Thank you. Let us commence our service this
evening by singing together hymn number 1103. The tune is Astley
Park, 705. O thou that hearest the prayer
of faith, wilt thou not save a soul from death that casts
itself on thee? I have no refuge of my own, but
fly to what the Lord has done and suffered once for me. Him 1103. The world is a plain old plain,
Where no more chambers are opened, And no saints shall hold thee. I am the refuge of thy earth,
of thy dew, of thy wood, my star, and sun that once called me. Strayed in the field, he did
not stay. His own bed I took, and I weep, and with the wailing
blood. His righteousness my root shall
keep, His word shall often call me, And bring me near to God. Then set me from eternal death,
O Spirit of the Lord. I come to thee, I come to thee, shall
say. I am some bird of life impart,
Earth-sweeping vision to my heart, Thy maker is my friend. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in Paul's epistle to the Romans, in chapter 3. The third chapter of the epistle
to the Romans. What advantage then hath the
Jew? Or what profit is there of circumcision? much every way, chiefly because
that unto them was committed the oracles of God. For what
if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? God forbid. Yea, let God be true,
but every man a liar, as it is written, that thou mightest be
justified in thy sayings. and mightiest overcome when thou
art judged. But if our unrighteousness commend
the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous
who taketh vengeance? I speak as a man. God forbid. For then how shall God judge
the world? For if the truth of God hath
more abounded through my lie unto his glory, Why yet am I
also judged as a sinner? And not rather, as we be slanderously
reported, and as some affirm that we say, that let us do evil
that good may come, whose damnation is just. What then? Are we better than they? No,
in no wise, for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles
that they are all under sin. As it is written, there is none
righteous. No, not one. There is none that understandeth.
There is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of
the way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good.
No, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher. With their tongues they have
used deceit. The poison of Asp is under their lips. whose mouth
is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed
blood, destruction and misery in their ways. The way of peace
have they not known. There is no fear of God before
their eyes. Now we know that what things
soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law,
that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become
guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the
law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight, for by the law
is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and
the prophets. even the righteousness of God,
which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that
believe. For there is no difference. For
all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified
freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus, whom God has set forth to be appropriation through faith
in his blood. to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance
of God. To declare, I say, at this time
his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of
him that believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is
excluded. By what law of works? Nay, but
by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a
man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the
God of the Jews only? Is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also. Seen it is one God which shall
justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through
faith. Do we then make void the law
through faith? God forbid. Yea, we establish
the law. May the Lord bless that reading
of his own precious word. Grant unto us a spirit of real
prayer. Gracious, merciful and eternal
God, For we do desire to bow before thy great majesty, to
call upon thy great and holy name. We come as poor sinners
before thee. We come, O Lord, to confess our
sins and our wanderings and our backslidings. We echo in our
very souls the language of the dear apostle, that which I would
I do not, and that which I would not I do. I find a law within
my members that when I would do good, then evil is present
with me. And we come before Thee, O Lord,
in confession of a sinful nature, a corrupt nature, deceitful above
all things and desperately wicked. We come, most gracious Lord,
to seek unto Thee for the remedy. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son, cleanseth us from all sin. May we know the living power
of that precious blood in our hearts tonight to cleanse us
from all our sin. May we be clothed upon by faith
in that glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of
Jesus Christ. May it please thee to guide us,
O thou great Jehovah, pilgrims in this barren land. We are weak
but thou art mighty. Hold us with thy powerful hand. We pray that the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred
fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us as
we gather together tonight around thy Thou hast instructed us in
the word that as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they
are the sons of God. But we pray that we may so know
thy divine leading tonight, that we may have the witness of thy
Spirit, of our Spirit, that we are the children of God. We are
joint heirs with Christ. Come and breathe into our hearts
most blessed Spirit, that spirit of adoption whereby we may cry,
Abba, Father. May we know those divine drawings
of our eternal Father. None come except the Father draw. Oh, to know those sweet drawings
as we gather round thy word at this evening hour. And may it
please thee that the Lord Jesus may come and stand in our midst
and that we may behold His glory, the glory as of the only begotten
of the Father, full of grace and truth, that we may be favoured
to touch the hem of His garment and draw from that sacred fullness
that is in Him, that precious virtue that is in Him, the virtue
of His precious blood, the virtue of His glorious righteousness,
O that we might lay hold of these things. as we gather together
around thy word. For without thee, O Lord, we
can do nothing, and we have nothing, and we are nothing. We can say
with one, nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross
I cling. Foul I to the fountain fly. Wash me, Saviour, or I die. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember us as a church and as a congregation,
and that thou would graciously guide and direct us, feed our
souls with that living bread that cometh down from heaven,
come and spread the gospel table, a feast of fat things, of wine
on the lees well refined, oh, that we could taste and handle
and feel of the good word of life, as we gather together around
thy word, that it may be with us as the apostle could testify,
for our gospel came unto you not in word only, but in power,
in the Holy Ghost, and with much assurance. Lord, may it be so
this evening hour. May those in bondage be brought
into liberty, May those in darkness be brought into light. May those
that are far off be made nigh. May grace, triumphant reign,
and Christ's exalted being, and sinners deserve an endless pain,
thy great salvation's sin. Lord, we pray for any of thy
children that may feel to be in darkness and bondage, or that
thou wouldst come and deliver them this night. For where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. O, do deliver us
from that bondage of the flesh, that bondage of sin, of Satan,
that bondage of the law. Do be gracious unto us, do have
mercy upon us, O Lord, we do beseech thee. And graciously
reveal thyself unto us. Become like the dear Apostle
of old, that I may know him, in the power and Lord that's
it we need to know the power the power of the gospel the power
of the truth all that we could know it here tonight as we gather
together may we not rest in the letter for the letter killeth
the spirit make it alive oh be gracious and grant that living
witness of thy spirit with our spirits that we are the children
of God and joint heirs with Christ. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember those that are away from us at this
time. Grant them a time of rest and change and that they may
be brought home in peace and in safety at the appointed time. And, O Lord God, we do pray for
each and every one among us. our brethren the deacons, all
that grace and wisdom and help may be given in all their responsibilities
both here and among the churches. Do be gracious and bless them
and bless us together. May we be labourers together.
We do humbly beseech of thee. Remember each one of our brethren
and sisters in church fellowship O that thy blessing and thy favour
may rest upon us and that we may grow in grace and in the
knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Increase our faith,
increase our love, help us to pray for one another, help us
to serve one another, help us to bear one another's burdens,
thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. We do humbly beseech
thee. Oh, we do pray that thou wouldst
grant us these rich blessings. We think of thy words, Lord Jesus. By this shall they know that
ye are my disciples, that because ye have love one to another. Lord, increase that love. And we pray for that grace to
be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for
Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. Oh, for that grace, to walk
as we ought to walk, to talk as we ought to talk, do hear
us. We humbly beseech thee for thy
great name's sake. We pray, most gracious God, that
thou wouldst graciously pour forth thy Spirit in our assemblies
Remember the little ones and the children as they're brought
into the sanctuary. Remember them for good. Remember
them with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people. Remember,
Lord, that precious promise, instead of thy fathers shall
be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. Do remember all of the dear children. Remember the prodigals that have
wandered away, Stretch out thy almighty arm. Cause them to return. There's nothing too hard for
thee. Nothing is beyond thy power.
O most gracious God, we pray that we may see thy power and
thy glory as thou usest to be in the sanctuary, and that the
strongholds of Satan may be pulled down, and the kingdom of our
Lord Jesus may be set up in the hearts of sinners, that we may
see a rebel made a child. Lord, there's nothing too hard
for thee. Indeed, O Lord, thou art able
to do abundantly more than we can even ask or think. Those
that are ensnared, or we think of that sweet promise, he will
deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisome
pestilence. Lord, there's nothing too hard
for thee. I am the Lord, the God of all
flesh. Is there anything too hard for
me? Lord, we know it is so. Nothing
is too hard for thee. Thou art God over all and blessed
forevermore. Stretch out thy almighty arm.
We do humbly beseech of thee. We pray thy blessing upon parents
that grace and wisdom and help may be given to them in all their
responsibilities, that the family altar may be raised, and that
the word of God read and prayer made in the family, that there
may be that sanctifying effect, we do humbly pray. Oh, we pray
most gracious Lord that there was graciously help us to follow
Thee, and to serve Thee, and to live unto Thee, and to be
surrendered unto the Crucified One. Lord, we pray that Thou,
in Thy great mercy, would remember those of us in
the evening time of life's journey, that Thou knowest, Lord, our
needs, And we pray that as the outward man perishes, the inward
man may be renewed day by day, that we may be made more spiritually
minded, that our heart and our affections may be set upon things
above. Draw my heart to Thee, my Lord,
let me love Thy precious Word. May Thy Word be a lamp unto our
feet and a light unto our path. that we may be guided safely
unto thy heavenly kingdom. And thou hast promised in thy
word that thou wilt guide us with thine eye, and afterward
receive us unto glory. We plead those precious promises. Any and any trouble, or trial,
or perplexity, or sorrow, or sadness, or bereavement, we pray
for thy divine support, blessing, and help, we think of those lovely
words, I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you. Come to us here even at this
evening hour, and help us to come to thee, and help us to
look to thee, Lord Jesus. We do humbly beseech thee. And
we pray that thou would remember this village, and the surrounding
villages and hamlets, and the light and glory and power of
the gospel may shine forth. Precious souls may be gathered
unto thee. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly
beseech thee. May we see an ingathering. May
we see a building of the walls of Jerusalem. We think of the
ancient promises to thy church. I will bring thy sons from far.
and thy daughters from the ends of the earth, and they shall
come from the north and from the south and from the east and
from the west. Gracious God, let us see thy
children come. Let us see thy work and thy power
and thy glory. We do humbly beseech thee in
the gospel. Bless all thy servants as they
labour in word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion. set them free
and at liberty grant that thou the great lord of the harvest
would send true labourers into the harvest and that we may see
the settlement of pastors to hear us we humbly beseech of
thee for thy great name's sake that we pray most gracious lord
that thou was remember thy zion and thy people remember our own
little group of churches but a part of thy Zion come again
blow with the wind of the Spirit that there may be a turning unto
thee that instead of a pulling down there may be a building
up instead of the closing of chapels there may be an opening
of chapels a godly increase signs to follow the preaching of the
word. Oh, do hear us, Lord, we humbly pray thee, grant that
the Lord Jesus Christ may be exalted as a prince and as a
saviour, for to give faith and repentance and remission of sins. Do hear us, gracious God, that
we pray, most gracious Lord, for truly thankful hearts, thankful
for the house of prayer, Thankful for the open Bible. We thank
thee for the word of truth. This is the word by which the
gospel is preached unto you. But above all, O Lord, we're
thankful for Jesus Christ, the incarnation of the Son of God,
the eternal word made flesh and dwelling among us. Oh, we do
thank thee for thy wonderful mercy. in our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee that he is made
unto us the altogether lovely one, the chiefest among ten thousand,
the very centre, sum and substance of all our hopes and all our
desires. We thank thee that he was made
of a woman made under the law, that he might redeem them that
are under the law, Oh, we thank Thee that in that holy life He
fulfilled and honoured and magnified the law on the behalf of His
people. Oh, we do thank Thee for that
everlasting righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ. We do
thank Thee for the cross of Calvary, for the Lamb once slain. We thank
Thee that He took our sins and nailed them to His cross. and
he died for our sins and rose again for our justification.
Oh, we thank thee for the glories of Christ. We thank thee that
he is now bodily ascended into heaven and sitteth at thy right
hand and his he instead of me is seen when I approach to God.
Gracious God, what a fullness there is. in our Lord Jesus Christ,
a fullness of grace, a fullness of love, a fullness of mercy. We thank thee that through him
we know the love of our eternal Father, and through him we receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. Be with us as we turn to thy
word. Come and open thy word to our
heart and to our understanding. that we may delve into the deep
that couches beneath in thy word. We do humbly beseech of thee. Come and touch one's lips with
a live coal from off the heavenly altar. We ask for Jesus Christ's
sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 805 to the tune Kensington 166. I'll read the first two verses,
we're commencing in at verse three. Of all the creatures God
has made, there is but man alone that stands in need to be arrayed
in coverings not his own. By nature bears and bulls and
swine, with fowls of every wing, are much more warm, more safe,
more fine, than man their fallen king, him 805, commencing in
at verse 3. God help me cross the bridge.
? Lord of all the earth ? ? Hark
the herald angels sing ? ? Glory to the newborn King! ? ? Bless ye the old spouse and son
of man ? ? Give hope to every one of them ? ? We promise love forever more
? Which from our own excellence
Did not in vain Awake in God the Lamb. O'er the ramparts we watched,
were so gallantly streaming? And the rocket's red glare, the
bombs bursting in air, with you, till gorgeousness will O say can you see, by the dawn's
early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last
gleaming? ? His truth abound ? ? O come to
me ? ? And rise ? ? For the answer mine ? ? Give promise of faith ? ? I'm not here ? ? But if I may
go down ? ? I see a man ? ? With weary straight eyes ? ? And the home of the brave ? ?
Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice ? ? Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice ? greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help I would direct your attention to Romans chapter
3 and read in verses 21 and 22 for our text Romans chapter 3
verses 21 and 22 but now the righteousness of God without
the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and
the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe, for there
is no difference. How vital is this precious point
upon all them that believe. This is not just a believing
in the head, not just a believing intellectually, there are many
that have that, and they don't appear to have anything more
than that, but this believing is something that is wrought
out in the heart by God the Holy Ghost. and it lays hold of Christ. Faith, that's what it is to believe,
it's to have faith. We read in Hebrews that without
faith it is impossible to please God, for he that cometh unto
God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of
them that diligently seek him. What a great gift faith is. Ephesians
chapter 2, the Apostle Paul, he says, faith is the gift of
God. It's a precious gift, a divine
gift, given by God, wrought in the heart. The old Puritans used
to say, he works faith in the heart. It's a divine work of
the Holy Ghost. It's a precious grace of the
Holy Ghost. To be a believer, a believer in Jesus Christ, a
believer in God, a believer in His holiness, in His righteousness. What a wonderful thing to be
a believer, a true believer in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We read in the words of Holy
Scripture, I'm looking now at the third
chapter in the Gospel according to John, and what John speaks,
verse 30, he must increase but I must decrease, that is Christ
must increase and that he must decrease. He that cometh from
above, that is Christ, is above all He that is of the earth is
earthy, and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is
above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth,
and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony
hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God hath
sent speaketh the words of God. For God giveth not the Spirit
by measure unto him, The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son
hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. It's only, my beloved friends,
as we are given that true faith in the only true God, In Jesus
Christ, His only Son, our Lord, it's only as we're given that
faith in Him. By faith in Him, the soul receives
new life, though dead before. Faith in Christ. How vital. The hymn writers, what a gift
it is. This precious faith. The great
thing with you and I tonight is do you have faith? Real faith,
true faith. Faith that is of, as the apostle
or the Holy Spirit in the epistle to the Colossians, he says, faith
which is of the operation of God. A God-given faith, wrought
in the heart by the Holy Ghost. Faith in Christ. in hebrews chapter
11 the dear apostle he goes right the way through those faithful
in the old testament and uh he speaks there of the
spirit of faith these all died in faith not having received
the promises what a precious thing to die in faith You see, my beloved friends,
if we do not die in faith, we die without hope. We die without
mercy. We die without grace. We die
under the frown of the eternal God. Why? Because we have sinned. In the
previous part of this chapter, as we read it together, he speaks
there of man, that's you and me by nature. of what we are
by nature. And he quotes from the book of
Psalms. Verse 10, there is none righteous,
no not one, there is none that understandeth, there is none
that seeketh after God, they are all gone out of the way,
they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doeth good,
no not one. That's you and I by nature. It doesn't matter how you clothe
yourself up and how you make you look yourself outwardly speaking
but we're born in sin. We're shapen in iniquity. We
are all as an unclean thing. We go forth from the womb speaking
lies and hypocrisy. And he speaks here you see by
nature as we're born into this world were under the law. The law was made for man. There's some confusion on this
issue in some places, friends. Some will tell you that the law
has been totally abrogated and nobody has anything to do with
it. My dear beloved friends, I would remind you of the words
of our Lord Jesus Christ. I come not to destroy the law,
but to fulfil it. That's exactly what he has done.
He's fulfilled it on the behalf of his people. He's fulfilled
it on the behalf of his people. He lived a life that was pure,
that was holy. He did no sin, neither was guile
found in his mouth. This is the righteousness of
God that is in our text. It's the righteousness of Jesus
Christ. As the Apostle says here, there's
none righteous no not one and he speaks here of the law now
we know verse 19 now we know that what things soever the law
saith it saith to them who are under the law and by nature we're
all under the law until we come to christ until we're brought
into union with the lamb Christ has delivered us from the curse
of the law that every mouth may be stopped
and all the world may become guilty before God therefore what
a conclusion is therefore by the deeds of the law there shall
no flesh be justified in his sight for by the law is the knowledge
of sin that's what it's given for to give the knowledge of
sin sin my beloved friends we're born in it and therefore by our
very nature we come under the curse of the law the curse of
the law curse it is every man that doeth not all things that
is written in the book of the law to do them doesn't the dear
apostle in the epistle to the Galatians he opens up these solemn
things to us. My mind in particular just goes
to Galatians 3 verse 22. But the scripture hath concluded
all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might
be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were
kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterward
be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Christ. Just notice to bring us is in
italics which means it was not in the original Greek. The law was our schoolmaster
unto Christ. unto Christ, that we might be
justified by faith. But after that faith is come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For you're all the children of
God by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many as you have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew
nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male
nor female, for you're all one in Christ Jesus and if you be
Christ then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the
promise. You know you think of what the
dear apostle says at the beginning of chapter three, O foolish Ganesans
who have bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before
whose eyes jesus christ has been evidently set forth crucified
among you this only would i learn of you received you the spirit
that's the holy ghost by the works of the law or by the hearing
of faith are you so foolish haven't begun in the spirit are you now
made perfect by the flesh that was the teaching that was going
on in the church at galatia there were false teachers that had
entered in, and they were trying to bring the believers back under
the law. And the teaching, very subtly,
went in this way, that now you're a believer in Jesus Christ and
a follower of Jesus Christ, you're able to fulfill the law, and
you can add on to the righteousness of Christ. You know, the apostles
saw immediately what a terrible error this was. And he calls
them, O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you? Are ye so
foolish, having begun in the Spirit? Are ye now made perfect
by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things
in vain, if it be yet in vain? He therefore that ministereth
to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he
it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Even
as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness,
know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same, are the
children of Abraham. And the scripture foreseeing
that God would justify the heathen through faith preached before
the gospel unto Abraham saying in thee shall all nations be
blessed. All nations, not just the Jews.
This is the point that he's making. It's the point that he makes
in the Romans too. That the blessing of God through
Jesus Christ was on the whole world. God so loved the world
He sent his only begotten son. The great emphasis is, it's no
longer confined just to the Jewish nation. It's the whole world. Every nation, kindred, tongue,
and tribe, and people, the Lord has his people, and he will call
them by divine grace. In thee shall all nations be
blessed, so then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful
Abraham. And look at the distinction,
he says, for as many as are of the works of the law are under
the curse. For it is written, Cursed is
everyone that continueth not in all things written, which
are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man
is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident.
For the just shall live by faith, and the law is not of faith,
but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed
us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. For
it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested. That word manifested means revealed. The righteousness of God without
the law is revealed, is manifested. Being witnessed by the law and
the prophets and what he means by that if you go back through
the Old Testament in the law and the prophets it prophesies
of the coming of Christ. You think of that lovely word
in Jeremiah chapter 23. The Lord Our Righteousness, capital
letters. Jehovah said can you? The Lord
Our Righteousness, that's Christ. He becomes our righteousness. The point that the apostles labor
in here and in the Galatians, he does it also in the Corinthians,
is that there is not a righteousness to be had under the law and by
the works of the law. We all have sinned. We're all
under the curse. We need a righteousness that
is out of ourselves. We need a righteousness which
is by faith. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, that's Christ. It's the righteousness
of Christ being witnessed by the law and the prophets. You
see, even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is
no difference. Whether you're Jew or whether
you're Greek, under the law, you're under its curse. For all
have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Every one of
us. And the only place of salvation,
and the only place of redemption, and the only place where you'll
find a righteousness acceptable to God is in Jesus Christ, the
eternal son, of the Eternal Father that was manifest in the flesh.
And that's a vital point, my beloved friends, that the Apostle
makes in Galatians chapter 4, speaking of our Lord Jesus Christ,
he says, made of a woman, made under the law, that he might
redeem them that are under the law. What does he mean when he
says made of a woman, made under the law? The Son of God became
a man. He was made of a woman. The Holy
Ghost overshadowed the womb of the Virgin Mary. And the Lord
said, that holy thing that shall be born of thee, that seed that
was placed in the womb of the Virgin, her own seed without
sin, sanctified by the Holy Ghost. The Virgin birth is absolutely
vital. He wasn't born by a natural generation. It was a supernatural generation. When the Holy Ghost overshadowed
the womb of the Virgin, Mary said to the angel, how can this
thing be, seeing I know not a man? How can I be with child, seeing
I know not a man? And then the Holy Spirit He opens
to her. He opens her understanding. The
angel of the Lord said, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee. The
power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore that holy thing
which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. You see, he was holy in his conception. He was holy in his life. He was
under the law. That's The Bible is clear, the
law was made for man. So when the son of God became
a man, he came under the law, under its jurisdiction. The eternal
son of the eternal father, the giver of the law, he was made
under it. What matchless condescension,
isn't it? Made of a woman. Became bone
of our bone and flesh of our flesh, and thereby made under
the law. and he lived a life that was
absolutely perfectly consistent with that law. I've often pointed
out to you the way the Lord Jesus Christ encapsulates the law of
God into a very short compass. Thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and thy neighbour
as thyself. That is exactly what Jesus did. He went about doing good, full
of love, full of kindness, full of compassion. How many times
we read in the word that Jesus having compassion on the multitude. In so doing, he was fulfilling
the law in all its commands and demands, perfectly, completely. He loved the Lord his God with
all his heart and with all his soul. and his neighbor as himself. And in living a life for 33 years
like that, he did no sin. Sin is any transgression of the
law of God. He did no sin. He never transgressed
God's holy law. In his active or passive obedience,
he fulfilled it. He honored it. I come not to
destroy the law, but to fulfil it. That my beloved friends is
what Jesus has done for his people. He's fulfilled the law, he's
honoured the law, he's magnified the law and the believer by faith
receives that glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of
Jesus Christ. You know there There is a, the
spirit of faith comes in degrees. Some have a lesser faith or a
greater faith. There are degrees of faith, that's
the point I'm trying to make. Christ said to some of his, didn't
he, O ye of little faith. There are those that have a greater
faith. Faith in Christ, faith in his finished work. faith in
what he has done but there are degrees of faith there are not
degrees of justification justification is a divine act of God whereby
a poor guilty sinner believing in Jesus Christ is justified justified come back to what I've
often quoted dear Mr Wood just as if I had not sinned justified
by faith it's an immediate act of God when a sinner is justified
by faith in Jesus Christ even the righteousness of God which
is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe
for there is no difference all have sinned and come short of
the glory of God and this faith in Jesus Christ the sinner being
justified declared innocent their sins and their iniquities
will I remember no more no more I've cast their sins into the
depths of the sea, never to be seen again. That's what justification
is. I should never forget reading some
time ago now, Thomas Goodwin, The Purity, and he was speaking
of that lovely text in Hebrews, as it is appointed unto man once
to die, so after death the judgment. It goes on to speak, doesn't
it? After death, the judgment. And it says, so Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin. He took their sin. Their sin was laid upon him by
the Eternal Father. And Goodwin, when he speaks of
this without seeing he said there is your justification child of
God when Christ comes again the sin is gone is cast into the
depths of the sea as far as the east is from the west so far
have I removed thy sins from thee oh Israel that is what it
is to be justified your sins removed This is what this precious
doctrine of the gospel is set before us here. But now the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and
the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is
no difference. You see being justified freely
by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom
God has set forth to be a propitiation. The word propitiation actually
means the wrath-ending sacrifice of Calvary. Yes, put away sin,
the wrath-ending sacrifice of Calvary to be a propitiation. to satisfy all the demands of
divine justice. That's what Christ has done for
his people, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through
faith in his blood, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanseth
us from all sin. Oh, that precious blood of Christ
is of infinite power. The apostle Peter, he says, for
as much as you are not redeemed with corruptible things such
as silver and gold, no, but with the precious blood of Christ
as of Lamb slain from before the foundations of the world,
whom God has set forth to be appropriation through faith in
his blood to declare his righteousness. What an emphasis there is here
in these two verses of the precious righteousness of Christ. that
perfect obedience of Christ when he lived as a man here on earth.
Of course Christ as the eternal son of God has that perfect righteousness
of God but this is not what is being referred to. What is being
referred to here is the perfect obedience of Christ to the law
when he was here as a man on earth and made under the law
he lived perfectly according to every precept of the law.
every commandment of the Lord. He did no sin, not in thought,
nor in word, nor in deed. It was a perfect obedience. The wonder of wonders is that
that perfect obedience of Christ is given or imputed to the believer. It is imputed to the believer. If you look at the end of chapter
4, And it speaks there of Abraham. And we read in verse 18, who
against hope believed in hope that he might become the father
of many nations according to that which was spoken. So shall
thy seed be. And being not weak in faith,
he considered not his own body now dead. When he was about 100
years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb, he staggered
not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith,
giving glory to God, and being fully persuaded that what he
had promised he was able also to perform, and therefore it
was imputed to him, that was his faith, it was imputed to
him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his
sake alone that it was imputed to him, but for us also to whom
it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus,
our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for our offences and
raised again for our justification. Wonderful truth, raised again
for our justification. The evidence that sin has been
put away, that divine justice has been satisfied, that the
sin of the church has been dealt with, the evidence, a risen saviour. He has risen from the dead. Why?
Because He's atoned for the sins of His people. Not one remains. Not one sin remains of His Blessed
Bride, the Church. He has redeemed her. He has paid
the redemption price. She is free. She is delivered. She is delivered. If the Son
shall make you free, then ye shall be free indeed. Free indeed. being justified freely by his
grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom
God has set forth to be appropriation through faith in his blood to
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that have
passed through the forbearance of God, that means through the
grace of God, through the merciful forbearance and kindness of God
to declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might
be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus
what a precious thing to believe in Jesus you know it's lovely
there at the beginning of chapter five therefore being justified
by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein
we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. It goes on in verse five and
hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us For when
we yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly,
what wonderful grace! For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Saved. The apostle, he says,
there is salvation in none other but in Jesus Christ our Lord.
That's where salvation is. That's where redemption is. That's
where peace is. That's where pardon is. That's
where reconciliation is. You know, the dear apostle, he
speaks of this this gospel of reconciliation in the second
epistle to the Corinthians and in that second epistle to the
Corinthians he speaks there in chapter 5 concerning this gospel
of reconciliation and if we look at 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse
14 for the love of Christ constraineth us What a powerful, constraining
influence the love of Christ is. When the love of Christ is
shed abroad in your heart, you're willing to go anywhere to do
anything. When His love is shed abroad
in your heart, for the love of Christ constraineth us. Because
we judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead. And
that He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves. Notice that, my beloved friends.
We should not be living unto ourselves. No, but we should be living unto
Christ. Unto Christ. You see, he says
in verse 17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ. and hath given
to us the ministry of reconciliation, to wit that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ. As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to for
we have made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might
be made the righteousness of God in him in him we are made
the righteousness of God in him that's why the dear apostle says
in the Philippians that I might be found in him not having my
own righteousness which is of the Lord but that which is by
faith of the Son of God, by faith of Jesus Christ. Not what we've
done, not by works of righteousness that we have done, but according
to His abundant mercy, that mercy that flows from our Eternal Father
through His only begotten Son and is sealed into the heart
by the Holy Spirit. That glorious doctrine of reconciliation
through faith in Jesus Christ but now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested being witnessed by the law and
the prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe for there is
no difference there is no difference and he tells us why for all have
sinned and come short of the glory of God, being justified
freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. You see, that freedom, that liberty,
that the child of God is given in Christ. I thought much today
of this chapter five and how clearly and how beautifully does
the apostle set forth the finished work of Christ. And he says in
verse 15, for not as the offence, that was the sin that was in
Adam of course, which he speaks of in the previous verse, so
also is the free gift. For if through the offence of
one, that is Adam, 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 this was by one that
sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment is not by one
to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto
justification. For if by the offense, of one
man's offense, death reign by one, much more, they which receive
abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness, shall
reign in life by one Jesus Christ. Verse 19, for as by one man's
disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, that
perfect obedience Christ, shall many be made righteous. Many be made righteous. What
a precious thing. when we by faith receive this
glorious everlasting robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. It says here in our text, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets, and my mind was much
drawn in reading this morning, as is often called, the gospel
according to Isaiah. In Isaiah chapter 61, how beautifully
is the person of our Lord and Savior set forth. The spirit of the Lord God is
upon me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings
unto the meek. It is Christ speaking. He has
sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound, to proclaim
the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our
God, to come for all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn
in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise. You think of that garment of
praise. Think of the glorious everlasting righteousness of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the garment of praise. Precious garment,
you look at the end of that chapter 61, verse 10, I will greatly
rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my
God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation. He
hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decketh himself with ornaments. and as a bride adorneth herself
with jewels but now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested
being witnessed by the law and the prophets even the righteousness
of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all
them that believe for there is no difference. May the Lord add
his blessing to these few remarks. Let us now sing together hymn
number 103. The tune is Abends 275. Jesus, thy blood and righteousness,
my beauty are my glorious dress, midst flaming worlds in these
arrayed, with joy shall I lift up my head. Hymn 103. Oh, say does that star-spangled
banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the
brave? O'er the land of the free and
the home of the brave? Came from the clouds to fill
my eyes, to take my venture in the skies. He that shall lift me, O my King,
Jesus, the Fear and Thy Calling, Where I stand in that great day,
For her all day thy charm shall reign. What will thy mothers hope I
am From sin's tremendous curse and shame? ? The sacred hand, the cradled
hand ? ? The sword they have bestowed me ? Saviour of sinners, He proclaims,
Savior of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour
of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners,
He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners,
He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims,
Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour
of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners,
He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour
of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners,
He proclaims, Saviour of sinners, He proclaims, Saviour of sinners,
He proclaims, Saviour of sinners His spotless crown, the same
appears, When ruling reign, dress him sweetly. Christ can change victorious
fields, The armor of Christ is ever new. The heaven and the earth now
hear thy voice. Ignorant man, he shan't rejoice. Now, May the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship of the
Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now and forevermore. Amen.