And reading verse 30, 1 Corinthians
1.30, and it says here, but of him, but of God are you in Christ
Jesus, of God, not of Paul, not of Apollos, not of the fathers,
not of the church, Not of your will or my will, not of your
works, but of God. Of God are you in Christ Jesus. It's God's will that put you
in Christ and me in Christ. It's God's work that put you
and me in Christ. And it's God's will and God's
work that will keep us in Christ. So of God, it's of God that you're
in Christ. Now what's this next statement?
Of God are you in Christ Jesus? In Christ Jesus. One writer said
on this point human thought and reason is confounded. What does
it mean to be in Christ Jesus? Of God are you in Christ Jesus? He said here human thought and
reason is confounded and revelation reigns alone. We depend entirely
on revelation here. We are in Christ Jesus. We're
chosen in him. We're accepted in him. We're
redeemed in him. We're seated in him. We're in
him as Noah was in the ark. were in him as the vine is in
the branch. I am the vine, he said, you are
the branches. Without me you can do nothing.
If a man abide in me, he bringeth forth much fruit. Our Lord prayed
about this, he said in John 17, Father, that they may be one,
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. that they may be one
in us. That's the reason the man says
that here human thought and reason are confounded, and revelation
reigns. We're in Christ. Of God are we
in Christ Jesus. And that's what the Lord says
here in his prayer. He said that they may be one
as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee. That they may be one
in us, I in them, and thou in me. that they may be made perfect
in us, in one. Thomas Bradbury, pastor of Grove
Chapel in England, quoted Galatians 2.20, he said, I'm crucified
with Christ. Nevertheless, I live, yet not
I, Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live
in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me and gave himself for me. And when he quoted that, he made
this statement. While I live in this flesh, I
live in Jesus Christ. And though I live in Christ,
and Christ lives in me, I still live in this flesh. And this flesh is a worry to
that life of Christ that's in me. But I know there's no condemnation
or judgment to them who are in Christ Jesus. In Christ, there's
no condemnation. From Christ, there's no separation of God, his will, his work. for you. While you are still
walking on this earth in human flesh, you are in Christ Jesus,
as God is in Christ and Christ is in God, one with him. Who, now watch this, but of him
are you in Christ Jesus, who of God, his will, his work again,
who of God is made unto us. Christ is made unto us, being
in him, he's made unto us wisdom, all wisdom, righteousness, all
righteousness, sanctification, holiness, all holiness, and redemption. In Christ we're complete. Nothing can be added to these
four things, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. In
Christ we're complete. We're qualified and made fit
for glory. He leaves nothing unfinished.
All is perfect. That's the reason Paul wrote
to the Philippian church, oh, that I may win Christ and be
found in him. For in Christ I am perfect, complete,
qualified for the glorious inheritance of the saints, that I may be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of
the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the very
righteousness which is of God, by faith." Read it again. are you in Christ Jesus, who
of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification
and redemption, in Christ saved eternally, in Christ called graciously,
in Christ completely justified freely, in Christ sanctified
perfectly, in Christ sheltered securely, in Christ nourished
unceasingly, in Christ glorified forever. And that's why Paul was so upset
with these Galatians, if you turn to Galatians 3, that's why
he was so upset and called them foolish people. O foolish Galatians! Who hath bewitched you? Who hath
fascinated you? Who hath come in and confused
you? He's so upset with the Galatians
and the false preachers who were insisting that in order to be
saved, we not only must be in Christ, but we must also observe
the laws of Moses, such as circumcision, holy days, Jewish traditions,
Look over here at Galatians 4, which we'll be studying Sunday.
Galatians 4, verse 9. Paul says to him, but now after
you've known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again
to the weak, beggarly elements? Why? Why would you turn to these
weak, beggarly rudiments and elements, whereunto ye desire
again to be in bondage? You've been set free. You observe days. What kind of
days were they observing? Sabbath day, Sabbath days. That's
what they were observing. Saturday, they were keeping the
Sabbath. Christ lay in the tomb on the
Sabbath. He is our rest. He is our Sabbath. They were
observing not only days, but months, new moons, the beginning
of months. When they'd come apart and cease
to work, visit certain places on the new moon. You observe
in times, there were three times a year that all Jewish males
would have to go to Jerusalem. There was the Feast of the Tabernacle,
the Feast of the Passover, and the Feast of the Pentecost. They
were still, he must do these things, or he can't be saved.
You observe years. What are these years they were
observing? Sabbatical years. Every seventh year the crops
were at Laodoma. Fields would not be touched.
Nothing would be plowed or planted. Christ is the fulfillment of
all these things. And then also over here in Colossians,
Paul rebukes the Colossian church for similar things. Going back
to the Levitical law, Colossians 2, verse 20. Verse 20, Colossians
2. Wherefore, if ye be dead with
Christ, crucified with Christ, from the rudiments of the world,
As though living in this world, are you subject to these ordinances?
Why are you back under these things? Touch not, taste not,
handle not. Now that being said, let's look
at verse 17. That's where we left off last Sunday. Verse 17. This I say that the covenant,
the covenant of grace the covenant that was confirmed by God in
Christ to Abraham and his seed, back in verse 16. Now, to Abraham
and his seed were the promises made, the covenant. He said,
not the seeds as of many, but as of one, thy seed which is
Christ. And this I say, that that covenant
that was confirmed before of God to Abraham and his seed in
Christ, the law which was 430 years later. The Levitical law,
this law we just talked about, the times and the Sabbath days
and the new moons and the years and the touch not, taste not,
handle not, all of these Levitical laws and ceremonies and priesthood
and these holy days were given to Moses 430 years after God
called Abraham. after God took him out under
the stars and said, count the stars, so shall your seed be. I bless you and make you a blessing,
and all nations will be blessed. This is my covenant with Abraham. And Abraham believed God right
there on the spot, and he was justified, and he was declared
righteous, and God entered with him into a covenant and a promise
of life to all believers. The law didn't come along until
430 years later. Now then, he says here in verse
17, I say this, that that covenant that was confirmed by an oath,
God's swear by himself, by the word of God and oath of God,
before, of God in Christ, the law of which was 430 years after,
cannot disannul it, cannot change it, cannot adjust it. That law has no effect on the
promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. And it cannot make it
if not effect. That's powerful. That's powerful. Why would you want to do these
things and add them to Christ when they weren't given till
430 years after God established this covenant promise of life?
Verse 18, For if the inheritance, talking about heaven now, talking
about the inheritance, is reserved for us in inheritance. undefiled,
incorruptible, paid it not away, reserved in heaven for you. And
God has made us fit, qualified, meet to enter into that inheritance
in Christ Jesus. If that inheritance be of the
law, if it be by circumcision or special days or baptisms or
any of these works and deeds, it's no more a promise. It cannot
be a law and a promise both. But God gave it to Abraham by
promise. That's how Abraham was saved,
by promise, by grace in Christ Jesus, not by law that he wasn't
even acquainted with. He never heard of it. It came
430 years after him. Turn to Romans 11. Romans chapter 11. Paul is so
strong on this thing. Separating works and grace in
the matter of salvation in Romans chapter 11 verse 6 Verse 5 even
so then at this present time. There's a remnant according to
the election of grace If it's by grace is no more of works
Otherwise grace is no more grace if it be of works, then it's
no more grace. Otherwise work is no more work
so that's what he's saying in verse 18 if the inheritance is
of law and It's not promise. If it's a promise, it's not by
law. Now verse 19, Wherefore then
serveth the law? Why the law? Now listen to this
carefully. Here God spoke to Abraham and
God confirmed the covenant, the promise of life in Christ freely
by grace. Abraham believed, and it was
counted to him for righteousness. And that wasn't written for his
sake alone, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed that
we believe on him who raised Jesus Christ from the dead. I
promise. Four hundred and thirty years
later, God gave a law to Moses, the Levitical law. Now, what
was the purpose of it? What he is asking here is, Wherefore
then serveth the law? Here is the answer. It was added
because of transgressions. What is the purpose of the law
of Moses? The priesthood, the sacrifices, the ceremonies, the
special days, all these things. Number one, it was added because
of transgressions, because of sin. By the law is the knowledge
of sin. It was given, God gave the law,
the moral law, the Levitical law, God gave the law to disclose
and to expose and to reveal our sins. to us. Paul said, I have not known sin,
except the law sayeth, I shall not covet. And when the law came
and I saw what it was saying, I died. I was slain by the law. The law reveals and exposes human
sin and human guilt. The law makes men and women conscious
of their wickedness and their sinfulness. and their evil. It was added because of transgression. The law was given also, now watch
this, and it was given till the seed should come. Who is the
seed? Not seeds, seed. The seed is
Christ. In fact, verse 16, Abraham and
his seed were the promises made. Not the seeds as of many, but
of one, which is Christ. And this law was given till Christ
comes. And what did it serve? It was
given to reveal Christ. The law reveals Christ. It reveals
his person. It reveals his work, in type,
in picture, in pattern, in sacrifice. Let
me just show you one instance. Turn to Leviticus 16. This is
the atonement. This is the sacrifice of the
bullock and the scapegoat. Turn to Leviticus 16, let me
show you this. He says in Leviticus 16, Avarin
shall take two goats, Leviticus 16, verse 15. Then shall he kill
the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring
his blood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did
with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy
seat and before the mercy seat, and he shall make an atonement
by the holy place because of the uncleanness of the children
of Israel. That's the atonement of Christ. By Christ we now have the atonement. Went to the cross, the Lamb of
God shed his blood, and he went not into the holy place made
with hands, but into heaven itself to obtain eternal redemption
by his blood. He's our sent-offer, our atonement,
our sacrifice. Christ is our high priest. That's
pictured right here. Now, the second goat. The second
goat is in Leviticus 16, 20. And when he hath made an end
of reconciling the holy place and the tabernacle and the congregation
and the altar, he'll take the live goat. And Aaron shall lay both his
hands on the head of that live goat. and confess over him all the
iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions,
and all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat." Christ
took our sins in his body. Christ was made sin for us. All the sins of all the elect,
of all the true Israel of God, was laid on Christ. And they shall send him away
by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness. And the goat
shall bear upon him all their iniquities." Not just their damning
sin, all sin. All their iniquities, under a
land not inhabited, a land of separation, that's the picture.
And he shall let go of the goat in the wilderness and come back
without it. Christ our scapegoat. Christ is our Passover. Christ
Jesus is the rock. Christ Jesus is all of this. The priest after the order of
Melchizedek. Why was the law given? To reveal
sin, to make us conscious of our guilt, our inability to reveal
Christ. in his freshman work, and then
thirdly, it says here in verse 19, and it shall be in effect
till the seed shall come, to whom the promise was made, and then it is fulfilled and
put away. And that's what he says over
in Hebrews 10, cry till the seed, that's Christ, turn to And this is what it says here
about this law in Hebrews 10, verse 8. Hebrews 10, verse 8. Above, when he said, Sacrifice,
and offerings, and burnt offerings, and offerings for sin, I wouldest
not neither have pleasure therein which are offered by the law.
These things didn't put away sin. They pictured him who did.
And God never had any satisfaction in the blood of a goat or the
the bearing away of their sins in type by scapegoat, this was
pictures of Christ. Then said he, verse 9, Lo, I
come to do thy will, O God, and he takes away this first type,
picture, pattern, law, and establishes a second. Christ is the fulfillment. The law was given by God to reveal
sin, to reveal Christ, and it stayed in effect. until Christ
came and fulfilled it. And then he takes it away. It's
not in effect. None of these things are in effect
anymore. Verse 10 says, By the witch will
we're sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. And every high priest stands
daily offering oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never
take away sin. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sin forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool for but one offering, he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified." Let's read that last line, verse 19. What purpose is the law? It was
added because of transgressions. It was in effect till a seed
should come to whom the promise was made, then it was all put
away. It was ordained by angels. What does that mean? Well, I
think it means this, that the law was given on the mountain
to Moses by God, attended with angels, messengers, angels. And Moses stood as a mediator. See, it was ordained by angels
in the hands of a mediator. Now, that's not in the hands
of Christ, because Christ is not a minister of the law. Christ
is not a minister of the law. Moses is a minister of the law.
Moses is the one when God was given the law. Israel said, you
get between us and God. Don't let God talk directly to
us. God talk to you and you talk to us, and we talk to you and
you talk to God, but we don't want anything to do with God.
You be the mediator. And that's what he was. Turn
to Deuteronomy. I'll show you that in Deuteronomy.
Christ is not a mediator of the law. This is Moses here that's
the mediator. He's a type of Christ. You see,
one man said Moses was the mediator between God and Israel. Christ
is the mediator between God and true Israel. Moses gave him the
law. through Moses. Grace and truth
came by Jesus Christ. Not through, by him. But look
at Deuteronomy 5, verse 2. The Lord our God made a covenant
with us in Horeb. The Lord made not this covenant
with our fathers, but with us. He is talking about the Levitical
law. Even us, who are all of us here alive today. We are standing
right here. The Lord talked with you face
to face in the mount, out of the midst of the fire. And I
stood, Moses said, between the Lord and you at that time, to
show you the word of the Lord. For you were afraid by reason
of the fire, and you went not up to the mountain, saying that
God said, I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee up. You didn't
want anything to do with that. I stood as a mediator. So this law given by God in the
mountain, attended by angels, in the hands of a Mediator. Moses
was that Mediator. Now, we're going to talk about
a Mediator. Back to Galatians 3, verse 20.
Now, a Mediator is not a Mediator of one. In other words, the presence
of a Mediator means they're two parties. They're two parties. And they're at a distance from
one another. And there's a problem existing
between them. And there's a disagreement between
them. If it's just one party, you don't
have a Mediator. But when you have a Mediator,
you have two parties. And one of them is offended with
the other. Now, here he says, now Mediator
is not a Mediator one, but God is one. Yes, God is one. He's
the one. And God is the offended party. Like that sermon I preached not
long ago, he said, where is your bill of divorcement that I put
your mother away? You don't have one. He said,
where are my creditors that I sold you into slavery? There aren't
any creditors. You've sold yourself. Your sins
have separated you and me. It's your fault. So God is one. He's the offended party. He's
the one that must be reconciled. So we've got to have a mediator.
And we do have one. It's our Lord Jesus Christ. Turn
to 1 Timothy, chapter 5. Just like Moses stood between
God and these people, 1 Timothy, chapter 5, chapter 2, verse 5,
1 Timothy 2, 5. Just as Moses stood between Israel and God. holy God, our Lord Jesus Christ
is our mediator, our advocate, he's called, our mediator between
this offended God and his people. In 1 Timothy 2, verse 5, there
is one God, God is one, and one mediator between God and And
you be sure and notice that says, and you'll hear people quote
this wrong, they say there's one mediator between God and
man. No, he's not a mediator of all
mankind. He's a mediator between God and
man. And he is the man, Christ Jesus. He's that great mediator. All
right, verse 21. Is the law against the promises
of God? Is the law against, contrary
or opposed to the promise of life in Christ? Does the law
in any way change the way that God saves his people and gives
them life in Christ Jesus? Is the law against the promises
of God? God forbid. How is it God forbid? Listen, if there had been a law
given which could have given life, then righteousness would
have been by the law. If a law could be written which
would justify sinners, then righteousness would be by the law, and that's
impossible. Why is that impossible? Look
at the next verse. Because the scriptures, that's
all the law and the prophets, that's all the word of God, the
scripture, all the word of God, hath concluded all under sin. That's why no law could be given
that could make us righteous. By the law is death, not life.
By the law is a revelation of sin, not a giving of righteousness.
The scripture hath concluded all under sin. Now, let me read
you something I read today. The scripture hath concluded
all under sin. All. It doesn't say all people,
all men. It says all, everything. And this writer said he's talking
about all persons, Jew and Gentile. All things belonging to all persons
are under sin or under curse. All the members of the bodies
and the faculties of the souls of all persons, all their thoughts,
their intentions, their motives, all their works, their services,
their deeds, their possessions, all of their best righteousnesses
and deeds and works, All mankind and all that's related to mankind
is concluded by the law, by the scriptures, as guilty, under
condemnation, and liable to destruction. The scriptures have concluded
all under them. So the law is not against the
promises of God. It has nothing to do with the
promises of God. If a law could have been given, it could have
helped us in any way. Righteousness would have been
for the law. But that's impossible. Impossible. But what's this now? But the scripture had concluded
all under sin, and this is where we're going to have to come to
this place right here. All persons, all things belonging to all persons,
all members of their bodies and souls, their thoughts, intents,
and motives, and works, services, deeds, and best righteousness.
That, in order that, listen, in order that the promise by
faith of Christ Jesus might be given freely to them that believe. That's the place we've got to
come. Plum lost, Barnard used to say. Are you plum lost? He
said, I know some folks that are lost, but they ain't plum
lost. I know some folks that are sinners, but they're not
lost sinners. The Lord God looked down from heaven to see if any
did understand, that any did do good. He said they all become
unpopular, none that do it good, no, not one. And this has got
to be realized and experienced and understood in order that
Christ and his righteousness may be revealed and may be given. to those sinners who believe,
that Christ and his righteousness may be revealed and we may be
enabled and encouraged as helpless, hopeless sinners to look to him,
by whom only we can be justified and sanctified, not by the law
of Moses, which kills and does not give life, but by the faith
of Jesus Christ. The scriptures have concluded
everything and everybody unto sin, in order that that promise
by faith of Jesus Christ might be given freely to them that
believe. In union with Jesus Christ from
condemnation free, God shall elect from everlasting worth
and shall forever be. Now let me touch on verse 23
and 24 a little bit. But, before faith came, we were
kept under the law. Shut up! Unto the faith that
should be afterward revealed. Before faith came, what does
that mean? Before I believed? No. It's not speaking of the
grace of faith at all. It's not speaking of the exercise
of faith at all. Before faith came, we were kept
under the law. But Abel wasn't under the law. He was a man of faith. Enoch
was a man of faith. Noah was a man of faith. Abraham
was a man of faith. Moses was a man of faith. David
was a man of faith. All these people were men of
faith, died in faith. So this is not the exercise of
faith. Before faith came, not the exercise
of faith. It's before Christ the object
of faith came. That's what he said. You see,
all these men before the law was given believed God, they
were men of faith, they died in faith. But before Christ came, before
Christ the object of faith, before Christ came in the flesh to fulfill
the law and all that was written and put an end to it, Israel
was kept under the law of Moses in type and picture, and example,
and pattern. They were kept under that law,
the pictures. And some of them saw Christ in these pictures.
Abraham, way back younger, saw Christ in that picture God gave
him with Isaac. And Moses saw Christ in the Passover,
and saw Christ in the smitten rock. These people, they saw
Christ in these pictures and in these types. And before Christ
came, the law served as a, listen to what he says here in verse
24, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, that we
might be justified by faith. Before Christ came, who's the
object of faith, we were kept under this law, shut up to faith
in Christ, which had afterward, our Lord was revealed, manifested.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster, our teacher, our guide, to bring
us to Christ. And we saw in the law Christ
our Passover sacrifice for us, Christ our rock smitten for us,
Christ the lamb slain for us, and Christ our great high priest
making atonement for us. But after Christ came, we're
no longer under that schoolmaster. Since Christ has come, we're
no longer under the law. We no longer have any need for
schoolmaster. We no longer have any need for
types and pictures. He said they all shall know me
from the least to the greatest. You don't have to say somebody
go down and ask the priest this and ask the prophet that. We'll
all know him. Christ is our prophet to teach
us. Christ is our priest to atone for us. Christ is our king to
reign over us. That's what that says. Is the law against the promises
of God? No, God forbid. If God could have given a law
that would put away sin, he would have done it. But scriptures
have concluded us in a mess. Everything, sin is in everything
you say, think, imagine, do. It's just all under sin. That we might be, that we might,
that the promise by faith that Christ Jesus might be given to
us by believing, receiving, trusting. But before he came, we were under
the law. There's a type and a picture and a shadow, a schoolmaster
to teach us, bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. But after faith comes, you have nothing to do with that
law. Put it away. Put it away. he is here. You don't need a
picture, you've got him. Verse 26, For ye are all, Jew
and Gentile, children of God. Children of God. Not by law,
not by ancestry, not by heritage, not by tradition. You are children
of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Be
encouraged. You're all. I can look over this
congregation. Ain't nobody here trusting the
law. Trust in Christ. You're all children of God. By
faith in Christ. Don't give me something to work
on. Don't give me something to day to keep and some tithe to
pay and all this foolishness and circumcision and all these
things. That's done. That's done its
work. It's brought us to him who's
come. with children of God, by faith in Christ Jesus, not by
strong faith, great faith, by faith. And how strong your faith
is, it's whom you believe. You are children of God by faith
in Christ. And as many of you have been
baptized into Christ, you put on Christ. What kind of baptism
is that? That's not water baptism. I'll
tell you why it's not water baptism, because everybody that's baptized
in water is not baptized in Christ. That's right. Simon Magus wasn't. Judas wasn't. Baptism in water
and baptism by the Spirit into Christ are two different things.
I'll show it to you in 1 Corinthians 12. 1 Corinthians 12. The word baptized is immersed,
submerged, immersed. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 12 and
13. As the body is one and has many members, many members, all
the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so
also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all
baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles. There is no nationality, whether
we be born or free, there is no class. And we've been made
to drink into one spirit. We're baptized, we're in Christ. That's why I started this message.
Our God, are you in Christ? By regeneration, by conversion,
by the gift of grace, by an act of God, by an act of His will
and work, you're in Christ. And He's made unto you all you
need, all you'll ever need, all you want, all you'll ever want.
It's in Christ. Wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,
and redemption. You're in Him. Look back here
at my text. In verse 28, there is neither
Jew nor Greek, no ancestry, no nationalities, there is neither
bond nor free, there is no class, there is neither male nor female.
These things exist on earth, class and families and ancestry
and Jew and Gentile and bond and free and male and female,
but not in Christ, not in Christ. one in him. And if you be his,
if you be Christ, then are you Abraham's seed. And you're what? You're an heir
of God. But you're an heir with Jesus
Christ. How? According to the promise. Not according to anything else.
You just skip over that law and everything right on back to Abraham
when he stood out there one day on the stars. And God said, you
believe me? He said, I believe you. I believe
you're able to do all you promise. I believe you're in Christ to
justify. And that's enough for me. That's
good enough. That's good enough for me. Yeah.