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Let's pray our father. We do come to you with humble and contrite hearts asking that as we attempt to Examine your word as we attempt to understand your revelation As we attempt to even get a grasp upon the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That you would be with us. That by your spirit you would subdue our hearts that you would place into our hearts. The desire that only you can put there the desire to be obedient to your word. To accept your word as authoritative in our lives.
Father we cannot begin to thank you and praise you enough for what you've done for us in Jesus Christ. But Lord we ask that you would this evening help us in a greater way than ever before. To understand.
To truly comprehend what your word teaches About the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for this opportunity we thank you for the Word of God that we can have. That we can study that we can openly read and talk about and we thank you that in your grace.
You've Seen fit to reveal to us even this portion of your truth. We love you we worship you. We again ask that you be with us. We pray in Jesus name Amen. The importance of our topic this evening that being the atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ Could hardly be overrated or overemphasized in our land today.
There is an incredible amount of Misunderstanding and misinformation concerning the work of Christ. Many even of those who stand in the pulpit and preach on Sunday mornings and Sunday nights Are unclear in their proclamation of just what God has done in Jesus Christ.
Dr. Nathan Feldmuth once said What is amiss in the pulpit is a fog in the pew? And what he meant by that is what teachers and ministers are unclear on will be even far less clear for those that hear those ministers and teachers and.
So there is a great need For study and thinking upon the atonement of Christ and what it means. First of all is the very heart of the gospel message itself. There is nothing more central to the proclamation of the gospel than the work of Jesus Christ for the gospel is the message of the work of Jesus Christ and what that means.
How we treat the work of Christ will say much of how we view God. How we view sin how we view ourselves? If our message is either unclear or if our message is simply wrong How can we possibly expect God to be glorified in our park on our proclamation of that gospel?
How can men be expected to be pricked to the heart as they were in acts by a gospel that is not? The power of God now in formulating the gospel however we must Simply admit the fact that in our nation.
There is a great deal of pressure upon us to tailor The gospel to our culture tailor the gospel to make it popular to people around us. But we must avoid allowing men's opinions and feelings to interfere With our proclamation of the gospel and our formulation of what the gospel actually is.
We must remember that Paul wrote in Romans 1 16 that the gospel is the power of God and the salvation. Therefore if we love people if we want people to be saved. Then we will surely Emphasize in our own lives in our own ministries the true nature of the gospel and will not compromise it.
We must remember that the preaching of the cross is to them that are perishing foolishness. But to us who are being saved is the power of God first Corinthians 118 since that's the case. Then it's obviously foolishness for us to attempt to tailor the message in any way to make it less offensive to the world around us.
Scriptures tell us that the lost man is offended by the gospel. And if we attempt to create a gospel that will not offend. We no longer have the gospel as it is found in Scripture. We must remember that the gospel message Peter tells us in first Peter 2 8 is a stumbling block to those who are disobedient and who are appointed to that end.
And If we ever get to the point where what we are saying to men no longer causes them to stumble. We can be assured of this one thing. We're no longer preaching the gospel. We're no longer preaching the gospel.
Our proclamations of gospel should be what God has done in Christ Jesus. Not what he might be able to do if man helps him out as a discussion this evening of the atonement. Will almost take for granted the fact that the scriptures clearly teach two things first of all the deadness of man in sin.
Ephesians 2 1 for you were dead in your trespasses and sins and The resulting fact from that that there is no such thing as a God seeker. Romans chapter 3 beginning of verse 10 read it for yourself. It's not the subject of our discussion this evening.
So I will leave you to the scriptures to see this for yourself but in Romans chapter 3 beginning of verse 10 Paul describes the unregenerate man in Verse 11 the second section of that verse. He says there is no God seeker.
There is none who seeks after God. This is the scriptures teaching and secondly the unconditional election of God in Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1 4. We will not discuss election as such this evening. But you will see that will underlie much of what I say and these truths will be further Illustrated in the Bible's teaching on the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Now before we can engage a full discussion of the atonement. We must first look at some of the words. That we will use and define those terms. We begin with the term atonement itself. We speak much of the atonement.
But you may notice that there are numerous translations of the scripture that do not even have the word atonement in the New Testament. In The Old Testament the term appears often as a translation of the Hebrew term kaffir.
Kaffir is a term that refers to a covering a covering when the blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat there was a covering of the mercy seat with the blood and the symbolism was that by the shed blood of the sacrifice the sins of the people were covered by that blood and hence there was brought about a forgiveness of sins a Forgiveness of sins.
The atonement deals with sin it brings about the forgiveness of sin. Now you may ask well Why do we even title our discussion this evening the atonement if that's not a New Testament term. In the New Testament we have more specific terms Utilized all of which together describe the action that is the atonement of Jesus Christ.
We have taught to us in Hebrews that those sacrifices of the old law were pictures were representations of what was to come in the work of Jesus Christ and. So when we come into the New Testament when we encounter some of these more specific terms They come together to provide for us the one doctrine of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
One of those terms found in the New Testament is propitiation. Propitiation is the Greek term halas moss or he lost a Rion. In some modern translations you won't find this term either and that's sad. In Some more modern liberal translations this term is translated as expiation that in and of itself is not wrong because an expiation means us a sin offering a Something that removes the guilt of sin.
But you see propitiation Goes far beyond simply removing the guilt of sin. The Greek term carries with it the idea that wrath that is due Punishment that is due because of that sin is also appeased and taken away.
And so if we just go with the the liberal translation of the phrase we're missing the fact That in the work of Jesus Christ the wrath of God against sin is also fully and completely dealt with. That Jesus Christ is the propitiation of our sins.
This becomes very important when we discuss for example some people's concepts that even if you're forgiven by Christ Jesus There are still some aspects of your sin some temporal punishments, which must later be in some way purged cleansed.
Propitiation is that brings forgiveness of sin and assuages the wrath of the one sinned against you. Romans 325. I hope you have your scriptures with you. By part fact that I have taken the time to type out Scriptures for myself, which means I don't have.
I will attempt to allow some time for you to get there. But still probably to get as quickly as I will be able to read them would require that you be one of those being Bible Lillers, I don't know that all of you ever had the opportunity to be being one of those bylers.
But I hope that you are these passages write down. Continue to some. Romans chapter 3 verse 20. Being justified as a gift by his grace redemption, which is in Christ Jesus whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation through faith in his blood.
Notice plea at the propitiation is here paralleled with connected with Redemption and the result of this Justification this propitiation is through faith and I simply point out to you the sense. This is the case.
We might remember that second stuff second Lonians chapter 3 verse 2 and 4 that not all men have faith. This in mind as we think later on. Specifically about the extent or scope of the atone Christ. Hebrews chapter verse 17.
Hebrews chapter 2 Verse 17. Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things. That he might become a merciful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Jesus Christ is described functioning at our priest in making propitiation for ends of the people. He is the one who does this. Oh this that he does this through his blood and in first John chapter 2 verse 1 The Apostle John tells us and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and He himself is the propitiation of our sins and not for ours only but also for those of the whole world.
Note again as we are in passing some of the terms that are connected with Term propitiation and you'll see that they begin to form a whole unit. In Verse 1 we are told that Jesus is our advocate. He is our mediator.
He is our intercessor and He does so we will discover on the basis of his completed work of atonement. Now the term world used here not for ours only but also for those the whole world Should be paralleled with John's own statement in John chapter 11 verses 51 through 52.
Where we read now this he did not say on his own initiative. But being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation and not For the nation only but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
Here is a direct parallel passage where John teaches us that the death of Christ was not just for the Jewish nation. But that he should gather together the children of God that are scattered abroad. Or as the book of Revelation Says again the same writer John that the Lamb has purchased for God men from every tribe Tongue and nation men from every ethnic background every nation upon the face of the earth and Finally the fourth place in which the term propitiation is found in this is love.
This is first John 4 10. First John 4 10 in this is love not that we loved God But that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation. For our sins the connection here that we might note is that the sending of the Sun to be the propitiation for our sins Is intimately connected with the love of God for us?
Here is the highest expression of God's love for us. So we've seen atonement. We've seen propitiation. Another term that is frequently used in the New Testament that is connected with the atonement is reconciliation.
Reconciliation the Greek term katalot. So Now this important term never has God as the object of reconciliation. In other words, it has never said that God is reconciled to us. He is the one who is doing the reconciling.
However, making this bald statement would remove some of the meaning of the term for clearly the scriptures present the concept of the Relationship between God and man and God in the universe being healed in the work of Christ.
So while God does not need to be reconciled as one who's done anything wrong He does partake of the results of reconciliation. So one could say that God is reconciled to us Without being in error as long as we understand that it was God who is actively doing this and there were the enmity.
That was there. Enmity of us against God and God's wrath against sin is taken away in the work of Christ. Now the term is used in the New Testament in two ways two ways in reference to the object of reconciliation.
The first is found in Colossians chapter 1 verse 20 where the cosmic aspect of reconciliation is set forth Colossians chapter 1 verse 20. Which reads and through him to reconcile all things to himself having made peace to the blood of his cross.
Through him whether things on earth or things in heaven. Now we won't have time to dwell on this this evening but if you look at the context in the preceding verses the Apostle Paul has set forth that Jesus Christ is The creator of all things the term all things top on top all created things and The emphasis that he is making here in Colossians 1 20.
Against the background of the Gnostic heresy that he's addressing in the book of Colossians. Which again? I wish I had the time to go into each one of these points. But as I said, we have a lot of things to discuss this evening.
In the background of the Gnostic heresy the Gnostics had a number of intermediate beings. Who functioned as reconcilers between men and God? But Paul here is emphasizing that as we know from Romans chapter 8 There is a sense in which when men fell There is an alienation of the entire created universe with man as the head of the created universe between that universe and God.
In Christ. His work is sufficient to bring about cosmic reconciliation. Paul is not addressing in Colossians chapter 1 the specific individual reconciliation of human beings he is addressing the cosmic scope of the work of Christ.
We know this because when he addresses this he addresses it in other terms and he is specific when he talks about it. There was a need that there be a healing of the schism that take place in the fall in regards to the entire cosmos and in regards to the entire created order.
Paul says in Romans 8 the created order is groaning waiting until the adoption of the children of God. This reconciliation takes place through Christ. The death of Christ is also sufficient to bring about that healing.
But the second way in which the term is used is specifically salvific it's in reference to the doctrine of salvation of men. Some of the main passages include the following. Romans chapter 5 verses 8 to 11.
Romans 5 8 to 11 a Very famous passage many of you probably haven't committed to memory. But God demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died. For us who pair in our place.
Much more than having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from the wrath of God through him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son. Much more having been reconciled.
We shall be saved by his life and not only this but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Are you beginning to see a group of words being used in Scripture together?
Here we have reconciled reconciliation, but before that we have justification. Justification flows from and is based upon the work of Jesus Christ. There could be no justification if There is no atonement if there is no reconciliation first.
Colossians chapter 1 verses 21 through 22. Colossians 1 21 through 22. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind engaged in evil deeds yet. He has now Reconciled you in his fleshly body through death in order to present you before him holy and blameless and beyond reproach.
How does the reconciliation takes take place. Paul tells us he is reconciled us in his fleshly body through death. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verses 18 through 21 the classic passage on reconciliation.
Now all these things are from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and Gave us the ministry of reconciliation. Namely that God was in Christ, or it's better to understand it by Christ to the instrumentality of Christ.
Reconciling the world to himself not counting their trespasses against them. And he is committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were entreating through us.
We beg you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God. He made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in him. So what does he? Identify as part of reconciliation.
Not counting their trespasses against them. How can the trespasses not be counted against us? Because in Jesus Christ there is atonement. There is forgiveness of sins. The last major term we will look at redemption redemption.
Redemption is freedom from bondage a purchasing of someone or something normally from a negative state to a positive one. From slavery to freedom is frequently how it is utilized in non-biblical passages.
It is used direct to directly describe the work of Christ in his death. In Romans 3 24 the Bible tells us that we are justified as a gift by his grace. Through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
The only way that one can have redemption the only way that one can have freedom from the bondage of sin. Freedom from the curse of sin is in Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Only in a vital union with Jesus Christ is their redemption from sin.
We could stop here and simply discuss the ramifications of this in regards to such ideas as work Salvation or in such ideas as as other religions having a way to God. There is no way that the Christian gospel as we see in the scriptures can possibly in any way be connected with or have union with other religions.
For the only way of redemption the only way to have forgiveness of sins is in Christ Jesus. The same author Paul says in Ephesians 1 7 in him. We have redemption. Through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses.
According to the riches of his grace which he freely bestowed on us in the beloved in the beloved one that is in Jesus Christ We have redemption. But the only way the redemption can be purchased is through the blood of Jesus Christ the shedding of his blood.
This is the purchase price for us this is the purchase price of redemption is the shed blood of Jesus Christ and. Then in the same way that he did up above he identifies this as the forgiveness of our trespasses the forgiveness of our sins.
How much? Redemption do we receive. How much forgiveness? The measure is according to the riches of his grace and can you conceive of a greater quantity than that? There certainly is no lack. There certainly is no lack of power and the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
So these are some of the terms that we must think about as we discuss the atonement this evening. Now I want to ask you a question. I want to ask you a question. What was the intention of the father and the son and the spirit in?
Christ's coming to this world. Why did Christ come? What is the intention of Christ's work? For how we view the atonement will be directly related to how we answer that question. What is the intention of Christ's work in Luke chapter 19 verse 10?
We hear our Lord answer the question for the Son of Man. Came to seek and to save the lost. Here's what Jesus said. Here's Jesus's answer to the question Lord Jesus. Why did you come? I have come to seek and to save the lost.
That is his intention. Paul the Apostle in first Timothy chapter 1 verse 15 echoed this. It is a faithful saying. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
1st Timothy 1 15. This is why he came now. Why? Do I emphasize this? Because I must ask you if it is the intention of the Lord Jesus. To save sinners in his work in his death. Jesus says I came to give my life a ransom for many.
The book of Matthew specifically Matthew chapter 20 verse 28 Son of man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many. We've already seen the scriptures teach us that is the giving of his life that results in forgiveness of sins.
It results in the atonement the salvation of sinners. If that was his intention that I must ask you did he succeed. Did he succeed. Did he come to simply make possible the salvation of sinners or did he come to save sinners?
Every reference that I have been able to find that speaks of Christ's death in Scripture. Does so in such a way as to give us the understanding that Christ achieved his intended result. That Christ is victorious.
That Christ is successful in his work if he came to save sinners. Then his greatest work That is his work upon the cross of Calvary. Must then save sinners. You say well, of course everyone believes that.
I Think as we press the matter a little farther, we will discover that not everyone does believe that. We must at this point ask some questions concerning Christ function and work as our high priest as our high priest.
The book of Hebrews presents Jesus Christ as our priest. The book of Hebrews in fact argues very convincingly. That the priesthood of Christ that is the Melchizedek priesthood as it is likened there is Superior to the old priesthood.
The old priesthood Was inhabited by individuals who were themselves in need of forgiveness of sins. The priest who offered the sacrifices had to offer sacrifice for themselves. For they themselves were in need of forgiveness.
The old priesthood we are told had to offer sacrifices over and over and over again and The very fact they had to be offered over and over again pointed out that they were not perfect. In fact, we read in Hebrews chapter 10 that there is a reminder of sin day by day in the offering of these Sacrifices because when you had to keep coming with your sacrifice, it was a continual reminder of your sin.
And it was obvious then that that sacrifice you're offering. It wasn't able to perfect you because if you had to come back again Then that meant the odd sacrifice you offer before it it didn't perfect you it didn't make you sinless.
But the writer of Hebrews says that's past. There's no more offering again and again and again of sacrifices. One sacrifice has been made Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He now stands as our priest. And how what did he offer?
He offered himself and now on the basis of that completed work of Salvation that is in the atonement. He is our intercessor. He is our mediator. He is our advocate as we read in first John to turn with me, please to Hebrews chapter 7.
Hebrews chapter 7 beginning of verse 24 in the previous verses we have seen how these other priests Had to offer sacrifice over and over and over again and how they did not abide forever because they would die the beginning of verse 24.
Hebrews chapter 7. But he on the other hand Because he abides forever holds his priesthood permanently. The Greek term there is opera baton it refers to someone who holds their priesthood not just with with with long permanence.
But holds his priesthood in such a way that there is no successor to him. No one else holds this priesthood. Anyone who today claims to hold this priesthood is Blaspheming the very Son of God. For he is the one who holds it permanently.
Inviolably he holds his priesthood permanently hence also He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him. Since he always lives to make intercession for them. You hear what he says?
Because he holds his priesthood permanently. Because he abides forever. He is able to save the new American standard says forever to the uttermost. Completely who those who draw near to God through him?
Who are those who draw near to God through him? What did Jesus tell us in John 6 44? Those that the father draws those the father leads to him and why is he able to save them to the uttermost? He always lives to make intercession for them.
Well, why does that mean? That he is able to save them to the uttermost. Why is it that simply because the Lord Jesus forever lives to make intercession for his people? Why does that mean that he is able to save them to the uttermost?
What is Christ doing when he intercedes on our behalf? Is this some new work? What is Christ doing on? What grounds does Christ intercede for you? The the picture when we use the term advocate is one of a of a lawyer.
Standing up to defend a person before the judge and the person is being accused if that's the case on. What grounds could the Lord Jesus possibly? Stand before the father for any one of us all of whom admit we are sinners and intercede on our behalf.
Surely you're beginning to see the picture. He could not simply say Oh father. Just because you're so kind and merciful. Why don't you just let this person off the hook? No, why why would the son never do that.
Because it would abrogate and blaspheme the very holiness of God. God cannot simply wink at sin. Sin must be dealt with and. So if the son ever liveth to make intercession for his people on what grounds does he intercede?
He intercedes on the grounds of his completed work. It is his atonement that forms the grounds of his intercession and When Jesus intercedes before the father it is not as if he is doing something new, but all he is doing is presenting The completed work that is his on Calvary to the father and saying here they are.
Those that God has chosen died in Christ Jesus. We are told we died in union with him and so we stand before God Just Righteous because of the work of Jesus Christ and when the fought when the son intercedes for us.
He says father. I have I have paid the penalty. I have atoned. Reconciliation has taken place. I am the propitiation for this person's sin and we ask the question What is the father's response. Is the work of Christ sufficient then for the father?
Listen to Hebrews chapter 9 verses 11 through 12. But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come He entered to the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands that is to say not of this creation and not Through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood.
He entered the holy place once for all. What? Having obtained eternal redemption. When Christ enters into the holy place he does so on the basis of his blood his shed blood and As a complete action in the past as as a prize already attained as a work already finished.
We are told that he has obtained eternal redemption. We are not told that he has made possible redemption. We are not told he has simply opened up the door for redemption. We are not told that he's now done his part and now it's our turn to add our part.
The scriptures say he obtained eternal redemption. The question is did he or did he not. Will we believe the scriptures or will we not? He obtained eternal redemption. Having obtained eternal redemption.
Having entered in then on the basis of his blood that is where he there stands. And he is able to save the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he lives to make intercession for them.
He makes intercession on the basis of his atonement. The scriptures speak of Christ's offering of himself. His functioning in the form of a priest the final and last priest in offering of himself. Ephesians 5 to Ephesians 5 to and walk in love just as Christ also loved you and Gave himself up for us and Offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
Here clearly Paul is drawing from the Old Testament concepts of the pleasing sacrifice to God and He says Christ has done this on our behalf and that is the greatest demonstration of Islam. Greatest demonstration of Islam as we'll see later in Ephesians 5.
He will again emphasize that. Why am I why am I putting so much time into this? There are those who had wished to separate the work of Christ as intercessor. From the work of Christ as priest there are those who wish to say Christ as priest offers himself for all.
But he only intercedes for Those that will be saved. It's clear to understand why some do this. It's very understandable. Can we imagine for a moment? Christ failing in his intercession. Can you for a moment?
Imagine Christ failing in his intercession. What is the intention of his intercession? Why does he intercede? To save to the uttermost those who come unto God by him. So if Christ intercedes for you or for you or for you is there even this possibility.
That you or you or you or anyone for whom Christ enters into intercession Would not be saved and if it's possible What are we saying about the Lord Jesus Christ the scriptures? Connect Christ's work as in the intercession and Christ's work as priest as that as as propitiation.
There is no way to separate them. I know why some would like to do so because they would like to attempt to make the work of Christ in the atonement a Universal thing but the work of Christ in intercession a specific thing because they recognize not all men are saved.
And I don't want to say that Christ ever ever does not succeed in his intercession. But I don't want to. I don't want to limit that over there. So I've got to separate these two apart, but remember first John 2 1 through 2.
My little children I am writing these things to you that you may not sin and if anyone sins we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he himself is the propitiation for our sins his advocacy and his being the propitiation.
Together not two separate things. Together it is impossible then that anyone for whom the son died Will not be a part of his intercession. Think about that. It is impossible for anyone for whom Christ died to not be in his intercession.
Can you imagine Christ? Laying down his life for a person and then when he appears before the father with the with the finished work of the atonement. Well, I I may have died of that person, but I'm not gonna ask you to think about them.
Of course not all those for whom Christ died. He will then present to the father righteous. Holy spotless. Will he not it is also impossible that anyone for whom? The son did not die could be interceded for.
For there would be no grounds for such an intercession. Do you hear what I'm saying? If Christ does not die for an individual. That person would not be interceded for for our what grounds would Christ intercede on what basis?
There could be no forgiveness of the person's sins if there is no if there is no atonement if there is no propitiation. It is ridiculous to think that anyone for whom Christ intercedes would not be saved.
For the father always hears the son. John chapter 11 verse 42. This is Jesus his own words when praying to the father. He says. I know that you always hear me. Not only that. But the father and the son must be united in their plans and desires.
Or we have a Schism a contradiction in the very Godhead itself. Can you imagine Christ dying for someone that the father has not intended to save? Can you imagine Christ going this direction? The father's going this direction the spirits go this direction and they're not united in their work.
If anything is clear in the gospel of John. Over and over again Jesus emphasis. I do nothing, but what the father sent me to do. There is perfect harmony between I and the father. I am NOT a renegade.
I am NOT doing my own things. I'm doing what the father sent me to do. Therefore your rejection of me is a rejection of him. There is perfect unity there. It is also quite wrong to assert that Christ is mediator for all men simply because he took on human flesh in the incarnation.
Hebrews chapter 2 indicates that this was so that is his incarnation was so that he could redeem his people not all mankind. And secondly a mediator is always in reference to a covenant. And the covenant is limited to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Not to all men. For many reject the covenant in Christ. Besides Christ when praying in John chapter 17. Specifically and purposely excluded certain men from his prayer when he said I ask on their behalf.
I do not ask on behalf of the world. But of those whom thou hast given me. Here in his high priestly prayer Christ specifically prays for two groups of people. He prays for his immediate group of disciples and then he prays for those who will believe on him because of their word.
But he specifically says I do not pray for the whole world. And here he is acting as high priest. Oh but you say what of first. Timothy 2 5. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus.
John Owen answered by saying. What then I pray what will be concluded. Hence cannot Christ be a mediator between God and men. But he must be a mediator for all men are not the elect men. Do not the children partake of flesh and blood.
Doth not his church consist of men. What reason is there to assert out of an indefinite proposition a universal conclusion. Because Christ was a mediator for men which were true had he been so only for his apostles.
Shall we conclude therefore he was so for all men. Well stated. It is true there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men the man Christ Jesus. But to make that a universal statement is to misunderstand the teaching of scripture.
Jesus Christ accomplishes the intention that is his in his death and his intercession. There are two things true but they flow from the same source. It is the intention of God that Jesus Christ intention of the father that Jesus Christ die for sinners.
It is the intention of the father that Jesus Christ intercede for sinners. It is the intention of the father that those sinners be saved. That is the intention of the father it is the intention of the son to die for sinners.
It is the intention of the son to intercede for sinners. It is the intention of the son that they be saved. They are united. And if there is anything more clearly taught in scriptures, God will accomplish that which he desires.
Psalm 135 verse 6 says, Our God is in heaven, he does whatever pleases him. And surely we recognize that it pleases God to bring to salvation those of the special objects of his love. So the intercession of Christ, his work as mediator, and the atonement of Christ, his being the propitiation of sin, are connected.
The atonement provides the foundation and basis out of which the intercession is then made and can be successful and is successful. Now before we enter into an explicit discussion of the question, for whom?
For whom is the atonement made? Who are these sinners who are saved? We need to point out that back at the beginning, when we began the discussion, I pointed out to you that foundational to an understanding of the atonement is an understanding of what the scriptures say concerning grace and justification, the sovereignty of God and salvation.
And many of the passages we've read have addressed those issues, but we didn't necessarily emphasize them simply because that's not necessarily the topic that we're addressing this evening. But one thing that we must emphasize is that it is the death of Christ that provides redemption, propitiation, reconciliation, and from these infallibly flow justification, adoption, everything that we recognize as salvation.
If not, then Jesus Christ is unable in and of himself to save sinners, for he must simply make the way available to sinners and then well it's up to them to then go from there. But this is the exact heresy that Paul wrote Galatians against, the idea that there can be a wedding of the sovereign grace of God with some autonomous works of man.
So when we ask the question, for whom is the atonement made, and we join that with who are these sinners who are saved, we are right in so doing, for it is the atonement that brings salvation, not just simply makes the way of salvation open.
Let us look at some of these. When we ask the question, for whom is it made, Matthew chapter 20, verse 28 has already been read in your hearing. Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many.
For many, it is an ambiguous term, it does not give us any specific numbers, but it does say that he gives his life a ransom for many, for many. I think that Jesus is knowingly borrowing here from that great passage in Isaiah 53.
For in verse 11, read, by his knowledge, the righteous one, my servant, will justify the many as he will bear their iniquities. Remember I just said, justification flows infallibly from the work of Christ.
We cannot say, well, we have the atonement that it makes justification possible. Isaiah said, my servant will justify the many, why? As he will bear their iniquities. If your iniquities are borne, if your iniquities are pardoned, then how can you be anything but just?
Justification, dikaiosune, righteousness, a right standing before God. How can he who is unjust, he who is a sinner, stand before the holy God and have God say, you are right in my sight, you are just in my sight?
Only through the work of Jesus Christ, only through the work of Jesus Christ. And Isaiah says that the servant, he will justify the many as he will bear their iniquities. That is how they are justified, is through the bearing of their iniquity.
John chapter 10, verses 11 and 15, John chapter 10, verses 11 through 15, listen to what Jesus says. I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Now, remember in the context of John chapter 10, that Jesus has mentioned that there is a specific fold of sheep.
He is talking about one shepherd who has one fold of sheep. He is not talking about other flocks. He is talking about one fold of sheep. And the good shepherd lays down his life for those sheep, those that are his.
He says he knows his sheep. In verse 15 he says, even as the father knows me and I know the father, I lay down my life for the sheep. And he says I know the sheep. You say, well, but we are all Christ's sheep, aren't we?
No. Look at verse 26. When speaking to those who rejected his words and who in fact in verse 31 will pick up stones to stone him again, Jesus says to them, but you do not believe because you are not of my sheep.
Earlier in John, Jesus had said, he who belongs to God hears the words of God. You cannot hear the words of God because you do not belong to him. So he lays down his life for the sheep in their place.
Ephesians chapter 5, Ephesians chapter 5 verses 2 and then 25 through 27. Ephesians 5 verses 2 and then 25 through 27. Just as Christ loved you and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma, husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave himself up for her that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word that he might present to himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she should be holy and blameless.
So in verse 2, he gives up himself for us. In verse 25, husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church. The word loved is in the aorist tense. So when did Christ love the church? What is he referring to?
At the cross, the cross. He loved the church. He gave himself up for her, for the church and what the result of his giving himself up for her? Result is that eventually he will present to himself the church, holy, blameless without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
The work of Christ was incomplete without the work of men, then there could be no way that Christ could have confidence that this would be accomplished for those of us who know our own hearts, know that even in the heart that is being sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit through our lives, even in the heart that we want to be obedient to God and Christ Jesus, we know that we sin.
We know that we do wrong. As children of God, we have the blessed promise of Colossians 2, 13 -14 that all our transgressions, all of our sins were nailed to the cross of Calvary. We have that wonderful promise, but we still know that if this work of making the church pure and holy without spot were a work that is part God, part man, we as men would fail.
Christ will not. He is the one who does all these things. He gives himself up for the church. Romans chapter 8, verses 32 -34, Romans chapter 8, verses 32 -34, he who did not spare his own son but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?
Who is this us all? Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies. God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is he who died, yes rather, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who what?
Also intercedes for us. Again intercession, atonement, together, together. Who will bring a charge against God's elect? On what grounds will you bring a charge against the elect of God? If the elect of God, as scripture teaches us, for example in Galatians chapter 2, verse 20, have died with Christ Jesus, have been crucified together with him, if the atonement has been fully and completely applied to them as it has, on what grounds then do you bring a charge against them?
On what grounds? Any ground that you will bring up that is based upon the sin of the individual will fall flat upon its face for all those sins, all those lists of transgressions, all those commandments that we were broken, Paul tells us in Colossians 2, 13 -14, are nailed to the cross of Calvary, and they stay there, redeemed, forgiven.
That's why he can ask the question, who will bring a charge against God's elect? And he doesn't answer it, there is no answer, God is the one who justifies, here is the judge, the judge is the one who said, you're righteous, you're not guilty, that's what the Greek term was in the Roman law courts, when you were found not guilty, dikaios, not guilty, and in Jesus Christ that is the statement God makes to you as a believer, dikaios, not guilty, and then, as if that was not enough, as if the fact that the judge himself is the one who justifies, he then goes on to say, Christ Jesus, he's the one who died, yes, rather, who was raised from the dead, and he sits at the right hand of the Father, and he intercedes for us.
Can you think of a greater position of security than this? Certainly not, and that is why, after this, you have this song of praise that breaks forth from Paul, who can separate us from the love of God?
Nothing, no one, here is not a man who goes to his grave wondering, am I really justifying? I don't know, I don't know, no, he knew, so Christ lays down his life, a ransom for many, for his sheep, for his church, for God's elect, in John 15, 13, greater love has no man than this, than one lay down his life for his friends, Christ laid his life down for his friends, and who are his friends?
He said, you're my friends, not all men, you are my friends, he lays down his life for them, confession of the church is heard in Titus chapter 2 verses 13 through 14, we are looking for the blessed hope, and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us, in our place, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds, hear what he says?
He gave himself for us, and because of that, he did it so that he might redeem us from every lawless deed, not part of our sins, not our serious sins, if there is such a thing, every lawless deed, purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good deeds, those people are not purified by the doing of their good deeds, those people are not made his people by doing good deeds, his people that he redeems, that he gives himself for, that he purifies, are known as being zealous for good deeds, they are not created by the good deeds, they are not kept in the circle of the elect by their good deeds, they do good deeds because they are changed people, so he gives his life for us, for the church, in Matthew 1 .21, a passage that we hear much of this time of year, the angel said to Jesus, I'm sorry, the angel said to Jesus, the angel says in announcing the birth of the Christ child, and she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, why?
For it is he who will save his people from their sins, not who will try, he will, he will save his people from their sins, so his people, he lays down his life for his people, turn with me to Hebrews 2, beginning at verse 9, Hebrews 2, beginning at verse 9, here two phrases are used, two words are used, he lays down his life for the children that God gives to him, for the people, at the end of verse 17, beginning at verse 9, but we do see him who has been made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone, who is this everyone?
For it was fitting for him for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through suffering, for both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one father, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, verse 14, since then the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death he might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil, verse 17, therefore he had to be made like his brethren in all things, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people, that is what the high priest does, the high priest makes propitiation for the sins of the people, and on the day of Yom Kippur when the high priest entered into the holy of holies and he offered the sacrifice, for whom was it made?
Was it made for all men? Were the Egyptians considered forgiven of their sins by the offering of the priest on Yom Kippur? No, the offering of the priest was for those who were in covenant relationship with Jehovah God, and so he who is the high priest of the new covenant, when he offers his atonement, perfects forever those that are part of that covenant, and who are they?
We have already seen in numerous passages before. Finally the personal confession of every person who truly knows Jesus Christ as Lord and Master is found in Galatians 2 .20, I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live, and the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me, and he continues on from there to say, I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes by law, Christ died needlessly.
If you can gain so much as one scintilla of righteousness by your works, the death of Christ is of no avail, don't talk about Christ's death, if you think that by anything that you do, you can gain so much as one scintilla of righteousness before God.
By saying so, I submit to you on the basis of the word of God in Galatians 2 .21, you blaspheme the blood of Jesus Christ. Each believer must be struck with awe by Galatians 2 .20, before I ever took a breath, before I ever had a rational thought, in the sovereignty of God he united me with Jesus Christ before the foundation of the earth, so that the death of Christ becomes my death, his resurrection becomes my resurrection.
What an incredible thing, you died with Christ. If grace was granted to us, Paul says when he writes to Timothy, in Christ Jesus, before the world began, incredible, incredible. So what have we said? We have said that Christ died, a ransom for many, for his sheep, for his church, for God's elect, for his friends, for us, for his people, for the children that God gives to him, for me.
This is the testimony of scripture. Oh, but people say, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, no, no, no, wait a minute, Christ died for all mankind, all mankind. But you see, the thing is, his atonement doesn't become effective for you until you believe.
John Owen wrote, to which I may add this dilemma to our universalists, that is those who would say that the atonement is universal in its scope. God imposed his wrath due unto, and Christ underwent the pains of hell for, either all the sins of all men, or all the sins of some men, or some sins of all men.
If it is the last, that is the sins of some men, some of the sins of all men, then have all men some sins to answer for, and so shall no man be saved, for if God enter into judgment with us, though it were with all mankind for one sin, no flesh should be justified in his sight.
If the second, that is it which we affirm, that Christ in their stead and room suffered for all the sins of all the elect of the world. If it is the first, why then are not all freed from the punishment of all their sins, you will say, because of their unbelief.
They will not believe, but this unbelief is a sin, is it not? If not, why should they be punished for it? If so, then why must that hinder them from more than other sins for which he died, from partaking of the fruits of his death?
If he did not, then did he not die for all their sins? Let them choose which part they will. So there is the point. Oh, but you see the only sin for which, some people say this, some radio preachers say this, the only sin for which a person is condemned is unbelief.
Well, Christ is atoned for all other sins. But don't ask the question, is not unbelief a sin? And if Christ atoned for all sins, did he not also atone for unbelief? How then can they be condemned? But we have a little more to say about this.
To more fully enter into the objection that Christ dies for all, but somehow his atonement is not made effective until a person believes, that that is the determining factor. We must step back and maybe out of the subject of the atonement for just a moment to determine the nature of repentance and faith.
Repentance and faith. Many in evangelical churches believe that the order salutis, the order of salvation is, you repent, you believe, you're born again. Is that not the concept? Is that not the common way that it is presented?
You repent, you believe and then God does something. You do this, you do this, two things and then God does something after that. Is this what scripture teaches us? Scripture certainly teaches men to repent, does it not?
Does it not command all men to repent? Oh certainly. And we are right in saying that unbelief is a sin, is it not? Sure, sure. But you see there is something missing in a theology that does not recognize the effect of sin upon man.
If I was to identify one of the most common elements of false teaching in our world, it is that we as men are unwilling to recognize the true slavery that is ours to evil, the true power of sin. We know too much about sin, don't we?
Each one of us individually knows far too much about sin. And so it is so easy, so gratifying, so pleasing to hold to a view of man, a view of sin that does not fully convict us of what sin is. Pride wants us to hold to a view of sin that is a disease.
It is simply the loss of an original righteousness that was ours. But it doesn't really affect all of man. Man is not truly and fully enslaved by evil. We said at the beginning, we don't have time to cover it, but the scriptures abundantly testify.
The heart is desperately sick and wicked. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17 .9. Romans 3 .11 tells us there is none that seeks after God. There is none that is righteous. There is not even one that understands.
If you can't understand, how can you then turn to God? Well, let's look at some passages that will substantiate this. Here is the thesis statement. Repentance and faith are the supernatural gifts of God.
Negatively, repentance and faith are not possible for the natural man outside of the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Repentance. What is it? One of the things that struck Martin Luther was when he read the Latin Vulgate the Latin, when it talked about repentance, talked about doing penance.
Poenitentium agitate, do works of penance. But something very important happened in 1516 in Basel, Switzerland. Death of Darius Erasmus printed the first edition of the Greek New Testament, the first published.
Martin Luther was one of the first people to buy one. As he was teaching at the University of Wittenberg, he began to look at the Greek and he discovered that the original word that is used in the New Testament is not do penance.
It is metanoia. Change one's mind. Change one's attitude. He began to see that repentance was not something of actions. It was something of the heart. The actions came forth from this. That is why the prophets would even say repent and bring forth fruits to go along with your repentance.
If repentance was doing an action yourself, why would he say that? It is repetitious. Changing of one's mind. All that sounds like an easy thing, isn't it? No. No. The mind of man, remember we read earlier, we were hostile toward God.
We were enemies of God. Rebels. Ever tried to change a rebel's mind? Let's all go over to Beirut today and attempt to convince hijackers to quit blowing up planes. Easily done. Romans 2 .4. Romans 2 .4.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? The kindness of God that leads you to repentance. The same writer in 2 Timothy chapter 2 said this, beginning in verse 24.
2 Timothy 2 .24. And the Lord's bondservant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth.
God grants repentance. How does he grant repentance? Let's look at Acts 5 .31. Acts chapter 5 verse 31. Speaking of Jesus, he is the one whom God exalted to his right hand as prince and a savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin.
Is forgiveness of sin a gift of God? If you dare admit it on the basis of this passage, you must also confess that repentance is the gift of God as well. But for me the clearest passage is Romans chapter 8 verses 5 through 8.
Romans chapter 8 verses 5 through 8. Listen to Paul's description of the difference between those who have been regenerated, who have the mind of Christ, who set their mind on the things of the spirit in opposition to those who set their things in the mind of the flesh, those who are natural men.
For those who according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who according to the spirit set their things in the spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the spirit is life and peace.
Listen now, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God. For it does not subject itself to the law of God. For it is not even able to do so. Shall I repeat that? For it is not even able to do so.
And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. Is repentance pleasing to God? Of course repentance is pleasing to God. Then can those who are yet in the flesh do that which is pleasing to God? Of course not.
So what must come first? Regeneration. A changing of the mind. So repentance is the gift of God. But what about faith? Oh, whenever anyone thinks about this, the first one that everyone says, all you orthodox folks run to is Ephesians 2 .8 -9.
It is by grace through faith, not in all yourselves, is the gift of God out of works, as any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before ordained that we should walk in them.
We are not created by the good works. And yes, we say, see it says, it is by grace you have been saved through faith. So you have been saved. Did you notice that? The construction in the Greek language is that by grace is a past completed action.
You have been saved with the emphasis upon the continuing abiding results of that. It is called a paraphrastic construction. Parasympathetic with a finite verb. Emphasis upon the continuing results of that completed past action.
By grace, not your works, not your cooperation, not your penances. By grace you have been saved through faith. And that not of yourselves, and we like to say, see that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.
That refers to everything in the preceding clause. Grace, salvation, faith, everything. The people say, oh, I can't refer to faith. The genders are all wrong. Well, I don't put a whole lot of stock in that objection.
There are many examples where this word is utilized to refer to a phrase, but let's grant it for the moment. Is this the only passage? Some would like to think that it was. And think that by pointing out one objection to it, they have dealt with the whole problem.
1 Timothy 1 .14, 1 Timothy 1 .14, 1 Timothy 1 .14. The Lord was poured out on me abundantly, Paul says, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Now there are few who argue about the fact.
What's the greatest commandment? What's the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God. Can any single one of you do that perfectly? My sure hope is that nobody would say yes. So, we don't have a problem in saying, oh God, help me to love you, place your love into my heart.
We don't have a problem with that. And Paul says he abundantly poured this love out upon him, but what else did he abundantly pour out upon him? Faith. Faith. You know, in Acts 13, 48, we read that all who are appointed for eternal life believed.
If faith was not the gift of God, how could all who are appointed for eternal life believe? Hmm. In 1 John 5, verse 1, the first phrase reads, whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. The word believe is in the present tense. The one that's believing that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God. The being born of God is an antecedent action.
Now believe me, some in this room can testify that I attempted to do my best to deflate this passage from the other perspective, but the more I attempted, the more it stood up. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, do you believe Jesus is the Christ?
Yes, that means you've been born of God before then, or you wouldn't believe. In Galatians 5, 22, what is the fruit of the Spirit? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith. Oh yes, it can be translated faithfulness.
It can also simply be faith. And let me ask you just sort of a rhetorical question on the basis of a passage we already read. Remember Romans 8, 32? He who did not spare his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him freely give us all things?
If God has delivered his son up in your behalf, is it logical to even conceive the idea that he would not also grant to you the faith to believe in him? If faith is something that is given as we've just seen, obviously not.
So the question then becomes this whole idea of Jesus made the atonement for everybody, but it's not theirs until they believe. Wait a minute, if faith is the gift of God, then why would Christ die for those that the Father would not give faith to?
That goes back to an objection earlier that we made. The Father and the Son, are they not perfectly unified in their work? Is the Son attempting to save those that the Father is not? Jesus said, all that the Father gives me will come to me, and of those that come to me, I'll never cast out any.
He will lose none, that's his promise. So if faith is the gift of God, then the objection that is made falls in and of itself. But I'd like to sort of turn the tables for a moment. You who believe that Christ died for all men, you say, you're limiting the atonement up there, Mr. White.
In a sense, I believe in the definite atonement of Christ, that he actually died for a particular individual, yes. And that his death brings salvation. But you know something, my friend? So are you. So are you.
The great Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, said it well. We are often told that we limit the atonement of Christ, because we say that Christ has not made a satisfaction for all men, or all men would be saved.
Now our reply to this is, that on the other hand, our opponents limit it, we do not. The Arminians say, those that would say that there is a universal atonement, Christ died for all men. Ask them what they mean by it.
Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of all men? They say, no, certainly not. We're not universalists, we don't believe everybody's going to be saved. We ask them the next question, did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular?
They answer, no. They are obliged to admit this if they are consistent. They say, no, Christ has died that any man may be saved if and then follow certain conditions of salvation. We say then, we will just go back to the old statement, Christ did not die so as beyond a doubt to secure the salvation of anybody, did he?
You must say no, you're obliged to say so, for you believe that even after a man has been pardoned, he may yet fall from grace and perish. Now, who is it that limits the death of Christ? Why, you. You say that Christ did not die so as to infallibly secure the salvation of anybody.
We beg your pardon when you say we limit Christ's death. We say, no, my dear sir, it is you that do it. We say Christ so died that he infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ's death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved, and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved.
You are welcome to your atonement. You may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it. Lorraine Bettner said, Let there be no misunderstanding at this point. The Arminian limits the atonement as certainly as does the Calvinist.
The Calvinist limits the extent of it in that he says it does not apply to all persons, while the Arminian limits the power of it, for he says that in itself it does not actually save anybody. The Calvinist limits it quantitatively, but not qualitatively.
The Arminian limits it qualitatively, but not quantitatively. For the Calvinist it is like a narrow bridge that goes all the way across the stream. For the Arminian it is like a great wide bridge that goes only halfway across.
As a matter of fact, the Arminian places more severe limitations on the work of Christ than does the Calvinist. When we proclaim that Christ died for sins and that Christ saves sinners, we are not proclaiming a hypothetical atonement of hypothetical believers.
We are proclaiming a real atonement of real believers. What is the effect of the atonement? We have seen many of them. What are some of the effects of the atonement? Justification, sanctification, adoption.
Turn with me to Hebrews chapter 10. Take the time to go ahead and turn there if you want. Hebrews chapter 10. I want you to see this. Hebrews chapter 10. Beginning of this chapter, as I mentioned earlier, this whole section is just so tremendous.
Beginning of the chapter, you have that discussion. In the discussion, the apostle says, the old sacrifices that are offered over and over and over again. There are two things about them. First of all, if you have a sacrifice over and over and over again, it is a reminder of sin.
It is a reminder of sin. And hence, those who must offer these sacrifices over and over, they are instilling a bondage to sin. It is a reminder of sin over and over. But the other point he makes is this.
If you have to repeat something over and over and over again, then obviously the sacrifice in and of itself is not perfect. Because it does not perfect those for whom it is made. If it did, you don't have to do it once.
If the sacrifice is perfect, once is enough. But you see, those old sacrifices are over and over again. They remind you of sin because they are not perfect. It is not complete. It is not finished. You do it over and over again.
But he says, it is not that way with us. No, no. That is not what we are under anymore. Hebrews 10 .10. There is a new covenant. There is a new will. By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
It is done. It is finished. We have been sanctified. We have been perfected. There is no need for repetition. It is done. It is an accomplished fact. By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
If Jesus Christ dies for you, you can claim that verse. If Jesus Christ dies for all men, then all men are sanctified. Are all men sanctified? Then he goes back to talking about the way it used to be.
And every priest, that priest in the temple, he stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But he, having offered one sacrifice for sins, for how long?
For all time. Completed action. Done. He sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time onward until his enemies, we made a footstool for his feet. Verse 14. For by one offering, he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
One offering. One offering. It is complete. It is done. It is able to serve utterly. It is not like those other sacrifices. It does not have to be repeated. Once. That is it. Done. Completed action. The elect die with Christ.
They are made righteous. It is done. Jesus can say, Tetelestai is finished. He does not have to say, Tetelestai. If. Once. Done. Finished. That is the great contrast between the old repetition, imperfect sacrifice, and the once completed, perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
When I was a twip, T-U-I-P, that is a four-point Calvinist, twip. If you know what a five-point Calvinist is, it is tulip. I was missing the L. I was a twip. When I was a twip, I read a book by Edwin Palmer.
He edited the NIV Study Bible, which I think is what you have right there. It was on the five points of Calvinism. There was something I did not like about that idea of limited atonement. That does not sound good.
It sounds like you are saying, Jesus did not really do a good job. In reality, if you do not believe in limited atonement, you are saying he did not do a good job. I did not like it. But I had not really done a lot of thinking about it.
So I read the section. Mr. Palmer caught me up short. He said, so you believe in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ, huh? Oh, yeah. I believe in substitutionary atonement. I am a good fundamentalist.
I believe in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ. Oh, really? Yeah. So, was it an atonement or not? Oh, yeah. Does it save anybody? Of course, if we... Oh, no, wait. Does the death of Jesus Christ save anybody without human works, without any additions, without you?
Is the death of Jesus Christ alone sufficient to save? Answer me that. And I went, hmm, hmm, hmm. So, well, I will tell you what. I do not want to say that the death of Jesus Christ plus saves. I do not want to say that.
I knew enough about the Bible to know that is not a smart thing to do. That is when I first began to recognize it. Did he save anyone? When he said, to Telestai, was there anybody saved? It was all just a potentiality.
As one minister recently said, a big gamble. The intention of the Father was to save. The intention of the Son was to save. And when the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit together intend to do something, do not you dare carry a Bible in your hand and say they are not going to do it.
Just get rid of it, will you? Just burn it, go get the Koran, go get the Bhagavad Gita, whatever you want. Just get rid of the Bible. Because if you are going to carry that book, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit intend to do something, they will accomplish what they intend to do.
You say, I've got a few things to think about. Why is it important? Well, we mentioned some of the things in the beginning. We mentioned a few of the things in the beginning. But it's important for a lot of different reasons.
A little less than 30 years after Martin Luther posted 95 theses on the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church, challenging the selling of indulgences by John Tetzel, the Dominican, in Saxony, the proceeds from which were building St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, an ecumenical council of the Roman Catholic Church met at a little city known as the Council of Trent.
These are the canons and decrees of the Council of Trent. In September of 1562, the 22nd Session was held. I want to read you chapters 1 and 2. It will take me a couple of minutes, but listen in. Chapter 1.
The Institution of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Since under the former testament, according to the testimony of the Apostle Paul, there was no perfection because of the weakness of the Levitical priesthood, there was need, God the Father of Mercy so ordaining, that another priest should arise according to the order of Melchizedek, our Lord Jesus Christ, who might perfect and lead to perfection as many as were to be sanctified.
He therefore, our God and Lord, though he was by his death about to offer himself once upon the altar of the cross to God the Father, that he might there accomplish an eternal redemption, nevertheless that his priesthood might not come to an end with his death, at the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, that he might leave to his beloved spouse, the Church, a visible sacrifice such as the nature of man requires, whereby that bloody sacrifice once to be accomplished on the cross might be represented.
The memory thereof remain even to the end of the world and its salutary effects applied to the remission of those sins which we daily commit. Declaring himself constitute a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek, offered up to God the Father his own body and blood under the form of bread and wine.
And under these forms those same things gave the Apostles whom he then made priests of the New Testament, that they might partake, commanding them and their successors in the priesthood by these words to do likewise, do this in commemoration of me, as the Catholic Church has always understood and taught.
For having celebrated the ancient Passover with the multitude of the children of Israel sacrificed in memory of their departure from Egypt, he instituted a new Passover, namely himself, to be immolated under visible signs by the Church through the priests in memory of his own passage from this world to the Father, when by the shedding of his blood he redeemed and delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us into his kingdom.
And this is indeed that clean oblation which cannot be defiled by any unworthiness or malice on the part of those who offer it, which the Lord foretold by Malachi, actually it's Malachias here, was to be great among Gentiles, in which the Apostle Paul has clearly indicated when he says that they who are defiled by partaking of the table of devils cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, understanding by table in each case the altar.
It is finally that sacrifice which was prefigured by various types of sacrifices during the period of nature and of the law, which namely comprises all the good things signified by them as being the consummation and perfection of them all.
Chapter 2 is shorter. And in this, the sacrifice of the Mass is propitiatory both for the living and the dead. And inasmuch as in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass is contained and immolated in an unbloody manner, the same Christ who once offered himself in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross, the Holy Council teaches that this is truly propitiatory and has this effect that if we, contrite and penitent, with sincere heart and upright faith, with fear and reverence drawn near to God, we obtain mercy and fine grace and seasonable aid.
For appeased by this sacrifice the Lord grants the grace and gift of penitence and pardons even the gravest crimes and sins. For the victim is one and the same, the same now offering by the ministry of priests who then offered himself on the cross, the manner alone of offering being different.
The fruits of the bloody sacrifice it is well understood are received most abundantly through this unbloody one. So far is the latter from derogating in any way from the former. Wherefore, according to the tradition of the apostles, it is rightly offered not only for sins, punishments, satisfactions and other necessities of the faithful who are living, but also for those departed in Christ but not yet fully purified.
So much could be said, so much could be said. Those departed in Christ but not yet fully purified? There is no such thing, my friend. Hebrews chapter 10 says He perfected them. Oh, but you see, that only refers to sins that would keep one from going into eternal life.
There's still the temporal punishments. Wait a minute. What is He? He is a propitiation. What does propitiation do? It doesn't just simply remove the guilt, did it? It removes the wrath of God, the penalty.
You cannot divide Christ's work up. Oh, it only atones for this, it doesn't atone for this. If you have died with Christ, all of your sins, not some of your sins, not just the sins up to the point where you do that, all of your sins are nailed to the cross of Christ.
Another propitiatory sacrifice? Oh, no, it's not another. It's just a representation of the first one. Wait a minute. If the first one is a propitiation, then the sins are taken care of. If you have to have another one, then they weren't taken care of in the first place, were they?
I am going to resist the temptation to continue on because, as you may notice on the schedule, next month we have an entire meeting, another three-hour seminar scheduled to discuss that particular document and what it says and the whole doctrine of the Mass.
But you can see why the Biblical perspective of the atonement is important to understand. Oh, but don't worry. People wonder, and I know we have some Roman Catholics with us this evening, but people wonder those who attempt to evangelize those involved in Roman Catholicism, I wonder why the Church in America doesn't make more inroads.
In fact, it almost seems like the inroads are going the other direction. You know what? They're right. You know why? Because the Church in America has so watered down the Gospel and so sacrificed these truths that most of those involved in evangelical or Arminian churches agree with Roman Catholics on the atonement.
Oh, they don't say it the same way. They don't have Mass and transubstantiation. But you know something? They don't have any propitiation at all. It doesn't really say. It's not effective without my faith.
I've got to keep myself involved in all this. It's my works. Kind of a lengthy segment to read you. But I think you'll like this as much as I do. J .I. Packer. Anyone familiar with him? There is no doubt that evangelicalism today is in a state of perplexity and unsettlement.
In such matters as the practice of evangelism, the teaching of holiness, the building up of local church life, the pastors dealing with souls, and the exercise of discipline, there is evidence of widespread dissatisfaction with things as they are and of equally widespread uncertainty as to the road ahead.
This is a complex phenomenon to which many factors have contributed, but if we go to the root of the matter, we shall find that these perplexities are all ultimately due to our having lost our grip on the biblical gospel.
Without realizing it, we have during the past century bartered the gospel for a substitute product which, though it looks similar enough in points of detail, is as a whole a decidedly different thing.
Hence our troubles for the substitute product does not answer the ends for which the authentic gospel has in past days proved itself so mighty. The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep repentance, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church.
Why? We would suggest the reason lies in its own character and content. It fails to make men God-centered in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it's trying to do.
One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be helpful to man, to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction, and too little concern to glorify God.
The old gospel was helpful too, more so indeed than is the new, but so to speak incidentally, for its first concern was always to give glory to God. It was always and essentially a proclamation of divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good, both in nature and in grace.
Its center of reference was unambiguously God. But in the new gospel, the center of reference is man. This is just to say that the old gospel is religious in a way that the new gospel is not. Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach men to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better.
The subject of the old gospel was God and his ways with men. The subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed.
From this change of interest has sprung a change of content, for the new gospel has in effect reformulated the biblical message in the supposed interest of helpfulness. Accordingly, the themes of man's natural inability to believe of God's free election being the ultimate cause of salvation and of Christ dying specifically for his sheep are not preached.
These doctrines, it would be said, are not helpful. They would drive sinners to despair by suggesting to them that it is not in their own power to be saved through Christ. The possibility that such despair might be salutary is not considered.
It is taken for granted that it cannot be because it is so shattering to our self-esteem. However this may be, the result of these omissions is that part of the biblical gospel is now preached as if it were the whole of that gospel and the half-truth, masquerading as the whole truth, becomes a complete untruth.
Thus, we appeal to men as if they all had the ability to receive Christ at any time. We speak of his redeeming work as if he had done no more by dying than make it possible for us to save ourselves by believing.
We speak of God's love as if it were no more than the general willingness to receive any who will turn in trust. And we depict the Father and the Son not as sovereignly active in drawing sinners to themselves but as waiting in quiet impotence at the door of our hearts for us to let them in.
But it needs to be said with emphasis that this set of twisted half-truths is something other than the biblical gospel. He will not say that God's saving purpose in the death of his Son was a mere ineffectual wish depending for its fulfillment on man's willingness to believe so that for all God could do, Christ might have died and none been saved at all.
Now, the true preacher of God's word, he insists that the Bible sees the cross as revealing God's power to save not his impotence. Christ did not win a hypothetical salvation for hypothetical believers.
A mere possibility of salvation for any who might possibly believe but a real salvation for his own chosen people. Amen. We look at the church in America. We look at the ridicule that is heaped upon the presentation of the gospel.
The mockery that's made of it. And yet the vast majority of what the people in our nation have seen is not a presentation of the gospel at all. They've never been commanded to repent. They think the gospel is just, well, what will you do with Jesus?
That's not the gospel. The gospel is an indicative statement of what God has done in Jesus Christ. And the far better question is, what will Christ do with you? See, oh, we're so willing to make it centered upon man, based upon man.
What will you do with Christ as if Christ had nothing to do with it? He's just a thing to be dealt with. Laid aside by man if he so chooses? No. It's not the answer of Paul in Romans 9, is it? Who are you, oh man, who answers back to God of the thing formed, say the one who formed him?
Why'd you make me like this? It's not the biblical perspective, is it? No. So what have we seen? If you've seen anything, then you know that salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Ever read those words of Paul in 1 Corinthians? Chapter 1?
If you're a believer, you know this. If you're not, I hope you'll come to know it. Look at the end of verse 7. Revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ who also will confirm you unto the end. He's the one who does that.
Blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who is faithful? Verse 9. God is faithful. Through whom you were called into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. God's the one who's faithful.
Can't you weep with me for those who think that they're the ones who produce faith? That by their actions they're somehow without their actions they won't be saved? Look at verses 30 and 31. Listen to what Paul says.
It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus. Not you. Him. It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus. Who has become to us wisdom from God. Righteousness. Holiness. Redemption. Do you want wisdom? Don't search for it anywhere outside of Jesus Christ.
Righteousness? Oh my friend, don't be struggling for it on your own. You have none. You stand before God clothed in one patch of your own righteousness and you will be rejected. Holiness? Redemption? Because him that you're in Christ Jesus.
You're in union with him. You have a relationship with him. In order that just it has been written. Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. If there was so much as one little thing.
You could do. You could boast in that. You see, if anyone else didn't doesn't make it into heaven. I did.
I did that one little thing. That God did 99 .9. I did that one little thing and those poor blokes down there in hell, they didn't do that. No! It is by him that you're in Christ Jesus. And he is not here saying well God by his common grace just simply enables everyone that it's up to you to choose.
No! Salvation is an assurity. The elect died with Christ. They are redeemed by that. Their sins are forgiven. The only boast you have as a believer is you can boast in the Lord. And where else did Paul talk about boasting?
About glory. Galatians 6. But God forbid that I should glory except in what? The cross. Anything I could ever do. What a redemption it is ours. And we can glory in it. We can glory in it. Some of you may wonder Jim why are you writing a book right now on the fatal flaw of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to its teachings on salvation?
Why do you every six months drive in various levels of comfort up to Salt Lake City, Utah stand outside the Mormon Temple amongst 30 ,000 some odd Mormons and pass out tracks to those people? Why did you a couple years ago and a couple of you were out there, we still got pictures of a few of you, stand in the sweltering 113 degree heat of the summer sun outside of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum with signs for Jehovah's Witnesses as they drove by from their district convention?
Why do you write letters to people that are involved in these things? Why can't you just let them be? You know why? Turn with me to Galatians and we'll be done. We'll take questions but turn with me to Galatians chapter 1.
I would love to do a whole study of this book. I'm planning on it. With you all I mean. I think I've read it a couple times. In fact some of you have taught Greek too. There's two of you in here. Read this thing.
Then read something like Ephesians or Philippians and you'll discover the man who wrote this book was agitated. He was agitated. He was upset. The sentences are short and choppy. He was angry. He was angry.
He was angry. Apostle of the Lord angry? Yes. He was angry. He was so angry that in the 5th chapter he was talking about people who were disturbing these Galatian believers. They were disturbing people in the church.
One of the things they want people to do is to be circumcised. They want the men to be circumcised as a sign of following Moses. You know what Paul said about him? Literally he says those that are bothering you I wish they'd let the knife slip.
I wish they'd castrate themselves. Let the knife slip. While you're circumcising yourself just go all the way. That's what he said to them. Oh! That's terrible! That's nasty! He was angry. He was angry.
Some people say, Oh! It's terrible of him! Why was he angry? Why was Paul so concerned? Why was he so upset? Look at verse 6 of chapter 1. His emotion flows through these words. I am amazed that you are so quickly being removed from the one who called you in the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is really not another.
Except there are some who are troubling you and they wish to twist, to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven proclaim to you a gospel other that or opposed to that which we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed of God.
Even if I come into your regions and I say I was wrong before, let God curse me. What was he upset about? It's the gospel. Why? Remember what happened back in Acts? Here in Galatians 2 he talks about it too.
There were certain people and they came into the church and he says they wanted to spy out the liberty we had in Christ Jesus. Paul says.
We would not put up with them at all.
Why? Because we're theologians. We can't be challenged. No. That's not why. Why did Paul immediately stand up before them? Why did he write this letter and say this heresy, it must be torn out of your midst.
These men are under the curse of God. Why? Because it had to do with the gospel. And if your love, if your heart is filled with the love of God and you want to see people saved, then your highest priority must be the gospel of Christ.
If the gospel is perverted, what is the gospel, Paul tells us? The gospel is the power of God and the salvation. You change the gospel and people don't get saved. What would you say? Man, the heresy here in Galatia wasn't all that big.
It was just they were saying faith in Christ is wonderful. They weren't denying that Jesus Christ died for sins. They weren't denying anything about the person of Christ specifically. It was just a little thing.
They said faith in Christ is the first thing, but you see, then there are other things that you need to do if you're going to keep going and keep this salvation. Like be circumcised and follow the law of Moses.
It's no big deal. Just a little thing. Believe in Christ first. That's great. That's wonderful. But then do the other thing. I'll tell you, we've got beliefs in our nation that go so far beyond that it's incredible.
And yet that little departure, that little opening of the door that says well, you see, Christ really can't do it all himself. You're really not justified by faith as a complete action in the past like I said in Romans 5 .1.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You're justified. Past tense action. It's not something that happens in the future. You see these Galatian teachers, they were close.
Well, they sounded great. They talked about Jesus. They carried big red Scofield Bibles. They took Moody Monthly. They were right down the line, except.
This one little thing that today most of our churches go big deal. Let's have relationships with everybody no matter what they believe. The Apostle Paul.
Said that those teachers were under the very curse of God. You can't get any more serious than that. Now we have a choice to make. It is not an easy choice, folks. We have a choice to make. The easy road's this.
Paul, you're a radical. I'm not as radical as you were, Paul. I think we should just sort of let people believe what they want to believe. I think we should talk about Jesus a lot, and I think it's best to talk about Jesus, and I'm going to continue believing like you said, Paul, elsewhere, but I don't...
I don't... I'm not going to go that far. I really don't mind if the church next door teaches that you've got to do this, this, and this even to get saved. The Galatian teachers weren't even putting any prerequisites on salvation.
They were putting antecedents, afterwards, stuff at the end. And we got groups all over the place. Well, before justification happens you've got to do this, and this, and this. But I'm not going to...
They talk about Jesus enough that I think we're brothers and sisters. I'm not going to worry about it. I'm not going to say anything about it. That's your first choice. About 95 of people in our nation go that direction.
That's the easy road. You'll get more teaching positions in seminaries that way. If it were not for some people you'd never get a book published, either.
That's the easy way. And, you know, there's a lot of pressures on people to be that way. I know. I know.
The book I'm writing right now, I'll tell you, some of the people who knew me in seminary are never going to speak to me again. Do you know something? This is going to be hard. I hope you don't mind, but it's going to be hard.
Can I tell you something? Honestly, if you take that way, you know what you're doing? You know what you're saying? You hate all those people that are involved in those groups. You hate them. I do not.
Yes, you do. If you cared spit about them, you'd want them to know the true gospel. Oh, but they may get mad at me. They may say I'm hateful and unloving. Yeah, they might. Remember what Paul had to say to the Galatians in Galatians chapter 4?
Have I become your enemy because I told you the truth? If you love, if you love people that are trapped in false systems of teaching, you will not sit silently. You can't. The only possible thing to say is I'm not going to do that because I really don't believe it's that important.
You say, but it'll hurt.
Yeah, it will.
But you know what happens when God puts into the hearts of His people that kind of love and that kind of spirit? It turns the world upside down. And this nation that is stinking and rotting in its sin and its degradation needs to have believers that will stand up and say, hey, this is the gospel.
That's a substitute. That won't save you. This will. And this is why and I base it upon the authority of God's word. God give us a revival like that. Atonement of Christ. Gospel. It's why we do what we do.
It's why we've got this office. It's why we've got the phone lines. It's why we do anything that we do. Any subject that we address, the final analysis, if it isn't related to this, then we shouldn't be talking about it.
Wasting our time. Let's close the presentation part with a word of prayer. Father, we confess you to be the very creator of heaven and earth. God, we confess that every breath that is ours, every beat of our heart is ours only because you and your mercy and your grace grant to us that life.
God, we know our own hearts. We know that we are rebels against you and that we were fit to feel the full weight of your wrath. But in your mercy, in your love, in your kindness, in your grace, before the founding of the world, before time itself, in love incomprehensible, you chose us in Christ Jesus.
So that 2 ,000 years ago when the sinless perfect son of man voluntarily gave his life for us, his death was our death. Our sins were nailed to that cross that day, and then wonder of wonders, his resurrection is our resurrection.
We are new creatures in him. We've been redeemed. Our sins have been forgiven. We stand before you justified. God, all the ages of eternity to come could not possibly fill the need for the time to praise you and thank you.
The debt is too big. Your grace too magnificent. During this sojourn on earth, in your infinite wisdom, you have given us the opportunity to know these things, to experience your love, to look into your word, and to live lives that are glorifying to you.
It is so little in return. We confess that any good that is in us finds its source and its origin solely and completely in your grace and in your mercy. But God, we want to glorify you in the way we live.
We want to glorify you in the way that we proclaim the gospel. God, place within our hearts a holy desire for your glory and your honor and your majesty. In our every thought, in all of our actions, in how we who are married treat our wives as those who are wives treat their husbands.
As all of us treat one another as brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. Oh God, by your spirit, make our actions glorifying to you. Make our lives a sweet smelling savor to you. That is what we want.
It can never even begin. No matter how perfect we might try to be, how many good deeds we might do, we recognize could not even begin to gather for us merit. God, the only way we stand before you is clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Father, forgive us for our thanklessness. Father, forgive us for the fact that we so rarely thank you for what you've done for us in Christ Jesus. Let us leave this place tonight as people who have been.
Changed by your word. Let us be people that.
Truly wish to be thankful believers in you. And Lord, out of the thankfulness that fills our hearts, we ask that you would make us powerful witnesses for you, for us to share the gospel with those around us.
And God, for those of us who are in situations where doing so is painful, where we have those around us who in your sovereignty placed us in their lives, and yet we know that if we proclaim the truth, it will cause a part of us to die.
It will cause us pain. We'll have to give up something. God, help us to die to ourselves. God, help us to realize that the more we place our lives in your hands and obey and trust, for every part of us that dies, Jesus Christ lives his life to us.
Forgive us for our failure. We thank you that we know that that forgiveness is ours in Jesus Christ. May your spirit guide us and drive us into your word, Lord, for those that are here tonight that are not fully convinced, whether they be Christian or not, place within all of our hearts a holy reverence, a love, a desire to be obedient to your word.
We thank you and we praise you. For it is in the name of our matchless Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that we pray.