[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 19th of October, 2025. A recording of our service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]
19 So the judgment of God lies very heavily upon the Jews, for they are responsible to keep God’s laws instead of doing all these evil things; not one of them has any excuse; in fact, all the world stands hushed and guilty before Almighty God.20 Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them; His laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners.21-22 But now God has shown us a different way to heaven — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us — declare us “not guilty” — if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. 23 Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; 24 yet now God declares us “not guilty” of offending Him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in His kindness freely takes away our sins.25 For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from His wrath. In this way He was being entirely fair, even though He did not punish those who sinned in former times. For He was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins. 26 And now in these days also He can receive sinners in this same way because Jesus took away their sins.But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for He does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins.27 Then what can we boast about doing to earn our salvation? Nothing at all. Why? Because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds; it is based on what Christ has done and our faith in Him. 28 So it is that we are saved by faith in Christ and not by the good things we do.29 And does God save only the Jews in this way? No, the Gentiles, too, may come to Him in this same manner. 30 God treats us all the same; all, whether Jews or Gentiles, are acquitted if they have faith. 31 Well then, if we are saved by faith, does this mean that we no longer need obey God’s laws? Just the opposite! In fact, only when we trust Jesus can we truly obey Him.
--Romans 3:19-31 (TLB)
13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust swarms to eat up all of your crops, or if I send an epidemic among you, 14 then if My people will humble themselves and pray, and search for Me, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear them from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land. 15 I will listen, wide awake, to every prayer made in this place.
--2 Chronicles 7:13-15 (TLB)
4 Now bring us back to loving You, O Lord, so that Your anger will never need rise against us again. 5 (Or will You be always angry — on and on to distant generations?) 6 Oh, revive us! Then Your people can rejoice in You again. 7 Pour out Your love and kindness on us, Lord, and grant us Your salvation.
--Psalm 85:4-7 (TLB)