Let's open our Bibles this evening
to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1. The Apostle Paul tells us in
verses 26 through 29 that God has chosen the foolish things
of the world to confound the wise. He's chosen the base things,
the insignificant things. those things that are meaningless
and without ability to accomplish his great work of grace in the
hearts of chosen sinners by the preaching of the gospel. Now
look at verse 30. But of him are you in Christ
Jesus, you base, weak, insignificant, nothings and nobodies. 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 glorieth Let him glory in the Lord If you can remember
four words, you'll be able to remember my outline and my message
and its basic points this evening wisdom righteousness, sanctification,
redemption. That's my subject. Wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, redemption. What a wondrous word of grace
is declared in the opening words of our text. But of him are you
in Christ Jesus. This is a subject that gets bigger
and bigger to me The more I consider it, the less I realize I know
of it. But it is the most wondrous thing
imaginable. We who are gods are one with
Christ. More really and truly one with
Christ than can be understood by anything to which we can compare
it. As truly, as really, as fully,
as He is one with the Father in the eternal Godhead, so we
are one with Him, one with Christ. Of God are you in Christ Jesus,
in Him from eternity, in Him by the work of God putting us
in Him. immutably in Him, experimentally
in Him when we're given faith in Him, accepted in Him, blessed
in Him, saved in Him, truly one with Christ. John Kent put it
this way, to which Jesus and the chosen race subsist a bond
of sovereign grace that hell with its infernal train shall
ne'er dissolve nor rend in vain. Hail sacred union, firm and strong,
how great the grace, how sweet the song, that worms of earth
should ever be one with incarnate deity, one in the tomb when he
arose, one when he triumphed over his foes, One, when in heaven
he took his seat, while seraphs sang all hell's defeat. This
sacred tie forbids our fears, for all he is and has is ours. We're one with him. We're one
with him. That means all he is and has
is ours. With him, our head, we stand
or fall. Our life, our surety, our all
Now, let's look briefly one more time and what God the Holy Spirit
tells us here in 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 30 We are in
Christ Jesus and Christ has made is made unto us to be first wisdom
wisdom We're in Christ by the rich free grace and goodness
of God the Father Who put us in him in sovereign election
before the world began? In him, we are preserved and
blessed from everlasting. That secret everlasting union
with Christ is made manifest in us when we're born again by
God the Holy Spirit and given faith in our Redeemer. We are
by the mighty operations of grace made experimentally to know this
union that's ours with Christ from eternity. So that life and
immortality that we had with Christ before the world began
is brought to light by the gospel in the experience of grace. And
this is altogether God's work. Our conversion, our saving union
with Christ is not the result of something we have done. It
is not the result of our choice, our will, our decision, our prayers
or our works. It's the call is caused altogether
by God Almighty. We are not one with Christ because
we are wiser or better or made better choices than others. We're
one with Christ because God put us in Christ from everlasting. Salvation is of the Lord. It
is the purpose of God to make it apparent and to make all men
acknowledge he dispenses his grace in such a way as makes
men see with regard to others and to acknowledge with regard
to themselves that salvation is his work alone. Now, everyone
who is born of God. Everyone who is born of God.
Everyone who is born of God. acknowledges that salvation is
God's work alone. Don't talk to me about someone
being Christian who mixes works and grace. Don't tell me about
someone being a Christian who mixes what he does, what God
does, and calls it salvation. That's not Christianity. That's
infidelity bearing the name of Christianity. All who are born
of God and taught of God know in the experience of their souls
that salvation is God's work alone. Though we are foolish
creatures by nature, by virtue of our union with Christ, he
is made of God unto us wisdom. Wisdom. That's one of those statements
that I keep reaching for. I haven't arrived yet at the
full meaning of that statement, but this I know is so. Christ
is the one who gives us wisdom and understanding in all things
spiritual. He is the shining light that
dispels darkness in our souls. Christ is our wisdom objectively
too. I mean by that, he is our highest
wisdom. Knowing him is wisdom. Knowing him is wisdom. The fear
of God, that is the worship of Jesus Christ. That's the beginning
of wisdom. Turn to Proverbs chapter 8, if
you will. Proverbs chapter 8, I want you to look at it. We
won't read the whole chapter this evening, but I encourage
you to read it quickly as soon as you can. Here, our Lord Jesus
is set before us as the personification of wisdom. In verse 35, he says,
he that findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favor of the
Lord. He's talking about wisdom now
as Christ himself. He's not saying the person who
finds mental wisdom or wisdom of life or wisdom in the ways
of the world. That person has finds life and
salvation in favor of the Lord. No, he's talking about he who
finds Christ finds the favor of the Lord. He obtains God's
favor and finds life. Look at verse 12. The Lord Jesus
is speaking. He says, I wisdom dwell with
prudence. I wisdom dwell with skill and
ability and find out knowledge of witty inventions. Verse 14,
counsel is mine and sound wisdom. I am understanding. I have strength
by me. By wisdom, by me, God the son,
God the mediator, God our savior. By me, the wisdom of God, kings
reign, and princes decree justice, both good and bad. By me, kings
reign, and princes decree justice. I love them that love me, and
those that seek me early shall find me. Verse 18. Riches and
honor are with me, yea, durable riches and righteousness. My
fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold. My revenue more
than sure silver. Verse 20, I lead in the way of
righteousness in the midst of the paths of judgment that I
may cause those that love me to inherit substance and I will
fill their treasures. Verse 22, The Lord possessed
me in the beginning of his way before his works of old. Our
Lord Jesus is here speaking, not as the second person of the
Holy Trinity, but speaking as our surety. Our representative,
that one who is the word of God, by whom God makes himself known
to men. He stood forth as such before
the world was. He said, the Lord Jehovah possessed
me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was
set up from everlasting, from the beginning or ever the earth
was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth. When there
were no fountains abounding with water, before the mountains were
settled, before the hills was I brought forth. While as yet
he had not made the earth nor the fields nor the highest part
of the dust of the world, when he prepared the heavens, I was
there. When he set a compass upon the
face of the depth, when he established the clouds above, when he strengthened
the fountains of the deep, when he gave to the sea his decree
that the water should not pass his commandment, when he appointed
the foundations of the earth, Then was I by him as one brought
up with him. I was daily his delight. I was daily his delight. Remember
what our heavenly father said when the Lord Jesus was baptized.
This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased at the mouth
of transfiguration. This is my beloved son in whom
I am well pleased. Here the Savior says before the
world was. Jehovah looked upon me the triune
Jehovah and says I was daily his delight rejoicing always
before him now watch this rejoicing in the habitable part of his
earth But he's already told us lenses. This is before the earth
was made This is before the foundations of the world This is before God
gave the sea His decree. This is before anything was created.
He says, I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him as
the mediator, as the surety, as the divine wisdom, rejoicing
in the habitable part of His earth, rejoicing in that which
He would do upon the earth in time when He created the world.
And my delights with Larry Brown and Don Fortner. My delights were with the sons
of men. who had not yet been created,
who would dwell upon the earth in the habitable part of the
earth that God would create for the working out of our everlasting
redemption to his glory and our everlasting delight. My delights
were with the sons of men. Now look at verse 35 again. For
whoso findeth me, findeth life and shall obtain favor of the
Lord. Christ is the head of his body,
the church. And as all the wisdom of the
body is in the head, so all our wisdom is in Christ, our Redeemer. The Lord Jesus acts for us as
our wisdom representatively. He did so in the eternal transactions
of the covenant of grace before the world began. He does so now
as our mediator and advocate with the Father in heaven's glory.
It is by Christ Jesus that the triune God is made known to us. So when John, when Paul speaks
of him as being our wisdom, made of God into us wisdom, he's saying
something similar to what John says when John says in the beginning
was the word and the word was with God and God was the word. Christ Jesus is that one by whom
God is revealed and made known to us. As all the fullness of
the Godhead dwells in Him, so all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge are His. And He is the Revealer. He is
the One who makes known God to men. By Him alone, God is known. No man knoweth the Son, but the
Father. And who the Father is, but the
Son. And He to whom the Son will reveal
Him. Now look at 1 Corinthians chapter
2. This is another aspect of Christ being our wisdom. This
union with Christ makes the heaven-born soul truly wise. So that all who are taught of
God, having the unction of the Spirit, know all things. When Christ is formed within
us, We are given the mind of christ And know all things look
in first corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 the natural man Receiveth
not the things of the spirit of god The natural man receiveth
not the things of the spirit of god And here's the reason
for their foolishness unto him the foolishness unto him You
can come nearer teaching a jackass nuclear physics than teaching
natural man something spiritual. It can't be done. They're foolishness
to him. You can teach him doctrine. You
can teach him Calvinism. You can teach him Arminianism.
You can teach him papacy. You can teach him Baptist doctrine.
You can teach him all kinds of religious dogma. But you can't
teach the natural man anything spiritual. It's foolishness to
him. Neither can he know them. because
they are spiritually discerned. They're discerned by the Spirit
of God from within, giving his word light in our souls, causing
us to understand them. They're spiritually discerned.
Now watch this, but he that is spiritual judgeth all things. He weighs and considers and searches
out and understands everything. You didn't know you're so smart,
did you? Got nothing to do with smart. Got nothing to do with
smart. It's got everything to do with
grace. He that is spiritual discerns everything. He discerns everything. He discerns everything in the
light of who and what he knows God to be. He discerns all things. We don't. Yet he himself is judged. The word is discerned of no man. The world knoweth us not, because
it knew him not. The believer, the regenerate
person, you cannot make an unregenerate person understand why you do
what you do. Cannot make an unregenerate person
understand commitment to Christ, faithfulness, faith, walking
with God, worship. You cannot make an unregenerate
person understand you. It's not going to happen. Not
going to happen. Often here folks where my husband
just doesn't understand my wife's doesn't understand don't expect
them to Don't expect them to if they don't know God they can't
know you they can't understand you They are judged of no man
verse 9 verse 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord that
he may instruct him But I watch this but we have the mind of
Christ What does that mean God by his
grace teaches heaven-born sinners God by his grace teaches regenerate
men and women God by his grace teaches all who are taught of
God to understand things as Christ understands them To see things
as Christ sees them. To perceive things through the
eyes of Christ given us on the pages of Holy Scripture and given
us by the Spirit of God dwelling within. All true spiritual knowledge
is derived from Christ living within. And it's only those who
are taught of him who are made wise under salvation. So Christ
is our wisdom. to direct our paths, to guide
us in His way, and to order our steps day by day. Number two,
of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who is made of God unto us wisdom
and righteousness. Now, if you read comments of
men on this text of Scripture, you'll find many who will tell
you that the words righteousness and holiness are interchangeable. They are not. Righteousness is
not a synonym for holiness. Holiness is not a synonym for
righteousness. Righteousness is primarily a
legal term, though it may be and is used to refer to one's
character, righteous character, righteous conduct. It primarily
refers to his deeds of righteousness, referring to his deeds as being
those which are right before the law, right, according to
the law, right, according to that which is right. For example,
Amaziah over in 1st 2nd Chronicles 25 was a King in Judah who did
that, which was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not with
a perfect heart. His conduct was such as it was
right for a man to behave as he did for the most part. So
that which he did for the most part was right according to the
law of Moses. That which is right before the
law, right in the eyes of the law, is righteousness. Holiness,
on the other hand, is used to describe a person's character. His character. Yet the word of
God makes it abundantly clear that none are righteous. None
are right before the law except Christ. And none are holy in
their character before God except Christ. We use the terms relatively
and they are used relatively at times in the scriptures. But
the teaching of scripture is very clear. There is none good
but one. He's God. There's none good but
one. He's God. There's no man who
does righteousness before the law except Christ. And there
is no one holy before God except Christ. That means if we have
righteousness before God, Christ is made of God unto us righteousness. How so? Now this blessed doctrine
of the gospel revealed in the scripture is delightful and necessary
for us to understand. The son of God came into this
world in human flesh for this purpose, to magnify the law and
make it honorable, bringing in everlasting righteousness, not
for himself, but for his people. Not for himself, but for his
elect. Not for himself, but for us,
his chosen people. He came here to do for us what
God requires of us that we could not do. This is God's requirement. Listen carefully. Walk before
me and be thou perfect. Merle Hart, God will never accept
the best you can do. He will never accept your good
intentions. He will never accept your best efforts. Well, well,
he's doing the best he can. I can accept that. You can accept
that. We ought to because that's all
we do. But not God. God says walk before me and be
thou perfect. It's written in the law. It must
be perfect to be accepted. The sacrifices brought to God
could have no blemish. No flaw, no disease. A man with a flat nose couldn't
serve God in a holy place. Couldn't happen. Had no flaw,
no imperfection. It must be perfect to be accepted. Whatever you bring to God, if
God accepts it, it must be perfect. That means if you bring yourself
to God and God accepts you, you must be perfect. Pastor we're
sinners. There's no perfection to us.
No none at all But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God
is made unto us righteousness Righteousness the Lord Jesus
did what none of us could do He walked before God all the
days of his humiliation in absolute perfection, totally obedient
to the will of God and the law of God in everything. This he
did for us to bring in everlasting righteousness. When he died upon
the cursed tree as our substitute, He met and fully satisfied every
demand of God's law and justice for his elect and made us by
his obedience unto death the righteousness of God. Just as
we were made sinners, turn over to Romans chapter five for a
moment. I want you to look at it. Romans chapter five. We were
made sinners by the disobedience of the first Adam. So we are
made righteous by the obedience of Christ the last Adam That
means every sinner for whom Jesus Christ lived and died and rose
again is right Righteous before the law look at Romans 5 12 Wherefore
as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and
so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Oh, thank God for his wisdom.
Thank God for the Adam fall. Thank God that he arranged that
we be made to live in a representative man in the garden. and that our
life depended on the obedience of that representative man in
the garden, and we were plunged into sin and death by that representative
man in the garden, that means there's hope that we might live
by a representative man. The angels who lost their first
estate fell each one individually, one by one, choosing himself
the path of disobedience and rebellion. And they're reserved
in chains of darkness with no mercy forever. But the fallen
race of man, fallen in Adam, Fallen and ruined by representative. Maybe, maybe, maybe there's hope
that God might be pleased to give us another representative.
Indeed, this man Adam was created by God as he was the representative
man to be a type, a similitude, a foreshadowing of another Adam. The Lord Jesus, who is wisdom,
who stood with God and was brought forth before God in eternity.
The last Adam to be revealed, but the first Adam in whose image
Adam in the garden was created. Read on. How do you know that?
For until the law, sin was in the world. But sin is not imputed
where there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from
Adam to Moses Even over them that had not sinned after the
submissive of Adam's transgression now watch this who is the figure? Who is the figure? He Adam stands
as the preeminent type We often say, this is the preeminent type.
Adam, by God's declaration, is the preeminent type of him that
was to come. Read on. He's the figure of him
that was to come. But not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God and the gift by
grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the free gift.
For the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift
is of many offenses under justification. For if by one man's disobedience,
death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance
of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus
Christ. Therefore, therefore. Now here's
Paul's conclusion to his argument. As by the offense of one, by
the offense of Adam, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. Adam represented the entire human
race. And all who are represented by
Adam died in Adam and are condemned in Adam. Even so, by the righteousness
of one, the free gift came upon all men under justification of
life. That obviously, Obviously to
any man who is not willfully ignorant Obviously to any man
who is not blinded with religious nonsense That obviously does
not mean that Jesus Christ was the representative of all men
and all men are justified by him You know that because many
were in hell before he ever got here. I What's he talking about
then? All who are represented by Him. All who are in Him, the covenant
head. All who are in Him, our surety. All who are one with Him from
everlasting. The free gift comes upon all
these men under justification of life. For as by one man's
disobedience, the many who were in him were made sinners, so
by the obedience of Christ, the many who are in him shall be
made righteous. Christ is made of God unto us
righteousness, and we are made the righteousness of God in him.
So that being wed to him, being wed to him, he gives us his name
as well as his nature. In the new birth, when he wins
our souls to him, he gives us his nature and he gives us his
name. His name is called Jehovah Sikhenu,
the Lord, our righteousness. And he names his church Jehovah
Sikhenu, the Lord, our righteousness. I know that we live in this modern
age and I'll stick my neck out a little bit, but I like it out
there pretty good. Didn't bother me much. A lot
of women won't take their husband's names. Any of you young ladies
that want me to marry you, don't you come to me and tell me I'm
taking my husband's name. Go get some fool to marry you. I
ain't going to do it. I ain't going to do it. Why? A wife identifies
herself with her husband and she takes it her honor to identify
herself with her husband. That's what a wife does. And
the picture we have for it is this. Jesus Christ is Jehovah
Sikinyu, the Lord, our righteousness and all that joy. He's married
to me and I take my fulfillment in him. My name is Jehovah Sikinyu,
the Lord, our righteousness, 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. When our Savior, our substitute,
our surety, obeyed God's law and paid our debt to divine justice,
we obeyed God's law in Him. We paid our debt in Him. When
He died, we died in Him. And when he was justified in
the spirit by his resurrection from the dead, we were justified
in him and raised up from the dead in him. That's the very
language of Holy Scripture. I am crucified with Christ. We are risen together with Christ,
seated with him in heavenly places, so that when Christ ascended
up into glory, yonder we are with him in heaven. Really and
truly one with him Christ is our righteousness in such a sure
way with such everlasting value and efficacy That being one with
him and redeemed by his blood We have his righteousness by
right and title as the purchase possession He obtained for us
when he obtained eternal redemption for us It is a righteousness
that can never be lost or even lessened to any degree. Of him
are ye in Christ Jesus, who God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness. Righteousness. Righteousness. Number three. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who God has made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification. The Lord God demands that we
walk before him and be perfect. He cannot and will not accept
less. And what God demands, God performs. What God requires, God gives. Christ is made of God unto us. Perfection in these three ways. First, perfection requires perfect
obedience. Christ did that. Perfection,
secondly, requires complete atonement or satisfaction. Christ made
that. And third, perfection requires
a perfect nature, a perfect nature. And Christ formed in us in regeneration. Christ formed in us in sanctification
is that perfect nature. Thus, by righteousness, satisfaction,
and sanctification, God makes his elect meet to be partakers
of the inheritance of the saints in light. My friend and brother,
David Coleman, sitting back there, listening with interest. You're not fit for God to look
at you or even spit in your direction. You understand that, don't you?
But in Christ. In Christ, that man right yonder. That man right yonder is righteous. He's perfect. He's sanctified
and he's given a new nature. Christ in you. which makes you
worthy of God's constant smile and approval. Can you get all that? If that
doesn't ring your bell, your clock is broke. We are meet to
be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light because
we're one with Christ. Of him are you in Christ? who
of God is made unto you, wisdom and righteousness and sanctification. Your being sanctified is no more
something you do than Christ being wisdom to you is something
you do. Your being sanctified no more
depends on you than Christ being your righteousness depends on
you. Christ is made of God unto us,
wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption. It doesn't matter What others
may say concerning this, as it is set forth in the book of God,
this sanctification is no more progressive work than righteousness
or redemption or the Savior's wisdom. Sanctification is accomplished
by God, the Holy Spirit, forming Christ in you. Forming Christ
in you, giving you a new nature, a holy nature. Christ in you
the hope of glory that new man created in righteousness and
true holiness That new man that's put in you by the Rex Bartley
said to me when we left this morning As he was leaving the
church building He said just came to me. He said so Depraved
is the nature of man by the fall of Adam That God doesn't repair
the old nature. He gives us a new nature. This old nature is not repaired.
No, no, this old nature is not sanctified. Never. But in the
new birth, God puts a new nature in his people. Apostle Paul speaks
of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord in
Hebrews 12, 14. Follow peace with all men and
holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. That holiness
is Christ. And, uh, second Corinthians chapter
seven, after the apostle speaks of the necessity of coming out
false religion, being not unequally yoked together with unbelievers
and worshiping God by faith in Christ Jesus, the Lord. And he
says now perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Was publicly
challenged once several years ago. I'd sure like to hear some
of you fellas preach on that sometime I said I have I'll send
you the message Perfecting holiness in the fear of God that's not
talking about now now God's got you started now you or if you
Work hard and pray hard and live good and keep the Sabbath day
and don't drink and smoke and cuss and quit beating your wife
and all that stuff. Then you perfect holiness and
say, ah, look at me. Ain't I holy? Ain't I something? Yeah, you're a pile of horse
manure. It's exactly right. That's exactly what God thinks
of your righteousness. It's exact. Paul said, I call
it dung. I call it dung. That's exactly what God thinks
of man's righteous deeds and man's imaginary righteousness
before him. But we perfect holiness in the
fear of God, believing on the son of God. Cause you have come
to the perfection of holiness when you come to Christ in faith. To the completion of holiness
in Christ Jesus the Lord being made one with him Let's see if
that's not what the book teaches 1st John chapter 3 1st John chapter
3 This new nature formed in us in the new birth Cannot sin and
does not sin because it's born of God 1st John 3 verse 1 Behold what manner of love the
father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the
sons of God Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew
him not Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be But we know that when he shall appear
we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Every man that
hath this hope in him purifies himself even as he is pure Whosoever
committed sin transgresseth also the law for sin is the transgression
of the law and you know That he was manifested to take away
our sins He was manifested to take away our sins now. What's
the next words and in him is no sin In him is no sin What
were the first words I read to you from 1 Corinthians chapter
1 verse 30? But of him are ye in Christ Jesus. What is this? You're in Christ. You're in Christ. Now, wherever
that is, Merle, there's no sin. And in him is no sin. In him
is no sin. Well, Brother Dodd, what does
that mean? You don't have to search very far to find out.
We don't. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not. Sinneth not. Folks say, well,
that means he doesn't habitually sin. Well, it certainly means
that, but that's not what it means in this text. Whosoever
sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Little children, let
no man deceive you. He that doeth righteousness is
righteous, even as he is righteous. He that commit a sin is of the
devil, for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this
purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil. Now John is not talking about two different people,
or two thousand different people, or two different races. He's
talking about one man. One man. A man who sins, that
old man Adam, that old nature that sinneth, all it does is
sin. That's of the devil. But that
which is born of God sinneth not. Let's see if that's not
what it says. This is clearly his doctrine.
Verse nine. Whosoever is born of God does not habitually practice
sin. I'll give you $50 for everybody
who's got a Bible that reads that way. These modern translations, you
go to the Bible bookstore and you want to find you a Bible
and you, and folks get all kinds, I meant every year they come
out with a new translation. Why? Well, we want the Bible
to be more easily understood. No, you don't want it to be understood.
That's the object. The object of the translations
is to somehow make the Word of God acceptable to folks who hate
God. To make the Word of God acceptable
to folks who will not bow to the plain revelation of God.
This is what the book says. And I don't care how you translate
it, the translation comes out this way. That whosoever is born
of God doth not commit sin. Period. It's not possible for
one born of God to sin. We don't. For his seed remaineth
in him, and he cannot sin. I think that's what I just said,
isn't it? It's not possible for him to sin. He cannot sin because
he's born of God. You see, the believer has these
two mutually opposing natures, flesh and spirit. Adam and Christ
that which is born of God and that which is of the devil God's
seed and Satan's if you will in him so that we at one time
are perfect in Christ Jesus and sinner still But we're no longer
in the flesh Turn to Romans chapter 8 Romans chapter 8. I hope you
can get this. I hope you can get this I never
will forget first time I realized what Paul saying here Romans
8 Brother Scott Richardson and I were preaching together years
ago down in Rocky Mount, Virginia and Scott got to this passage
in Romans chapter 8 and Camped here for a few minutes and I
thought my soul what insight Romans 8 verse 1 there is therefore
now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus Who walk
not after the flesh but after the Spirit? If you're in Christ,
you no longer live after the flesh you live after the Spirit
and You no longer live by the principles of flesh, but you
live by faith I live by the faith of the son of God who loved me
and gave himself for me Verse two for the law of the spirit
of life in Christ. Jesus have made me free from
the law of sin and death For what the law the law of moses
could not do in that. It was weak through the flesh
God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and
for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us, watch this, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the spirit, would live by faith in
Christ. For they that after the flesh
do mind the things of the flesh, but they that after the spirit
the things of the spirit. For to be carnally minded is
death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, because
the carnal mind is enmity against God. For it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are
in the flesh cannot please God. Some of you here are still in
the flesh. You still live with nothing in
you but Adam. And you can never please God. Your righteousnesses are filthy
rags. You lift your hands in prayer
and you lift polluted hands. You may as well pray to an idol.
You come to church and offer sacrifices to God. You might
as well sacrifice a hog and spill his blood on God's altar. Or
you might as well sacrifice a man. You're in the flesh. You can't
please God. Now watch this next word. Verse
nine, but ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit. So be that
the Spirit of God dwell in you Now if any man have not the Spirit
of Christ, he is none of his You're not in the flesh but in
the Spirit and Christ is made of God unto you sanctification
holiness fourth Of him are ye in Christ Jesus? Who of God is
made unto us? redemption There are three words
in the New Testament, three Greek words that are translated redeem
or redemption or something of that kind. The word that's here
translated redemption means complete deliverance by a ransom. Complete deliverance by a ransom. It doesn't refer merely. Believe
me, I use that word merely only in a comparative way. It doesn't
refer merely to our redemption by the blood of Christ at Calvary.
It refers to the complete deliverance of our souls from sin and death
and the curse of the law, from all that was incurred by our
foe and our father Adam. It is complete deliverance by
ransom. complete deliverance by virtue
of a sacrifice made and a ransom price paid and that's Christ
the Redeemer. He is made of God and to us complete
deliverance by the ransom price he paid at Calvary. Complete
deliverance so that Christ is our deliverance from
all the consequences of sin by the virtue and efficacy of his
blood. And we shall never suffer any
loss because of sin, because Christ is made of God and to
us redemption. These bodies, these bodies are
going to the dust. And that's right. That's right. These bodies that have been instruments
of sin and rebellion, this body that has been poison to me for
63 years has got to die. And that's good. But soon Christ
is coming again. And these bodies, the very dust
of our flesh, redeemed by his blood, these bodies shall come
forth out of the grave in the perfection of Christ himself,
raised up in the glory of God as Christ himself is raised in
the glory of God. For we're one with him. Of him
are you in Christ Jesus. who of God has made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according
as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. Amen.