Take your Bibles now and turn
back with me to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. My subject this morning, and
I pray it's God's message to you, is the old and the new. Second Corinthians 5.17 said,
therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. That word is creation. 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 given to
us the ministry of reconciliation. Everything and everyone in this
world falls under these two headings, the old and the new. And the old and the new are represented
by two men in the scriptures, Adam and Christ. The biblical account of man and
the consequent fall of humanity is ascribed to one man, that
man Adam. In Romans 5.12, the Holy Ghost
tells us 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.
How did we sin? We sinned in our father Adam. Adam is what the theologians
call a federal head. He is the beginning of our race
and it is his seed by which our natures are formed. We have his nature. Everything that God created in
the way of the living, the plants, the trees, the fish, the fowl
of the air, everything, has a seed in it, and that seed produces,
he said, after its kind. You're not gonna grow a peach
tree out of a wheat seed. You're gonna grow wheat. You're
not going to make a fish out of a bird. No need to run out
to the nest and check on it. It's going to be a bird. Their natures never change. Their
natures stay the same. And we derive our nature from
our father Adam. He's our federal head. He's the beginning of our race,
and it's his seed by which our natures are formed and are set. In 1
Corinthians 15, beginning with verse 47, Paul
states this ever so clearly. The first man, that's Adam in
this account, is of the earth, earthy, The second man, the second
federal head, talking about Christ, is the Lord from heaven. As is
the earthy, such are they also that are earthy, and as is the
heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we
have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly. These two men, two men, they
stand for the old and the new. Back in verse 21 of that chapter,
1 Corinthians 15, he said, for since by man came death, by man
came also the resurrection of the dead, for in Adam all die. They all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. The old, And the new, everything
in Adam is according to the conditions of the old. The conditions of
the fall, the curse of God in the fall, everything. When I
tell you there's none, the scripture says there's none that seeketh
after God. There's none that understandeth. There's none righteous. There's
none good. They're all gone out of the way.
They're together become unprofitable. The poison of asp is under their
lips. Destruction and misery are in
their way. No fear of God before their eyes.
That's the old. That's the old. He's under the
conditions of the old fall. And everything in Christ is according
to the benefits of the new. So let's look for a little while
at these two things. First of all, let's consider
the old. The Bible uses the word all concerning both of these
representatives. In Adam, all die. Death passed
upon all men, for that all have sinned. Who's represented in
Adam? All men. All men. They're not a man or a woman
born into this world who does not bear Adam's image, Adam's
nature, and Adam's name. Job said man that's born of a
woman is of a few days and full of trouble. He said, what is man? He's talking
about mankind here. Not talking about men, he's talking
about man. Whenever you see that word man
in the scripture, he's talking about mankind. Listen to what he says. What
is man that he should be clean? Or he that's born of a woman
that he should be righteous? Behold, God put his no trust
in his saints. Yea, the heavens are not clean
in his sight. How much more abominable and
filthy is man which drinketh iniquity like water? All men,
all mankind, failed in their father Adam, and in so doing
they inherited his nature, and therefore the curse of God. Now
they're not going to be punished for Adam's sin, they're going
to be punished for theirs, but they're going to sin because
they're sinners. And God cannot and will not tolerate
sin. God has already manifest that
every transgression and disobedience has and it must receive a just
recompense of reward. And every sin, be it thought,
motive, or deed, must be punished to the full extent and satisfaction
of God's justice. That's why hell's everlasting.
We can't satisfy that perfect justice of God for all eternity
for even one sin, let alone for the multitude of sins of which
we're guilty. And here's the thing, all that
a natural man can do is sin. You ever think about that? That's
all you can do. Well, you say, I can pray. Not without having it washed
in the blood of Christ, you can't. Your prayers would be filthy,
filthy. Everything that went into that
tabernacle, everything, had to be washed at the laver, didn't
it? Had to be cleansed. All a natural man can do is sin. His prayers, his preaching, his
motives, his concepts of God, his faith, his service, his devotion,
even his love must be washed in the blood of Christ. God's
saints, it says, offer up spiritual sacrifices. Now listen to it.
Acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. The natural man is totally depraved. He's a sinner 100%, sinner. Oh, the filthiness of a man's
mind, the natural man's mind. It knows no depth. It said, God
saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. No wonder Paul cried out in Romans
7, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the
body of this death? So wicked is man that even his
righteousnesses are as filthy rags before God. Did you know
under the law that they had a sacrifice for the sins of the holy things? There was a sacrifice that had
to be offered for sins concerning the holy things. In Adam, this is the old. In Adam, all die. Natural men
walk in the vanity of their minds, supposing themselves to be free,
supposing themselves to have the ability to do contrary to
their natures. But everything he does is subject
to the restrictions of his nature, and the limitations of his depraved
heart and mind. The natural man, it said, receiveth
not the things of the Spirit of God. Why not? For they're foolishness unto
him. Neither can he know them, for they're spiritually discerned. No natural man of his own ability
can do anything to change his course. He walks according to
the course of this world. He's going to keep on walking
according to the course of this world unless God intervenes and
quickens him. And according to the scriptures,
there is but one hope for fallen man, and that is for the intervention
of God. You hath he quickened who were
dead. You were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others, but God, God, had other plans, didn't
he? God, who's rich in mercy for
that great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead
in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.
God intervened. If Adam were the whole story,
he'd be the end of the story, wouldn't he? That'd be the end
of things. If it were all up to Adam, if
no other provision had ever been made, if God did not intend to
intervene, when Adam sinned, God would have wiped this place
out. Now this is the old and the old
things. That old man, that natural man,
he's not gonna receive the preaching of the gospel. He's not gonna
receive the reading of the Word of God. You can read him something
in the Word of God and he'll say, well, that's the old English.
No, it's the old man. That's what it is. It's got nothing
to do with the old English. It has nothing to do with the
Greek or the Hebrew or the Chaldean. It has to do with the old man. That natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. The carnal mind, it said, is
enmity against God. It's not subject to the law of
God, neither indeed can it be. This is the old. And if Adam were the whole story,
that'd be the end of the story. This is the old and the old things. The old things, I'm talking about
the inability of man to do anything for himself. So should we just
throw up our hands? No, there's another side to it. There's the old and there's the
new. Now let's look at the new. Our text reads, if any man be
in Christ, He is a new creature, a new creation. Old things are
passed away and behold, all things have become new. And these all
things are of God. There was another federal head
before the creation of Adam. I brought a message up in Rocky
Mountain at a Bible conference up there years ago. And I talked
about the beginning before the beginning. There was a beginning
before the beginning. God appointed us a representative. God made provision for his elect
before man was ever created, before the world ever took shape,
before the universe ever appeared to the first eye. God had a people. The Bible tells us about him
over in Colossians chapter one, that he's the creator. Nothing
was made without him. Nothing was made without him.
He created all things. All things were created by him
and for him, it says. And then it says this. He's the
head of the body, the church. He's the federal head, as Adam
was the federal head over all men, Christ is the federal head
over His elect. He's the head of the body of
the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,
that in all things He might have the preeminence. For it pleased
the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. He's not
the representative head of all mankind, as was Adam, but the
head of the body of the church. Now turn with me to Ephesians
chapter one. I just want us to kind of read
down through here and see what that means. If he were the federal head of
all mankind, then the world would have no reason for a judgment.
There'd be no reason. Because he said there is therefore
now no condemnation to them that are in Christ. If he were the federal head of
all mankind, there'd be no reason for judgment and there'd be no
reason for hell. His redemption was fully accomplished
at Calvary, which God declared to all to be sufficient when
he raised him from the dead. He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. Now look here at the beginning
as Paul writes about these things under the inspiration of God.
He said in verse three, blessed be the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings
in heavenly places in Christ. Now watch this. According, this is talking about all the
blessings that God's ever purposed to give. All the means of grace, the son
of grace, The death of Christ, His resurrection, His intercession,
His person, His condescension, every blessing that God ever
purposed to give is according, verse four, as He hath chosen
us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy. Why did He choose us in His Son? That we should be holy. consistent
with the very nature of God. Not only that, that we should
be without blame. He chose us in Christ. Do you
realize that our text says that this ministry of reconciliation
declares to men that God never charged His elect with a single
sin? He never did. not imputing their trespasses
unto them. Ain't that what we preach to
them? Well, who did He charge them to? His Son. Why would He
do that? Because He put us in Him before
the world was. He did that that we should be
holy and without blame. Now watch this. Before Him in
love. That is, that we're going to
appear before Him Being loved. Now watch this, verse five. Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to
himself according to the good pleasure of his will. Who did
he predestinate? All those he chose in Christ. He did it to the praise of the
glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the
blood. in whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches
of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom
and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will,
according to his good pleasure, which he's purposed in himself,
that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather
together in one all things in Christ, Both which are in heaven,
which are on earth, even in him in whom we have obtained an inheritance. How come we have an inheritance? We got it in him. Got it in him. Predestinated to it. Chosen of
God to it. Blessed of God to that end. Being predestinated according
to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will that we should be to the praise of His glory
who first trusted in Christ, in whom you also trusted after
that you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation,
in whom also after that you believed you were sealed with that Holy
Spirit of promise. If any man be in Christ, he's
a new creature. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. He's not bound by the old curse. He's not bound by the old limitations. It says there's none that seeketh
after God, but God's elect seek after Him, and they seek after
Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Why? Because they're willing in the
day of His power. That's why. They're given the
ability to seek Him. They're given the ability to
believe on Him. They're not under those old limitations. Those old limitations don't apply
to the elect of God. He's under a new federal head. He's not bound by the old curse.
He's under another headship, and being under the headship
of Christ, God has given to him the spirit of revelation. Do
you know in 1 Corinthians 2 it says, Eye hath not seen or ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, mankind, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God
hath revealed them unto us. How? By his spirit. By his spirit. He makes known unto us the mystery
of his will. If any man be in Christ, the
old restrictions of his fall do not apply. God has made provision
for him, sent ambassadors to him to preach to him. Oh, preacher,
you really believe God singles out a man for a man? You better
believe I believe that. I wouldn't be here if I didn't.
I wouldn't waste my time preaching if I didn't believe God did that.
That's God's will. He's ordained that. Please God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. God
has from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth, Paul said. Therefore,
he called you by our gospel. Do I believe it? Yes, I do believe
it. I do believe it. These old restrictions of the
fall don't apply to him. while others live in pretense.
He truly believes, truly repents, truly loves, truly serves, cheerfully
gives. Old things have passed away,
that old covenant of works been taken away in Christ. Now Paul writes, the righteousness
of God without the law is manifested. even the righteousness of God,
which is by faith, or the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, and it's unto
all and upon all them that believe." Old concepts are gone. We know
that the Son of God has come and given us an understanding
that we may know Him that's true. Everybody else in this world
worships a concept, a concept of God. He deals with that in
Isaiah so often. And he just keeps telling them,
I'm God, beside me there is none other. You pray to a God who
cannot save, that's not God. Armenians everywhere this morning
praying to a God that can't save. You have to let him. Can you
imagine letting God? who created, he's an eternal
being, all wise, created the universe, and we're gonna let
him do something. These old hopes are passed away,
and Christ, we've got a good hope. Christ in you, the hope
of glory. We got a good hope through Christ.
He's our guarantor, our mediator. Our righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. He's our wisdom. He's our intercessor,
our priest and prophet. Old fears have passed away. I
don't fear falling away because no man can pluck me out of his
hand. That's what he said. Do I believe that? I believe
him. That's what he said. My sheep hear my voice, and they
follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they'll never
perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. And even if they could, they
couldn't pluck him out of my Father's hand. He greater than
all, and I, my Father, are one. I don't fear falling away. I
don't fear death, because he that believeth on him will never
die. Isn't that what he said? Be absent from bodies, be present
with the Lord. I don't fear judgment because
there's now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.
Walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit. And then these
old ways have passed. Christ is the way. The Roman road ain't the way.
You go to a Baptist church very long, they're going to tell you
all about the Roman road. They're going to walk you right
down the aisle. Walking the aisle ain't the way.
Praying at a mourner's bench ain't the way. Christ is the
way. He's the way. Any man be in Christ,
he's a new creature. Well, how does a man get in Christ? Scripture says, of God are ye
in Christ Jesus. That's how you get in Him. God
put you in Him. put you in Him, we were chosen
in Him, quickened together with Him, made provision for by Him,
salvations of the Lord. That's something this whole generation
don't know anything about. You mean God saves whom He will?
That's exactly what I'm saying. You mean He might pass some by?
He does. He has and He will. Well, who's He gonna save? All
them He chose and put in Christ. Who are they? I don't know. That's
why I'm preaching. I'm looking for them. All right, but how do we know
if God's chosen us in Him, made provision for us in Him, by faith
in Him? All that my Father has given
me, come to me. Now we see. And him that cometh to me, I
will no wise cast out. If any man be in Christ, he's a
new creature. Old things have passed away.
All these old limitations and concepts and religion and all
this stuff that's plagued us for a lifetime, it doesn't apply
anymore to that man that's in Christ. In Christ, he's righteous. In Christ, he's holy. In Christ,
he's loved. In Christ, he has provision made
for him. And then listen to this, and
I'll close. He tells us in verse 18, 2 Corinthians 5, for any
man be in Christ, he's 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
given to us the ministry of reconciliation. This is what Paul's talking about
when he said, I trust that we should be manifest in your consciences
the same as we're manifest unto God. He'll manifest unto you the truth.
He'd given to us the ministry of reconciliation, and that reconciliation's
all together in Christ, and in Christ we're new creatures. All
that stuff, all that stuff that plagued us and haunted us and
caused us to fear and tremble, all that stuff passed away. Doesn't have any application
toward you whatsoever. My righteousness is Christ. Oh, I heard you cuss. You probably
did. You probably did. I'm going to tell you something,
my righteousness is not in me, it's in Him. It's in Him. Am I going to sin? I'm a sinner.
I'm pretty sure I'm going to sin. I don't want to, but I will. I will. But that's not my standing. That's all passed away. That's
all gone. In Christ, I'm a new creation. I'm holy. I'm loved, been made
provision for, I have an inheritance. My soul, think about it, what
it is to be in Christ. Why wouldn't anybody want to
be in Christ? Huh? There's nothing outside of Christ.
And I tell you, all that stuff outside of Christ, other than
those that God has chosen, it's not gonna change either. It's
just gonna get worse and worse and worse and worse. until they
wake up in hell. Why wouldn't a man want to come
to Christ? That's all.