It's good to see everybody here
this morning. If you would, please turn with
me to Romans 10. Romans 10. Romans 10. I'm going to read
the first four verses. Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear
them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to
knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's
righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness,
have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. There's one word here that keeps
coming up that caught my attention in these four verses. And that
word is for. This word basically means because.
First of all, Paul says here in verse one that he desires
that Israel be saved. Why does he say that? Is he just
being judgmental? How does he know they are not
saved? Paul was a part of Israel in doing the very same thing
they were doing at one time. So he had some experience about
what it was they were doing. Many of us have had similar experiences
with others. But we also, by God's grace,
remember the pit from which we were digging. But he goes on
to tell us because or for in verse two, this is why he desires
they be saved. And it is a real desire, just
as you and I desire others to be saved that we know. He says they have a zeal, that
is a heat or a passion of God. We know a lot of people who have
that passion for God. They want to do things for the
Lord. They proved this as well. They are always doing things
for the Lord. I was doing this very thing myself
at one time. And I've told you about it before.
I kept doing and doing and doing and doing. But nothing ever gave
me peace. But with these, it is just as
it was for Israel that Paul speaks about. It was not according to
knowledge, or that is, full discernment. A lot of people have knowledge
of God's scripture. They will not move from it no
matter what. They have a real zeal or passion
for it, but it is not according to the full discernment of scripture.
Why is this? Well, it goes on to say, we have
our next because. Verse three, for or because. Because they are ignorant of
God's righteousness. Because of this, what does it
cause them to do? They go about to establish their
own righteousness. Their own righteousness may look
good to them, it may look good to others, but it is not the
righteousness of God. The problem is that they do not
submit to the righteousness of God. I believe it is clear that
their righteousness is not the same thing as God's righteousness.
I believe it would behoove us to pray God show us what the
righteousness of God is in his word. Because I can tell you
my flesh still wants to go about to establish its own righteousness.
So I want to be reminded of His righteousness all the time. Even
now as a believer, there are times when my flesh says to me,
you have not studied enough, you do not know enough, you do
not do enough. All this is true. But this is
my flesh trying to satisfy itself in doing my own righteousness. So it does behoove us to know
what the righteousness of God is, right? That brings me to
the next verse, verse four. This is where I want to go this
morning. This is what I want to talk about.
I want to go through this verse a little bit and break it down.
This because is who it's all about. It's about God's righteousness
and not my own righteousness. Verse four, for Christ is the
end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it. The first word we have here is
for or because. This because is telling us something
about God's righteousness. We see it in the context. The
ones he is just speaking about do not know what the righteousness
of God is, or I should say who the righteousness of God is.
But then we have Christ. Oh, what a glorious thought.
This word means Messiah. The one ordained of God, the
anointed one, That one that made a covenant with the Father to
do everything He did. The faith of a Messiah to come
and do all things agreed upon with the Father, and He did it
with perfection and completeness. I don't have to say it here,
but I'm going to anyway. This is God manifest in the flesh.
This is God made flesh. So we have, because the Messiah. So moving on, we then have is
the end. This word means the point aimed
at as a limit. Or another way to put it is the
conclusion of an act or state. So now we have because the Messiah
made an end of. Next we have of the law. This
word basically means law. I'm getting somewhere with this. This would be that Sinai law
that was given by Moses, the scripture says. So now we have,
because the Messiah made an end of the law. The next word is
for. This is a little bit different
Greek word. This word can be used as to. It's going to now
tell us what this law has been made an end for. So now we have,
because the Messiah made an end of the law for. The next word
we have is righteousness. This word simply means justification. This is justification before
God, it is clear from our context. So now we have, because the Messiah
made an end of the law for justification before God. Next we have to everyone. This word basically means the
whole. This is who this was done for
or towards. So now we have, because the Messiah
made an end of the law for justification before God to all. Next we have,
that believeth. This word means to have faith.
So now we have, because the Messiah made an end of the law for justification
before God to all that have faith. What can we take away from this?
What is this verse, verse four, actually saying after looking
at these details? Here's what it means. For Christ
is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believe it. It means exactly what it says.
My righteousness before God has nothing to do with the law because
Christ ended that. But only for those who believe.
My justification before God is solely based on Jesus Christ,
if I believe. Scripture confirms that law will
not justify us with another witness. In Romans 3 20 we read, 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. So by working or toiling in the
law, we'll not gain any flesh, mine or anyone else's justification
in God's sight. The law only gives us the knowledge
of sin. That is exactly what this says.
When was this done? When was the law ended for everyone
that believeth? Romans 7, 4, we read this. Wherefore,
my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of
Christ, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is
raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto
God. This is saying that when Christ
died, if you are in him, then you became dead to the law then. When Christ died, This being
done, you are then married to another, that is, Jesus Christ
the Lord, who was raised from the dead. If you believe. When Jesus Christ was raised
from the dead, he brought all those for whom he died with him,
and we were seated at the right hand of God the Father with him.
Christ came to fulfill the law, and he did. He made an end to
the law. Matthew 5.17 says, think not
that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets. I am not
come to destroy, but to fulfill. Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ,
my Lord, fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law. There's
nothing left for me to do. I can now rest in Jesus Christ,
who is my husband, as my head. He did everything that is required.
I do not want to find myself trying to keep or obey God's
law for acceptance before God. That is having a zeal but not
according to God's righteousness. Or you could say submitting to
Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God's righteousness
or you can say justification for us. So then, now the only
thing left is for God to let us know about all of this. How
do we know this? You will believe the record God
gave of his son. Are you looking for a law that
will make you free? I have one. Romans 8 and 2 reads
this. For the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death. The Mosaic law is nothing but
sin and death. But the law of the spirit of
life in Christ Jesus is just that, life. And it frees me completely
in my mind and in real, in my mind that the Mosaic Law, even
though it was accomplished a long time ago. I'll mark that up a
little bit. So then we have the gospel which
is proclaimed to us. This proclamation of Jesus Christ
and him crucified brings this salvation down to me so that
I can know him who is life. The spirit coming to me giving
me life, the gospel being proclaimed to me and I spring forth with
life in believing God. This then letting me know that
I am no longer under the Mosaic law, but I am free to serve Christ. I then become willing to be a
slave to Jesus Christ the Lord. That is being freed by Jesus
Christ, and that is being freed indeed. Now knowing this, that
Jesus Christ the Lord is our righteousness, then what do we
preach? We preach Jesus Christ and him
crucified, as Walter so ably said last week. That is who he
is, and him being who he is, what did he do? Jesus Christ
the Lord, that is God made flesh, did something. He completed it
on the cross, and he presented himself to the Father being the
spotless little lamb. God being satisfied, He sat us
with Him in heavenly places and makes intercession for us. He
is not making intercession to God for us. God is well pleased
with His Son, and God the Father draws all those He gave to the
Son. He is well pleased with those
that are in Christ. Why? Because they are one. Christ
and his church, the husband and wife are the picture of Christ
and his church. And the scripture says of this
union, they too shall be one flesh. When Jesus Christ our
Lord sat down, we sat down with him. He makes intercession to
any and all that make any accusation towards his church, his people.
Why? Because they are a part of him.
So when those accusations come, they are against Jesus Christ
the Lord. If you would turn with me to
Romans chapter 8. Romans chapter 8. Verses 32. Romans 8, 32. He that spared not his own son,
but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the
charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather,
that is risen again. who is even at the right hand
of God, who also maketh intercession for us, who shall separate us
from the love of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril of the sword, or the
sword, as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the
day long, we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay,
in all things we are more than conquerors through him that loved
us. For I am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the
love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are complete
in Him. There is no one that will ever
make an accusation against me that will stick. Why? Because Jesus Christ the Lord
has made me one with Him. Any accusation that is made will
have to be made against Him. Jesus Christ the Lord will not
have it, and God the Father will not have it, and God the Holy
Spirit will not have it. because all that is seen is Jesus
Christ and what he did. We preach not this with wisdom
of words. The gospel is to be preached
to the poor. This is talking about poor in
spirit, those who do not have a penny to produce for giving
to God to gain favor before God. These may be poor in other ways
as well, but not necessarily. I'm not trying to preach a message
so that scholars of the world will give me accolades because
of my wise words. But neither am I preaching to
give some quick wisp so that those who are of the baser sort
might say, oh, he's witty and can put it to those that are
smarter. I'm preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified,
plainly and distinctly, as the word of God declares. so that
those who might have a need will see the gospel by the spirit
of God, that righteousness which is of God, that being Jesus Christ
the Lord, the Messiah and him being crucified and what he accomplished. 1 Corinthians 1.17 reads this,
for Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made
of none effect. I'm not trying to be wise to
one group versus another group. We are not to be respecter of
persons. My hope is that the gospel I am preaching reaches
any needy sinner. But be it someone in the gutter
or someone on Wall Street, it does not matter to me. We are
all an abomination in God's sight. So wherever God has put us in
this world, by His ordination, it makes no difference to me.
God is the one that ordains those to eternal life, and He will
send someone to them. My words are not for one caste
versus another, but for those who are of a contrite spirit.
Psalms 34 18 says, the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a
broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. But
I also want to make sure and say this, I am not sent to preach
the law. 1 Corinthians 2 and verse 2 says,
for I determined not to know anything among you save the law
of God. No, it doesn't say that. Save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Now if you would, turn with me
to Galatians 3. Galatians 3 verses 21 through
26. Is the law then against the promises
of God? God forbid. For if there had
been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness
should have been by the law. 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 afterwards
be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster. The next three words says to
bring us unto, take it out. It's not in there. Was our schoolmaster
unto Christ, that is to that point in time that we would reach
at one time, that we might be justified by faith, it tells
us, by faith. But after that faith is come,
we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of
God by faith in Christ Jesus. God has given the law to his
people until that appointed time when he is pleased to give us
faith. Until that time, we are kept under the law. It will shut
our mouth and bring us or show us only death. The law does not show us Christ. The law does not show us Christ,
the gospel does. Do I preach the law to make it
our schoolmaster unto Christ? No, this has already been made
by God to be this. I do not preach the law to make
it our schoolmaster, it just is. Because what Paul, that I
just read, he determined not to know anything among us, among
them save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Did he know God's
law? Yes, he did. But this is what
he found from the law in Romans 7 verses 7 through 10. Here's
what he found. What shall we say then? Is the
law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known
sin, but by the law. For I had not known lust, except
the law had said, thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion
by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence,
for without the law, sin was dead. For I was alive without
the law once, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. And the commandment, which was
ordained to life, I found to be unto death. I don't have to
preach the law. Does that mean I never mention
the law? No, what that means is I'm not preaching the obedience
of the law for salvation or justification before God. I am preaching Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Salvation brought to men. I am
to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And if God has given
faith, then those who have been given that faith will run to
Jesus Christ the Lord. Because they will see He is life
itself. Knowing that the law only produces
death, those will gladly run to him for salvation. Does that
mean we never mention the depravity of man? No. But if that is the
point of your message, you are not going to give any fallen
sinner any hope. Because the only hope for a sinner
is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Paul does say this in 1 Timothy
1-8. But we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully. How is the law used lawfully?
Tell exactly what the law is to men. Death. I'm not to be
preaching the law, although I might mention it. I am to preach the
gospel to men and women. 1 Corinthians 9 and 16 says this,
for though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of, for
necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is unto me if I preach
not the gospel. If your gospel is any different
than Jesus Christ and him crucified, you are preaching another gospel.
And Paul says, let you be accursed. Galatians 1 and 9 says, as we
said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel
unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. So just as Paul the apostle did,
I do now. I preach Jesus Christ and him
crucified, him being the righteousness of God, that is Jesus Christ. So now we have it, the because
that matters. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness. to everyone that believeth. Has
the law condemned you to death? Are you constantly trying to
work out your own salvation? You are not submitting to yourself
and to God's righteousness. Submit. Bow down to Jesus Christ
the Lord. He is God's righteousness. God's
justification for His people. Look to Him. Amen. Dear Lord God, all power and
ability comes from you. May it be that you will open
our hearts, mind, and ears, dear Lord, that we can hear your word
by the faith given by you. Be with Walter as he comes to
speak, dear Lord, and give him boldness to stand up and speak.
Be with us and open our hearts and minds, dear Lord, to hear
his message. Be with us and give us guidance,
dear Lord, on all things that we do. These things we ask in
Christ's name, amen.