Sovereign Grace Chapel, located
at 135 Annabel Lane in Beaver, West Virginia, invites you to
listen to a gospel message concerning Jesus Christ, our Lord. Let's go ahead, if you want to
turn to it, 1 Corinthians 1 again. 1 Corinthians 1. You want to read
the same two verses, but... 1 Corinthians 1, verses
30 and 31. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification
and redemption. that according as it is written,
he that glorious, let him glory in the Lord. Now we are on redemption,
having already went through wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification,
and these all come together. They're not separate, but I'm
speaking on them separately though, but they all come together. He's
all of these things to us. All of these things being Jesus
Christ and Him being made these things unto us. God's wisdom
is to save them that believe by the preaching of the gospel.
It is not in what you know or who you know in this world, but
the power of God that does this saving and this done in His wisdom
and coming to know Him. It was His wisdom and will that
carried out this purpose. that one man should die for the
people. This is not how man would have
done it. Man would have done it a totally different way, and
a way that man would have done it would not have satisfied justice. God in his wise counsel not only
purposed this to be done contrary to how men would have done it, Men would have just went about
it just to kill all their enemies, but in doing so, they would not
have satisfied the justice of God, as I've said. But God's
wisdom allowed him to be just and the justifier of them that
believe. But we know nothing, and especially
about ourselves by nature. We know not God by our wisdom. God knows that he had to die
for the people or all the people would have been destroyed. The
only way for any human born of Adam to ever be accepted before
him would be if he died for them in their place. This all being
because of his righteousness. All because of his righteous
acts or deeds that he would do and that is Jesus Christ that
I'm talking about. Christ is the righteousness of
God without the law. Because he is righteous and him
being made sin for us, we are then made the righteousness of
God in him. God the Father setting us apart,
that is sanctifying us by choosing us in his son from before the
foundation of the world. Jesus Christ setting us apart,
that is sanctifying us by the sacrifice of himself on that
tree. The Spirit sanctifying us in
regeneration, setting us apart to the worship of God. God sending
His truth to sanctifying us in our minds to serve the true and
living God. In His truth, His gospel, we
are revealed that Christ is unto us, wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. So now let's look at redemption. Redemption, that is ransom in
full. A releasing affected by a payment
of a ransom or liberation procured by the payment of a ransom. So
when we talk about redemption, we have to talk about those who
have been redeemed. It tells us that Christ is made
unto us redemption. So what do we need redemption
from? Turn with me to Galatians 3.
This is going to be very familiar. Galatians 3. Verses 10 through 14. Galatians
3. Galatians 3, 10 through 14. For as many as are of the works
of the law are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is
everyone that continueth not in all things which are written
in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for the just shall
live by faith. And the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for
it is written, cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, that
the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through
Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through
faith. So we first see here that we
have redemption from the curse of the law. The word therefore
works means that which anyone is occupied. It means to toil
or a deed done. So if anyone who is of being
occupied by the law, toiling in the law, performing deeds
of the law, are under the curse. Me as an example, as I am born
in Adam. To those who are like this, they
are cursed under the law. reading that or knowing that,
then it is evident that no one is justified by the law in the
sight of God. That's what it actually says
to us there. Because the just, if anyone is just, it will be
faith they live by and not the law. Faith will be their way
of life, their conversation and not the law. If you are living
or have your way of life in the law, your conversation, then
you are cursed. It is evident, Paul says. God
tells us the law is not of faith. So from God, we are clear that
the law does not come from faith. It is not of faith. If you are
doing the law, that is, if you are looking to the law as your
way of life, even just a little, then the scripture says you shall
live by them completely. But we cannot live by them because
there is nothing but death which comes by the law. And that is
to use the law lawfully, Walker. Not because the law was bad,
but because this flesh is bad. The law is weak through the flesh. But God never intended for the
law to be a way of life by his chosen people or a way of life
for his chosen people. We are born dead in trespasses
and in sin. We can in no way keep God's law. In fact, we break God's law constantly,
even today in this flesh. The law lets us know this by
God's grace if we are one of his whom he has opened our eyes.
If we are not one of his or even if we are one of his and he has
not opened our eyes to it, we will not see what the law says.
As Paul put it, we are alive without the law at one time.
But when the commandment came, we die. Before we are given life,
we do not know that we are dead. But the scripture is clear that
we are all under sin, and sin is the transgression of the law.
For by the law is the knowledge of sin, but not for everyone. Only those whom God has chosen
will ever know this. But for those chosen in Christ,
there comes a time when God uses his law to kill us. It is his
schoolmaster. This law, what scripture says,
is unto condemnation is written on our hearts. God giving a man
or a woman life, he then uses his law to bring us into bondage. He puts his own in the prison
house until he is pleased to send them faith. Christ, who
is our redemption, redeemed us from that curse. That curse which
killed us because we cannot do it and live. He was made the
very thing I am so that I might be redeemed from the curse of
it. What is the curse of it? That I cannot do it. I am killed
by it. I'm dead in trespasses and in
sin. This was done that we might receive
the Spirit of God through faith. This is that blessing which was
unto Abraham. And let's just look at Galatians
4, 4-6 real quick. Turn right over. Galatians 4,
4-6. But when the fullness of the
time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made
under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that
we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons,
God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts,
crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a
servant, but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Had he not done this, there would
not have been any adoption to sons, as we're told right here. There's something else that this
has done, so turn with me to Titus 2, Titus 2. Got several passages that I'm
going to turn to today. Titus 2, 11 through 14. This redemption, what is this
redemption from? Titus 2, 11-14. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying
ungodliness and worldly lust we should live soberly, righteously,
and godly in this present world. looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us
from all iniquity and purifying unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works. So what do we have next? Purified
from all iniquities. Jesus Christ is the grace of
God. favor of God. God the Father
favors the Son above anything or anyone else. He is higher
than we can even imagine. This grace has been manifested
in a person, the face of Jesus Christ. He does not teach us
those that are His, those that are chosen in Christ from before
the foundation of the world. He does not teach us to live
debaucherous lives. We are not talking about hating
God's law or trying to break God's law, yet we break it all
the time. But we look by Him, we look to
live in such a way by His power, but we live in such a way that
it is sober, righteous, and godly. Him working in us both the will
and to do of His good pleasure. When He does this, we do actually
do those works. All by His power. We do this
by looking for His return. That one, as it says here in
Titus, who gave Himself for us. Us who? Those chosen in Christ
before the foundation of the world. He redeemed us from all
iniquity. We have iniquities, but we have
been redeemed from them. He made us clean by His completed
works. Turn with me to 1 Peter 1. We'll
see something else. 1 Peter 1. 1 Peter 1, verses
18 through 21. For as much as ye know, ye were
not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot. who barely was ordained before
the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times
for you, who by him do believe in God that raised him up from
the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be
in God. So, vain way of life. There is
nothing in any of the implements of the law that is those earthly
implements that we read about in the Old Testament. There is
no redemption in any of those, and there is no redemption in
the traditions of the fathers passed down in the creeds. This
is what it all boils down to for both Jews and Gentiles, the
precious blood of Christ. Peter here is speaking mainly
to Jews, but it's not Jews exclusively. Jesus Christ died for both Jews
and Gentiles, any who were chosen in Christ before the world began.
Christ died the just for the unjust. He was, as it says here,
as a lamb without blemish, not a spot on him and no imperfections
on him or in him. This was the covenant made by
the three in one. God the Father chose us in Christ. Christ died to secure them to
himself. God the Holy Spirit brings poor,
vile sinners to himself. It is by him you believe in God.
He gives us life and he sends us the gospel so that Christ
might be made unto us redemption, all his doing. There will be
one day where we, it says here in Revelations 5, 9, and they
sung a new song saying, thou art worthy to take the book and
to open the seals thereof for thou was slain and hast redeemed
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and
people and nation. And one day we will sing that
song. Last one. Turn with me to Romans
3, Romans 3. Not the last passage I'm going
to have you turn to, but the last one of these points. Romans 3, 21. Romans 3, 21 through
26. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there
is no difference. For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has
set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are
passed through the forbearance of God, to declare, I say at
this time, His righteousness, that He might be just and the
justifier of him which believeth in Him. Jesus. So justified freely
by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. We see
it clearly declared here. We are redeemed by the righteousness
of Jesus Christ. God, who is rich in mercy, forbore
our sins, forbared our sins. I don't know how the right way
to say that, but forbore our sins of many having purpose this
time when Christ would be sacrificed for the sins of many. His righteousness
without the law was seen in Him doing this for a people, Him
being the just one. God did not have to do this.
It was His whole purpose for creation, to save a people for
His namesake. This was not a second plan for
God. Everything that has taken place
is taking place and shall take place has been purposed by God
from the foundation of the world. Through faith in his blood, it
says here, he has set forth to us a propitiation, an atoning
victim who appeased the wrath of God. God appeased his own
wrath by dying on that tree, redeeming a people. Our acceptance
before God is because he chose us in Christ before the world
began. According to his will, all the
praise goes to him because he purposed to redeem a people for
his namesake, not for their worth, or not because they had some
worth in and of themselves. Their worth was, is, and ever
shall be based on what had to be paid to have them as a people. The worth was, in Ephesians 1.7
we read, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sin, according to the riches of his grace. And you can read
that also in Colossians 1.14. What was the worth? Jesus Christ
had to come down as a man in the likeness of sinful flesh.
Him being a man, he then had to be made a curse for us. He had to take our place or we
would have to take that place ourselves. He had to be made
sin for us, forsaken of the Father. Had He not, we would have to
hang on that place ourselves. He then raised to life once the
ransom was paid when Christ brought forth the blood to the Father
to present this sacrifice of Himself on our behalf. This we
could never have done, and if we could, it would never be accepted. But Jesus Christ pleased the
Father with what he has done, and he saved us through the uttermost.
We can in no way be any more saved than that, to the uttermost. Saved to the fullest extent that
you can even imagine. Now if you would, turn with me
to Hebrews 9. And I was wrong, I had one more
point, I didn't, I forgot about it. Hebrews 9. And it's one of those I don't have
bookmarked, so we might be here a while. Hebrews chapter 9. Hebrews chapter 9, verses 12
through 15. Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by His own blood, He entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the
blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh? How much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause
He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death,
for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament,
they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. So this is still on the same
heading, if you will, justified freely by His grace through the
redemption that is in Christ Jesus. But we see here the uttermost
part. Here is that perpetual part of
it, that never-ending part of it. Jesus Christ obtained eternal,
that is perpetual. I can't do it long enough. Jesus
Christ, it says here in Hebrews, purges our conscience from dead
works. What is the context? The law,
the works of the law. All of those things that were
done year after year because they could not take away sin,
the law was just a reminder of sin. So we see here that this
redemption is for the redemption of the transgressions that were
under the first testament. The transgressions were under
the First Testament. The law was where our transgressions
are made manifest. Not because there is a shortcoming
in the law, but there is a total shortcoming in us. We are all
born dead in trespasses and in sin. So I think it is clear that
all those born from Adam have transgressed against God. If
you have transgressed against God, there is forgiveness of
sin in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If you do not feel you
have transgressed, then there is nothing for you. What need
do you have of a physician? Jesus Christ is made unto us
these things. It is clear when you read this
chapter of our text that the gospel is essential to this.
We have no wisdom of our own, and it pleased God through the
preaching of the gospel to make him, that is Christ, these things
to us. We have no wisdom. He has not
made one of these to us and not the rest. They all go together. He has made every one of these
things to his people because he is all of these things. God
basically lets us know about it all. We have seen in scripture
that God is the all wise God. Jesus Christ is God. He created
all things and all things are held together by him. God's wisdom
confounds man and his wisdom. God's ways are foolishness to
those who do not believe. It is God who purposed all things
to take place. All scripture is fulfilled all
to his wise purpose. Christ's acts of righteousness
is what it takes for me to be righteous before a thrice holy
God in Christ. God chose His people, His people
to salvation, setting them apart, sanctifying them, Christ sanctifying
them by the sacrifice of Himself, the Spirit sanctifying us in
regeneration, His Word sanctifying us in our mind to serve the true
and living God. It is Christ who has redeemed
us by His blood, the us being His creation and His chosen people
in Christ. His creation falling and being
under the law, they need redemption from its curse. He purchased
it back for us on our behalf by His death, and the shedding
of blood by the Holy One, redeeming them to Himself by His death
and resurrection. This being done to the uttermost,
it is perpetual, never ending. He has made these things to us
because He in fact is already all these things to us and has
always been these things to us. Him being these things to us
and we being in Him, we are all these things along with Him.
So before the thrice holy God, we are all these things in Christ. He is our wisdom, supreme intelligence. He is our knowing God. Knowing
Christ, we know God. In knowing Him, we begin to fear
Him, which brings both an awe-inspiring fear and an assuring fear. Knowing
God is all wise and that He will do all that He says and has the
ability to carry it out. He is our righteousness. He is
our justification. He is how we are just before
God. Christ is the righteousness of
God without the law. He always does what is right
and he is our righteousness. He is our sanctification. He
is our purifier. He sets us apart to God and he
purifies us before him. He has seated us together with
himself in the heavenlies being our sanctification. He is our
redemption. our liberation procured by the
payment of a ransom. He dealt with our wages. He being made a curse and sin
for us has purged our sins as far as the East is from the West.
Knowing all of this by His power and might causes us daily, as
God brings these things to our remembrance, that He is all things
to us, so much so that we are like Simon Peter. when Christ
had just talked to the droves of people who followed him and
told them that they would and could not come to him unless
the Father which sent him draws them. What does he say in John
6? Christ says this, then said Jesus
unto the 12, will ye also go away? And then Peter responds. Then Simon Peter answered him,
Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life, and we believe and are sure that Thou art that Christ,
the Son of the living God.