Reading: Rom 5:1-11
Text: Rom 5:6
1. Introductory Thoughts
a. Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
b. In the above passage in Galatians, Paul was opposing false teachers who had perverted the gospel by leaving out the essential message of the Cross and substituting a return to the Jewish ceremonial laws.
c. The false teachers in the churches of Galatia, the men whom Paul opposed with vigor, were men whose teachings and actions may be summed up as
(1) Glorying not in God, nor in the Cross of Christ, but in man’s religion, in the flesch
(2) They did not possess THE FAITH, that set of Biblical doctrines so often referred to in the New Testament
(a) Historic Christianity is called “THE FAITH.”
Acts 6:7 "… great company of the priests were obedient to THE FAITH."
Acts 14:22 "… and exhorting them to continue in THE FAITH…”
Acts 16:5 "And so were the churches established in THE FAITH…"
Rom 1:5 "By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to THE FAITH …”
1 Cor 16:13 "Watch ye, stand fast in THE FAITH, …”
2 Cor 13:5 "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in THE FAITH…”
Eph 4:13 "Till we all come in the unity of THE FAITH…”
Phil 1:27 "… with one mind striving together for THE FAITH of the gospel;"
Col 1:23 "… continue in THE FAITH grounded and settled,…"
Col 2:7 "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in THE FAITH, …”
1 Tim 1:2 "Unto Timothy, my own son in THE FAITH: …”
1 Tim 3:9 "Holding the mystery of THE FAITH…"
1 Tim 4:1 "… in the latter times some shall depart from THE FAITH,…”
2 Tim 3:8 "… men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning THE FAITH."
2 Tim 4:7 "… I have kept THE FAITH:"
Titus 1:13 "… rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in THE FAITH;"
(a) Jude adds a very powerful and defining phrase when talking about THE FAITH, he calls it THE FAITH “Once Delivered…” A sacred trust of doctrine to be handed down.
2 Tim 2:2 “…the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
Heb 4:14 "… let us hold fast our profession."
Heb 4:14 "… let us hold firmly to the faith we profess."
(3) Not possessing THE FAITH, the false teachers of Galatia could not and did not teach THE FAITH, but as Paul told timothy in 2 Tim 4:1-5, these false teachers taught “fables,” or as Peter said in 2 Pet 2:1ff, “damnable heresies…”
(4) Paul says they taught these fables, these falsehoods for the love for the world and out of the fear of men.
b. So today the false teachers of the new heresies have ignored, denied, diverted and perverted the message of the Cross, and have done so for the same reasons.
(1) A crucified Savior, dying for the real sins of real people is not popular.
(a) He makes us face our sin, and admit to its ugliness.
(b) He brings us face-to-face with our spiritual inability, and with the depth of the darkness of our souls.
(c) Once God has saved us, then we are bound by His Spirit and His Word to take up our own cross, to deny our selfish desires and live for Him as He died for us.
(2) This is not the gospel of ease and enjoyment that people seek to soothe their bruised egos.
(3) For true believers today, we must Glory in the Cross--in the True, Biblical act, fact, doctrine, and way of life that emanates from the Cross, and we must live with reference to the world in the way that Paul describes here--the world is crucified to us, and we to the world. We must ask a series of provocative, searching questions about our Faith.
(4) Essential Questions on the Cross
(a) What is the essential Act, Fact, Message, Meaning and Power of the Christian faith?
(b) What is far more important than therapy, miracles, health, wealth, good self-esteem, or correct politics?
(c) What event is the one fulcrum, the single pivot point of the history of the universe?
(d) What event was the most important battle ever fought and won in the entire history of time?
(e) What deed far surpasses all the deeds ever done, even creation itself?
(f) What glorious act demonstrates the wrath, justice, sovereignty, truth, love, mercy, and power of God all at once?
(g) What supreme, mysterious, glorious, awesome, Act of God is the only reason His people stand today, whole, saved, and testifying of God's greatness?
(h) This act, fact, message, meaning and power of our faith is this (and we must personalize these statements to give them the full impact of their Biblical basis):
(i) The Almighty Creator, Jehovah God Himself, God the Son, became flesh for me.
(ii) This God-Man lived a perfect life for me.
(iii) This Perfect Lamb of God demonstrated His own power over nature, sin, Satan, disease, and death for me.
(iv) This Ruler of the Universe Incarnate was arrested, beaten, tortured, convicted in a kangaroo court, and hung on a cross for me, and By My Sin!
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(v) This Sinless Substitute took my sin upon Himself, suffered the equivalent of eternal Hell, and laid down His own life for me.
(vi) This Fountain of Life arose from the dead for me.
And all of our preaching and proclamation must be done in the light of the glory of the Cross of Christ—to convict us, to save us, to sanctify us, to disciple us, to conform us to His Image (Rom 8:29
2. What We Were Before He Saved Us—“…For when we were yet without strength…”
a. Context
(1) The apostle has just told us that Hope makes not ashamed, that the Holy Ghost has spread the Love of God abroad in our hearts—
(2) What is the basis of this hope?
(3) What is the great act of God’s love which has been done on our behalf?
(4) The Cross is the basis of our hope.
b. “…when we were yet without strength…”
(1) God’s plan of redemption did not include some contribution from us—when God conceived it, He conceived it in the knowledge that we would be without strength.
(2) Not weak, not with a little bit of strength, but without strength
(3) God’s love for us was uncaused by anything in us—it was ungenerated by any good or merit in us.
1 John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
c. Without Strength—lost people are sinners, dead, deaf, insensitive to God, hating God and His Gospel, and such were we!
d. One of the glories of the Cross is that we were totally helpless and totally alien to God, yet He sent His Son to die for us!
3. “…in due time…” The cross was part of an ancient plan, conceived by God, and carried forth in His time.
a. in due time…. The plan was conceived by God
(1) When was this plan conceived?
1 Pet 1:19-20 " the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,
Titus 1:1-2 "Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness; 2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
(2) Remember… The Gospel is Good News, but it is Not New—The Gospel is older than creation itself. The Gospel is older than time.
Rom 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
(3) God had promised the Gospel by His prophets, but the Gospel did not start there.
(4) The Gospel started before time began.
(5) The Bible doesn't tell us all that took place before time began, but it tells us a lot....
b. Before Time Began--
(1) Jehovah God was God--God has no beginning-- a concept hard for us to even grasp, because everything we know in this world has a beginning and an end (in this world, anyway).
Psa 90:1 LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
(2) Before Time Began, the Triune God existed in a loving, mutual relationship—
Jn 17:24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. See also Heb 9:14
(3) Before time began, the Bible was written down in Heaven
(a) The Bible is unique to all books.... The Bible is not some afterthought—
(b) Psa 119:89 Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven.
(c) Psa 119:152 Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever.
(4) Before Time Began, God ordained a Mysterious Purpose--The gospel was not an afterthought--the gospel was part of an eternal plan which predated the first act of creation......
“…Eph 3:8 Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; 9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Chris…”:
(5) God ORDAINED his purpose--He made it an eternal law--and that eternal mysterious purpose was done for our benefit and glory.
“…1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory,…”
(6) Before the world was made, God ordained the method of redemption and the redeemer--He filled in all the blanks in the plan.
c. In Due Time….The plan was announced and prophesied.
(1) The prophecies were given—Rom 1:1-4 "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) 3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; 4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:"
(2) Rom 3:21 "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;"
(3) There are dozens of scriptures that predict the Messiah, in excruciating detail.
(a) The Time of His Birth
(b) The Place of His Birth
(c) The Manner of His Birth
(d) His Forerunner
(e) The Character of His ministry
(f) The manner of His betrayal
(g) The Manner of His death—and crucifixion had not even been invented at the time Ps 22 was written! Ps 22:14-18
(h) The time of His Death—the evening sacrifice
(i) His resurrection, that He would not see corruption
(j) His Second coming as well as His first
(4) The prophecies were so mysterious that the prophets did not even understand what they were writing.
1 Pet 1:10-12 "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into."
d. In Due Time…..
(1) The plan was carried out by God. Gal 4: 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
(2) The plan was carried out by God
Acts 2:22-23 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: 23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:"
Acts 4:27-28 "….. both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done."
4. “…Christ died for the ungodly…”
a. Not for the Godly, because without His Cross, there would be no Godly!.
John 10:11-18 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. …… 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. …... 17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father."
(1) He was not murdered as a helpless victim
(2) He was not caught up in some thing over which He had no control.
(3) He was not part of some miscalculation by God
(4) He gave up the ghost, He laid down His life, He died, He was in control from beginning to end.
b. “…Christ died for the ungodly…”.
(1) The death of Christ was a real death—He did not “swoon” as the liberals would say.
(2) The Roman soldiers certified He was dead—and they were experts in death.
(3) His side was pierced, and water and blood flowed out, signifying a heart that had literally exploded in His chest—He was dead.
c. “…Christ died for the ungodly….”
(1) The death of Christ was a substitution.
(2) He died in the place of particular people—He died that we could live, He sacrificed, that we could be free, He died in our place.
Isa 53:5-6 "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
d. “…Christ died for the ungodly…”
(1) He did not die for good people, there are no good people.
(2) He did not die for the innocent—none are innocent
(3) He did not die for His friends—without the intervention of God, we would still be His enemies.
(4) Christ died for sinners, ungodly sinners, unholy sinners, dirty, rotten defiled sinners—sinners in need of a Savior, sinners totally without any spiritual resources whatsoever, lost, doomed sinners.
e. And this is why we have Biblical Hope, not a maybe so thing, but a certain thing—
“…(Heb 6:17-19) "Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil…,"
f. And this is the Love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts…And this is the basis for all we are in Christ
Rom 5:6 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
5. Applications
a. For believers—surely we should rejoice and praise His Name without end, for he has died for us, and has brought us to Himself.
b. If God is for us, what difference does it make who or what is against us?
c. The Cross must rule the lives of believers—Our feelings about the world, our relationship with it, our walk in it, and our increasing detachment from its rule are all determined by the Cross.
d. As far as Paul was concerned, the world was dead--the praise, advancements, approval of the world were not important . For the Apostle, as for every believer, the world was not his real home--but unlike many of us, he knew it, and he lived like it. Paul proved his allegiance to the rule of the cross. He had made choices in his life; he had chosen the Gospel's Truth over family background, tradition, and riches—Phil 3:1-10
e. As John Brown of Edinburgh said, it is that "...we view the world system as crucified, cursed, useless, of no influence, of no matter, of no importance to us at all. The world is not to be desired, listened to, followed, or worshipped1 ..” Rom 5:6, 1 Jn 2:15-17
f. For unbelievers—the only remedy for you is to run to the Cross as fast as you can go! Flee to Christ, Flee to Christ, Flee to Christ!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Marriage Seminar
This is the table of contents to our marriage seminar.
Finding Your True Love, One Verse At a Time
An Expositional Marriage Seminar
By Brother Charley Buntin
Bible Teacher
Trace Creek Baptist Church
Mayfield, KY
Introduction
There are lots of marriage seminars and marriage gurus in our world today, because there are so many marriages in trouble. Some seminars and gurus are, as far as God’s purpose is concerned, totally useless. Others have one degree or another of useful information, but don’t seem to have a long-lasting effect. This seminar is presented with one constant focal point—if believers in Christ are obedient to His Word with regard to the family, their marriage will work and their family will prosper. If believers are not obedient, their marriage will not work and their family will not prosper. Marriage was and is God’s idea—He invented it, He instituted it, and it is the “Holy institution which He loves…” (Mal 2:10), therefore, it should be obvious that only His instructions will work over the long haul. The writer of this seminar claims no special revelation, nor any particular expertise, except as a man of God and Bible teacher and as a participant in a marriage that happily endures after 37 years. I am a beggar who has found where to get free bread—the bread of life—and I want to help other beggars find the same.
This seminar is here presented in outline form, for two purposes. For the believer or seeker who would study God’s Word with reference to Marriage, here is a guide to self study. Read the brief comments, look up the verses, pray for understanding, and live what it says. For the busy pastor or Sunday School teacher, here is a tool to use in teaching. You may teach it freely.
The goal of this project is that God would be glorified as marriages are saved from the ravages of our times. May He so use this booklet.
Nearly half of this set of notes is dedicated to the first two chapters, on Worldview and Authority. The reason this is so is that instruction in marriage is of no use if the recipients of the instruction do not hold to the Christian Worldview and do not accept the inerrancy, inspiration, authority and sufficiency of the Bible.
Ten Sessions
1. The Christian Worldview—John 18:36-38, 1 Cor 6:18-20
2. The Authority and Sufficiency of the Bible—2 Tim 3:15-17
3. What Is Manhood? Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-16
4. What is Womanhood? Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-23
5. What is True Love? 1 John 4:7-11, 1 Cor 13:4-7
6. What is Marriage? Genesis 2:18-25, Mat 19:1-11, Eph 5:21-33
7. What a Woman Must Give Her Man— Eph 5:21-24, Eph 5:33, 1 Pet 3:1-6
8. What a Man Must Give His Wife—Eph 5:25-33, 1 Pet 3:7
9. The Broken Covenant—Mal 2:10-16
10. The Broken Covenant Restored—Eph 5:30, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Cor 7:10-11, Mat 18:15-35
Finding Your True Love, One Verse At a Time
An Expositional Marriage Seminar
By Brother Charley Buntin
Bible Teacher
Trace Creek Baptist Church
Mayfield, KY
Introduction
There are lots of marriage seminars and marriage gurus in our world today, because there are so many marriages in trouble. Some seminars and gurus are, as far as God’s purpose is concerned, totally useless. Others have one degree or another of useful information, but don’t seem to have a long-lasting effect. This seminar is presented with one constant focal point—if believers in Christ are obedient to His Word with regard to the family, their marriage will work and their family will prosper. If believers are not obedient, their marriage will not work and their family will not prosper. Marriage was and is God’s idea—He invented it, He instituted it, and it is the “Holy institution which He loves…” (Mal 2:10), therefore, it should be obvious that only His instructions will work over the long haul. The writer of this seminar claims no special revelation, nor any particular expertise, except as a man of God and Bible teacher and as a participant in a marriage that happily endures after 37 years. I am a beggar who has found where to get free bread—the bread of life—and I want to help other beggars find the same.
This seminar is here presented in outline form, for two purposes. For the believer or seeker who would study God’s Word with reference to Marriage, here is a guide to self study. Read the brief comments, look up the verses, pray for understanding, and live what it says. For the busy pastor or Sunday School teacher, here is a tool to use in teaching. You may teach it freely.
The goal of this project is that God would be glorified as marriages are saved from the ravages of our times. May He so use this booklet.
Nearly half of this set of notes is dedicated to the first two chapters, on Worldview and Authority. The reason this is so is that instruction in marriage is of no use if the recipients of the instruction do not hold to the Christian Worldview and do not accept the inerrancy, inspiration, authority and sufficiency of the Bible.
Ten Sessions
1. The Christian Worldview—John 18:36-38, 1 Cor 6:18-20
2. The Authority and Sufficiency of the Bible—2 Tim 3:15-17
3. What Is Manhood? Genesis 1:26-28, 2:15-16
4. What is Womanhood? Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-23
5. What is True Love? 1 John 4:7-11, 1 Cor 13:4-7
6. What is Marriage? Genesis 2:18-25, Mat 19:1-11, Eph 5:21-33
7. What a Woman Must Give Her Man— Eph 5:21-24, Eph 5:33, 1 Pet 3:1-6
8. What a Man Must Give His Wife—Eph 5:25-33, 1 Pet 3:7
9. The Broken Covenant—Mal 2:10-16
10. The Broken Covenant Restored—Eph 5:30, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Cor 7:10-11, Mat 18:15-35
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Back in the Saddle Again
1. Question #1--Why do supposed Bible-believing churches hate to hear real, expository, Biblical preaching?
2. Question #2--Why do people who really can't preach the Bible do so well in ministry, while many serious Bible preachers end up doing something else?
3. Question #3--Is part of the problem that we are in a day like the days of Jermiah and Isaiah, who were basically told to preach the Truth and be prepared to be ignored?
4. Question #4--What examples can you cite from the Bible, of Godly men who were ignored, persecuted, or tossed on the shelf?
2. Question #2--Why do people who really can't preach the Bible do so well in ministry, while many serious Bible preachers end up doing something else?
3. Question #3--Is part of the problem that we are in a day like the days of Jermiah and Isaiah, who were basically told to preach the Truth and be prepared to be ignored?
4. Question #4--What examples can you cite from the Bible, of Godly men who were ignored, persecuted, or tossed on the shelf?
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Wednesday Notes
The False Doctrine of Perfectionism
1 John 1:8-10
Introductory Thoughts
· The problem of balance in this doctrinal area
· Extreme Views
Ø First Extreme View: No holiness, or, “Holiness, what is that?” Many in the churches believe that a consistent Christian lifestyle is optional. They believe in conduct-neutral Christianity.
Ø Second extreme view—Perfection (much rarer today)
· The True Doctrine—God is Light è 1 John 1:5
· The First False Doctrine we looked at—Antinomianism è1:6-7. Antinomianism is against all law, is against any ethical requirement for the Christian. It teaches that the evidence of a person’s life is irrelevant.
· The True Alternative Doctrine—1:7
· Now we deal with the false doctrine of perfectionism.
1. First Form of Perfectionism—claiming to have no tendency to sin è John 1:8 “… If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us…
a. The Language
(1) In the Greek, this is what is called a Subjunctive sentence, a third class condition—it is an “if, then” statement.
(2) “If we up and say…”, this is the Greek aorist tense—if we have up and said at any single point in time...
(3) “that we do not have sin” (present tense).
(4) What he is saying is: “If we, at any time, get up and say [the implication is to teach or preach] that we live continually in such a way that we have no principle of sin in us....”
(5) Then...We are leading ourselves astray, and The Truth is not in us
b. Extreme views in this area historically
(1) Gnostics—the first cult
(a) Some denied that believers had any principle if sin, therefore, no matter what they did, it could not be considered sin—they actually used this kind of perfectionism as an excuse to sin!
(b) Others taught that a spiritual believer had no sin in their life, so they could live to perfection
(2) Other perfectionists since then have taught that by an act of sanctifying grace, the tendency to sin can be taken away from us in this life.
c. In contrast to the perfectionist view is the The Carnal Christian Theory, which says that one can live totally in sin, fully surrendered to it, and still be considered a Christian
d. All of these views are heresy—they are out of balance.
e. The balanced Biblical view is: when we become Christians, several things happen and/or begin to happen.....
(1) We receive a new nature—2 Cor 5:17
(2) The born again Christian will not practice sin as a style of life.
1 John 2:29 "If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him."
1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."
(3) The old man can be reckoned as dead, Sin no longer has the power to dominate us—Rom 6:1-15. Therefore, we should be growing in grace—2 Pet 3:18, progressing in holiness.
(4) This progression in holiness is not optional, it is the normal Christian life. To say that a progression in holiness is OPTIONAL is to state a heresy.
(5) Having said that, because we are still in flesh, we still must struggle against sin, even as we grow in Grace and holiness.
(6) By flesh, we don’t mean the body only, but the mind and soul, our total humanness.
(7) Systematic theologians like to draw very distinct lines on this question, but the Bible does not tell us where our humanity begins and ends and where the new man is.
(8) Our mind and body together remember the pleasures and ways of sin, and this must be put to death daily.
(9) As long as we live with our humanness (which is as long as we are alive) we are in danger of sinning, and must constantly be on our guard to fight against it, and fight against it we must and will
f. But to say that we have no sin, that we are beyond sin, is a heresy
(1) If a person believes in this kind of perfectionism, this is self deception èThis amounts to NO TRUTH
g. (skip verse 9 monentarily, we will come back to it)
2. The Second form of perfectionism—claiming to be sinless in practice è 1 John 1:10 “…If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us…”
a. Language
(1) “If”—again, a third class condition sentence
(2) We say—aorist—if we at any time have said
(3) We have not sinned—perfect tense—have not sinned throughout the past.
(4) “...we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us....” This is all in the present tense—if we say that we have not been sinners in practice, we are continually making Him a liar and His word is continually not in us.
b. Perfectionists say that a second work of Grace can “fully sanctify” a person so that they are totally above sin, and they will claim that they live above sin. This is a false doctrine.
(1) Sinless perfection is our goal—but we will never reach that level of holiness in this life
(2) To claim perfection in our lives makes God a liar! Rom 3:9-12, 23, Eph 2:1-3
3. The Remedy for both heresies in chapter 1—the balanced Christian life—1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
a. Language—
(1) Again, a subjunctive sentence, conditional
(2) “...If we confess...” is present tense—if we go on confessing...
(3) The word for confess, ¿ìïëïã§ìåí , means to agree totally with, and to identify with.
(4) When we truly confess, we are saying something about us, and we are saying something about Him—
(a) Rom 10:9-10—when we confess Christ, we confess His Lordship
(b) When we confess that He is our Savior, we are confessing that we need a Savior, that we are sinners.
(5) And this is in the present tense! Our confession is perpetual and constant—we always say to our Father, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
b. So, the remedy for the first type of perfectionism-- perpetual repentance. If we are continually confessing to Him, we will not get the idea that we are perfect!
c. “...He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins...”
(1) Language—“...is...” è present tense—continual. Jesus is always faithful and always just.
(2) If we confess Him and His Lordship in our lives èHe is faithful and just to forgive us...What does that mean?
(a) He is faithful
(b) He is just—because the price of redemption has been paid, and because of the propitiation through faith in His blood, God is just and righteous to forgive us—See Romans 3:25-31
(c) To forgive—aorist—we confess continually, the the forgiveness of sins is something that takes place once. When He is our Father, the forgiveness of sins has happened, and God will no longer impute sin to our account—Rom 4:6-8. The sins that a believer commits are sins, but the legal status of the believer is that sins are now a family matter between Father and Son—you can lose fellowship, but never relationship.
d. “...And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness...”—“...cleanse...” is aorist, so this is again talking about the great transaction that occurred at our salvation.
(1) So, here is a strange thing:
(a) Our confession is continual
(b) Our forgiveness from sin is granted once.
(c) But back in 1:7, the cleansing was continual—
(d) the point is that we are cleansed once from the guilt of sin, then we are cleansed continually from the pollution of sin in our lives, and one day we will be cleansed from the very presence of sin.
1 John 1:8-10
Introductory Thoughts
· The problem of balance in this doctrinal area
· Extreme Views
Ø First Extreme View: No holiness, or, “Holiness, what is that?” Many in the churches believe that a consistent Christian lifestyle is optional. They believe in conduct-neutral Christianity.
Ø Second extreme view—Perfection (much rarer today)
· The True Doctrine—God is Light è 1 John 1:5
· The First False Doctrine we looked at—Antinomianism è1:6-7. Antinomianism is against all law, is against any ethical requirement for the Christian. It teaches that the evidence of a person’s life is irrelevant.
· The True Alternative Doctrine—1:7
· Now we deal with the false doctrine of perfectionism.
1. First Form of Perfectionism—claiming to have no tendency to sin è John 1:8 “… If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us…
a. The Language
(1) In the Greek, this is what is called a Subjunctive sentence, a third class condition—it is an “if, then” statement.
(2) “If we up and say…”, this is the Greek aorist tense—if we have up and said at any single point in time...
(3) “that we do not have sin” (present tense).
(4) What he is saying is: “If we, at any time, get up and say [the implication is to teach or preach] that we live continually in such a way that we have no principle of sin in us....”
(5) Then...We are leading ourselves astray, and The Truth is not in us
b. Extreme views in this area historically
(1) Gnostics—the first cult
(a) Some denied that believers had any principle if sin, therefore, no matter what they did, it could not be considered sin—they actually used this kind of perfectionism as an excuse to sin!
(b) Others taught that a spiritual believer had no sin in their life, so they could live to perfection
(2) Other perfectionists since then have taught that by an act of sanctifying grace, the tendency to sin can be taken away from us in this life.
c. In contrast to the perfectionist view is the The Carnal Christian Theory, which says that one can live totally in sin, fully surrendered to it, and still be considered a Christian
d. All of these views are heresy—they are out of balance.
e. The balanced Biblical view is: when we become Christians, several things happen and/or begin to happen.....
(1) We receive a new nature—2 Cor 5:17
(2) The born again Christian will not practice sin as a style of life.
1 John 2:29 "If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him."
1 John 3:9 "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God."
(3) The old man can be reckoned as dead, Sin no longer has the power to dominate us—Rom 6:1-15. Therefore, we should be growing in grace—2 Pet 3:18, progressing in holiness.
(4) This progression in holiness is not optional, it is the normal Christian life. To say that a progression in holiness is OPTIONAL is to state a heresy.
(5) Having said that, because we are still in flesh, we still must struggle against sin, even as we grow in Grace and holiness.
(6) By flesh, we don’t mean the body only, but the mind and soul, our total humanness.
(7) Systematic theologians like to draw very distinct lines on this question, but the Bible does not tell us where our humanity begins and ends and where the new man is.
(8) Our mind and body together remember the pleasures and ways of sin, and this must be put to death daily.
(9) As long as we live with our humanness (which is as long as we are alive) we are in danger of sinning, and must constantly be on our guard to fight against it, and fight against it we must and will
f. But to say that we have no sin, that we are beyond sin, is a heresy
(1) If a person believes in this kind of perfectionism, this is self deception èThis amounts to NO TRUTH
g. (skip verse 9 monentarily, we will come back to it)
2. The Second form of perfectionism—claiming to be sinless in practice è 1 John 1:10 “…If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us…”
a. Language
(1) “If”—again, a third class condition sentence
(2) We say—aorist—if we at any time have said
(3) We have not sinned—perfect tense—have not sinned throughout the past.
(4) “...we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us....” This is all in the present tense—if we say that we have not been sinners in practice, we are continually making Him a liar and His word is continually not in us.
b. Perfectionists say that a second work of Grace can “fully sanctify” a person so that they are totally above sin, and they will claim that they live above sin. This is a false doctrine.
(1) Sinless perfection is our goal—but we will never reach that level of holiness in this life
(2) To claim perfection in our lives makes God a liar! Rom 3:9-12, 23, Eph 2:1-3
3. The Remedy for both heresies in chapter 1—the balanced Christian life—1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
a. Language—
(1) Again, a subjunctive sentence, conditional
(2) “...If we confess...” is present tense—if we go on confessing...
(3) The word for confess, ¿ìïëïã§ìåí , means to agree totally with, and to identify with.
(4) When we truly confess, we are saying something about us, and we are saying something about Him—
(a) Rom 10:9-10—when we confess Christ, we confess His Lordship
(b) When we confess that He is our Savior, we are confessing that we need a Savior, that we are sinners.
(5) And this is in the present tense! Our confession is perpetual and constant—we always say to our Father, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”
b. So, the remedy for the first type of perfectionism-- perpetual repentance. If we are continually confessing to Him, we will not get the idea that we are perfect!
c. “...He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins...”
(1) Language—“...is...” è present tense—continual. Jesus is always faithful and always just.
(2) If we confess Him and His Lordship in our lives èHe is faithful and just to forgive us...What does that mean?
(a) He is faithful
(b) He is just—because the price of redemption has been paid, and because of the propitiation through faith in His blood, God is just and righteous to forgive us—See Romans 3:25-31
(c) To forgive—aorist—we confess continually, the the forgiveness of sins is something that takes place once. When He is our Father, the forgiveness of sins has happened, and God will no longer impute sin to our account—Rom 4:6-8. The sins that a believer commits are sins, but the legal status of the believer is that sins are now a family matter between Father and Son—you can lose fellowship, but never relationship.
d. “...And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness...”—“...cleanse...” is aorist, so this is again talking about the great transaction that occurred at our salvation.
(1) So, here is a strange thing:
(a) Our confession is continual
(b) Our forgiveness from sin is granted once.
(c) But back in 1:7, the cleansing was continual—
(d) the point is that we are cleansed once from the guilt of sin, then we are cleansed continually from the pollution of sin in our lives, and one day we will be cleansed from the very presence of sin.
God Is Omniscient
The Attributes of God
God Is Omniscient
Ps 139:1-6
Introductory Thoughts
v We now come to an attribute of God which is widely known about, but which is not widely appreciated for its meaning.
v God knows everything—He is omniscient.
v Many people have the attitude that God knows what is going on, but they seem to believe that He really doesn’t care.
§ ** “Boy, if the preacher knew what I was doing…”
§ Boy, if mom and dad knew what I was doing…”
§ Oh, if my wife (or husband) knew what I was doing…”
§ Get this—GOD knows what you are doing, saying, planning, etc. God knows everything about you, and you are not fooling Him.
§ If your pastor, parents, or spouse knowing about what you are up to bothers you more than God knowing what you are up to, then you have the universe turned upside down in your mind.
§ The fact is, God knows you intimately, He knows your every move, and you cannot escape His eye of omniscience.
· After taking a brief look at the bare fact of God’s omniscience, we are going to Biblically examine the doctrine through a passage that takes us inside and makes us confront our all-knowing God face to face.
1. The Knowledge of God is Infinite—Psa 147:5 "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."
a. Language—“infinite” means “without number.” We can put no quantity nor any limitation on God’s Knowledge.
b. He knows Himself; He knows what He is going to do— Acts 15:18 "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."
(1) The subjects of election, predestination, God’s knowledge, etc. really upset some folks.
(2) But you must understand that the Bible is definite about this—God knows what He is going to do—He is not waiting to see what will happen, and He did not look down through history to see what you would do!
(3) God is ahead of the planning curve!
(4) But you do not know what God is going to do!
(5) But you DO know what He has told you to do—you need to be about the business that God has given you to be about, and not about trying to second guess Him!
c. A human illustration—
(1) If your spouse comes up with a plan for finances, he or she might say to you, “I’ve got this handled, just trust me, you do this and that, and I will make sure my plan works out.”
(2) What will you do?
(a) You might say, “Well, if you are going to do it, just do it, and I will sit back and watch. If you have it all in hand, you just do it!”
(b) More likely, however, you are going to say, “No, I want you to tell me what your plan is; I want to know what you are going to do.”
(3) Why do you do that?
(a) You do that because you want to know before it is done.
(b) You want to have a say in your role in the plan.
(c) And you want the opportunity to put your two cents worth in.
(d) But if you trusted them completely, you might say, “OK, I trust you. I’ll do what you told me, and trust you to do what’s right.”
(4) Now, God has said to us: “I have this plan to save the lost, “Here is what I want you to do.” (The Great Commission) ; Mat 28:19-20,
(5) However, some people say, in regard to God’s clear statements: “Well, if you are going to do it, I will sit back and watch.” Or, they will say, “No, I want to know that I am going to have a say in this thing.” But, if we trust God, we will say, “OK, I’ll do what you told me, and I will trust you to do what’s right.”
d. The extent of God’s Knowledge—
(1) God knows everything that ever has been or ever will be—Dan 2:20-27
(2) He knows every act of every person, every thought of every heart. There are no secrets kept from God.
Ezek 11:5 "… Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them."
Heb 4:13 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
(3) He knows our sins—Psa 90:8 "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."
(4) He knows every thing that could have been, and all that happens in the universe is either what He has caused, or what He has allowed. God is never taken by surprise. God, you see, is God.
2. The Basic Fact of God’s Omniscience, personally applied—Psa 139:1 "O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
a. God’s unique knowledge—Only God Really knows us.
(1) You don’t fully know yourself.
(2) I don’t fully know myself.
(3) We can’t even trust our innermost thoughts—Jer 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
(4) But God knows—10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
b. God’s Personal knowledge—Let’s get personal right off the bat—God knows you (me too). There is nothing about us He does not know.
(1) He knows your thoughts
(2) He knows your sins
(3) He knows your desires
(4) He knows your innermost heart
(5) He knows your plans and agendas
(6) You cannot hide from Him—you have no right to privacy with God.
c. God’s Total Knowledge—When we say “God knows Everything,” we are talking about ourselves too.
(1) If you are playing church today, God knows it.
(2) If you are harboring hatred and resentment against brothers and sisters, God knows it.
(3) If you are involved in sins that no Christian should tolerate in their life, God knows it.
(4) If you are, right now, planning a sin, God knows it. You just are not going to fool God.
(5) If you are planning to rebel against Him, against the leadership of this church, against your spouse, against, your parents, God knows it!
(6) If you have some little conspiracy going on, at work, in the home, at the club, at church, God knows all about it.
(a) Num 32:23 "… be sure your sin will find you out."
(b) Psa 17:3 "You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; …”
(c) Jer 12:3 "But You, O LORD, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You…”
(7) If you are a mature believer, you want God to search you in this way, you want His searchlight on your soul, you want His soul surgery to heal you of your sin.
(8) Psa 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
i (7) But if you are not a mature believer, or if you are not really saved at all, then you don’t want to be searched, you don’t want the scalpel of God’s spiritual surgery in your life, you don’t want God that close.
d. God’s Intimate Knowledge—GOD knows about everyone, but He KNOWS His people
2 Tim 2:19 "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.
John 10:3 “… he calleth his own sheep by name… 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine… 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
3. Some Details of God’s Omniscience—2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
a. YOU—(the word is “emphatic in Heb…” BKC)
b. The Most Mundane Activities are in His Sight—2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
(1) “I am observed when I quietly sit down, and marked when I resolutely rise up. My most common and casual acts, my most needful and necessary movements, are noted by thee…” (Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 259, Vol 3)
c. What is unknown and invisible is clear to God— You understand my thought afar off.
Mat 9:3-4 "And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
Heb 4:13 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
(1) You cannot see the thoughts of another person.
(2) You really cannot see your own thoughts, though you can sometimes visualize pictures in your mind, you cannot see the thoughts.
(3) And you don’t know for sure what you are going to think next—if you knew, you would have already thought it!
(4) You may be about to think:
(a) An unclean thought
(b) A pleasant thought
(c) An alarming thought, like, “Where did that train come from?”
(d) A profound thought
(e) A stupid thought
(f) But whatever you are about to think, you don’t know it yet—as soon as you know it, you’ve already thought it.
(g) But God sees your thoughts “afar off.”
d. Whether we are awake or asleep, God knows—3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
“My path and my pallet, my running and my resting, are alike within the circle of thine observation. Thou dost surround me even as the air continually surrounds all creatures that live. I am shut up within the wall of thy being, I am encircled within the bounds of thy knowledge. Waking or sleeping, I am still observed of thee. I may leave thy path, but thou never leavest mine. I may sleep and forget thee, but thou does never slumber, nor fall into oblivion concerning thy creature.” (Spurgeon, Treasury)
(1) Comprehend—the original word can also be understood as “to winnow,” as one sifts and winnows wheat.
(2) “…He distinguishes actions; He discerns and separates the good from the bad, or the goodness of an action from the evil and imperfection of it, as in winnowing, the wheat is separated from the chaff….” (Gill’s Commentary)
(3) 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, Every step we take, every wink of shuteye we have, God is there, and He knows what is in our hearts. There is neither right of privacy nor way of privacy from Him.
e. God Knows us better than we know ourselves. And are acquainted with all my ways.
“God knows all the evil ways and works of His people; He takes notice of them, and chastises for them; and all their good works and approves and accepts of them; He knows from what principles of faith and love they spring, in what manner they are performed.” (Gill)
Rev 2:2 "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:"
Rev 2:19 "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first."
(1) First, God knows the motives and intents
(2) He knows if we are working from a law principle or a love principle.
(3) He knows what is easy, what is hard, what is pleasant, and what must merely be endured.
f. God knows the words we say. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
(1) HE knows our words before we say them. Isa 65:24 "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
(2) Luke 19:31 "And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him." Luke 19:33 "And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?"
(3) And He knows the motivation for our words—Luke 11:15-17 "But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth."
4. The Blessed Effect of God’s Omniscience—5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
a. God’s Protection—The Holy Hedge—“…5 You have hedged me behind and before…”
(1) Behind—God “watches our back…”
(2) Before—But God watches our front as well, He takes the point position.
(3) God has us hedged up all around.
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land…”
b. God’s hand on your life—When?
(1) Jeremiah—Jer 1:5 ""Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.""
(2) Paul
Acts 9:15 "But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel."
Gal 1:13-15 "For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,"
(3) Lydia—God moved his apostles out of their way and ignored entire regions of the world in order to take the word to Lydia and God opened her heart.
5. The Mystery of God’s Omniscience—6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it."
Job 42:3 "You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
Psa 40:5 "Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered."
Psa 131:1 "LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me."
a. In the original, the word “wonderful” is emphatic, it is an exclamation which starts the sentence: “WONDERFUL! This knowledge is…”
b. God wants us to know that He knows, or He would not have told us.
c. But God want us to know that we are not going to fully understand this, either.
d. If you react to this doctrine of scripture with emotional or mental distress, if this bothers you, join the club.
(1) It bothered David (the author of this psalm) at first!
(2) David could not comprehend it!
(3) It is like he is saying, “God, this makes my head hurt!”
(4) It’s like the college student that was in his first higher math class. Halfway through a particularly tough lecture, he raised his hand and asked the professor, “Sir, may I be excused, my brain is full.”)
(5) David says, “I can’t handle this, God, it is too far above me to comprehend this!”
e. This is beyond almost any other incomprehensible thing. God’s omniscience? I have no clue at all how—it is beyond me to understand how He knows everything—Like David, this is too marvelous for words.
f. However, there is at least one thing more incomprehensible.
(1) He knows me, and has always known me.
(2) He knows my sin, my weakness, my feet of clay
(3) He knows every wicked thought and intent I’ve ever had.
(4) He knew me before there was anything to know.
(5) But He loved me, chose me, died for me, called me, saved me, and is keeping me—I cannot understand that kind of God—but I can love Him and praise Him for it. Rom 5:6-9 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…”
God Is Omniscient
Ps 139:1-6
Introductory Thoughts
v We now come to an attribute of God which is widely known about, but which is not widely appreciated for its meaning.
v God knows everything—He is omniscient.
v Many people have the attitude that God knows what is going on, but they seem to believe that He really doesn’t care.
§ ** “Boy, if the preacher knew what I was doing…”
§ Boy, if mom and dad knew what I was doing…”
§ Oh, if my wife (or husband) knew what I was doing…”
§ Get this—GOD knows what you are doing, saying, planning, etc. God knows everything about you, and you are not fooling Him.
§ If your pastor, parents, or spouse knowing about what you are up to bothers you more than God knowing what you are up to, then you have the universe turned upside down in your mind.
§ The fact is, God knows you intimately, He knows your every move, and you cannot escape His eye of omniscience.
· After taking a brief look at the bare fact of God’s omniscience, we are going to Biblically examine the doctrine through a passage that takes us inside and makes us confront our all-knowing God face to face.
1. The Knowledge of God is Infinite—Psa 147:5 "Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite."
a. Language—“infinite” means “without number.” We can put no quantity nor any limitation on God’s Knowledge.
b. He knows Himself; He knows what He is going to do— Acts 15:18 "Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world."
(1) The subjects of election, predestination, God’s knowledge, etc. really upset some folks.
(2) But you must understand that the Bible is definite about this—God knows what He is going to do—He is not waiting to see what will happen, and He did not look down through history to see what you would do!
(3) God is ahead of the planning curve!
(4) But you do not know what God is going to do!
(5) But you DO know what He has told you to do—you need to be about the business that God has given you to be about, and not about trying to second guess Him!
c. A human illustration—
(1) If your spouse comes up with a plan for finances, he or she might say to you, “I’ve got this handled, just trust me, you do this and that, and I will make sure my plan works out.”
(2) What will you do?
(a) You might say, “Well, if you are going to do it, just do it, and I will sit back and watch. If you have it all in hand, you just do it!”
(b) More likely, however, you are going to say, “No, I want you to tell me what your plan is; I want to know what you are going to do.”
(3) Why do you do that?
(a) You do that because you want to know before it is done.
(b) You want to have a say in your role in the plan.
(c) And you want the opportunity to put your two cents worth in.
(d) But if you trusted them completely, you might say, “OK, I trust you. I’ll do what you told me, and trust you to do what’s right.”
(4) Now, God has said to us: “I have this plan to save the lost, “Here is what I want you to do.” (The Great Commission) ; Mat 28:19-20,
(5) However, some people say, in regard to God’s clear statements: “Well, if you are going to do it, I will sit back and watch.” Or, they will say, “No, I want to know that I am going to have a say in this thing.” But, if we trust God, we will say, “OK, I’ll do what you told me, and I will trust you to do what’s right.”
d. The extent of God’s Knowledge—
(1) God knows everything that ever has been or ever will be—Dan 2:20-27
(2) He knows every act of every person, every thought of every heart. There are no secrets kept from God.
Ezek 11:5 "… Thus saith the LORD; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind, every one of them."
Heb 4:13 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
(3) He knows our sins—Psa 90:8 "Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance."
(4) He knows every thing that could have been, and all that happens in the universe is either what He has caused, or what He has allowed. God is never taken by surprise. God, you see, is God.
2. The Basic Fact of God’s Omniscience, personally applied—Psa 139:1 "O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
a. God’s unique knowledge—Only God Really knows us.
(1) You don’t fully know yourself.
(2) I don’t fully know myself.
(3) We can’t even trust our innermost thoughts—Jer 17:9-10 "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
(4) But God knows—10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."
b. God’s Personal knowledge—Let’s get personal right off the bat—God knows you (me too). There is nothing about us He does not know.
(1) He knows your thoughts
(2) He knows your sins
(3) He knows your desires
(4) He knows your innermost heart
(5) He knows your plans and agendas
(6) You cannot hide from Him—you have no right to privacy with God.
c. God’s Total Knowledge—When we say “God knows Everything,” we are talking about ourselves too.
(1) If you are playing church today, God knows it.
(2) If you are harboring hatred and resentment against brothers and sisters, God knows it.
(3) If you are involved in sins that no Christian should tolerate in their life, God knows it.
(4) If you are, right now, planning a sin, God knows it. You just are not going to fool God.
(5) If you are planning to rebel against Him, against the leadership of this church, against your spouse, against, your parents, God knows it!
(6) If you have some little conspiracy going on, at work, in the home, at the club, at church, God knows all about it.
(a) Num 32:23 "… be sure your sin will find you out."
(b) Psa 17:3 "You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; …”
(c) Jer 12:3 "But You, O LORD, know me; You have seen me, And You have tested my heart toward You…”
(7) If you are a mature believer, you want God to search you in this way, you want His searchlight on your soul, you want His soul surgery to heal you of your sin.
(8) Psa 139:23-24 "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: 24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
i (7) But if you are not a mature believer, or if you are not really saved at all, then you don’t want to be searched, you don’t want the scalpel of God’s spiritual surgery in your life, you don’t want God that close.
d. God’s Intimate Knowledge—GOD knows about everyone, but He KNOWS His people
2 Tim 2:19 "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his.
John 10:3 “… he calleth his own sheep by name… 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine… 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
3. Some Details of God’s Omniscience—2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, And are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
a. YOU—(the word is “emphatic in Heb…” BKC)
b. The Most Mundane Activities are in His Sight—2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
(1) “I am observed when I quietly sit down, and marked when I resolutely rise up. My most common and casual acts, my most needful and necessary movements, are noted by thee…” (Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 259, Vol 3)
c. What is unknown and invisible is clear to God— You understand my thought afar off.
Mat 9:3-4 "And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"
Heb 4:13 "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
(1) You cannot see the thoughts of another person.
(2) You really cannot see your own thoughts, though you can sometimes visualize pictures in your mind, you cannot see the thoughts.
(3) And you don’t know for sure what you are going to think next—if you knew, you would have already thought it!
(4) You may be about to think:
(a) An unclean thought
(b) A pleasant thought
(c) An alarming thought, like, “Where did that train come from?”
(d) A profound thought
(e) A stupid thought
(f) But whatever you are about to think, you don’t know it yet—as soon as you know it, you’ve already thought it.
(g) But God sees your thoughts “afar off.”
d. Whether we are awake or asleep, God knows—3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
“My path and my pallet, my running and my resting, are alike within the circle of thine observation. Thou dost surround me even as the air continually surrounds all creatures that live. I am shut up within the wall of thy being, I am encircled within the bounds of thy knowledge. Waking or sleeping, I am still observed of thee. I may leave thy path, but thou never leavest mine. I may sleep and forget thee, but thou does never slumber, nor fall into oblivion concerning thy creature.” (Spurgeon, Treasury)
(1) Comprehend—the original word can also be understood as “to winnow,” as one sifts and winnows wheat.
(2) “…He distinguishes actions; He discerns and separates the good from the bad, or the goodness of an action from the evil and imperfection of it, as in winnowing, the wheat is separated from the chaff….” (Gill’s Commentary)
(3) 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, Every step we take, every wink of shuteye we have, God is there, and He knows what is in our hearts. There is neither right of privacy nor way of privacy from Him.
e. God Knows us better than we know ourselves. And are acquainted with all my ways.
“God knows all the evil ways and works of His people; He takes notice of them, and chastises for them; and all their good works and approves and accepts of them; He knows from what principles of faith and love they spring, in what manner they are performed.” (Gill)
Rev 2:2 "I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:"
Rev 2:19 "I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first."
(1) First, God knows the motives and intents
(2) He knows if we are working from a law principle or a love principle.
(3) He knows what is easy, what is hard, what is pleasant, and what must merely be endured.
f. God knows the words we say. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
(1) HE knows our words before we say them. Isa 65:24 "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
(2) Luke 19:31 "And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him." Luke 19:33 "And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?"
(3) And He knows the motivation for our words—Luke 11:15-17 "But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils. 16 And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth."
4. The Blessed Effect of God’s Omniscience—5 You have hedged me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me.
a. God’s Protection—The Holy Hedge—“…5 You have hedged me behind and before…”
(1) Behind—God “watches our back…”
(2) Before—But God watches our front as well, He takes the point position.
(3) God has us hedged up all around.
Job 1:9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought? 10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land…”
b. God’s hand on your life—When?
(1) Jeremiah—Jer 1:5 ""Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.""
(2) Paul
Acts 9:15 "But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel."
Gal 1:13-15 "For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace,"
(3) Lydia—God moved his apostles out of their way and ignored entire regions of the world in order to take the word to Lydia and God opened her heart.
5. The Mystery of God’s Omniscience—6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it."
Job 42:3 "You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know."
Psa 40:5 "Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered."
Psa 131:1 "LORD, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me."
a. In the original, the word “wonderful” is emphatic, it is an exclamation which starts the sentence: “WONDERFUL! This knowledge is…”
b. God wants us to know that He knows, or He would not have told us.
c. But God want us to know that we are not going to fully understand this, either.
d. If you react to this doctrine of scripture with emotional or mental distress, if this bothers you, join the club.
(1) It bothered David (the author of this psalm) at first!
(2) David could not comprehend it!
(3) It is like he is saying, “God, this makes my head hurt!”
(4) It’s like the college student that was in his first higher math class. Halfway through a particularly tough lecture, he raised his hand and asked the professor, “Sir, may I be excused, my brain is full.”)
(5) David says, “I can’t handle this, God, it is too far above me to comprehend this!”
e. This is beyond almost any other incomprehensible thing. God’s omniscience? I have no clue at all how—it is beyond me to understand how He knows everything—Like David, this is too marvelous for words.
f. However, there is at least one thing more incomprehensible.
(1) He knows me, and has always known me.
(2) He knows my sin, my weakness, my feet of clay
(3) He knows every wicked thought and intent I’ve ever had.
(4) He knew me before there was anything to know.
(5) But He loved me, chose me, died for me, called me, saved me, and is keeping me—I cannot understand that kind of God—but I can love Him and praise Him for it. Rom 5:6-9 "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…”
Abraham's Faith Applied Today
Abraham’s Faith Applied Today
Romans 4:23-25
· We are now coming to the end of Paul’s illustration of faith through the father of the faithful, Abraham.
· We have been talking about salvation by grace through faith, and in looking at faith, Romans has told us in detail about the faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful.
· We learned about the vital doctrine of imputation, that our sins are paid for and the account is closed.
· We saw the blessed doctrine of eternal security, that once truly saved, the believer is in a different relationship with God, and will not be lost.
· We saw that Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and that as believers, we are children of Abraham, true Jews of the heart.
· And we saw the source of Abraham’s faith. Abraham was able to believe God for the truly amazing promises made because Abraham knew God. Abraham knew who God was, and Abraham knew what God was like.
· And we saw the results of the great faith that Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had.
· Now the Holy Spirit finishes the fourth chapter of Romans with a tremendous little passage which brings the doctrines of Romans right up to the present.
· We find out how the faith of Abraham is applied today.
1. The Doctrine of Imputation is not for Historical Purposes Only-- Rom 4:23 "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed
a. Now it was not written for his sake alone —Often, we have the wrong approach to Biblical doctrine, or to Biblical history, the historical accounts we read in the Bible.
(1) the Bible is not a 2,000 year old dead book—it is a living book, with a living message that is as fresh today as it was when it was written.
(2) Even the Old Testament histories and biographies are current and useful. 1 Cor 10:1-6
(3) The Doctrines of the Bible, the way of life taught in the Bible, the absolute truths about how the whole universe works, these are current, these are “now,” these are for you, for now, for you to use in your daily life.
(4) So with Abraham—his great faith, his great knowledge of God and his great trust in God, and the doctrine of imputation, and the other related doctrines of salvation, these are not outmoded ideas of the past, but they are absolute, universal, and they apply today.
b. that it was imputed to him—the history of Abraham we see given here is all related to the vital doctrine of imputation— Imputation is the most important point of this chapter, and imputation is the heart of justification by Faith alone, and salvation by Grace alone
(1) We must understand that justification is a legal declaration by God of a permanent and irreversible change in the legal status of the sinner who places faith in Christ alone for salvation.
(2) We are not…
(a) We are not…On a gradual road to a way of salvation
(b) We are not… On a road which will eventually lead to salvation
(c) We are not on a journey “living in hope” of salvation
(3) If we have been justified by faith, our legal state is changed, it is changed absolutely, it is changed permanently, it is changed irrevocably, and it was not due to any works of ours whatsoever.
(4) Recall the doctrine of imputation again.
(a) We had a debt of sin we could not pay, recorded in heaven in an account book—Rev 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
(b) We were and in ourselves are, destitute, with not a penny to pay this debt, and what is more, there was not one good deed on the positive side of the ledger.
(c) But by the design of God, those who place all of their faith and trust in Christ and receive Him as Savior and Lord have their record wiped clean, and all their missing righteousness supplied.
c. 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed—
(1) It was written for us—
(2) The Old Testament passage in Gen 15:6 was written for New Testament people!
(3) To whom it shall be imputed—this message is sent, it is written, it is addressed, to those who believe in Christ and are justified by faith. It is a message to specific individuals, to God’s People, “those whom Thou has given me….” From John 17
(4) Shall be imputed—Imputation is not maybe, salvation is not “if…..” true believers shall receive imputation.
(a) There are no additional conditions
(b) There is no application process
(c) There is no second or third interview—if you truly place your faith in Christ, imputation, the clearing of your account, will take place.
2. The NO If’s [the KJV uses “if” here, but that is not in the original]— “…24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
a. Only Believers are saved—Again, you don’t get Christianity by inheritance or by osmosis. You must put your faith in Christ to be saved.
Rom 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
b. Only believers in the True God are saved… “…believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
(1) There are a lot of religions in this world, and all of them are false except Biblical Christianity.
(2) The Bible teaches it, the Lord Himself said it in John 14:6
(3) There is only One True God, and only One True Mediator—The Lord Jesus!
(4) Only those who have salvation in Jesus are going to heaven! All of God’s promises, all of God’s goodness, all of God’s grace, is in Christ alone, and in no other place.
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
c. Only those who accept and believe Who Jesus Is are saved. “…believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
(1) Again, it is faith in Christ, not in anyone else.
(2) Some say, “it doesn’t matter what you believe, as along as you believe…” what hogwash! It makes ALL the difference what you believe, and In Whom you believe!
(3) He is Jesus our Lord, not anyone else but Jesus, not anything else but Lord.
(4) He is the Son of God, and God the Son, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the end, He is the One to whom every knee shall bow, and this is the One in Whom you must believe.
(a) Not the limp-wristed “Jesus” of liberalism
(b) Not the perverse “Jesus” of the Cults
(c) Not the “good old boy Jesus” of a lot of imaginations.
(d) But the Almighty, All-knowing, Sovereign, Holy, King Jesus of the Bible!
Ø Rev 1:11-19
Ø Rev 19:11-15
Ø Phil 2:9-11
3. The Work of Christ on the Cross—“…25 Who was delivered for our offence…”,
a. Who—Only One Savior, and that is Christ the Lord. It makes a very great difference in Whom you believe—you must believe in Christ!
b. Who was delivered—Christ was delivered, not taken
(1) God the Father planned it-- 1 Pet 1:18-20 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"
(2) God the Son volunteered for the task. John 10: 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
(3) God the Son offered Himself, working together with the Spirit-- Heb 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
(4) He was delivered, not captured! No one had the ability to overcome Him, He is the Overcomer, but He volunteered, the Father delivered Him, Christ laid His life down!
c. Who was delivered for our – He was delivered for OUR offenses. He was a substitute! He did not die for a shapeless mass, He did not die to make salvation possible, He was delivered for us!
Isa 53: 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
d. Who was delivered for our offences—Make no mistake, it was our sins that placed Him there. We sinned and He died to pay for our sins.
(1) He was not delivered to show an example of love, though the Cross is the supreme example of Love.
(2) He was not delivered to be a martyr, though He is the Father of all the Martyrs.
(3) He was not delivered to set up some sort of automatic salvation machine
(4) He was delivered for our offenses. He was OUR substitute.
(5) Mat 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
4. The Resurrected Lord: “…and was raised again for our justification."
a. He was Raised.
b. He was raised for us
c. His resurrection is the token that His sacrifice was accepted, that the debt was paid.
Applications
1. The Old doctrine of imputation, the final, ultimate result of the faith of Abraham, applies today, it is alive today, it is real today, just as it ever was.
2. There is nothing you have ever done, nothing you can ever do, which will merit one iota in God’s accounting system. You cannot pay the bill, you cannot pay the taxes, you cannot leave the tip!
3. If you pass the “pulse test,” you are a sinner, and unless you have been to Calvary for salvation and put faith in Christ only for salvation, your debt stands unpaid—and the bill collector could come
Romans 4:23-25
· We are now coming to the end of Paul’s illustration of faith through the father of the faithful, Abraham.
· We have been talking about salvation by grace through faith, and in looking at faith, Romans has told us in detail about the faith of Abraham, the father of the faithful.
· We learned about the vital doctrine of imputation, that our sins are paid for and the account is closed.
· We saw the blessed doctrine of eternal security, that once truly saved, the believer is in a different relationship with God, and will not be lost.
· We saw that Abraham was the father of all the faithful, and that as believers, we are children of Abraham, true Jews of the heart.
· And we saw the source of Abraham’s faith. Abraham was able to believe God for the truly amazing promises made because Abraham knew God. Abraham knew who God was, and Abraham knew what God was like.
· And we saw the results of the great faith that Abraham, the Father of the Faithful, had.
· Now the Holy Spirit finishes the fourth chapter of Romans with a tremendous little passage which brings the doctrines of Romans right up to the present.
· We find out how the faith of Abraham is applied today.
1. The Doctrine of Imputation is not for Historical Purposes Only-- Rom 4:23 "Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed
a. Now it was not written for his sake alone —Often, we have the wrong approach to Biblical doctrine, or to Biblical history, the historical accounts we read in the Bible.
(1) the Bible is not a 2,000 year old dead book—it is a living book, with a living message that is as fresh today as it was when it was written.
(2) Even the Old Testament histories and biographies are current and useful. 1 Cor 10:1-6
(3) The Doctrines of the Bible, the way of life taught in the Bible, the absolute truths about how the whole universe works, these are current, these are “now,” these are for you, for now, for you to use in your daily life.
(4) So with Abraham—his great faith, his great knowledge of God and his great trust in God, and the doctrine of imputation, and the other related doctrines of salvation, these are not outmoded ideas of the past, but they are absolute, universal, and they apply today.
b. that it was imputed to him—the history of Abraham we see given here is all related to the vital doctrine of imputation— Imputation is the most important point of this chapter, and imputation is the heart of justification by Faith alone, and salvation by Grace alone
(1) We must understand that justification is a legal declaration by God of a permanent and irreversible change in the legal status of the sinner who places faith in Christ alone for salvation.
(2) We are not…
(a) We are not…On a gradual road to a way of salvation
(b) We are not… On a road which will eventually lead to salvation
(c) We are not on a journey “living in hope” of salvation
(3) If we have been justified by faith, our legal state is changed, it is changed absolutely, it is changed permanently, it is changed irrevocably, and it was not due to any works of ours whatsoever.
(4) Recall the doctrine of imputation again.
(a) We had a debt of sin we could not pay, recorded in heaven in an account book—Rev 20:12 "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works."
(b) We were and in ourselves are, destitute, with not a penny to pay this debt, and what is more, there was not one good deed on the positive side of the ledger.
(c) But by the design of God, those who place all of their faith and trust in Christ and receive Him as Savior and Lord have their record wiped clean, and all their missing righteousness supplied.
c. 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed—
(1) It was written for us—
(2) The Old Testament passage in Gen 15:6 was written for New Testament people!
(3) To whom it shall be imputed—this message is sent, it is written, it is addressed, to those who believe in Christ and are justified by faith. It is a message to specific individuals, to God’s People, “those whom Thou has given me….” From John 17
(4) Shall be imputed—Imputation is not maybe, salvation is not “if…..” true believers shall receive imputation.
(a) There are no additional conditions
(b) There is no application process
(c) There is no second or third interview—if you truly place your faith in Christ, imputation, the clearing of your account, will take place.
2. The NO If’s [the KJV uses “if” here, but that is not in the original]— “…24 but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
a. Only Believers are saved—Again, you don’t get Christianity by inheritance or by osmosis. You must put your faith in Christ to be saved.
Rom 10:9-10 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
b. Only believers in the True God are saved… “…believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
(1) There are a lot of religions in this world, and all of them are false except Biblical Christianity.
(2) The Bible teaches it, the Lord Himself said it in John 14:6
(3) There is only One True God, and only One True Mediator—The Lord Jesus!
(4) Only those who have salvation in Jesus are going to heaven! All of God’s promises, all of God’s goodness, all of God’s grace, is in Christ alone, and in no other place.
John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Acts 4:12 "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."
c. Only those who accept and believe Who Jesus Is are saved. “…believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead…”
(1) Again, it is faith in Christ, not in anyone else.
(2) Some say, “it doesn’t matter what you believe, as along as you believe…” what hogwash! It makes ALL the difference what you believe, and In Whom you believe!
(3) He is Jesus our Lord, not anyone else but Jesus, not anything else but Lord.
(4) He is the Son of God, and God the Son, He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the end, He is the One to whom every knee shall bow, and this is the One in Whom you must believe.
(a) Not the limp-wristed “Jesus” of liberalism
(b) Not the perverse “Jesus” of the Cults
(c) Not the “good old boy Jesus” of a lot of imaginations.
(d) But the Almighty, All-knowing, Sovereign, Holy, King Jesus of the Bible!
Ø Rev 1:11-19
Ø Rev 19:11-15
Ø Phil 2:9-11
3. The Work of Christ on the Cross—“…25 Who was delivered for our offence…”,
a. Who—Only One Savior, and that is Christ the Lord. It makes a very great difference in Whom you believe—you must believe in Christ!
b. Who was delivered—Christ was delivered, not taken
(1) God the Father planned it-- 1 Pet 1:18-20 "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,"
(2) God the Son volunteered for the task. John 10: 18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
(3) God the Son offered Himself, working together with the Spirit-- Heb 9:14 "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"
(4) He was delivered, not captured! No one had the ability to overcome Him, He is the Overcomer, but He volunteered, the Father delivered Him, Christ laid His life down!
c. Who was delivered for our – He was delivered for OUR offenses. He was a substitute! He did not die for a shapeless mass, He did not die to make salvation possible, He was delivered for us!
Isa 53: 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed."
d. Who was delivered for our offences—Make no mistake, it was our sins that placed Him there. We sinned and He died to pay for our sins.
(1) He was not delivered to show an example of love, though the Cross is the supreme example of Love.
(2) He was not delivered to be a martyr, though He is the Father of all the Martyrs.
(3) He was not delivered to set up some sort of automatic salvation machine
(4) He was delivered for our offenses. He was OUR substitute.
(5) Mat 1:21 "And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."
4. The Resurrected Lord: “…and was raised again for our justification."
a. He was Raised.
b. He was raised for us
c. His resurrection is the token that His sacrifice was accepted, that the debt was paid.
Applications
1. The Old doctrine of imputation, the final, ultimate result of the faith of Abraham, applies today, it is alive today, it is real today, just as it ever was.
2. There is nothing you have ever done, nothing you can ever do, which will merit one iota in God’s accounting system. You cannot pay the bill, you cannot pay the taxes, you cannot leave the tip!
3. If you pass the “pulse test,” you are a sinner, and unless you have been to Calvary for salvation and put faith in Christ only for salvation, your debt stands unpaid—and the bill collector could come
Friday, May 23, 2008
The Source of Abraham's Faith
The Source of Abraham’s Faith
Romans 4:17
Reading, Rom 4:9-17
Introductory Thoughts
v Consider the Faith of Abraham—going off to nowhere to answer a call from a God Abraham did not know.
v Consider the faith that Abraham showed in God many times in his earthly journey: Heb 11:8-19
v Yes, Abraham was a man of faith—but what was the source of Abraham’s faith?
1. God Is the Author of The Promise—Rom 4:17"(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations")
a. The promise given to Abraham was sure—“it is written…”
b. It was beyond Abraham’s natural abilities to complete any part of the promise—he and his wife were too old to have children.
c. The promise was even greater in scope than Abraham could imagine at the time, because it included all of his Spiritual lineage too—Rom 4:16
d. The Promise to Abraham was part of a greater promise made in eternity—Titus 1:1-3
e. The promise was sure, definite, guaranteed— I have made you a father of many nations
f. The Promise to Abraham was authored by God Himself— I have made you a father of many nations")—Jonah 2:9 "… Salvation is of the LORD.""
g. 2 Pet 1:2-3 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,"
2. Abraham Had Faith In God—“…in the presence of Him whom he believed…” ..Gen 17:1-8
a. Abraham in God’s presence
(1) The promise of a People
(2) The promise of a land
(3) The promise of an everlasting covenant.
b. Abraham’s perception of God—One Abraham could believe in and depend upon IN ANY SITUATION—
c. The God of Abraham’s Faith—“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
d. The 20th Century has little knowledge of the Absolute God of the Bible--Acts 17: 24-27
e. The "god" of the 21st century—Psa 50:21…… “…You thought that I was altogether like you…”..
(1) The average modern American thinks "god" is just like him or her.
(2) Some thing of God as an errand boy, a cosmic, doddering doting old Grandpa, a gentleman who wouldn't hurt a flea.
(a) Does your "god" dismiss sin?
(b) Is your "god" at the mercy of Man or Nature?
(c) Is your "god" too small?
(d) Is your "god" "Itsy-bitsy, teensy-weensy?"
(e) OR è DO YOU WORSHIP THE GOD OF THE BIBLE?
(f) Is your God the god of Joseph, Who turns the evil intent of wicked men to His own use? (Gen 50:20)
(g) Do you worship the God of Job, Whose greatness caused that patriarch to abhor himself and be silent? (Job 42:1-6)
(h) Do you fall down in worship of the Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Isaiah? (Is 6:1-5)
(i) Do you realize that your life is ruled by the Sovereign Ruler and Omniscient God of Daniel? (Dan. 2:20-23, 27-28; 4:34-35)
(j) Do you trust in the God of the Psalms, who does as He pleases? (Ps 115:3, 135:6)
(k) Have you met the God of Paul, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords? ( 1 Tim 6:14-16).
f. Not only are the attributes of the Absolute God ignored in this era, they are hated and despised by many because of the selfish independence and self-worship of modern man.
3. Refresher course on God—
a. God is Creator "God, who made the world and everything in it,
b. God is Sovereign-- since He is Lord of heaven and earth. Basic Meaning of Sovereignty:
(1) God is THE BOSS, period
(2) God is subject to no one, and He is subject to no set of standards except His own.
(a) No one can tell God what to do or judge His actions. (Rom 9:1-25)
(b) Rom 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
(c) Psa 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases
.
(d) Psa 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.
(3) Divine Providence—God Rules The Forces of Nature and the fate of nations— 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
c. God providentially guides the Rise and Fall of nations and the events of human history –
(1) "...every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings..." Acts 17:24-26
(2) Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness…”.
(3) Rom 8:28 “…And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose…” Many of the people who love that verse probably fail to see the real significance of its meaning.
(4) God has a purpose for each of His people, and that purpose involves "all things" that touch our lives!
(5) God’s plan for us is detailed—Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
d. One of the most profound statements in the Bible is from a man who knew the reality of divine providence all too well. Joseph, one of the greatest men of all time, was faced with his brothers' fears that he would take revenge upon them for their cruel treatment of him many years before. What he said expresses the deepest understanding of how God runs the universe.....
(1) . Gen 50:19 ‘…Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…”
(2) Joseph did not see his trial as pleasant--he had no fond memories to express about being beaten, enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Joseph did not excuse his brothers for their evil intent and actions--but he knew that God had taken their evil intent and actions and turned it to the good.
(3) 1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
(4) Psa 37:23 “…The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand….”
4. The Source of Abraham’s Faith—Knowing God – “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
a. Life Giver— God, who gives life to the dead
(1) God is the I AM, the self-existent One, the One who needs nothing.
(2) John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
b. God is the only source of Life—
(1) God can raise the Dead (and has, and will again).
(2) Don’t forget, this includes spiritual life.
c. God the Creative Speaker— “…and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
(1) Gen 1:1-3 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light."
(2) Heb 11:3 "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
(3) 1 Pet 1:18-21 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
Applications
1. If we are children of faithful Abraham, we need to practice his faith, and the source of excellence in that pursuit is for us to know God better than we do.
2. Knowing God is the essence of eternal life—John 17:2-3 ""as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
3. If you are a believer going through trials and tribulations in this life, realize that the same God in which Abraham believed is your God.
If you are lost and in need of Christ, realize that the only source of life and the only source of comfort in the universe is to be found in the Source of
Romans 4:17
Reading, Rom 4:9-17
Introductory Thoughts
v Consider the Faith of Abraham—going off to nowhere to answer a call from a God Abraham did not know.
v Consider the faith that Abraham showed in God many times in his earthly journey: Heb 11:8-19
v Yes, Abraham was a man of faith—but what was the source of Abraham’s faith?
1. God Is the Author of The Promise—Rom 4:17"(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations")
a. The promise given to Abraham was sure—“it is written…”
b. It was beyond Abraham’s natural abilities to complete any part of the promise—he and his wife were too old to have children.
c. The promise was even greater in scope than Abraham could imagine at the time, because it included all of his Spiritual lineage too—Rom 4:16
d. The Promise to Abraham was part of a greater promise made in eternity—Titus 1:1-3
e. The promise was sure, definite, guaranteed— I have made you a father of many nations
f. The Promise to Abraham was authored by God Himself— I have made you a father of many nations")—Jonah 2:9 "… Salvation is of the LORD.""
g. 2 Pet 1:2-3 "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,"
2. Abraham Had Faith In God—“…in the presence of Him whom he believed…” ..Gen 17:1-8
a. Abraham in God’s presence
(1) The promise of a People
(2) The promise of a land
(3) The promise of an everlasting covenant.
b. Abraham’s perception of God—One Abraham could believe in and depend upon IN ANY SITUATION—
c. The God of Abraham’s Faith—“…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
d. The 20th Century has little knowledge of the Absolute God of the Bible--Acts 17: 24-27
e. The "god" of the 21st century—Psa 50:21…… “…You thought that I was altogether like you…”..
(1) The average modern American thinks "god" is just like him or her.
(2) Some thing of God as an errand boy, a cosmic, doddering doting old Grandpa, a gentleman who wouldn't hurt a flea.
(a) Does your "god" dismiss sin?
(b) Is your "god" at the mercy of Man or Nature?
(c) Is your "god" too small?
(d) Is your "god" "Itsy-bitsy, teensy-weensy?"
(e) OR è DO YOU WORSHIP THE GOD OF THE BIBLE?
(f) Is your God the god of Joseph, Who turns the evil intent of wicked men to His own use? (Gen 50:20)
(g) Do you worship the God of Job, Whose greatness caused that patriarch to abhor himself and be silent? (Job 42:1-6)
(h) Do you fall down in worship of the Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Isaiah? (Is 6:1-5)
(i) Do you realize that your life is ruled by the Sovereign Ruler and Omniscient God of Daniel? (Dan. 2:20-23, 27-28; 4:34-35)
(j) Do you trust in the God of the Psalms, who does as He pleases? (Ps 115:3, 135:6)
(k) Have you met the God of Paul, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords? ( 1 Tim 6:14-16).
f. Not only are the attributes of the Absolute God ignored in this era, they are hated and despised by many because of the selfish independence and self-worship of modern man.
3. Refresher course on God—
a. God is Creator "God, who made the world and everything in it,
b. God is Sovereign-- since He is Lord of heaven and earth. Basic Meaning of Sovereignty:
(1) God is THE BOSS, period
(2) God is subject to no one, and He is subject to no set of standards except His own.
(a) No one can tell God what to do or judge His actions. (Rom 9:1-25)
(b) Rom 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
(c) Psa 115:3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases
.
(d) Psa 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases He does, In heaven and in earth, In the seas and in all deep places.
(3) Divine Providence—God Rules The Forces of Nature and the fate of nations— 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things.
c. God providentially guides the Rise and Fall of nations and the events of human history –
(1) "...every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings..." Acts 17:24-26
(2) Dan 2:20 Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness…”.
(3) Rom 8:28 “…And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose…” Many of the people who love that verse probably fail to see the real significance of its meaning.
(4) God has a purpose for each of His people, and that purpose involves "all things" that touch our lives!
(5) God’s plan for us is detailed—Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
d. One of the most profound statements in the Bible is from a man who knew the reality of divine providence all too well. Joseph, one of the greatest men of all time, was faced with his brothers' fears that he would take revenge upon them for their cruel treatment of him many years before. What he said expresses the deepest understanding of how God runs the universe.....
(1) . Gen 50:19 ‘…Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? 20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good…”
(2) Joseph did not see his trial as pleasant--he had no fond memories to express about being beaten, enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Joseph did not excuse his brothers for their evil intent and actions--but he knew that God had taken their evil intent and actions and turned it to the good.
(3) 1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
(4) Psa 37:23 “…The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand….”
4. The Source of Abraham’s Faith—Knowing God – “…God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
a. Life Giver— God, who gives life to the dead
(1) God is the I AM, the self-existent One, the One who needs nothing.
(2) John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
b. God is the only source of Life—
(1) God can raise the Dead (and has, and will again).
(2) Don’t forget, this includes spiritual life.
c. God the Creative Speaker— “…and calls those things which do not exist as though they did…”
(1) Gen 1:1-3 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light."
(2) Heb 11:3 "By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible."
(3) 1 Pet 1:18-21 "knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God."
Applications
1. If we are children of faithful Abraham, we need to practice his faith, and the source of excellence in that pursuit is for us to know God better than we do.
2. Knowing God is the essence of eternal life—John 17:2-3 ""as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."
3. If you are a believer going through trials and tribulations in this life, realize that the same God in which Abraham believed is your God.
If you are lost and in need of Christ, realize that the only source of life and the only source of comfort in the universe is to be found in the Source of
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