All right, I'm gonna be in 2
Corinthians chapter five this morning. 2 Corinthians chapter five. I'm
gonna begin reading in verse 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. and all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given
to us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you,
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him
to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him. Man, that is a passage plumb
full of things. See, the key thing that I have
to remember and I have to try to do is to narrow something
down. Because we only got a certain
amount of time, I only have a certain amount of ability. My title today is All Things
Are of God. And you think, okay, that's good,
I can narrow that down. I get to looking at the word
all things the actual phrase all things is used 138 times
in the New Testament but here the same word is used 1213 times
in the New Testament. It's just translated all things
138 times So here's the thing The Bible is concerned about
all things. The world is not concerned about
all things, they're concerned about their things. Churches
today, religious societies today, are concerned about their thing.
Jesus Christ concerns all things. But anyhow, verse 17 starts off,
therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. if any man be in Christ. This is one of those two things.
There's two ways you can be in this world. You're either in
Christ or you're without Christ. That's the two things. You are
either in Christ, and I'm saying it this way on purpose because
this is the way the scripture says it, you are without Christ. That's the
scriptural word. I know the opposite of in is
out. but that's not what the scripture
says. And there's a very good reason for it. It's just like
the opposite of saved is lost. Well, the opposite for us, in,
but the opposite in the scripture, instead of being in Christ, you
are without Christ. Because there is a very real
sense in which nothing and no one is outside of Jesus Christ. Nothing and no one is outside
of the creation, outside of the view, or outside of the authority
and power of our Lord Jesus Christ. And understand this, this is
not talking about being chosen in Christ. This is talking about
being in Christ. There is a difference, there
is a difference. Granted, postulated, proven as
a fact, everyone who is in Christ, being in Christ, was elected
in Christ before the foundation of the world. But everyone who
has been elected in Christ Jesus is not called in yet. And he's
talking to those who know Jesus Christ, being in Christ. If you are in Christ, you are
a new creature. A new creation is the word. A new creation. Those in Christ
now are a new creation. Because if any man be in Christ,
there is a renewing of the mind. There's something in you now
that didn't used to be. Actually, I said that wrong.
There's someone in you now that didn't used to be in you. His
Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit. What? How are we changed? It's not anything you see outwardly.
But it does say in Titus three and five, by the washing of regeneration
and the renewing, the renovation of your mind. First Corinthians
says we have the mind of Christ. We have the understanding of
Christ. Just a little bit. But you understand,
that little bit, that through a glass darkly that we can see
now, the whole world is blind to and know nothing about it.
But we are a new creature, a new creation. And I like this, old
things are passed away. It didn't say and, no, it's behold. Behold. All things are become
new. Now, old ways may not all be
past. Understand, we still sin. It's
not talking about sin's gone, old things are past, no. But
here's the thing, behold, all things are become new. You, as
a believer, being in Christ, will look at your old life in
a different light. You will see, you will know.
I've said it before up here, I'll say it again, I'll say it
right now. The believer is the only one who can understand the
old man and the new man. The world has no idea about the
new man. And they don't really see the old man correctly. They might understand they might
have some faults and failures and they might wanna be better.
But you don't understand, they don't understand. The new man
sees the old man as fallen. Not fixable, fallen. In my flesh still right now dwells
no good thing. Behold, all things are come new.
I didn't used to know that. I didn't think my flesh was my
enemy. But oh, I am my own worst enemy. Not only my flesh, my mind. Not
only my mind, my tongue. Not only my tongue, my heart. Oh, all things are become new. If you wanna see some more about
this old creation, this new creation, read Romans 7. Paul explains
it in there really well. But if you are in Christ, you
have new thoughts, you have new actions. You have new feelings,
and the old ones, too. But you see them in a new way.
You realize what they are. There was a battle. Wait a minute. There was no battle before I
became a new creature. There was no battle. Old things
are passed away. Behold, all things are new. And
here's the words. And all things are of God. I like it, and. And all things
are of God. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. Guess what? That's a thing of
God. What? That's a work of God. This is a continuation of the
previous verse, writhing of those who be in Christ. Now, please understand, and I
wanna say this right now, Jesus Christ created all things that
were created, period. You can read John one, chapter
one. Jesus Christ, the word was with
God, the word was God, and nothing was created without
him. He is the creator of all things,
but I was reading, some things here, and in this place, and
in this scripture, most commentators that I've read, and actually
a preach we know, an article which kind of got me thinking
about this, they said, where Paul's writing this, and all
things are of God, and it said, who hath reconciled us to himself?
It's saying, in the context, this is talking about all things
having to do with reconciliation, all things having to do with
being reconciled. And I got, I mean that's certainly
true. It is true. All things are of
God. But then I just had this little
thought in my head. And I mean, it sometimes happens. I get thoughts every now and
then. And I thought, wait a minute. Because for a minute there I
think, well maybe this is one of them crazy thoughts and I
might not need to say anything about it. But the more I thought
about it, the more it kind of dragged into me and just kept
bothering me. It's a question I had. Now, I
suppose you may have realized by now that I'm gonna ask you
this question because it's been bothering me for a bit. But here's
the question I had when I read that from those commentators.
What on Christ's earth, what in God's universe doesn't have
to do with a reconciliation. The more I thought about it,
I couldn't think anything. It's not sin, because that's
why we need to be reconciled. It's not us, because we're the
ones that need to be reconciled. I mean, all things are of God,
yes. And certainly in this context,
redemption, righteousness, justification, regeneration, repentance, walk,
preservation, final deliverance, the completion of our salvation,
the putting on of an immortal body, the new heaven and the
new earth, all of that has to do with the reconciliation. But, And certainly this time of year,
Christ coming into the world. Call his name Jesus, for he shall
save his people from their sins. That's what the angel told Joseph.
And it is also his life, his confounding of the doctors of
law as a boy. His first miracle, turning water
into alcoholic wine. You gotta get over that if that
bothers you. It says he made wine, and the word is wine. His
preaching, his whole ministry, preaching the gospel, healing
the sick, raising the dead, all going toward the cross at Calvary. His death, his burial, his resurrection,
his ascension into heaven, and his being seated at the right
hand of the Father He is ever living to make intercession for
us. All have to do with the reconciliation.
The Old Testament sacrifices were pictures of the reconciliation
to come, the sacrifices, the offerings. We say it because it's true that
the whole Bible is the book of Christ. It's all about the story
of Christ from beginning to end. Therefore, I'll postulate, I'll
say it, this whole Bible is a book about the reconciliation of Christ.
He is coming, but he came with a purpose. It's about him. It's about his reconciliation. God was in Christ reconciling
the world unto himself. I like that He is Jesus Christ
is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end I Like
that I do And I remember one time years ago decades ago now
I guess here in Henry Mahan saying what makes you think that that
God would not be concerned with that which is nearest and dearest
of his heart, his well-beloved son. God is concerned with everything
Christ did, everything Christ does, and everything Christ shall
do. People treat it like it's a sideline.
Well, believe on Jesus, you'll be saved, and then learn to live
for the Lord. Well, if you do believe Jesus
Christ, the Christ, through the working of his mighty power,
you shall be saved. But here's the thing, it tells
you to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. God himself is all about the
one, Jesus Christ, his son, he has placed everything in his
hands. The Lord's committed unto me all judgment. He's given him
power over all flesh. What? That I might give eternal
life to as many as thou hast given me. What's it say? All things are of God who reconciled
us to himself by Jesus Christ. If any man be in Christ, God
has reconciled him to himself by Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has reconciled his
people to God. It says it in past tense. Those first great eight words
of 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30. But of him, of God, are ye
in Christ Jesus. Being in Christ Jesus. If any man be in Christ Jesus,
why? It's because of God. It's because
of God. And it's because of, you have
been reconciled by Christ to God. Too many people, I don't wanna go into that, I don't
wanna say that. But here's the thing, if you
be in Christ Jesus, you believe Christ Jesus. And you are reconciled
to God. You are reconciled to God. And
all things are of God. This is a wonderful part here. And hath given to us, what? The
ministry of reconciliation. God has given us a message. A
message. The ministry of reconciliation,
what? That it's been accomplished.
It's done. The great transaction's done.
And the results of that great transaction are redemption and
reconciliation, righteousness and justification, eternal life. Oh my. If you be in Christ, if
you believe Christ, you are reconciled to God. That's the message. That's the message. Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. That's the message. Go out into all the world and
preach the gospel. He that believeth and is baptized
shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be
damned. That's what it says. That's the
ministry of reconciliation. That's the message that we've
been given, that Jesus Christ is all our salvation. Oh. God was in Christ, the next verse
says, reconciling the world unto himself. That's the message.
He's redeemed us. He has justified us, he's regenerated
us, if ye be in Christ. He has given us his faith. He
has granted us repentance And he keeps us by his power
And he promises that he will never leave you nor forsake you
You understand was it Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil And it's not because
I'm strong, it's not because I'm smart, it's not because I
know anything, it's because thou art with me. A believer never
walks alone. He is with us. That's the ministry
of reconciliation. Jesus Christ is our message. He's the gospel. He's the good
news. Christ came to seek and to save
that which was lost. Christ came to seek and to save
sinners. Are you a sinner? Are you a sinner? Do you really know it down deep?
Because I'm gonna tell you something, if you actually really get a
feeling of your sin, Not sins I'm talking about, you can get
a feeling for those too, but sin being what you are, sins being
what you do, God may be working in you. Because that's what he'll do.
He'll let you see just a little bit of what you are. But he came
to save sinners, and God was in Christ reconciling all of
his people unto himself. Understand where it says God
was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Read the next
part of that verse, and you'll see who he's talking about Not imputing their trespasses
unto them That's what reconciliation means
It's not saying you understand there are trespasses They're
ours And they're not imputed unto
us. Oh, I like that thought. I do.
That's reconciliation. It's not saying you're going
to be sinless. When being in Christ doesn't
mean that you're sinless in yourself. It means that you're sinless
in Christ. God laid on him all of our trespasses. Our trespasses
are gone. You be in Christ your trespasses
are gone Your sins are gone your transgressions
are gone God laid on him all the iniquity of us all Christ
bore them in his body on the cross at Calvary they've been
punished in perfect holiness and perfect justice and and he
is not imputing our trespasses unto us. That's our message. In Christ,
ye are saved. And has committed unto us this
word of reconciliation. The word of restoration to divine
favor. Christ has redeemed us and reconciled
us to God by himself. By himself. You understand? We
were of no help whatsoever. Dead men are no help. And that's
what we were. But even without any help from
us, The Lord is satisfied with the work of his son. The redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. Oh my. We are to preach that salvation
is of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ. All things
are of God. all of salvation, all of redemption,
all of regeneration, all of reconciliation, all of justification, all of
wisdom, all power, all might, everything is of God, all things. Here, one more thing I wanna
read, I'm gonna quit. For of him, This is Romans 11,
36. For of him and through him and
to him are all things. To whom be glory forever. Amen. Isn't that good? I wanna
read you something John Gill said. He wrote it. About that
verse. Of him and through him and to
him are all things. He put it this way, he said,
not only all things in nature and providence, he being the
maker and efficient cause of things, and the preserver and
supporter of them in their beings, and to whose glory they are all
designed and directed, but all things in grace, I love that,
owe their origin to him as their first cause. They are produced
by him and made for his glory. They all spring from his sovereign
will and are brought about by his almighty power and tend to the glory of his
grace. I like that, I do. As does everything
in election, redemption, and regeneration, period. All things are of God. All things
are of God. He made them and he gives them. And yes, all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according
to his purpose. All things, all things. To whom
be glory, glory forever. There's a song that's got this
verse in it. He takes a sinner, vain and wild,
and makes him as a little child, subdues his will and guides his
feet, and draws him to the mercy seat. Let all creation lift its
voice, and in the Lord let us rejoice. that all his works praise
and confess the glory of his righteousness. I like that. All things are of
God. He saves his people from their
sin. And that's the truth. Our Heavenly Father, we gather
together to worship you and to thank you for the gift you've
given us in your son, our Lord Jesus Christ. We're not worthy. We're not even useful. We were
dead in trespasses and in sins and everything that we have you
have given to us life and love and knowledge and grace. Thank you, Lord. Be with Paul
as he comes to preach. Be with Walter as he comes to
preach. Be with us as we listen. Bless those who couldn't be here
for our whatever reason, sickness, hindering, whatever, bless your
people where they are. In Christ's name we pray, amen.