Well, during this week I'm going
to be teaching about some history. I know that doesn't sound very
good already, does it? History. But it's the history
of redemption. And I've got five lessons. And what I want to do is talk
to you about the history of redemption from God's eternal purpose, first
of all. Because when you talk about history,
that's where you have to start, in eternity. And when we talk
about redemption, we're talking about Christ, the Redeemer. So
that's what I'll be speaking to you about today with regard
to God, the eternal purpose in Christ. And then tomorrow, Lord
willing, we'll look at the history of redemption from creation and
through providence, through types and pictures up to the cross.
Now, I can't cover everything, because I'd have to cover the
whole Old Testament. But I want to give you at least some examples
of how Christ is set forth in creation and providence, even
before he came, and how all of these are types and pictures
of God's redeeming purpose that he purposed in eternity. And
on Wednesday, Lord willing, I'll be speaking to you about the
history of redemption from the perspective of the cross. That
doesn't mean I won't be talking about the cross until Wednesday.
We're going to be talking about the cross today, because from
eternity, that's what was purposed. This idea that somehow God could
just decree sinners saved, and they were saved, you won't find
in the Bible. He decreed that sinners be saved,
but he also decreed that one means by which he would save
them, and that is the death of his son. All right, so Wednesday
we'll be looking at what Christ accomplished at the cross, and
then Thursday I'd like to speak to you about the history of redemption
from the perspective of regeneration. I know I've been accused, and
different ones have been accused, of not preaching the new birth,
not preaching regeneration. Always talk about Christ's work
for us. But what about Christ's work
in us? Well, we'll look at that, what Scripture has to say about
Christ's work in us. And then Friday, Lord willing,
we'll wrap it all up and talk about the history of redemption
in something that's still not history, but is part of the history
of redemption. That is our final glorification. What do we have to look forward
to? What is our hope? with regard
to our final glorification. And so, Lord willing, that's
the map of where we're going during these lessons. I do know
this. It's like Paul wrote the inspired
word there in Romans, where of him and through him and to him
are all things, because that's what history is. The history
of redemption comprises all things from eternity to eternity. and
of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be
the glory forever and ever. Amen. So let's just take a look
at this matter of redemption. Now, when I talk about the work
of redemption, typically you think of just what took place
at the cross. As you read the Scriptures, you're
going to find that the work of redemption and the work of salvation
are the same thing. Now, there are aspects of salvation
that we talk about. We talk about our election. Salvation
is from eternity to eternity. I think that's important. We
talk about justification at the cross and talk about being saved
at the cross. We're talking about being saved
from the legal condemnation, the legal penalty of sin that
that was accomplished at the cross. But does that mean then
that salvation is over? No, I've been saved by that work. But when when the spirit comes
in regeneration, he is saving me from what my ignorance, my
darkness, my blindness, my rebellion. So when we talk about salvation,
it's this. The umbrella of this work of
redemption that goes from eternity to eternity. All right. Now,
you say, where is that in Scripture? Look at Isaiah chapter 49. Isaiah
chapter 49. And verse 26, we read scriptures
real quickly sometimes and don't stop and think about why certain
words are put together. But this word is inspired of
God. It's every word is there for
a purpose. And so when you read here in
Isaiah 49 and verse 26. And I will feed them that oppress
thee with their own flesh and they shall be drunken with their
own blood. Talk about God's judgment upon
the reprobate as with sweet wine and all flesh shall see and know
that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer." Do you see
here? Savior, Redeemer, the mighty
one of Jacob. Here are these nations oppressing
this people, but the Lord said, I'm going to make my glory known
in such a way that those that oppress this people will know
they're my people. I'm their Savior and I'm their
Redeemer. You know, that word Savior in
the Hebrew is the word Joshua. And it's the same name when the
angel spoke to Joseph and Mary and said, Thou shalt call his
name Jesus, Yeshua. Yahshua, Joshua. It's the same
thing. It means Savior. Not one who
attempts to save, but one who actually saves. So that's the
sense here. And it means to deliver. and
to liberate. That's the glorious good news
of God's salvation or this history of redemption. It doesn't just
provide liberation if you just do something. Now, it is talking
about a salvation. It's talking about a redemption
that God himself does through a particular Savior for a particular
people and does it all for his glory and honor. So if you're
saved today, all the glory goes to him. That's that's exactly
what and the word redeemer here when it says and thy redeemer.
You know what that word is? That's that's a Hebrew word that's
go well, but it's the word kinsman redeemer. When you hear of that
word kinsman redeemer, who do you think of? I think of Ruth
and Boaz. Remember what Naomi told Ruth
when she was sitting there wondering about her State. Naomi said,
Oh, Providence has had you happen upon that a lot of the field
of that man. You sit here and rest until he
has finished the work. That's that's that. He's your
kinsman redeemer. That's the word that is used
here. And in both of these words together,
we really have the sum of the person and work of the Lord Jesus
Christ. That's what we've got to deliver his people. That's
his work. But who is he? He's the Goel. He's the kinsman redeemer. So, Ruth, just sit and see how
he finishes it. See how he's purposed to do it.
That's what this history of redemption is all about. If you look over
in Isaiah chapter 60, these are just two references, but it's
to show you that, again, when we talk about redemption, we're
talking about the work of salvation. And here in Isaiah chapter 60, And I know what this will do. As you start reading scriptures
now, you start looking for these two words together. Redeemer,
Savior. Savior, Redeemer. Thou shalt
also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of
kings, and thou shalt know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and
thy Redeemer. And that word and in the original
can also mean the word even. So I am thy Savior, even thy
Redeemer. There's no salvation apart from
redemption. And redemption is salvation.
That's all our salvation. It's the person and work of the
Lord Jesus Christ. Now, in reference to redemption
and how this is a work of God carried on from eternity all
the way through the fall of man, all the way into glory. That's
going to be the subject of this study this week. And, you know,
just by way of introduction, let me just say this with regard
to a couple of terms, because terms are so important, how we
define them, so vital. The term redemption, as I said,
it can be understood in a more limited sense. in the sense of
the purchase of salvation that Christ fully accomplished at
the cross. Here's an example over in Galatians
chapter 4. Look in Galatians chapter 4 a
minute. In verses 4 and 5, this would
be the restricted sense, if you will, of redemption. I prefer
more the word particular. You know, people always argue,
they say, well, you limit the death of Christ. Well, everybody
limits it some way. Those that say he died for everybody,
they're limiting it in its power. Because if he died for everybody,
and yet everybody's not saved, then you've limited the death
of Christ in what it can accomplish. The Scripture doesn't do that.
The Scripture...Christ said, I'll have every one for whom
the Father gave me. I have my sheep, those I laid
my life down for. What the Scripture does is limit
it in its design. Who it's for and what it's for. Who it's for is for those that
the Father gave to Christ. What it's for is their absolute
salvation. So, it is exclusive, but it's
not limited in its power. You see, so but here we see that
described here in Galatians 4, 4 and 5. But when the fullness
of the time was come, you see, this is why we got to talk about
redemption from his from from eternity. What was purpose there? Because when it says when the
fullness of time was calm, what does that assume? Something's
on the agenda. Something's been put on the calendar before and
now it's time. Now, how did it get there? That's
what we're going to look at here today in a little bit. But God
sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to, what,
redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the
adoption of sons. Now, when it says that we might
receive the adoption of sons, it's talking about what took
place there at the cross. You know, I liked what Brother
Richard said, and I think it's so important. Our justification
was fully accomplished there at the cross. It's justification
unto life. Now, that means if I was justified
here, if I was redeemed here at the cross, I was justified
at the cross. That's what Romans 3, 24 says.
Being justified, being therefore justified how? Through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus. You can't distinguish those two.
If I was redeemed, I was justified. If I was justified, I was adopted. I can talk about adoption because
I have two children that are adopted. When did they find out
about their adoption? It wasn't until years later.
We had little storybooks that we'd read them, and it was fun
to watch. We always told them about the
adoption process, but as time came on, they began to compare
themselves with other kids. Pretty soon the questions come,
and I was adopted. Does that mean I wasn't born?
No, you were born. You were born just like everybody else. You
weren't hatched. But what took place? There was a legal matter
that was settled in a court of law. You know, you can go to
our kids' birth certificates, and it doesn't have anybody's
name on those birth certificates, but my wife's and mine. If you
looked at the birth certificate, you would never know. that they
were adopted. But that was settled before they
knew anything about it. In time, it was revealed to them,
and that's their joy, you see. But that's exactly what it's
talking about. You see here, the adoption of
sons, it's linked to Christ being made under the law and redeeming
those that were made under the law. So when we take this word
in this particular sense, we can see that the work was not
long in doing. It refers to a particular time
and a particular place. Remember what Christ kept telling
his disciples? I'm going to Jerusalem that I
might accomplish, that by my death I might accomplish redemption
at Jerusalem. A specific place. So this work,
in this sense, was not long in doing. It was begun and finished
with Christ coming in the flesh, being made of a woman, and on
through his life until his death, that's what we see here in verse
4, which ended with his resurrection. So the purchase was finished,
the work itself was complete, and all that pertained to it
was accomplished. That's why he said it's finished.
It's finished. All right, but now as we look
at this in Scripture, sometimes the work of redemption is taken
more largely and includes all of God's work. All right, even
preparatory to the purchase itself and subsequent to its accomplishment.
Let me give you an example over here in First Corinthians chapter
one. Just take a look at this. First
Corinthians chapter one. This verse puzzled me, it's one
of my favorite verses, it's one that the Lord used, you know,
when I was a missionary in Africa, lost. and the Lord crossed my
path with the gospel and opened my eyes. It's one that he blessed
my heart to know him, but it always puzzled me for a while
why redemption was put at the end of this verse. Have you ever
thought about that? Where it says here, But of him are ye
in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness
and sanctification and redemption. I believe there's an order there
that that's important. You know, if Christ has been
made to you wisdom. Then he is. He's been made to
you with them because he is your righteousness. And he is your
sanctification. He is your redemption, but you
know, when it talks here about redemption, it's not. You know,
you can see righteousness that describes his work there to cross
sanctification. being set apart unto him by the
Spirit that we might know him. But now what about redemption?
Well, stop and think about it. I was redeemed at the cross,
but wait a minute. What does the Scripture say?
I await the final redemption of what? This body. Look over
in Romans chapter 8. I told Richard I wasn't going
to try to trounce too much on his territory here, but I told
him also he stole the heart of Scripture right there when he
when he chose Romans 8, so I've got to come to it every once
in a while. But I'll be in and out, don't worry. But look here
in Romans 8.23. You see, that's why I'm saying
redemption here is used in this overall sense. I've been redeemed,
but I shall be redeemed. How? Well, in Romans 8.23, not
only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves grown within ourselves waiting
for the adoption. You say, well, I thought you
said we were adopted back here at the cross. We are, but we're
awaiting the adoption. In other words, when it will
be fully manifest who we are as the sons of God, without this
flesh, without the presence of sin, completely taken away. And
notice how it says to wit or namely the redemption of our
body. But that was included when Christ
died. So we can say in that sense,
yes, redemption was accomplished there at the cross. But I await
the full manifestation of it when I'll be delivered from the
body of this sin. And again, here's how salvation
is described in Scripture. Redemption, salvation, purpose
from eternity, accomplished there at the cross. I was saved from
the penalty of sin at the cross. In regeneration, I'm saved from
the power of sin. That which held me in unbelief,
held me in blindness. to where I was looking to myself
and my own righteousness rather than to this one who established
righteousness and whose righteousness was imputed to me even before
I ever knew him. But now the Spirit has delivered
me and caused me to see that. But then I still wait my final
salvation from the very presence of sin. From the penalty of sin
at the cross, from the power of sin at regeneration, but from
the very presence of sin. in my final glorification. So
it's in this sense that we want to consider together this great,
great subject that we have before us. So let me, in the time that
we have left, talk to you a little bit about the redemption of sinners,
ordained in Christ from eternity. You say, where do you start in
history? We've got to start there. We've got to start back in eternity. You know, all that Christ undertook
in time in his great work of redemption was in complete accord
with God's eternal decree. Complete accord to honor his
son as the savior of redeemed sinners. Now, the truth and reality
about this eternal covenant, you know, all I know to say about
it is what the scripture reveals. We get ourselves in trouble whenever
we try to go back there and speculate. It's just like we get ourselves
in trouble when we try to speculate about what's coming in prophecy.
We've just got to deal with what is revealed. In Deuteronomy 29.29
it says, "...the secret things belong unto the Lord our God,
but those things which are revealed belong unto us and unto our children."
What's revealed? What we've got right here between
these two covers. That's it. So that's what we go to. You
can get into some pretty heavy theological discussions with
the Bible closed about what took place in eternity. It's amazing
to me. People will build on logic. I remember Brother Bill Clark
told me some years ago, he said, you know, the problem with us
as sheep is many times we get following the sheep in front
of us instead of following the Savior. You get hooked on that
sheep's tail and he's wandering off. The next thing you know,
you think, well, that sounds logical. I'll follow. Now, we've got to
keep our eyes on the Savior. Everything we know about the
Savior is what's revealed right here in this word. And do you
know, in regeneration, that's what takes place. People say,
what happens in regeneration? It's the very word of Christ
that is revealed to this otherwise blind heart. And God causes it
to open up and for us to know his Son in truth. That's what's
implanted here. It's the word of Christ and the
Spirit of God working through that word to continually teach
us of his blessed son. So the truth and reality of God's
eternal purpose in Christ is that this redemption, I don't
even like to call it a plan of redemption, you know, this redemption,
this Redeemer was determined in God's eternal decree. If you look at Ephesians chapter
1, let me just have us look at some of these references that
I know you know. You know, every time you read
over the word again, prayerfully, it seems like the Lord just opens
it up a little bit more to you, just gives you a little bit more
light on it. That's what we pray for. That's
what I do. I pray for for light to understand,
especially as it pertains to Christ as the Redeemer. But you
see how it's put here in verse three. Of Ephesians one, bless
be the God and father. of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places.
Period. Is that what your Bible says? No period there, is there? In
Christ. In Christ. That is so vital. You know, we can't just stop
there. This all pertains to Christ. According as he hath chosen us.
See, a lot of people just like to stop there. So let's talk
about election. Now, chosen us in Him, in Him,
before the foundation of the world that we should be holy
and without blame before Him. Now, editors have put in punctuation. It's not in the original. We're
going to find as we go through that sometimes we've got to go
back to the original just to clarify some things that the
translators, the way they translated it, it may not be as clear. It
doesn't mean that the Bible is obscure. just means that, you know, the
comma needs to be moved. And here's an example, I believe,
because in the original there's, you notice they put blameless
before him in love and then two colons? And you tend to stop
there and then go on, okay, here's another idea coming. It's not.
I believe the way this should be read is that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love having predestinated
us. Because you talk to people about
predestination election, they'll get all upset. They say, well,
what kind of God is that? Well, the scripture calls him
a loving God. Because in love, he predestinated a people. He
predestinated sinners that they might be holy and blameless just
like his son. But how? In him. Not in themselves. In him. You see, this is how
the work of redemption is done. set forth in Scripture, having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to their good pleasure." No, it's not about
us. "...according to the good pleasure
of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein
he hath made us not just acceptable, but accepted." How? In the Beloved. That's the only
way we're accepted. It's in Him. In Him. And we can't
even stop there. You know, people say, well, we're
accepted when we believe. No. My belief is an evidence
of my already being accepted. I was accepted when he gave me
to his son. I was chosen out and set apart
unto him. But you know, that acceptance
was based upon a work that had to be done. Election in and of
itself, dear friend, is not salvation. It's a part of salvation, but
it is not in and of itself salvation. There had to be the outworking
of justice by God himself in a and a covenant with his son,
that he might be a just God and a savior. And that's what the
Lord Jesus Christ came to do. And that's why, like I said,
we can't stop reading because a lot of people just stop right
there, accepted in the beloved. But look in verse seven, in whom
we have redemption. How? Through his blood, even
the forgiveness of sins. What? You mean my sins were forgiven
also? I was justified when he died?
My sins were forgiven when he died? Absolutely. You see how
this just destroys this modern day message that people are saying,
well, if you'll just believe, then your sins will be forgiven. No. On the basis of my sins forgiven,
I rest in this one by whom that forgiveness has come. Faith is
an evidence. It's not the cause of the reason. It's the evidence of things hoped
for. It's the evidence, the substance of things hoped for. The evidence
of things not seen. I haven't seen with these physical
eyes my forgiveness. I haven't seen that Lamb's Book
of Life. I don't know. But based upon
what this Word says, I come with full assurance, knowing that
if he died, he died for me. My sins were put away. Because
of that death, I stand absolutely holy and without blame before
Almighty God. That's the glory of this message
here. And Christ, in his earthly ministry,
constantly referred to these promises made to him. Everybody
likes to go through Scripture and read about what promises
they can get for themselves, but this Scripture is all about
the promises of God to Christ. that based upon his finished
work, this is what the Father would do to bless him and to honor him, to
glorify him. If you look in John chapter 5,
here are some examples here. He often speaks of this commission
which he received of the Father. In John chapter 5, In verse 30. This is this is an amazing thing,
you know, when you when you look at Christ's humiliation as a
man, he says here, I can of my own self do nothing. I think
this is important to keep reiterating. You know, we focus on Christ,
but everything Christ did was of the Father and of the Spirit.
It's the dog. They're one. He said, I can of
my own self do nothing. He didn't deviate from what? From what was purposed. As I
hear, I judge. And my judgment is just because
I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has
sent me. So, when we're talking about
God's eternal purpose, it is the will of the father that sent
him, that we're talking about. It's not something mystical out
here that we're going to get long into. You say, well, how
do we know what the father's will was for Christ? Well, look
at his life. Let's reveal here. How do you
know what the eternal will of God for you is? Well, if you
look in the future, you can't tell. I can't tell you one second
from now what the will of the father, what his purpose for
me from eternity. I can't tell you what that is.
I might kill over dead here in a minute. Now, if I do that,
that would mean, oh, that was that must have been God's will
for him to reach this point and drop dead. But looking back,
this is the thing, dear friends, you can rest in as much as those
waters have been troubled. If you want to know what God's
will for you is, then you just look back every single step you've
ever taken. is what he purposed from eternity.
Just like with regard to Christ. How do we know what God is purposed
in Christ? Look at his life. Look at his
death. Look at what's revealed here. That, in my mind, is such a simple
thing. That's what Christ said here.
The will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. If
you look down in the same passage in verse 43, again he talks about
this He refers to these promises made to him before he tabernacled
among us. Everything he did was according
to what God has already purposed. He says here in verse 43, I am
come in my Father's name and you receive me not. If another
shall come in his own name, him you will receive. How can you
believe which receive honor one of another? Isn't that men's
problem? They're looking for honor one from another. Not looking
to see what God's purpose in Christ, but how does this relate
to me? That's insignificant. All that
matters is the glory of the Son with regard to the Father.