Everlasting Righteousness (Part 1)

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Welcome to No Compromise Radio, a ministry coming to you from Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston.

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No Compromise Radio is a program dedicated to the ongoing proclamation of Jesus Christ. Based on the theme in Galatians 2, verse 5, where the

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Apostle Paul said, But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

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In short, if you like smooth, watered -down words to make you simply feel good, this show isn't for you.

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By purpose, we are first biblical, but we can also be controversial. Stay tuned for the next 25 minutes as we're called by the divine trumpet to summon the troops for the honor and glory of her

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King. Here's our host, Pastor Mike Abendroth. Welcome to No Compromise Radio ministry.

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My name is Mike Abendroth and I just got back from Portland, Oregon. See where I live here in Massachusetts, if you say to someone,

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I'm going to Portland, they think Portland, Maine, and rightfully so.

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I guess you could say Portland, England, probably there's such a place.

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And I learned and saw the little coin used in the process that they didn't know what to call

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Portland, Oregon. And it was decided, they whittled down the two options,

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Portland after Portland, Maine and Boston after Boston, Massachusetts. Two out of three, it wasn't rock, paper, scissors, it was flipping a particular coin and it landed on the

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Portland side more than the Boston side, Portland, Oregon. But when I flew in,

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I didn't know what to expect, hadn't been to the Northwest before. Well, I guess I had,

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I've been to Vancouver, Canada, I think 1984 for the World Expo, Sir Stanley Park there,

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I think there is. I think I saw Screamin' Jay Hawkins put a spell on me in Vancouver, Canada.

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Anywho, Portland, very pretty,

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Mount St. Helens, Mount Hood, Multnomah Falls, cool downtown, left wing, bike lanes, skating lanes, skateboard lanes, that type of thing.

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Anyway, very cool town, I liked it a lot. And the people at Hillcrest Chapel and the folks at Trinity Bible Church, super encouraging.

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Love the Bible, want to learn, want to study, engaged. We had Sunday morning,

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Sunday night, Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night. I think if you go to Trinity Bible Church, Portland, Oregon, you can pull up those messages if you'd like.

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Pastor Will and Pastor Gary, super good hosts, lots of S.

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Lewis Johnson stories. Johnson used to go there regularly, and now I see why.

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I think I might want to move to Portland, Oregon. Anyway, you can call us, no you can't, you can't call us here.

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You can call the church, 508 -835 -3400 if you ever want to leave a message, but you can email me directly, mike at nocompromisedradio .com

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or info at nocompromisedradio .com. Spencer would be glad to help you out.

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The book, Sexual Fidelity, it's tanked. Nobody buys it.

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How's it happen with books? See what happens? I'm waiting for the, well we like to order 50 for our

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Bible study. So far we haven't gotten those. I think the most I've sold, I don't know, maybe 30 or something like that.

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Anyway, if you want to buy 30, I'll give you a good deal. The new book,

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I'm working on it, I just can't get it. I just, it's 90 % done, but Evangelical White Lies.

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Enough of that. I've been reading a book called The Everlasting Righteousness. Horatius Bonar, B -O -N -A -R.

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And I read it on the way to Portland and back. I flew Alaska Airlines for the first time.

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And I say Alaska, and it was nice. I told them it was the first time I was flying. They said, well you need more leg room.

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And they bumped me up to the extra leg room aisle, aisle 17. So I was happy for that. And kind people, nice folks.

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One of the flight attendants, he goes, he said, he goes to an independent Bible teaching church.

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So that was nice. I'm not a Chipotle guy, but I went to Chipotle in Portland and they actually, well

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I told them what I did as we struck up a conversation. They said, oh that's a hard job. That's the hardest job in the world.

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Here's a free bowl. A sofritas bowl with some chicken in there.

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What do you know? What do you know? All right, today I'd like to talk about angels. Oh no, sorry.

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That was the other show. Everlasting Righteousness, Horatius Bonar. You can get this book actually for free.

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Mount Zion Publications. At least it used to be free. That's the Ministry of Mount Zion Bible Church and this is the place in Pensacola, Florida.

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Not the Fighting Fundi Pensacola College there.

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I'm trying to think. I think they published this themselves. First edition published in 1997 here.

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And I love this book. I think I was talking to Byron, or no, I was listening to Byron Yon on his

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Theocast, his podcast, and he was talking about it.

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I thought, you know what, I have that. I should probably just read it. I think I like different chapters compared to him, but I still like the book.

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I have to differ somehow, some way. Here is how the book starts.

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I want to say it's written in 16 -something. See, I'm looking for it and I can't seem to find it.

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That's my problem. The awakened conscience of the 16th century betook itself to the righteousness of God.

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There it found refuge, at once from condemnation and from impurity. Only by righteousness could it be pacified and nothing less than that which is divine could meet the case.

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At the cross this righteousness was found, human yet divine, provided for man and presented to him by God for relief of conscience and justification of life.

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On the one word, Tetelestai, it is finished, as on a heavenly resting place weary souls sat down and were refreshed.

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The voice from the tree did not summon them to do, but to be satisfied with what was done.

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So let's just reread that because not the whole thing, but that is such an important concept as you think about salvation, when you think about what

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God does. The voice from the tree did not summon them to do, in other words, when

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Jesus said on the cross it's finished, but to be satisfied with what was done.

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Millions of bruised consciences there found healing and peace.

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And when you begin to read that book and you get to that part, the beginning, that will certainly motivate you to keep reading.

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Now in the Bible, for Bible study, that's one of the key concepts for proper biblical interpretation or hermeneutics, keep reading, to read the context, that's the idea.

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Horatius goes on to say, the belief of that finished work brought the sinner into favor with God, nor did it leave him in uncertainty as to this.

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The justifying work of Calvary was God's way, not only of bringing pardon, but of securing certainty.

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It was the only perfect thing which had ever been presented to God in man's behalf.

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That's interesting, the only perfect thing. And so peculiar was this perfection that it might be used by man in his transactions with God as if it were his own.

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Now, I could say that'll preach and that would be true, but that will give a weary soul comfort.

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That is so encouraging. That is very, very important to grasp what

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God has done and the cross is not, it's not a call to do, it's a call to rest and to be satisfied in and to believe.

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Horatius writes this book in the cauldron of Catholicism. He states, page 10, for ages,

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Christianity had groveled in the dust, smothered with semi -pagan rites, ready to die if not already dead, bound hand and foot by a semi -idolatrous priesthood, unable to do ought,

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A -U -G -H -T, for a world which it had been sent to regenerate.

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Now it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand upon its feet as a man and a heart's man, man's heart rather, was given to it.

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You are going to be encouraged as you read about how this righteousness was earned and then how it is applied.

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Now, chapter one, I'm not going to go through many chapters, but I just happen to be in chapter one now. How shall man be just with God?

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How may I, a sinner, draw near to him in whom there is no sin and look upon his face in peace?

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This is the great question which at some time or other every one of us has asked or should ask.

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This is one of the awful problems which man in all ages has been attempting to solve.

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There's no evading it. He must face it. No Compromise Radio started six years ago.

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I hosted a radio show in town. WV &E is a radio station here, a

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Christian station. Kind people there. And Tom, oh, what's his name?

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How could you forget his last name? Tom Curtis? Tom...

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He's since moved, so what do I care? And I filled in for about ten days.

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Then we thought about doing our own show. The radio station asked me. I said to my wife, what do

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I call a show? I need to think of a concept. If it's just my sermons... You know, most radio shows with local pastors are their sermons and why listen to my sermons?

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I mean, they're biblical, I understand that, but you can listen to the very best preachers in the entire world anytime you want with a click.

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So if you're going to click, why would you listen to No Compromise Radio? Well, let's have a little format change.

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Let's not have it all sermons. We'll buy a day with a sermon. That's Monday because I need a day off.

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But the other days, let's talk about things like this great old book. But I need a slogan, tagline.

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This is radio after all. And no, it was not invented yet. And we did come up with...

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I actually came up with always biblical, always provocative, always in that order. That's what we were after. But my wife came up with the concept of No Compromise Radio.

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N -C -R. No -Co -Radio. No -Co -A -Day keeps false teaching away.

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Did Ray say that? I don't know. As I began to think through it, as my mind even slowly over the last 10 years has,

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I think thankfully, I'm glad for it, has moved from more of a law to a gospel.

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I know we have the paradigm of law gospel. And if you don't prefer that, if you want to say indicative imperative, that'll work.

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As I thought more gospel -ish, I would not stoop to the Gospel Coalition's gospel -icious kind of conversation.

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Can you imagine they say that? I don't know. I don't read the Gospel Coalition stuff.

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I'll leave Carl Truman to critique that for the moment. I have other things to talk about. But I would think, you know,

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I don't want to compromise. That's the thrust of the show. Don't compromise when it comes to theological integrity and fidelity.

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But that's what I was after. But as I would become more Christ -centered, as I would just read the Bible, read more biblical theology books, one after another after another,

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I thought, you know what? Let's call ourselves No Compromise Radio. Well, I don't want to compromise.

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That's point B. But point A, more importantly, let's talk about the one that never compromised.

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No Compromise Radio talks about the one that never compromised. Jesus himself said, I always do the things that are pleasing to the

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Father. The Father said of Jesus, this is my beloved Son, and whom

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I am what? Well -pleased. No Compromise Radio began a few years ago to talk about the one who never compromised.

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That's the point. I'm in Hebrews now. I'm 12 messages in. The only thing I've talked about is

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Jesus and how much better he is than the prophets and now angels. Well, I asked

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Jesus I come to page 16 in Everlasting Righteousness, How Shall Man Be Just with God?

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And it gives me a third talking point when it comes to No Compromise Radio that I'm going to I'm going to start using.

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There has been no compromise. Law and love have both had their full scope.

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So law and love, think about that. Not one jot or tittle has been surrendered by either.

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They have been satisfied to the full. The one in all its severity, law, lar, the other in all its tenderness.

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Love has never been more truly love and law has never been more truly law than in this conjunction of the two.

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It has been reconciliation without compromise. God's honor has been maintained yet man's interests have not been sacrificed.

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God has done it all and he has done it effectually and irreversibly.

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Man could not have done it even though he he could have devised it but truly he could do neither.

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God only could have devised and done it. So let's think about this for a minute.

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Bible verse we're looking at today is it is finished. Atelestai, God the Son did the work that the

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Father sent him to do as he was energized by the Spirit to do it by the

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Spirit him person. Law and love not compromised.

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See when I sin against someone or they sin against me all that I need to say is please forgive me.

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They say I forgive you. They say to me please forgive me and I say I forgive you. How does

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God forgive sin? Is it like that? Is it nex behalo

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Is it exhalo? Does God forgive sin like he creates the moon?

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Out of nothing moon stars sun universe matter that's not how

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God grants forgiveness because there's a law yet God does love sinners

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God does justify the ungodly while we were yet sinners

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Christ died for us that's a demonstration an ongoing present tense demonstration of God's love

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So how do you get law and love to both shine forth fully?

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Well it all happens at the cross and there at the cross there's no compromise So this book gives me an additional no compromise talking point

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Don't you like that? As we think about no compromise oh I don't want to theologically compromise sad news is

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I do I wish I knew where but I know I do Jesus never compromised

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He did what the Father sent Him to do if you'd like to talk about the cross work particularly and His passive obedience and He completely obeyed the law do this and live that was done by our

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Lord as federal representative Thirdly we can now say there's no compromise between law and love and that's what we'd like to talk about we'd like to talk about what

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God did how only God could do it how only God could devise such a plan where mercy and justice kiss at the cross to use some

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Psalm language everlasting righteousness you can either order the book online probably or if you want to get a hold of Mount Zion publications in Pensacola the phone number

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I have here is 850 438 666 6

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God provides the basis of the reconciliation Horatius goes on to say a basis which demonstrates that there is no compromise between law and love but the fullest expression of both a basis which establishes both the authority and the paternity of Jehovah as lawgiver and father a basis which reveals in infinite awfulness the exceeding sinfulness of sin the spotless purity of the statute the unbending character of God's governmental ordinances and which yet secures in and by law the righteous overflow of His boundless love to the lost sons of Adam the basis of reconciliation between law and love

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God has Himself not only provided but brought into His own courts of law proposing to the sinner that all the questions between Himself and the sinner should be settled on this basis so equitable so friendly so secure and settled in judicial form by a legal process in which verdict is given in favor of the accused and He is clean absolved justified from all things the consent of parties to the acceptance of this basis is required in court the law consents the law giver consents

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Father Son and Spirit consent Aren't you glad that God did everything when it comes to your salvation when we consider really how bad sin is and how sinful we are this is the only way we can be right with God it's going to have to be

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God's work His life work His cross work obedience obedience to the point of death even obedience to the point of death on a cross

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Horatio says on page 17 sin is too great and evil for man to meddle with his attempts to remove it do but increase it and his endeavors to approach

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God in spite of it aggravate his guilt only God can deal with sin either as a disease or a crime as a dishonor to himself or as a hinderer of man's approach to himself he deals with it not in some arbitrary or summary way but a mere exercise of his will or power by bringing it for adjudication into his own courts of law as judge seated on his tribunal he settles the case and settles it in favor of the sinner of any sinner on the earth that will consent to the basis which he proposes into this court each one may freely come on the footing of the sinner needing the adjustment of the great question between him and God that adjustment is no matter of uncertainty or difficulty it will at once be granted to each applicant and the guilty man with his case however bad thus legally settled retires from court with his burden removed and his fears dispelled assured that he can never again be summoned to answer for his guilt it is righteousness that has reconciled

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God to him and him to God aren't you glad finished it is finished done never to be brought back up again never to go to the appellate court you don't hear the knock on the door and the warrant again is served for something that is already done as sin is too great and evil for any but God to deal with so is righteousness too high for man to reach too high for any but God to bring down and place at our disposal

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God has brought down and brought nigh the righteousness thus the guilt which we have contracted is met by the righteousness which

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God has provided and the exclusion from the divine fellowship which the guilt produced is more than reversed by the new introduction which the righteousness places at our disposal our disposal at our disposal the response is consent or faith that's the only thing that's that's our that's our response is faith oh if you want a flip side of faith the coin of faith is repentance preach the gospel people respond in the bible with repentance sometimes they respond with faith sometimes faith and repentance may

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I then draw near to God and not die everlasting righteousness Horatius Bonar page 17 may

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I draw near and live may I come to him who hates sin and yet find that the sin which he hates is no barrier to my coming no reason for my being shut out from his presence as an unclean thing may

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I renew my lost fellowship with him who made me and made me for himself may

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I worship in his holy place in safety to myself and without dishonor to him and then he says the flood of evil that is issued forth from one single sin he has forgotten the death the darkness the sorrow the sickness the tears the weariness the madness the confusion the bloodshed the furious hatred between man and man making earth a suburb of hell all this is overlooked or misread and man repels the thought that sin is crime which

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God hates with an infinite hate and which he in his righteousness must condemn and avenge admit the evil of sin with all its eternal consequences and you are shut up to a divine way of dealing with it deny the evil of sin and the future results of that evil and you may deny the whole revelation of God set aside the cross and abrogate the law but friend if you're listening today because of the

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Lord Jesus Christ the one who never compromised the one who held law and love there's favor there's favor to the sinner there's favor to the sinner that looks to this tree and consents assents believes trusts that's the response

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God has provided an everlasting righteousness a righteousness that's earned by the

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Lord Jesus Christ we will talk more about this book in future episodes the everlasting righteousness but for now it's good to be reminded it's good to look to that tree again and think done done we want to contribute we want to help but it's done and the father recognized it as done by raising

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Jesus from the dead my name is Mike Ebendroth this is No Compromise Radio tell your friends tell your enemies if you'd like to listen iTunes,

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Facebook, Twitter at NoCoRadio with the Twitter and if you want to order the new book Sexual Fidelity No Compromise you can get it online

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No Compromise Radio with Pastor Mike Ebendroth is a production of Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston Bethlehem Bible Church is a

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Bible teaching church firmly committed to unleashing the life transforming power of God's Word through verse by verse exposition of the sacred text please come and join us our service times are

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Sunday morning at 10 .15 and in the evening at 6 we're right on route 110 in West Boylston you can check us out online at bbcchurch .org