Justification is the declaration of the verdict not guilty on the basis of another righteousness, namely Christ's, which I now in this moment

impute to you through your faith. And in that moment, listen to this phrase, it happens to the

one who does not work.

Why is the doctrine of justification

by faith alone such good news.

John Piper opens Romans 4, 1 to 5 to take us to the very heart of the gospel in this episode of light and truth. This sermon was originally. this verses 1 to 5 of chapter 4 is answering this question and everybody in this room should answer this question right and should ask it at least. Okay, if there's a God and he's just and holy and has

a will and commandments and a law and I have broken them and I have not loved him and I have not trusted him and I have not followed him and I have not worshipped him and I have not cherished him and delighted him. I have offended him and trampled his glory in the dirt by ignoring him. How in the world can somebody like me?

Get right, get right with this God and presume that I could ever have a friendship or a loving internal fellowship with him.

How can that be?

The answer is given using Abraham this time as an example.

And the question is posed in verse one,

what then shall we say that Abraham,

our forefather, according to the flesh has found. Remember the song, the ill spiritual,

Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noa found grace in the eyes of the Lord. What did

Abraham find? That's a quotation. Noah found grace in the eyes of Lord. That's a quotation, Noah found Grace in the

and the Az Lord, that's a quotation from Genesis, six, eight.

That's biblical.

Now, what did Abraham find?

That's the question.

Did he find grace or did he negotiate on another basis

works or on another basis, works, earning?

How did Abraham get right with God?

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