Many years ago, somebody started
two lies, and that is that God loves everybody and that Christ
died for everybody. That is not true. I do not believe
in a general atonement that Christ died a substitutionary death
for everyone, but he did die for somebody. I wonder if it
was you. You say, well, how can I know? Well, if you qualify,
if you know you qualify, Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners. Is that you? If you're not a
sinner, then I have no message for you. There is no hope for
you because he only came to redeem sinners, but redeem them he did. And that's the good news. Look at your own sin. Just look
at it, square in the face, and you'll see the greatness of redemption.
If you'll own up, if you will look at your own life, if you
will see your own transgressions, look into the hole from which
you were digged. Look at the former state that
you were in, in your sins, indulge the crimes which you've committed,
the continual rebellion against God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I was thinking while studying
for this message about the infinity of sin, just one sin. That one
sin that you committed, deserves an eternity in hell. You rebelled
against the God of heaven. But think about the multitudes
of your sin. We're not talking about one sin.
If you are 30, 40, 50, oh my, if you're 75, you've got a bundle,
a Himalayas of sin, a mountain of iniquity. that needed to be
atoned for. There's only one payment God's
ever been satisfied. There's only one that could pay
your sin debt in full, completely. Think about it. That God has
done away with sin in your case. There is no sin. for you. He's made an end of sin. I read
that verse and I say, what does that mean? And then I quickly
say, I don't know, but it's wonderful. You have no sin because God in
Christ made an end of sin. of sin. Think about the sin of
your childhood. As I studied and prepared today,
my mind went back to my young years. And very early on in my
life, I was convicted and convinced. I tossed and turned on my young
bed at night, knowing that I was lost and that I needed a Savior. I've got good news for you today.
If that's your state, if that's your condition, if you've wrestled
all night with your thought of how you've used and prostituted
yourself and sinned against the God of heaven and wallowed in
the stables of sin, and you feel as black as all hell, I got some
good news for you. Can you believe it? Jesus paid
it all, all the debt you owe. How great a ransom that is. How nonchalant we take the story
of Calvary and what Jesus did. Man, this place ought to be up
in arms today with hallelujahs. We should have been standing
and shouting all over this place. Jesus paid it all. There is therefore
now no condemnation to those that are in Christ Jesus. Free
at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty. In Christ,
there is no judgment for me, no hell for me. Can you believe
it today? Say, well, I'm gonna venture
out. Go ahead, venture out. I'm going to trust Christ. I'm
gonna give it a try. I'm gonna believe on him. There's
no hope anywhere else. You know, I'm not ashamed of
talking about the sovereignty of God here. I don't blush. I'm
your pastor, and I don't blush because 75% of you are with me
on this, that God elected you before the foundation of the
world, that God sent his only begotten son for a purpose on
purpose. Hallelujah! To accomplish that
purpose, his name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his
people. from their sins. That's you. That's me. Not he might, not
he's going to do his best. Not if you have your right and
exercise your free will, not if you make Jesus your choice,
but here's the message. He came into the world to seek
and to save that which was lost and all he seeks he saves. That's
the truth. He paid somebody's sin debt. You know, right now in heaven's
court, there are men that were once murderers, thieves and drunkards,
whoremongers and blasphemers and persecutors who have been
washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. And right now they're clapping,
listening to me louder than you're clapping. They're there and there's no
judgment, no condemnation. Think about the greatness of
your sins and Jesus paid it off. Isn't that something? How about
your secret sins? You got any secret sins? Liar,
liar, pants on fire. You do have secret sins. Things that nobody except you
know about. Oh, of course God knew about
them. because in his son, your sins were put on him and your
sin debt was paid. When he said it's finished, do
you know what? It was. God is not Santa Claus. God is holy, holy, holy, and
the seraphims and the cherubims stand in his presence and cover
their faces and cry, holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts. He
is of pure eyes than to look upon sin. He's a holy God and
He is a just God. And He said, every sin, every
sin and transgressions must receive a just recompense of reward. In order for you to go to heaven,
every one of your sins must be punished. He will by no means
spare the guilty. The soul that sinneth, it shall
die. He will have satisfaction either from you or from Christ. Praise God for the doctrine of
accomplished redemption. He shall see the sufferings of
his soul. God took out his black snake
whip of justice and beat him. And by his stripes, I've been
healed. My sins have been paid for in
full. God demands eternal punishment.
You ever thought about the punishment of Christ? Oh, I know you've
seen Him on the cross, wounded and bleeding. You've seen the
beatings, Him go from judgment hall to judgment hall. You saw
them stretch Him out on the cross and nail the nails in His hands
and spear in His side. But you must go much deeper than
that to understand this redemption. He died a spiritual death in
your place, in your stead. He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. And the chastisement of our peace
was upon Him and by His stripes we're healed. That's the greatness
of this redemption. In those three hours of darkness,
He drank my damnation, the cup of my damnation dry. He emptied
the cup. There wasn't a drop of justice
left. And the Bible says this in the
Psalms, that justice and mercy have smooched. They've kissed
one another. And I know some of you are going
like this. Well, I disagree with your opening statements. God
is love. I know that. Here's the miracle of it. That
God is not Santa Claus in the sense that He looks over your
sin, but God found a way to satisfy His justice and also exercise
His great love. Wherewith He loved us even when
we were dead. in sins and trespasses. You'll
not sneak in the back door of heaven. God will not look away
as an unjust God, but God has been satisfied with the payment
of his son and thousands upon thousands and thousands of thousands
have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We are saved
by him.