Justification’s Past, Present, and Future

Rev. Andrew Preus, pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Guttenberg, IA and St. Paul Lutheran Church in McGregor, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Romans 5:1-11. St. Paul begins to expound upon the fruit of justification through faith in the life of the Christian. Because God has declared sinners righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God. This present reality is grounded in the objective truth of what God has done in the past and gives us hope for the future. Right now, we boast in the hope that God has given us, even in the midst of our sufferings. Through these sufferings, God works out patience and tested character through which He brings us hope as we experience the anticipation of faith in God’s promise. This hope does not put us to shame because of the outpouring of God’s love in the shed blood of His Son Jesus, delivered to us in His Holy Supper. This revelation of God’s love in the giving of His Son into death for sinners is the basis for justification. This is all God’s doing; His love to save was for His ungodly enemies. These past and present realities of the reconciliation God has accomplished bring us hope for the future salvation God has promised in the resurrection of His Son. “The Righteousness of God for You” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans. Human righteousness cannot save, because all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory. Only the righteousness of God can bring life and forgiveness to sinners. This is the righteousness that He has fulfilled in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that is revealed in the Gospel, the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. This is the righteousness that is not earned, but is freely given by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.