We are a forgetful people in a land of distractions. Our minds are easily captivated by trivial and temporary inducements. New things quickly become old. In our mind’s eye even glory tends to fade and warnings tend to wane. It is no wonder that we who are invisibly united to Christ and visibly in and not of this world live in constant need of renewal. And what is true for the Christian is true for the church. This is a series that seeks to renew the mind of the church. Not so much by reviewing what she is called to do as much as what she is called. As with the Christian so with church, her God-given identity defines her. We who are the church are a people for God and none other.
Before we return to the book of Romans, we will be looking at the what scripture says about the Church, in its nature, how she expresses herself in song, and how the church cares and equips for its members.
The messages from this series can be found here:
Manny Pereira - October 9, 2022
Counted Righteous
As the gospel of grace reverberates the great exchange from the cross of Christ, faith stands alone as its sole conduit. The very nature of the gospel, being “good news” and not “good law,” requires that a sinner’s status before God is put right by faith alone in Christ alone, with no admixture of self-merit. Building on this necessity, Paul masterfully supports the thesis of justification by faith alone through the examples of two most prominent figures in redemptive history. The mystery of Christ is newly revealed, yet it is not a novelty. The very intelligibility of the gospel derives from the Old Testament. But even more, the stress of this passage shines a brilliant light on the function of faith. Here, we see precisely how justification works. Here, the great exchange is supported and clarified. Here, Christ is magnified as sinners are counted righteous by faith alone.
Scripture References: Romans 4:1-12
