Romans 7. Today's message is,
dead to the law, married to Christ. Dead to the law, married to Christ.
Romans 7, verses 1-6. Know ye not brethren, for I speak
to them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion over
a man as long as he liveth. For the woman which hath an husband
is bound by the law to her husband, so long as he liveth. But if
the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.
So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another
man, she be called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead, she
is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though
she be married to another man. Wherefore, my brethren, ye also
are become dead to the law. by the body of Christ, that ye
should be married to another. All the believers in Christ are
married to Christ. They're married to another. We
were married to the law at one time, but now we're married to
Christ. Look at this. Even to him who is raised from
the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God. For when
we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which were by the law,
did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now
we are delivered from the law. Keep that little portion there
in mind as we go through and see how all men are under the
law. But now we are delivered from the law that being dead,
wherein we were held, that we should serve in the newness of
the Spirit, not in the oldness of the letter. Now, in the preceding chapter,
in verse 14, Paul tells believers that they are not under the law.
Look at Romans 6, verse 14. For sin shall not have dominion
over you. For ye are not under the law,
look at that, but under grace. For sin shall not have dominion
over you. For ye are not under the law, but under grace. Now
we still have the presence of sin, right? Because we're sinners.
But it doesn't have the dominion it once had over us. It doesn't
have the power that it once had over us. It's been broken. It's been broken. Now the love
of Christ constrains us now. where we didn't have that before.
We just did whatever we pleased. Now Paul knew that this would
be an offense to the believing Jews who still retained a high
opinion of the law. And notice at the beginning of
chapter 1, he explains the meaning of what he was writing to them
for, look at this, to those who know the law. For I speak to
them that know the law. Look at verse 1. Now, Brother Henry Mahan comments
on this. The law to which Paul refers in this chapter is not
the ceremonial law, but the moral law of God. The whole will of
God manifested to all mankind. So let us ponder this. God gave
to Adam a law of universal obedience, right? By which he bound him
and his descendants, because we were in Adam. Death being
the result of disobedience. As Adam was our federal head,
he's our representative. He's our representative. And
we were in him as his descendants and we are bound to this moral
law as well. He told Adam, look at, turn if
you would to Genesis chapter 2. He told Adam that of all the
trees in the garden, you can eat but not the one. Not the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil. Only one tree. Look at Genesis 2, verses 16
and 17. And let us think of this. Let
us think of this. Here's Adam. He's sinless, right? He's a living
soul. He's in a perfect situation.
A perfect situation. Right? Brother Henry Mahan says
this. He's in a perfect situation, and yet he still falls. My goodness. My goodness. Look at this. Genesis
2.16. And the Lord God commended the
man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt
not eat of it. For in that day that thou eatest
thereof, thou shalt surely die. And then turn, if you would,
to Galatians 3. Now, all men are placed under the covenant
and the law. When God says, the soul that
sinneth, it shall die, that's every one of us. That's every
one of us. That's all of us. All of mankind. We're all sinners. We come into
this world born sinners. Look at Galatians 3.10. For as
many as are 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." So if
a person wants to try to live under the law, they have to do
everything. They can't mess up once. Well,
I'm a sinner. And we're going to see later
on when the Lord spiritualizes the law, we're all done. We're all done. So every human being that comes
into this world, the law of God and the justice of God demands
the soul that sinneth it shall die. Everyone. Romans 2, verses 14 and 15 says
this, For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by
nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the
law, are a law unto themselves. which show the work of the law
written in their hearts." The law is written in our hearts. "...their conscience also bearing
witness in their thoughts, the meanwhile accusing or else excusing
one another." So once again, all who are born into this world
are born guilty sinners. Guilty sinners. And under the
law of God. And as I say, if you offend in
one point, Then you've offended in all. James says this, James
2, verse 10 says, for whosoever shall keep the whole law and
yet offend in one point, he's guilty of all. Oh my, we're
in a heap of trouble. We're in trouble. Because we come into this world
born dead in trespasses and sin, sinners. We've not just offended
in one point. Oh my. We've offended in many. This law is written upon our
hearts. Leviticus continues to be the perfect rule of righteousness
and pronounces a curse upon all who fail in the smallest measures.
The book of James clearly said that. We are bound by the law
to obey God in every jot and tittle. It's a law of universal
obedience. By which he bound Adam and his
descendants to a perfect rule of righteousness. Obey God. Obey
God. And he pronounced a curse on
those who failed in the smallest measure not to obey God, which
we looked at in James. If you want to write that down,
it's James 2, verse 10. It says this, for whosoever shall
keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he's guilty of
all. Man. Offend in one point, and you're
guilty of it all. The law, the Ten Commandments,
was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai in Ten Commandments that
obey these laws or die, right? The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. Scripture declares in Romans,
Wherefore, as by one man's sin entered into the world, when
Adam fell, we all fell. We were in him. We were in him. When he fell, we fell. And death
by sin. And so death passed upon all
men, for that all are sinners. We're born sinners. Born sinners. As I say, when Adam disobeyed
and fell, we all fell in him. And as a result of that, we come
into this world dead in trespasses and sins. Sinners. Physically
alive, yet spiritually dead. Now how do we know that we're
born sinners? Think on this. Oh, think on this. Think on your little tykes who
do something wrong, right? And you find out about it. I
remember when Josh was little. And you all remember this. You find out your son or your
daughter did something, what do they do? What do they do? Right? They know. They know. They know. They know they done wrong. Why?
Because their conscience tells them they done wrong. Their conscience
tells them they don't know. And is it not so with us? Not
so with us too. They just drop their head. Oh
my. I remember doing that when I
was a kid. Remember, turn if you would to
John chapter 8. Remember the men who bought the lady caught
in adultery? They bought her before Christ. And our Lord, our Lord told the
men, he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone
at her. Let's look at that scripture
and see what happened to those men. Their conscience seared
them. Their conscience convicted them.
Look at this. And they're not saved men. Look
at this. John 8, verse 4. They say unto him, Master, this
woman was taken in adultery in the very act. They bought the
woman, but they didn't bring the man. And a lot of commentators
think that they didn't bring the man because it was one of
them. But they're trying to trip up
the Lord. They're trying to catch Him and
snare Him. Look at this. Now Moses, in the Law, commanded
us that such should be stoned, but what sayest thou? Verse 6, they said, This, they
said, tempted him that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus
stooped down and with his finger wrote on the ground as though
he had heard them not. So when they continued asking
him, he lifted up himself and said unto them, Look at this.
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone
at her. And again he stooped down and
wrote on the ground. Look at what our text says in
verse 9. And when they heard it, being convicted by their
own conscience, being convicted by their own conscience, went
out one by one, beginning at the eldest until the last. Oh,
their head dropped in there. Oh my. Being convicted by their own
conscience. And Jesus was left alone with
a woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself,
And what compassion, what mercy our Lord has on sinners. When
Jesus had lifted up himself and saw none but the woman, he said
unto her, Woman, where are thine accusers? Hath no man condemned
thee? She said, No man, Lord. Notice
she called him Lord. Oh my, oh my, oh my, what mercy. And she said, no man, Lord. And
Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin
no more. Oh my. But they knew. These Jews knew. Their conscience
tells them. Being convicted by their own
conscience, verse 8. The Word of God speaks of those
who follow false teachers. Turn, if you would, to 1 Timothy
4. Those who follow false teachers having their conscience seared
with a hot iron. Look at this. 1 Timothy 4, 1-3
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some
shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits
and doctrines of devils, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their
conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidden to marry, and
commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be
received, with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the
truth. Oh my. This departure from the faith
is an effort to persuade men to worship God and to seek acceptance
before God by the works of the flesh. There is no acceptance
before God outside of Christ. Absolutely not. None. He's a perfect Savior. He's a
perfect Redeemer. And the believer, Colossians
2.10, is complete in Him. We looked at that today. It's
marvelous. But there is no acceptance before God outside of Christ.
None at all. None at all. And these false
teachers, oh, they try to yoke people up. And now men by nature
are inclined towards self-righteousness. We're steeped in self-righteousness
and carnal worship, making a god of our own imagination, as opposed
to who Scripture tells us God is. Natural man is against true
spiritual worship. They're against true spiritual
worship and dependence on the righteousness, and they're against the dependence
on the righteousness and mercy of Christ. But we who believe,
Christ is all our righteousness. We depend upon Him. We rest in
Him. As I said earlier, we rest and
trust that He is our total acceptance before God. Oh my. And Satan takes advantage of
this weakness and through his ministers, through his false
preachers, through false teachers, he gives men something to do.
He gives men something to do. And it's the same thing all the
time. It just comes in maybe a different cloak. But it's all
works-based religion. He gives men something to do.
The false preachers and false teachers always give men something
to do or something to give up. Either you got to do this or
you don't do this for salvation. Making salvation man's works
rather than God's. Perverting the message of God's
grace in Christ and thus making it another gospel. Another gospel. It's only when the believer is
united to Christ that he is freed from this covenant. Covenant
law. The only way that I'm freed from
the law of God The only way you're freed from the law of God is
in Christ. Nowhere else. Nowhere else. The law says, do this and live.
If thou would enter into life, keep the commandments. And let
us remember that the law, this is something we need to remember,
that the law not only reaches the acts of man, because folks
like to proclaim, well, I don't do this and I don't do that.
They love to do that. I used to do that. when I was
in religion. Well, how can that guy be a Christian
and do that? I don't do that stuff. I said
that to my shame, beloved. It was horrible, so full of self-righteousness. Was it so with you who came out
of religion? I know it was for me, but by acts and outward acts. Turn if you would to Matthew,
chapter 23. By outward acts. Supposing to
reach a higher plane. Supposing to be a better Christian. Religion does this all the time.
It yokes people onto things. And most of the time, those who
are proclaiming those things, beloved, think of this too. Most
of the time, those who are proclaiming those things, they don't do it
themselves. They don't do it themselves.
Look at this, Matthew 23, 24-28. Look at this. Our Lord, our Master,
speaking unto the scribes and Pharisees. Boy, He didn't hold
back. Look at this. You blind guides,
verse 24, you blind guides, would strain out a gnat and swallow a camel? Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you may clean the outside
of the cup and of the platter. Oh, look, look, look, I don't
do these things. Now there's some things we shouldn't
do, isn't there? And there's some things the love of Christ
will constrain us not to do. But see, this was all an outward
show for them. It was all an outward show. You may clean the outside of
the cup and the platter, but within they are full of extiration
and excess. Thou blind Pharisees, cleanse
first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside
of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres,
which indeed appear beautiful outward." Oh, they look beautiful.
"...but within are full of dead man's bones and of all uncleanness."
See, it's all outward. That's what religion is all about,
beloved. It's all an outward show. Grace
is different because we know we're sinners. And we know we're
still sinners, but we're saved. But we know, I was telling Drew,
Vicki's gonna make me another sign for my study, and this has
stuck with me, beloved, and it's something that, you know, I was
telling Drew, I said, he had a comment from Brother Scott
Richardson that he carries around in his back pocket, and to remind
him, and I can't remember what the phrase was, but it was wonderful.
But for me, the one, The thing that I always like to keep to
the forefront of my mind is Brother Henry's comment when he says,
never forget the rock you were hewn from. If you're saved, don't
ever forget the pit you were in when the Lord saved you. Don't
ever forget that. Don't ever. Now, rejoice that
you're saved. But remember, we're no better
than anyone else. We're saved by the grace of God
in Christ and by the mercy of God. Oh my. And look at it continue. Our
Master says, Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto
men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Just
full of... Oh my. So the law not only reaches
the actions of man, but also the attitude of man. See, these Pharisees and scribes
were cleaning up the outside, but inside, man, they were thinking, Could you imagine, I remember
saying this in Oregon one time, I was down at the mission, and
I remember saying this to the guys at the mission, could you
imagine if, let's say 20 seconds, that our thoughts were ripped
open for the whole world to see? Oh my, oh my. So the law not only reaches the
actions of man, but also the attitude of man, the attitude
of man. And when the Lord spiritualized
the law, He showed that the law, it's not only the manners of
man, but it's also the motives of man. Turn, if you would, to
Matthew chapter 5. And I'll read Galatians 4.21,
which says this, Tell me ye that desire to be under the law. Do
you not hear the law? The law says do this and live. The soul that sinneth in Ezekiel,
the soul that sinneth in it shall die. Well, we're all sinners,
aren't we? Look how the Lord spiritualized
this here in Matthew 5, 21 and 22. And then we'll look at 27
and 28. Look at this. You have heard
Matthew 5, 21 and 22. You have heard that it was said
of them of old time, that thou shalt not kill. And whosoever
shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say unto
you that whosoever is angry with his brother... So here we go. He's going to get to the motive.
Not just the manner. He's getting to the motive here
too. Look at this. But I say unto you that whosoever is angry
with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of judgment.
And whosoever shall say to his brother Reaka shall be in danger
of the council, but to whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be
in danger of hell fire. And let's look at verses 27 and
28 and see here the Lord exposes the motives of men. You have
heard that it was said of them of old, said by them of old time,
Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say unto you that whosoever
looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with
her already in his heart." You see, he spiritualized it. It
hits right to the motives. Right to the motives. We're all
sinners. All of us. And look at verses 38-40. John Gill calls this the law
of retaliation. the law of retaliation. Look
at this, Matthew 5, 38-40. You have heard that it has been
said, an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you
that ye resist not evil, but whosoever shall smite thee on
the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man
will sue thee at the law, take away thy coat. Let him have thy
cloak also. So we're not to render evil for
evil. When people slander us or when
people say different things, we're not to render evil for
evil. Pray for him. Pray for him. The Sadducees among the Jews
took this in the literal sense when it says, you have heard
that it said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The
Sadducees among the Jews took this in the literal sense, but
others believed it this way as Gil puts it. He that puts out
his neighbor's eye must give him the price of his eye, according
to the price of a servant sold in the market. But note what
our Master said in verse 40. And if any man will sue thee
at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak
also. Oh my. Mercy. Mercy. Vengeance is mine, saith
the Lord. Let's look at our text now too
again. Let's go back to Romans chapter 7, verse 1. Now again, we came into this
world bound to the law. So we've established that the
law is universal, that all are under it, everyone who comes
into this world. We come into this world bound
to the law and married to the law and are under it as a covenant
until we are freed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Look at Romans
7, verse 1. Know ye not, brethren, for I
speak to them that know the law, how that the law hath dominion
over a man as long as he liveth. Now, death frees a person from
the obligation of any law to which he is rightfully subject
and bound. And nothing but death can do
this. Nothing but death can do this. One thing will free a man
from the claims of the law. Only one thing. If you and I
commit a crime in which we're sentenced to live in prison,
the only thing that can free us, and if we're sentenced to
life, the only thing that can free us is death. That's the
only thing. The only thing that can free
us from our prison sentence. The holy law of God. God's holy
and righteous law, given by a holy and righteous God, demands perfection. Perfection. Demands that the whole law be
fulfilled. and that nothing, absolutely
nothing be left wanting. Nothing. Nothing. And remember, to offend in one
point is to offend in all, right? And we're sinners. And we've
broken the holy law of God. Thus, that holy law has a demand
upon every one of us in our natural state. It has a demand. But the Lord Jesus Christ, praise
his name, has lived the law, fulfilled the law, living the
perfect life in the place of his people, fulfilling every
single jot and tittle of the law in the place of his people.
And he dies. He dies, the sinner's substitute,
to satisfy that law and justice. In the place of his people, he
is the second Adam. He's the believer's federal head.
Remember how I said Adam was our federal head, and in Adam
we fell? Christ is the believer's federal head. When he died, we died in him,
with him. And beloved, remember what I
said, the only thing that can free us? The law has no more claim upon
the believer because the law has extracted all the demands
for God's people in the Lord Jesus Christ. The law has dominion
over a man until By union with Christ in death, burial, and
resurrection, he becomes a dead man in reference to the law and
is justified by Christ, sanctified by Jesus Christ our Lord. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 6. Romans chapter 6. And then we'll go back to our
text in Romans chapter 7. Romans chapter 6. Look at this.
Verses 5 to 9. For if we have been planted together
in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness
of his resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man
is what? Crucified with him. That the
body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin. For he that is dead is what?
Look at this. For he that is dead is freed
from sin. Oh my. Now if we be dead with
Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. Knowing that
Christ being raised from the dead, death hath no more dominion
over him. Let's go back to our text in
Romans chapter 7, verses 2 and 3. For the woman which hath a husband
is bound by the law to her husband. so long as he liveth. But if
the husband be dead, she is loose from the law of her husband.
So then, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man,
she shall be called an adulteress. But if her husband be dead, she
is free from the law, so that she is no adulteress, though
she be married to another man. Here before us, the apostle gives
an illustration in which death dissolves legal obligation. Death
dissolves legal obligation. The woman referred to becomes
dead to the law of her husband, not by her own death, but by
his death. By his death. If her husband
dies, she's no longer bound to him in any sense. She is free
to marry whom she will. Look at verse 4. Wherefore, my
brethren, ye are also become dead to the law by the body of
Christ, so that ye should be married to another, even to him
who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit
unto God." The Lord Jesus Christ died the sinner's substitute.
He died for his people. He died for his sheep on Calvary's
cross. And all who believe on Christ
are dead to the Law. Are dead to the Law. For again,
when Christ died, we died with Him. And He met all the Law's
demands in our place. In our place. I am crucified
with Christ. I am crucified with Christ. Galatians
2.20 Nevertheless I live. Yet, not I. But Christ liveth
in me. In the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me,
who loved me even when I didn't love Him, who loved me and gave
Himself for me. gave Himself for me, the sinless
One. So the laws, demands upon God's
elect were absolutely satisfied by the substitutionary death
of the Lord Jesus Christ in our place. See, He's perfect. He's spotless. He's the just
One dying for the unjust. The soul that sinneth, it must
die, so our sins are imputed to Christ, and He dies in our
place, the sinless one. It's magnificent. It's incredible. It's amazing. The law demands death, and our
Savior dies in the place of His people, and the believer's freedom
from the law as a covenant of life and death or as a principle
of justification and condemnation is complete as a dead man is
free from the laws of the state or a woman is free from the law
of a dead husband. The freedom from the law is not
by our death. but by the death of the Lord
Jesus Christ in our place. And we are married to another.
We're married to the Lord Jesus Christ. And a result of that,
we are the bride of Christ. The bride of Christ. All our
sins are forgiven. We have a perfect, spotless robe
of righteousness. It's Christ's righteousness.
And it's imputed to us. And we're free from the law.
Look at Romans chapter 8. Look at this. As a result of
the death of Christ in the place of his people. Now think of this. Ye who are
saved. Think of this. As we read this
portion here. Now we know what we are. We know
who we are. But oh, I'm crucified with Christ.
Look at this. Romans 8, 33 and 34. Who shall
lay... Look at these little words. Who
shall lay anything. Remember, the law has a demand
on every one of us born into this world. But this is saying
of God's elect. This is speaking of those who
have been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The ones who Christ
died for. Look what it says. Who shall
lay anything, anything, to the charge of God's elect? Anything. They're perfect, spotless in
the eyes of God, because they're clothed in the righteousness
of Christ, because Christ has redeemed them from all their
sins. Now, we're still sinners, aren't we? But who shall lay anything to
the charge of God's elect? Anything, anything. Well, why can't there be any
charge bought to God's elect? Because it's God who justifies
it. It's God who justifies it. Justified
by God. Who is He that condemneth? Well, what we looked at earlier,
there's a lot that condemns us, isn't there? in our natural state
being born into this world dead in trespasses and sins. But those
who have fled to Christ, who is the refuge? Oh, those He redeemed. by His own precious blood. Look
at this. Who is He that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea,
brethren, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand
of God, who maketh intercession for us. There's no condemnation
for the believer who's in Christ Jesus. All their sins are forgiven.
All of them. Past, present, and future. Does it not want you We looked
at Psalm 70 this morning. Let God be magnified. Let God
be magnified. Is it any wonder why God's people
magnify the Lord Jesus Christ? What a wonderful salvation. What
a wonderful salvation. Who shall lay any charge to God's
elect? No one, because it's God that
justifies. Who is he that condemneth? No
one. because Christ died in the place
of His people before the law and justice of God. Let's look
at verse 5 in our text here. For when we were in the flesh,
the motions of sins were by the law, did work in our members
to bring forth fruit unto death. Now let us think back, we who
believe, to the time when we were in the flesh. What effect did the law have
upon you? Did it make you holy at all? No. No. Instead of subduing sinful passions
and thoughts, it irritated them. I didn't want to be around Christians.
Not at all. We are filled by nature with
displeasure toward the law of God and towards the law giver. By nature we're rebellious and
we do exact opposite of what the law demands. The law aggravated our passions
and lusts when it commanded us not to do something just like
when you tell a child, don't do that. What happens? That kid wants them. I remember
my mom would say, now Wayne, I made these cookies and they're
for after dinner. Well, right away the wheels are
turning on how I can eat some of them cookies. Right away. Right away. My goodness. And how I can eat
them without her finding out. Oh, and I know it's so with all
of us, isn't it? I know, I know. So the law could never subdue
or make us holy. Could never subdue our sinful
desires. And our sins bring forth death. They bring forth death. Let's
look at verse 6 now. But now we are delivered from
the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we should
serve in the newness of spirit and not in the oldness of the
letter. The believer in Christ, beloved, is discharged from the
law. Why? Having died to it in Christ. Having died to it in Christ.
It once restrained us. It once held us captive. It once
held us in bondage. But now the believer is free. Free from the law. Now, Drew
and I were talking about this, too, yesterday. And he brought
out the fact that because we're free from the law,
doesn't mean we can go crazy, right? We'll want to come to
church. We'll want to hear the gospel. The love of Christ constrains
us. We're new creatures in Christ.
We're born again in the Holy Spirit of God. We live in the newness of the
Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. And we serve Christ
not out of obedience to written rules and regulations, but in
newness of life, in the love of Christ. Oh, what He's done
for me. He saved me from all my sins.
Has He done that for you? Has He drawn you to Himself? We're all sinners. We saw that.
We're all sinners, dead in trespasses and sins. The only hope for you
and I is Christ. Oh, that God would make you willing
to flee to Him, to not trust in your own self-righteousness,
to not look at other people, but to look to Christ, to look
to Him alone. He's the only Savior. He's the
only Savior. The forced obedience of a man
under the law is the obedience of a slave. I know, I lived it. But the obedience of a man set
free and adopted is the obedience of a son. Just as the obedience of a wife
is the obedience of love. For the love of Christ constrains
us. Because we thus judge that if
one died for all, then we're all dead. So it's the love of
Christ. It's the love of Christ that
constrains us now. We who are the bride of Christ
obey out of love. Out of love. Not out of regulations
and rules, but out of love. So we've looked at today. How
the believer is no longer married to the law, but married to Christ. And being married to Christ,
we are dead to the law. Dead to the law. And think of
this. All our dependence is on Him.
All of it. All of it. All our joy and all
our happiness comes from Him. Because it brings us great comfort
and it brings us great joy to know that I've been redeemed
from not one of my sins, but all of my sins. All of my sins. Oh, my beloved. What a great
salvation. What a great salvation. So let
us ponder this. Turn, if you would, to Colossians
chapter 1. Let us ponder this, beloved. The believer in Christ is completely and blamelessly
free from the covenant of the law, as if we had never been
under it. Look at Colossians 1, verses
21 and 22. Look at this marvelous little
portion of Scripture. And you, Colossians 1, 21 and 22. And you, now he's writing to
Colossian believers. He's writing to believers in
Christ. Colossians 1, verse 21 and 22.
He's writing to God's elect. that were sometime alienated
and enemies in your mind by wicked works. That was me. And that
was you. And if you're saved, that was
our state. That was our natural state. And you, that were sometimes
alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works. Yet, now
hath He reconciled. Oh my goodness. Reconciled to
God. How? In the body of His flesh
through death. He died on Calvary's cross. as
the sinner substitute. He died, he died on Calvary's
cross for his people, look at this, to present you. Now we're
sinners, aren't we? And think about, think about
what we looked at earlier, how that we're all under the condemnation
of the law, right? And to offend in one point is
to make us guilty of all. So we who believe, at one time
we were guilty of it all, right? Look at this though, look at,
this is marvelous. To present you holy. Holy and unblameable. Who shall bring
anything, any charge to God's left? Unblameable and unreprovable
in His sight, in the sight of God. How? All in and through
the Lord Jesus Christ in Him alone. He's the sinner's only
hope. The believer in Christ is presented
holy and unblameable and unapprovable in God's sight all because of
what the Lord Jesus Christ has done as our substitute and our
representative. We have full acceptance, full
acceptance, full acceptance by God in and through the Lord Jesus
Christ in Him alone. He presents sinners holy and
unblameable and unreprovable in His sight. And it's all through
the Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, what deliverance the believer
has from the law in Christ, which is not only in order for us to
be justified and sanctified, we must have Christ. In order
for us to be presented holy and unblameable and unreprovable,
it must be through Christ and Him alone. There's no other way.
It's not through any works. that we can generate or think,
it's only through Christ and Him alone. We who believe on
Christ are dead to the law and married to Christ. What a Savior! What a Redeemer! Let God be magnified. Let God be magnified. Gracious
Heavenly Father, we come before Thy throne. We who believe are
so thankful. So thankful for what You've done
for us. Oh, that we are dead to the light.
It had claims upon us. It condemned us. But, oh, Lord
Jesus, in You we have life. Life everlasting. We pray that
if Your lost sheep are here today, that You might draw them to Thee,
Lord. That it might be their day of salvation. That they might
shout out Let God be magnified. Let God be magnified for what
He's done, the great things You've done. Oh Lord, we pray You use
this message for Your glory and Your honor. And may we leave
this place thinking, thinking upon that we are dead to the
law and married to You, Lord Jesus. Oh my. We pray in Your
name. Amen.