Romans chapter 5. Romans chapter
5 at verse 6. I want to try to go down to verse
11. Not only so, but we joy in God
through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we now have received
the atonement. Now these verses found here,
verse 6 down to verse 10, 11. These verses found here give
extra comfort and assurance to every believer resting in the
Lord Jesus Christ. Several reasons. A believer knows
that he is a sinner. We know that. We've been taught
that of God. A believer knows also that his
sin deserves nothing but judgment. condemnation, and wrath. A believer
also knows that his only hope of forgiveness of sin and salvation
is found in the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption through
His blood, the forgiveness of sin. That's what's given to us
here. We see beyond all doubt that
the love of God to His people is freely given and abundantly
displayed in the Lord Jesus Christ dying for His people. The Lord
Jesus Christ did not die to get God in a loving notion. The Lord
Jesus Christ died because God is love. That's why He died. But notice carefully verse 6,
For when we were yet without strength, without merit, without
righteousness, without Christ, and without hope. When we were
yet without, you can run a long way with that. It says here,
without strength, without merit, without righteousness. When we
were yet without strength in due time, That is according to
God's time, the Lord Jesus Christ died for. He died for somebody. Did he die for you? Well, if
you can fit the description of that promise there, he died for
you. That word there that describes
those for whom the Lord Jesus Christ died, he says they're
ungodly. They're ungodly. Now, verse six
is the sum and substance of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is the great article of faith, Christ died for the ungodly. Five words. Five words there. Christ died for the ungodly. You see that? I remember reading
years ago a statement by Charles Spurgeon, and he said this, if
I had but five words of which to repeat every time I was in
a pulpit, If I had just five words I could say every time
I was in the pulpit, He said I would repeat those five words,
Christ died for thee ungodly. That's pretty good, isn't it?
That's the gospel and that's the sum and substance of the
gospel. Now, we see in that verse three
or four different things. We see who it is that died. The
Lord Jesus Christ is no mere man. We see the Lord Jesus Christ,
it is the Christ of God that died, the Christ of God, the
Messiah, the one promised of God, that promised Son of David. The Lord Jesus Christ died, the
lovely, eternal Son of God, or God the eternal Son. God was
manifest in the flesh, that is the Lord Jesus Christ. presented
as the Lamb of God that would take away our sin. In Acts 20, the scripture said
that God bought the church with His own blood. You see, this
is what gives power and success and glory to the work the Lord
Jesus Christ did, the work of salvation, the work of redemption.
It's who He is. It's who He is. He's not just
a mere Jewish man from Galilee. The one who died is the Christ
of God, Son of God. And being so, what He did is
effectual and successful. He obtained for us eternal redemption. And then we also see taught in
this verse, we see how He died. Christ died a death of shame
under the wrath of God for our sin." Now, we know the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Scripture is clear about the Lamb of God. He had
no sin, knew no sin, And he did no sin, but the Lord Jesus Christ
took the sin of God's people. He bare our sin in His own body
on the tree. He became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Our sin was laid upon Him. And
being so, He died unto the wrath of God for our sin. And He does so by the will of
God, by the determinate counsel of God. The Lord 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. So the Lord Jesus Christ died. He died a death of substitution
and satisfaction. That's the third thing we see
why he died. It says here that he died for
the ungodly. He died in the room and in the
stead of His covenant people as a sinner's substitute to honor
the holy justice of God on our behalf, as we studied in Romans
chapter 3, that God might be just and the justifier of those
who believe in Him. Now, the beauty and glory of
the gospel is this. And the mystery of the gospel
is this, how God can remain holy and just, and yet justify the
ungodly, and do it in such a way that's honoring to his justice,
honoring to his love, and honoring to his mercy, honoring to his
grace. And the only way that can be
done is for Christ to suffer for our sin, the just for the
unjust, that he might bring us unto God. Now that scripture
we quote often in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 21, but it bears repeating
so many times, for God made him to be sin for us. who knew no
sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. And that's what the believer
enjoys because of Christ crucified. You remember the Apostle Paul
put it this way. He said, I'm determined to know nothing among
you but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. There's no other way
of salvation but through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For when we were yet without strength in due time, Christ
died for the ungodly." Now here's the fourth thing. For whom did
He die? For whom did He die? Well, He
died for sinners. Without merit, without strength,
without righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ died for sinners.
The Apostle Paul put it this way, this is a faithful saying
and worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came
to save sinners. And as we grow in grace and in
the knowledge of Christ, we see more of the exceeding sinfulness
of our sin. That's why Paul said, I'm the
chief one, I'm the chief sinner. And then we see when he died,
when he died, in due time, in due time, or as the marginal
reference has, according to the time. The Lord Jesus Christ died
the appointed death, The appointed death, who appointed that death?
Well, he, God Almighty appointed Christ to die in our room and
in our stead. He redeemed us from the curse
of the law being made a curse for us. He died the appointed
death, the appointed way. He died for the appointed people.
He laid down his life for the sheep, for his covenant people. And he died the appointed time.
in the fullness of the time, Galatians 4.4, in the fullness
of the time God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under
the law to redeem them that were under the law. And He died for
the appointed purpose. His death was not an attempt
to put away sin. His death actually accomplished
our salvation. His death actually put away the
sin completely, totally, and eternally of all His covenant
people and for His glory. Call His name Jesus. He shall
save His people from their sin. For when we were yet without
strength in due time, Christ died for the ungodly. Now look at verse 7. He says,
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, Yet peradventure,
for a good man some would even dare to die, but God committed
his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. Substitution, satisfaction. For scarcely, that is with difficulty,
with difficulty, it would be difficult for someone to give
his life for one who was just a mere, strict, mean, moral,
religious man. Or, he said, per venture, maybe
for a good man, a kind and generous man, some might venture to die
to give his life for that man. But, what he's doing here, he's
drawing a contrast, isn't he? He's drawing a contrast. For scarcely, scarcely would
difficulty for a righteous man one die, yet peradventure for
a good man some might even dare to die, but God." Now what a
contrast. But God commended His love toward
us in that while we were yet dead in our sin, dead in Adam,
the Lord Jesus Christ died for us. Now, that is love. That statement there, those two
words, but God, but God. Now, if you wanna turn, you can
read with me over in Ephesians chapter two, Ephesians chapter
two, we see a similar statement, Ephesians two verse four, but
God, but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith
he loved us. Now, we didn't love him. Not
first. We love him only because he first
loved us. He loved us. Even when we were
dead in sin, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
are you saved, and hath raised us up together, made us sit together
in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come
he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness
toward us through the Lord Jesus Christ. For it is by grace that
you are saved. Now back to the text. But God
God commended His electing love, His everlasting love. He loved
us with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness
does He draw us to Himself. His love is an unchanging love
toward us. While we were yet not only sinners,
but if you go on and read Ephesians chapter 2, he said we were also
without Christ, without strength, without hope when we were enemies
to God. The Lord Jesus Christ freely
gave His life, no one took it from Him, He freely gave His
life and made an effectual atonement for Our sin. Find, if you will, 1 John chapter
4. He made atonement for our sin,
not an attempt. He made complete atonement for
our sin. 1 John chapter 4 verse 9, And
this was manifested, the love of God toward us, because that
God sent His only begotten Son into the world that we might
live through Him, here in His love, not that we love God, but
that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation, the
atonement for our sin. You remember, God sent Him forth
to be the propitiation by the sacrifice of His blood. Now,
look back to the text. Romans 5 verse 8, God commendeth
his love. Now his love is sovereign love,
isn't it? Jacob have I loved, Esau have I hated. His love is
eternal love. His love is unchanging love. His love is sacrificial love. His love is dying love toward
us. In that while we were yet enemies,
aliens, sinners, ungodly. Who would die for such a man
like that? What he did, he died for us. Again, substitution. Now, look at verse 9. Much more
than, much more than being now justified. justified by His blood. Remember Romans 3, 24, turn back
over there. There it says being justified
freely by His grace. So we're justified by His grace,
we're justified by His blood, being justified freely by His
grace through the redemption that is in the Lord Jesus Christ. Much more than being now justified
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Now in the same chapter, Romans
5, look over at verse 20. Romans 5, verse 20. I love this
phrase much more, much more. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even
so might grace reign through righteousness, righteousness
being established. Who established righteousness
for us? the Lord Jesus Christ. He established righteousness
for us unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, being justified by Christ
through His blood, we are not only justified and made righteous,
cleared of all guilt, but we also shall be saved or delivered
from the wrath to come through wrath in him. Now, if you wanna turn with me,
we can turn and find Galatians, the book of Galatians right after
the Corinthians, 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, verse four, chapter one, verse
four. He had delivered us from the
wrath to come, who gave himself for our sins You see, the Holy
Spirit just has one message. Salvation through a substitute.
Christ gave himself for our sin that he might deliver us, redeem
us from this present evil world according to the will of God
our Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Now turn over a couple of pages
over to 1 Thessalonians 1. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1 verse
9. For they themselves show of us
what manner of entering in we had unto you, how you turn to
God from your idols. 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 9. Notice it doesn't say you turn
from your idols to God. It doesn't say that, does it? you turn to God, being turned
by Him, you turn to God, and when that happens, you turn from
your idols to serve the true and living God, to wait for His
Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Even the Lord
Jesus Christ who delivered us, He delivered us, oh the wrath
to come. And He did that by His appointment,
if you want to find 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 9. 1 Thessalonians 5
verse 9. For God hath not appointed us
to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. So
He has delivered us from the wrath to come, being justified. You remember He was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. Now, in
the Lord Jesus Christ there is therefore now no condemnation. No condemnation. Now look at
verse 10. Romans 5 verse 10, for if when
we were enemies, we were enemies, the carnal mind, now here's what
we are by nature. The carnal mind is enmity against
God. The carnal mind will not receive
the things of the Spirit of God. We by nature love darkness, not
light. Sin, not righteousness. For if
when we were enemies, We were reconciled to God by the death
of His Son. And here's that statement again,
much more, being reconciled, being justified, we shall be
saved by His life, being reconciled. Now, how are we reconciled? Find
II Thessalonians 5, being reconciled in Christ. Now, reconciliation
is the opposite of separation, right? When two people separate
for some reason and then by some kind of mediation they come together
again and they're reconciled, well, the reason of that separation
has been removed, that's why they're reconciled. The scriptures
teach this, you find 2 Corinthians 5, The Scriptures teach this
in Isaiah 59, 2, that your iniquities have separated between you and
your God. So the reason of our separation
from God was our sin. Now, how are we going to be reconciled? God is holy, we're sinful. how we're gonna be reconciled
as sinner unto God who is holy. How can that take place? Only through the mediation of
Christ. Only through the Lord Jesus Christ making satisfaction
for our sin. 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. All things are of God, who hath
reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us
this ministry of reconciliation. To wit, that means namely God
was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself. Now does
that mean every person that ever lived in the world? No, it explains
who these people are. Not imputing their trespasses
unto them. So, it tells us, blessed is the
man whom the Lord will not impute sin. Remember, Romans chapter
4. 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. Now we pray
you in Christ's stead, now be you reconciled. God is reconciled
through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now he's saying
here, as one old preacher used to say, now lay down your shotgun,
lay down your enmity, put your enmity away. Now be you reconciled
to God. Verse 21, for he had made him
to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him." Reconciled unto God in the Lord
Jesus Christ. Not by what we have done, but
rather what Christ has done for us. Now notice this, and we shall
be saved by His life. Not only by His death, but by
His life. What does that mean? He was delivered
for our offenses and raised again for our justification. If He
does not live right now to ever intercede for us, we have no
reconciliation. If He's not raised up from the
dead, we have no justification. We have no salvation. We shall
be saved by His life. He ever lived to intercede for
us. Our Lord said in John 14, 19,
because I live, you shall live also. Now turn over here to Romans
chapter eight. When he by himself purged our
sin, what happened after that? He sat down at the right hand
of the throne of God. Now look at Romans chapter eight. Verse 31, What shall we say then
to these things? 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? Read on now, Romans 8.33, Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that
justifieth. Who is He that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, it just seems like he gets higher
and higher and higher. It is, who is he that condemneth?
It's Christ that died, yea rather he's risen again, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. He ever lived to intercede for
us, able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by Him,
saying He ever liveth for us. Now, Romans 5 verse 11. Not only so, but we also. You mean there's more? Not only
so, is that so? but we also joy in God through
our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received and notice
that word there in our text says atonement but notice number three
in the marginal reference is reconciliation and actually that's
the word in the original Reconciliation is the fruit of atonement. Not
only so, but also joy in God to our Lord Jesus Christ by whom
we now have received, right now we have received reconciliation. Now, we're not only justified,
not only reconciled, not only saved from wrath, not only loved
of God, not only redeemed by the blood of Christ, But also,
you see, it just keeps building on it, doesn't it? Building,
building. But also, we joy in God. That is, we enjoy the Lord
our God. We rejoice in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Remember back in Romans 5, verse
2. By whom also we have access by
faith into this grace, wherein we stand and rejoice in hope. We rejoice, we have a good hope.
But we rejoice in that hope, don't we? We rejoice in the Lord. We are the true Israel of God,
which worship God in the Spirit, that rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and we have no confidence in the flesh, by whom we now have
reconciliation, complete pardon, forgiveness of all our sin, through
the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are reconciled. Now,
I go back to my opening statement. These verses here to the believer
gives us assurance, confidence, hope, and rejoicing in the Lord. In the Lord, not in ourselves,
but in the Lord. We can say with the Apostle Paul,
Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. He reconciled us when we
were yet without, without, without enemies, aliens, strangers from
the commonwealth of Israel, but now, but now in Christ made new
creatures in Him.