This Then Is the Message

Q: What does the Bible say about God's holiness?

The Bible declares that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, emphasizing His absolute holiness and righteousness. In 1 John 1:5, it is stated, 'This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.' This revelation underscores the inherent holiness of God, which is foundational to our understanding of His nature. God's light symbolizes His moral perfection, justice, and truth. When we speak of God's holiness, we are affirming that He is entirely separate from sin and imperfection, exhibiting a purity that challenges human understanding. His holy nature demands a response from humanity, as it reveals our own unworthiness and the need for reconciliation through Christ. Understanding God's holiness is crucial for Christians; it shapes our view of sin and our need for salvation. The law of God reflects His holiness, and thus it cannot simply overlook sin. God must deal justly with transgression, which is why Christ's work is unmistakably tied to God's character. Jesus came to fulfill the requirements of the law perfectly so that through Him, sinners could be declared righteous before a holy God.

Q: How do we know Christ's atonement is sufficient?

Christ's atonement is sufficient because He satisfied the justice of God by paying the penalty for sin, fulfilling the requirements of the law. The sufficiency of Christ's atonement is rooted in the doctrine of substitution and satisfaction. As articulated in the sermon, Jesus is our substitute who took the place of sinners, enduring the wrath of God on the cross. He was 'wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities' (Isaiah 53:5). This act of atonement was not arbitrary; it was a fulfillment of God's justice, ensuring that sin's penalty was paid in full. Additionally, Romans 3:26 explains that God is 'just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus,' emphasizing that He cannot simply overlook sin. Instead, His justice demands that it be dealt with, which Christ has done. This all-encompassing atonement is sufficient for all who believe (John 3:16), assuring believers that their sins—past, present, and future—are forgiven through faith in Him. The atoning sacrifice of Christ not only meets the requirements of God's justice but also extends grace to those who would trust in Him. This understanding assures Christians of their standing before God and the completeness of Christ’s work on their behalf.

Q: Why is confession of sin important for Christians?

Confession of sin is vital for Christians as it aligns us with God's truth and opens the way for His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 emphasizes the importance of confession, stating, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Confession is an acknowledgment of our unworthiness and recognition of God’s holiness. It is a necessary step in our relationship with a holy God, who cannot compromise justice. When we confess, we are admitting our guilt before a righteous and holy God, and in return, we receive His promise of cleansing and forgiveness, which is foundational to our faith. Moreover, confession helps restore fellowship with God, which can be disrupted by sin. It reconciles us to our Creator through the work of Christ, who has paid the full price for our sins. For a Christian, failing to confess sin can lead to a sense of distance from God and hinder spiritual growth. In recognizing our need for His grace, we are continually reminded of Christ's sufficiency and His ongoing work in our lives, preserving our dependence on His mercies.

Q: What does it mean that God is just?

God's justice means that He cannot overlook sin and will always judge it righteously according to His law and holiness. God's justice is a fundamental attribute that ensures He acts in accordance with His holy nature. It signifies that He always does what is right and that every sin will meet a fitting judgment. As mentioned in the sermon, 'He will by no means clear the guilty' (Exodus 34:7), which underscores God's unwavering commitment to justice. This characteristic of God signifies that there are consequences for sin, aligning with the declaration of Paul in Romans 2:6, 'He will repay each person according to what they have done.' The beauty of the Christian message lies in Jesus Christ satisfying God's justice. In His atoning work, He took upon Himself the judgment due for sinners, allowing God to remain just while justifying those who have faith in Christ (Romans 3:26). This understanding of divine justice assures believers that God's actions are always consistent and fair, as they relate not only to condemnation but also to grace and mercy offered through Christ's sacrifice.

I don't know how many of you
heard the message that I brought last Sunday, but I want to continue
along the same line upon which I spoke last Sunday. And the
title of the message today is, This Then is the Message. Now, last Sunday, the message
was this, Are You Willing to be Saved? Does a man will to
know the will of God? Does he will to know the way
of God? Does he will to know the Word
of God? Well, if you do, this, then,
is the message. Now, if you want to follow in
your Bibles, I'll be reading from the book of 1 John. This
is not the epistle of the gospel of John. This is the first epistle
of John, back in the last part of the New Testament. 1 John
1 verse 5. Now, here's a man, here's a man
who says, 1 John 1 verse 5, This then is the message. That's what
he's saying. This man writing here in 1 John
1 verse 5 says, This then is the message from God to you. Now, you know, when a man says
that, and he speaks with authority, it'd be wise to listen to him.
Who is this person who says this, then, is the message? This is
the gospel. This is the message of God. This
is the one and only gospel. This is the message. Who's this
fellow? Well, first of all, it's the
Apostle John, one of the Lord's twelve apostles, the one who
was called the beloved disciple. the one who leaned upon the Lord's
breast at the last table, last supper. This disciple is referred
to in the book of John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. That's the one writing here.
And then this man, this apostle John, survived all of the apostles. They were all martyred except
this man. And he was exiled to the Isle
of Patmos across the sea. And there on the Isle of Patmos,
the Lord God appeared to him and gave him the revelation of
Jesus Christ. The revelation is called in many
Bibles the revelation of John, but it's really the Lord gave
John a revelation of Jesus Christ. That's what that book's all about.
The man who said, this then is the message, is the man who said,
in verse 1 and 2 and 3, that the Son of God was manifested,
eternal life was manifested, and we have seen Him and heard
Him and touched Him. He said that twice or three times.
He said, I have seen Him, I have heard Him, my hands have handled
of the Word of life, I've touched Him. Now, if any man knows the
message, I believe he would know it, don't you? I believe if any
man knows and can say, this then is the message, I'd say it's
this man. I'm going to listen to it. Will
you? All right, what does he say about this message? He said,
this then is the message, which we've heard of him. In other
words, This didn't originate with us. Twelve men didn't get
together and draw up this theology. This is the message which we
heard of Him, which He gave us, and the message which we declare
unto you, all of you, any of you. It's a message we declare
unto all men. There's no difference. Do you
think there is? There's no difference. All have
sinned and come short of the glory of God. There's no difference.
In Christ, there's neither male nor female, Jew nor Gentile,
rich or poor, bond or free. There's no difference, young
or old. There's no difference between you and the drug addict. You're both sinners. There's
no difference between you, dear lady, and the harlot. You're
both sinners. There's no difference between you, prison guard, and
the man you're guarding. You're both sinners in God's
sight. Both equally separated from God be your sins. Both equally
condemned. Both need the same salvation. Both need to hear the same gospel. I don't have one gospel for the
White House and another for the jail, the prison. I don't have one message for
so-called moral people and immoral people. I don't have one message
for wealthy, learned, intelligent educators and the folks down
digging the ditches. It's the same message. That's
what John said, this is the message, the message, not a message, not
one of many. This is the message which we
heard of Him and declare unto you, you, you, you, you, you,
you, all of you, because there's one God and one Lord and one
faith and one body and one church and one mediator and one way
of life to be preached to all. That's the whole ball of wax
right there. One message. We don't trim it
down. We don't alter it. We don't compromise
it. We don't adjust it to fit situations. We just preach Christ and Him
crucified. That's right. All have sinned
and come short of the glory of God and all men need a substitute
and a Savior. And they'll all come the same
way or they won't come at all. Then he says this, this then
is the message which we've heard of him, which we declare unto
you, that God is light, that God is light. And in God dwelleth,
watch this now, no darkness at all. This, then, is the message. This is it. We heard this message,
and we declare it to you, and this is the message, that God
is light, holiness, truth, righteousness, justice, and in Him there is
no alloy, there is no compromise, there's no mixture, there's no
darkness at all. He changes not. He is God. He is truth. He is light. He is holiness. He is justice. In Him, no leniency. He will
by no means, under no circumstances, for no reason, clear thee guilty. That's just it. Whether you're
a little bit guilty or a whole lot guilty. Whether you've been
in sin a long time or just a short time. Whether you're old or young,
He will by no means clear the guilty. This is the message that
God is light. Do you understand that? Who changes
not. God is holiness and righteousness. God is a God who is invisible
and dwells in a light to which no man can approach. That's the
light. God is light and He dwells in
that light to which no man can approach. That's right. So the gospel we preach has got
to honor that holiness of God. It's got to come from that righteousness
of God. It's got to honor that perfect
law of God. It's got to glorify that absolute
justice of God. It's got to enable God to be
light, truth, justice, and holiness. You see, Our gospel, if it's
God's gospel, will not attempt to bring God down. This is one
of the major mistakes that men make today. They're trying to
explain God. They're trying to comprehend
God. They're trying to bring God down so that a natural man
with natural eyes can see and a natural heart and mind can
understand God. That's an impossibility. See,
what needs to happen needs to take place is not our compromising
God's attributes, but preaching a message that lifts men up,
restores their souls, and restores them to His righteousness. Not
a message that brings God down here, but a message that takes
men, the gospel that cleanses and purifies and sanctifies and
regenerates and makes whole and takes us to God. See, the gospel's
not a message of what you can do for God. The gospel is a message
what God must do for us. I wish I could make that clear.
This is the message, that God is light, holiness, justice,
truth, and in Him there's no compromise, there's no leniency,
there's no alloy, there's no mixture. He will by no means
clear the guilty. He cannot move from His place
of perfect holiness. So the message is not what we're
going to do for Him, but what will He in His holiness and justice
consistent with His character do to help us out of the mess
we're in. That's what we're looking for
in a message is the way out of the mess we're in. I know there's a lot of preaching
today. Now listen to me. I know there's a lot of preaching
today about, now you must do this, and you must do that, and
you must accept Jesus as your personal Savior, and you must
go out and serve the Lord, and you must begin working for God,
and you must start sending us your seed so we can multiply
them, and you must bring your tithe into the storehouse, You
must give money to various causes and promote all these different
things. And if you do all these things, then God will do something.
No, my friends, all this is not going to change the fact that
God is light and I'm darkness. That God is holy and I'm unholy. That God is truth and all men
are liars. That God is just and will by
no means clear the guilty. That God is life and we're death. That God is perfect and we're
imperfect. All this doing that you're giving
me to do is not going to change me and it's sure not going to
change Him. If I'm to know God, if this man,
God is light and I'm darkness, if I'm going to be light, if
God is holy and I'm unholy, if I'm going to be holy, If God
is righteous and I'm unrighteous and to fellowship with God or
walk with God, I've got to be made righteous. If I'm under
a sentence of death for my sins, promising to do better is not
going to do away with the condemnation. Sending in a nickel or a dime
to a preacher is not going to change God's judgment against
me. If I'm going to be accepted of God, if I'm going to be made
righteous, if I'm going to stand in His holy hill and live in
His divine presence, He's got to do something for me. You understand
what I'm saying? And what He does for me has got
to be consistent with who He is. He can't change. He's light,
holiness. In Him there is no darkness at
all. He can't change. I've got to
be changed. My status has got to be changed.
I've got to be changed before the law. The law has me in bondage. I've got to be changed before
justice. Justice has a charge against me and demands my death
because I'm a sinner. And Adam's fall has left me in
a dreadful mess. I think evil. and not good. I do evil and not good. I don't
love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength, and you don't
either. I don't love my neighbors myself. It's an impossible assignment. What in the world is going to
happen? You want me to walk down another aisle? You want me to
raise my hand again? Maybe both hands. You want me
to send you another dollar or two so you can buy another house
or a yacht or something? That's going to help me out?
No, that's not going to help me out. He's got to do something
for me. The God that's light and justice
and holiness and truth has got to do something for me, and He
has done something. If I could just see it in His
Word, He has done something. God so loved the world, He gave
His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not continue
in this perishing way, but should have eternal life. That's why
Christ came into the world. He came into the world to save
sinners, not good people, not moral people, not religious people,
not folks who tithe and serve God. He came to save the lost,
sinners, helpless people. I hear people say, well, God
will help a man if he helps himself. That's a lie. God helps men who
are unable to help themselves. That's why they need God. What
can you do? What can you do? You can't lift
yourself from the dunghill. You can't burn yourself. You
can't make yourself alive. You can't accomplish a righteousness. God sent Christ to do that. He
died just for the unjust that He might bring us to God, to
light, to holiness, to righteousness, to that holy hill, to the presence
of God. That's what Jesus Christ came
to do. He became a man. He became a
man. He who thought it robbery to
be equal with God was made in the likeness of sinful flesh
and took on himself the form of a servant and was made in
the likeness of man and was tempted in all points as we are. And
he walked this earth as our representative. He walked this earth representing
us before God. God is light, God is holy, and
God demands of me in perfect obedience. And Christ came down
here as a man in the flesh, as our federal head, as our representative,
and He met that perfect holiness so that the Father looked down
at Him and said, this is my Son in whom I'm well pleased. He
did that for us. He came down here and honored
the law I'd broken, kept the law that I couldn't keep. He
came down here and as a man in the flesh, the God-man, went
to that cross and bore our sins in his body on the tree and paid
that debt so that that God who is light and in whom there's
no darkness can forgive me. God can't overlook sin any more
than a faithful, honest, truthful judge can overlook a criminal's
crimes. Bring a criminal before the judge
and the judge looks at the criminal, he's guilty, looks at the book,
says he's got to be sentenced. What's he going to do? Forgive
him? That's not just. He's got to sentence him. Unless
somebody will take his place. Unless somebody will bear his
guilt. Unless somebody will die for him. And that only somebody
is Christ Jesus. And he came down here and died
for me. He paid my bill. Paid my debt. He arose as my
justifier, fulfilled all that God requires. Now then, God sent
forth His Son to be a propitiation, to be a mercy seat, to be a covering
for sin, to be a substitute, to be a faithful high priest
in things pertaining to God, that He might be just and justify
the ungodly, that He might be light and forgive sons of darkness,
that He might be holy and forgive the unholy, that he might be
righteous and forgive the unrighteous, because in Christ we have a righteousness. In Christ I have a holiness."
That's what led the hymn writer to write, with his spotless garments
on, I'm as holy as God's Son. You can't meet God at an altar
unless that altar is Christ. You can't meet God at the front
of a building. You don't You don't satisfy the
justice and righteousness of God by accepting Jesus as your
personal Savior. He does that Himself, and you
believe on Him and bow to Him. Listen to me. Christ didn't live
on this earth and die only as an example. He is our example,
but that's not why He lived and died. Christ didn't live and
die as a martyr. Christ didn't live and die as
a reformer. He lived and died as a representative, as a substitute
for his people. Will you learn two words? If
you want to learn the gospel, you'll learn these two words.
The first one is substitute, substitution. The second is satisfaction. And Christ is our substitute.
He literally, actually, before God, took our place. He did in
our place instead what we can't do and what God says we must
do. And He did it perfectly. And
in doing it and in dying for us, He made satisfaction. The law of God, the law of the
God of light is satisfied. The justice of the God of holiness
is satisfied. That seems to be the missing
note in today's preaching. And it's the very key to the
treasures of the gospel. Christ didn't die to gain our
pity. Christ didn't die to gain our sympathy. He lived and died
as a representative before God on behalf of His people. You
see, He lived before the Lord. In fact, if you'll go back to
the Old Testament and study the Old Testament sacrifices, when
they put their hands on the head of the scapegoat, and the bullock
that was to be sacrificed, they confessed their sins before the
Lord. And then it said they slew the
lamb before the Lord. And then the high priest, by
himself, alone, once a year, went into the holy place, put
the blood with hyssop on the mercy seat before the Lord. No
eye was looking on but that of God. And when Jesus Christ came
into this world, He walked this earth. And he obeyed God's law
and fulfilled the righteousness. And he did it not to get your
sympathy or your pity or to give you encouragement or to get you
to try to walk like he walked. He did it before God that the
law of God might not charge you and me any longer with transgression. He obeyed the law before the
Lord. And when he went to the cross
and was hanging on that cross, What did he pray? What did he
pray in Gethsemane's garden before he went to the cross? He said,
Father, glorify me with the glory which I had with thee before
the world was. Glorify thy son that thy son
may glorify thee. I have finished the work you
gave me to do. That's right. The Father gave
him a task to perform, a work to do, a life to live, a righteousness
to produce, and a death to die. And he did all of it before the
Lord. When he's hanging on that cross,
it was a wrath of God that dealt with him in our place and in
our stead. He died before the Lord. His
blood was shed unto God. The high priest went alone into
the holiest with the blood of others because God is light. In Him there is no darkness. Do you see that? He says this
then is the message that we've heard of Him and we preach to
you. You sons of Adam, you sinners
by birth, nature, choice and practice, you. Oh, there's no
difference. And here's my message. God's
light, truth, holiness, in Him no darkness at all, no leniency,
no compromise, None whatsoever, truth and justice. So you can't
handle it, can you? But Christ can, and that's why
He came. You see, His life on this earth was literally our
life. If we believe on Him, my life
and your life. If I believe on Him, that's what
the Scripture says, when Christ who is our life shall appear,
then shall we appear with Him in glory. I have a perfect righteousness. Do you? Yes, sir, you do too
if you're a believer. I lived already perfectly on
this earth. When Christ lived, I lived. His
life is my life. That's the way the justice of
God looks on me, the righteousness of God. It has to be. His death
was literally my death. He died just for the unjust. He died in the stead of. That's
right. He was wounded for our transgression.
He was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we're healed.
So His death was my death. That's the reason the believer
never dies. We've already died. His resurrection is my resurrection. Because I live, He said, you'll
live. And His exaltation is our exaltation. We're risen with
Him and seated at the right hand of God. That's substitution. And that's the gospel. That's
satisfaction. Now, the Holy Spirit of God,
through the preaching of this gospel reveals it. And sitting
out there, there are people, well, this happens every time
a man preaches the gospel. It's offensive to the natural
man. It's a blessing to the believer. But there are people sitting
there who say, I don't believe that. That's foolishness. Well, to the natural man it is. See, the religious seek a sign
and the wise men seek after wisdom, The preaching of the cross is
to those who believe and are being saved the power of God.
And some are sitting there and saying, preacher, that's what
it says. That's what I need. I know who
God is. I understand that from the scripture.
God's holy, God's light, in him no darkness. I'm a sinner. And
there's no peace in religion, there's no rest in religion,
there's no rest and peace in doing and trying to, with much
Activity accomplish a righteousness my own that's full of sin Even
our good works are full of sin full of self even our prayers
are full of self. God can't be pleased. It's not
perfect So what I'm gonna do I'll tell you what Receive Christ
To as many as received him to them gave he the privilege to
become sons of God receive him receive him believe him He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." Believe Him. Believe the
record that God has given concerning His Son. Believe Him. And love
Him and trust Him. Our confidence is in Him. Our
trust is in Him and in Him alone. That's right. Christ Jesus our
Lord. Listen to this. Lord, I confess
my many faults, how great my guilt has been. Foolish and vain
are all our thoughts and all our lives of sin. Tis not by
works of righteousness which our own hands have done, but
we're saved by your grace abounding through your Son. Tis from the
mercy of my God that all my hopes begin. Tis by the shedding of
his blood that my soul is cleansed from sin. And that's what John
says later in this chapter. He says, if we confess our sins,
if we confess our sins, take our place as a sinner in an honest
confession of repentance, He is faithful, faithful to His
Word, faithful to His covenant, faithful to His promise. He is
faithful to what? Forgive us. Forgive us of all
our sins, past, present, and future. And He doesn't forgive
them arbitrarily. He forgives them based on a sacrifice. He forgives us based on a full
payment, paid in full. That's what Christ did. He forgives
us based on a perfect life. He's faithful and just to forgive
us all our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. And remember this, in closing,
it says He is faithful and just. And this is the message. God
is light, just, and He must forgive us in a way in which He can be
just. Now, if you want this message,
write for it. It's entitled, This Then is the
Message. On the other side is, Are You
Willing to be Saved? Here's the address. God bless
you, everyone.

This Then Is the Message

What does the Bible say about God's holiness?

How do we know Christ's atonement is sufficient?

Why is confession of sin important for Christians?

What does it mean that God is just?

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This Then Is the Message

What does the Bible say about God's holiness?

How do we know Christ's atonement is sufficient?

Why is confession of sin important for Christians?

What does it mean that God is just?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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