Bill Acton :: Romans 5:6-8 - The Certainty of Salvation Rests in the Love of God

Sermon Outline for Romans 5:6-8

1. Review
   1. Salutation, explanation and proposition – Rom 1:1-17
   2. The Gentile need of by-faith salvation – Rom 1:18-32
   3. The Jewish need of by-faith salvation – Rom 2:1-3, 8
   4. The summary of the world’s need of by-faith salvation – Rom 3:9-20
   5. Salvation from the guilt of sin – Rom 3:21-31
   6. Justification by faith – historically – Rom 4:1-25
   7. The personal benefits of justification by faith – Rom 5:1-21
2. The Certainty of Salvation Rests in the Love of God – Rom 5:5-8
   1. The Father loved – Jhn 3:16
   2. The Father sent the Son – 1Jo 3:16
   3. The Son gave His life – 1Jo 4:10, 14, 19
3. God’s Plan
   1. In due time
      1. An appointed time – Gal 4:4
      2. An appropriate time
         1. World history
            1. Greeks
            2. Romans­
         2. History of Israel
      3. The plan is not an afterthought – Eph 1:4
         1. It was planned before the foundation of the world
   2. Our condition
      1. We were without strength
         1. Devoid of spiritual strength
            1. Total inability
            2. Totally incapable
         2. Unable to understand spiritual truth – 1Co 2:14
         3. Unable to please God
            1. Our righteousness is as a rotten garment –
            2. Isa 64:6; Luk 16:15
         4. Unable to obey God – Rom 3:20
         5. Unable to break the power of sin
         6. We do not desire God
      2. We were ungodly
         1. Godless
         2. Irreverent
         3. Positive ungodliness
         4. Aggressive in evil
         5. Unlike God
         6. Lost the image of God
         7. Without love to God
         8. Does not delight in God
         9. God is not in His thoughts
         10. Without God
         11. All the ungodly
         12. Do not accept God’s revelation
         13. There is no naturally godly person
      3. We were sinners
      4. We were enemies
   3. Christ died for us – without strength, ungodly sinners
      1. Christ – Son of God – 1Jo 4:9; Mat 21:33
      2. It is Christ who died
         1. The proof of God’s love is the death of Christ
            1. Not His life – His teaching – His miracles – His example
            2. It is His death that saves us
      3. Christ died for us
         1. “For” – in connection with
            1. In behalf of
            2. Instead of
            3. In the place of
         2. He endured the experience for us
            1. He did not need salvation
            2. We had the need
         3. He died the supreme manifestation of love –
            1. The final complete act
            2. Rom 8:32; Phl 2:5-8; Eph 2:4-5
         4. He gave up His life – Jhn 10
4. Application
   1. Admit our condition
   2. Look at the cross
   3. Trust our salvation to that act of love
      1. Not trusting at all in self
      2. Trusting Christ alone
   4. Love the Lord – 1Jo 4:19