The Savior – The Person of Jesus Christ

The Two Natures of Christ

Luke 1:35

And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason

the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. NASB

 

The God-Man

The fact that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was a man is a fact that is widely known. The historical record of Jesus life and ministry is clear for all to see. In fact there have been more books written about Him, more pictures painted of Him and more attention focused on Him down through ages than any other man who has ever lived. He is the most famous person who lived in the history of mankind without dispute. But look closer at the person of Jesus and you find Him to be the most unique person who has ever lived as well. He was a man of amazing supernatural powers unlike any other person who has existed. In the Bible, the life, ministry and supernatural power of Christ are seen to be the result of the fact that He is actually the very Son of God. In the Bible, Jesus Christ is presented as God incarnate in the flesh. This fact is known as “the deity of Christ”, or “the divinity of Christ.”

John 1:14 – 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. NASB

So when we consider the biblical Jesus, we find Him to be this unique person in history in which God became a man and lived in the flesh as a man, the God-man. In the history of the world, no other claim as this has been the center of more controversy, study, and focus of theologians and religious worshippers as the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. More than this, the claims of this man Jesus Christ and the supernatural powers he bore, witnessed by thousands, makes Him a wonderful and fearful man indeed. Consider just a few of His claims and works….

·         He claimed to be God in the flesh (Matt 26:64, John 8:23, 58, 10:36, 11:25, Rev 1:17, 22:13)

·         He claimed to be the promised Messiah of the Jews (John 4:25, 6:35-40, 51)

·         He claimed to have pre-existed his life on earth in Heavenly Glory (John 3:13, 6:41, 17:5)

·         He claimed to be the final judge of all people at the end of the ages (Matt 16:27, 25:31-46)

·         He claimed to give eternal life to those who embrace His message (Matt 19:29, John 11:25)

·         He taught with supernatural wisdom never heard of in history (Luke 6:20-49, 12:1-18:33)

·         He did miracles of healing  lame, blind and deaf people (John 9:1-41, Matt 9:18-35)

·         He raised people from the dead (John 11:40-46, Luke 7:11-17, 8:49-56)

·         He walked on water and fed 5000 people with a few loaves and fish (Matt 14:15-32)

·         He made prophecies of future events with pinpoint accuracy (Matt 17:22, 24:2, Luke 21:24)

When you combine these claims and works of Jesus, along with the amazing story of His birth, and His Passion and resurrection from the dead, He is an amazing person indeed.

Acts 10:37-41 – 38 “You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him. 39 “And we are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. And they also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 “God raised Him up on the third day, and granted that He should become visible, NASB

One does not have to think real hard to realize that no one person who has ever lived even resembles the person of Jesus Christ. He is in fact the most amazing person of wonder, power and wisdom. Even those who embrace His message today, some 2000 years later, claim to have their lives completely transformed in a supernatural way that brings inner peace, joy and a desire to love and do good like no other thing that has ever happened to them. Consider that if all of this be true about this man Jesus Christ, His person and His message is one that we should give close scrutiny to. Jesus answers all the great concerns about our lives and our world. He claims to hold the keys of death, promises immortality and has manifested God to us in most profound manner. Upon close examination, we are left in awe and wonder, proclaiming with doubting Thomas…..

            John 20:28 – 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” NASB

One Being Two Natures

Being both the Son of God and the son of man is unprecedented in the world. When Jesus the Christ came into the wre6xyorld, born of a virgin, having been conceived by God Himself, the eternal Son of God manifested Himself as a man.

Luke 1:35 – 35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God. NASB

Here we have an idea, or a concept which the human mind can hardly grasp, God in the flesh of a man. In the passages below, we will examine the Deity and the Humanity of Jesus Christ in the Bible. But here we will give a brief definition of what it means that Jesus Christ had two natures. In the 5^th Century, the Church finally resolved a long struggle to understand this unique idea that Jesus possessed two natures. This happened when a large church council convened for this very purpose in Chalcedon in 451 A.D. The statement on Christ’s two natures that was produced is very comprehensive and is referred to as the Chalcedonian Definition. It reads as follows…“We, then, following the holy Fathers, all with one consent, teach men to confess one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the same perfect in Godhead and also perfect in manhood; truly God and truly man, of a reasonable [rational] soul and body; consubstantial [coessential] with the Father according to the Godhead, and consubstantial with us according to the Manhood; in all things like unto us, without sin; begotten before all ages of the Father according to the Godhead, and in these latter days, for us and for our salvation, born of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, according to the Manhood; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably; the distinction of natures being by no means taken away by the union, but rather the property of each nature being preserved and concurring in one Person and one Subsistence, not parted or divided into two persons, but one and the same Son, and only begotten, God, the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, as the prophets from the beginning [have declared] concerning him, and the Lord Jesus Christ himself has taught us, and the Creed of the holy Fathers has been handed down to us.”

This definition sought to correct several false teachings about the nature of Jesus Christ, which it did, and has been accepted by orthodox churches ever since its inception. Wayne Grudem comments on this…. “When the Chalcedonian Definition says that the two natures of Christ occur together “in one Person and one Subsistence,“ the Greek word translated as “Subsistence” is the word hypostasis, ὑπόστασις (G5712) “being.” Hence the union of Christ’s human and divine natures in one person is sometimes called the hypostatic union. This phrase simply means the union of Christ’s human and divine natures in one being.”

The Bible makes very clear statements about the fact that Jesus was both human and divine, and this miracle is a precious treasure for us to embrace as we worship our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 1:3-4 – concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, NASB

Galatians 4:4 – 4 But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, NASB

Many times as we read through the Bible, we will encounter various passages which may stress one or the other nature of Jesus. When this happens we must remember that we understand the verses in the Bible in their larger context of the passage, chapter, book, and even in the context of the whole Bible. Therefore we must understand these difficulties in the light of what the entire Bible teaches about each one. As we see Jesus revealed in the pages of Scripture, let us worship Him with reverence and awe, and with the hymn writer say “hail the incarnate Deity!” “Christ, by highest heav’n adored: – Christ, the everlasting Lord; Late in time behold him come, Offspring of the favored one. Veil’d in flesh, the Godhead see; Hail, th’incarnate Deity: Pleased, as man, with men to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel! Hark! the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”

 

 

This teaching is a part of a 9 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/2007/handouts/dz/The_Savior_The_Cross_and_The_Gospel_Brochure.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here:

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/discovery/10-07-2007_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 

 

The Savior – The Person of Jesus Christ

The Promised Messiah

 

A Biblical View of the Savior and His Work

When we consider the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, it is imperative that we understand who He is and what He has accomplished through the lens of the Bible, Holy Scripture. Obviously this is because the Bible is the Word of God, given to man to reveal God and communicate the Divine thoughts and intentions of God to mankind and for mankind. Further, the Bible is the most complete accounting of Christ’s person and His work. It not only presents accurate historical narratives of Christ’s life and teachings, but communicates to us the living and powerful Words of God to us, which are transforming both to our personal life and to our cultures and societies.

Hebrews 4:12-13 – 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. NASB

Beyond this, it is helpful to understand that the Bible is a unified whole. Its 66 books written by 40 authors present to us a complete narrative which outlines human history from the creation of mankind to the destruction of the present heavens and earth and subsequent restoration of the same by God, culminating in the eternal Kingdom of God in the New Heavens and Earth, which God will create. This unified whole we refer to as “redemptive history.” That is, the History of Redemption, which is the primary purpose of God in the creation of the world and mankind. Since this Redemption is the main theme of the narrative of the Bible, we find the redeeming work of Jesus Christ and His person, who is the Savior of the world, to be the focal point of all of human history.

John 4:42 – 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” NASB

Jesus Christ is the focus of the entire Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Therefore, if we seek to learn about the person and work of Christ, it must come from the special revelation of God in the Bible, given to us to explain and reveal Christ Himself.

 

The Plan of Redemption

When we consider the narrative of the Old and New Testaments, it is important to see the Providence of Almighty God in the outworking of His eternal plans in human history. All of the events of history are the outworking of plans which God has made from all eternity. In fact, Providence is assumed and implied constantly by biblical writers, as we shall see.

Hebrews 1:2-3 – 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. NASB

Colossians 1:16-17 – 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. NAS

Acts 17:28 – 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, NASB

Job 34:14-15 – 14 “If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, 15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. NASB

Therefore, when we think about God’s activity of Providence in His world, we should think of it as God working out the plans that He has made for His creation from all eternity. Not only does God control Nature, but because of this is “in every action directing” the events of History. The Scripture plainly declares that God is the primary cause behind everything that happens.

Lamentations 3:37-38 – 37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? NASB

Isaiah 45:7 – 7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. NASB

Now the fact that events are seen to be under the Providence of God is plainly evident in Scripture. God is Providentially working His will in all things to accomplish His own purposes for the display of His own Glory, Name and Power!

Ephesians 1:9-11 – 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASB

Consider then, that in the course of history, God’s purpose to redeem fallen mankind from their sin by sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world to give His life as a sacrifice and be raised from the dead, is primary among all the things which God has purposed to do. God is summing up all things in Christ! In fact this is plainly revealed in Scripture as the unified message of redemptive history.

 

This Plan of Redemption opens up a whole new understanding for us then concerning God’s activity in directing the events of History. We see then and therefore that Jesus Christ and His atoning work at the Cross become the very focal point of history, and thus the key event in the history of the world. Another way of stating this is that all things before the cross look forward to the Cross and all things after the Cross look back at the Cross. The Cross of Jesus Christ is everything! More than this, the God-Man Christ Jesus, the One hanging on the Cross is the eternal Lord of history, come to earth to display the awesome beauty of His divine character to us in an unfathomable way as to cause the whole creation to stand in awe, rejoicing with Holy fear, at the marvelous thing that He has done!

Revelation 5:11-14 – 11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. NASB

So when we think about Jesus Christ the Savior, we must understand that He is not just some Galilean peasant in history who did some good things and had some wise teachings, but rather He is God very God, embodied as a man, accomplishing the primary work of the eternal plans of God which were made before the creation of the world.

1 Peter 1:18-20 – 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you NASB

 

 

 

This teaching is a part of a 9 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/2007/handouts/dz/The_Savior_The_Cross_and_The_Gospel_Brochure.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here:

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/discovery/09-09-2007_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 

The Law, the Gospel and Abounding Grace – Part 2

Romans 5:19-21

 

Romans 5:20 – 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, NASB

 

A. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase –

 

3)  The Law has thoroughly condemned us and left us in a desperate situation which is not humanly repairable.

 

The Purpose of the Moral Law

What then is then is the purpose of the Law? Quite simply stated, the Law was provided by God to establish what perfect righteousness looks like, so that we can all see that we fall a millions miles short of it! The Law was given to utterly condemn us as sinners and show us our great need for a Savior! The Law was given to establish the justice of God in condemning sinners to death, so that they will see there only hope is in Christ! Consider these few things the New Testament says about the Law…..

The Law is exceedingly good….

Romans 7:12 – 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. NASB

The Law brings God’s wrath….

Romans 4:15 – 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation. NASB

The Law holds the whole world accountable to God, and by seeking to obey it, no one can be justified before God….

            Romans 3:19-20 – 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who

are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become

accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in

His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. NASB

The Law shows us what sin is, by exposing us to it, then it condemns us to death when we violate it….

Romans 7:7-11 – 7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. 9 And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. NASB

The Law kept us in bondage awaiting Christ…..

Galatians 3:23 – 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. NASB

The Law stands against us and is hostile to us….but Christ has taken it out of the way by means of the Cross…. 

Colossians 2:13-14 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB

The Law was added to show us how utterly incapable we are of keeping it, so that we will wait for and hope in Christ as our only way of being justified in the court of Heaven before the Righteous Judge!

Galatians 3:19-22 – 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture(the Law) has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. NASB

The Law is a teacher leading us to Christ….

Galatians 3:24-26 – 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. NASB

Ray Comfort comments – “The law doesn’t help us; it just leaves us helpless. It doesn’t justify us; it just leaves us guilty before the judgment bar of a holy God.”

B. 20 but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more – Now here is the good news of the Gospel again to rescue us from our desperate state! Christ Jesus has set us free from the curse of the Law and God’s Grace triumphs over our sin!

 

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law….

Galatians 3:13 – 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us NASB

 

4 )    God’s grace is MORE than sufficient and abundantly conquers sin.

 

Grace Abounds over sin

Here in verse 20 the Scripture says, “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more!” Consider the point being made…..especially in this context….. If the Law has been provided by God to show us how utterly sinful we are, and to condemn us and hold us captive, in a deplorable and wretched state of disobedience to God’s commands….and if the Law does exactly that and then points us to Christ to saved by faith in Him, then consider how sufficiently and perfectly Christ fulfills the Law on our behalf so that now we are completely justified before God because of Him, and His perfect obedience….remember what the verse 19 said… “through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous!”

 

Oh yes, our sin increased, it abounds, we have mountains of it….but listen to these heavenly words dear Christian…. “grace abounded all the more!”

 

Oh yes!….grace abounds more than your sin!……grace abounds more than my sin….Christ is my righteousness! I am free from sin’s curse….

Romans 8:1-2 – 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NASB

 

Now consider with me verse 21….

 

Romans 5:21 – 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. NASB

 

A. that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign – See how seriously sin has reigned in death….think about how profound all the suffering of the world has ultimately ended in death for everyone who has every lived….think about how the tyranny of sin has ruled over us as a taskmaster of bondage for all the years of human history……but here dear family, the Scripture describes the abounding power of grace to reign all the more bringing “eternal life through Jesus Christ!”

 

consider now grace reigns over sin….Grace reigns! Grace Rules……!!!

  

 5 )    Grace reigns in the life of a Christian.

 

Grace reigns because sin has been cancelled. Jesus took the Law and nailed it to the Cross, and took it out of the way…

Colossians 2:13-14 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB

We are no longer under the curse of debt to God’s Law because Christ paid the debt in full….there remains no more wrath for me or for you, but instead Jesus bore God’s wrath for us on the Cross….Jesus is our righteousness!

 

Grace reigns because we died with Christ to sin and now live for righteousness unto God, as those alive from the dead. The Law killed us, but we were raised to a new life in Christ!

Romans 6:11-14 – 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. NASB

Grace reigns because we are no longer under the Law but under grace.

Galatians 3:24-26 – 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. NASB

So now God has in Christ cancelled the debt of all of our sin, and He now exhorts us to live in the righteousness that we are by faith. He exhorts us to walk in continual repentance of the sin, which we hate, and in that newness of life to which we have been called.

John 1:17 – 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. NASB

 

The Invincible Purpose of God and our freedom

Consider that this was God’s purpose in the plan of Redemption from before He ever created the world. God had decided to place us on earth, allow us to fall by disobedience to His Holy Law, and then redeem us from our sins by a great ransom, even sending His own Son to die in our place. And if this was His purpose all along, then consider how perfectly and completely the work of the Savior is to satisfy the requirements of God’s Law and become our very righteousness Himself. Then the words are true indeed….

John 8:36 – 36 “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

 

 

This sermon can be heard on audio here:

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/misc/07-15-2007_Sunday_11AM.mp3

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/index.php?section=how_to_know_jesus_christ

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 

The Law, the Gospel and Abounding Grace

Romans 5:19-21

 

Defining Terms

I want to give you a little background to help give you an understanding of the passage we will look at this morning. So lets start by defining a few terms…

 

The Law – The commandments contained in the Pentateuch, or Torah, the five books of Moses(the first 5 books of the Bible). That Law was really threefold:

·        Ceremonial Law, that which prescribed the worship of God by Sacrifice and offering and all of the temple worship ceremony with it  

·        Civil or Political Law, that relating to the people in their national, political life.

·        Moral Law, the 640 as summed up in the 10 Commandments, and presents to all mankind the perfect standard of God’s righteousness which He expects all mankind to fulfill.  The very definition of sin is a violation or transgression of this Moral Law of God. This is the Law most often referred to in the New Testament.

 

The Gospel – The message or “good news” of the person and work of Jesus Christ, God the Son, come to the earth to fulfill God’s eternal plan of salvation. The message of Christ’s Life, Death, Burial, and Resurrection pronounces God’s favor and forgiveness of sin to all who will believe in or trust in the finished work of Christ as a substitution for their sin, the sacrifice He gave of Himself to atone for sins. The message carries within it the power to transform the sinner by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, and affords to the believing sinner eternal life.

 

Grace – Favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it and in spite of what that same person deserves. Grace is one of the key attributes of God. The Lord God is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abounding in goodness and truth” (Ex 34:6). Therefore, grace is almost always associated with mercy, love, compassion, and patience as the source of help and with deliverance from distress. We commonly refer to it as “unmerited favor” or “favor we do NOT deserve, or haven’t earned.”

Brief Overview of Romans 1-5

In the book of Romans, Paul is laying out a technical discourse on the Gospel. In its chapters, he is giving a progressive understanding of the state of mankind before God, and what God has done about it, and also therefore how we should respond to this.

Chapter 1 &2 –

v-1:1-5 – Immediately describes the Gospel

v-1:18-32-2:16 – describes mankind’s deplorable state of rebellion against God and the subsequent wrath of God which is being revealed from heaven(v-18) and stored up(2:5) against those who continue to sin against God without repentance, all leading up to God’s Day of Judgment(2:16)

v-2:29 – describes the fact that even the Jew is condemned by the Law of God

Chapter 3 –

v-3:1-20 – discusses how the whole world is condemned by the Law and subject to this judgment of God

v-3:21-31 – Paul announces the good news of the Gospel and the free justification of God by faith in Jesus Christ to all who will believe

Chapter 4 –

v-4:1-25 – The entire chapter 4 is dedicated to establishing that mankind is justified before God on the basis of faith and not on the basis of works(or religious deeds)

Chapter 5 – When we arrive at chapter 5, Paul gives a tremendous explanation of the benefits and results of being justified before God. These benefits are a theme which is taken up again later in Chapters 8-11.

v-5:1-11 – Paul discusses the wonderful state of grace in which we stand in the free and unmerited favor of God. He explains that this grace was given to us when we were “helpless”(v-6), “while we were yet sinners”(v-8), and also “while we were enemies” of God(v-10). Here we see the true meaning of God’s marvelous, infinite, matchless GRACE which was given to us when we were still in a helpless and sinful state of rebellion against God. It was then, yes even when we were sinners, that God loved us(v-8), justified us by Christ’s blood(v-9), saved us from His wrath(v-9), and reconciled us to Himself(v-10-11). This is truly amazing grace!

v-5:12-21 – Now in these verses Paul describes the fact that although we have all become sinners through Adam’s disobedience(v-12), and that because of this, death has reigned in this present world since that time(v-14), that we shall be justified(v-18), made righteous(v-19), and that grace will reign in righteousness and bring us eternal life through Jesus Christ!

Now to our text……

 

Romans 5:19-21 – 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. NASB

 

In this text, several points are made concerning Sin, the Law and the Gospel of Grace.

 

I would like to highlight these 5 points….

1)    We are sinners in a helpless and deplorable state.

2)    We are made righteous by Christ alone.

3)    The Law has thoroughly condemned us and left us in a desperate situation which is not humanly repairable.

4)    God’s grace is MORE than sufficient and abundantly conquers sin.

5)    Grace reigns in the life of a Christian.

 

Romans 5:19 – 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. NASB

1)    We are sinners in a helpless and deplorable state –

 

A. For as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners – We are sinners …that is what we are…..and of this we are all aware….as verse 5:12 says…

Romans 5:12 – 12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned — NASB

Romans 5:15 – 15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. NASB

Romans 3:19-20 – 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.  NASB

Romans 3:23 – 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God NASB

 

This state of sin is a deplorable state. Because of this, we are subject to all the sufferings of this life. Consider all the suffering that has happened in the history of the world is all a result of mankind’s sin against God. Because of your sin and my sin we suffer pain, health problems, frustrations of all sorts, great trials and problems which plague us all the days of our lives, and all of these very uncomfortable dilemmas we face take us to the grave. Because of your sin and mine, we die. And this dear family is the very thing that God warned Adam about…. “In the day that you sin you shall surely die!”….and the very thing the devil lied about in tempting Adam and Eve…. “you shall not surely die”, he said…so now we have found ourselves reaping the consequences of this.

 

But how is the Christian to see himself in this world? “Simul iustus et peccator” – “At the same time righteous and a sinner”….of this John Knox the Scottish Reformer says…

“We confess and acknowledge that the law of God is most just, equal, holy, and perfect, commanding those things which, when perfectly done, can give life and bring man to eternal felicity; but our nature is so corrupt, weak, and imperfect, that we are never able perfectly to fulfill the works of the law. Even after we are reborn, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth of God is not in us. It is therefore essential for us to lay hold on Christ Jesus, in his righteousness and his atonement, since he is the end and consummation of the Law and since it is by him that we are set at liberty so that the curse of God may not fall upon us, even though we do not fulfill the Law in all points. For as God the Father beholds us in the body of his Son Christ Jesus, he accepts our imperfect obedience as if it were perfect, and covers our works, which are defiled with many stains, with the righteousness of his Son. We do not mean that we are so set at liberty that we owe no obedience to the Law–for we have already acknowledged its place–but we affirm that no man on earth, with the sole exception of Christ Jesus, has given, gives, or shall give in action that obedience to the Law which the Law requires.

And so…through Adam’s disobedience, we were made sinners……we cannot fulfill the Law but are in a hopeless state…..

 

But look again at verse 19….

 

B. even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous. – We are made righteous by the obedience of Christ!!!! Now this is good news!

 

2)    We are made righteous by Christ alone.

 

Here the Bible explains to us the source of our righteousness before God. It happens by the “obedience of the One.” By Christ’s obedience we are made righteous.

 

Dear Christian do you constantly struggle with guilt and shame wondering why you cannot seem to overcome your battle with sin? Do you constantly fail at perfect obedience and wonder if there is any hope for you? Let me tell you….your hope is not in you or in your ability to be righteous before God! Your hope is in the obedience of Jesus Christ, and He obeyed the Law perfectly on your behalf! The Bible affirms this again and again….and it is ours simply by trusting in His perfect work to cover and atone for our sins.

Romans 3:21-24 – 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; NASB

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 – 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” NASB

2 Corinthians 5:21 – 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. NASB

Colossians 1:21-22 –  22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-

Hebrews 10:14 – 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. NASB

 

Christ then, is Himself our righteousness before God!

 

We then, are sinners who have been justified and declared righteous because of the merit of Christ. This is amazing grace!

 

Part 2 & 3 to follow….

 

 

This sermon can be heard on audio here:

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/misc/07-15-2007_Sunday_11AM.mp3

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/index.php?section=how_to_know_jesus_christ

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

Developing a high view of God

 

Psalms 96:4-6

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. NAS

 

As we have seen God is supremely valuable. He is most worthy of Praise! In other words, He is the highest and most valuable being in existence! This only naturally follows the understanding of Him as the Creator of all things. Since God is infinitely greater than everything He created, He is therefore infinitely more valuable and glorious than everything He created. This also gives tremendous value to mankind, seeing that we were the only thing or being created “in His image.” Since God is supremely valuable, it logically follows that if we esteem other things higher than Him, we are fools. We are then guilty of the highest form of treason, a failure to glorify the Glorious God, or in other words “idolatry.” This is because God is “most worthy” of praise.

Psalms 96:4-6 – 4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

Romans 1:21-25 – 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen.

We must therefore value God above every other thing. He is worthy of exaltation and praise. This is the reason we were created. It is to glorify and exalt the majesty and glory of the Living God! This is the highest activity that can be performed and the most fulfilling thing that can be done. It is the only thing that fills the natural void in the heart of man. It is the first and great commandment and the great goal of God in history. It is for Him to be worshipped according to the splendor of His majesty, which is higher than any other thing. He must therefore be supreme in our affections, and the thing to which we ascribe the highest value and worth. We are to worship God!

 Psalms 96:7-9 – 7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts. 9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. NIV

God does everything He does for this end. That is for the sake of His Glory! Consider this quote from Pastor John Piper from his book “Let the Nations be Glad”;

“God is central and supreme in His own affections. There are no rivals for the supremacy of God’s glory in His own heart. God is not an idolater. He does not disobey the first and great commandment. With all His heart and soul and strength and mind He delights in the glory of His manifold perfections. The most passionate heart for God in all of the universe is God’s heart.”

The bible is plastered with such statements which describe the passion of God for His own Glory. Here Isaiah makes it crystal clear.

Isaiah 48:9-11 – 9 For my own name’s sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. 10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.

The Lord says He will not yield His glory to another. Indeed mankind has been commanded by God to “give Him glory” and worship His holy name. Indeed there is coming a day when the whole earth will be filled the knowledge of God’s Glory!

Habakkuk 2:14 – 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. NIV

More than this, every man and woman will give an account to God for either their worship of His Glory or the failure thereof.

Philippians 2:9-11 – 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NIV

Consider for a moment the just punishment of God in shutting out from His presence all who do evil by not worshipping His glory(2 Thess 1:9). For those who will not worship His glory, they will be “thrown into the lake of fire which is the second death”(Rev 20:10). Does this not express most clearly the infinite value of God’s glory! If the “just punishment” for idolatry is eternal punishment(Matt 25:46) in hell, than this corresponds to the infinite worth of the glory of God! How foolish we are to not see the great value and worth of God! Oh blessed mercy!

The Bethlehem Baptist church makes this statement which follows:

The reality of hell is God’s clear indictment of the infiniteness of our guilt. If our corruption were not deserving of an eternal punishment, God would be unjust to threaten us with a punishment so severe as eternal torment. But the Scriptures teach that God is just in condemning unbelievers to eternal hell (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Matthew 5:29f; 10:28; 13:49f; 18:8f; 25:46; Revelation 14:9-11; 20:10). Therefore, to the extent that hell is a total sentence of condemnation, to that extent must we think of ourselves as totally blameworthy apart from the saving grace of God.

It is therefore imperative that we as Christians learn to esteem and value God and His glory above all things! We must give our minds to the contemplation of God, our strength to the service of God, entrust our souls to the care of God, and give our hearts to the love of God! He is to be chief among our affections and first in order of importance. To do anything less is foolishness and self-destruction! Shall we seek life and its fulfillment in every place except from the place it comes, God? Shall we look for love in all the wrong places when all the while the Scripture tells us that “God is Love!”

Indeed love and fulfillment can be found in God, and Oh how willing He is to grant it. But friends, He must become our passion, He must become the center of our lives, our marriages, our families and our churches! We must be God-centered! Listen friends, the universe revolves around God and His purposes, not ours.

1 Corinthians 10:31– 31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. NIV

  

Six things we can do to develop a high view of God:

1. Treasure and esteem God and His Word above any and every other thing in your life. Let it become a consuming passion in your life to come to know God and see His glory.

Psalms 119:47-48 -47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees. NIV

2. Have a daily time of meditation and contemplation in the Word of God, undistracted. Allow the Word to judge and confront the thoughts and intentions of our hearts. Seek God’s face and His truth as for hidden treasure.

Psalms 1:1-2 – Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. NIV

3. Do what the bible says. The revelation of truth comes through obedience to God’s Word.

Luke 11:28 – 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

4. As we ponder the Word we have two-way communication with God. We speak to him and He speaks to us. Pray intensely while reading your bible.

Philippians 4:5-7 –  6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

5. Fellowship regularly with people who have a high view of God and a passion for His Glory.

Acts 2:42 – 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. NIV

6. Remember God’s Sovereignty! That He is in control of the circumstances of your life! Always remember to be thankful for everything you have and never take for granted that God has overlooked your sins and allowed you to live, and continues to pour out His blessing on you. You deserve much worse than you get! Do not grumble and complain about your circumstances because this attitude is equivalent to idolatry and blasphemes God’s Glory. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble!

1 Thess 5:16-18 – 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. NIV

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/index.php?section=how_to_know_jesus_christ

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

The Plan of Redemption

1 Peter 1:20

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world,

but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you. NASB

 

The Plan of Redemption

When we consider the narrative of the Old and New Testaments, it is important to see the Providence of Almighty God in the outworking of His eternal plans in human history. All of the events of history are the outworking of plans which God has made from all eternity. In fact, Providence is assumed and implied constantly by biblical writers, as we shall see.

Hebrews 1:2-3 – 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. NASB

Colossians 1:16-17 – 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities– all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. NAS

Acts 17:28 – 28 for in Him we live and move and exist, NASB

Job 34:14-15 – 14 “If He should determine to do so, If He should gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, 15 All flesh would perish together, And man would return to dust. NASB

Therefore, when we think about God’s activity of Providence in His world, we should think of it as God working out the plans that He has made for His creation from all eternity. Not only does God control Nature, but because of this is “in every action directing” the events of History. The Scripture plainly declares that God is the primary cause behind everything that happens.

Lamentations 3:37-38 – 37 Who is there who speaks and it comes to pass, Unless the Lord has commanded it? 38 Is it not from the mouth of the Most High That both good and ill go forth? NASB

Isaiah 45:7 – 7 The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the LORD who does all these. NASB

Now the fact that events are seen to be under the Providence of God is plainly evident in Scripture. God is Providentially working His will in all things to accomplish His own purposes for the display of His own Glory, Name and Power!

Ephesians 1:9-11 – 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fulness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things upon the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, NASB

Consider then, that in the course of history, God’s purpose to redeem fallen mankind from their sin by sending His Son Jesus Christ into the world to give His life as a sacrifice and be raised from the dead, is primary among all the things which God has purposed to do. God is summing up all things in Christ! In fact this is plainly revealed in Scripture as the unified message of redemptive history.

 

This Plan of Redemption opens up a whole new understanding for us then concerning God’s activity in directing the events of History. We see then and therefore that Jesus Christ and His atoning work at the Cross become the very focal point of history, and thus the key event in the history of the world. Another way of stating this is that all things before the cross look forward to the Cross and all things after the Cross look back at the Cross. The Cross of Jesus Christ is everything! More than this, the God-Man Christ Jesus, the One hanging on the Cross is the eternal Lord of history, come to earth to display the awesome beauty of His divine character to us in an unfathomable way as to cause the whole creation to stand in awe, rejoicing with Holy fear, at the marvelous thing that He has done!

Revelation 5:11-14 – 11 And I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” 13 And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” 14 And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped. NASB

So when we think about Jesus Christ the Savior, we must understand that He is not just some Galilean peasant in history who did some good things and had some wise teachings, but rather He is God very God, embodied as a man, accomplishing the primary work of the eternal plans of God which were made before the creation of the world.

1 Peter 1:18-20 – 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20 For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you NASB