The Righteous Will Live by Faith (Rom. 1:8-17)
Let us bless and greet one another, “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” May the greatest blessings of heaven be upon you today. The title of today’s message is, “The Righteous Will Live by Faith.” Then, what do you think someone who is not righteous, a sinner, will live by? They live by the things they see with their eyes, they live by what they want, they make their decisions based on what looks good to them, and they live for themselves. But a righteous person lives by faith. The righteous person does not live by doctrine, they live by the faith that saves lives. If you go to church for a long time, you’ve heard a lot of doctrine, and that would be knowing the doctrine and the dogma, that’s not life. Before you’re able to see a lion in Africa, you just learn about it in books, and if you study lions in books, you may say that you know lions, and if you live your walk of faith by doctrine, that’s what you’ll be like. But if you personally see a lion, face-to-face, there’s a sense of life in it, because you are meeting a living lion face-to-face. It’s the same thing, in our walk of faith, yes, it is important to have the doctrines, but it is also important to have and enjoy life. That’s what Paul wants to show to the Romans.
1. Roman church
1) Faith – Reported all over the world (Rom. 1:8)
The Roman Church was not raised by Paul. In Acts 2, there were travelers from Rome who received the filling of the Holy Spirit, went back to Rome, and started this church.
(1) Paul’s intercessory prayer (Rom. 1:9)
Because the Apostle Paul was specifically raised up to proclaim the gospel to Gentile nations, he loved that there was a church in Rome. Paul said today that the righteous live by faith,” but what faith is that? We are living with the faith that the Lord is alive right now, and is living inside of me, guiding me. We do not live by our knowledge of the doctrine of the Bible, but we are actually realistically living a life with our Lord in us, then every problem is finished. But if that is not taking place, then a problem looks like a problem to us. When this correct gospel comes into us, then we will receive all of the answers as those who save others.
In Rom. 1:8, Paul tells the church, “I thank my God through Jesus Christ for your faith, and then he tells them that he is praying for them. The more mature your faith becomes, the more you’ll pray for other people. These are not words that you should just hear, but this is a checkpoint for you to look at your own level of faith. Even in this world, those who are successful will try to live for their nation and their society. That’s that person’s vessel, so they can contain as much as their vessel can hold, but most people live for themselves, that is that person’s vessel, and you can only contain what your vessel can hold. Just like in today’s scripture, if we’re able to pray for other people, then God’s blessing and grace will be upon us. Even though the Apostle Paul had nothing to do with the Roman Church, He is praying for them. May you and I receive the grace of God in order to pray for other people. As much as you have your vessel, you’ll receive answers. It doesn’t matter how long you go to church if your vessel is small, that’s all you can contain, but if your vessel is large, then even if you’re staying still, you’ll contain a lot ,why? Because God pours into you. IF your vessel or container is small, though, even if God pours into you, it will overflow.
(2) In God’s will (Rom. 1:10)
In Rom 1:10, Apostle Paul says, “I pray that now by God’s will, He may open a way to come to You. “ When the Apostle Paul was called into the gospel, he received the mission to proclaim to the ends of the earth, and in those days, they thought that Spain was the end of the earth, so, in order for the gospel to reach Spain, Paul wanted to raise up the platform in Rome, the superpower nation, because there were great roads that led from Rome to Spain, and vice-versa, he wanted to raise a church there.
(3) Longing to visit Rome (Rom. 1:11)
In Rom. 1:11, Paul says to the church of Rome, “I long to see you so that I can impart some spiritual gift to make you strong.” The spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit are 1 Cor 12:4, which says, “There are many different types of the gift of the spirit, but they are from the same spirit.” There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. Then in Romans 1:6, it says, there are many kinds of working, but in all of them and in every one is the same God at work. This means God pours His gift on every individual and does His work.
Romans 1:7 says, the reason why he does this is for the common good. For some, God gives the message or the wisdom, for others, He gives them knowledge. For other people, that same Holy Spirit gives the faith, for others the gift of healing, so these are different ways that the same Holy Spirit works to strengthen the church as a whole. So, if you don’t know what the church is, then your own walk of faith cannot be raised firmly, because yes, I am the church, but God is giving each individual a special talent to use to strengthen the church together. If we keep losing faith, it means we’re not able to encourage each other using the talents and gifts God has given to each of us. Then in that case, churches will disappear, and Apostle Paul knew this so well that he wanted to go to the Roman Church, so then, through the spiritual gift he received, he can strengthen the church in Rome.
2) Goal to visit Rome (Rom. 1:11)
(1) Impart to you some spiritual gift (Rom. 1:11)
(2) To make you strong (Rom. 1:11)
(3) Mutually encouraged by each other’s faith (Rom. 1:12)
In Romans 12:1-10, it says, “That you and I may be mutually encouraged by one another’s faith,” so it is not just one directional, but each other, encouraging. If you know this very well, then you’ll realize how you need to live your walk of faith at work. This is actually showing very well how you need to live your walk of faith in your everyday life. Wherever two or three gather in my name, the Holy Spirit will work there. Then, depending on the individual spiritual gift that God has given to each person, they will raise up the regional church and the family church. If you don’t know this, then you can’t even run a business. “I’m the best’? It’s not going to work out like that. Without a doubt, we need each other. If you don’t understand that relationship, you won’t be able to be a leader. Do you think the president works on their own? No, they work with their cabinet together. If you don’t understand this relationship, then you can’t even have a family, because every person has a spiritual gift from God. What breaks this is individualism, and that individualism breaks apart the families, churches, and society because the center is not Jesus; it’s me. That’s why society is breaking and collapsing more and more, because, “If I Like it, it’s good; if I don’t like it, it’s bad.”
There’s no God there, that’s the culture of America today; that’s why it’s collapsing. Even individual people are collapsing, they are in a mental state where they have no choice but to do drugs. So, especially for the next generation, you must listen; America has every good thing in it. The devil will give you all of that, but will make you lose hold of just one thing. The devil will prevent you from knowing the gospel and the church. We have everything we could want, but the individual people are dying. We have everything we want, but the family is being destroyed, and if the next generation is destroyed then the future is destroyed. Through today’s word, may you have the blessing of being raised up. “Oh, but look at how I am right now?” That’s okay, just start from now, because God can bring about the works of re-creation, so just start from now. Then I believe God’s new blessings will come again.
(4) Might have a harvest among you (Rom. 1:13)
Rom. 1:13, Paul says, “I want to visit you to have fruits among you.” What does it mean, the harvest or the fruits? It’s the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. For people who receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they are bound to receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit. If there’s no change inside of us, then that’s weird. If there is life inside of me and I’m living by faith, then rightfully, I should have a change take place. For example, somebody who used to be impatient will now be patient. Or someone who used to only care about themselves will be able to be gentle, thoughtful, or humble. If these things are not taking place naturally inside of you, it means something is wrong. All of my family and friends in Korea are nonbelievers, and so every time I go back to Korea, I am a living evangelism tract because everyone who used to be close to me in Korea knows what I was like before. I never talk about Jesus because me being alive is evidence, because everyone there knows me. They and my family know how I used to be very well, so just by being myself, I evangelize. They look at my face and say, “How are you so at peace? You never looked like that before.” And even in my family line, my existence is evangelism. Especially for the friends who have known me for a long time, it’s even more of an evangelism to them. So, I never have to talk about church or being a pastor, or Christ to them, because the very fact that God is alive and He has changed me like this is evidence. So it is revealed through the Word, and God has given us this blessing, the fruits. And then on the outside, there are the fruits of evangelism. It will naturally take place like that, that’s the blessing.
3) Debtor (Rom. 1:14)
(1) Greeks, non-Greeks, the wise, the foolish
Rom. 1:14, Paul says, “I am obligated, both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and foolish.” If we are obligated, it means we owe a debt and we owe a debt to Jesus for our sin. Because of our sin, our lives have no choice but to be cursed and in disasters and go to hell. We will never be able to escape from death, the authority of death. We have no choice but to be slaves to Satan our entire lives.
(2) Remission of debt through the cross
How were we saved from that state? Jesus Christ died on the cross for me, so He paid the price of my sin on my behalf. Even if we combine all of the billions of people’s wealth, wisdom, and strength, we can never escape from those problems on our own. God Himself must come to earth and die for us, and by the price of His blood, we have been purchased. It’s so great, isn’t it? We’re free from sin, we enjoy freedom, right? But what happens after that? We can’t just end it at that. Let’s say that I have received that, now, I am obligated and I have a debt to pay. That’s in my heart now, I have to pay back that debt. To the Greeks, to whoever, I need to share this with others. Because Paul has been called as an Apostle for the Gentiles, he has that obligation or that debt. Our walk of faith has to go to that extent in order for us to have a normal faith. We love receiving salvation, we praise God so much, but then what happens after that? That’s why you go back to the world, meaning you follow the values of the world. If your debt has been repaid, now you have to go and help other people with their debt. That is the heart with which the Apostle Paul lived his entire life.
Yesterday, as I was preparing this Word, there were two thoughts that came to my head. One is, “I don’t have to think complicated thoughts, just think about these things. How afflicted were you before you knew the gospel? Remember your friend who committed suicide before you had the gospel. Just remember those two things because the gospel can save that.” It was about 35 years ago that this happened, but God made me remember this again. In my 20s, my friend committed suicide. Why do you think a 20-something year old would kill themselves? If my friends had known God, they could have relied on God, but because there was no one around who could give him the gospel, he took his own life. I myself didn’t know the gospel, so I was so afflicted and oppressed. The more I tried to live a good life, the more I was burdened. I kept on getting scarred by people but I didn’t know why and I didn’t know why things were happening the way they were, but God has saved me from that and gave me the gospel. God reminded me, You don’t have to make this complicated, just remember these two things: you are indebted and have an obligation to share this gospel to those who are suffering, you are obligated to those who are suffering, mentally oppressed without the gospel. You are obligated by the gospel to the people who are thinking of taking their lives now. Apostle Paul lived his entire life to repay the grace of this gospel.
Who are you obligated to, in the gospel? You must find that through God’s Word. It’s very simple, all the things you’ve lived through? You’ve escaped from that. Then, you are obligated to proclaim the gospel to people similar to you, so yes, we have that thankfulness for salvation, but we also live our lives with the obligation of the gospel. The Apostle Paul said that, “I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you.” Why is it that this church received the gospel but are receiving it again? You must receive God’s deep grace here. The gospel is that Jesus is the Christ. If that goes into you, then you are saved. Why does somebody who is saved need the gospel again? In Eph. 1, the Apostle Paul says, “I pray for you so that you may experience the height, width and depth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The more we know and understand the depth, width, and height of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more our vessel grows. If you were to pour salt into this cup and drink the water, it would be so salty, but what would happen if you poured that same salt into a flowing river and you drank the river water? Would it be salty or not? You wouldn’t taste the salt, even though we have the same amount of salt, for some people, it’s very salty and for others, it’s not. What’s the difference? It’s the vessel size. And depending on how this person sees the gospel, the height, the width, the depth of the gospel, will determine their gospel, and that will determine how they see their problems.
If somebody has a small faith regarding the gospel, if they see something resembling a problem, they will frantically panic about it. However, for the people who have a faith in Christ that is wide and deep, it won’t even look like a problem to them, because Christ is our creator God, and Christ is the One Who has our beginning and our end. If I believe in that truly, then whatever is happening right now is not that big of a problem. Even nonbelievers say, “This too shall pass.” Even nonbelievers think like that, but for us, we have eternity guaranteed. What does it mean that, even now, our salvation is in progress? It means we are being changed. If you already know the end result, whatever you are going through right now is not a problem. If you have true faith regarding Jesus, then this would not be a problem. We need to enlarge the vessel of our faith. Do we get faith randomly? No, we must have God’s grace to believe. You don’t receive faith by knowing the knowledge of the Bible. The Holy Spirit of God must work inside of us so that we can react to God’s Word. That’s grace. We are not gathered here to learn more about the Bible; we are gathered here to receive God’s grace through worship. We must receive God’s grace from heaven for me to start changing. From that point on, the eyes with which I see the world are different, the eyes with which I see problems are different, because the Creator God is with me. The one who can do the work of recreation is with me. The more and more I believe in this, what could possibly be the problem? The fact that He is the Creator God means that He can make something out of nothing, even now.
The more I believe that that Lord is with me right now, the more a problem doesn’t seem like a problem. For us personally, we may have mental or physical suffering, but when you remember the almighty, all-powerful Lord God is with me, would that even be a problem? Yes, you might suffer physically, however, spiritually, you are overflowing with God’s freedom, grace, and peace, spiritually. And then one day, the physical disease is healed as well because our physical diseases are also connected to our nervous system. If you’re constantly stressed out, then your nervous system will be ruined. The more you do not believe in God, the more you will be stressed. For human beings, our spirit and our mind and body are connected. We must listen to the words of the doctors 100% and follow their direction, but we must also receive the deep Word of the Spirit, then our spirit, mind, and body will all be saved. Why is it that I’m not even able to move because of this physical disease? If God is allowing that to happen to you, He is telling you, “Stop doing everything else, only focus on the Word of Christ.” God is giving you this time, and if you know God’s will, is it a problem, then? Quickly change your thoughts. God has given me this time to focus spiritually, so you must receive the accurate Word, the accurate gospel, and the accurate grace.
2. Gospel
1) To you who are in Rome (Rom. 1:15)
(1) To preach the gospel (Rom. 1:15)
(2) Not ashamed of the gospel (Rom. 1:16)
(3) God’s power gives salvation to those who believe
Then Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel.” There are people who are ashamed of the gospel. There are some people who are really embarrassed to proclaim the gospel, especially to wealthy or successful people, because they’re afraid to look foolish. There was a time Paul was like that, too. He went to Athens in Greece which is a very philosophical region. Athens was a region where all of the greatest philosophers—Socrates, Aristotle—they would come and have these philosophical debates. So, in that region that is very well-controlled by wisdom and intellect, Paul tried to fight that with his own knowledge and intellect, but then all he did was have an intellectual debate and just end it with that. He wasn’t able to proclaim the gospel at all. That’s why when he left Athens and went into Corinth, he resolved to know nothing other than the cross of Jesus Christ. This means, it doesn’t matter how intellectual somebody is, how successful someone is, there is nothing outside of the gospel that can change someone internally.
2) Message of the cross (1Cor. 1:18)
(1) One who is destroyed – Foolishness
(2) One who receives salvation – God’s power
(3) Christ – God’s power, wisdom (1Cor. 1:24)
This message of the cross seems like foolishness to those who are being destroyed, however, to those who are receiving salvation, this gospel is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:24 says the gospel is the wisdom and the power of God. Christ is God; by His wisdom and His power, all of creation was made. That’s why God gave us the name of Christ. Col. 2:3 says that all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden within the gospel of Christ. When are the hidden things revealed? When the name of Christ is testified. When we run our business and study in the name of Christ, when we live for Christ, that is when God’s hidden wisdom and power will be revealed. This is a wisdom that the wise of the world can never have, that is how even though I’m hard pressed on all sides, with God’s wisdom, there is a way out. I may think that I’m destroyed but God’s power, there’s another way, and that’s why I’m not in despair. When I am weak is when I am the strongest. How can I be weak or strong when I am weak? Because I am weak but Christ is not, and He is my Lord, and as I live for Christ, when I am weak is when it’s time for God’s new power to shine, then these people cannot be stopped.
3) Paul’s resolution (1Cor. 2:2)
(1) Only speak about Christ and him crucified on the cross
(2) Evangelism – Demonstration of the Spirit’s power (2:4)
The Jewish people continued to persecute them as heretics but it didn’t matter, because the living Lord Jesus Christ is with me now and working. People who only know this as doctrine are bound to shake in fear. People who only know that Jesus Christ died on the cross for me, and is living with me, as doctrine, will shake in their problems. All religions have some kind of structure that they have to live by. These religions say, “If you live, following these rules, then you’ll be blessed.” If you don’t know the gospel, then you’ll think like that even inside the church. “If I do XYZ, if I live like this, will God bless me? “ Then you keep on trying to do something with your actions, that’s religion; what’s the gospel? Living with the Lord Who is life. Not doing something, what could we possibly do? God tells us, there is nothing good inside of us, we don’t even have the ability to do good, then what can you keep? God is with you so it’s naturally kept.
(3) Faith – Rest on God’s power (1Cor. 2:5)
But if you don’t know this, the longer you live your walk of faith, the more you are oppressed and you keep needing to do more and more until you explode. We are living with the Lord Who is life. He is with us forever. When you’re facing a problem, the Lord knows and He prepares a way. Are you facing mental problems? It doesn’t matter. Because in front of the light of Christ, that mental problem has no power. Are you foolish? Then seek the wisdom of Christ, therefore, live by life. Remember that, that’s what it means to live by faith. If you don’t know this, then you’ll become religious and you’ll think it’s conditional, “If I do this, if I do that, I’ll be blessed,“ but the source of blessings is already within you. Then, when do we devote in church? When we are enjoying the life of Christ and God gives us the heart to, then we serve. Before that point, there are still people who will serve the church with their religious zeal, but they will collapse and that’s why our walk of faith is lived by faith in life. The Bible tells us that our good deeds are like filthy rags.
3. Righteous
1) Gospel
(1) Righteousness of God revealed (Rom. 1:17)
Rom. 1:17 says the gospel reveals the righteousness of God. How did the Apostle Pual used to live? Paul used to think that he was righteous by following the rules and laws of God, so he thought, “I have no sin,” but God gave the law to bring the Israelites and God closer together. God gave us the gospel so that through the law, we are able to see, I cannot keep the law myself, I need the grace of the gospel, and by holding onto the gospel, we become closer to God. Therefore, it is not about my righteousness and the law, but the righteousness of Christ Who died for me on the cross. By believing in that Jesus Christ, God calls me righteous. Even though He calls me righteous, again, I sin and make mistakes. The Lord knows this and gives us grace and turns us back again, so there’s no reason to be so burdened. God already knew that we couldn’t do it, that’s why he said, “I’ll buy you with the price of Jesus’ blood and call you righteous.” A child does not earn the right to be a child of a family by doing good, right? They were just a child in that family by blessing. So, their status as a child does not depend on their actions. If they are your child, they have to be careful about how you act, and they have to keep cleaning the house for you so they don’t get rid of them, and they always have to worry about what you think. Are there any of you who are living your walk of faith like that? There’s no reason to live like that, just be free.
(2) To faith (Rom. 1:17)
The Lord is with you, no matter where you are, He is with you. If you believe in that, then you can have the correct prayer, why? Because He is always with you and He is my Lord. All you have to do is ask your Lord. For kids, all they have to do is ask their dad, and the dad will take care of it, that’s our walk of faith. It is light, it is easy, but at the same time, we also have an obligation. We should not be so burdened and weary by our problems, instead, we have this righteous obligation to proclaim this mission. Only the gospel reveals God’s righteousness. The world might say, ‘Oh, this person is righteous, that person is righteous,” but those are through the eyes of a sinner, and some people might say, “I live a very just and righteous life,“ mauve compared to other people, but not in God’s eyes. There are some people who would even die for their boss. However, there is not a single person on this earth that can be without sin and die for a sinner. You need to know this gospel in order to have true righteousness. The righteousness that gangsters talk about is for themselves. The righteousness that your company talks about is for their own benefit. There is no righteousness where one without sin can die for a sinner except for Jesus Christ, and that’s why whoever believes in Jesus Christ is called righteousness and being called, “Children of God.” We are receiving such special treatment.
(3) Live by faith (Rom. 1:17)
The righteous will live by faith, but what kind of faith is that?
2) Cross
(1) Died with Christ (Gal. 2:20)
I have died on the cross with Christ. My old ego, where I lived as my own master, has died on the cross as Christ, and now, the life I live is the life of faith in Christ Who lives in me. We live by believing in that, we don’t live by money, do you understand ? We don’t live by things we’ve experienced. If you rely on the things you’ve experienced, without a doubt, you’ll be caught up in your limitations. “Oh, I’m going to live by what I know,” then your knowledge is limited. Why do I feel so lonely?” No matter how much you use your knowledge, you cannot solve it. “Why do I feel so scared?”
(2) Christ lives in me (Gal. 2:20)
No matter how much knowledge or power you have, you cannot change that inner fear. Jesus Christ, Who is the Prince of Peace, must be with me, that is when all of your problems will begin to change. We live in the faith that believes in that.
(3) Live in faith (Gal. 2:20)
So, if you don’t believe, your walk of faith is nothing. When nonbelievers look at you, they should think you’re actually crazy. But if a nonbeliever says, “You’re pretty normal,” it means you’re living like a nonbeliever. But if a nonbeliever says, “You look crazy,” it’s because they live their lives based on what they see, but because you’re confessing and living by faith, of course they think you’re crazy. When Paul was standing in front of Agrippa, he said, “I hope you could be as crazy as me, except for these chains.” We have to go crazy for Jesus, being crazy is actually normal. Nonbelievers think they’re normal but they’re actually the weird ones, and they look at me and think I’m weird. That’s how it should be, that means you’re normal, why? Because we live by faith. You might have no money at all, but you’re smiling, and people think, “That person is crazy.” There is a problem in your family but you look for God’s will and God’s plan, then of course people will think you’re crazy. That is somebody who lives by faith. Why? Because Christ is life and He is my God.
May you have victory throughout the week with this faith.
Conclusion
1. Solid in the Gospel
2. Believe through the apostle’s gathering (church)
3. Life of faith that proclaims the Gospel to the world
Message Prayer
Le’ts pray together to God holding onto the Word He has given us.
Offering Prayer and Newcomer Blessing
God, we thank You. We thank You for calling us as servants of the Lord. We believe everything in our lives, our time and everything we own, belongs to You, Lord. Allow our lives to be fully used by the Lord. We have returned your materials as offering. We pray that everywhere it is used, may lives be saved, and may those who have fallen be raised up again. We believe You will work with the blessing of economy, to save the 237 nations and all tribes, upon the hands that have given the offering. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Lord, we thank You.
In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, amen.
Announcements
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3. 7/10-12 LA Regional Youth Retreat, please register by today.
4. Offering can be given to the church venmo: @Antiochmissionchurch
Benediction
Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the unending love of God, and the indwelling, guidance, fellowship, and working of the Holy Spirit, be upon the heads of all the people of God, the people of all nations, and the remnants who desire to live for Jesus Christ, Who is the Lord of Life, be with them from now until forevermore always, amen.