Hope | The Gospel Basics

Johnny Kurcina

June 24, 2012

Romans 8:14-25

(Romans 7:14-8:4) In Romans 7 Paul provides an answer for guilty & doubting Christians who wrestle with their sinful selves. Paul describes the Christian life as a struggle, desiring God but wrestling with sin. Who will rescue me from my sinful self, Paul questions, but then answers, Christ Jesus has rescued me. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And so, in spite of wrestling with sin and falling short, the believer is full of hope, assured in Christ. It is not sinlessness that marks the Christian, it is new desires. Delighting in God, Acknowledging & Hating Sin and Hopeful and Assured.

(Part 3 in a 5 part series Gospel Basics)

(Romans 3:21-26). All people, both the religious & the irreligious, the moral & immoral, sin and fall short of the glory of God. Everyone stands condemned and under God’s wrath. But the gospel declares that we are justified (legally acquitted), redeemed (slaves whose freedom has been purchased) and atoned for (Gods’ wrath has been satisfied). In the cross of Christ, God saves us from God by bearing God’s wrath for us in our place. This is the gospel for all who believe.

Part 2 in a 5 part series Gospel Basics.

(Romans 1:16-25) As Paul enforces his gospel message to the Romans, he begins with the problem. All people are sinners–that is all of us try to live our lives apart from God. We refuse to glorify or give thanks to God. And we all engage in the great exchange–we worship and serve the creature (namely ourselves) rather than the Creator. As a result we are all under God’s wrath–given over more and more to do what we want, we are forsaken. But there is an even Greater Exchange that God engaged in: there was one who was forsaken, bearing God’s wrath, that we need not.

(Part 1 in a 5 part series Gospel Basics)