Redeemed With the Precious Blood of Christ: Part 2

The Fall of Man and the Need for Redemption

How far did man fall? How far did he fall? We're not for sure how far he fell. We know he fell, but he fell way down, beloved. Just look at the world. Just look about you. And hey, look into your own heart.

You see how far man has fallen. But oh, how much God redeems and pulls us up in Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can redeem us by His grace. And beloved, this is what I'm going to talk about for the next few weeks.

Lord willing, we're talking about the story of redemption. And I've entitled this, Redeemed with the Precious Blood of Christ. Redeemed with the Precious Blood of Christ. And I'd like to take, Lord willing, two parts in this because of the greatness of the text that speaks of with what are we redeemed with.

Last week, Lord willing, we looked at what we are redeemed from. But God tells us what we are redeemed with. And that's what we're going to look at for these next two Lords today. So please stand with me very quickly as you turn to the first epistle of Peter, chapter 1.

We're looking at roughly four verses of Scripture. This is the Word of God. This is the Apostle Peter speaking under the inspiration of God Himself, the Holy Spirit. Chapter 1, verse 18, beginning with verse 18 through 21.

Hear the Word of the Living God. I'm reading from the NASB translation this morning. God's Word says this, Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you, who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Precious Blood of Christ and the Cost of Redemption

Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, once again we approach your throne of grace. Oh God, your throne of mercy, and we do not lightly tread those courts. Oh God, we come in trembling, recognizing that you are the great God of the universe, holy.

And anyone that is unholy cannot come into your presence. So Father, the only way we can even come this morning is through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, that's been imputed to us in His righteousness.

Father alone, you alone are worthy of glory, all glory. Father, I pray this morning as we look into the rich treasure of Thy Word, that we here, Father, among us will see only one, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, the one that you're most pleased in, your one and only begotten Son, the Lamb of God.

Your Lamb, not just a lamb, but the Lamb. So Father, oh how we need your blessed Holy Spirit to anoint us today. Father, I confess my weakness this morning. Lord, I've studied your Word, but Lord, you must take it to our hearts this morning.

You must anoint us, and without this holy, sweet anointing from you, oh God, this unction, this holy unction, everything will be in vain. Lord, it's not enough for us just to hear another sermon. Lord, you must take your Word into our hearts.

You must burn it within there. So Father, I pray, oh God, visit us with your mercy this morning, I pray, as we call upon you, and as the psalmist says, let the word of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

And Father, I pray, as we worship, and we would worship you, and come before you, and worship you in spirit and truth, and in the beauty of holiness, as a sweet-smelling aroma unto you, oh Lord. And I ask this in the name above all names, and that is the name that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Amen and amen. You can be seated. Thank you so much. It was the Puritan Thomas Watson, who rightly observed that redemption was God's greatest work, as I have mentioned already this morning. And this is what he said in his book, The Body of Divinity.

Great was the work of creation, but greater was the work of redemption. And he tells us the reason why. And listen very closely. It cost more to redeem us than to make us. Think about that. It cost more to redeem us than to make us.

In the one, there was the speaking of a word. In the other, the shedding of blood. The creation was but the work of God's fingers. But redemption is the work of His arm. Beloved, can I tell you this morning that redemption, that redemption is a term that describes one of the great essential features of salvation that's found in the Word of God.

And of all the doctrines of salvation, I don't believe there's any that's more sweeter than redemption.

And more greater.

Redemption is a term that describes one of the great essential features of salvation. And by God's help, I'd like to break this down to you this morning and show you by the Word of God the great cost, the infinite cost that it cost God to redeem His people.

Salvation is of the Lord and not man. Salvation is of the Lord and not man. We must get this. As a matter of fact, as I was studying this, I could not help, as great as the story of redemption is, that God redeems us in Jesus Christ and we come to know Him as we repent.

And God has to grant the repentance in order for us to turn from sin. Because within man, He does not want to turn from His sin. He loves His sin. So God must do that work. There's the turning of that sin, but not only the turning from the sin, but it's the turning toward God in faith.

Now those are great works of God. And no man of himself cannot turn from his own sin and then turn to God in faith. That's why the Scripture says that not only faith is a gift of God, but repentance is a gift from God.

God must grant the repentance. But beloved, let me say this. You and I must do the repenting with the help of the Holy Spirit. Now that's why regeneration is first and foremost. Because God must create, in order for that to happen, God must create a new heart.

So redemption is a term that describes the great essential features of salvation. It's not man's work, it's God's work. This is the great story of what God has wrought through Jesus Christ, beloved. It deals specifically with the infinite cost of salvation and the means, let me say this, the means by which God, a holy God, received the payment and the satisfaction through His Son.

From Genesis to Revelation, it's all about one person, Jesus Christ. And as I was studying this, as great as redemption is, and God brings us and reconciles us to Himself, in salvation, it's not about us.

Now, that may hurt people's feelings today, but I'm going to say it. It's not about us. Now, we can shout and we praise, and we should praise God for it. We should praise Him and shout to Him and glorify Him for what He has done in His works.

But beloved, it's about the glory of God. You see, if we miss that, we're going to miss the whole story of what it's all about. Because in heaven, that's what they're doing now. And in heaven, that's what we're going to do all forever and ever, is worship and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we don't understand the glory of God, we're not going to understand, really, the backbone of redemption. All people are utterly helpless. This is the story of redemption. We are helpless. No man seeks after God.

Look around the world today. Look into your own heart. Would you have ever sought God?

No.

We'd go our own way. And if it wasn't for God, we'd go our own way and perish. The whole world would perish. But God has chosen to redeem some. Even though most of the world will be going their own way.

And I'll tell you why. Because they will receive justice at the end of the road. What are you saying, Pastor? What I'm saying is, everybody has sinned. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

And there's a payment for that sin. You've got to understand this to understand redemption and the greatness of the story of redemption. And by the help of the Holy Spirit this morning, I pray that God would help me to speak what the words of God says in understanding this and that God will enlighten you.

Now, we take this serious because you must take it serious because we have a short time period on this earth. Eternity is a long time, folks. I want you to think about this. This man has ruined his condition.

He's utterly helpless. He's a slave to sin. He loves his sin. And according to the word of God, he's condemned by the holy law of God. God condemns that sin. And if they are forgiven to be forgiven and reconciled to God, and if you and I are to be reconciled to God, He has to purchase them from their condition.

He has to buy them back. Beloved, only then can He release them from their sin's bondage and the horrible curse. Did you know that's why Jesus Christ became a curse? Because He took the curse, He took the sin, He took the wrath of God.

All that man has messed up, Jesus Christ came to reverse it. It's very important that we understand this and that we have a clear understanding of this great word, redeemed, redeemed, or redemption. Let me start there.

It is a key word. In the Greek language, it means to purchase, a purchase release by paying a great ransom. Or, it means to deliver by the payment of a price. To the Greeks in the New Testament period of time, the word was also a technical term for paying money to buy back a prisoner of war.

We looked a little bit about that from the book of Ruth last week. But rather, the typical Greek sense of the word is referring to slaves and prisoners. Slaves and prisoners. Apostle Peter's imagery describes redemption and it derives from several Old Testament passages.

No doubt it's a primary one, and one of the narratives of the first is the first Passover. To understand this, go with me to Exodus chapter 12. I want you to look at this. You know the story in Exodus 12, what God did.

God did this. It was one of His great works. 1 through 13. Exodus 13, 1 through 13. This is called the consecration of the firstborn. This is something God commanded. Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, and sanctified to me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast, it belongs to me.

Moses said to the people, remember this day in which you went out from Egypt. This is what God redeems us from. So we're redeemed from Egypt. He says, remember this day. Now this is a day, there will be a day of memorial.

In which you went out from Egypt from the house of slavery. The house of slaves, literally. And as you well know, the Jewish people at this time, people, the Hebrews, were slaves for over 400 years under tyranny and oppression.

God heard their cry. God sent a deliverer. His name was Moses. He's a type of Jesus Christ. But here he sets up a consecration of the firstborn. And he says, for by a powerful hand the Lord brought you out from this place.

And nothing leavened shall be eaten. And on this day in the month of Abed, you're about to go forth. It shall be when the Lord brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Which he swore to your fathers to give to you a land flowing with milk and honey. That was in the Abrahamic covenant. And then he says this, that you shall observe this rite in this month. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.

And on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days. And nothing leavened shall be seen among you. Nor shall any leaven be seen among you on all your borders.

You shall tell your son that that day, saying, It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt. And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead. And for with a powerful hand the Lord brought you out of Egypt.

Therefore you shall keep this ordinance and its appointed time from year to year. Now when the Lord brings you to the land of Canaanite, as he swore to you and to your fathers and gives it to you, you shall devote to the Lord the first offspring of every woman.

And the first offspring of every beast of your own. The males belong to the Lord. But every first offspring of a donkey shall be redeemed with a lamb. Redeemed with a lamb. But if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck.

And every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. This is very important for us to understand the offset. But I really believe the apostle Peter is thinking in these lines because he's addressing a Jewish audience.

The audience is very, very significant to understand the text. So Peter is a Jewish apostle. And he's talking to Jewish believers. And they were scattered abroad. And he's encouraging them in the faith.

Now he's talking about redemption. But he always goes as a devout Jew would. He is relating to them the Old Testament. And here he's going to the consecration of the firstborn. Now the lamb's life was a price that was required to spare the life of the Israelite family's firstborn child.

And that's what he's saying. That's what Moses is saying. And it's very significant that we understand that the lamb was a divinely ordained illustration from God. God handpicked a lamb. As a matter of fact, it's symbolic on the Day of Judgment in Matthew 25.

On the right hand of the Lord, the sheep will be on that side. And on the left, the goats. The goats are symbolic of the unbelievers. The sheep are symbolic of the believers. The nature of those animals.

You can do a study on that. It's very interesting. But the lamb was a divinely ordained illustration from God Himself. And it's a sacrifice. These are types and shadows in the Old Testament. And it speaks of the sacrificial death of an innocent substitute that redeemed those in bondage to sin.

This Passover event that Moses speaks of immediately becomes the symbol of the substitutionary redemption. Now, jump with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 5. I've got a few verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 5.

I want you to see this. The Apostle Paul, being very learned in the Scriptures of the Old Testament, but now he understands what all the types and the shadows are pointing to. Those types and shadows of the lamb, or a lamb, speaks of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians chapter 5. Listen to what he says in verse 7 and 8. This is strong language, but you've got to understand what he's saying. He speaks to the church. Keep in mind, the current church had some problems with sin.

There was immorality. There was a lot of sin that was defiling the church. This whole chapter speaks about immorality that defiles the church. We need to hear this today. Don't you see a church today that's defiled by immorality?

Have you ever seen an age that's so idolizing sex, man's pleasure, and rebellion, and pride? Now, notice what he says. Let me go to verse 6. He says, your boasting's not good. They're literally boasting about it.

Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? And what does he say in verse 7? He gives them instruction. Clean out the old leaven. Clean it out. You know what he's talking about?

Put in motion, put in place church discipline. That's what he's talking about. Loving, restorative church discipline, as the Lord Jesus Christ has illustrated, and has pointed out, and commanded, I should say.

But this is what he says. Clean it out. Clean it out. Take out the old leaven, so that you may be a new lump, just as you are, in fact, unleavened. Paul is thinking about the Passover. Now, folks, listen to this.

For Christ, our Passover, Christ is our Passover, also has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Then notice what he says. I wrote you in my letter, do not associate with an immoral person. Now, he explains this. He's not talking about that we are to be Pharisees and shun unbelievers. He's not talking about that, folks.

He's talking about people within the church. How do we know this? Notice what it says. I did not at all mean with immoral people of this, what, world. If that was the case, we could never reach them. We could not reach them for the gospel.

There would be no need for evangelism. So there's no contradiction of evangelism. We are to reach out to the world because the believer is the light of the world. They're the salt of the earth. Light, referring to in darkness.

Salt, that refers to preserving what is decaying. We're living in a dark world.

And it's decaying.

Folks, the only thing that's holding this, this nation together right now is believers in Jesus Christ. Pleading and praying before a holy God to have mercy on us. And this, notice what he says.

He says,.

I did not at all mean with the immoral person of this world. But what is he talking about? Or with the covetous or the swindlers or with the idolaters. Or then you would have, then you would have to go out into the world.

Of the world.

But then he says, but actually I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother.

Now what he's talking about?

He's talking about someone that names the name of Christ. That's why he says, let everyone that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. You flee from it. You don't live in it. And if you're practicing sin, you need to check yourself.

You may not be a brother and sister in Christ. Now a lot of people use that, they fall back on, yeah, pastor, I'm not perfect, but I'm striving. My question to you is, do you love your sin? What kind of direction are you going into today?

Do you love your sin or do you love righteousness? Do you love the kingdom of God? Do you love God above everything else? Or do you love yourself? That would be the question I would ask somebody. What kind of direction is your heart?

What kind of motive is your heart? We're not here to judge people's motives, right? No, God does that. But what the scripture says, there is a holy life. There is a righteous life. There is a life that loves God.

It shows that you love praying. It shows you love God's people. You love God's word. You love everything about God. Now we can say lip service until Jesus comes back, but folks, that's not going to do it.

It's got to be a heart. It's got to be in the heart. Now notice he says, with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person. Now what he's talking about is those who practice immorality, those that practice coveting.

That's what immorality is. Coveting is, that's what you desire the most. It's what you want. It's an idol. Now I was speaking to my family about this last night. We were talking in a devotional time. An idol is not something that you, like we think, that you put this golden image before you or this thing before you and you bow before it and say, it is what is first in your life, folks.

It is the thing in your life. It could be yourself. And by the way, can I say that's one of the biggest idols. That's why Jesus says, when you come after me, you deny yourself and you follow me, Jesus said.

Self.

Self.

That's an idol. Entertainment could be an idol. The television could be an idol. Hey, that iPhone can be your idol. What do you give time to? Let me ask you this question. What do you give most of your time to?

Oh, pastor, you meddling. But you know something, I would not be a servant of Jesus Christ if I sit up here and gave you sweet little stories and then the next day you may be dead and then you perish right into eternal hell.

Folks, I'm telling you, you got to know the truth and the truth, only the truth can set you free. You know, when I first had the truth given to me by my uncle years ago, he's dead and gone with the Lord.

But can I tell you this? He told me there was a huge bonfire. This is the way he gave the gospel. And I say a bonfire, he was burning a huge, I mean a large pile of tires. And it was from a long distance.

And he had that thing lit up and I mean it was smoking. I never seen such a fire. So I wonder if the fire department didn't come out. But I felt the intense heat of that. And then he took the time lovingly.

He did not in condemnation condemn me. He said, David, can I tell you a little bit about hell right now? And I thought, wow. I really didn't want to hear it. But I said, you're going to tell me about hell?

He said, think about how hot that fire is. And you're from a distance of intense heat. And I couldn't help but think because it was hurting my skin. You know, you ever been on a big bonfire and you feel the heat,.

The intensity of the heat.

And I could feel the intensity of the heat. And he said, can I tell you this? That is nothing compared to hell. I thought, wow. I said, you've got my attention. You've got my attention. And then he gave me the gospel.

And you know what he said? He said, right now hell is filled not only with bad people, because we're all bad. He said, but people that thinks they're good. People that did good deeds. I thought, whoa, hold on.

That don't make sense. And then he gave me the gospel. He told me that there's none righteous. No, not one. Nobody's good. Nobody's good but God. And then he said, we've all fallen short of the glory of God.

I never have forgotten those verses. They just ring into my ears. And then he talked about the appointed day of judgment. And he says, and I couldn't help but picture that right now millions of people in hell fire.

And there's no way out. And then I was thinking, oh my goodness. I thought I was good. And I said, you know, I haven't gone to parties. And I haven't drank. And I haven't done these things. But he said, yeah, you still are not good before God.

And I thought, what's he talking about? And then he led me right to the cross. And then he told me about the judgment. And then he told me only Jesus can save. And I needed to repent. Thinking I was a good person, a good moral person.

You know, Spurgeon said it right. He said, morality can keep you out of jail. But only the blood of Jesus can keep you out of hell. You know, we can't just hear being morally upright good. No, we don't even have that nowadays, sad to say, in the churches.

That's sad. But we need to hear what redeeming grace and the gospel is all about. Folks, the gospel never gets old. Well, he says, clean out the old leaven. Christ is your Passover. Clean it up. And then what does he say?

Covetous, idolater, reviler, drunkard, swindler, not even to eat with such a one.

No.

Yeah. He says, those that say that they are a brother and they practice these things. And then verse 12. For what have I to do with judging outsiders?

No.

Do you not judge those who are within the church? And then he says this. And this is love. This is love right here. He says, but those who are outside God judges. Then he says, remove the wicked man from among yourselves.

You know what he's talking about? He's talking about the purity of the church. Folks, that's what we need to clean up. It's the church. God, judgment begins where? At the house of God. Not in the White House.

It starts in God's house. The wickedness in the White House is just a result of how far the church has backslidden. God's people need to be on their knees repenting right now. And crying out for mercy.

Well, that's another message, beloved. But we look to the Lord Jesus Christ, don't we? And here the church is therefore to remove every sinful person. Sinful, and I'm talking about those who practice these kind of sins.

We're not talking about at time and time. By the way, when there is that kind of sin taking place, that sin is to be dealt with in the church. There are different degrees of sin. And different degrees of punishment too.

But to remove everything sinful in order to separate from the old life, including the bad influence of a sinful church member. And folks, that's the reason why Paul said, get them out. Now, there are steps, as you well know.

Jesus gives us those steps. First, it says one on one to go to that brother or sister and tell them. Approach them. And then the Bible says, Jesus says, well, if he doesn't receive you, then you take another witness.

And then, that's strike two. And then the third is, if he doesn't turn from his sin from that, then you bring him before the whole body. That's strike three after that, if he doesn't turn from his sins from that.

The Bible says, let's communicate them then. You know, God doesn't play around about that. And keeping this church pure and holy. God will have a holy church. Folks, that's why he has redeemed us. He's redeemed us from a futile way of life out from Egypt.

Now, that's because of the purity of the church. Jump over to 2 Corinthians with me very quickly. This speaks about the holiness of the church. 2 Corinthians chapter 6. Read this whole chapter in your devotional time.

I'm going to just read a few verses to you. Look at verse 11. Apostle Paul says, Our mouth is spoken freely to you, O Corinthians. Our heart is wide open to you. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections.

Now, in like an exchange, I speak to you as to children. Open wide to us also. And then he says this, Do not be bound together with unbelievers. For what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness?

In other words, what are you saying? You must separate yourself in the company you keep in. Now, even though we are in the world and not of the world, we are to reach out to the world. But you are to be careful in what kind of company you keep.

And then he says, Or what fellowship has light with darkness? There's none.

That's black and white.

That's clear, isn't it? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Nothing. What agreement has the temple of God with idols?

None.

For we are the temple of the living God, just as God says. I would dwell in them, and I would walk in them, and I would be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from among their midst and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean, and I will welcome you.

God says this, And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord God Almighty. And then in chapter 7, verse 1, and I believe this is significant to what he just said, Therefore, having these promises.

He just spoke about those promises. Beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement, and of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. That's the kind of church. Do you see this today?

I talked about this a little bit last week. There's no fear of God before men's eyes today. Do you think these people, most people you work with, the leaders that we have today, fear God? Answer that to yourself.

That love to slaughter babies in the womb. And folks, I've seen pictures of it, and it's indescribable of how they tear these children limb to limb.

It's horrific.

No wonder God has released in His hand a blessing upon us. Matter of fact, Billy Graham said this years ago, If God does not judge America, He has to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. And you know the answer to that.

God does not compromise His holiness to nobody. Well, as we looked at last week, what did God redeem us from? Back to 1 Peter. What did He redeem us from? Can you remember? He redeemed us from a lot, didn't He?

He says,.

Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers. A futile, empty way of life that's inherited from your forefathers.

Speaking of just religion. God has redeemed us with something. He's redeemed us from something that now He's redeemed us with something. What has He redeemed us with? The precious blood of a lamb, unblemished, spotless, the blood of Christ.

The Passover, the Old Testament Shadows, and the Blood of Christ

Now, I'm going to give you what the Word of God says. Psalm 49, 7 and 8. This is a good verse. You can mark it in your Bible. This is what the psalmist says. No man can in any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him.

For the redemption of his soul is costly. Listen to what God is saying. The redemption of his soul is costly. And he should cease trying forever. You know, that's when salvation comes is when you cease trying.

And you start trusting. It's not striving.

It's resting.

It's resting in Jesus and what He has done. But can I say this, beloved? It's not a ticket, just a ticket to salvation. A ticket to heaven. It becomes a whole new way of life. Because there's something new within your heart.

God gives you a new heart. He gives you new desires. He gives you holy desires. Hey, He changes your whole world. If anyone is in Christ, Paul said, He is what? A new creature. That means a new creation.

Old things are passed away. And look what he says. He says, Behold, all things become new. Not some things. All things become new. You know, D .L. Moody said this when he was born again. He said, When I walked outside the building after I was born again, He says, When God did a miraculous change of my heart, He says, I saw the sun in a different light.

I saw the trees in a different light. I saw people in a different light. I saw God in a different light. I had a different relationship with my God. I was reconciled to God.

Folks, that's what it is.

It's the miracle of the new birth.

It's a miracle of miracles.

It's the greatest miracle of all.

Oh, hallelujah.

To God be the glory. You know, think of it. No man, no man, no person, regardless of his means, is able to escape death. It's inevitable. And people don't like to talk about death, do you? You know why?

Because there's something sober in about it. Folks, I'm telling you, it does me good sometimes to look at. A lot of times in my milk truck, I'm passing graveyards, one county after another, and every day I see a different grave being dug.

I see the coffins out there, and I see people out there. Sometimes I see the service, and I'm thinking, what a sober reminder to me that that's going to be me one day. I'm going that direction. Folks, we're all going in that direction.

There's no escaping it. You and I are going to face God one day. And it says, by the Scriptures, it is appointed for once man to die, and after that, the judgment. Folks, I'm telling you, I'm warning you today, that if you have not repented and believed in Jesus Christ and repented from your sin, don't waste time.

The devil will tell you, this is what J .C. Rowell says, today is God's day, tomorrow is the devil. Tomorrow is the devil's day. Today is the day of salvation. Don't put that off because you're not promised to wake up another day.

Then you're going to be standing before a holy God. And most people, by the way, that's heard... By the way, right now, sermons... There's millions of people in hell right now that's heard sermons after sermons.

They know everything we're talking about. There's some people that's in hell today that has memorized the Scripture. Pastor, what are you talking about? Didn't they love God? Yes, when you do love God, you do memorize the Scripture.

But what I'm saying is, it's not enough to have it in your head. You've got to have a heart change. And if God hasn't changed your heart, ask and pray for mercy that God will give you a new heart. Folks, that's redemption.

That's the new birth. I know I'm preaching hard this morning, but folks, I love you and I care for your souls. I'm going to tell you what the Word of God says. No man by any means can... By any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him.

For the redemption of his soul is costly and he should cease trying forever. Why does it say that? It says that because only Jesus Christ and His blood can redeem a man from his sin. Notice, no man. You know, Jesus said this, no man can come to the Father unless what?

The Spirit draws him. No one is capable, you and I are not capable of even coming to God unless the Spirit of God does the drawing. No person, regardless of his means, is able to escape death. And notice what I just quoted.

It is an appointed day. It is appointed for one's man to die. Each and every one of you today, every one of you, including myself, has an appointment time to God. Some people tell me all the time that that could have been avoided.