eternity, do now in our presence,
Father, do now in our hearts and forgive us our many sins.
Cleanse us of our unrighteousness and save your elect. We ask you
to do this in the name of our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. All right, if you take
your Bibles now and turn with me again to Romans chapter 8,
Romans Chapter eight. We started this last week and
I didn't get past the foundation. It's the foundation title. The
message is the foundation and four pillars of justification.
Now I got the foundation, but I didn't even get to start on
the pillars. So this week, uh, tonight I want to want to focus
on that. I'll go back over a little bit
of the foundation of our justification and then focus on these four
pillars that are given to us. Now, if you read the book of
Romans, you just sit and read the book of Romans, you'll find
out it is a very succinct book. It's very one,
two, three, four. There's always the points that
just follow along in the scripture. You can do this. Paul said, because
of this, because of this, therefore this. This, this, therefore,
this. You follow that and you'll be
able to receive a lot of blessings. That's what I want to do tonight.
These things are just laid out so plainly, so clearly for us. So here in Romans chapter 8,
we see this in verse 33. Paul asks this question. He says,
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies. And so this is what we found
first is this. Every believer in this life has
troubles, difficulties, trials, and in these troubles we are
often cast down. We are often perplexed. In our troubles always accusations
come concerning our sins. We have the accusation of Satan
and self, always accusing us of sin. And in order to comfort
us in the midst of these accusations and guilt that every believer
feels in his heart when he is in trouble, God gives us this
word here, and he asks this question, who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? And so then the foundation of
our justification, it is God that justifies. Now who does
God justify? The elect. The elect. He justifies the elect. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. And so look then at the foundation
of us being justified. of us being free from all the
accusations of sin. It is rooted in the election
of God by whom we were put into union with Christ before the
foundation of the world. according, in Ephesians chapter
1, according as he had chosen us in Christ before the foundation
of the world. Before there was anything to
accuse us of, he put us in union with Christ. See, he is laying
the foundation of our justification. When was it laid? In eternity.
In whom was it laid? In Christ Jesus our justification
was laid. According as he had chosen us
in Christ Jesus Before the foundation of the
world that we should be holy and without blame is that not
being justified To be holy without blame. How then are we to be
holy without blame? What is the purpose of God by? Jesus Christ by Jesus Christ
So the election of God then makes all accusations against the elect
empty. Listen, somebody can accuse the
elect all they want to, but it is empty. It is vain to accuse
the elect of God simply because of this. It is God that justifies. It's God that justifies. And
so this does away with all accusations against the elect. Secondly,
the election does away with all hopes of boasting. It destroys all hopes of self-righteousness,
all hopes of merit. It destroys all vain religion
that seeks to merit the justification of God. And we who have been saved, we
know this by experience, don't we? We were dead in trespasses
and sins. There was no hope for us. There
was no way to justify ourselves. We could not even come to Christ. Jesus said, no man can come to
me except the father which has sent me draw him. And surely had God not chosen
us, we never would have chosen him. But this is the confidence
of the believer is that God did choose us for himself. When nothing existed to oppose
us, God chose us based on his own sovereign will and justified
us by putting us into union with Christ. This is the foundation
of our justification. When did your justification begin?
It began in eternity when God put you in Christ. He took all
of his elect and he put them in union with his son. and purpose
this, that all of them should be justified. All of them should
be justified. And this is, we should consider
this, that if God has chosen us and purposed us to be justified,
we know this purpose then is unchangeable. This foundation
is immutable. It can't be changed. God says,
I am the Lord, I change not, therefore you sons of Jacob are
not consumed. But how shall man know of his
election? Now that's a question, isn't
it? If this is the foundation that all of the elect are justified
before the world began, given to Christ, purposed to be holy,
Who then are the elect that God justified? Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justified. Who did He justify? He justified
the elect. Well, who are they? And how do
I know if I'm one of them? How may I know if I am justified? Simply this, faith in Christ
is the manifestation of our justification. Now get this, faith, your faith
in Christ did not justify you. Your faith added nothing to the
justification. Our faith simply receives what
God purposed and Christ accomplished. He said that in verse 30 of our
text. He said whom he predestinated,
then also what he called. Everyone he predestinated, he's
going to call. This is why we preach the gospel. I know this. God has an elect
people, and they are in the eyes of God justified. I don't know
who they are. Do you? Therefore, we preach
the gospel to all men. having no clue. You know, our
Lord told us that the tears are going to come up among the wheat.
Why did he say we shouldn't try to pick out the tears? Because
we get it wrong every time. It's not for us to say, well,
that one saved and that one's not in this one saved and that
one's not. It's not for us. We preach the gospel and we call
men to repentance. We call men to faith in Christ. And I know this, that all that
he has chosen will come to Christ. So you come to Christ, you believe
on the Son of God. Then behold, the foundation of
your justification is rooted in God's sovereign election.
Which means you had nothing to do with it. Did you have any
part in this foundation? No, you just stand on it. You
just rest on it. And notice this, we saw this
last week, it's not this they're justified, but who justified
them? God justified them. This is why there can be no accusation,
because God, who is holy, justified his elect. He justified them. He said this, I, even I am he
that blotteth out thy transgressions. Now who's doing the blotting
out? God did. So to accuse the elect is you
would have to say this, God is unjust. You would have to declare God
is unjust. God said I blotted out and I'm
doing it for my own namesake, not because of anything they've
done. I'm doing it for my own namesake and I will not remember
their sins. God said that, I will not remember
their sins. And so then this is the foundation
and comfort of God's elect. Our justification was not unjust,
but the just God justified us. He justified us by putting us
in union with Christ. Now look at the next verse. And
he says this, who is he that condemneth? Who is he that condemneth? Now consider that if no one is
able to charge you, how in the world can they condemn you? I told you this last week. If
a police officer arrested you, brought you before a judge and
said, condemn him, the judge would have to ask, what is the
charge? Well, I don't have a charge.
I just want you to condemn him. Well, that's impossible. Without
a charge, there can be no condemnation. He said, who in the world can
condemn us? If God wouldn't charge us, then who is going to condemn
us? Believer, God himself is holy. And he is pleased to justify
us, pleased to deliver us from all condemnation. And view us as perfectly righteous. In Jeremiah chapter 50 in verse
20, I love reading this verse. In those days and at that time,
saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for
and there shall be none. How many is that? How many, when he seeks for your
iniquity, how many shall be found? None of them. And the sins of
Judah, they shall not be found. For I will pardon them whom I
reserve. Those mine elect, I will pardon
them. That's why there'll be no more
sin to be found in them. Who then can condemn us? Who
then can condemn us or even charge us with sin? Now, this is totally
opposed to our experience. Isn't it? Isn't this totally
opposed to your experience? Do you not charge yourself with
sin? Is Satan not constantly bombarding
you, tempting you to sin, and when you do sin, condemns you
of the sin? He does. The world the same way. The world will entice you to
be part of them, and when you are, they'll say, aha, look at
him. He's no better than we are. That's
true. That's true. How can this knowingly be true,
seeing we have sinned? How can God justly declare us
righteous and free from accusations and all charges and condemnation
of sin? Knowing this, we have sinned. How is that possible? Well, that's
why the apostle now gives us these four pillars. You see,
the foundation of our justification is laid in eternity by God's
election. He chose us. He put us in Christ,
and we are justified before the eyes of God. But these four pillars
upon which our justification now rests are necessary. This building has four corners.
If you were to take one of these corners out, one of these posts
out, what would happen to the building? It would fall. If the foundation was cracked
and one of these pillars were removed, this building would
not stand. And so it is with justification.
These four pillars that are given to us, all of them are necessary
for our justification. Now, God purposed our justification,
but out of that purpose come these four pillars that hold
up our justification before God. First of all, he says this, we
are justified and free from all condemnation, first one, because
Christ has died. Look at that in your text. Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifies. Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died. Pillar number one. See then that
by the death of Jesus Christ, the just penalty for our sins
was executed. The just penalty for our sins
was paid and God's divine justice was forever satisfied with his
offering. This is the pillar of our justification. When God said that we should
be holy without blame by Jesus Christ, this is what he meant.
He meant that Christ should die in the stead of his elect. Now God could never pardon us,
justify us, unless we were absolutely holy. Unless justice look upon
us and see no sin. God could not say we were justified. Therefore, atonement must have
been made in order for God to justify the elect atonement payment. God, who purposed our justification,
therefore also ordained the means of our justification by the death
of his son. This was set forth in types and
shadows under the law. Under that dispensation of the
law, the scripture tells us that almost all things were sprinkled
with blood. Go to Hebrews chapter 9. Go to
Hebrews chapter 9. See what the law was preparing.
All those years before Christ came, the law was setting forth
these types and shadows of how God would justify us. Look at
this in verse 22. The scripture says, and almost
all things are by the law purged with blood, and without the shedding
of blood is no remission. The word remission, it has the
idea of freedom, deliverance, and justification. There is no
justification. This was this was a typified
in the law. This is a principle that the
law had set forth for us. It was therefore necessary that
the pattern of the things in heaven should be purified with
ease. But the heavenly things themselves
with better sacrifices than these, these things were necessary.
Those priests, they couldn't say, well, this is just a type.
I guess I'll just not do it. No, they were of necessity to
do those things. They did those things to show
forth a pattern of heavenly things. But that wasn't the actual sacrifice
that took away sin, he said this. But the heavenly things themselves
are better sacrifices than these for Christ. Here's the better
sacrifice. For Christ entered not into the
holy place made with hands. You know when Christ died, he
didn't go to the tabernacle. You notice that? He didn't go
there and die. Why? Because that was just a
type of God's presence. He said this, he entered not
into the holy place made with hands, which are a figure of
the true, but into heaven itself now and to appear in the presence
of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer
himself often as the high priest entered into the holy place every
year with the blood of others. For then he must have suffered
since the foundation of the world. But now once, once in the end
of the world, hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself. As it is appointed unto men once
to die, and after this the judgment, so Christ. You see that God appointed
him to die and be judged. God appointed our Savior to die
and be judged. So Christ was offered, once offered,
to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time. How shall he appear the second
time? What's going to be missing? When
he appeared on Calvary's tree, what was evident? It was this. He was bearing our sins in his
own body on the tree. You could see this because God
was condemning him. God was executing justice and
judgment upon Christ. You know what Paul said about
that? For God hath made him to be sin for us. I don't know how that's possible. I just know it happened. God
made him something he wasn't. And in his body he bear our sins
on that tree. And God pulled out the sword
of justice, and without mercy, he slew his own son. He killed
his own son because of our sin. He bore the guilt of our sin,
and God forsook him. The wages of sin is death, so
he is appointed to die as an offering, bearing our sins. And what was the result of this?
Look in Hebrews chapter 10, he tells you the result. Hebrews
chapter 10, for by his one offering, he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified. Therefore, by his one death,
he utterly forbids the condemnation of God's elect. Do you not see that this would
be unjust for God to condemn us? If Christ died for the sins
of his elect, and then God were to condemn us for the same sins,
he would be unjust. This is the pillar upon which
our justification rests. He died, and God's law was satisfied
with his death. Therefore, he perfected all that
he died for. None for whom Christ died can
ever be condemned, for his death is satisfied. Isn't that what
the scripture foretold? He shall see of the travail of
his soul and be satisfied. God was satisfied. We sing this
song often. We don't have it in our hymn
book. I need to get it because I have to put it in the bulletin
every time I sing it. Free from the law, O happy condition. Jesus hath bled and there is
remission. Cursed by the law and bruised
by the fall, Christ hath redeemed us once for all. There on the
cross, your burden a bearing. Thorns on his brow, your savior
is wearing. Never again your sin need appall. You have been pardoned once for
all. Now are we free. There's no condemnation. Jesus provides a perfect salvation. Come unto me. Here is sweet call. Come and he saves us once for
all. That pillar is just as firm as
it has been when Christ died. What happened when Christ died?
What happened to that veil that separated man from God? It was
torn in two. The way is now made open because
we have been justified. Without condemnation. Get the right place. Who is he
that condemneth it as Christ had died, yea rather, listen,
is risen again. Here's the second pillar. Now
listen, if Jesus died for our sins, rise from the dead, do
you understand then our justification is null and void? There is no
justification. Why? Because if he raised not
from the dead, he did not remove all of the sin he bore. He would be no different than
all of us when we die. This would have proved fatal
for all of the elect. For then death would have swallowed
him up. Death would have overcome him
and all our hopes of justification would have been gone forever.
Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. The apostle deals with this,
the necessity of the resurrection, the necessity of the resurrection.
Paul says this in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and verse 2, it begins
by which also you're saved if you keep in memory what I preached
unto you. unless you have believed in vain.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I received,
how that Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures.
He was buried and rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures." Now, why is he making an emphasis of this? Because
some of the men had come in and said there was no resurrection.
The resurrection's passed. There's not going to be any resurrection.
When we die, our spirits go up, but our bodies are over. It's
not going to come. He says, no. That's not true. Some doubted the resurrection
of saints, but our resurrection and justification are grounded
upon Christ's. Our hope of eternal life is grounded
upon this. He died according to the scriptures
and was buried according to the scriptures and rose again according
to the scriptures. Look at verse 14. Thus Paul concludes,
if Christ be not raised, then our preaching is vain and your
faith is vain. Why do you suppose so many people
would try to prove Christ did not rise from the dead? They
don't deny his death. They wouldn't deny his death,
but they're trying to prove that he was not raised from the dead.
They're out there looking for a tomb somewhere. Why? Because
they know this. If he did not rise from the dead,
then all of our faith is vain and we are false preachers. That's
what they're trying to prove anyway. Look what Paul said.
Yea, we have found false witnesses. Because we testified that God
raised up Christ. Whom he raised not up, if so
be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then
Christ is not raised, and if Christ be not raised, your faith
is vain, and you are yet in your sins. You see the necessity of
this pillar? Why is it so necessary that he
rise from the dead? Because of this. His resurrection
proves the validity of his offering. He bore our sins. And God's justice
was satisfied for his payment. Therefore, the grave could not
hold him. That's what Peter says, I believe,
in Acts chapter 2. He testifies this, that the grave
could not hold him. It could not keep him. Why? There
was no more sin. He had put it away. And so here's the pillar of our
comfort. And since Christ is raised, this proves the former
pillar of our atonement. And seeing that he is raised
as our federal head, we are also raised and seated with him. Paul says this in Ephesians chapter
2. Ephesians chapter 2 and verse 4, but God who is rich
in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. You
see that if Christ is in the tomb, where are you? If God chose
you in Christ and you're in union with Christ, if Christ is in
the tomb, where are you? Well, you're in the tomb, but
he's not in the tomb. He is raised from the dead. And so all our condemnation and
all the charges against us must be entirely abolished. Is there anything standing to
charge or accuse us? The blood of Christ is sufficient
for God's justice, and the proof is the empty tomb. In his death,
he bore our condemnation. In his resurrection, he proved
our justification. Now, this is the gospel that
we preach, that Jesus has died and rose again. Our Lord said
this in Luke chapter 24. He said, Thus it behooved Christ
to suffer and rise from the dead the third day for this purpose,
that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
his name among all nations. He rose again. This is the second
pillar. Now the third, the third pillar
of our justification. Go back to your text. The third
pillar of our justification is Christ had died. Pillar number
one. Yea, rather is risen again. Pillar
number two. Here's number three, who is even
at the right hand of God. The third pillar. is not just
the resurrection of Christ, but rather the ascension of Christ
to the throne. This language is figurative.
We say the right hand of God. Do we suppose God has a right
hand? It's an anthropomorphic term. It just means it gives
us something visual to see. It's actually a language of earthly
monarchs. When a king would seek to honor
someone, someone who was victorious, someone who delivered the nation
from their enemies, he sought to honor him. He would take that
person, and he would parade him down the street, and he would
allow that person to sit at his right hand. He would be his right
hand of power, much like Pharaoh did Joseph, if you remember that.
He gave all authority to Joseph. Now, Pharaoh was still king,
but yet Joseph executed all the will of Pharaoh. That's exactly
what Christ did. He is seated at the right hand
of God. In Hebrews chapter 1 and verse
3, it said, When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down. I like that in the tabernacle
there were no chairs. In the Old Testament, there were
no chairs to sit because their work was not finished. But this
man, after he'd offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down. Where did he sit? He sat down
on the right hand of the majesty on high. Listen, friends, God
has decreed to honor Christ. God has decreed to honor Him,
to magnify His name. Have you ever noticed, ever since
Christ came, men have tried to put Him out, erase Him from the
history books? How many Caesars and monarchs
and kings and popes desire that Christ should be expunged from
history? They desire to name his, wipe
away his existence, yet he can, they cannot because God has decreed
to honor him. Have you ever noticed, listen, How many books did Jesus write? How many? Yet how many books
are written about him? How many hymns did he write?
And yet how many millions of hymns are sung about him? Consider his people, his church. that God did not choose many
mighty, not many noble are called, but rather he has chosen the
weak, the poor, the feeble sinners. And yet his church is still not
destroyed. His church still stands firm. Why? Because God would honor
Christ. Why do you think this assembly
has not gone out with everybody else? because God would magnify
his son in this place. Among these weak and feeble sinners, that he should receive all the
honor and praise and glory for his perfect salvation of God's
elect. In Philippians chapter 2 and
verse 8 it says, He being found in fashion as a man humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Wherefore, because of this, because of his victory, because of his
success, wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a name
that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow. Isn't that amazing? Do you realize
that every monarch that has ever lived will bow to the name, the
authority of Jesus Christ? Do you realize that everyone
that has ever breathed, everyone that has ever had being will
bow to the authority of Jesus Christ? of things in heaven and things
in earth and things under the earth, and every tongue shall
confess." Now, they're going to say it. Many will be forced
to say it, but they will say it. That Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. And as a result of this, listen,
this is going to be comforting to you. As a result of his ascension
to the throne, This means this, that all power is given to Him. All power. Consider how much
power it takes for you to get up in the morning. By whose power did you actually
get up this morning? Him who has all power. It takes power to breathe, doesn't
it? Who controls all power? Jesus Christ. He is in charge
of all things that happen in time and providence. All authority
is given to Him. To do whatsoever He will among
the inhabitants of the earth. He is seated on the throne. Remember
He said this in John 17. He said, Thou hast given Him
power over all flesh. And this is the purpose. He is
moving all things in time. That He should give eternal life
to as many as Thou hast given Him. I tell you, I'm confused
at times as to what Christ is doing. I know He's doing it.
He has all power. He's seated at the right hand
of God. And I know this, that whatever he's doing, it's so
that his people will come to him. That's what he's doing.
He's bringing his elect. He said, I will gather them from
the east. I will say to the north, give
up. And the south, keep not back. Bring my sons from afar. He will call his people. And
because he has all power, listen, If God put all our justification,
purposed our justification in Christ, and Christ accomplished
it, Christ is risen, Christ is seated at the throne, who's going
to stop him from justifying it? Take all the accusations of the
world and Satan together, and what are they? They're nothing. He justified us. And look at
this fourth pillar. He's not only risen again and
seated at the right hand of God, here it is, who also maketh intercession
for us. The intercession of Jesus Christ
is the last pillar that holds up the perfect justification
of God. And this pillar is a constant,
daily, perpetual, and practical pillar. Every believer in Jesus
Christ, are you yet without sin? Is this our experience that we
are now free from sinning? You're justified. Does that mean
you're free from sinning? No. Well, if we say that we are
without sin, scripture says the truth is not in us. Go to First
John chapter one. Look at this. First John chapter
one. Look at verse eight. He said,
if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth
is not in us. What do we do then? Seeing we still have this sin,
what do we do? We confess our sins. And he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us of
all our unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned,
we make him a liar and the word is not in us. My little children,
these things write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sin, we have an
advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. If we
were free from sin, we would have no need to be reminded of
our justification. But because the old man of sin
still is with us, We need to be constantly reminded of our
justification and this truth that Christ daily, perpetually
intercedes for us, continually stands in the presence of God
for us. Behold, our Savior is now robed
in the perfect high priestly garments. You remember that old
priest left priestly garments. He had, though, that breastplate
on with all of the gems that represented all of the people.
Of Israel. This shows us that Christ, we
are always on his heart. I know this, is he always on
your heart? You want him to be. But I know
this, he's not. But that doesn't matter. because
you are always on his heart. The scripture says he even has
our names engraved. He said, Behold, I have graven
thee upon the palms of my hand. And because God has accepted
him, God accepts his intercession for us. Believer, listen, sin
not. He said this, sin not. Sin's
a horrible thing, friends. If you know what, if you can
see what it did to Christ, you would see what a horrible thing
sin is. Sin not. And if any man sin, that word
if is better translated when, and when any man sin. It's not
just a matter of if, just a matter of when. When you sin. Look at this pillar. Still standing. He ever liveth to make intercession
for us. We have an advocate with the
Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous. And so, when we sin, He pleads
our pardon by His own blood and righteousness. Therefore, consider
these the foundation and pillars of your salvation. Go back to
your text. Look one more time. Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justified.
He justified the elect. That's our foundation. This is
the pillar of that foundation. Christ died. Christ died. Your sins are gone because Christ
died. How do we know they're gone?
Yea, rather is risen again. No sin in him. Death could not
hold him. Who is even at the right hand
of God, possessing all power to do what he promised to do. And he ever lives to make intercession
for us. And I want to close with just
this illustration in Zechariah chapter three. You remember Joshua
the high priest. Joshua the high priest, in this
passage of scripture, in Zechariah 3, he was standing before the
Lord in these filthy garments. Satan was standing there, ready
to accuse him. And you remember, before Satan
could get an accusation, the Lord says, Is this not a brand
plucked from the burning? Is this not one of my elect?
Is this not one for whom I died? You see, he's interceding. He's
interceding. And you know what he says this,
he said, take those filthy garments off of him and put the linen
garments upon him. Put a crown, a miter upon his
head, ring upon his finger, and I like this, and he stood by. And that means this, he stood
by to make sure it was done. You know what Christ is doing?
He's making sure that you are justified. He is seated at the right hand
of God making intercession constantly for you. Don't you need constant
intercession? Can you name a time that you
have not sinned? Even in your best praise, in
your most elated joy of Christ, can you not see that there's
sin mixed with it? And yet, He still pleads for
you. And I know this, these pillars
are firm as God Himself. For these pillars and this foundation
to fall, Christ would have to be dethroned. Who's going to
do it? You? The world? No, all power
is given to Him. God purposed your justification.
Jesus accomplished it. The Spirit applies it and keeps
it. You, my friend, are justified. You are justified. And consider
that word justified. It is God that justifies it.
It means He has justified you, He is justifying you, and He
shall justify you. You're without sin. I pray God will help us in our
times of accusation and condemnation and trouble to remember this
foundation, these pillars are forever. They won't be moved. Let's stand and be dismissed
in prayer.