Turn back with me now to 1 Corinthians
1. My comments this morning will
be based on what I read to you earlier. I stand before you this morning
with a confident assurance that every man, woman, boy or girl
who is called of God shall be enabled to be reasoned with, made willing to receive, and
believe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe those
things. Do you? Do you? My text this morning begins with
this solemn declaration of God, for after that in the wisdom
of God The world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Men and women respond to this,
also according to our text, by saying that these things are
foolishness. It's a waste of time. You can
talk all you want to to Him. You're just wasting your time.
Just wasting your time. It's foolishness. Foolishness. It's absurd and it's unreasonable. You're just unreasonable. You're
just inflexible. You just won't move. You just
won't listen to reason. I will if you can sit down with
me and show me in this book. Yes, I will. To the wise, Paul said, this
preaching, this thing of preaching, this thing of the declaration
of the grace of God in Christ, of the everlasting purpose of
God to save a people for the glory of His name is foolishness. To this religious world, it is
a stumbling block. They are not going to preach
it. They are not going to use it. It is a stumbling block.
Peter told the Jews of which he was one. He was a Jew. And he was raised in the Jewish
religion. And he said, this stone, you
builders, set it aside. You called it out. What's he
talking about? He's talking about Christ. Declared
all through the Word of God. In the volume of the book, it's
written of me, I come to do thy will, O God. Talking about Christ,
and they took Christ, and they looked at that stone, that spiritual
stone, which was to them a cull. It was flawed. And they set it
aside, and they made their own stone. They hewed them out one
of their own, and they laid it. But he said, this stone that
you builders cast aside, listen, God made that stone the head
of the corner. He made it the head of the corner.
He put it in its proper place. Neither, He said, is there salvation
in any other. For there is none other name
under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. You'll
be saved this way, or you won't be saved at all. I'm going to tell you something.
You can be religious. and be a member in good standing
among almost any denomination there is, but you cannot be saved
contrary to the ways and means of God. It can't be done. Religion is easy to do. It's
easy to do. My wife went in there and myself
into this little country church, and we told them we didn't know
what to do. They said, well, we'll tell you. Come down the
aisle, kneel down here at the bench, We got all done. I went back to my seat and egg-balled
and prayed and snotted around there for about 30 minutes. And
I went back and sat down, and he says, is everything all right?
I said, no, sir, it ain't. It ain't. You can be religious. You can make a profession. Anybody
can. Boys and girls do it all the
time. That's what Vacation Bible School is all about. See, I mean,
professions of faith, you can weasel out of these little children. Anybody can be religious. But I'm going to tell you something. You'll never get to first base
with any kind of relationship to God trying to reason on any
other basis than the Word of God. You're not going to get
anywhere. You're going to go round and
round and round in circles. But you're not going to gain
any ground at all until God shuts you up to this book. If the Word says one thing and
another man says something else, then let God be true and every
man a liar. And men who truly love those
they preach to, tell them the truth. And I'm going to tell
you what I found out. I'm not a young man anymore.
And I've learned some things. I hope you'll listen to me. I'll
tell you what I found out. The only way to tell men the
truth is to tell them the truth. That's what I found out. Tell
them the truth. The truth about man, the truth
about God, and the truth about false religion. There is a salvation
boasted in, practiced and taught by false religion that's based
on man's will. Man's wisdom and man's reasoning.
It teaches men and women that they have certain qualities worth
preserving. Does it not? Isn't that what
that ministry is all about? They're trying to blow on the
coals and get a fire going? There are certain qualities in
there worth preserving, worth saving, worth bringing out, so
we'll minister to Him. We'll get around Him. We'll all
get around there with little fans. The problem is The fire
has gone out. God said, I'll give you beauties
for ashes. Ashes tells me the fire went
out. Religion tells men that there
are certain things by which they can assist God in this work. They teach deceived men and women
that salvation is within their grasp. All you have to do is
lay hold and take it. It's right there in your grasp.
You have the potential. The potential was built into
you when you were born. God has done all that He can
do. I heard a preacher say that.
And now the rest is all up to you. If it is, you're a goner. You're a goner. God has done
His part, and if man is willing to do His part, he can be saved.
They teach that man has the ability to work his way into glory. Show me one. Anyone. My friend, you cannot find any
basis for any of these things in the Word of God. God's people
are given the right and privilege to become sons of God by a new
birth. Now listen. This new birth is
not of blood. It's not who your daddy was.
Nor of the will of the flesh. Nor of the will of man. But of
God. Of God. Salvation is of the Lord. And I tell you, it's a sad thing.
But when God took His prophet Jonah to the bottom of the sea,
and wrapped his head in seaweed and destroyed all hope that that
man ever had. He said, I'll pay that which
I've bought. Salvation is of the Lord. And
when He takes you there, that's what you'll say to Him. Salvation
is of the Lord. It's of Him and it's eternal
purpose and design. It's of Him and it's means and
ends. It's of Him and it's accomplishment.
It's of Him and it's application. It's of him in its ultimate completion,
perfection, and glory. And God don't do things the way
men thinks he ought to. There is a way, Solomon said,
that seemeth right unto a man. Seems that way to him. Appeals
to him. But the end thereof is destruction. God doesn't do things the way
men think He ought to. He doesn't call many wise men
after the flesh. When that rich young ruler, he
had every potential in the world. He went up there and the Lord
sent him away with his tail tucked between his legs and the disciples
looked at each other and they said, who then can be saved? Here was a law-abiding man, a
giving man, a church-going man, a scripture-reading man, a successful
man. A man honored who held positions
in a community? If he can't be saved, who then
can be saved? With man, it's impossible. Isn't that what the Lord said? But with God, all things are
possible. And He doesn't call many wise
men after the flesh, verse 26. He doesn't call many mighty men.
Boy, they looked around. Israel looked around. They said,
we want a king. We want a king. And they looked
around, and there's old Saul. Head and shoulders above every
man. A man of war. He had a sword
David couldn't hardly pick up. Couldn't wear his shield. I mean,
his armor weighed too much. Mighty man. But he wasn't God's
king. David was. He doesn't call many mighty men,
and not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which
are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are
despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring
to naught things that are. And here's why He did it, that
no flesh should glory in His presence. But, and this is my
message to you this morning, of Him, of God, are you in Christ
Jesus? How did you get there? Of God. Of God. Are you in Christ Jesus? Now listen, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. That according as it is written,
he that gloryeth, let him glory in the Lord. Salvation is of
the Lord. Now, let me give you a few things
this morning to think about. First of all, let me show you
where this salvation is. Of Him, of God, are you in Christ
Jesus. How does that read over there
in Ephesians chapter 1? God hath blessed us in heavenly
places with all spiritual blessings in Christ, according as He hath
chosen us in Him. And now what does that say? In
Him. And all through the Scripture,
you find things concerning the believer in Christ. In Christ. In Christ. The love of God. Never be separated from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Salvation is in a person. It's
not in your decision. It's not in your profession.
It's not in your works. It's not in the wafer, the wine,
or the pool. Salvation is in a person. It's
in a person. A living, reigning, ruling person,
an eternal person who is even now seated at the right hand
of God to embrace Him is to be saved. That is what it means to be saved.
There is not so much as a whisper of hope of a man being saved
outside of Christ. Well, I made my peace with God.
You made peace with somebody, but you did not make peace with
God. Christ is our peace. Isn't that what Scripture said?
Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our
Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Son of Peace. Isn't
that what Scripture said? He is the Son of Peace. His coming
was announced by the angels as peace on earth and good will
toward men. He told His disciples, He said,
Peace I leave with you, My peace. Whose peace is it? His peace.
I give unto you. Scripture said, He abolished
in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained
in ordinances. For to make in Himself of twain
one new man, so making peace. Peace. You can't preach peace
without preaching Christ because Christ is our peace. Salvation
is in a person. It's not in a creed. Not in a
creed. Lots of folks I know and write
to and communicate with, they go back and lay hold on those
old confessions of faith, on those old creeds and catechisms.
And their whole hope is all wrapped up in those ancient manuscripts
and all those things. It's not in a creed. It's not
in a system. It's not in a catechism. It's
in a person! He that hath the Son hath life,
and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. To be saved
you must be in Christ Jesus. He Himself is the one Mediator. There is only one Mediator between
God and me and the man Christ Jesus. The Pope is not a go-between. He is a fraud. He is a phony. One Mediator between God and
me and the man Christ Jesus. And He Himself is the High Priest. He is the altar. He is the sacrifice. He himself is the head of the
church as Adam was the head of this race. God hath saved us. That's what the Scripture says.
I hear men talking about saving themselves. That's not what Scripture
says. Scripture says God has saved
us. and called us with a holy calling, not according to our
works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given
us in Christ Jesus before the world began." Listen to this,
if any man be in Christ, here's the thing, are you in Christ?
If any man be in Christ, he's a new creature. He's a new creation. Old things are passed away. Behold,
all things are become new. What's he talking about there?
Well, in Adam all die. That's the way it is. But that
old thing passed away because in Christ shall all be made alive. Huh? All things have become new. In Adam all things are condemned.
By one man, sin entered into the world, and death by sin,
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."
Huh? Condemnation in Adam, but not
in Christ. Free justification unto life.
In Adam, death is passed upon all. In Adam, sin reigns. In Christ, shall all be made
alive. In Christ, we're freely justified through the redemption
that's in Christ Jesus. In Christ, grace reigns through
righteousness unto eternal life. In Christ, nothing of the old
curse remains. All things become new. Man can't believe. That's the
old rule. That's the old law. He can't
believe. He can't. Read 1 Corinthians 2, verse 14. He won't receive the things of
the Holy Spirit. They are foolishness unto us. And he can't. He can't do it
apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in him. He can't do it. And he can't be saved. But in
Christ he can believe. Huh? Because Christ made preparation
for that phase. Christ sent the Holy Spirit back
into this world that men could believe, that they could believe. Old things are passed away, and
behold, all things are become new. The old man is deceived,
ignorant, and walking in darkness, but Christ came to give life
and light. Man totally depraved in his Adamic
nature, but Christ made provision for him to have a new nature
and made him meet to be partakers with enlightened saints. Man
is a rebel by nature, but Christ enables us to be reconciled to
God. Old things, old principles, old
ways, old obstacles, old ideas are passed away. Salvation is in a person. It's
in a person. is eternal life. Where is this
salvation at? It's in Christ. It's in Christ. I'll tell you what, when you
learn that, you'll quit talking to folks about God and start
talking to God about folks. I'm telling you the truth. I'm
telling you the truth. You'll quit pleading with them
and start pleading with Him. Alright, here's the second thing
I want you to think about. what Christ is to every believer. Of God are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us. Now we're talking about the person
of Christ and His relationship to us. He's made unto us wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Christ is our
wisdom. When you read the book of Proverbs,
And he's talking there about wisdom. Wisdom is a principle
thing. Therefore, get thee wisdom. He's
telling his children. You just substitute Jesus Christ
where it says wisdom. Just substitute. And see if proverbs
don't come alive to you when you read it. In Christ, we discover
who God is. We don't know who God is. We
know what we've been told, we know what men say God is, but
we don't know who God is until we learn something about Christ. We see manifested in Christ the
very character and glory of God, His justice, His holiness, His
love, His mercy, His grace. He told His disciples, He said,
if you had known Me, you should have known My Father. And henceforth you know Him.
And henceforth you've seen Him. If you've seen me, you've seen
my Father. He's our wisdom concerning the
living God. We know that the Son of God hath
come, John said, and hath given to us an understanding that we
might know Him that's true. I used to pray to a God that
I thought was God. Didn't you? Do you know over in Isaiah, he's
talking to his people over there, and he's talking about these
heathen idolaters. And he said, they pray to a God
who cannot save. That's what I was doing. I'm praying to a God who cannot
save. But we know, John said, the Son
of God has come and given to us an understanding that we might
know Him that's true and that we're in Him that's true. He's our wisdom concerning our
sins and the judgment brought upon men for their sins. The
death of Christ testifies of the fate of every sinner who
goes before God without the blood of Christ. That's what you've
got to look forward to. He is our wisdom concerning our
sins, and He's our wisdom concerning the ceremonial law. Brethren,
I'm going to tell you something. If you take Christ away from
the types, and just look at those as religious ceremonies, what
do you get out of that? Huh? The slitting of the throat
of a beast? The burning of its body, the
eating of its body, going into a tabernacle with candlesticks
and showbread and a golden box and bowing down and pouring blood.
What's all that mean apart from Christ? It means nothing. It's
just a big show is all it is. You take Christ out of those
things. A high priest, what's a priesthood without Christ?
It's meaningless. It has no meaning. It has no
effect on you. You don't get any understanding
out of it. You just go in there and you're awed by it. He's our wisdom concerning the
ceremonial law. Without Him, these things are
without meaning. He's our wisdom concerning how
God saves sinners. No salvation in any other. He is our wisdom concerning the
gospel because He is the gospel. God's eternal purpose of grace
was brought to light by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ who
abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel. He is the gospel. God hath made Him to be for us
whom He put in Christ. Wisdom. Wisdom. And He made Him to be for us
righteousness. Righteousness. The Bible clearly
states that all our righteousnesses, all of them, all of them, anything... I'm not going to sit here and
go over and try to name all these things. You name them. You know
what you trust in and you know what you think is a righteous
act. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. What we are,
we've all together, we're like an unclean thing. We've become
an unclean thing before God. You can go back along and see
what those unclean things were. Lepers. Oh, all of these things. Unclean.
Unclean. All our righteousnesses are as
filthy rags. They're non-righteous. No, not
one. And Paul said, oh, he said that
I might win Christ and be found in Him. That's what I'm trying
to preach to you this morning. Salvation is in Him. When Paul
learned that, he threw the ceremonial law down. He threw all those
commandments down. He got rid of religion and all
the stuff that stuck to him like flies on flypaper. He threw them
away. And his hope then was to win
Christ and be found in Him. not having my own righteousness. He didn't want it anymore. He
took it out and threw it on the dung heap where it belonged.
And then he cried from his very bosom, oh, that I might win Christ
and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is
of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ,
the righteousness which is of God by faith. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us righteousness. Righteousness. And brethren,
it is a lie hatched in hell that any man by his works should obtain
a status of being righteous. Israel had a zeal of God, Paul
said. They talked about God. They taught
others what they knew about God. They carried His law. They worshipped
in His temple. They wore certain clothes. They
read His Word. They met and assembled in synagogues. But their zeal, Paul said, was
not according to knowledge. For they, Romans 10, verse 3,
for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, would not submit themselves unto
the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to how many? Everyone that believes. Everyone that believes. All those
that believe have one righteousness, and he is seated at the right
hand of God. In Christ, the law of God is
fully honored and exalted. God's justice fully satisfied
and His tax fully accomplished. God has made His Son to be unto
us righteousness. Righteousness. And then thirdly,
God made His Son to be unto us sanctification. Sanctification. Untold thousands in our day.
striving to be sanctified, to reach a state of sanctification.
The church I used to go to believed that there was a plateau up there,
and if you could reach it, obtain it, get up on that plateau, you
had sinless perfection. Well, this is true. If you could
reach that state of sanctification, it would be sinless perfection,
but you can't obtain it. You can't get there. Chapter
10, verses 7-9 speak of the testimony of the Word of God concerning
the coming Redeemer. It said that He was coming to
do the will of God, that is, the redemptive will of God. God's eternal will, His eternal
counsel, His very purpose of salvation in Christ. And then
in verse 10 He says, by the witch will, that is, the accomplishing
of that will. He did come. He did accomplish
the will of God. He is the only one who ever did.
He did the will of God. And by the which will we are
sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once
for all. Isn't that what Scripture says? God hath made Him to be for us. For us. Get that down in your
head. For us. Not for everybody, for
us. Who is the us? Whoever is in
Christ Jesus. God hath made Him to be for us
sanctification, set apart, made righteous, justified in Christ
Jesus once for all. And then fourthly, God hath made
Him to be unto us redemption. The songwriter said Jesus paid
it all. Huh? Did He? Or did He make a damn payment?
Jesus paid it all. If He did, all to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow. When
Ruth was redeemed by Boaz, her kinsman-redeemer, her debt was
fully paid, her entire inheritance fully restored. Brethren, there
is no way to justify God's favor and blessing except through the
redemption of Christ. Romans 3, verse 24 says, "...being
justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that's
in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation
for our sins through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness
for the remission of sins, that He might be just and the justifier
of all that believe. Ye who be called by His gospel, of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. That is why God did that. According as it is written, He
that gloweth, let him glow in the Lord. Every man, woman, boy
or girl brought to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ glories in
Christ. They don't glory in themselves. They used to. They quit glorying
in themselves, now they glory in Him. They can't find any glory
in man, all the glory is in Christ. All that they have, all that
they ever hoped to have is owing to Him. Christ is all and in
all. And one day in glory, dressed
in their royal robes, they'll stand before His throne and they'll
take the crowns. They're wearing crowns. God made
them kings and priests. But they'll take those crowns
in His presence and they'll cast them at His feet. And you know
what they're going to say? Oh, worthy is the Lamb to receive honor. and glory and
power. We're not worthy. Here's our
crown. Here's our crown. I wonder this
morning, is there anybody here with a troubled heart? You just floating downhill, up
on cloud nine, no worries? Or is there somebody here with
a troubled heart? Is anybody here willing to submit themselves
to the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Is there anybody
here willing to turn from themselves and turn loose of the lies and
deceptions of this world? If there is, I've done the best
I can do to point you to Him. It's all in Him. It's all in
Him. Believe on Him. Trust in Him. Rejoice in Him. If you can, this
Scripture is written for you. Of Him are you in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. May God be pleased this morning
to make it so for His name's honor and glory. Amen.