Man's Redemption in Christ — E.A. Johnston

The Proper Order of the Gospel

Our last message, friends, was on the doctrine of man's rune through the fall. Today I'll preach on man's redemption in Christ, for there is a living Lord who sits at the right hand of the Father, and he earned that right by way of a bloody cross.

I believe, friends, that we don't know how to preach today as we should. I believe we present the gospel out of order, for we tell sinners of a remedy for sin, and then ask them to accept this remedy in the person of Jesus Christ, without first showing them their need of a savior from sin.

Yes, I fear much in our preaching is deficient today. I believe that we should preach the gospel in its purity and in its proper order, and the first message of the gospel is God must punish sin. And then when you believe that, you can come along with the second message of the gospel, which is a savior from sin.

We must preach the gospel in its proper order. This is why I'm preparing for you, friends, this sermon series on Rune, Redemption, Repentance, and Regeneration. Today will be in the second doctrine, Redemption.

Redemption Through the Blood-Stained Cross

My Bible declares in Romans, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Listen to me, friends. I fear many preachers today have gotten out their mop buckets and cleaned up all the blood and gore around Calvary, and have made the cross so pristine and clean that you can sit at the foot of it and have your lunch there.

We don't even want to sing the old hymns about the blood anymore, like Copper's famous hymn, There is a fountain filled with blood, and we don't sing about the power in the blood. Let me ask you, friends, what can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus. We preachers try to make the cross more acceptable to sinful man, but that cross was nothing but a scandal. Christ was crucified as a condemned criminal between two thieves, and that cross had Christ's blood all over it because of sin.

The Necessity of Recognizing Sin and Judgment

Man's redemption through Christ is the title of my message today, friends. Sadly, most folks today don't see any need of a Savior. You hand somebody a gospel track, and they just glance at it and carelessly put it in their pocket like a piece of trash just waiting to be thrown away.

They are blinded to their condition and see no need of a Savior because they have a settled opinion that God won't punish sin, that God only sends really bad people to hell, like serial killers and Hitler.

Most folks think they're good enough to get to heaven, but the trouble is, friends, good people don't go to heaven. Only forgiven ones get to go there. That is because of man's liability to divine wrath.

God is angry with the wicked every day, my Bible says. And man is a rebel who has committed treason against the sovereign. God requires perfection to get into his holy heaven. He will have no rebels there.

And man is not perfect. And every mother's son will be held up to the strictness and severity of God's holy law. And on that day, if you stand there at that judgment, at that judgment bar in your own merits, and you're held up against the utter strictness of God's holy law, you will fail that test.

Listen to me, friend. I know I am a sinner and I need a sin substitute in the person of Jesus Christ. And so do you, friend. So do you. Christ is the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.

Redemption as Purchase and Deliverance from Sin

Redemption is through Christ and His blood. Colossians declares Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree. Yes, friends.

We learned in our last message that man is born under a curse with a plague on his heart and a poison in his blood and is on the run from a holy God. But listen, this is what Christ has done through redemption, friends.

Let me share a story with you. Years ago, I traveled to Turkey to the ancient city of Ephesus. Perhaps some of you have traveled there as well. And while I was there, I toured those ancient ruins and I came across an old marketplace which was an Agora where things were bought and sold.

Slaves were also purchased there in this Agora. Well, one of the Greek words for redemption has this word Agora in it. We see this in the Greek word agorazo and that means that Christ went into the marketplace of sin and purchased me with his blood.

Ek in the Greek means to take out of. So ek agorazo means that Christ not only went into the marketplace of sin to redeem me, but removed me from it. Redemption means this, friends. I am saved from the penalty of sin and I am saved from the power of sin by Christ Jesus in one future day.

Bless God. I'll be saved from the presence of sin and glory. Oh, get hold of that truth, friend. That's redemption. Colossians 1 14 declares in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Christmas Evans's Testimony of Redemption

I want to take time now, friends, to read you a sermon extract from Christmas Evans, the great Welsh preacher who shook that nation for God in his lifetime. This story of redemption is related by Christmas Evans.

It's a pure treat and you don't want to miss it. Listen to it intently and the imagery will stay in your minds. It's a story of the Gadarene demonic who gives his testimony after Jesus delivered him. Here now are the words of Christmas Evans describing what redemption is.

I'm come to show you what great things God has done for me. He loved me with an everlasting love. He redeemed me from the curse of the law and the threatenance of vindictive justice. He saved me from the power and dominion of sin.

He cast the devils out of my heart and made that heart, which was a den of thieves, the temple of the Holy Spirit. I cannot tell you how much I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, is the foundation of my hope, the object of my faith, and the center of my affections.

I can venture my mortal soul upon Him. He is my best friend. He is altogether lovely, the chief among ten thousands. He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. There is enough in Him to make a poor sinner rich and a miserable sinner happy.

His flesh and blood is my food, His righteousness my wedding garment, and His blood is efficacious to cleanse me from all my sins. Through Him I can obtain eternal life, for He is the brightness of the Father's glory and the express image of His person in whom dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.

He deserves my highest esteem and my warmest gratitude. Unto Him who loved me with an eternal love and washed me in His own blood. Unto Him be the glory, dominion, and power forever and ever, for He has rescued my soul from hell.

He has plucked me as a bran from the burning. He took me out of the miry clay and out of a horrible pit. He set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. And out of my mouth a new song comes of praise and glory to Him.

The Christian Life Lived Through the Cross

Well, friends, that sums up our message on redemption pretty well, I believe. You see, the Christian life is lived via the cross. Listen, friends, the cross is the place where a man sought to get rid of Him.

But by His death it becomes the place where His saving power flows out to all who come in repentance, confess that they are sinners, and own Him as their Savior and Lord. Turn to Christ, friend. He is the only one who can save you.

Let us pray.