When Adam disobeyed God, the scripture declares that by
one man's sin, or by man's one sin, one sin, He took a bite of a piece of
fruit and all mankind died spiritually
because of one bite, one bite. Now one man's disobedience, how likely we think of sin, don't
we? Man died spiritually. Now, spiritual death is a death
internal. It's a death of the will. Man does not have a free will. His will is dead. Dead. dead to God, not dead to sin,
but dead to God, dead to love toward God, dead to obedience,
dead for desire to approach God. Man's will, man's life is gone
spiritually. Because of spiritual death. Man will die physically. That's the reason we die. All men, save those, the Apostle
Paul says, that will be here during the time of the Lord Jesus'
second coming. Everybody's going to die. going
to die. So you've got a spiritual death
which is an internal death. People are physically alive,
walking around, thinking, but spiritually dead until God Almighty
quickens them, makes them alive, gives them a new nature. And
if a man or a woman dies with a only a spiritually dead heart,
no new heart, is going to die eternally. That second death,
that eternal death, under the judgment of God. See there's
a, men are born spiritually dead, and if they're left to themselves,
they're going to be cast out. from the presence of God, they're
going to be cast into the lake of fire, eternally, under the
judgment of God, the wrath of God, never, never to die, never
to die. Dead, never dying. The scripture says in verse 5
that we looked at Last time, even when we were dead in sins,
spiritually dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace, you're saved. Now, quickening, spiritual quickening. is the impartation of a new nature. There's a new man. I'll put a
new spirit. The Lord said in Ezekiel 36,
I'll put a new will, new mind. I'll give you a new heart. That
new heart that is imparted is holy. Holy. It is the life of Christ. when Christ, who is our life,
shall appear. That new nature does not sin. There is a new birth, born again,
regenerated, born from above. And all that Almighty God has
everlastingly loved, all that the Father has chosen in the
Lord Jesus Christ all that God has purposed to show mercy. He said, I will have mercy, I
will have compassion. On whom I will have compassion.
He's going to quicken. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me. He quickens them by His Spirit,
by His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God gives life. The Spirit of God who moves,
the Lord told Nicodemus, like the wind. It's mysterious. The
wind, He said, you see the effects, but you don't know where it came
from, you don't know where it's going. Even so, that's the way
the Spirit of God is. I don't know what's happening
tonight. But I can tell you this, I know
that based upon God's Word, that whatsoever the Lord has purposed
for His Word to accomplish tonight, I don't know. But I know this,
it's going to perform that which He's purposed it to do. It's
not going to return void, empty, vain unto Him. His word is quick,
alive, sharper, the scripture says, any two-edged sword. Even when we were dead in sins
hath quickened us together with Christ. And the scripture declares
that he hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ. Now, I know that Almighty God
has never looked upon his children in wrath. I know that. First, if you want to see that,
1 Thessalonians 5.9, 1 Thessalonians 5.9, the scripture declares this, for God hath not
appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord has never appointed
His people. He's never looked upon them in
wrath, purposed to show mercy. Though we were born dead in sins,
God Almighty God, long-suffering to us, were not willing that
any should perish. When we were dead, He quickened
us together with Christ and raised us up together. Now that raised
us up. There is a spiritual resurrection. Now when it says He raised us
up together, with Christ. That resurrection, that new birth,
is referred to in the scriptures as the first resurrection, just
as the Lord Jesus Christ was actually raised from the dead. Life was imparted And just as
he was actually raised from the dead, we shall be too. But there's
a resurrection that takes place before all of God's saints who
have died in the faith. Everybody's going to be raised
up. But for those that died in the faith, died in Christ, died
believing God, there's going to be an actual resurrection. They're going to come out of
that ground. They went in corruptible, corrupted. They're going to come
out incorruptible. They went in mortal, coming out
immortal. They're going to come out raised
in the glorious likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. They go see
Him as He is, be like Him. That's a resurrection that we
look forward to. But there's a resurrection that
has taken place in the life of every believer in the Lord Jesus
Christ and shall take place in the life of every one of God's
elect. There's going to be a raising up, a resurrection in what's
called regeneration. That's a spiritual resurrection. It's a spiritual resurrection
of life. from the death of sin and the
dominion of that sin. At one time they were separated
from God, alienated. No love, no care, no desire. And just like that thief on the
cross, I mean it's the most amazing passage of scripture. You read
it and one moment, Mitch, he's railing on the Lord. He's dying. It's a thief dying and doing
just exactly what his heart desired to do. Wailing on the Lord Jesus
Christ, his only hope. But he's dead. He's dead. He
doesn't see Him. He doesn't see Him as the Lord
of glory. But in an instant, the Scripture
bears out that his whole attitude, changed his tune. That's the
only way I can think of right now. Then he starts railing on
the other thief that was railing on the Lord. He said, don't you
fear God. We're getting exactly what we
deserve. This man's done nothing. Lord, Lord. He just admitted. I started working
today on what is it? You know, some questions I started
writing down on salvation. How do I know that I'm saved? And here was my first question.
Am I a sinner? Am I a sinner? This man, this
thief, said to the other one, he said, we're getting just exactly
what we deserve. We're thieves and whatever else
they were. We're thieves, we're getting
what we deserve. This man done nothing. Would you remember me? That man
was resurrected in life and regeneration. You had equipped and raised us
up together. That's what he's talking about.
Raised us up together. Spiritual resurrection. Spiritual
life. Before we couldn't see, couldn't
hear, couldn't speak, couldn't feel after him. Before everything
was about me, my efforts, my work, my abilities, my heart's
desires, things now are concerning Him, the Lord of glory. That same power, scripture we
looked at it, said raised the Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. raises us an object of God's
mercy in regeneration. Raised us up together to know
Him, to hear His voice. Now this is, if you want to know,
we've used that scripture, set forth that scripture so many
times. My sheep hear my voice. Now listen, you're hearing, you're
hearing with this ear, My voice. You're hearing with this ear.
But a believer hears His voice in that new heart. That's the
voice of the Master. God's been pleased through the
foolishness of preaching. This is how God speaks to His
people. Speaks to the hearts of His people
through the Gospel. Through preaching. Preaching. The world calls it foolishness.
Paul says, but to we that believe. This is the power of God right
here. My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. He is the Lord that has raised
us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus. Totally. And here, great mystery. Totally according to our union
with Him. Brother Scott, you say where
the Lord put us, that's where He kept us. I can tell you this
based on Scripture. The Scripture declares back in
Ephesians chapter 1, Verse 4, according as He had chosen us
in Him, before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy without blame, before Him in love. From before the foundation of
the world, we were put in the Lord Jesus Christ. And we've
never been taken out, Chuck. Chosen in Him, found in Him, fell in Adam. Now you start thinking
this through, and you think about the mystery, the mysteriousness
of salvation. Men talk about salvation as though
it's just nothing to it. Walk down an aisle,
make a few statements, repeated prayer, oh, the mystery of salvation. Chosen in Christ, made to sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I can tell you
this, God who never changes, put in him, kept in him, came into this world, born of
a virgin, and we were in him. He walked this earth in absolute
obedience to his father, submitting himself to his parents, his mother
and Joseph. Absolutely obeying God and we
were in Him. He went to the cross. The Apostle
Paul says, I was crucified with Him. Paul wouldn't have known
that outside of the revelation of the Spirit of God. How would
he have known that? I was crucified with Him. All
of God's sheep were crucified with Him. When He went in that
grave, we were in Him. When He came out, He was raised
for or because of our eternal justification. That God who had
chosen us from before the foundation of the world that we should be
holy and without blame before Him in love, He came out of that
grave accepted of the Father. The Father accepted that which
He had done. Satisfied. Justice satisfied. The law honored. Debt put away. Raised Him from the dead. He ascended into heaven. And
we're in Him. Look at Romans 8. You've read
this before. Romans chapter 8, verse 30. Romans 8.30. Marvelous passage
of Scripture. Now let's read Romans 8.29.30.
For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be
conformed to the image of Son that He might be the firstborn
among many brethren." Now you listen to the wording. Everything
here is what has already happened. It's all written in the past
tense. Moreover, whom He did predestinate. Them he also called, and I want
to remind you that that word called right there does not mean
what we would refer to as effectual calling. He does, the Spirit
of God does call us effectually. No doubt about that. But this
word called right here is named. This is what He called them.
He named them. That's what the word means. Moreover,
whom He did predestinate, them He also called or named. And
whom He called, them He also justified. And whom He justified,
them He also glorified. Seated with Christ. Back in Ephesians chapter 2. has raised us up together and
made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why? Why? Well, we can truthfully say because
it pleased Him. But here, here's what Scripture
says, that in the ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches
of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. The riches of His grace is going
to be shown in the salvation of His people. He has done that
which He has done because it pleased Him to do so, to magnify
the riches of His grace. Brother Henry said this concerning
that when he says that in the ages to come, he might show the
exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through
Christ. We're witnessing it, obviously,
right now. There's no doubt about it. Brother
Henry said this, not just in this lifetime, but throughout
eternity. I think eternally, eternally. The exceeding riches of His grace
will never cease to be shown. I can't even say new every day.
It won't be a day. Eternity. Never. That in the ages to come, He
might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness
toward us. through Christ Jesus. Brother
Henry says, not in this lifetime, not only, but throughout eternity,
we shall be displayed as the trophies of God's wonderful grace. All of the elect, elect angels
and elect men, will forever praise the Lord for His mercy and kindness
toward us in Christ. Look at Revelation chapter 5.
Revelation 5, verse 9 to 14. This particular passage of Scripture has always been exceedingly amazing
to me. Because John the Apostle is witnessing
what shall be. What is and what shall be in
heaven. But the thing that has always
intrigued me, amazed me, captured my attention is what is being
said concerning what these glorified saints remember. What they remember. They remember something that
happened on the earth. Now listen to this. Revelation 5-9, And they sung
a new song, saying, Thou art worthy, to take the book, to
open the seals thereof, for thou wast slain. Now think about what
they're saying. For thou wast slain, and hast
redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue,
and people, and nation, and hast made us unto God kings and priests,
and we shall reign on the earth And I beheld and heard the voice
of many angels round about the throne, and the beast, and the
elders, and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,
and thousands and thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy
is the Lamb. that was slain, to receive power,
and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.
And every creature which is in heaven, on the earth, under the
earth, such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard
I saying, blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto
him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and
ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. The four and twenty elders
fell down and worshipped Him that liveth forever and ever. They said, You were slain. You
redeemed us out of every nation, people, tribe, and tongue. There's
a blessed and glorious remembrance and Almighty God has been pleased to raise us up in regenerating
grace and make us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
that eternally He might show the exceeding riches of His glorious
grace. And here is the blessed conclusion. of that which He has done for
us, verses 8 and 9. For by grace are you saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works,
lest any man should boast. Grace. Grace. Grace is that which proceeds
totally, completely, perfectly from God Almighty with no work
on man's part. Grace. No works. No works. By the free grace, free favor
of God. God Almighty, the Father, chose
us. Cut out of the same lump. Dug
out of the same slough of despond. Out of the same pit. No difference. And God chose
to show mercy. and compassion to whomsoever
he would. And the Lord Jesus Christ, by
grace, totally found in his own will and purpose, according to
that everlasting covenant, and he laid down his life, made sin
for his elect. laid down his life for the sheep. And the Spirit of God shall surely
regenerate all that the Father has given the Son. They're going
to come to Him. And the reason is that in the
ages to come, He might show the exceeding riches of His grace. For by grace, Are you rescued? Saved. You're rescued. Through faith, that is, God's
grace is known. It's known one way. By faith. That's the only way
it's known. For by grace are you saved and
it is perceived by faith. Grace is saved through faith.
And that, the salvation or the faith, is not of yourselves. It's given unto you to believe.
It is the gift of God. God's gift. He gives faith that
we might know that salvation is by grace. That's the only
way you know it. And I'm telling you everybody,
Mike, that God gives faith to knows that it is by grace. They know that it is not of works. Not of works. Not man's product. Gift of God. God must and God
does give faith. in the recognition of His grace
to His people. Because if faith originated from
us, number one, it wouldn't be by grace. Wouldn't be by grace. It would have been by the work
that we produced. If faith originated with us,
it doesn't. When God Almighty, Brother Henry
said one time, somebody asked him, what comes first? Life or
faith? Light or faith? He said, you
can't separate them. And I separate them. Not of works,
because we boast in it. saved by the grace of God. And
I love that. I love that. What a sound of
mercy. Lord, have mercy on us this evening
for Christ's sake.