Author Archives: Gospel and Salvation

The Righteousness of God is Revealed to The One Who Has Faith

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The Book of Romans (#3)

Romans 1: 17

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we studied Romans 1:7-16, in which Paul says that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. When we listen to the gospel, the power of God goes into our heart and changes us! Today we continue to look at the next verse:

NASB Romans 1:17 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:17 NASB)

Here the word “it” refers to the gospel, so we can read the passage like this: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith.”

What does “from faith to faith” mean? From whose faith is the righteousness revealed and unto whose faith?

Here I am not playing with words. These are important questions, and through the centuries many articles have been written on this verse, Romans 1:17. Many people have expounded this verse and debated on its meaning. You can go to read all those articles in different commentaries if you want, but I will not follow those commentaries. I will try to explain this verse in very simple language so that even young Christians and non-believers can understand it. My aim is to preach the gospel to all people to the ends of the earth, that’s the command of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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The Gospel is The Power of God for Salvation

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The Book of Romans (#2)

Romans 1:7 – 17

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we continue to study the book of Romans. Last time we studied Romans 1:1 – 6, now let’s look at the next passage.

NASB Romans 1:7 – 17 7to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you in order that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; 12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 And I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented thus far) in order that I might obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 Thus, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” (Rom 1:7-17 NASB)

Saints – Holy ones, those separated to Yahweh God

In verse 7 Paul said, “to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints”; I have explained the meaning of the word “saint” in my earlier sermon “Saints” in the series called “Titles of Christians”. You can refer to that sermon to understand the origin and meaning of the word “saint”. (All my previous sermons have been uploaded to our YouTube channel @cdc_online; sermon transcriptions are available at www.gospelandsalvation.com.) Here I won’t go into all the details, but will simply say that saints are the holy ones, those separated to Yahweh God.

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Introduction to the Book of Romans

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The Book of Romans (#1)

Romans 1:1 – 6

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we begin to study the book of Romans, but from time to time I may still talk about the titles of Christians and even the titles of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible mentions many titles of the Lord Jesus and of Christians, but I don’t want to dwell on a certain topic for too long. I am also eager to start the book of Romans as soon as possible. But if the Lord permits, I will still talk about some titles of Christians once in a while.

The book of Romans talks about “righteousness,” “faith,” “justification” and Yahweh God’s salvation plan.

(To justify means to make righteous; for example, to justify someone means to make him righteous. The noun “justification” is the action of making righteous; for example, the justification of someone means the action of making him righteous.)

Studying the book of Romans helps us to examine our own faith to Yahweh God and to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we preach the gospel to non-believers about righteousness, faith, justification and salvation, we can follow the method and the steps in the book of Romans step by step, point by point.

NASB Romans 1:1 – 6 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ. (Rom 1:1-6 NASB)

The meaning of this passage is very deep; let’s study it verse by verse.

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Immanuel – God with Us

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Christmas Message (#2)

Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:22 – 23

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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When Pastor Bentley and I were preaching the gospel in Hong Kong, I saw that every year when the Christmas season was drawing near, there would be signs “Immanuel – God with us” or simply “Immanuel” everywhere: at the entrance of buildings, on the streets, at the front doors of houses. We could hear Christmas songs all the way from the central business district to the countryside.

But many people may not know the significance of this phrase “Immanuel – God with us”; what does it mean and where does it come from?

Christmas is the date Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Around 700 some years before the Lord Jesus was born into the world, Yahweh God had proclaimed through the prophet Isaiah:

ESV Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isa 7:14 ESV)

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Stewards of God

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Titles of Christians (#13)

1 Peter 4:10 – 11

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Last time we studied the title “Farmers”; today we are going to study another title of Christians, the 13th title, which is based on 1 Peter 4:10–11:

NASB 1 Peter 4:10 – 11 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. ( NASB 1Pe 4:10-11)

Here Apostle Peter says that each Christian has received a gift from God, and we ought to use that gift to serve one another. And we are to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

Yahweh God grants us different gifts, and they are not for us to boast about or to gain benefit for ourselves, but these gifts are to serve fellow Christians, and to bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.

For example: Some people have the gift of preaching; they can preach the word of God clearly and powerfully, so they can use this gift to proclaim the word of God. Some people have the gift of administration to take care of the administrative work in the church. Some people have the gift of music and dance, and can lead people to worship God with music and dance. Some people have the special gift of encourage­ment, so they can encourage and comfort those who are devastated and demoralized.

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Farmers

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Titles of Christians (#12)

2 Timothy 2:6

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we are going to study another title of Christians.

 NASB 2 Timothy 2:6 The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops. (2Ti 2:6 NASB)

Here Apostle Paul compares Christians to the hard-working farmer. Farmers usually have to work very hard. Even though nowadays there are all kinds of modern agricultural machinery to help farmers, they still have to work harder than people in other professions. Here Christians are compared to hard-working farmers, we have to prepare to work hard.

We are compared to farmers, what are we supposed to do?

1. We ask Yahweh God to change the hearts of people

NIV Matthew 13:3—4 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” (Mat 13:3—4 NIV)

Here the Lord Jesus is teaching a parable about a farmer; he expects his disciples to be spiritual farmers (Please read Pastor Eric Chang’s sermon on this parable at http://www.christiandc.org, I will not repeat all the explanations here).

The farmer went out to sow seed; some seed fell along the path and the birds came and ate it up. What does the seed stand for?

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Priests

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Titles of Christians (#11)

Revelation 1:5—6

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we are going to study another title of Christians. Last time we saw that Christians are compared to the living stones that build up the spiritual temple of God. Today we are going to study Christians as priests in the spiritual temple of God.

NAU  Revelation 1:5—6 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood — 6 and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (Rev 1:5—6 NAU)

The book of Revelation is a message revealed to Apostle John. This particular passage, Revelation 1:5—6, is a greeting from the Lord Jesus Christ and Apostle John. It says here that the Lord Jesus loves us; his blood which was shed on the cross washes us clean from all sins. As a result we are free from both the guilt of sin and the power of sin. (Please refer to the book “Becoming a New Person” by Pastor Eric Chang on the guilt of sin and the power of sin; I will not repeat the whole explanation here.) Then the Lord Jesus made us to be a kingdom, and priests to serve his God and Father. According to the word of the Lord Jesus in this passage, Christians are the priests of Yahweh God.

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Living Stones

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Titles of Christians (#10)

1 Peter 2:4—6

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Today we are going to study another title of Christians:

NAS 1 Peter 2:4—6 And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.” (1Pe 2:4—6 NAS)

Here Apostle Peter is calling Christians to come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Here the word “Him” refers to the Lord Jesus Christ; he is a living stone, rejected by men. They killed him by nailing him to the cross. As the Lord Jesus is a living stone, so Christians are living stones. We are being built up into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, and we offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Please take notice that in this sermon today, I only focus on the living stone. I am not talking about the holy priesthood or the spiritual sacrifices; I will discuss these topics in my next sermon two weeks from now.

This passage contains several spiritual terms, and we need to find out the meaning of these terms one by one. Now let us study this passage step by step.

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Saints

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Titles of Christians (#9)

1 Corinthians 1:1 – 2

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Brothers, sisters and friends, today we are going to study another title of Christians:

RSV 1 Corinthians 1:1 – 2 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: (1Co 1:1 – 2 RSV)

This passage comes from a letter that Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth. In verse 2 he says the brothers and sisters of the church are those sanctified in Christ Jesus, and they are called to be saints.

Christians are called saints, the holy ones

Most people think that only outstanding Christians who have accomplished a lot for Yahweh God are called saints, and that ordinary Christians are not saints. But here apostle Paul says all the brethren in the church who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus are called saints!

Indeed according to the New Testament all true Christians are called saints! Let’s look at some passages in the New Testament to confirm this point:

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Slaves of Righteousness

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Titles of Christians (#8)

Romans 6:18

Sermon by Pastor Sylvia Chan

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Christians are slaves of righteousness

We have studied 7 titles of Christians in the Bible, today we are going to study another title – this is the 8th title.

 NASB Romans 6:18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (Rom 6:18 NASB)

Do you feel uncomfortable with this verse? We have just been freed from sin, yet the next moment we become slaves of righteousness! We leave one type of slavery only to fall into another type of slavery. Does it mean that we never have freedom from slavery? What does it mean to be slaves of righteousness? Now let’s look at the Bible to find the answers step by step.

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