Good morning. If you would, open
your Bibles to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 3. A month or two ago, I was working
And I was presented with a situation to where someone else brought
up religion and salvation. And in their comments, they expressed
that they believe in salvation by works. Well, another person
in the group gave their opinion and their response to this was
that salvation was for everyone, that God saved everyone or died
for everyone. And I'm not very good at knowing
what to say at the right moment or being assertive in the moment
to actually say something that I should say or the right thing.
And so I just said that I believed through not this few words, but
I believed in salvation by grace. And there was a rebuttal and
then another one, and it couldn't have been set up better for me
to make another comment. For once, I feel like I was ready
to do it. And right when that happened,
someone else that was there, not one of these other two people,
but someone else who was there just simply all of a sudden went,
well, what's the difference? And turned and walked off and
everybody just turned and walked away. And in the immediate moment,
I was I was angry. I was frustrated because I felt
like I was actually going to say something. I thought I could
have said something, given a verse of scripture. It was the right
time and I was going to do something right. And so I was angry with
it. And the more I thought about
it, I finally came to the place where I just dwelled on what
was actually said in the comment of what's the difference. So
look at Romans chapter 3 here. And my message tonight is titled,
What's the Difference? And there is a simple answer
to that question. Romans 3 verse 22. 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. The difference
in being in religion and being in Christ, the difference is
Christ. The difference is life or death. 1 Corinthians 4, 7 says, For
who maketh thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou
didn't receive? I want to stay simple, so most
of my time will be spent on Christ, who is the difference. But before
that, we have to get a couple facts straight first. What's
the difference between all men? Turn to Romans 5. Romans 5 verse 12. What's the
difference between all men? Wherefore, as by one man sin
entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon
all men for that all have sinned. I might not have made this clear.
The difference here is we're talking about the difference
as it pertains to salvation. Micah 7 says, The good is perished
out of the earth. There is none upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood. In Romans 3.12, turn back to
our text there, Romans 3.12 says, They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good.
No, not one. Four times in the Psalms, four
separate times it says, there is none that doeth good. No,
not one. Every man and woman born of a
man and woman are the same. We are all born into sin. We
are all sinners. Since I have sin, my sin must
be punished. That's the law. And sins don't
go away. We can't cover them. We can't
hide them. It doesn't matter that we actually
forget about 99% of the sins we commit. Everything we are
is sin. We're sinners. When I was a small
child, I didn't talk very much. I had a sister who did it all
for me. One of the first words that I ever said, if not the
first word that's debatable, was I was sitting in a room with
her playing on the floor and my parents heard from the other
room me all of a sudden out of nowhere just go, mine. I am a sinner. I'm a covetor. I'm a liar. I'm a cheater. I'm
a thief. And I could go on and on and
think of all the negative words you could think about someone.
That's me. I really don't want to do these things. I try not
to do them, but it's my nature. I've already done them. If there
was a man who had killed someone, what is that man? He's a murderer. Does it matter if he confesses
to the murder? That's nice, but he's still a
murderer. Does it matter if he's sorry
and shows contrition? Well, he should, but he's still
a murderer. What if he did a lot of good
works and did a whole lot of stuff to make up for the fact
he killed someone? Well, we can give him nice adjectives
like he's generous or kind, but we still have to always follow
that with he's a murderer. And what if he is killed for
his crime? What if he's put to death for
this crime? Even his death is not enough
to change the fact he's a murderer. Romans 3.23 says all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God. So if we use this analogy
of a murderer, let's switch it over to us as sinners. If we
confess our sins, it does not absolve us or remove guilt of
said sins. Our sins still has to be punished.
If we are sorry and we regret sinning, it doesn't change the
punishment or we don't get off any easier. No matter how many
good works we do, how great individual works are, none of that can cover
the fact that we are a sinner and none of our works can pay
any portion of our debt for sin. And also our physical death,
the death of this body under no circumstance, is that enough
to pay atonement for our sins? So in summary, what I've said
is that all men and women are born into sin. We've all sinned. All sinners must be punished.
And there is no way for us to fix our sin problem. So in that
respect, there is no difference between me. What's the difference? There is no difference in us.
We all need a savior. Turn to John chapter 10. John chapter 10. When someone asks the question,
what's the difference? Just like that person asked in
that group. I don't actually have anything
to separate myself from you or anyone else. I can't find a single
verse of scripture to justify why I might be saved over someone
else. But if you ask me, who's the
difference? I've got an entire book right
here that answers that question over and over and over again. So let's spend a few minutes
looking at the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the difference. In John
10, look at verse 24. Then came the Jews round about
him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be of Christ, tell us
plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and you believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But you believe not, because
ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal
life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of My hand. My Father which gave them Me
is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of
My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." The
Jews didn't believe He was Lord despite Him telling them on multiple
occasions, giving them illustrations, parables, miracles, all these
things they still didn't believe. So why didn't they believe? Look
in verse 26. But you believe not because you
are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. There's no difference
in these people and myself. It just says you believe not
because you're not one of my sheep. They weren't chosen or
elected in Ephesians one for it says he has chosen us in him
before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
and without blame before him in love. And Peter tells us who
verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times for you. Who is the difference
between the sheep and everyone else? Look at verse 29 here in
John 10. Who's the difference between
the sheep and everyone else? Verse 29. My father, which gave
them me, is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them
out of my father's hand. I and my father are one. The
difference is Christ. And there are so many examples
of Christ being the difference. Before I start listing some of
these, let me make a simple statement. And if you're going to remember
one thing I say this morning, I need you to remember this,
because this is the basis for what I'm saying. And I'm speaking
to everyone as an individual, if you have eternal life, It
is because the Lord Jesus Christ interceded for you. And if you
do not have eternal life, it's because the Lord Jesus Christ
did not intercede for you. It's as simple as that. In John
17, it says, I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but
for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine. In the book of Genesis, the Lord
said, I will destroy man. The wickedness of man was great
in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart
was only evil continually. But what happened? Noah found
grace in the eyes of the Lord. What's the difference between
two brothers? Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. Who's the difference between
one woman and an entire city? Joshua saved Rahab the harlot
alive. By faith, the harlot Rahab perished,
not with them that believe not. Those spies didn't just choose
the right door. All of that was predetermined.
There was one woman in that entire city that needed those men to
come to the door and she was the one saved. The Lord led them
to her and he was the difference. What's the difference between
three men and the wrath of a king? Turn over to Daniel with me. Daniel chapter 3. I would like to read about 20
of these examples, but there's not enough time, so I picked
a couple and Daniel's one of my favorites. Who's the difference
between three men and the wrath of a king? Look at Daniel 3 verse
13. Then Nebuchadnezzar, in his rage
and fury, commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought those men before
the king. Nebuchadnezzar spake and said
unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that not
ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have
set up? Verse 16. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, We are not
careful to answer Thee in this matter. If it be so, our God
whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace,
and He will deliver us out of Thine hand, O King. But if not,
be it known unto Thee, O King, that we shall not serve Thy gods,
nor worship the golden image which Thou hast set up." Before
we continue, realize this. These men understood that the
difference between them being saved and them dying and then
perishing is the Lord. But yet they also said they're
not valuing their this body. They said if our God is willing,
if he desires, he will save us. But the emphasis here is on the
difference in salvation. Look at verse 19. Then was Nebuchadnezzar
full of fury and the form of his visage was changed against
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Therefore he spake and commanded
that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it
was want to be heated." Verse 24, Then Nebuchadnezzar the king
was astonished and rose up in haste and spake and said unto
his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst
of the fire? They answered and said unto the
king, True, O king. He answered and said, I see four
men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no
hurt. And the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." The
safest place was in that fire with the Lord. The men who threw
them in, the men who got close to the fire but weren't in the
fire, they all perished. The Lord is the difference in
salvation. Who's the difference between
one man in the midst of a huge crowd And when Jesus came to
the place, he looked up and he saw him and he said unto him,
Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide
at thy house. The difference in this is not
that he called Zacchaeus to come from the tree or he noticed him.
The difference is in the next few verses. And Jesus said to
him, this day is salvation come to thy house. For the Son of
Man is come to seek and to save that which is lost." What's the
difference between a Pharisee and a publican? Two men went
up into the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood and prayed
with himself. The publican, standing afar off,
would not so much as lift his eyes into heaven, but smote upon
his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner. I tell you,
this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.
Who was the difference for the woman at the well? Whosoever
drinketh of this water that I shall give him shall never thirst,
but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of
water spraying up, springing up unto eternal, everlasting
life. And who's the difference between
two thieves? One of the malefactors railed
on him, saying, If thou be the Christ, save thyself in us. The other answering rebuked him.
Does not thou fear God? And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me when thou come into the kingdom. And Jesus said unto
him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in
paradise. In these examples, we have seen
men and women. We have seen nationalities. We
have seen a single person, a small group, a large group. We've seen
all these different things and everything that this message
entails with the question, what's the difference? There is no difference
in us. It's who is doing the saving.
It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Look over now in Exodus chapter
12. We had Exodus 11, a portion read
to us, and we'll spend a few minutes extra here on the Passover,
which many of the writers say is one of the more complete or
best ways to look at salvation in the Lord. So. After all the
plagues in Egypt, The Lord told Moses in Exodus 11 verse 1. And the Lord said unto Moses,
Yet while I bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt afterwards,
he will let you go. Hence, when he shall let you
go, he shall surely thrust you out. Hence, all together. What
was the purpose and what was the result of this final plague? Look at the second part of verse
seven. What's the purpose and result
of this final plague? That ye may know how the Lord
doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And
this is written where it says that ye may know. There are many
people who don't know that there is a difference. There is one
who is the difference. But the Lord here says that ye
may know. All his children will know that
he is the difference. The Lord puts the difference.
The Passover lamb is this special type of Christ. So what I want
to do is look at it as a picture of Christ, our Passover, who
is sacrificed for us and his sacrifice on the cross is the
fulfillment of the eternal covenant, the difference in salvation.
So the description of the lamb through the Passover, what the
people of Israel were supposed to do with the lamb. That is
a particular illustration of our Savior and that he had to
be perfect. And the first requirement here
is the lamb was to be without blemish. This signifies the absolute
perfection and sinlessness of our Lord. It says, for we have
not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings
of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted, like as we
are, yet without sin. He had to be without blemish
because someone perfect had to take our sins. The Lord Jesus
Christ, in order to be our righteousness, must live a perfect life. As I said earlier, one sin is
enough for us to deserve death. One sin is all it takes. And
likewise, if the Lord Jesus Christ had committed one sin, then he
could not have been a sacrifice. For he hath made him sin for
us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him. Leviticus tells us the sacrifice
shall be perfect in order to be accepted. The next thing is
the lamb was to be taken out of the fold. Jesus Christ, our
lamb, was taken from among men. He was the seed of woman, the
seed of Abraham, and made of the seed of David, according
to the flesh. He was one of the fold. The lamb was to be a year
old and had to be killed. This shows that our Lord in his
full strength of life should be put to death. The lamb was
to be roasted with fire. This signifies the manner of
Christ's death, that he was crucified, enduring the full wrath and the
fire of God's wrath for our sins. The lamb, the blood of the lamb,
was to be sprinkled upon the lintel and sides of the door.
Just as the blood of Christ was applied by faith, there is no
salvation nor deliverance apart from faith in the blood of Christ.
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he
that believeth not on the Son shall not see life, but the wrath
of God abideth on him. The blood on the door denotes
an outward confession. It's evidence of heart faith.
And though there were people who put the blood on the door,
we'll see later that it was already known who was going to put the
blood on the door. The child of God was going to put the blood
because the Holy Spirit enabled them and opened their eyes to
do so. In all of our going out and our coming in and everything
that we do, the blood of the lamb is before us on the door.
The Israelites were to eat the flesh of the lamb. This signifies
that we must, by faith, feed upon Christ. Truly believing
on Christ and receiving Christ within us is called eating His
flesh and drinking His blood. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh
my blood dwelleth in me and I in him. He that eateth this bread,
he shall live forever. Israelites, they were all to
eat the lamb with unleavened bread. Leaven is a picture or
a type of evil. This is to signify that those
who come to Christ, the true Passover, are to come in sincerity
and truth, hating evil and hypocrisy. They were also to eat the lamb
with bitter herbs, which shows the sorrow for sin and repentance
in their heart of those who come to Christ. The lamb was also
to be eaten raw nor sodden with water. It wasn't to be boiled
in wine, oil or water. Christ endured the full wrath
and judgment for our full justification. And nothing is to be missed.
Nothing is to be added or joined to him in any way. Nothing of
this lamb was to remain. Nothing of this lamb that they
sacrificed and used the blood from was to remain. This says
that the whole Christ is to be received and fed upon by faith. Christ in both natures, divine
and human. Christ is all Christ in all of
his office as our priest, our prophet, our king. Christ is
all in all his person and his work. These people were to eat
the Passover dressed and ready to move out of Egypt. This is
the Lord's Passover. It effectually saves the world
or Egypt to Israel is no longer our home. We are pilgrims temporarily
here, but awaiting his call to move out or to go home to Canaan. These people were to be dressed
and ready and packed to go before this. And you think about how
many different trials there were, how many of these plagues there
were. And each time the same thing happened. But as it is,
our faith, which is weakened among ourselves, but our faith
and our belief is to believe that God is our Savior. He's
the difference. He's the only thing that we put
hope in. And the final thing that was said here, was, when
I see the blood, I will pass over you. This is why the ordinance
was called the Passover. Because the Lord at the sight
of the blood of the Lamb, not blood of anything else, not any
other blood, not our blood, but the blood of the Lamb, He would
pass over the Israelites and deliver them. His judgment and
wrath would pass over because the blood of Christ had been
shed and paid for those sins. in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches
of His grace. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them which are in Christ Jesus." Look back at verse 7 of chapter
11. Now realize, this is actually
before the Passover was explained to the people. The Lord just
told Moses what was going on here. In verse seven, he says
this. This is pre any of the Passover
or anything about this plague. But against any of the children
of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue against man or beast. The Lord told Moses before the
Passover came that not a dog or anyone would say or do anything
to his children. This goes back to everyone that
is saved. Christ, the difference was all
founded before the foundation of the world. Everyone that was
going to have blood on their door, it was already known who
it was going to be because the Lord is the one through his spirit
puts the blood there. So when it comes to salvation.
What's the difference is a question that so many people ponder, so
many people think about, so many colleges try to teach people,
so many individuals stand up and tell people what's the difference.
It can be analyzed from countless angles. There are a whole host
of potential answers, but ultimately, Everyone who gets stuck on the
question of what's the difference finds themselves completely lost
with no guide and no way back. Instead, I implore all of us
to focus on the question who's the difference and less focus
on the question as opposed to the answer. If we are ever shown
the answer to who's the difference, we will find the only one who
can provide will provide and has provided salvation for his
people. The difference is Christ, the
Lord Jesus Christ.