The name of the message is, it
is of faith. It is of faith. Romans chapter
5, we'll read verses 1 to 16. Actually, let's read all the
way, we'll just read the whole chapter. Let's just do that.
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 the hope
of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory
in tribulations also, knowing that tribulations work with patience,
and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope make
it not a shame, because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. For when we
were yet without strength in due time, Christ died for the
ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous
man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die. But God commandeth his love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For when
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
Much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And
not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we now have received the atonement. Wherefore is by
one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. For
until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed
where there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that
was to come. but not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one, that being 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 it As it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift, for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification.
For if 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. Therefore, as by the
offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation,
Even so, by the righteousness of one, so condemnation came
to all through Adam. Even so, by the righteousness
of one, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life. For as by one man's disobedience
many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many
be made righteous, and that many being God's elect are made righteous
by Christ. Moreover, the law entered, that
the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound." What a wonderful verse. That is, sin hath reigned
unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto
eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now the Apostle fully establishes
throughout this epistle Throughout this epistle, and if you read
the epistles of Paul, he's constantly combating error-based, the Gnostics
was a man-based salvation. They had special knowledge that
only they could impart. The Judaizers, they promoted
that a man had to be circumcised in order to be saved, and so
thus they were promoting works-based salvation. So Paul, all through
the epistles, Paul is combating works-based religion. and he's showing the folly of
it as opposed to the salvation that true believers have in Christ
and Christ alone. So throughout this epistle Paul
is bringing forth that a man is justified before God by faith
and not by works. Now think of this too, the faith
that God's people have is the same faith that Peter had, the
same faith that Paul had, the same faith that Abraham had.
The same faith. We'll see that tonight. The same
faith. And the object of the believer's
faith is the same from Abraham all the way to us and all the
saints before him. The object of the believer's
faith is Christ and Christ alone. No one else. No one else. Whether they be Old Testament
believers, whether they be New Testament believers. For one
body, saved by the same precious blood, with the same spirit,
beloved, and the same Savior. The same Savior. So Paul, if
you read this epistle from beginning to end, Paul is establishing
this wonderful truth. that we are justified by faith
before God and not by works. And again, that faith is only
in Christ Jesus our Lord. In these verses, he shows in
the most decisive manner that Abraham did not obtain justification
by circumcision since he was justified before he was circumcised. And justification has no necessary
connection or dependence on circumcision or anything the believer does.
The believer is saved by the free grace of God in Christ alone. Not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us. He saved us. We are not saved
by anything we do at all. Our whole dependence for salvation
is all in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at verse 9. Much more than being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Through
Him. So justification for the Jew
or Gentile is only through justification before God for the Jew or Gentile
is only through Christ and His shed blood. No other way. There's
no other way of salvation. There's no other way to be justified.
And it's very clear there in Romans chapter 5 verse 9, much
more than being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved
from wrath through Him. And look at verse 1, therefore
being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. Because the Jews not only believed
that justification before God depended on part on their works,
which was connected to their circumcision, Paul is contrasting
that and saying, no, no man will be justified before God except
through Christ. Except through Christ and Christ
alone. No other way. No other way. Look at verse 10. For if we were enemies, For if,
when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death
of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
I ask you this, when was Abraham justified? When was Abraham justified? If
righteousness was imputed to him before his circumcision,
before he was circumcised, then circumcision was not the cause,
nor is it necessary to justification, right? Turn, if you would, to
Genesis chapter 15. Genesis chapter 15. According to the scriptures,
he was in a state of righteousness and justification before the
birth of Ishmael. Before the birth of Ishmael.
Look at this in Genesis chapter 15, verse 6. And remember our verse, therefore
being, remember verse one of our text, therefore being justified
by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
right? So the believer who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ has
peace with God. They're reconciled. Brother Roy,
in our devotion that we do, he was reading in Octavius Winslow
about the fact that we now have peace with God. He's not angry
with us. His justice has been being a
peace. And now his thoughts of us is
a peace and love. That's wonderful. That's absolutely
wonderful. Look at this in Genesis chapter
15 verse 6 and it says this, and he being Abraham believed
God in what? And it was counted to him for
what? Righteousness. My oh my. Abraham saved the same
way we are. By believing God. Remember, he
looked to Christ. He looked to the Messiah, didn't
he? He looked forward to the Messiah. We look back to the
cross and see our Savior dying, but now we don't look at the
cross and stay there, no. He's risen in glory, isn't he?
He's risen up in glory, beloved. Now I'll go over to Genesis chapter
17, we'll read verses 1 to 4, then we'll read verses
9 to 14, then we'll read verses 24 and 25, look at this. And when Abraham was ninety years
old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abraham and said unto him,
I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect, and I
will make my covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply
thee exceedingly. And Abraham fell on his face,
and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant
is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore
thou and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is
my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed
after thee, every man, child among you shall be circumcised.
Now remember over there in Genesis 15, 6, it says he's already believed
God and it was counted to him for righteousness. That's before
he was circumcised. Yeah. Because our works have
no, no, we are, we are saved by grace alone, plus nothing
we do. Nothing we do. This is my covenant, verse 10,
which ye shall keep between me and you, and I seed, every man,
child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh
of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt
me and you. And he that is eight days old
should be circumcised among you, every man, child, and your generation.
He that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger,
which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house and
he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised, and
my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised man, child,
whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall
be cut off from his people. He hath broken my covenant. Then
look at verses 24 and 25. And Abraham was 90 years old
in nine when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
And Ishmael, his son, was 13 years old when he was circumcised
in the flesh of his foreskin. But take note of Genesis 15.6. He believed in the Lord and it
was counted to him for righteousness. He was saved by grace alone.
He's saved the same way we are. Now let's look at Romans chapter
5 verses 11 and 12. We'll read verse 9 all the way to 12. Much more than being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. So we
are only saved from the wrath of God in and through the Lord
Jesus Christ. For if, when we were enemies,
and that's our natural state, that's what the scripture says. The scripture says that. In our
natural state, we are enemies with God, in our minds. We were
reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more being reconciled,
we shall be saved by his life, right? So, he lived the perfect
life as our substitute, And He died as a substitute in our place. And remember, this is written
to God's people. My! What a salvation! What a salvation
in and through Christ! Now let's read verses 11 and
12. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Brother Henry
used to say, at one mint. We have peace with God now, in
and through the Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world, so when Adam fell, we were all plunged
into sin. And a sinner can only produce
what? A sinner. A sinner! My! Wherefore is by one man sin in
the world, and death by sin. And so death passed upon all
men for that all have sinned. So because Adam was a sinner, we're sinners. Because we're
all children of Adam. We're all children of Adam. So
if Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, then why
was he circumcised? We saw over there in Genesis.
Why was he circumcised? Well, his circumcision and the
circumcision of all Jews was a sign or a token that God had
made a covenant with Abraham and his natural seed concerning
the enjoyment of the land in favor. Beloved, it distinguished
them from all other nations, didn't it? God's people are distinguished
from all other nations. How? We're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God. And it's only God who has made
us to differ. We can't lay claim to anything.
We can't boast in anything except in Christ and what He's done
for us. Circumcision is also a typical
sign of Christ, as all the ceremonies of the law were of the shedding
of blood. Well, it just pictures the blood
of Christ that's shed for the remission of the sins of all
of God's elect. And it was a seal that Abraham,
to Abraham, that he should be the father of many nations in
the spiritual sense, and the righteousness of faith which
he had should come upon them Well, in and through Christ,
both Jew and Gentile are made the righteousness of God. In
and through Christ and Him alone. No other way. No other way. Turn, if you would,
over to Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4. We'll read
two verses over there. Romans chapter 4. Look at verses
23 and 24. Actually, let's read 21 with
it. See, Abraham didn't stagger at
the promise of God through unbelief. He believed God. And that faith
was given to him by God, just as the faith that we have in
Christ is given to us. Look at this. And being fully
persuaded, verse 24, that what he had promised he was able also
to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
He believed God. He believed what God said. Remember
Jean Claude and his message in the conference? Oh Lord, let
us just believe your word. 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 our Lord
raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered for
our offenses. Christ was delivered for our
offenses. Remember, He's sinless. He's God. He's God incarnate
in flesh. I was thinking about that again
today. He's God incarnate in flesh. He cannot sin. And He was wholly beloved in
His life, and He was wholly in His death. He's God. He's God. And our sins were placed upon
Him, beloved. They were placed upon Him. Look
at verse 25, who was delivered for our offenses. And again,
Paul's writing the believers. So each believer can read that
and say, he's delivered for my sin. My sin. But look at this again. And was
raised again for our justification. all the death, burial, and resurrection
of our Lord Jesus Christ below it. And then Paul writes, therefore
being justified by faith. Faith in who? Well, faith in
the one who was delivered for us. Justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. My, what a Savior. What a Savior. Look at verse
13 now in Romans chapter 5. For until the law, sin was in
the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Now Abraham and all believers,
we are heirs. We are heirs in Christ. Therefore let no man glory in
men. Don't ever glory in men. Don't
ever glory in men. We're all let each other down. For all things are yours, whether
Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or
things present or things to come, all are yours. And ye are Christ's
and Christ is God's. The only one we can glory in
is the Lord Jesus Christ and Him alone. No one else. No one
else. No one else. My! For until the law, sin was in
the world, but sin is not imputed where there is no law. Nevertheless,
death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned,
after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure
of him that was to come. My, oh, my! Praise God for Romans chapter
8 which says, there is therefore now no condemnation to those
in Christ Jesus. Because we see in these verses
that death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that
had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who
is the figure of him that was to come. So the only thing again
that a sinner can produce is another sinner. So if we'd been left in our natural
state, there'd be no hope for us. But praise God, our great
God, planned and purposed to save a people. And I'll tell
you what, I'm still in awe, and I don't think I'm ever gonna
stop being in awe that I'm among that number. And I know you all feel the same
way who are his people. We don't deserve this salvation.
That's why it's grace, beloved. It's mercy. It's mercy. It's grace. Brother Drew and I were talking
one time on the phone and he said, boy, if people heard us
talking about how we're chosen to God and all this, they kind
of think, well, you guys think you're pretty special. No. No, we know it's only by the
grace of God in Christ that we're saved. We are in awe that we
are objects of the grace of God, aren't we? We're in awe of that
truth. But we don't think we're anything
special. As a matter of fact, we often say, why me? Well, because it pleased God.
Isn't that wonderful? Because it pleased God to save
us. To save us. It pleased Him. So
death reigned from Adam to Moses. The Scriptures conclude all under
sin. Right? That's what we see there.
Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them
that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression,
who is the figure of him that was to come. Oh my. Look at verse 15, but not as
the offense, so also is the free gift. Now there, it's a free
gift. We don't deserve it. We don't ask for it. We don't
seek it. It's a free gift of God. For if through the offense of
many, or the offense of one, many be dead. We're all born
dead in trespasses and sins, aren't we? As a result of the
fall in Adam. We're born dead in trespasses
and sins. Let's go to Ephesians 2. I know we've read it many
times, but I want to read this. I'd like us to read it again.
Look at this in Ephesians chapter 2. This is our natural state.
Remember, a sinner can only produce a sinner, right? Right? And Jehathi
quickened, verse 1 of Ephesians 2, who were dead in trespasses
and sins. That's graveyard dead. That's graveyard dead. Where
in times past he walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience, among whom also
we all had our conversations in times past in the lust of
the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. You
could not tell a sheep of God from a goat. in our natural state. I read those verses and I'm reminded
of what the Lord saved me from. Oh my. And that's the natural state
of every man, woman, and child who's born into this world. But look at verse 4. But God but God, who is rich in mercy. And God's people who have been
saved by the grace of God in Christ, we have experienced,
we have tasted that the Lord is full of mercy. That His mercy
is great mercy. Just like Him. He's a great God. He's the one true God. look at
that who is rich in mercy for his great love that love is an
everlasting love beloved for his great love wherewith he loved
us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together
with Christ by grace ye are saved now look at verses 8 & 9 if we
if we didn't understand that we're saved by grace in verse
5 there the Holy Spirit has Paul penned it again for by grace
are you saved through faith Right? And that not of yourselves. Now
that should settle things, shouldn't it? But people don't believe
what the word of God says. It says not of yourselves. That
means not by our works. Not by anything we've done. Not
of yourselves. It's a gift of God. Remember
over there in our text in Romans 5.15, but not as the offense,
so also is the free gift. It's a free gift. You don't seek
it. You can't buy it. All we are
is receivers of mercy and grace, beloved. For by grace are you
saved through faith and not of yourselves. It is a gift of God.
Not of works. And that means not of works.
It means, the scripture means what it says. I spent years in religion trying
to work my way to heaven. Trying to please God by the things
that I did. And you know what it was? It
was all rubbish. It was all rubbish. Not of works, why? Lest any man
should boast. So the believer is hemmed up,
beloved, to only boast in Christ. We're hemmed up. All we can do
is boast in our Savior. We can't boast in anyone else.
Because it's not of works, so I can't boast. You can't boast
who are saved. We boast in the one who saved
us. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ. And this salvation that
we have received, this faith that we have received, is a free
gift given to us by the grace of God, because it pleased Him
to do so. Isn't that wonderful? And it
is absolutely wonderful, because we know in Romans, the scripture
says, there is none that seeketh after God. So no one seeks that
free gift. There's none that understand
it. We don't understand the things of Christ. Man is wired for works. Just like Cain bought the fruit
of his own labor, man still does. There's none righteous. We can't make ourselves righteous,
but Christ makes his people righteous. They're clothed in his perfect
spotless righteousness, beloved. And it's a free gift. It's a
free gift. Oh, my. None good, the scripture
says. But oh, what a Savior! What a
Savior is Jesus Christ our Lord! Let's read verses 14 and 15 again
in Romans chapter 5. Nevertheless, death reigned from
Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the
similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that
was to come. But not as the offense, so also
is the free gift. For if through the offense of
one many be dead, much more the grace of God in the gift by grace,
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And
that many is a number that no man can number. No man can number. It doesn't
say all, though, does it? See, there's the fallacy of universal
redemption. It doesn't say all, but it does
say many. And God's preachers, we don't know who the elect are,
therefore we preach to all. and God does the saving, salvations
of him. So if the Jews were seeking righteousness
and eternal life by works of the law and by their obedience
to the law, then faith is set aside and the
promise of righteousness by faith has no effect to them. They're mixing faith with works. If salvation is by works, then
it's useless for God to promise life to those who, because of
their inability to keep the law, seek it by faith. Salvation cannot
be by faith in works, no. They do not go together. It's like oil and water, beloved.
One is either saved by faith alone, in Christ alone, or one
is not saved. That's it. That's what the scriptures
declare. One is in Christ, or one is not
in Christ. Salvation is either all of grace,
or there's no salvation at all. None at all. This is what the scriptures declare. For if the inheritance be of
the law, it is no more a promise. So if you can work your way to
heaven, then there's no more promise from God. That's what
the scripture declares. But God gave it to Abraham by
promise. Galatians 3.18. And then Paul
wrote, I do not frustrate the grace of God, for if righteousness
come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. So Paul's right, and he says,
if righteousness comes by your works of the doing of the law,
then Christ died in vain. But we know Christ didn't die
in vain. He died to satisfy that which we could never satisfy,
the law and the justice of God in the place of his people. And
God's people say, hallelujah. What a Savior. What a Savior
is Jesus Christ, my Lord. Think of this, it is the law
broken that brings upon us the wrath of God, isn't it? It's
the law broken that brings upon us the wrath of God and every
single one of us in this room and every single one on the top
side of this earth has broken the law of God. And the law, the law cannot justify
because of man's sinful state. But what does it do? Well, it
curses and condemns the guilty, doesn't it? Turn, if you would,
to Romans chapter 3. Romans chapter 3. Look at this.
Romans chapter 3. Look at what the law does. Look
at this. Romans chapter 3. Look at verse 19. Now we know
That what things soever the law sayeth, that sayeth to them who
are under the law. And that's everybody. That's everybody. We're born
into this world, dead in trespasses and sins, and we are under the
law. Now, the believer is not under the law now. We've been
free from the curse and condemnation of the law. We've been set free,
and we don't know how free we are, beloved. But look at what
it says here. That what thing soever the law
saith, it saith to them who are under the law. Why? That every
mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before
God. Guilty before God. All the world,
every single person in our natural state is guilty before God. That's what the scriptures proclaim. That's what the scriptures proclaim.
guilty before God. And then go to Romans chapter
8 if you would. Let's go to Romans chapter 8. Look at verses 3 and 4. Look at this. For what
the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh,
God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and
for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. That the righteousness of the
law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit. That's wonderful news. Wonderful news. We know that
where no law is, there's no transgression, right? And sin is the transgression
of God's law, Law comes and finds us all guilty, demands a payment
must be made. But God's people are justified
through Christ and Christ alone. Look at verse 16 of Romans chapter
5. Let's go back there to our text. Look at this. Romans 5.16. And not as it was by one that
sinned, so is the gift for the judgment was by one to condemnation,
but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification." So we see in this text that righteousness
and justification are of faith and not of works. In no other way but through faith
In Christ is one saved. And we are saved by Christ. And
that faith that we have in Christ is given to us. We saw in Ephesians
chapter 2, it's a gift of God. I ask you, did you seek it? In your natural state, did you
seek it? Now, we sought it when we were made willing, didn't
we? But you're born again when you're made willing. What comes
first, faith or regeneration? Regeneration. You must be born again. And then
you're granted faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. And
then what do you do? We just keep looking to Christ,
don't we? We just keep looking to Him. I know you look to Him just like
I do now, probably more than you ever did, you who believe. Oh, each day as we grow in grace,
we become more and more aware of our need for Christ, don't
we? I need Him more now than I've
ever needed Him before. And salvation is a free gift. Look at Romans chapter 11, verse
6. Let's turn over there a couple of chapters over. Romans chapter
11. Verse 6. Look at this. Salvation is by grace and it
is no more of works. Look at this. And if by grace,
then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace. Look at how this verse just brings
forth that salvation is by grace separated from works. Look at
this. And if by grace, then it is no more of works. Otherwise,
grace is no more grace. You add a pinprick of works to
the grace of God, and it's no longer grace. Now think of that,
what's being trumpeted in pulpits all across America. They're not preaching the grace
of God in Christ, if they're adding works. That's what this
scripture... Look at that. in it by grace,
then it is no more of works. Otherwise, grace is no more grace.
But if it be of works, then it is no more grace. Otherwise,
work is no more work." Very clear, isn't it? Very clear. Oh my! If God takes into account any
works of man, then salvation is not by grace. And we know
that there's only one who our God is satisfied in. Brother
Jean-Claude trumpeted that when he was here, didn't he? And we're
all sinners. And our salvation is in the substitute. And God is absolutely satisfied
with His sacrifice. There's no other way. The only
way that salvation can be sure in the promise of eternal life
certain for Jew or Gentile is for the whole work to be by the
grace of God and salvation beloved I trumpet
and every grace preacher trumpets that salvation is on the Lord
not by works of righteousness which we have done but according
to his mercy he has saved us mercy he saved us oh what a savior
What a Savior! Turn, if you would, to Galatians
3, verse 10. Galatians 3, verse 10. Galatians 3, verse 10. 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 which are written
in the book of the law to do them. A man wants to be justified
by the law, you've got to do it all. And you'll never be justified
by doing it, because we can't do one. Because everything we
do is tainted by sin. That's what that scripture 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 which are written in the book of the law to do
them. But that no man is justified
by the law, verse 11, in the sight of God it is evident. For
the just shall live by what? Faith. And our faith has one
object, that's the Lord Jesus Christ. And the law is not of
faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them." Now
look at this. Christ hath redeemed us from what? The curse of the
law. Praise be our great God. Being
made a curse for us. For it is written, cursed is
everyone that hangeth on a tree. That the blessings of Abraham
might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. That we might receive
the promise of the Spirit through faith. And then go over to Galatians
chapter 4 and verse 21. Look at this. Tell me ye that desire to be
under the law, do ye not hear the law? Oh, the law can't speak life.
It only speaks condemnation. But there is life in Christ.
There is life in the look to Christ. And my prayer is that
God will grant you faith, if you do not know Him, to look
to Christ. To believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. Let's turn to Romans chapter
8. Now we're going to close with this. Romans chapter 8. Now no
one outside Christ, no one outside of Christ will
be saved. If a person dies outside of Christ,
they are lost forever. But praise be to God that our
great God grants his people faith to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and repentance before God, and again it's all according
to the riches of his grace and mercy. Now look at this in Romans
chapter 8, where we read verses 1 to 4, look at this. There is
therefore now, now remember this is written to believers, there
is therefore now no condemnation. That word condemnation means
judgment. No judgment. There's not going
to be a TV screen up with God replaying all your sins and my
sins and supposedly people getting rewards based upon what you did
and didn't do. No, you know what? Christ is my reward, He's yours.
And that scripture right there says, there is therefore now
no condemnation, no judgment. To who? To who? Because we know
the law demands judgment, doesn't it? But look at this. There is
therefore now no condemnation, no judgment to them which are
in Christ. There's that vital union, beloved.
There's that vital union right there. In Christ, the key words. In Christ Jesus, who walked not
out of the flesh but out of the spirit, were born again by the
Holy Spirit of God. We walk not after the flesh.
Remember Ephesians 2? There was a time when we lusted,
like everyone, with the flesh. And we did all the things. We
were called the children of disobedience. We're just like the children
of disobedience. You could not tell us apart. You could not tell
a sheep apart from a goat in our natural state. But look at
this. There is therefore now no judgment,
no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk
not after the flesh, but after the spirit. For the law, the
spirit of life in Christ hath made me free. That's for every believer. Free
from what? From the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do,
in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His Son in
the likeness of sinful flesh, and yet without sin, He's perfect,
but He's a holy man. born of a virgin, fully man,
and for sin condemned, sin in the flesh. All the sins of God's
elect were imputed to Christ. And remember that scripture?
He redeemed us in Galatians. He's made a curse for us. Oh my. And the only one who could
do that was He who is God incarnate in the flesh. The perfect, sinless,
spotless Lamb of God. Perfect in all ways, perfect
in life, perfect in death, beloved. Look at that. For what the law
could not do and that it was weak, the law could never justify
us, the law could never save us. That it was weak through
the flesh, God sendeth His own Son, the perfect man, the perfect
substitute. sending his son in the likeness
of sin for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness
of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the
flesh but after the spirit and God's people say hallelujah what
a savior what a savior is Jesus Christ our heavenly father we
thank you for your word oh lord we who believe know that that
that faith has been given to us it's a free gift of yours
lord free gift of god given to us, all according to thy mercy
and thy grace, all planned and purposed from eternity. And we
are in awe. Every believer always says, why
me, Lord? But we know it's all according
to your plan and purpose, all purposed by you, Lord. We know
what we are, and as we grow in grace, we see ourselves not getting
better. We see more and more of our sinfulness,
oh Lord. but thou sees us clothed in the
perfect spotless righteousness of Christ. And it brings praise
from our lips to know that our Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed
us with his precious, precious blood. And he gave his life for
us sinners, sinners. Oh, what a Savior You are, Lord
Jesus. We thank Thee for Thy great sacrifice. May we receive
glory and honor and praise, and may we think about this wondrous
salvation that we have in You this week. In Jesus' name, Amen.