Psalms number 141, beginning
at verse one. Lord, I cry unto thee. Make haste
unto me. Give ear unto my voice when I
cry unto thee. Let my prayer be set forth before
thee as incense and lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Set a watch, O Lord, before my
mouth Keep the door of my lips. Incline not my heart to any evil
thing, to practice wicked works with men that work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their dainties. Let the righteous smite me, it
shall be kindness. And let him reprove me, it shall
be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head, for yet my
prayer also shall be in their calamities. When their judges
are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words, for
they are sweet. Our bones are scattered at the
grave's mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth,
but mine eyes are unto thee, O God. Mine eyes are unto thee,
O God the Lord. In thee is my trust, leave not
my soul destitute. Keep me from the snares which
they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
Let the wicked fall into their own nest, whilst that I withal
escape. Amen. 1 John 1, verse 7, we read
these words. The blood of Jesus Christ, His
Son, cleanseth us from all sin. We were talking about that in
the Bible study a little while ago. Why is that so hard for
God's people to believe? We believe that God, that Jesus
Christ is God in the flesh. We believe that he paid for the
sins of his people. We have the gift of belief of
who he is, what he's done, and where he is now. Why is it so
hard for us to believe that our sins were paid for? What a blessing. Consider the magnitude of that
blessing. I don't know if you've done that
before, but if you haven't, You need to. We see it slightly, just a little
bit. But the depth of that blessing
is so much, so big, so wonderful. It's hard for this sinful body,
this sinful person who's standing before you, to believe it. To
believe that God shed His blood through His Son for me. for you,
for His people. All of those that He has chosen
from before the world was shall come to Him. Why? Because it's
the power of God in the blood that was shed on that cross.
Not some puny little wannabe saying, please come to me, but
God who says, thou shalt come to Me. I like a God who is in
control of everything. I need a God who works all things
out according to His purpose. Do you? Because I know I can't
do anything. I know that in this flesh there
is no good thing. Will you turn in your Bibles
to the third chapter of Romans? Last week I began a series of
messages from Luke, but Luke writes, And I want to reiterate
this verse again, and I may do this often throughout this series
of messages in the book of Luke, because he begins his epistle,
the gospel according to Luke, he begins it with these words,
for as much as many have taken in hand and set forth in order
a declaration, did you hear that? A declaration, it's not something
up for debate, it's God's word. We declare unto you God's word,
a declaration of those things which are most surely, most surely
known and believed among us. And I pray that you keep that
statement in mind, that it rings out throughout this entire epistle,
close to your heart. These things are the things that
we know to be true. Those who are taught of God know
these words to be true, for God cannot lie. And Luke's writings
are the inspired word of God. We went through five doctrines
last week. Some call them the five points
of Calvinism. I call them the five points of
grace, because that's where they are. Calvin didn't come up. John Calvin didn't come up with
these five points, and that was the beginning of it. We read
the doctrines of God's grace all the way from the garden where
Adam and Eve were at, all the way through the end of the book
of Revelation. Fall of man, unconditional election, limited atonement,
irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. It's because of
God's grace that those statements are true. We went through those
five doctrines. We proclaimed them, we pointed
out that they are proclaimed throughout the word of God. We
declare, we proclaim, we do not debate. Salvation is in Christ
alone, by grace alone, and through faith alone. That's the sincere
milk of God's word. It's easy to digest, even a child
can understand that. It's the theme of every message
God's preachers bring. Our God teaches us that we cannot,
because of our sinful nature, come to him, and that there are
none righteous. Isn't that what he teaches? Look
with me if you would. Romans chapter three, beginning
at verse nine. This is God's word. What then? Are we better
than they? No, in no wise, for we have before
proved, both Jews and Gentiles, that they are under sin. As it
is written, there is none righteous. Now, I want you to listen. Listen
to God's word here. 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. And then our Lord goes on to
inspire Paul to write these words in verse 13. Their throat is
an open sepulcher, and with their tongues they have used deceit.
The poison of asp is under their lips, whose mouth is full of
cursings and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed
blood. Destruction and misery are in their ways, and the way
of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before
their eyes. That's the natural man. That's
the way we come into this world. This is the holy, inspired word
of God. Natural man, this is the doctrine
of total depravity. This is the flesh that never
gets any better. By God's grace, we do turn from
the sin that so easily beset us at one time. But folks, even
the slightest of sins require death. We all must put off this
body of death And unless the Lord returns, we all must go
through the door marked death, where this body will die. And
if the Lord does return first, even then, the chosen blood-bought
people of God, those for whom Christ died on the cross, will
be changed in the twinkling of an eye. That's God's Word. Here, 1 Corinthians 15, 52. Paul,
in an inspiration of God once again, writes, in a moment, in
the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpet shall
sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
changed. Turn now, if you would, with
me over to Romans chapter nine. Verse 10 of what we just read
said this. It says, as it was written, there
are none righteous, no, not one. Something must be done for one
to be holy. Would you not agree? Something
must be done before God for one to be, for one to put off incorruptible. That's the sinful body. For one
to be made righteous, something must be done for us. Our God
is so holy, so righteous that he cannot even look upon unholiness,
upon sin. For one to be in the presence
of our Almighty God, one must be as holy as He is. We are told of the fall of man
from the very beginning of scriptures, and it says, all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. That means every man who's
ever walked this earth, every woman, every child has come short
of the glory of God for all have sinned. This is a truth that
all mankind have written on their sinful hearts. Every one of us
come into this world knowing that we have sinned. That's why
there's so many different religions to cover the guilt that is within
us. It's written on our hearts. Religion
is nothing more than man trying to appease their guilt with something
of their own imagination. Because of our daddy, Adam, we
all know Good from evil. Every one of us do. That's why
God's preachers don't stand before people and tell you how to live.
God's Word can do that. You know good and evil. You were
born with it. You know what's wrong. Yet our God, in His grace,
in His love, has provided a way for a people to be with Him.
Look with me, if you would, at Romans chapter 9, verse 11. for
the children being not yet born. Now that's speaking of Jacob
and Esau. Jacob and Esau are the sons of Isaac and Rebekah.
You'll recall that Isaac was the son of Abraham. Abraham was
promised a son. Him and his wife Sarah were promised
a son. And it wasn't until they were of old age, way past the
bearing of children, when the Lord gave them the answer and
the fulfillment of that promise. You know why? To show you and
I that to be saved is impossible with man, but with God, all things
are possible. For the children being not yet
born, the twins, neither having done any good or evil, before
they were even born from their mother's womb, before they ever
had a chance to do anything good or evil, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand Not of works, but of Him
that called us. God chose a people before they
were ever out of the womb of the... God chose you and I before
the world was ever created. We were written on the breastplate
of God before a star ever twinkled in the sky. Jesus Christ, our
Savior, is known and called in the book of Revelation, the Lamb
slain before the foundation of the world. He told his disciples
and apostles when he walked this earth with them, as we've seen
recently in the book of Mark, we come to Jerusalem that I might
be killed, die, be buried, and raised again the third day. He
came with a purpose, a purpose to save his people. Folks, our
God came here for us. Everything in creation is for
His people. Throughout all time is for us. That all that the Father giveth
Him, from Adam all the way to the end, to the last one whom
He calls out of darkness, shall walk this earth. All of the Father
hath given Him shall come to Him. That's His Word. These two
children, these two young men, these babies who were in their
mother's womb, before they had any chance to do anything good
or evil, that the purpose of God, according to election, might
stand not of works, but of him that calleth. Verse 12, it says,
it was said under her, the elder shall serve the younger, before
they were ever born. He told Rebecca, what you have
inside of you is two nations. One, the elder will serve the
younger. Verse 13, as it is written, it says, Jacob have I loved,
but Esau have I hated. Did you notice what it said there
at the beginning of that verse? What does it say? It says, as
it is written. That's talking about the Old Testament. If you
look up that word under Young's Dictionary or any Bible translators,
you'll find that there's an interpretation there that says, Loved less. And then in parentheses, right
next to that, it says inserted. That means somebody came by afterwards,
and because of what they see in the New Testament, they inserted
that loved less. Folks, I'm telling you something.
Our God has never done anything less than perfect. Everything
about him is perfect. His love is perfect. His salvation
is perfect. It has to be, because that's
what God the Father requires. You and I can't do anything perfect,
but our God, our Lord Jesus has. Nothing but the blood. As it
is written, Jacob have I loved. You know, you go back to the
Old Testament, there's no words in there about love left. It's
very clear. He hated. He hated. He hates workers of iniquity. Verse 14, what shall we say then?
Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will
have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that
willeth, nor of him that runneth. It's not your so-called free
will. It's not your so-called works that you run with, but
of God that showeth mercy. And then our Lord brings out
something through Paul that makes what he just said there, what
we just read, so clear, you cannot argue it. Verse 17, for the scripture
saith unto Pharaoh, even for this same purpose, have I raised
thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name
might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath
he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. That's the grace of God. That's
the magnitude of His grace towards you and I. That's the magnitude
of His grace, and not only in shining His mercy upon us, but
sending His Son as our propitiation. Turn now, if you would, over
to Luke chapter 1. Some will have the grace of God, the light
of God, shined in their heart. Not the old stony heart that
we were all born with, but a new heart that loves His Word, loves
His truths, except all of His Word is true. In Ezekiel 36,
26, our Lord declares this very clearly. He says, A new heart
also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Is that any more clear? That's the salvation of God.
He must come to us. We must be born again. Without
being born again, we cannot understand the kingdom of God. Many will
read about the kingdom of God and come to an understanding
of their own. Some of us here did that before, didn't we? It's
called the new birth. Our Lord said to Nicodemus, you
must be born again. Folks, where there is no faith,
faith must be given. These are the truths that only
God can teach. Men may speak the words of God
from the pulpits that he has sent them to, but God must teach
the heart. He must teach the soul. There
are those whom God has sent into all the corners of the world,
and that means all nations, all tongues, to preach the word of
righteousness. The word of righteousness. preachers
of righteousness that have been sent out throughout all time,
that he, our God, may teach his elect, his chosen. Those that he has chosen before
the world was those that he has loved with an eternal love. Everything
about creation, everything about what we call time, is for those
that he has loved from the foundation of the world. He created everything
for us because he loves us. Though our sin had separated
us from him, yet his word declares some to be righteous. Are you
with me in the book of Luke? Look at verses five and six.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain
priest named Zechariah, and of the course of Abiah. And his wife was of the daughters
of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they both And they were both
righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and the
ordinances of the Lord, blameless. Wow. Wow, John. How are you gonna explain that? Not with the words of John. We
interpret scripture with scripture. We take it in the context that
is given us in the Word of God, and we look throughout the Word
of God and take it according to all of His Scriptures. What
an example that God has given you and I. Zacharias and Elizabeth
set before us the characters of righteousness. We are told
that they were both righteous before God. How can that be? How can that be after what we
had just read in Romans? Are they any different than you
and I? No, not at all. For as we have read, all have
sinned. So how are they righteous before
God, you might ask? The world of religion would use
these last words to explain their wicked desires of earning salvation.
What must I do? If I could just do something,
if I could just reach over and pick up the medicine that's there
on the night table. That's the way of the world.
If I could just come down to the front and pray a prayer with
somebody, maybe I could, what about, can I just get in the
waters of baptism? Can I just come to the table?
Can I do that? They use these words, walking
in the commandments and the ordinance of God blamelessly, and this
is where the world of religion makes their great error. They
interpret these words as though they stand alone. You ever notice
when you're talking to somebody of one of the other religions,
and I'm not talking about just Catholicism, I'm not talking
about just Mormonism, I'm not talking about Watchtower people,
I'm talking about people who call themselves Christians. You
ever notice the first thing that they'll throw out there is John
3.16? At least half, at least. At least that much. John 3.16,
for God to love the world. And that's where they stop. That's
the emphasis that they put on that phrase. That's using God's
Word in a singular way. Because we know that over in
John 17, our Lord says in His own words, I pray not for the
world, don't we? So don't we have to take that
into consideration when we read John 3.16, for God to love the
world? If you take John 17 and John
3.16 and you put them together and you consider them both as
God's Word, as the counsel of God, then you must think that
when God's talking about the world, maybe He's talking about
all of creation, all of time. Maybe He's talking about His
people throughout all the world. Maybe He's talking about His
people who are in every nation, in every tribe, who speak every
tongue throughout all time. We must interpret scripture with
scripture. And scripture declares there is only one righteousness
that God will accept. The righteousness of his perfect
holy son. The word righteous means this,
it means equitable, in character or act, by implication innocent,
holy, just, meet, With the Word of God as our interpreter, what
we have already read would be in contrast to these words that
we read in John 6 of Luke Chapter 1, would it not be? Turn over
to 2 Corinthians Chapter 5. In Romans Chapter 5, you turn
over to 2 Corinthians, we'll be there in just a moment. But
in Romans Chapter 5, listen to these words. For if by one man's
offense death reigned by one, Much more, they which receive
abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. Now we're asking
the question, how can these two be considered righteous before
God when the scriptures say to us that there are none righteous?
For by one man's offense, death reigned by one. Much more, they
which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness
shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Only those for whom he
is loved, only for those for whom he has died will be seen
as righteous before him. If the gospel could be summed
up in one word, it's this, substitution, substitution. Christ Jesus, the
Lord, our substitute, the life-giving substitute for his people. We
who by God's gracious gift believe the Christ of the Lord. Look
at verse 17 through 21 of 2 Corinthians chapter 5. Verse 17 through 21. 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 having committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are the ambassadors
for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, We pray you,
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For He, God the Father,
hath made Him, God the Son, to be sin for us. This God the Son
is described next where it says, who knew no sin. Our Jesus, our
God Almighty in the flesh, is perfect in everything. Everything
He does pleased the Father. That's what we need. That's the
righteousness that you and I need. We can't do that on our own.
Everything we do is mixed with sin. There's more sin in my pinky
than enough to kill me, right there. There's enough sin in
your smallest part of your body, in the pinnacle of your hair,
to demand God's wrath upon us. We need holiness. I need a substitute,
do you? I need somebody who can do it
for me because I can't do it on my own. This flesh doesn't
get any better. He who knew no sin was made to
be sin. Let me read it correctly. 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. How? Were they righteous before God
the same way you and I are? Did they walk according to the
statutes of Christ? Did they walk in all the commandments
and the ordinance of the Lord? Yes, but that's not what made
them blameless. They did it the best they could.
They followed the ordinances. We're coming to the Lord's table.
That's following the ordinance of God. Most of us have been
baptized of you. That's following the ordinance
of God. We come to church on Sundays and worship the one and
living true God of Almighty. That does not save us. Christ
is the one who saved us. His righteousness being imputed
to us. This is what it is to be righteous
before God. It's to be in our substitute. When he walked this earth perfectly
in all things, Those for whom He died were in Him. Read Ephesians
1, 3-7. In Him. When He went and laid
down His life, dying in our stead, we who were called of Him before
the world was, we who are called with Him with the power of God,
we were in Him. We died in Him when He died on
that cross. When He arose, proving that God the Father had
accepted His death, that He had accepted His Son's righteous
blood as the satisfactory atonement for His people. And when God
the Father raised Him to sit at the right hand of God, the
throne of all power, we were made to sit with Him in heavenly
places. That's what it says in Ephesians
2.6. And hath raised us up, together and made us to sit together in
heavenly places in Christ. To a true sinner, to one who
hears the wonderful grace of Jesus through his word, hears
it with the heart. One who knows that we deserve
the wrath of God. No one that knows that God took
our wrath upon himself. were like the man over in the
corner, the publican, crying out, Lord, have mercy on me.
I got nothing to stand up for God and say, thank you that I'm
not like those folks. Because I was. I walked just
like they did. Yet by his grace, by his grace
and grace alone, He has caused me to walk where I am today. Turn me, O Lord, and I will be
turned. In Christ Jesus, the Son of the
living God, God's people are seen as righteous as Christ himself. Our sins are gone, gone, gone. Look over at Psalms 103 with
me. In Psalms 103, beginning at verse one, we read these words.
Bless the Lord, O my soul. and all that is within me, bless
His holy name. Are you in Christ? If you're
in Christ, He is in you. He dwells in temples that are
made without end, the temples of His chosen blood-bought children's
hearts, the new heart that He has given us. Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and
forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquities,
who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction,
who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies. That's what I've been speaking
about the whole time. Everything about God's grace for us is his
loving kindness towards his people. Tender mercies towards us. Verse
five, who satisfies thy mouth with good things so that thy
youth is renewed like eagles. The Lord executes righteousness
and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his
ways unto Moses. He acts unto the children of
Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and
plenteous in mercy. He will not always try, neither
will he keep his anger forever. He has not dealt with us after
our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the
heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards
them that fear him. As far as the east is from the
west, so far have you removed our transgressions from us."
Folks, we are as righteous as God Almighty. That's pretty tough
to understand in this lecture. No, maybe it might not be for
you. Maybe you are walking a perfect
life that you think you're walking in now after God, the God that
you believe in has called you out of darkness. But God's people
know we will always be sinners until the Lord takes us out of
this world. There will always be that battle
between the flesh and the spirit. How can I be seen as righteous
before God? If God looks upon you in His
Son, that's how. How can I know if God looks upon
me in His Son? It says in John 3, 16, whosoever
believeth. Do you believe? That last part
that we read there in our text in verse 6, it said, walking
in all the commandments ordinances of the Lord. That is the result
of God working in us. Blameless is the result of Christ's
work for us. Amen to that?