Now last week we ended our lesson
looking at the hope that a believer has. It makes us not ashamed,
we'll never be found guilty or confounded. We have a good hope
through grace. And that allows a believer to
rejoice, even in times of trial. And we rejoice because Paul said
the Holy Spirit, who is the earnest of our inheritance, comes and
He sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts. Now Paul's going
to show us the proof of God's immeasurable love for His people. The amazing demonstration of
the love that He has for His people. And this is why the Holy
Spirit comes and sheds abroad God's love for His people in
our hearts. Because Christ died for us. See
verse 6 in Romans 5? For when we were yet without
strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. There's
so much The heart of the Gospel is in just this one verse. First,
who is it that died? Somebody died. Who is it? It's
the Lord Jesus Christ. The only begotten Son of the
Father. The holy, perfect Son of God who came to earth and
assumed a human nature. Clothed Himself in human flesh. He died. Well, who killed Him? What happened? Why is it that
He died? Who killed Him? The death of Christ was ordained
in eternity past by the Father because He loved His people.
It pleased the Lord to bruise Him. It was the Father that put
His own Son to death. Well, why? Why did He die? Because He was made sin. He was
made sin for His people and the justice of His Father and the
holy wrath of His Father killed Him. He was delivered for our
offenses. He died as a substitute for God's
elect so that God could be just and justifier. John Gill says
one of the ancient translations of this verse says that Christ
died in the room of the ungodly. He died as a substitute for the
ungodly. Well, how did he die? He died
the death that the law demands. He died the death of a criminal
because God's holy son became a criminal by imputation. He
died a death of shame, a death of pain, a death of humiliation
under the curse of God, because he became a curse for us, for
the ungodly. He suffered not only the hatred
of men, but he suffered the wrath of God for the sin that was laid
on him. A horrible death. Now, for whom
did he die? Scripture says he died for the
ungodly. He didn't die for good people.
He didn't die for righteous people. He didn't die for people that
did something to deserve His favor. For moral people, He died
for the ungodly. Christ died for those without
strength. People who didn't have any ability
to keep God's law. And not only did they not have
any ability, they didn't have the desire. No desire to keep
the law. No desire to do anything to please
God. We were sold under sin and didn't
have the strength to deliver ourselves, didn't have the ability
to free ourselves from the bondage of sin, the bondage of the law.
We're no more able to do anything good than the Ethiopians able
to change the color of the skin. Can't be done. And not only were
we weak and helpless and hopeless, we're more than just a sad case
to be pitied. We were ungodly. Not just unable to deliver ourselves
and wishing we could. We didn't have the desire to
please God. The carnal mind was enmity against
God. We were ungodly and deserved
God's wrath. And not only were we unworthy
of God's favor, we didn't want it. We weren't looking for it.
We didn't ask for it. Yet, Christ died for the ungodly. The Gospel is the sweetest news
Human beings have ever heard the sweet stream. And you trace
that stream back to its fountainhead, and this is what you'll find.
Christ died for the ungodly. Not for good people, for the
ungodly. Well, when did He die? In due time. According to the
time of God's purpose. This is the hour of hours. How
many times did our Lord say as He was during the time of His
earthly ministry, My hour has not yet come? Then one day, the
hour came. The hour appointed by the Father. That hour didn't happen to be
a time that events spun out of God's control. This was the hour
of the Father's appointing. Look over in Galatians chapter
4. In Galatians 4, verse 3, even
so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements
of the world. But when the fullness of time
was come, at the appointed time, God sent forth His Son, made
of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under
the law, that we might receive the adoptions of sons. And because
you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father. See, that's why the Father sent
the Spirit into the hearts of His people, because Christ died
for them at the appointed hour. And this is the greatest love
that's ever been known. God loved His people when we
were unlovely. Unlovable, ugly, horrible. You know, you heard the saying,
that's a child only a mother could love. We're sinners only
the infinite God could love. In fairy tales, you find a prince
and his character is going to be tested. He's grown up, spoiled
his whole life, and they're going to test his character. And the
test of his character is to see, will he show kindness to an old
hag who can't do anything for him? It's not the beautiful maiden
he wants to marry. This is an old hag. She can't
do anything to repay him. She can't do anything to thank
him. Can he find some goodness in
his heart to do something for this ugly old woman? Well, here's
the character of the Prince of Glory. Not only did he show some
small kindness, to an old hag like you and me. He died for
her. He died for her to make her His
bride. He died for this old hag that
can't do anything for Him, can't do anything to add to His glory.
He died for her to give her everything that He is. That's love. There's nothing you will ever
find to compare to that love. You know, I thought of this this
week. give our life for someone that we love. But if we know
anything about ourselves, it's impossible to believe that God
would love me. It's impossible until we read
it in God's Word. Look at 1 John chapter 4. You would only give your life
for someone that you love. In 1 John 4 verse 9. In this was manifested the love
of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love,
not that we love God, but that he loved us, and he sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. That's the ultimate
display of love, that Christ would die as a substitute for
his people. And that's the love. that the
Holy Spirit comes and sheds abroad in the hearts of his people.
And that's what gives the believer rejoicing, the love of God for
a sinner, a wretch, the ungodly, like us. Now verse 7, for scarcely
for a righteous man will one die, yet perventure for a good
man some would even dare to die. Now see, here's the great difference
between how man loves and how God loves. Christ died for the
ungodly. He died for his enemies. Well,
what kind of man will men die for? What's the kind of person
we've died for? Well, Scripture says it's not
for a righteous man. Now, a righteous man is a strict,
moral, religious man. He's very strict in his religion,
and he's strict on imposing his religion on other people. He's
a person that we'd say he's holier than thou. He appears to be righteous
to himself, He may appear to be righteous to his neighbors
and people he works with, and they may admire him, but they
don't love him. They fear him. Isn't that the
way the Pharisees were? Righteous men. They thought they
were righteous. They appeared righteous to the
rest of the Jews, but the people didn't love them. They feared
them. How many times do we read somebody wouldn't do something
for fear of the Jews, for fear of those Pharisees? Well, he
certainly wouldn't die for a man like that, that they were afraid
of. But some would dare to die for a good man. Now, a good man
is a kind man. He's gracious. He's loved and
respected by people who know him. He's honest, hardworking,
generous. People just enjoy being around
somebody like this. Some people would dare to die
for someone like that. But now here's an example of
how God's ways are not our ways. If someone is innocent, yet through
some miscarriage of justice, they're still condemned, very
few people would risk their lives to save them. They'd be sorry. They might be angry. They might
go on 20-20 or 60 Minutes and talk about this miscarriage of
justice, but they wouldn't risk their lives to save that innocent
person. They certainly wouldn't take
their place. They don't want to die. I'll give you the perfect
example. Nazi Germany. Innocent Jews are
being slaughtered by the hundreds of thousands. Not because they did anything,
simply because of who their parents were. Precious few people did
anything to save them. Precious few. They pretended
like they didn't notice their friends and their neighbors were
being slaughtered. They pretended like they didn't
know there was a death camp just outside their town. They pretended
like they didn't know because they wouldn't risk their lives
for the innocent. Well, if we wouldn't risk our
lives for an innocent person, we're certainly not going to
risk our lives or give our lives for a guilty man. That's what our Redeemer did.
He gave His life for the guilty. Aren't you glad God's love's
not like our love? Oh, I am. Every day I think of
that. Oh, I'm glad God's love's not like mine. He died for the
ungodly. Verse 8, But God commendeth His
love toward us, and that while we're yet sinners, Christ died
for us. This verse starts out with one
of my favorite phrases. But God. Every time in Scripture
you see the phrase, but God, There's good news. Oh, there's
who we are. Horrible, wretched, deserving
God's wrath, His eternal judgment. But God. And good news for a
sinner always follows. But God. But God, despite who
we are, what we are by nature, gave a clear manifestation of
His love for His people. He sent His Son to die for sinners. No one can ever doubt God's love
for His elect. He died for them even when they
were sinners. They didn't do anything to deserve
it, yet He died for them. Christ loved His people, and
He showed that love by suffering and dying in the place of people
who did not love Him. That is love. You know, we might
take a bullet for the President. I'd take a bullet for my wife.
Maybe I think she'd take one for me. I'd take a bullet for
my children. But I wouldn't for my enemy.
I mean, I wouldn't even take a moment to think about it. I
would not take a bullet for my enemy. Wouldn't take a bullet
for a murderer. Wouldn't take a bullet for a
rapist. We'd be glad judgment fell on them. But God sent His
Son to die for his enemies, for sinners. Sinners by birth, sinners
in Adam, sinners by choice, by practice, sinners who just drink
iniquity like water. That's who Christ came to die
for. Look over in Ephesians chapter 2. Christ didn't die for us because
somehow we're different than the rest of the mass of humanity.
Sinners. Ephesians 2 verse 1. And you
hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein
in time past ye 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 conversation in times past, in the lust of our
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind,
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for His great love wherewith He left us, even when we were
dead in sins, quickened us together with Christ. By grace you're
saved. Now God's love for us. He doesn't love His people because
Christ died for us. Christ died for His people because
God loved them. God loved His people. That's
why He sent His Son. God loved us, so He sent His
Son to take away our sin. And to take away our sin, His
blood had to be shed. He had to suffer and die and
offer the blood before the Lord in order to save His people,
in order to take our sin away. Christ died for sinners, to take
our sin away. To remove the guilt of sin, to
remove the power of sin, to one day remove the presence of sin.
Well, someone might ask, weren't you still a sinner? Absolutely. But here's the difference. Now,
a sinner saved by grace. No longer under the power and
dominion of sin, we serve a new master. The one who loved us
and watched us and gave himself for us. Christ died for us while we were
yet sinners to commend His love to us. God, but God, commended
His love toward us. That word commend is a business
term. It's a term like that merchants
would use as they put their wares on display in the market. They
commend their wares to the buyers who come to the market. They
display their wares in the best possible light. God Almighty
put His unspeakable love for His people on display when He
killed His Son on Calvary's cross. He put His love on display, not
so we come and decide like we'll come to the marketplace and decide
whether to take it or leave it. He put His love on display to
the amazement of His elect. So we learn something about God's
love for us. We learn, first of all, the unsearchable
depths, the greatness of God's love for us. Only God could love
a sinner like us. Half the time, I don't even love
myself. Only God could love a sinner like you and me because of the
greatness of His love. It's infinite. And God's love,
we learn, is sovereign love. He loved us not because we did
something to deserve it, not because we're better than somebody
else, Just like we read there in Ephesians 2, all men are lost
in sin. But God loved His people with
a special electing love. Sovereign love. He chose them
and loved them simply because it seemed good in His sight.
And when Christ suffered and died for sinners, all of God's
attributes are glorified. In our society, our society might
suffer somewhat. We might lose, you know, something
in our society if that good man were killed. But society would
be better off if that violent criminal were put to death. If
justice took hold of him and put him to death, our society
is better off when that person is put away where they can't
harm society any longer. And God's justice would have
been glorified in damning sinners like you and me. Creation certainly
would have been better off if we were taken out of it, because
all we do is pollute God's creation. But salvation in Christ, when
God sent His Son to die for sinners, that glorified all of God's attributes. His justice was glorified because
sin was punished. And His love was glorified, magnified,
put on display when Christ died for sinners. God's grace, His
mercy, His wisdom, We're all glorified in the death of Christ
for the ungodly, for sinners like you and me. Now, verse 9. Much more then, being now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. Now,
if God loved us, sent his Son to die for us while we were ungodly,
while we were lost in our sin and enemies of God, how much
more sure can we be that the Lord will and preserve us and
save us from future punishment, from future wrath, now that He's
justified us, now that He's made us free from sin, how much more
certain are we going to be that He'll keep us? Now, we're justified,
made without sin, by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. What
can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
But you know, in the mind and purpose of God, God's elect were
justified by the blood before the world was even created. Christ
is the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.
God pronounced Abraham justified before the blood was ever shed.
Well, how much more sure can we be that God loves His people
after He sent His Son and after He shed the blood of His Son?
How much more sure can we be that our justification is eternal
now that the blood has been shed? God laid the foundation in the
blood of His Son. That foundation is not going
to be wasted. That building is not going to
just stand out in the field partially finished and become a rat infested
place. God's going to finish the building
that He laid the foundation for in the blood of His Son. You
can be sure of it. Now verse 10, For if, when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son,
much more being reconciled, we should be saved by his life.
God sent his Son to die for people who had made themselves enemies
of God. We are separated from God in
Adam. When Adam rebelled and sinned
against God, he fell, and in him we were made enemies of God. We are given that nature of Adam.
But in Christ, we're reconciled to God. We're brought back to
God and made, not just friends, but sons through the blood of
Christ. Now, if God would do something
so wonderful as that for His enemies, how much more do you
think He's going to do for His sons, for those that He's made
His friends? Christ died for His people and
He ascended. He rose again and He ascended
back to the Father. And He's there right now, living
for them. And what's He doing in His life?
He's ever-living, making intercession for His people. Christ gave us
life through His death. And He arose to be sure that
He'll sustain that life, preserve it, through His intercession
for us. Nothing can be more sure than
our preservation, than our life in Christ. Because He ever-lives,
making intercession for us. Now, if God loved you when you
were an enemy, if He loved you when you were dead in your sins,
is He going to stop loving you now that He's set you free from
sin? Is He going to stop loving you now that He's made you a
son? Of course not. Much more then, being now justified
by His blood, we should be saved from wrath for Him. For if we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.
Much more being reconciled, we should be saved by His life.
And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Now, there's a
lot of things Paul's been talking about here in this chapter. We
rejoice in Him. We rejoice in the hope of the
glory of God. We saw that in verse 2 last week.
Verse 3, we rejoice even in the effect of trials that the Lord
sends for our good. We rejoice in God's love for
us. that Christ would die for us
while we're yet sinners. We rejoice that we're saved from
wrath to come through our Lord Jesus Christ because He suffered
that wrath for us. We rejoice we've been reconciled
to God in Christ. Separated from God in Adam, but
reconciled to God in Christ. And not only that, but here's
the way we sum it up. By saying we rejoice in God and
who He is through our Lord Jesus Christ. True believers don't
simply rejoice in what God's done for them. We rejoice in
who He is, in all of His attributes. Look back in Jeremiah 9. Jeremiah
9, verse 23. Here we've been talking about
all the things that believers rejoice in. Well, thus saith
the Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither
let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory
in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that
he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these things I delight, saith the Lord." And believers
have been given the nature of Christ. We rejoice in the same
thing because we have His nature. It's not just rejoicing in all
the blessings. is rejoicing in the blesser himself. And we rejoice that in Christ
we have received the atonement. He came, he suffered and died
for sinners. He shed his blood as a payment
for sins and in him, in his blood, we have received the atonement,
the sin covering. Christ died to purchase our salvation
and he arose to apply that salvation to his people. Christ was the
testator who died so we could have the inheritance. You can't
have the inheritance until the testator dies. You can be promised
all sorts of things in the will, but you can never have it until
the testator dies. And Christ the testator died
so sinners would have the inheritance. And he arose to be the executor
who brings salvation and gives us. He ensures that we will receive
the inheritance. that He left us. And we rejoice. Alright, Lord bless you.