In Episode 272 of the Beers & Bible Podcast, we step into Romans 6 and look at the vital connection between justification and sanctification—between being declared righteous in Christ and actually growing in holiness. Paul’s famous question, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” sets the tone, and we unpack why his answer—“God forbid”—absolutely destroys the idea that grace is a license to sin.

We talk through the historic charge of antinomianism at the time of the Reformation and walk through three different “equations” of faith and works, showing why the biblical, Reformation view insists that true faith inevitably produces real change. From there, we tackle the idea of “carnal Christianity” and show from Scripture why a person who is truly regenerated cannot remain unchanged, even if growth is slow and messy.

Finally, we explore what it means to be baptized into Christ, united with Him in His death and resurrection, and called to walk in “newness of life.” We consider our natural state as spiritually dead and slaves to sin—and the astonishing reality that in Christ we’ve been made alive by the power of the Holy Spirit. This episode will encourage you to take sin seriously, rest in your justification, and pursue holiness with confidence in the resurrection power already at work in you.

In this episode we trace Paul’s argument from Adam to Christ and why imputation is the hill to die on. We unpack the difference between original sin and actual sin, why death’s universality proves sin’s universality, and how the Covenant of Works sets the stage for the good news: where sin abounded, grace abounded much more. We land with the hope that Christ’s active obedience and passive obedience secure our justification—and usher us from the reign of sin into the reign of grace.

Highlights

• Universal death & the age-of-accountability question (Rom 5:12–14)

• Imputation: Adam’s guilt vs. Christ’s righteousness (Isa 64:6; Rom 5:18–19)

• Covenant of Works → why Christ’s life matters as much as His death

• Why the Law “made sin abound”—to spotlight superabounding grace (Rom 5:20)

• Sin’s reign vs. grace’s reign: eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 5:21)

Episode 270 explores Romans 5:10–19 and the joy that flows from reconciliation with God. We trace Paul’s language from the “exchange” of idolatry (metallassō, Rom 1) to the “reconciliation” God accomplishes in Christ (katallassō/katallagē, vv.10–11). Reconciliation is an objective gift—received through Jesus’ death and life—and its rightful fruit is durable joy, even in suffering.

From there, we tackle why death reigns. Paul says sin and death entered through one man, Adam. We walk through three classic explanations of our guilt in Adam: Realism (we truly sinned in Adam), Federalism (Adam as our covenant head and representative), and Jonathan Edwards’ identity view (we were present in Adam in the mind of God). Each perspective underscores humanity’s universal fall and sets up the contrast with the Second Adam.

Finally, we show why imputation is non-negotiable to the gospel: Adam’s guilt is counted to all, and Christ’s righteousness is counted to believers. Denying imputation in Adam undercuts imputation in Christ. The episode lands with pastoral application—preach the gospel to yourself, repent without excuses, rest in counted righteousness, and use the principle of representation to point others to Jesus.

Application

• Preach the gospel to yourself daily to guard joy.

• Stop rationalizing sin; run to the Second Adam.

• Rest in counted righteousness, not performance.

• Use headship to pivot objections toward Christ’s finished work.

Episode 269: Romans 5:6-11

In this week’s conversation we unpack why “limited atonement” is better called definite atonement—the cross designed by the Father, accomplished by the Son, and applied by the Spirit to truly save a people, not merely make salvation possible. Paul’s logic in Romans 5:6–11 carries us from our helplessness and enmity to the wonder of God’s love, the satisfaction of His wrath, and the deep assurance that we are “saved by His life.”

Christ died to actually save His people. Enemies become family; wrath becomes welcome; fear becomes assurance.

Main Points

• Definite Atonement: The cross achieves what God eternally designed—the real salvation of Christ’s sheep.

• Human Helplessness: We weren’t neutral; we were ungodly and powerless. Grace starts where our ability ends.

• God’s Love, Clarified:

  • Benevolence (goodwill to all)

  • Beneficence (kind gifts to all)

  • Complacent love (delight for those united to His Son)

• Wrath Satisfied: Salvation means rescue from God’s righteous wrath through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.

• Reconciliation: God took the initiative to reconcile enemies to Himself.

• Saved by His Life: Jesus’ righteous life credited to us and His living intercession keep us to the end.

In this episode we unpack Paul’s big idea that Christian hope isn’t a wish—it’s Spirit-wrought assurance anchored in God’s promises. We contrast the world’s “maybe” hope with the New Testament’s anchor-hope, then trace Paul’s chain of grace: tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance forges character, and character yields a hope that will never put us to shame. We look at how God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, giving us confidence to rejoice even in suffering. Finally, we explore the “when” of the atonement—Christ died for the ungodly precisely when we were without strength, and He did so in real history at the Father’s appointed time. Pastoral takeaways: rehearse truth when waves hit, bring afflictions to God in prayer, and let the cross reshape how you treat those who wrong you.

Beer review:

Mill Pond from Oyster City Brewing

Vol Lager from Yee-Haw Brewing,

Justification is a finished act with present fruits: peace with God, access to grace, and unshakable hope—all through our Lord Jesus Christ.

• Peace (v.1): “Having been justified by faith” = past, once-for-all. The cosmic war with God is over; the treaty is permanent in Christ.

• Access (v.2a): The torn veil means real audience with God. We now stand in grace—boldly, never flippantly (cf. Heb. 12:22–24).

• Hope (v.2b): Not wishful thinking but a Spirit-given anchor. We “glory now in glory”—faith looks back to the cross; hope looks forward to completed redemption.

  
  

  Because we’re justified, we don’t beg for peace, access, or hope—we already have them in Christ.

  
  

Faith or Wrath (Romans 4:13–25)

Big Idea: God secures Abraham’s promised inheritance by faith according to grace, not by law. The law exposes sin and brings wrath; faith rests in God’s promise—confirmed by Christ’s resurrection for our justification.

Key Quote: “He was fully convinced that what God had promised He was also able to perform.” (Rom 4:21)

We unpack Paul’s argument that the promise to Abraham (and to all who share his faith) comes through the righteousness of faith, not through works of the law. The law can only reveal our sin and summon wrath; grace gives what law cannot—assurance. Abraham believed against all odds because the object of his faith was the God who “gives life to the dead.” Paul lands the plane with the gospel’s heartbeat: Jesus was “delivered up for our offenses and raised for our justification.” Forgiveness and righteousness are both ours in Christ.

• Faith or Wrath (vv. 13–15): If inheritance were by law, faith would be void. The law exposes sin and brings wrath.

• What Is Sin? (v. 15b): Sin = lack of conformity to or transgression of God’s law (omission & commission). Sin is personal—against the Lawgiver.

• According to Grace (vv. 16–18): Justification is by faith so that it rests on grace—this produces assurance and extends to “many nations.”

• Not a Blind Leap (vv. 19–20): Abraham faced the facts but trusted the Promise-Maker; faith is reasonable confidence in God’s character.

• Fully Convinced (v. 21): Mature faith = settled confidence that God performs what He promises.

• Raised for Our Justification (vv. 24–25): Double imputation: our guilt to Christ; His righteousness to us. The resurrection is the Father’s public acceptance of the payment—our justification is secure.

Faith Like Abraham

Text: Romans 3:27-4:12

• Main Idea: Salvation has always been by grace through faith—Abraham looked forward to Christ; we look back. Justification is by faith alone, not works.

• Boasting Excluded (vv. 1–2)

  • Paul: no room for pride; Abraham saved by faith, not merit.

  • Salvation in every age rests on Christ’s righteousness.

• Abraham Believed (vv. 3–4)

  • Genesis 15: Abraham trusted God’s promise, and God counted him righteous.

  • Faith is the instrument of salvation, not a meritorious act.

• Faith as Trust (vv. 5; James 2)

  • Paul: justified before God; James: faith proven before men.

  • True faith includes personal trust (fiducia), not mere belief.

• Counted Righteous (vv. 5–6)

  • “Faith alone saves, but not a faith that is alone.”

  • Works flow from faith—they’re fruit, not foundation.

• Blessedness of Imputation (vv. 6–8)

  • David: blessed are those forgiven and credited with Christ’s righteousness.

  • Imputed righteousness = alien righteousness from Christ, not earned.

• Sign and Seal (vv. 9–12)

  • Abraham justified before circumcision—faith, not ritual, saves.

  • Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are signs and seals of covenant grace.

In this episode, we dive into one of the most important sections of Paul’s letter to the Romans—his teaching on justification by faith alone. R.C. Sproul reminds us that this is the very heart of the gospel: God declares sinners righteous not because of anything in them, but because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to them and received by faith.

• Declared Just, Not Made Just – Why our righteousness must come from outside ourselves and what Luther meant by simul iustus et peccator (“at the same time righteous and sinner”).

• The “But Now” Moment – Paul’s announcement that God’s righteousness has been revealed apart from the law, rooted in both the Law and the Prophets.

• Faith as the Instrument – How the Reformers rejected baptism and penance as the instrumental cause of justification, insisting instead that faith alone links us to Christ.

• The Double Transfer – Our sins placed on Christ and His righteousness placed on us. This is the great exchange at the center of the gospel.

• Propitiation & Expiation – Why we cannot afford to lose these biblical terms, and how Christ both satisfies God’s wrath and removes our sin.

• The Just and the Justifier – How God remains perfectly just while also declaring sinners righteous in Christ.

Justification is not cheap grace. It is free for us, but costly for Christ. At the cross, God satisfied His justice and extended His mercy—making Him both just and the justifier of those who believe.

No one naturally seeks God, speaks purely, or lives rightly. God’s law silences our self-defense and drives us to Christ, whose righteousness is received by faith alone.

1. No Seekers (v.11) – Unbelievers chase God’s benefits, not God Himself. True seeking starts after God finds us (Matt 6:33).

2. Unprofitable Good (v.12) – “Civic righteousness” exists, but God defines good by both action and God-ward motive (John 14:6).

3. The Things We Say (vv.13–14) – Throat, tongue, lips, mouth: a biopsy of our speech—deceit, venom, cursing (Matt 23:27; James 3:6).

4. The Things We Do (vv.15–18) – Swift to violence; we don’t know the way of peace because we don’t fear God (Prov 9:10).

5. All the World Guilty (vv.19–20) – The law stops every mouth; by works no one will be justified.

6. Justification Defined – A forensic (legal) declaration: God counts sinners righteous in Christ by faith alone.

   Key Takeaways

• There are no natural seekers; seeking God is evidence He has already sought you.

• Good deeds without a God-loving motive are not “good” before God.

• Your words reveal your heart; guard both input and output.

• The law is a mirror, not a ladder—it exposes sin; it doesn’t erase it.

• Hope rests in a verdict secured by Christ’s righteousness, not our record.