Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to the Daily Blade. The Word of God is described as the sword of the Spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.

Speaker 2: 0:20

Welcome back to the Book of Romans, Chapter 3. Yesterday we just established this simple reality that the Bible says that no one is righteous, not even one. We're going to pick it up in verse 19, where the apostle Paul says to the church in Rome now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be stopped and the whole world. And here's the verse I want to hang out on. Let me say that again, For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight. This has historically been called works-based righteousness. We'll find out tomorrow that the word righteousness in the book of Romans does not mean right activity. It means a right identity, it means a right standing before God. And Paul wants us to know that we're not just bad people, we're dead people, we're sinners. And then he wants us to know that the answer is not found in us making ourselves better.

Speaker 2: 1:30

The overwhelming majority of church people in America do not believe this. There was a Gallup poll where people were asked what it takes to get into heaven, and over 60% of the people said that your good works impact on whether you get into heaven. And over 60% of the people said that your good works impact on whether you get into heaven or not. Let me say it again People believe that your good works impact whether you get into heaven or not. Now are works important? They're very important, but they are evidence that you have been saved. They are not a precursor or a prerequisite to your salvation. I don't know how people miss this when Paul just says for by works of the law no human will be justified. Justified is a legal term. To be justified means that, like in a court of law, then you are presumed or you are declared not guilty, when in actuality you are guilty. Now, this is not a complete definition, but it'll help you remember it that if you put your faith in Jesus Christ, from God's perspective it's just as if I'd never sinned. In other words, that you and I don't pay the penalty for our sin because Christ has paid the full penalty at the cross. Now do we do good works? Of course we do. The whole book of James is about this that once you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then not only are we saved by grace, but we are saved to do good works. But do not get this confused. There is no good thing that you can do to justify yourself before the Lord. This is called a works-based righteousness, and it will not save you. There's no amount of religious activity you can do, there's no amount of justice efforts that you can undergo that would make you right before God. What does it take? It takes you submitting and surrendering your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. You see, identity precedes activity.

Speaker 2: 3:24

Around here, where I live in Jacksonville, we call this beach ball theology, and there's a lot of people that think what it means to be a good Christian even though there's no such thing as a good Christian, there's just alive or dead is that you grab a hold of your sin, like you would take a beach ball and try to hold it under the water. Have you ever tried to hold a beach ball under the water? Well, how long can you do it? Well, it depends. Some of you yoked up guys could probably do it for a little while, but eventually. Eventually your arms get tired, or the waves are too big, or the sunscreen's too slippery, and you lose a hold of the beach ball. And the beach ball does not lightly float back up to the top, it explodes in your face.

Speaker 2: 4:00

This is how many people treat their salvation. They think if they can just grab onto their sin and they could by their own strength, hold it down and hold it under, then that's what it means to walk with Christ. That is not being a Christian, is not sin management. The good news of the gospel of Jesus is that he walks along, he sees you in your struggle with your sin and when you submit and surrender to him and you ask for his help, he pulls out his pocket knife and jabs your beach ball and he sucks all the power out of it. So here's what I need you to know it is not your good works that save you, it's not your church attendance, it's not the fact that you listen to the Daily Blade, it's not the way you treat other people. That is not what saves saves you. What saves you is your faith in Jesus Christ. Know that peace.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Thank you for listening to today's episode before you go. If you want to help equip other men for the fight, share this podcast around and leave us a 5 star rating and review. Stay sharp and leave us a five-star rating and review. Stay sharp.