tonight to the letter of Romans,
Romans chapter 3 and verse 24. Romans 3 verse 24, being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Without any introduction, I have
two observations that I want to make tonight from this verse
of scripture. The first observation is this,
justification is freely by His grace. Justification, God declaring
a person righteous. A person who has sinned and come
short of His glory, as verse 23 tells us that we have all
done, for all have sinned and come short of His or of the glory
of God. Justification is freely by His
grace. And here are two reasons Two
reasons that we know that justification is freely by His grace. Number one, the scriptures tell
us that this is true. If you look above this in verse
20, the apostle said, therefore by the deeds of the law, that
is by a person keeping the law, observing the law, obeying the
law, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh, no man,
no woman, be justified in his sight. So we know that justification,
that is a person being declared righteous by God Almighty, a
person who is by nature a sinner, is by grace because, first of
all, the Scriptures tell us that this is so. And second, The scriptures
tell us that justification is based on the person and work
of Christ. Justification is based upon the
person and work of Christ. Notice the verse, being justified
freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus. Men are justified either upon
the ground of their own righteousness or upon the ground of someone
else's righteousness. Let me say that again. Men are
justified, declared to be righteous by God, either upon the ground
of their own righteousness, their own obedience, or upon the ground
of someone else's righteousness. Now the prophecy in Daniel chapter
9 and verse 24 that speaks about the coming of the Messiah, it
tells us that there are six things that the Messiah will do when
He comes. And one of those six things is
that He shall bring in an everlasting righteousness. A person is justified either
by his own righteousness or by the righteousness of another
person, another person and his work. And the scripture, of course,
tells us, it's just replete from the beginning to the end, that
justification is freely by his grace. It is by the righteousness
of another that men and women are declared righteous. In Romans
chapter five and verse 18, the apostle Paul said, therefore,
as by the offense of one, by the offense of one man, we know
that one man was Adam, and in that context, it also tells us
by his one offense, by the one offense of the one man, When
he disobeyed God and ate of that forbidden fruit, by his one offense,
judgment came upon all men to condemnation. The opposite of
justification is condemnation. And we know that judgment to
condemnation came upon all men, that is, all men that Adam represented. All men that Adam, the first
Adam represented, judgment came upon all men to condemnation. And he represented all men. He
represented all of us. Well, there was one man he didn't
represent. He did not represent the second
Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ. He came into this world and he
did not inherit the sin of Adam, because Adam, Joseph, was not
his father. He was born of the Virgin. And
the rest of that text tells us, even so, even so, just as judgment
to condemnation came upon all men by the offense of one man,
even so, by the righteousness By the righteousness of one man,
or of one, the free gift came upon all men, all men who he
represented, all of his chosen people, all men that he represented. By the righteousness of one,
the free gift came upon all men to justification of life. being justified freely by His
grace. That's the first observation
that I want to bring to us. And the second observation is
this, that what is true of justification, what I've just said, what is
true of justification, that justification is freely by His grace. What
is true of justification, and for the same reasons, Because
the Scripture tells us so, and because the Scriptures tell us
that these things come through Christ, for the same reason,
all of the great doctrines of salvation must come to us freely
by His grace. You know, in theology, the doctrine
of salvation is called soteriology. That's just a big word. But in the doctrine of salvation,
there's a number of other things like justification, that's one.
But you see, what I'm saying is that if justification has
come and it has freely by His grace, then all of these other
things that we're going to look at tonight that are included
in salvation, that they too come freely by His grace. The first that I want to mention,
election. Election is freely by His grace. God choosing a person to be saved
who has done neither good or evil, it must be freely by His
grace. And the scriptures tell us that
this is true. If you look in Romans chapter
9, And verse 11, God choosing a person who has
done neither good nor evil, not one or the other, good nor evil,
then election must be freely by His grace. In Romans 9 and
verse 11, the apostle says, For the children being not yet born,
neither having done any good or evil." Haven't done any good,
haven't done any evil. In other words, they have not
come into this world and done good or evil before they were
born, before the foundation of the world as we will see. Not
having done good or evil that the purpose of God according
to election might stand not of works, but of him that calleth."
Election. God choosing a person to salvation. And that's what the Scripture
says in 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13. Let me read that verse. 2 Thessalonians 2 and verse 13.
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren,
beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen
you to salvation. And we always make the point
that election is not salvation. Election is unto salvation. But election must be freely by
His grace, because as we see, those whom He chose, He chose
in eternity, having done neither good nor evil. So it must be
by grace, freely by His grace. And the scriptures tell us that
election means that we are chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world. Before the foundation of the
world. Before God said, let there be
the heavens and the earth. Before God created the heavens
and the earth from the foundation of the world. When I was in religion,
and I was raised in what I call religion, free will works religion. I didn't know it at the time,
I'll be honest, but as I look back, that's what it was. But
I remember one particular time, especially, there was a song,
and I wouldn't dignify it by calling it a hymn, although it
is in many hymn books, But the hymn, the title of the hymn is,
A New Name in Glory. A New Name in Glory. And I'll
just be honest with you, I loved to sing that hymn. And one of
the lines was, There's a new name written down in glory, and
it's mine, you know. Oh, oh yes, it's mine. It's mine. You know the problem
with that hymn? It's anti-scriptural. It is against the Word of God. It is man trying to steal God's
glory. There never has been a new name
written down in glory. Never has been. And there never
has been an old name erased from the Lamb's Book of Life. Election is freely by His grace. Someone says, but preacher, what
about the rejoicing that our Lord tells us takes place when
a man who has a hundred sheep and one of them is missing and
he leaves the ninety and nine and goes out and he seeks until
he finds that one lost sheep and he lays it on his shoulder
and brings it home. And the woman in our Lord's parable
who had ten pieces of silver, which were very important, And
she lost one of them and she could not rest until she had
swept and found that one piece of silver coin. And our Lord
tells us that there is rejoicing among the heavens over one sinner
that repenteth more than over 99 just persons who did not need
or do not need repentance. What about that? What about the
fact that we're told that in heaven there's rejoicing when
a person repents and comes to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, that's a wonderful truth that is revealed, no doubt about
it. But that doesn't negate, that
doesn't destroy the truth about the fact that God's sovereign
election is freely by His grace from before the foundation of
the world. The Scripture says in Revelation
17 in verse 8, that those who follow man's religion, and man's
religion is also always of works. And this thought came to me the
other day, from the very beginning, we go all the way back to the
beginning of our Bibles. what is recorded concerning Cain
and Abel. And we see that man tries to
invent his own religion. He tries to come to God in a
way that God has not ordained. And in a way that God will not
accept. And that was Cain. And since
Cain, there's only been two religions in this world. That's all. Just two. One is that of grace,
and that of works. And men and women, all of us,
when we come into this world, we have a fallen nature, and
we just love the religion of works. We do. Because we have
a depraved nature. And man just gravitates as water
always flows downhill. So lost men and women always
gravitate towards a works religion, a free will works religion that
will allow them to boast about what they've done, rather than
giving all the glory, not most of it, but all the glory in salvation
to the author of salvation, who is God. Justification is freely
by grace. Even so, election is freely by
grace. Second, redemption. Redemption
is freely by His grace. You know, in Revelation, John
in chapter 5 tells us that he witnessed there a great number
of people who were rejoicing and praising the Lamb, the Lamb,
as though it had been slain from the foundation of the world.
And this is what they sang, thou was slain and has redeemed us
to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people
and nation. The scriptures tell us that this
is true Because man does not have the ability to redeem a
soul from eternal death. Turn back with me to Psalm 49,
just a moment. Psalm 49 and beginning with verse
6. They that trust in their wealth
and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them,
none of them can by any means redeem his brother or to give
to God a ransom for him. You see, to whom is the ransom
to be paid? To God. To God. Ransom's not paid to the devil.
The ransom price is paid to God. And men, no matter how much wealth
they have, they cannot, as the next verse tells us, none of
them can by any means redeem his brother. You see, if he had
the whole world, which no man has ever had, but if a man, if
it were possible for a man to own the whole world, even that
could not redeem one soul. The soul of man is worth more
than this whole world. Our Lord said, what should it
profit a man? if he were to gain the whole world and lose his
own soul? Or what should a man give in
exchange for his soul? Redemption is freely by his grace. The scriptures tell us that redemption
is accomplished only through the blood of Jesus Christ. And
his death must be freely by his grace. Remember, he said, no
man taketh it from me, I lay it down of myself. And third, adoption. Election,
redemption, adoption. All of these are terms and truths
that are revealed to us that are all under that umbrella word
of salvation. Justification also, but adoption
is freely by His grace. All of these are freely by His
grace. Look with me in Ephesians chapter
one. Ephesians chapter one, in verses five and six. having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children. Adoption of children. Adoption
is freely by His grace. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according
to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of
His grace. wherein he hath made us accepted
in the Beloved. Do you see any merit, do you
see any worth in those who are quickened and adopted into the
family of God? If you read Ephesians chapter
2, just look across the page there. And you, let that sink in. You, you. And you, me, you hath he quickened who
were dead in trespasses and sins. Wherein in time past you walked
according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the
children of disobedience, among whom also we all had our Conversation
in times past and the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires
of the flesh and of the mind, were by nature the children of
wrath even as others. A pastor friend of mine told
this story. It's a true story. He said a young man came to take
his daughter to the prom. And he knew this young man. He
came from a religious family there in the town. And he asked
that young man, he said, have you ever hated God? Young man was scared to death.
Oh, no, no, no. I've never hated God. I'd be
afraid to hate God. But the Bible tells us that we
all hated God by nature. Now we don't hate the God that
is preached in the average pulpit today. We might feel sorry for
Him. We might have pity upon Him.
But we don't hate Him. Men don't hate Him. But when
men hear the truth about God, who God is, and what God has
done, and that God is not in our hands. He's not in my hands. He's not in your hands. All of
these religious quacks today, you know, they've all got their
formulas, how you can manipulate God and get Him to make you rich,
and get Him to make you healthy, and get Him to do this, that,
and the other. That's not the God of the Bible.
The God of the Bible is the one who does His will among the armies
of heaven. as well as among the inhabitants
of the earth. And none can stay his hand or
say unto him, what doest thou? You don't bring God to your bar
of judgment and demand of him, why are you doing this? How is it right for you to do
this? No, we are his creatures and
we submit to him. Men, by nature, we hate. We hate God. But just like this
passage of Scripture here tells us, we were in times past in
the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath. We deserve
the wrath of God. We were under the wrath of God. But God, who is rich in mercy,
for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace
you are saved. You can read that passage of
Scripture, and I pray God the Holy Spirit will bring it to
each and every one of us in power. And you, you, think on that. Me? God did this for me? Yes. And you hath he quickened. You
didn't deserve it. You cannot merit it. It is freely
by his grace. If you met a person who professed
to know Christ, who professed to be a child of God, and they
told you that they deserved to be adopted into the family of
God, you would know immediately that they know nothing of the
true grace of God. Nothing. Not if they say they
deserve it. You know immediately if a person
says that. They know nothing of the true
grace of God. Now he may talk about the grace
of God, but the free grace of God, the true grace of God rather
teaches us that all is given to us freely, freely by His grace. The true grace of God teaches
us, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. A fourth, sanctification. Sanctification is freely by His
grace. You know, sanctification means
to separate or to set apart And it amazes me that there are men
who teach that justification is freely by His grace, but then
they say that sanctification is by our works. And they would tell people, look
to the cross, look to Calvary for justification, but for sanctification,
look back to Mount Sinai. That's an awful mistake. Everything
we have, we are given freely by His grace. And sanctification
is one of the things that we receive in salvation. You see,
sanctification, when you look at the scriptures that speak
about sanctify or sanctification, it's like those scriptures that
speak about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. You
know, there are some scriptures that tell us He was raised by
the Father. There's some scriptures that
tell us that He raised Himself up. There's some scriptures that
tell us that God the Holy Spirit raised Him up. What am I saying?
God raised Him. God raised Him, the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit. And the same thing is true about
sanctification. There are scriptures which tell
us that we are sanctified by the Father, scriptures that tell
us we're sanctified by the Son, and scriptures which tell us
that we're sanctified by God, the Holy Spirit. But I don't
know of any that tell us we're sanctified by our own works.
I don't think you'll find them. Let's look, let me just mention
these. The Lord Jesus prayed to His Father for those who were
given to Him, and He said, Father, sanctify them. You sanctify them. You set them apart. Sanctify
them through Thy truth. And the Apostle Paul, writing
to believers at Thessalonica, he said, the very God of peace,
sanctify you wholly. And then Paul also tells us in
Ephesians that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who loved his church,
gave himself for it, that he, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word. And the same is
true of God the Holy Spirit. Look, look at this passage in
first Corinthians chapter six. I Corinthians chapter 6. I'm
so thankful tonight that the gospel is still the power of
God unto salvation unto everyone that believe it. Aren't you? God has chosen to use the gospel
of Jesus Christ our Lord in calling men out of darkness into his
marvelous light. can go out preaching the gospel
anywhere and everywhere. As Scott Richardson said, a preacher
is somebody who tells everybody about somebody who can save anybody. And that's the Lord Jesus Christ. And God does it. God does it. He doesn't use our eloquence,
if we had any. He doesn't. No. The Word of God,
begotten again by the Word, the incorruptible Word of God. Paul, writing to these Corinthians
and Corinth was known to be such a wicked place. But every place,
every one of these epistles, Thessalonica, Athens, Ephesians,
any of these places where the gospel went, they were all wicked
places. They were pagan places. They
believed in many gods. And they practiced idolatry and
witchcraft and adultery and fornication was not thought to be anything
awful or bad. I mean, just really, just like
the U.S. Just like the United States of
America today. That's the way the places were
when the apostles went out preaching. And Paul, right in here. Verse
11 says, or verse 9, know you not that the unrighteous shall
not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived. Well, these
people, they're going to have to be sanctified, right? Because we're going to say, he's
going to say, such were some of you. You're going to have
to be sanctified. But he didn't tell them, sanctify
yourself. No. Know you not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor
abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
drunkards, nor revelers, nor extortioners shall inherit the
kingdom of God. And such were some of you. What
an awful, horrible situation. How are they going to get themselves
out of this mess? They can't. They can't. They can turn over a hundred
new leaves, and they'll find the same trash on the bottom
of the leaf that was on the top of the leaf. No. The only one
who's going to do this is God. God the Holy Spirit. He's going
to sanctify. Notice what he says. And such
were some of you, but you are washed, but you are sanctified,
but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by
the Spirit of our God. You know, the Lord Jesus Christ
said, either make the tree good and his fruit good. Those who
teach sanctification by man's work, what they're doing is trying
to make the tree good by first making the fruit good. No, make
the tree good and the fruit will be good. But you cannot reverse
that order. And it's God who makes the tree
good. He sanctifies, He sets apart
His people. And the last thing, glorification,
justification, redemption, adoption, sanctification, glorification
freely by His grace. What is glorification? It is to be conformed to the
image of Christ. It is to be made like Christ.
That's what glorification is. It's to be made like Christ.
And the apostle says, 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. That's what glorification
is. It's to be made like Christ. What is glorification? It is
in the resurrection to receive a body fashioned like unto his
glorious body. What is glorification? It is
to be with Christ and enjoy God forever in the new heavens and
the new earth, and it is all freely by His grace. What am I saying? I'm saying what Paul said in
Ephesians 2 in verse 8, for by grace are you saved. That's the
only way anyone's ever been saved. That's the only way anyone ever
shall be saved. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Aren't you thankful tonight that
everything is freely by his grace? Freely by his grace. Let's sing a hymn, David.