Good morning. Pardon me just a moment. Let
me get things lined out here. I do want to bring you greetings
from your brothers and sisters who gather at Sovereign Grace
Chapel in Crow, West Virginia, and specifically to bring you
greetings from Brother Paul Pendleton. told me to be sure and tell you
all, she said hello this morning. I do thank Mark and Regina for
their hospitality to my wife and I. And I'm glad my wife's
with me this time. While it was a great blessing
to be with you all and to stay with Mark and Regina, I miss
my sister in Christ. And I just wanted to let her
know that. Let me give you the song that Joe Galusi, my fellow
pastor, sent me this morning. It's very brief. It only has
two stanzas in it. It kind of goes along with the
first song we sang. It's by John Newton. It can actually
be found in Gadsby's hymn book. It's number 500. The title of
John Newton's song was The Favor. of the Trinity desired from 2nd
Corinthians 13 verse 14 and John Newton wrote these two stanzas. May the grace of Christ our Savior
and the Father's boundless love with the Holy Spirit's favor
rest upon us from above. Thus may we abide in union with
each other and the Lord and possess in sweet communion joys which
earth cannot afford. I have something else I want
to give you and you bear with me just a moment please. I have something I want to read
to you before I actually go into my message. This is what some people call
Articles of Faith. Actually, the title of this part
of this booklet here is Articles of Faith, but I want to give
you three or four of these Articles of Faith. This is what it says
concerning man. The fall of mankind and Adam. Their guilt and condemnation
together with their entire and universal depravity, by which
they were utterly alienated from God and are unable in and of
themselves to turn to Him." Then they give scriptural references.
The next article of faith, God from the beginning or in eternity,
chose his people in Christ unto salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth to the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they should be holy and
without blame before him in love, and that they shall persevere
in grace and shall never fall away, all of which are set forth
and effected through the gospel. And then they give proof text.
Here's the third one. the special and complete redemption
of all the family of God through the blood of Christ by virtue
of his vicarious sufferings and sacrificial death. And then they
give text verses. Here's the last one I'll give
you this morning. Regeneration and sanctification by direct
agency of the Holy Spirit through the instrumentality of divine
truth, simultaneous and cotaneous with which are all the fruits
of the Holy Spirit. And they give their proof text.
Having said that, I could say that I agree with every one of
those things. This is the 1982 minutes of the
Indian Creek Association of Regular Baptists. It was their 137th
annual session in 1982, which means this associational group
began together in 1845. So this was 1982. In 1983, 84, God Almighty sent me his gospel. He sent someone to me with his
gospel. And I was in this group of people.
This minutes were wrote up about a year before God Almighty saved
me. And I was in one of the churches that's mentioned and represented
here. And when I began to preach the things that have been in
here for a hundred and something years, they told me to get out. It's right here. Isn't that sad? Somewhere along
the line, error crept in. Long before my time, I'm sure.
Because even though these minutes were being printed up every year
for a hundred and some years, I never heard them ever heard.
When I began to preach them, not having even read this and
knowing what it said, they told me to get out. This was my family,
blood kin, grandparents, aunts, uncles. Now someone says, why
are you so dogmatic in what you preach? The reason I am so dogmatic
in what I preach is because I preach about a who. If it was just a
what, it wouldn't carry much weight. But the men that stand
here behind this podium preach a who. The difference between
Calvinism and Arminianism is not five points. It's one man. And I mean that. It's one man. Because if that one man ever
crosses your path, You'll learn far more than five points. All
right, turn with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. All right, 2 Corinthians chapter
5. I just want to read the last several verses from that chapter. Now begin in verse 16. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse
16, Paul is continuing of course, but he wrote these words, Wherefore
henceforth now, or henceforth know we no man after the flesh. Yea, though we have known Christ
after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Now I want
you to just ponder on that phrase. Though we've known Christ after
the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. If any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God, who
hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given
to us the ministry or the service of reconciliation. To wit, or
that is to say, pause it, let me explain. that God was in Christ,
reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors
for Christ. As though God did beseech you
by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin
for us, who know no sin. that we might be made the righteousness
of God in Him. Now I gave you a few quotes from
this associational meeting pamphlet because they bear some direct
connection with what I'm going to try to say this morning, especially
beginning my introduction, if you will. Now if I were to give
this a title, this is my title, and I'll mention this more in
detail later, Lord willing, in a few moments. But my title,
my thought this morning from this passage is this, Reconciliation
Accomplished by Representative Substitution. Now, having been
raised in professed Christianity, I was basically raised in what
most people would probably call today, I know they did a lot
more back in my earlier years, they still do it some today,
but I was raised up in an independent fundamental Bible-believing,
soul-winning Baptist Church. And having been brought up from
my infancy, having been brought up in this professed Christian
religion, I was quite familiar with verse 17 of 2 Corinthians
5. And what I mean by this is I
remember, I don't remember all the messages, of course, but
throughout my 22, 23 years before God actually saved me, I probably
heard countless messages preached from 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. Now, I distinctly remember this
feeling, if you will, or this thought that I would get when
I'd hear men preach for this passage, I often heard warnings
about the danger of not being a new creature. What would happen
to you if you're not a new creature? But I was never informed that
God Almighty was the creator of this new creature. It was
always basically kind of, if they didn't say it directly,
it was just kind of indicated that you do something and then
God will make you this new creature. I later found out that you can't
do anything that calls God to make you a new creature. He has
to create. It's a new creation. A new creation. But yet I was often heard these
warnings of the dangers of not being a new creature. And I often
remember being, at least in my own conscience, scolded. Especially
since I had made a profession of faith. And that was probably
when I was five or six years old. I walked the aisle. I believed
in Jesus. I believe he was born, lived,
died, buried, was raised again. I even believe he was raised
again on Easter morning. I believe that. I made my profession
of faith. But I often felt scolded when
they would say, if you've made a profession of faith and you're
not living like a new creature, you felt this scolding. And they
would say things like, well, if you haven't been living like
the new creature, then you need to come forth and confess. And
I have to confess to you this morning, there was never a time
I heard that, that I didn't feel like I needed to go forward.
It just, it was like, after a while, it's like, I can't go forward
every Sunday, every Sunday night, every Wednesday. Pardon me, on
Wednesday, we didn't have altar calls. Sorry, Sunday, Sunday
night. But you understand what I'm saying? This verse is a verse
of hope. joy, but it was often used, all
that I remember is used as a bludgeon, a scare tactic, trying to get
you to live right, do right. Although it was never directly
said that I can remember, it was never directly said, the
indication was that if you are a new creature, the old wicked
desires are gone. Anybody ever raised under that?
If you're a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away, behold,
all things become new. So all those old desires, if
you're really a new creature, they begin to go away. Now, although
they may not have never said it, at least it was indicated
that these old desires could be in some way fully suppressed. that as time went on and you
actually gave yourself over to the Lord, you could have more
power and more power to suppress the old desires to work. Maybe,
just maybe if you're faithful enough, faithful enough, one
day these old desires will just disappear. And all of this was
from verse 17. But in all my recollection, I
never, now they may have, I never remember any of those men preaching
anything about verse 16. And I do not remember them ever
telling the truth about what is declared in verses 18 through
21. The new creature is vital. It's vital. And as I've already
mentioned, this new creature is something that God Almighty
merely speaks into existence. Paul calls it the new man, which
is created in righteousness and true holiness after the image
of him that created him. This is a new creature. a new creation something that
came from nothing but the mind and purpose of God that's the
new creation but it is vital but listen to me now it's vital but the new creation
this new creature It's not the cure to our chief problem. You hear what I'm saying? I hope
this will come together in a moment. The new creature, this new creation
is vital. It's a necessity. It's an absolute. But the new creature is not the
cure to our chief problem. Just two thoughts for this. message. There's the first one will give
us the new creatures only validity. The new creatures only validity
and secondly, the new creatures only hallmark. So then the new
creatures only validity. Listen, no degree of new creation. Let me try to explain this. I
don't want to lose you in my poor ability to present things
in words. No degree of new creation or
new creature, even by God, even if you get it right that God's
the one that creates this new creation. No degree of new creature,
even if it were full eradication of evil desires. It's not. When God creates the new man,
the old man's still there. Still there. And the old man
and the new man constantly do this. And it's a constant, constant
battle. I was taught different than that.
I was taught, yes, there may be some of this to start with,
but eventually it fades away. My brothers and sisters, the
only time this will fade away is when we awake in Christ-likeness.
Before that day, if you don't have this, you don't
have the new creature. You don't have the new creature.
But again, no degree of new creature, new creation, even if it were
full eradication, can negate our trespasses. That's our problem
in the text, is it not? That's our chief problem. It's
not that we were just old creature. It's our actual trespasses. If the new creature could have
negated the old man, the trespasses, then why? Why in the name of
all that's just and right did God the Father send His Son to
die on the tree? Why didn't he just make us new
creatures and be done with it and finally fully eradicate the
old? Because justice must be satisfied. Satisfied. And new creatures don't satisfy
justice. Trespasses must be dealt with
by punishment, not new creation. At one time it wasn't, but that's
quite clear to me in the text now. It was ingrained as long as you're
different, as long as you've had a change of life, and you
kind of believe in Jesus, everything's okay. No. Because we can and do know Christ
after the flesh. But knowing Christ after the
flesh is nothing but what? F-L-E-S-H. Flesh. This world has brainwashed
people into believing as long as you believe in Jesus, you're
okay. That's not necessarily so. And I'm not even talking about
believing in the wrong Jesus. You can still, as Paul said,
though we've known Christ, not a false Christ, though we've
known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we
Him no more. Trespasses according to the holy
ordination of God Almighty must be dealt with by punishment,
not new creation. Here's a second thought about
this, the new creature's only validity. Unreconciled people,
isn't that indicated in the text? If Christ came to reconcile,
then that by default lets us know we were at one time what?
Unreconciled, right? I'm not very smart, but that's
pretty easy. Unreconciled people are not reconciled
by new creation. They're reconciled by the sacrificial
death of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's the only thing that makes
the new creature have any validity before a thrice holy God. And aren't you glad that though
Christ died for us, and we'll look at this more in a moment,
though Christ died for us and reconciled us when He died, aren't
you glad God didn't just leave us where we were? and live a
life of pure, unadulterated, corrupt misery and our sins,
only to finally wake up one day after death and say, I was saved. Aren't you glad God didn't leave
you there? Aren't you glad there was a new
creation to where you could in some degree and in some manner
enjoy the blessings of the salvation of God in Christ in this world? I'm sure old Methuselah was glad
900 and some years with self. Hmm? I've only dealt with myself
for right at 62 years. I don't know how he did it other
than this. The grace of God and Christ being manifest to him. So again, I said it's trespasses,
trespasses. They must be dealt with by punishment. New creation doesn't do it. Unreconciled
people are not reconciled by new creation. The new creature's
only validity is this. Two things. Reconciliation accomplished
and representative substitution. Both of these are what's given
in our text. As the only validity for any
value in the new creation see it therefore if any man be in
Christ verse 17 he is a new creature old things are passed away behold
all things are become new and all things are of God who hath
reconciled us to himself what does it say by not the new creation by Jesus Christ Jesus Christ. Look at this. Think about it.
Reconciliation accomplished. And this is two things. Reconciliation
accomplished for us and reconciliation accomplished in us. Verse 18. And all things are of God who
hath reconciled us to himself helped by Jesus Christ. And as
Paul will go on to say, as we will look at, this is something
Jesus Christ did by himself. Us folks here that are in Christ
and that are new creatures, we didn't even exist when this took
place. So therefore Jesus did it without
my help. I didn't even exist. This was
done some odd 2,000 years ago. and has given to us the ministry
or service of reconciliation. Do you see it? Now, of course,
what I used to hear was then they would basically explain
away the first reconciliation as dependent upon our service
of the second reconciliation. In other words, Jesus did this
for you, but you must do this to make what Jesus did for you
of value. Isn't that what's taught all
over the place? And yet, that's not what's in this text, because
Paul says, to wit, you see it? I'm going to explain this for
you, so that if any man, or woman for that matter, comes along
later and says something contrary to my true meaning here, it's
going to be clearly written in ink. To wit, that God, what's
that say? W-A-S. Was. Very simple word. And yet so vital. To wit that
God was in Christ. Reconciling the world unto himself. Remember this still is a was.
Not imputing their trespasses unto them. Not God is in Christ,
God was. My brothers and sisters, the
reconciliation is accomplished. It's accomplished. We don't do
anything to make it a value. We receive Him who made it. We bow to Him that made it. We, as Paul said in chapter 5
of Romans, we receive this reconciliation. KJV puts it atonement, and that's
fine, but the word is reconciliation. It's reconciliation accomplished
for us, but it's also reconciliation accomplished in us. Who made
us to differ? What do we have that we did not
receive from God Almighty? All things are of who? God. It's not of your will, it's of
His will. It's not of your choice, it's of His choice. It's not
of your doing, it's of His doing. All things are of God. And Paul
is being specific. Now yes, all things are of God,
but he's saying all things that I'm talking about right here,
it's of God. The ability for me to even stand
here and say such words, that's of God. The ability for you to
hear them and comprehend them and to enjoy them. To find hope
in them. To find comfort in them. That's
not because of anything in you and of you. All things are what? Of God. My brothers and sisters, that's
the only validity to the new creation. God cannot simply make us new
creatures. There has to be a foundation
on which that validity must stand. Reconciliation accomplished.
Accomplished for us and accomplished in us. And as I said, Paul explains,
do it. That God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. Whatever world he was reconciling,
he reconciled it. You get that? Isn't that what
it says? Somebody says the world means
everybody. Okay, so then it means everybody. But we know this book
doesn't teach God's reconciled everybody, does it? The way that
God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Here's
our chief problem dealt with. You see it? Not imputing their
trespasses unto them. Aren't you grateful? not imputed their trespasses
unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we as ambassadors for
Christ, and listen to me now, a true ambassador, now I know
we may have many ambassadors in this world that represent
countries and they're, I don't know, no need to me, they go
around and beg and grovel. God's ambassadors don't beg and
grovel. We implore men, be ye reconciled
to God. What's that mean? Lay down your
arms. Lay down your weapons. Submit
to the Lord Jesus Christ. Believing doesn't mean accepting
the facts about His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection,
and even His ascension. It means bowing to the Lord Jesus
Christ as He is. Now then, we as ambassadors for
Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's
stead, be ye reconciled to God. These are, this first phrase,
this reconciliation, introduces the truth, but it hasn't yet
got down to the nitty gritty of the truth. This is just the
verse 18 and 19 and verse 20 are just kind of introductions
of the truth. Here's the truth defined. Here's
this reconciliation accomplished defined. And it's defined as
I've termed it, representative substitution. For he hath made
Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin." That's the answer. It's that complicated and yet
that simple. And God the Father has made God
the Son to be sin for us. He was made sin. Somebody says, explain it. I'm
not going to do it. It means what it says. And it
is as complicated as you think it is. But it is as simple as
do you believe what God said about His Son? Do you believe
God did to His Son what God says He did to His Son? He made Him
to be sin for us. So much so that one of the Psalms,
Christ cries out and says, My sins are ever before me. And it's clear from that Psalm
that it's Christ speaking because parts of that Psalm is quoted
as the direct language of Christ in the New Testament. How could
that be said? He had no sin. He knew no sin. He did no sin. That's true. But
this is equally true. For he hath made him to be sin
for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him. You know what? I'm glad I don't
have to understand it. I'm glad God gave me the ability
just to believe it. You see, apart from these two
things, that is this reconciliation accomplished by representative
substitution. My sins were dealt with by God
the Father at Calvary in the person of the Son. Yes, my sins
were laid on Him, but the book also says He bore my sin in His
own body on the tree. And if you're in Christ, you
too. You too. And God dealt with those sins,
and even our sin, in the full force of God Almighty's wrath. And He expended His justice to
where even Christ could say, it's paid in full. It's finished. It's finished. He stamped that
bill. Paid in full. Somebody says,
well, where's that bill? Right here. It says it right
here in this book. We just read it. Listen, apart from these two
things, being wrought by Christ, if He had not done what He had
done, if He had not already accomplished this, my brothers and sisters,
the new creature would mean absolutely nothing. Nothing. And yet, isn't it amazing how
religion puts the cart before the horse? and makes the new
creature everything and then the new creature validates Christ's
work rather than Christ's work validating and being the only
validity for the new creation. And yet I was so dead in trespasses
and sins that for 21, 22, 23 years I would read this Bible
and even preach from it and never could see it. Never could see
it. But then The lights went on. The light came on. God said,
let there be light, just like he did back in the beginning.
And you know what happens when God says, let there be light?
What does Genesis say? There was light. Now let's look at the new creature's
only hallmark. The hallmark is a distinguishing
factor. Put it that way. The new creature's
only hallmark. Think about it. I'll put this
in my own words and we'll look at the verses. The new creature
knows both man and Christ now in a totally different light
than that person knew both before. This is not about when God makes
you a new creature, all of a sudden you don't have any problem with
sin. When God makes you a new creature, that's when your problem
with sin will begin. That's when it really begins.
Again, the new creature knows both man and Christ in a totally
different light. Wherefore, henceforth, that is
from this time forth, know we no man after the flesh. Yea,
though we've known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth
know we Him no more. And the we here is the new creature.
Right? Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature. It's not the old creature. My
old creature is now informed of the truth of both man and
Christ, but it still hates it. As a matter of fact, my old man
hates it worse now. It hates it worse now that I'm
in the light than it did when I was in total darkness. And
when I was in total darkness, the old man could just think
and believe whatever he wanted. When God makes you a new creature
in Christ, all of a sudden you find this. Somebody says, but why did God
leave that old man in us? So we wouldn't depend on ourselves. What is it that makes you constantly
run to Christ? Is it when you're on the mountaintop? It's trouble. Difficulty. I don't care what it is. Whether
it's a personal sin or just a tragedy in your life. What forces you
to run? Keep running. Running to Christ. Running to
Christ. Running to Christ. It's when God reminds you of
what you really are in yourself. It's when you get through with
your day and right before you lay your head down and you think,
my God, what am I? How could I be so despicable? Why would I have, and I've done
a pretty good job, but in my mind I think these corrupt thoughts. The book tells us man in his
best state is altogether emptiness. Some might say that's kind of
a kick in the gut. Yeah, it is. But that kick in the gut forces
you to flee to Christ. And to flee to Christ. Again, let's read it. Wherefore,
henceforth, know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have
known Christ after the flesh, yet now, henceforth, know we
Him no more. Therefore, so now we're going
to, he's going to explain something now, and he's talking about it
in light of verse 16. Therefore, if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all
things are become new. So, here's the thing. Can I prove this? So far what
I've given you, and I've given you scripture, but I've given
you a lot of my thoughts about this, right? I could give you
examples of myself and my wife or some of you or people I've
known at chapel for years. That would just be me saying
one thing about another person, right? But what if this book
gives us some insight into this? What if this book gives us some
insights to this? Some actual examples of what
Paul, not what I'm talking about, Paul's talking about it, I'm
just trying to reiterate what Paul wrote. This is not what
Walter's come up with, this is what God Almighty ordained here
in this book. You see, think of it, flesh knowledge, no matter
how vast it may be, no matter how inclusive it may be. Flesh
knowledge, no matter how detailed it may be. Flesh knowledge, no
matter how factual it might be, is still nothing but flesh knowledge. And our Lord told Nicodemus clearly,
as recorded by John in John 3 and verse 6, that which is born of
the flesh is what? But he didn't stop there so that
we have this different light. That which is born of the Spirit
is Spirit. So if you've ever done anything
spiritual, it's because you had to have already been born of
God. Examples. Turn to John chapter
8. This is My brothers and sisters, it's really not that complex. I think part of the problem with
me, I won't throw this on you, I think the problem with me is
all too often, and that's because of me, all too often I don't
know if I can distinguish between flesh and spirit. I know sometimes I don't. I'm
not talking about that. There are certain deeds. You
say, a person did that. Of course, it's there in black
and white. I'm talking about sometimes just an attitude. When
you go up and you say something nice to somebody, but inside
you're saying to yourself, well, you probably got what you deserve.
Ever done that? Well, you brought this all upon
yourself. You may even be right, but who am I to be casting aspersions
in my teeth and heart against another fellow sinner in this
world? Okay, let's look at it. John
chapter 8, just a couple verses here. Of course, this is the
account of when this woman caught in adultery in the very act And
these men bring this woman, right, I mean I can't imagine what that's
like. And right in the act, they bring
her to Christ. Look at verse seven. So when
they continued asking him, he, that is Christ, lifted up himself.
Now, this is me. This is Walter. This is my thoughts
on the matter. It's not, thus saith the Lord.
So, it's not dogma. But I almost feel as though,
just maybe. See, Christ was standing there,
just standing there. All of a sudden, here they bring this woman. I
figured they'd throw her down on the ground right in front
of Him. She's caught in the act. The law says she's to be stoned
to death, but what do you say? And she's on the ground. And
what did He do? He did not tower over her. He did not hover over her. He
got right down in the dirt with her and began to ride off in
the dirt. I'm sure she was still scared
out of her wits. Don't you think? And so when
they continued asking him, he lifted up himself and said unto
them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast
a stone at her. And he again, or again, what
did he do? He got right back down with her.
What's he doing? I know this. He's identifying
himself with her. rather than them. And again he stooped down and
wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, looked,
looked, here it is, here's the example, being convicted by their
own conscience. They understood man, didn't they?
They even began to see a little bit about themselves, did they
not? But did they say, get down on the ground and say, oh Lord
show me mercy? Is that what they did? No, because
they only knew themselves after the flesh. So they being convicted
by their own conscience, went out. One by one. One by one, beginning at the
eldest, even into the last. Jesus was left alone. And the
woman, the woman what? Something happened. I just, I
can see this. He may be resting on a little
bit of hair. Lift her up. Now, he puts her
on his level. Is that not what we just read
in Romans, the second Corinthians 5, 21? He stooped down and became
us, took our place, and then lifted us up to his level. makes
us to be the very righteousness of God in Christ. When Jesus had lifted up himself,
and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are
those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She
said, No man, Lord. And he said unto her, Neither
do I condemn thee. Go and quit that whore. I apologize
for being so blunt, but that's what he's talking about. He ain't
talking about going and being sinlessly. I heard that before.
See, once God saved you, you quit sinning altogether. That
ain't so. But it ain't so. Boy, go and
sin no more, huh? But can you imagine somebody
said, but if I could only hear Christ say, neither do I condemn
thee. He does. Right here. over, and over, and over, and
over, and over. But now, let's look at a man.
Here's biblical examples now, examples from the scripture.
Turn to Romans 7. Now, remember, these men, from
the oldest of the... they knew a man after the flesh,
didn't they? Christ had exposed themselves
expose them to everyone around them, to themselves and to everyone
else. So beginning at the eldest, they begin to kind of filter
out. And the young ones, well, full soul until they've got to
filter out, I probably do too. And they move away. But here
we go. Here's a man that knows man after
the Spirit of God, okay? Chapter 7, and you can read along
with me. Look at it, verse 14. Here's
what it means to know man after the work of God, after God Almighty
makes you a new creation. Romans 7, verse 14, For we know
that the law is spiritual, but I, you see how Paul changes it? He didn't say, but we are carnal,
though that's certainly absolutely true. But he said, but I am carnal,
so Under sin. Isn't that seeing yourself in
a new light? If you look at what Paul wrote, there was a time
when, boy, he was just happy-go-lucky. He thought everything was fine.
But when the commandment came, sin revived. And he died. Look at another verse here of
Paul, verse 18. Here's knowing Christ through
being made a new creature in Christ. Verse 18, for I know
that is in me. He's gonna make sure we understand.
That is in my what? Here it is. F-L-E-S-H. For I know that in me, that is
in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. So how much good dwells
in our flesh? Go see. Zero. None. Nothing. So why, in the
name of all that's right, would I trust in it to the smallest,
even? That in my flesh dwelleth no
good thing, and even this, for to will is present with me. But
how to perform that which is good, I find not. Now compare this man's attitude
about himself and this religious world's attitude about themselves.
They said, I can will to do it and I've been doing it. This
man said, I can't even find out how to do it. See the difference
between being an old creature and God Almighty creating a new
man. One more verse. This is a good
one. Verse 24. Oh, wretched man that I am. You see that? But now note, my brothers and
sisters, he did not stop there. If God ever brings you just to
see nothing more than you are a wretched person, He will have
left you in misery forever. Look at it. O wretched man that
I am, who? Simple word. Who? Not what. Here seeing Christ in a new light. Though he knew Christ after the
flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. It's not about
what we do for him, it's about what he's done for us. Who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh. This is not excuse,
folks. This is reality. Reality. I was, we heard this phrase constantly
when I was in religion, when I knew man after the flesh, and
when I only knew Christ after the flesh. We got to be careful,
not give men license to sin. We don't need license to sin. Man's sakes alive, what's wrong
with us? Other than we're nothing but
flesh. When God makes you a new creature in Christ, you know,
to will is present within me, but how to perform that, I find
not. God's got to work in me both
to will and to do of His good pleasure. All things are of God. I thank God through Jesus Christ
our Lord. So then with the mind I myself
serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. Let me give you one little thing.
This is not necessarily a part of the message, If you find yourself
trying to improve your flesh, repent of it and stop. Acknowledge
the flesh for what it is and will always be until God Almighty
does away with it. Quit trying to make it better.
At best, at best, by His enablement, we can just mortify it. And that's
only our members. You can't mortify the flesh as
a whole, but by His grace we can mortify its appendages. Its
appendage. Pinch it till it's got no more
feeling. And you say, but it comes back
so quickly. Pinch it again. You ever have somebody hit you
good and hard and it just gets numb, you don't feel no pain,
it just numbs. That's why Paul numbed it. But
it'll come back. And what you gotta do? Hit it
again. When will this be over? When you die. Or Christ returns. That's when
it will be over. That's when it will be over.
But let's look at Christ. Look at Mark 12. Let's look at
that. We've looked at the difference
between a person knowing man after the flesh, but then a knowing
man through a work of God's grace. Now turn to Mark chapter 12. And we're almost, we're getting
to the end folks. Mark 12 verse, let me find my
spot. Yeah, Mark 12 verse 35. Now Jesus
is talking to some Jews here. And if you read the context you'll
find out these were unbelieving Jews. But look at the question,
and Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple,
how say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? What? You mean the scribes believed
in the Christ? Of course they did. They were
looking for Him to come. And when He showed up, they didn't
recognize Him. Right? They even rejected Him. Why? Because all they knew Him
was after the flesh. But they still knew Him biblically.
You see what I'm saying? Somebody says, the preacher,
that's scary. For David himself said by the
Holy Ghost, Thee, Lord, said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right
hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool. But even the scribes
acknowledged this. Here's another one, John 4. I
think this will be familiar with you too. John chapter 4. Of course, John 4 is the context
of who? This Samaritan woman that Christ met at the well. That's not even
really a good way. He was there waiting for her
at the well. John chapter 4, but just one
verse. This is this woman speaking,
and remember, if you look at this whole context, Christ tells
her, you don't have the water of life. He says, woman, you
worship, you're not. He was letting her know, you're
lost. You're not saved like you think you are. They might not
have used that language, I don't know. You're not a friend of
God like you think. But she was a worshipper of God,
right? But look at what else she said. John 4 verse 25. The woman saith unto him, I know
that Messiah is coming. But it was only a knowledge after
the flesh. Which is called Christ. When
He has come, He will tell us all things. Now here He is. She
knows that it's Christ. And He's sitting right in front
of her. Jesus saith unto her, I that
speak unto thee, am. Now you notice that He is put
in there. He just said, am. But now some things changed.
But do you get an idea of what Paul has told us? We can know
Christ but still not know Him but after the flesh. It's of
no value whatsoever. But now turn to Matthew chapter
2. Let's move through this. Matthew chapter 2. Verse 3. When Herod the king
had heard these things, he was troubled. and all Jerusalem with
him. And when he had gathered all
the chief priests and scribes of the people, remember, these
became Christ's worst enemies, right? His worst enemies, chief
priests and scribes of the people. Herod gathers them together.
He demanded of them, we're Christ's people. So here's both Herod
and the scribes and the Pharisees having a conversation about God's
Christ. Were they saved? They said unto him, in Bethlehem
of Judea. Thus it is written. Their faith,
their believing, their knowledge was Bible-based. Again, I say, that's frightening. That's frightening. Now, would you want me to stop
right now? Just quick. Give me just a few
more minutes. I turn to John chapter 20. Remember
I told you I was going to show you the difference. John chapter
20. This is the account when our
Lord revealed himself distinctly to his disciple, that immediate
group. And you remember a man named
Thomas, he said, I will not believe unless I stick my fingers in
his wounds. Right? You remember that? He
said, I will. He said, I just can't. And no,
he wasn't crazy. He was like defiant. You ever
been there? Even as a believer. Become just
defiant. But look at what ultimately happens. Verse 28. And Thomas answered
and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Now you see the difference. Now Thomas was a believer, but
that defiance was unbelief. But he still believed in the
Christ. But I'm just not going to believe it's him, that man. Christ wasn't there when Thomas
said that and now Christ just steps into the room says Thomas
come here bring your finger over here it doesn't even say he did
it he cries out what my Lord and my God one more example Matthew
chapter 13 Now before we look at this one,
let me ask this question. I ask it of myself and to you.
Do you see that difference in yourself? Do you see both of
those in yourself? Do you see that defiance over
here? And yet that God wrought submission
over here? Do you? I know it's a tough spot
to be in, but it's better to be in defiance only. Is it not? If God leaves me in defiance
only, I'll perish forever. Alright, let's look at it. Matthew 13. Let me find my spot. Matthew 13. But blessed are your
eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. My brothers and sisters, it's
that simple. As you're hearing me preach,
do you say, there's the Christ of God in God's book. His name
is Jesus of Nazareth. In spite of myself, in spite
of my defiance, in spite of my failures, in spite of my sins,
I just can't get away from the fact that Jesus of Nazareth is
the Christ, the Son of the Living God. And I love Him for who He
is and what He's done. Alright, now last verse. Turn
to 1 John. I didn't write up that one. I'm
just thinking about this. 1 John chapter 5. Now this is not going to solve
any difficulty you have. You say, this thing, preacher,
it is, it's so frightening. It's like there's this line,
such a small line between knowing man in Christ after the flesh,
but then knowing man in Christ, being a new creature in Christ.
It's like, where do I know? My brothers and sisters, it all
boils down to one word. Faith. Quit looking for proof. Just believe God. If you start
looking in yourself for the proof and the difference between the
two, you're going to be confounded. You're going to go to bed at
night miserable. Look at what John wrote, 1 John
5. believeth that Jesus, Jesus,
not just in a Christ, but that Jesus is the Christ, what's that
next two-letter word? He is. You see? It's that complicated, and yet
it's that simple. Tim James, once I heard him preach
the message, so I could say I was an eyewitness to it. I wasn't in person. He said,
my brothers and sisters, it's okay to just believe God. It's okay. If and when we just believe God,
everything else will fall into place. Even on your worst days. But even more importantly, even
on your best days. Because our best days are when
we're most prone to start to wander. Is that true with you? It's true with me. Heavenly Father,
may it be that Not my words, but your words be a blessing
to your people this morning. May there have been some comfort
that you've been pleased to give us, and may it continue. But
Lord, we know it will not continue with just one sermon. Lord, constantly,
constantly force us by your love and your mercy and your grace
and compassion. Lord, force us to constantly
be looking to your Son in faith, in Christ's name, Amen.