recovery uses the twelve steps and its related scripture as the biblical model for living your life. Join us on Thursdays for the large group meeting at 6:30 p.m. and open share groups at 7:30 p.m. For more information.