A Salvation Chorus

Romans and chapter four. Romans chapter four. If you’ve been here for a review,
you will find this to be a review of a more brief nature. Paul had introduced the gospel
in chapter three, verses twenty one through twenty six, clearly
articulating the great need of mankind, that of righteousness,
And that God now has provided that righteousness through the
Lord Jesus Christ. But in the midst of that, Paul
wants to deal with a series of arguments that might be advanced
against this righteousness that is offered by faith, this justification
by faith, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And he enters into those
series of arguments using the great patriarch Abraham. These
are, in a sense, Jewish arguments against Paul’s doctrine of justification
by faith. But Paul enters into them quickly
and rapidly and deals with them one at a time. The first one,
as we saw, Paul dealt with was the argument of works. We spent no little time on that
one, and that led right into not only works, but rituals. Do rituals save? No. Do works
save? No. And those two are really
built on the third, which is the law. Does the law save? No.
So Paul, in the greater portion of chapter four, deals with these
three arguments, works, ritual, and the law itself. Salvation
does not come by those. Paul has already introduced two
elements by which salvation does come, and he spends time. He enters into a discussion,
first of all, on grace, and he points us back in verse 16 of
chapter four to this idea that salvation is purely by God’s
grace. Look at verse 16. For this reason,
it is by faith. We must take it in faith. It
is only offered by faith. As soon as you begin to enter
into works, you take faith and grace completely off of the table.
For this reason, it is by faith that it might be in accordance
with grace in order that the promise may be certain to all
the descendants now. Paul, discussing fully this doctrine
of grace, returns to a subject that he had only introduced in
times past. In the verses prior to chapter
four, he had introduced the concept of faith. And we all know what
faith is like. But he enters in in verse 18
through 22 to a full discussion of what faith is like. What kind
of faith does it take to save someone? And we saw that it is
a faith that believes beyond what seems hopeless. It is a
faith that believes unto the fulfillment of divine promise.
There in verse 18. It is a faith that believes in
spite of dismal human perspective. When things look difficult, that’s
when faith carries us and buoys us beyond what is humanly possible. It is a faith that believes without
embracing faithlessness, it never gives up. It never embraces unbelief. It is a faith that believes,
rather, to the strengthening of faith. That faith, in a sense
we saw, begets faith. And finally, and most important
of all, it is a faith that believes to the justification of the soul.
This faith has purpose and has meaning. It has a point to it,
as does Paul. Well, some might say, well, that
was a nice story. That was a nice story about Abraham
and him believing. We should have more stories like
him. We should study the patriarchs
and review their great faith. Some might think that that was
a nice story and that Paul is merely reviewing that to place
these truths before us as kind of a pleasant reminder of the
greatness of Abraham and the greatness of his faith. And it
couldn’t be further from the truth. What Paul does is provide us
here in the verses in front of us this morning. A review that
is designed to place these truths in the lap of every person who
hears them. To place this squarely in the
reader’s consideration. These truths are for you. These truths are for you, and
they must necessarily be deeply considered and pondered. As one said about these closing
words of chapter four, there is a noticeable solemnity about
the latter part of verse twenty four, which prepares the way
of what is the solemn conclusion in verse twenty five. The conclusion
both of the whole section, chapter four, verse one through twenty
five, and of the whole main division. Chapter 118 to 425. Do you hear
what he says? These words are the capstone. In a sense, this is the summary
of all that has gone before us. The sinfulness of the Gentiles,
the sinfulness of the Jews, the introduction of salvation, the
arguments for the doctrine of justification by faith. And now
a summary. These are no unimportant words. This is not just a mere summary
that we can read past. The concluding verses of the
chapter essentially deal with the tie in what was relevant
about Abraham’s faith to ours. If you would pick up in verse
twenty three of Romans chapter four. Where Paul writes in summary
now, Not for his sake only was it written that it was reckoned
to him, but for our sake also to whom it will be reckoned as
those who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the
dead. He who was delivered up because
of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. Let me speak to you briefly about
the title of the message. And I always acknowledge that
any time that I have to explain the title of the message, it’s
not a very good title. That’s fine. It’s man-made. I
made it and I know it can’t be so great. Essentially, I’m trying
to provide you in this message title a hint. A salvation chorus. It’s meant to be a hint as to
the character of the words before you in 23 through 25. They are
a chorus. A and I take that literally to
mean a reprise, if you will, a review. And since the subject
is ultimately from chapter 321 or chapter and verse 321 on the
subject is ultimately salvation, the means thereof, I’ve simply
titled it a chorus rather of salvation. You see, each of the
elements of the message this morning are basically a review
by Paul. They’re not new, but they’re
important enough to Paul. And may I say they are important
enough to the Holy Spirit to place them once again before
us in summary fashion. That’s even the reason that I
didn’t provide any blanks in the notes this morning to fill
in. Neither God nor Paul, nor I want anyone to miss this review. It’s a crucial review. But don’t be mistaken. It’s not
just a review, it really is an application of the truths that
have been declared so clearly in chapter 321, all the way down
through 422. It’s an application to the hearer of These words, these words that
Martin Luther said were among the most important in all of
Scripture. Martin Luther said in these verses,
the whole of Christianity is comprehended. That’s a powerful
statement. The whole of Christianity is
comprehended. Martin Lloyd-Jones no less powerfully
said this is one of Paul’s tremendous statements. about justification
and while it is a review. These are the very words of God. If you would, I want to look
at a salvation chorus, a compound summary, what I called of God’s
plan of redemption. And the first thing that Paul
wants to review is the extent of justification, the extent
of justification. Was it for Abraham only? Abraham
established the pattern, but it was a pattern that was supposed
to continue. Look at the words of verse twenty
three now, not for his sake only was it written, but it was reckoned
to him. It is the subject still is justification. Don’t be mistaken. Still, it
is still righteousness by faith. But the verse essentially Advances
this point that what the Bible says about Abraham wasn’t just
written down for his sake as some kind of a chronicle of his
great life, an honor, a homage to Abraham and to his great faith
and his great life, like some kind of a memorial so that he
might live on in people’s memories. That’s not at all what this was
about. That’s not why the Scriptures were recorded, at least not exclusively,
but they were recorded for our sakes too. Because His faith
in God and His being reckoned righteous has a direct relevance
to us as believers sitting here in the pews thousands of years
later. These things were written as
much for us and even more so than they were for Him. This is not just a history lesson
about the great patriarch Abraham. Abraham was, in essence, a representative,
no less than was Adam, no less than was the Lord Jesus Christ. He was a representative. And
what was true of Abraham is true of others who approach the same
relationship to the Lord Jesus and to God himself. As one said,
the method in which he was justified is the method in which other
sinners may be justified. He was justified by faith recorded
in the scriptures to be a perpetual testimony as to the true method
of justification before God. You see what Abraham advanced
in his life of faith was a pattern that was to be continued by us.
Great faith in a great God toward a great end that of justification
standing before God. Perfectly holy. The scriptures admonish us to
take the great truths that are proclaimed there and to utilize
those for our own good. Romans, later in the book of
Romans, it says that whatever was written in earlier times
was written for our instruction. 1 Corinthians 9. Is he speaking altogether for
our sake? Yes, it was for our sake it was
written, because the plowman ought to plow in hope and the
thresher ought to thresh in hope of sharing the crops. The things
that are written in Scripture are for us. That’s a basic point. And yet we lose sight of it so
often. First Corinthians 110 or 1011 rather says this. These things happened to them
as an example to who? For us. It happened to them when
they disobeyed the Lord, when they brought the wrath of God
down upon them, but the example was for us. They were written
for our instruction. Well, I know that what so often
happens. And plenty of caution should
be exercised, this is why you want to learn how to study God’s
word and you want to learn how to understand God’s word and
what is being said in the context. Because so often things are taken
completely out of context and we assume these promises are
threats for our own. They were meant for a particular
individual in a particular context at a particular time. Everything
that is written in the scriptures is for our instruction, what
is promised and commanded and threatened, unless it is a particular
personal nature, said one. So the promises are generally
ours, but it’s incumbent upon us to get into the Scriptures
and to read and to study and to know what is being said. It’s crucial. Basically. Abraham’s story. Had a relevance, had a meaning
to Paul and Paul says that this relevance is extends to us. that faith, our faith, can be
reckoned as righteousness, just as was Abraham’s. In terms of
doctrine, as one said, the truth elicited from the example of
Abraham is applied to the subject with which Paul has been dealing,
justification by faith. Faith was not only imputed to
Abraham for righteousness, but will also be imputed to all who
believe. As I said, caution should be
exercised as you study the word to avoid the habit of a too hasty,
a too quickly and carelessly reading into God’s word and making
applications that were never intended, given the particular
context, some of the promises, some of the threatenings. Still,
what a careful reading and study of God’s word is made We need
to be mindful of those general lessons to be gleaned, those
universal promises that are expressed, the warnings that ought to be
heeded. But here, here in these verses, Paul takes away all the
guesswork. He says, look, you don’t have
to be a Bible scholar. You don’t have to go through
four years of seminary and know all the biblical languages and
to be able to dive in and mine out the truth of what belongs
to you and what doesn’t. Paul’s taken all the guesswork
out of it. This whole story about Abraham
and his life, these things were written for our instruction.
It was not for his sake only that they were written, but for
our sake also. But this pattern of faith, this
plan of redemption, this justification of the sinner by faith in God,
by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is a pattern that we are to
enjoy. It is a pattern that we are to
follow. Look at verse twenty four. It
wasn’t just written for Abraham, but for our sakes also, to whom
it will be reckoned. Now, as I said, this whole section,
verse twenty three through twenty five is a review. And so if we
didn’t catch it in chapter three, verse twenty one through twenty
four, which versus I’d like you to turn, turn to three twenty
one through twenty four. If you didn’t catch this truth,
then Paul wants you to catch it here. Look at verse 321. But now, apart from the law,
the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed
by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God,
through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. It wasn’t just for Abraham. Jesus
Christ hadn’t even come yet. Now, Paul basically points out
that Abraham was looking to the future of a great redeemer, but
he didn’t know his name. At least we don’t know that.
We don’t know exactly. We don’t know for sure that Abraham
knew exactly how the plan of redemption was going to unfold,
but he trusted God. He placed his faith in God. How
much more should we who can look back and do have the full revelation
of God. These things were written for
our instruction. This is a reminder. If we didn’t
catch it in 321 to 24, we’ve got to catch it here. And if
we didn’t catch it there and we didn’t catch it in chapter
four, verse five, look at that verse. But to the one who does
not work. That would certainly summarize
us. We are not of the law. We are not seeking to live according
to all the letter of the law. That would point to us. But to
the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies
the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness. If we didn’t
catch it in 321, and we didn’t catch it here in 4-5, Paul wants
us to get it. What about chapter four, verse
eleven? Did we catch it there? If we didn’t catch it there,
look at verse eleven. He received the sign of circumcision,
that is, Abraham, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which
he had while uncircumcised. Why? That he might be the father
of all who believe. It wasn’t just for Abraham. It
was for our sake also. Look at verse 12, the father
of circumcision to those who are of the not only are of the
circumcision, but who also follow in the steps of the faith of
our father, Abraham. And if we didn’t catch it in
three twenty one and following and if we didn’t catch it in
four or five and we didn’t catch it in four eleven and twelve
and we didn’t catch it in four sixteen, look at that verse.
This is a review. For this reason, it is by faith
that it might be in accordance with grace in order that the
promise may be certain to all the descendants. These things
weren’t written for his sake only, they were written for our
sake also. That the promise may be certain
to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the law,
but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is
the father of us all. For that reason, Paul repeats
again. For that reason, he reviews.
For that reason, he strikes up the chorus. These things were
written for you. As one trusted pastor said, the
case of Abraham is the case of everybody who is in Christ. The
case of Abraham is just the most outstanding and dramatic example
and illustration of God’s method of righteousness, of God’s way
of salvation, of God’s whole process of justification by faith. If we believe as Abraham believed,
we shall be justified as Abraham was justified. What a great and
glorious truth. You almost expect Paul to review
it again, and he will. Paul says here that to us, too,
it will be reckoned. And you say, isn’t that inaccurate
based on all that Paul has been saying, if we believe God will
reckon that faith for righteousness, it’s immediate. What is this
future thing that we’re looking for now? We have to wait for
it. God will. Well, the bottom line here is
that Paul is announcing to the world the privilege that the
hope of the gospel is theirs for all who believe, for all
who place their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It isn’t necessarily
future as if it lays out there untouched for us. Literally,
all who believe will be justified. All who place their faith. That’s
a great promise. Most of us have already laid
hold of that promise. Most of us, by faith, have already
expressed our great faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, having
accomplished our sin on the cross, the forgiveness of it by his
penalty there, the penalty that he paid. That promise was to us at one
point, future, but now it’s fully realized. This isn’t something
that stands far off in the distance. It’s here. It’s tangible. Some
of us already enjoy it. There’s a second point for the
salvation chorus. I said it was a compound summary.
There’s a number of points that Paul is reviewing here, not only
the extent of justification, but secondly, the means of justification. The means of justification, we
are those who have placed our faith who believe in him, look
down at the verse once again, who believe in him, who raised
Jesus, our Lord, from the dead. That’s the same kind of faith
that Abraham had. Same exact kind of faith. Now,
even though we’ve heard these things before, that salvation
is through the resurrected Christ, turn back again to 321. In case
we missed it, Paul’s revealing it. He’s already said this. This is a review, a chorus, a
reprise, if you will. Because in three twenty one,
he says, but now, apart from the law, the righteousness of
God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the
prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus
Christ for all those who believe. For there is no distinction for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God being justified
as a gift by his grace. through the redemption, which
is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation
in his blood through faith. And I take that plan of redemption
to mean not only the death on the cross, but the resurrection
as well. He says it again, he just reviews. that everyone who believes in
that kind of a God who is able to raise the Lord Jesus, our
Lord from the dead, may be saved. What a great truth. What a truth
worthy of review and reprise. This trust. This faith that we
have is in a God, it’s in a powerful God, It’s in a powerful Almighty
God who is beyond all others. There is no other God. There are no other beings that
even come close to Almighty God. And it’s that kind of a God in
whom we place our faith. There’s one Summarized between
the quickening of Abraham and Sarah’s deadness for the purpose
of procreation and the raising of Jesus Christ from the dead,
there is an inward connection which is more than the similarity
between the two events. For what? What unique and absolute significance
to Abraham’s beginning and Sarah’s bearing of Isaac was the fact
that of this child, Christ himself was eventually to be a descendant
and Christ, too, would be raised. Another said it this way, the
object of faith is carefully specified by the apostle here.
It is God who raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, it is the
identity between the faith of Abraham and our faith. We believe
upon God and Abraham believed upon God. Abraham’s faith was
directed to God as the one who quickens the dead. And we have
that same kind of faith. We must. You see, the doctrine
of the resurrection, if you think of Paul’s writings, holds the
highest place. In Paul’s doctrine, in Paul’s
writings, even if all we had of Paul’s writings with regards
to the resurrection was 1 Corinthians 15, we would know that that doctrine
was at the heart of what Paul believed. So we have much more,
don’t we? We have much more of Paul’s testimony
of the importance of the resurrection. Paul believed that the resurrection
of Jesus Christ was, first of all, the proof that Christ Jesus
was who he claimed to be. He was God. And God proved that
by raising him from the dead. It’s exactly what Romans 1, 4
said, he was declared the son of God with power by the resurrection
from the dead. We saw that in our opening study
of the book of Romans. First Corinthians 15 says regarding
the resurrection, if Christ has not been raised, that our preaching
is in vain, your faith also is in vain. Moreover, we are even
found to be false witnesses of God because we testified against
God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if in fact
the dead are not raised. In other words, the resurrection
is so crucial that if you look to it, everything falls apart. Everything falls apart. if the
dead are not raised, because it proved Jesus to be God. It
also proved that God had fully accepted Christ’s atonement.
We’ve seen this before. We saw it in Romans 325, which
versus we’ve looked at what four times already this morning. God
displayed him publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith to
demonstrate his righteousness, because in the forbearance of
God, he passed over the sins previously committed for the
demonstration, I say, of his righteousness at the present
time so that he would be the just. He would be just and the
justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. In other words,
God put his stamp of approval on the Lord Jesus Christ’s offering
on the cross. How? By raising him from the
dead. He proved him to be God and he
accepted his sacrifice fully and finally. There’s no need
for any other. Get this, Romans 6 verse If we
have died with Christ, we believe that we shall live with him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never
to die again. Death is no longer master over
him. He’s conquered death. So the death that he died, he
died to sin once for all, but the life that he lives, he lives
to God. Not only that, but the doctrine of the resurrection,
according to Paul, tells us that the one great hope that we have
is that Jesus Christ has been raised because of that one great
hope. We, too, one day will be raised in Paul’s writings. It’s everywhere. Listen to just
a few. First Corinthians 15, but now
Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those
who are asleep. For since by man came death,
by man also came the resurrection from the dead. For as in Adam
all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. That is,
all who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the
firstfruits, and after that, those who are Christ’s at his
coming. That’s a good promise. That’s
a good reminder. 2 Corinthians 4, 14, knowing
that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus. From Paul’s letter to the Romans. If the spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Jesus from
the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through
his spirit who dwells in you. What great promises. About the
resurrection. Colossians 118, he himself, pardon
me, that he is the firstborn from the dead, not the last.
So that he himself will come to have first place in everything,
there is great promise in the resurrection. Paul is not about
to lose sight of the importance, the crucial element of the resurrection. As one Puritan said, this faith
believes in God, particularly in terms of the resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith is a belief in God, but
not only a belief in God in general. You know, there’s a lot of people
who say they believe in a God. That’s not what Paul’s talking
about here. That’s not saving faith. The faith that believes in God,
particularly in terms of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus
Christ. That’s what’s in view. Faith
is a belief in God, but not only a belief in God in general. The
Christian faith justifying faith is a faith that believes in God
in a particular manner. In terms of the fact that he
raised up the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. The raising of
Jesus Christ was forecasted, in a sense, by the birth of Isaac.
That just as God had shown to Abraham that he had the ability,
even though it was never put ultimately to the test in Isaac’s
case, Abraham believed that God had the ability to raise Isaac
from the dead. So also when Christ was truly
dead, God was able to express his almighty power through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. The New Testament, as you think
back through it, it constantly attributes the resurrection to
God Almighty and its faith in that kind of a God, faith in
a God who can raise the dead, even a crucified Savior. Romans 8, 11. Just a few verses. If the Spirit of Him who raised
Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus
from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Acts
3.15, they put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised
from the dead. A fact to which we are all witnesses. The same thing in Acts 4.10 and
1 Corinthians 6.14. Now, God has not only raised
the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. It was
always seen as a profound exercise of God’s power. And it’s faith
in that kind of a God. In a God who really can do this
mighty work. That is saving faith. Ephesians
one, when Paul wanted to encourage the Ephesians, he wrote about
God and about his abundant power, I pray that the eyes of your
heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the
hope of His calling, and what are the riches of His glory,
of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness
of His power to us who believe.” Well, what is that power? What
example does Paul use there to talk about that power? He says,
these things are in accordance with the working of the strength
of His might. Three different words for power. These are in accordance with
the working of the strength of his might, which he brought about
in Christ when he raised him from the dead. This was creative
power. This is God bringing in to be
that which was not just as we talked about two weeks ago. As one pastor said, just as the
resurrection of Christ. Was the great decisive evidence
of the divinity of his mission And the validity of all his claims
to believe that he rose from the dead is to believe that he
was the son of God, the propitiation for our sins, the Redeemer and
the Lord of men, that he was all he claimed to be and had
accomplished all that he purposed to effect. The salvation chorus. It’s essentially a review, a
compound summary of God’s plan of redemption, and there’s a
third element. Not only the extent of justification
and the means of justification, but the savior of justification. What is this savior like? It’s
not that the savior saves the concept of justification, who
is it in focus in the midst of this concept, this discussion
of justification? Look at verse twenty five. He’s
already mentioned the Lord Jesus Christ as being the one whom
God raised from the dead. These two other sentences essentially
undergird and support that name, the Lord Jesus Christ. He who
was delivered up because of our transgressions and raised up
because of our justification, I have always been fascinated
Just by the sound of those words, not to mention the meaning which
I knew was deep and far deeper than I ever conceived. Now, having
studied it. Now, Paul has said it before,
right, this is a review that Jesus was delivered by God to
the cross and raised up again, but in case we missed it. In
three, twenty four and twenty five. Paul said that being justified
as a gift by his grace through the redemption, which is in Christ
Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood
through faith. We can’t miss it. Paul says,
look, we’ve got to review this. We’ve got to ponder this. We’ve
got to savor this. This is the gospel. In case we missed it, he says
it again with a plainness that cannot possibly be misunderstood. Jesus went to the cross for your
sin. And his resurrection delivered
salvation to you. No wonder Paul said these things
were not written just for Abraham, but for our sake also. This is
the free offer of the gospel. Now, regarding these two sentences,
there were a lot of a lot of thoughts about them. They do
have a very unique form and sound to them. One commentator said
this verse looks like a quotation or a traditional formula. Another
said that it was a quotation from a very early confession
of faith. Those things, that’s possible.
We don’t know that. Another said that the two clauses
are an instance of the Hebrew tendency towards parallelism. If you ever read the Psalms,
you have one statement that follows upon another that essentially
echoes what was just said. You have a statement and then
an echo and a statement and an echo. Hebrew parallelism. Well, is that all this is? It’s true that neither of these
elements delivers salvation on its own, necessarily. To be delivered
up to the cross didn’t necessarily save us in its isolation because
it was the resurrection that put the capstone upon that, and
neither is it the resurrection alone that saves if Christ didn’t
go to the cross on our behalf. One said this verse is a comprehensive
statement of the gospel. Christ was delivered to death
for our offenses on account of them and for their good. Essentially, these verses are
two great truths of the gospel. The Christ died as a sacrifice
for our sins, and ultimately he was raised for our justification,
for the sake of our justification. Jesus was delivered over, verse
25, he was delivered up because of our transgressions. Our sin
is what sent him to the cross. Certainly it was God’s plan.
Certainly the Jews were involved. Certainly the Romans drove the
nails. But it was our sin that delivered up Christ to the
cross. Isaiah. Isaiah 53 stands in backdrop
of this particular verse. Listen just briefly to a number
of the verses of. Isaiah. Surely, beginning in
verse four, surely our griefs, he himself bore our sorrows,
he carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed him
stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was pierced
through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being
fell upon him and by his scourging, we are healed. All of us like
sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his
own way. But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall
on him. Certainly, the writer, whether
this was an early confession or whether this is Paul writing
on the spot, certainly the writer has Isaiah 53 in mind. Picking up at the end of that
same chapter in verse eleven, as a result of the anguish of
his soul, he will see it and be satisfied by his knowledge
of the righteous one. My servant will justify the many. He will bear their iniquities.
Therefore, I will allot him a portion with the great will divide the
booty with the strong because he poured out himself to death
and was numbered with the transgressors. Yet he himself bore the sin of
many and interceded For the transgressors, the delivering of Christ. Was
constantly ascribed over to God, it was our sin that put him there,
but this is God’s plan of redemption. Romans 832, he who did not spare
his own son. But delivered him over. For us all. Galatians 220, I’ve
been crucified with Christ. It’s no longer I who live, but
Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh.
I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself
up for me. It was both God and Christ in
this great plan of redemption. God didn’t do anything to Christ
that Christ didn’t willfully submit to. See, in one sense, This great testimony of Christ was his doing, but it was also
fully God’s doing. But not only if you look at the
text again, not only was he delivered up because of our sin, God’s
plan of redemption, Christ willingly going, the Jewish elite taking
their positions, the Roman soldiers taking theirs. But ultimately, also, he was
raised up because of our justification. Said one Jesus death and resurrection
were alike necessary. His death was necessary as a
satisfaction to divine justice. His resurrection was no less
necessary. First, as a proof that his death
had been accepted as a payment for sin. But had he not risen
It would have been evident that he was not who he claimed to
be. No wonder, Paul says in 1 Corinthians
15, if Christ had not been raised, your faith is worthless and you
are still in your sins. You say so. How does this relate
to me? Paul is giving you a review and
he’s already told you that these words All of these accounts of
Abraham and his faith and how he was reckoned righteousness,
those words were not recorded for Abraham’s sake, not alone.
They were recorded for our sake, yours and mine, and those who
would come in the future who hear the gospel proclaimed, perhaps
even through us. As one said, to Abraham was made
the staggering promise that through his seed, the nations of the
world should be blessed and from him should come the Messiah.
And he believed it. You and I have got to believe
something that is equally staggering. That Christ was delivered for
our offenses, And He was raised up again for our justification. The Christian is the person who
rests upon this Word of God that comes to him through the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. And in spite of all that I know
about myself, my past sins, my present sinfulness, in spite
of the fact that I know that I still have an evil nature within
me, justifying faith is that which enables a man to believe
the Word of God In spite of all of that. Now, not for his sake only was
it written. But for our sake also. Let’s consider that in
prayer. Merciful God, we humble ourselves
before you. Knowing all along, catching the
hints here and there, wondering perhaps if these things didn’t
have a deeper meaning, if these things weren’t beyond just a
recount of a patriarch’s history. Lord, if we missed it, Paul spells
it out quite clearly in the Salvation Chorus, that this discussion
of justification must rest right in our laps. We must consider
that Jesus Christ has already paid the penalty for sin and
that it is faith, great faith, faith that takes you at your
word that you would even save a sinner like me because of what Christ accomplished
on the cross and that you would apply that to me and give me
salvation because of that. It’s almost too much to believe. But for
the faith that God grants, we take you at your word and we
place our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only one who can
save. We thank you and we praise you. In Jesus name, Amen. you would take your bulletins
and let’s, as we close, stand and sing before the throne. Stand
together and sing. For the throne of Narottam, I
have a strong and perfect knee. A great heart, pleased to stand
in love, Whoever in them pleads for me. My name is written on
his hands My name is written on his heart I know that while
in heav’n he stands No tongue can bid me hence depart No tongue
can bid me hence depart When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within, Offward I look, and see him dead,
Who made an end of all my sin. Because the sin that made your
die, My sinful soul is counted free For God was just in Travis’
mind To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon
me Oh, in their low-hidden lands,
My perfect, flawless, precious land, The reign of Satan, the
Lord I am, The King of glory and of praise. One in Himself I cannot find. My soul is burdened by His blood. My life is in with Christ alive. With Christ my Savior and my
God. With Christ my Savior and my
God. One with himself, I cannot lie. My soul is purchased by his blood. My life is lived with Christ
on high. His life’s my Savior and my God. His life’s my Savior and my God. You are dismissed. Thank you.