A Race At War With God

At War With God
Reading: Rom 5:1-11
Text: Rom 5:1-2

Introductory Thoughts

v In Romans Chapter 5, we have come to a new place in the Holy Spirit’s presentation (through Paul) of the doctrines of salvation.
v Remember Romans’ basic outline:
§ We cannot save ourselves—1:18-3:20
§ Only God Can Save Us—3:21-11:36
§ God Expects Saved people to live for Him—12:1- end of Book.
§ In 3:21-31, Paul lays out for us the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
§ In Chapter 4, Paul teaches us about a vital part of justification, the doctrine of Imputation, and he illustrates that doctrine through the life of Abraham.
§ And now in Chapter 5, we begin to see the full meaning of Justification and its effects in our lives.
§ The First effect of justification is Peace With God, but before we can really look at that, we need to re-examine the fact that we are at war with God in our natural lives.

1. The Reason for the Conflict—Rebellion Against our Creator

a. God is our Creator and King, with all rights to our worship and obedience.
(1) God Created all--Isa 37:16 "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth."
(2) Neh 9:6 "Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee."

b. Because He is our Creator, we owe God full worship, obedience, and dominion—
(1) Rev 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
(2) God calls upon us to acknowledge His Lordship and to serve Him. Is 45:18-24, Dan 4:34-35

c. As rebels against our Creator, we have no basis from which to negotiate, we have no right to make demands.

(1) Job 9:2-3 "… how should man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand."
(2) Job 33:13 "Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters."
(3) Job 40:1-2 "Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it."
(4) Isa 45:9 "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?

d. Our Rebellion was open, direct, and conscious—1 Tim 2:13-14 "…Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived….

(1) Adam knew what he was doing
(2) Adam knew that what he was doing was wrong.
(3) Adam went into rebellion with his eyes fully open. He willfully sinned and disobeyed God.

e. We continue to renew the rebellion even today.

(1) Psa 58:3 "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."
(2) Rom 3:10-12 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
(3) 2 Tim 3:13 "… evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."

2. Barriers to Peace with God

a. The Wrath of God Against the Sin of Man—
(1) Rom 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"

(2) John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

b. The Law of God, which demands justice for the sins we have committed.
(1) Ezek 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

(2) Rom 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"

(3) Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

c. The Guilt we possess over our sins

(1) People spend countless dollars trying to deal with guilt

(2) Even if we do not admit there is a God and even if we do not acknowledge His law, still, deep within our souls is guilt over our sins.

(a) Rom 2:14-15 "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

d. Our slavery to sin—
(1) John 8:34 "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."
(2) Rom 6:16-17 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."

e. Our own minds and natures, hateful and hating God, desiring pleasure, not desiring God and His Way.
(1) Rom 8:6-8—we really hate God in our natures

(a) Lost people hate God because He reminds them of their sin. John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil."

(b) The Lost world hates Christ, but it is all without a valid cause—John 15:18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

(c) John 15:25 "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

(3) We are this way by nature—Eph 2:1-3

f. The blindness, deafness, and deadness of our Souls

(1) 2 Cor 4:3-4
(2) Eph 4:18 "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:"
(3) John 12:34-40
(4) 1 Cor 2:14

g. The impotence of our will.

(1) John 1:12-13
(2) John 5:40
(3) Rom 9:16
(4) Rom 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find."


3. Application

a. The human race is at war with God, a war we cannot possibly win.

b. The King of the Universe has offered a way of pardon through the shed blood of His son.

c. Most people have rejected that way also, the rebellion continues to grow and intensify

d. The way out of this rebellion is to surrender to the forces of the King.