I want you to turn to 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, and let's read verse 3 and 4 once again. And I want
you to underline or underscore or think in your mind upon this
word, according to. For I delivered unto you, first
of all, that which I also received. How
that Christ died. Who died? The Lord Jesus Christ
died for our sins. He died as the substitute according
to the Scriptures. That means He died according
to the purpose and will of God. And that He was buried. That He rose again the third
day. Again, we see this word according. According to The scriptures. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is always according to his will, purpose, and grace. The gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ is always according to his purpose, which he purposed
in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world. So today I want
to show you in the Scripture, I've often told you over the
years, someday I'm going to bring a sermon on this word, according. Well, today's the day. I've had
the last two weeks to work on this, so I'm going to bring this
message to you today. That word, according, is used
in the Old Testament 620 times. 620 times. For example, you're familiar
with this scripture in Psalm 51. Have mercy upon me, O God,
according to Thy lovingkindness, according to the multitude of
Thy tender mercy. Blot out my sin. Now, David's praying there for
forgiveness, but not according to his kingship. That is, David was the king,
but he didn't ask for forgiveness according to his merit. or righteousness, but Lord, would
you forgive me for Christ's sake, according to thy loving kindness,
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, Lord, blot
out my sin. And then in the New Testament,
this word according is used 127 times, and the phrase according
to is used 117 times. Now, we're not going to look
at all 117. And you can go back and study all that for yourself.
But we're going to turn in the Bible. I want you to use your
Bible because I want to show you in the Scripture how this
word is used in reference to the Gospel. This same word is
also translated in other places as much as or pertaining to because
that or in as much, even as, according to, according to God. Now, some examples I thought
about how we might use that word in our everyday conversation,
in our everyday language. Just a word we use all the time.
But maybe next time you use that word, you'll think of this message
and think about the gospel of Christ. For example, maybe someone
would say, she made a beautiful dessert according to the recipe. She made a beautiful dessert,
a delicious dessert, according to the recipe. She followed the
recipe. And then we might use this phrase.
Jerry would say this, or he would say, you should make the repair
to the automobile according to the repair manual. That's how you get it fixed.
You ought to follow, and I'm not very good at following instructions.
I usually mess up and mess up, and then when I get stuck, I
read the instructions. But we should always, always
make a repair to our automobile if we don't know according to
the Repair manual, you'd say that's right, right? According
to the repair manual. And your ladies who were good
cooks, you would say, well, she made a delicious dessert, but
she followed the recipe. According to the recipe. Or we
might use the word this way. According to the weatherman,
it's going to rain today. And we've had a lot of that,
haven't we? I measured four inches of rain. this last week, but
we were spared because down the road, 150 miles down the road
in a place called Irwin, Tennessee, where I've been and preached
the gospel in a church down there, they had 10 inches of rain. And
that place was devastated. Devastated. 10 inches of rain
in this little valley right here, we'd be in big trouble. We'd
be in big trouble. So I want us to look at some
scripture where the word is used and see how important This word
is when considering the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now,
the first place you have it right there in your lap, 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, where it says, I deliver unto you, first of all, verse
three, which I also receive, how that. Now notice that those
two words are important, how that. It's not just that Christ
died, it's how that he died. And how that He died for our
sins, that as a substitute for sinners, His elect, His people,
and it's according to the Scripture, that He was buried. He was buried,
they took Him down from the cross because He was dead. They buried
Him in a borrowed tomb, and just as He said, the third day I'll
come out, He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. That means according to the decree
of God. According to the purpose of God. Everything God does in the way
of saving sinners, He does on purpose. Every sinner He saves,
He saves them on purpose. So the Lord Jesus Christ, when
we talk about his blessed atonement for the sin of his people, we
say the Lord Jesus Christ died according to God's purpose. Now we know that the Pharisees
plotted his death and pilot turned him over to the Romans and put
him to death, but we know that he died for our sins according
to the decree of eternal God. He said, no man takes my life
from me. I have power to lay it down.
I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received
of my father. He was delivered for our offenses
and raised again for our justification. All the Old Testament scriptures
prophesied of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that
he did to accomplish our salvation was foretold by all the Old Testament
prophets all the way back to Genesis chapter 3 about the woman's
seed that would bruise the serpent's head. All the Old Testament prophets
tell us about the Lord Jesus Christ who is coming to put away
the sin of God's people. Remember Peter preached on Pentecost,
Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of
God. You have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified the Lord of glory. But they only did what
God determined before to be done. He dies according to the eternal
purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus before the foundation
of the world. Now, you remember from our study
in the Revelation that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. You see how he dies for our sin
was buried and raised again to accomplish our salvation all
according to the eternal purpose of God. Here's the second place
I want you to turn. Turn to Romans 1. Romans 1. Romans 1. I'll begin reading
at verse 1. We see the Lord's incarnation. And I mean by that the Lord Jesus
Christ as God being manifested in the flesh was according to
God's purpose. Romans 1. Look at verse one,
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
him to the gospel of God, which he had promised to for by his
prophets in the Holy Scripture. There it is again, he died for
our sin according to the Scripture. All the prophets said, someone's
coming concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made
of the seed of David according to the flesh. The word was made
flesh and dwelt among us. He was, according to the flesh,
you can trace his genealogy all the way back to David and Bathsheba
through Solomon. So he was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh. The Messiah was to come through
the tribe of Judah. He's called the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the root of David, the bright and morning star.
And he's declared to be the son of God, verse four. So we see
here his humanity, his real humanity, seed of David. But he's declared
to be the son of God with power according, you see that word? According to the spirit of holiness
or according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the
dead. So we can see his person as the God-man mediator, is according
to God's eternal purpose. Now, who is the Lord Jesus Christ?
Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God
was manifest in the flesh. So the Lord Jesus Christ, in
the fullness of time, God sent forth his son, made of a woman,
made under the law to redeem them that were under the law,
all according to God's eternal purpose. God's eternal decree. Now here's the third place I
want you to turn, right in the book of Romans again, and turn
over here to chapter 8. We see the Lord's good and sovereign
providence is always working according to His eternal purpose. Romans chapter 8, verse 28. We're very familiar with this
scripture, and we know that all things work together for good
to them that are called, to them that love God, to them who are
called according to his purpose. God has a purpose, and he's working
everything out according to his purpose, and he's working everything
out for our good. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren, moreover whom
he did predestinate. Then he also called, and whom
he called, then he also justified, and whom he justified, then he
also glorified. What shall we say then to these
things? Well, I know what a lot of people would say, that's not
right, that's not fair. What shall we say? Well, we say,
if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not
his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not
with him also freely give us all things? Salvation is by the
free grace of God. Everything is working out according
to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in the Lord Jesus
Christ from all eternity, all eternity, in whom we have Obtained
an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
Ephesians 1 verse 11. Now here's the fourth place I
want you to turn in your Bible, right there in the book of Romans
chapter 9 verse 11. So we talk about the elect of
God. There is an election according
to the grace and purpose of God. Romans 9 verse 11, for the children
being not yet born, the twin boys, Jacob and Esau, neither
having done any good or evil that the purpose of God, watch
it, verse 11, according to election might stand. Elections according
to God's purpose, is it not? as he had chosen us in him before
the foundation of the world. According to election might stand
not of works, but of him that calleth. It was said to her,
the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have
I loved, Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there
unrighteousness with God? God forbid. Or say to Moses,
I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy. I will have compassion
on whom I will have compassion. So then, it's not of him that
willeth, It's not of him that runneth, but of God that shows
mercy. So election, we know is true,
it's so, but it's according to the purpose of God. We studied
this morning in 1 Peter 1, that we are elect according to the
four ordination, the four knowledge of God, chosen unto salvation. Now turn to the book of Galatians,
a few pages over. Galatians chapter one, elect
according to God's foreknowledge. And here in Galatians chapter
one, we see the Lord delivering us from our sin according to
his will and his purpose. Galatians chapter one, look at
verse three. Grace be unto you and peace from
God the Father, from our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself
for our sins. We go right back to what happened
at Calvary, what happened upon the cross. Who gave himself for
our sins, he put away our sin by the sacrifice of himself,
that he might deliver us from this present evil world, And
we can read it from this present evil self, according to the will
of God and our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. He gave himself that he
might deliver us, in whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of his grace. the
riches of His grace. We only believe the gospel, it
says in Ephesians chapter 1, according to the working of His
mighty power. You see how big this word is?
It's a big word, isn't it? A big word. Now, I want you to
turn over here to the book of Philippians. A few pages over. The book of Philippians chapter
4. Philippians chapter 4. You with me? Philippians chapter
four, verse 19. Here we see the Lord's ability
to supply our every need. And we are poor and needy, are
we not? We are poor and needy creatures. We're guilty. We've
all sinned and come short of the glory of God. Who's going
to supply our need of redemption, of salvation? Philippians chapter
4 verse 19, but my God shall supply all your need according
to his riches in glory as always by the Lord Jesus Christ. The
Lord will provide all things for us in salvation according
to his riches in glory through our Lord Jesus Christ. through
our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me read this to you. You
can turn with me if you want to back to Ephesians chapter
three. I love this verse. Ephesians three verse 11, according
to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus,
our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence, By
faith, the faith of Him, wherefore, I desire that you think not of
my tribulation for you, which is your glory. For this cause,
I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. Ephesians
3 verse 16, look at it carefully, that He would grant you according
to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with might by
His Spirit in the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hearts
by faith, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend
with all the saints, what is the breadth, the length, the
depth, the height, to know the love of Christ with passive knowledge
that you might be filled with all the fullness of God. Now
verse 20, now unto him that's able to do exceeding abundant,
above all we ask or think according to the power that worketh in
us. Unto him be glory by the church,
in the church by Jesus Christ throughout all ages, world without
end. He supplies our every need according
to the riches of His grace. Now, turn back to 2 Timothy 1. 2 Timothy 1, where we read a
moment ago, 2 Timothy 1, verse 1, Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by
the will of God according to the promise of life which is
in Jesus Christ. Now the promise of life, he's
talking here about eternal life, the promise of life is according
to God's purpose and grace given us in Christ before the foundation
of the world. We have eternal life according
to the Lord's promise. Remember, our Lord made this
promise. He said, I'm the way, I'm the truth, I'm the life. No one comes to the Father but
by and through me. Christ, he is eternal life. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself,
He's all our salvation. He that hath the Son hath life. He that hath not the Son hath
not life. Now here's the, I don't want to scare you, but here's
the tenth place, the tenth place this word is used. Right here
in 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy chapter 1, begin reading at verse 8.
Here we see the Lord's salvation by according to his purpose.
2nd Timothy chapter 1, be not thou therefore ashamed of the
testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but be thou
partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power
of God. Now verse 9, if you don't have
this outlined or underlined or highlighted, verse 9 is such
a powerful verse. according to the gospel, the
power of God who saved us and called us with a holy calling. This is the call of the gospel,
that invincible call of the gospel. Not according, it's not this
way. It's not according to our works,
not according to our deeds. You see it? But according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in the Lord Jesus
Christ before the world began. Purpose and grace. Those two
words always go together. As I said in the beginning, God
saves every sinner who he wisely saves by his purpose. Purpose. The Lord doesn't save
people accidentally. You just didn't bump into the
gospel. The Lord sent the gospel to you. And because He saved
you, way back in eternity, justified eternally in Christ, justified
at the cross, because He saved you, He called you. Notice it
doesn't say He called you, then saved you. It says He saved you,
then He called you. According to God's eternal purpose
and grace, given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Now, just turn a couple pages over to the book of Titus chapter
3. Titus chapter 3. Look at verse 3. Titus 3. He said, We ourselves
also were sometimes foolish, The fool has said in his heart
there is no God. Disobedient. We were deceived. We were serving divers' lust.
Here's Paul the Apostle talking about what he was as Saul the
self-righteous Pharisee. Serving divers' lust, pleasures,
living in malice, envy, hateful, hating, hating one another, but,
but God. After the kindness and love of
God, our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness,
which we have done, but, here it is, according to his mercy,
he saved us. How'd you get saved? Who saved
you? According to his mercy, he saved
us. By the washing of regeneration, that's the new birth, you had
the quickened who were dead, and the renewing of the Holy
Spirit, which He shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Savior,
that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according
to the hope of eternal life. You see, it's all according to
what God has done for us. Now here's the last one I want
you to look at, and we'll turn back to the book of Romans. The
last chapter, the last few verses, this is Romans 16, 25, Romans 16, 25. Now to him that is a power to
establish you according to my gospel. You see,
the gospel is the power of God and the salvation. He has the
power to establish us according to the gospel. the gospel of
God concerning Christ and the preaching of Jesus Christ according
to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the
world began but is now made manifest by the scriptures of the prophets
according to the commandment of everlasting God made known
to all nations for the obedience of faith, to the only wise God
be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. Now you see why
when reading and studying the Scripture, you run into this
word according so much. It's all according to His purpose,
all according to His grace. Everything connected with our
salvation is relative to and in and according to the gospel
of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we talk about His free grace,
we're justified freely by His grace through the redeeming blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we talk about His glorious
person, God manifests in the flesh, It's all according to
His eternal purpose, which He purposed in Christ Jesus our
Lord. When we talk about His priestly work as our great High
Priest, who entered in once to the holy place, having obtained
eternal redemption for us, it's all again according to His eternal
purpose and grace. He finished the work of redemption
for us. He said, it is finished. It's
all according to God's purpose and grace. He ever lived to intercede
for us. He's able to save us to the uttermost,
saying that He ever lived to intercede for us. He is our mediator
right now. He mediates for us. He reconciled
us unto God according to His eternal purpose. There's only
one God and one mediator between God and sinners, and that is
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He's the great shepherd of the
sheep that came again from the dead, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our intercessor. He is
our mediator. He is our advocate. Little children,
these things I write unto you, John said, that you sin not.
But when you do, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous. May the Lord be pleased to work
His salvation in us Christ in you, the hope of glory, God who
hath begun a good work in you will finish. May the Lord be
pleased to work His salvation in us according to His will,
purpose, and grace, to His glory. The gospel is so designed to
give Him all the glory and honor, isn't it? It's all according
to His doing, His dying, His purpose, His will, His grace,
His mercy, his redeeming blood, that leads us to this conclusion,
doesn't it? Salvation is of the Lord.