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Open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 
1. Our focus is on verses 30 and 
31, but I do want to read beginning in verse 18, and we'll read to 
chapter 2, verse 5. It is a unit, and it's good for 
us to appreciate the context as we seek to uncover the meaning 
in verses 30 and 31. So, beginning in 1 Corinthians 
1 at verse 18. For the message of the cross 
is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are 
being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will 
destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring to nothing the understanding 
of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the 
scribe? Where is the disputer of this 
age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For 
since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did 
not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request 
a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ 
crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. 
But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, 
the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness 
of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger 
than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise 
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish 
things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen 
the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which 
are mighty, and the base things of the world and the things which 
are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not 
to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should 
glory in his presence. But of Him, you are in Christ 
Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness, 
and sanctification, and redemption, that, as it is written, he who 
glories, let him glory in the Lord. And I, brethren, when I 
came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, 
declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not 
to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 
I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 
And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words 
of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that 
your faith should not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power 
of God. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
blessed Father and our holy God, we thank you for your word. We 
thank you for the message of the cross, that message that 
is foolishness to the world, but that message which is blessed 
and glorious and wonderful to those who are the called, those 
who have been brought out of darkness into marvelous light. 
How we thank you for this message of the cross. How we thank you 
for the Lord Jesus Christ and his life and his death and his 
resurrection. How we thank You that You made 
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become 
the righteousness of God in Him. We ask that Your Holy Spirit 
would bless our study tonight, that He would direct us to consider 
the glory of Christ, that He would cause us to rejoice in 
the supper tonight, that He would strengthen us with might in the 
inner man. We pray that you would forgive 
us for all of our sins and all of our transgressions. Cleanse 
us in that precious fount that is open for sin and for uncleanness. Do this for your glory. Do this 
for the good of your people. And Father, we do pray that you 
would save those who are outside of Christ. We pray that the Holy 
Spirit would take the Word of God and apply it to the hearts 
of men and women and boys and girls. May conviction be wrought 
and may that remedy be sought, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation 
by grace through faith in Him. And it's in His most blessed 
name that we pray. Amen. Well, you will see as we 
read this particular section, the apostles' emphasis on wisdom. Wisdom is contrasted. God's wisdom, 
called here foolishness, and the world's wisdom, which really 
is foolishness. according to verse 20, made foolish 
the wisdom of this world. And he did so by three things, 
and that's what this context is all about. The wisdom of God 
is seen in the message of the cross, verses 18 to 25. God's wisdom is displayed in 
the preaching of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. The world, 
of course, despises that message. In the next section, verses 26 
to 31, God's wisdom is seen in the salvation of the Corinthians. Notice that Paul has no problem 
saying that not many of you in Corinth were wise, not many were 
mighty, and not many noble. So the fact that these Corinthian 
believers are in Christ Jesus is foolishness to the world. 
The world looks at position and they say that only the noble, 
only the wise, only the mighty ought to be accepted by God. 
But the world's wisdom is folly. God's wisdom is triumphant. God's 
wisdom is seen in the salvation of people like these Corinthians 
and people like us. And then God's wisdom is seen 
again with reference to the preacher himself. Notice in chapter 2, 
verses 1 to 5, Paul says, He goes on in verse 3 to say, and my speech and my preaching 
were not with persuasive words of human wisdom. So you see, 
if the Corinthians had become enamored with Greek philosophy 
or with some sort of wisdom, Paul is correcting them. Paul 
is writing to them to tell them that God's wisdom trumps man's 
wisdom at every step of the way. God's wisdom is seen in the message, 
in the recipients, and in the preacher himself. While the world 
looks at each of these elements and mocks And each of these particulars, 
and makes fun of, this is the power of God unto salvation, 
revealed through the message of the cross to very unworthy 
persons like these people in Corinth, and through the preaching 
ministry of the Apostle Paul, who for his job resume has no 
problem communicating that I came in weakness, in fear, and in 
much trembling. So the contrast between God's 
wisdom and the world's wisdom is what is conspicuous in verses 
18, chapter 1, 18 to chapter 2, verse 5. As I said, our focus 
is on verses 30 and 31, where Paul essentially categorizes 
or inventories the blessings that we have received in Christ 
Jesus our Lord. I want to look at three things 
as we consider verses 30 and 31. in the first place, the source 
of our spiritual blessings, verse 30a. Secondly, the identification 
of our spiritual blessings, verse 30b, and then the goal of our 
reception of these spiritual blessings in verse 31. But note 
in the first place, verse 30, Paul says, But of Him you are 
in Christ Jesus." Well, look at the positive statement here 
in just a moment. We're not in Christ because we're 
better. We're not in Christ because we're wiser. We're not in Christ 
because we're noble. We're not in Christ because we're 
rich. We're not in Christ because we signed a card. We're not in 
Christ because we came forward. We're not in Christ because we 
raised our hand. at an invitational meeting, but 
rather we are in Christ as a result of the sovereignty of God Most 
High. But we ought to appreciate the 
negative statement in the first place. Notice in verse 26, he 
says, for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise, 
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. The Corinthian believers were 
not brought into this state of acceptance with God based on 
the Corinthian believers. They had nothing to give to God. They had nothing to commend themselves 
to God. Paul tells them that. Notice, 
there was no concern whatsoever for their delicate sensitivities. If we were to tell someone nowadays, 
you're not the sharpest tool in the shed, they would freak 
out. But Paul has no problem telling these Corinthian believers 
the very same thing. You are not many wise, not many 
mighty, not many noble. The actual truth is that they 
were foolish, weak, and base, according to verses 27 to 28. 
And then notice the implication in verse 29. That no flesh should 
glory in his presence. The Corinthians could not glory 
in God's presence. They could not pat themselves 
on the back and say, we have been commended to God because 
of our nobility, because of our riches, because of our wisdom, 
because of our might. They had no cause for glorying 
before God. This is the reason or one of 
the reasons why the gospel is according to God's grace. Paul 
highlights this in Romans 4 when he's dealing with justification 
by faith alone. In Romans 4.1, he says, what 
then shall we say? that Abraham our father has found 
according to the flesh. For if Abraham was justified 
by words, he has something to boast about. Perhaps at times 
you wonder, why is justification by faith alone? Because if it 
wasn't by faith alone, the creature would boast before God. And the 
grand design of the gospel is that no flesh glory in his presence, 
that all glory be given to him, that all honor and all praise 
and that all exaltation, go to the God of heaven and earth and 
to the Lamb who sits upon the throne." What does Paul say in 
Galatians 6, 14? He says, God forbid that I should 
boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through 
whom the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. You 
see the logic of the passage. It's not because of who you were 
that you are now accepted by God. It is absolutely contrary 
to who you were to be accepted by God. And the grand design 
is so that no flesh would glory in His sight. But then let's 
look at this positive statement in verse 30, but of Him you are 
in Christ Jesus. Certainly one of the implications 
or lessons that we can draw out of this statement is God's sovereignty. 
Now Calvinists or Reformed people talk about the sovereignty of 
God a lot. And Calvinists and Reformed people 
ought to talk about the sovereignty of God a lot. We are here tonight 
because of the sovereignty of God. We're here tonight because 
of God's mercy and God's grace. We're here because He chose us 
in Him before the foundation of the world. We're not here 
because we're wiser, we're more noble. We're not here because 
we're rich men and women. We're not here because we have 
works or righteousness or law-keeping or anything to offer to God. 
It is of Him that we are in Christ Jesus. Note the emphasis on this 
in the context. The Corinthians, according to 
verse 2, are called to be saints. Now, the call here is the effectual 
call, wherein the Holy Spirit draws sinners out of darkness 
into marvelous light to close with the Lord Jesus Christ. They 
are identified as those who are called, verse 24. They underwent 
calling, verse 26. They were chosen by God, according 
to verses 27 and 28. You see, it is of Him that we 
are in Christ Jesus. God's sovereignty is conspicuous, 
and this is consistent throughout the New Testament. Just a couple 
of other passages in John chapter 1, you can turn there, John chapter 
1, just to see and highlight the reality of God's sovereignty 
in the salvation of sinful men. John 1.12, but as many as received 
him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to 
those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor 
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. You see the emphasis in John's 
gospel, we are born of God. Notice in Acts 13, specifically 
verse 48, this is Paul's first missionary journey. He is preached in the synagogue 
in Pisidian Antioch. He's caused quite a problem there. The Jews are antagonistic to 
the fact that the Gentiles are hearing, and specifically Luke 
comments what's happening in redemptive history. Notice in 
1348, now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified 
the word of the Lord, and as many as had been appointed to 
eternal life believed. The order there is conspicuous. 
It's not the case that we believe and are then appointed to eternal 
life. The order is they were appointed 
to eternal life by God from before the foundation of the world, 
and as a result of that sovereign decree in time, in history, in 
space, according to God's timing, they believe the gospel. The sovereignty of God is conspicuous 
in the scripture dealing with man's salvation. Look at Romans 
chapter 9. Romans, chapter 9, again, just 
a few passages to demonstrate that we are in Christ, not because 
we chose Him, nor made a decision for Him, nor presented ourselves 
to Him based on our works, but we are in Christ because of God's 
sovereign grace, conspicuously seen in election and in regeneration. Notice in Romans 9, 16, so then 
it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who 
shows mercy. Again, there's a lot of debate 
about this particular topic, and I certainly don't see why. 
The Scriptures couldn't be clearer of the primacy of God's will 
in the matter of salvation. In 1 Corinthians 1, verse 30 
can be added to that list. But of Him, you are in Christ 
Jesus. As you eat this bread and as 
you drink this cup, rejoice in the God who put you in Christ 
Jesus. Rejoice in the Christ who has 
become unto us wisdom from God. But something else we ought to 
appreciate from this brief clause in verse 30, but of Him you are 
in Christ Jesus, is the doctrine of union with Christ. Notice, 
but of Him you are in Christ Jesus. We are in Christ Jesus. Now that's a wonderful statement 
that the Scripture presents to us over and over and over again. 
And there's a whole host of things that could be said concerning 
this union with Christ, but I want to draw out just a few things. 
Believers are in Him representatively. We studied this this morning 
in the Confession of Faith in chapter 6, and we saw the parallel 
that Paul sets forth between Adam and Christ. Adam was a public 
person. Adam was a representative. Adam 
was a federal or a covenantal head. He stood for us, and as 
a result, we die in him. We have a union with Adam, a 
solidarity with Adam based on this idea of representation. Well, the same is true with our 
union with Christ. He's a public person. He is a 
representative. He is a federal or a covenantal 
head. And we are in Him. We live as 
a result of His having obeyed the law of God. Believers are 
in Him judicially. In other words, He brings us 
into acceptance with God. It is Christ. It is because of 
His life, His death, His resurrection. that we have a judicial standing 
before God, one of not guilty. Believers are in Him. Now, big 
word, but I'll explain it. Epistemologically. And epistemology 
just deals with the doctrine of knowledge. How do we know? 
It's the theory of knowledge. Well, as believers, notice what 
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2.16, as he still carries this whole 
idea of wisdom to the end of the chapter. In 2.16, he says, 
"'For he who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct 
him, but we have the mind of Christ.'" Have you ever considered 
that? Chapter 2, verse 16 in 1 Corinthians, we have the mind 
of Christ. It's an amazing statement, isn't 
it? Well, it's this doctrine of union with Christ. There is 
an intellectual effect of the gospel. When we, by God's grace, 
pass from darkness into life, we begin to understand Scripture. 
We begin to understand reality. We can start to make heads or 
tails of the world around us because we now have the mind 
of Christ. But as well, believers are in 
Him mystically. And I know that this is a subject 
that we could spend time on as well, this idea of mystical communion. It's a mystical sounding word, 
isn't it? Just to redefine it by itself. But I just wanted 
to kind of introduce this concept so I could read this quote from 
Calvin. But this mystical communion is demonstrated or is used by 
way of analogy in Ephesians chapter 5. You know, the husband and 
wife relationship. Husbands are to love their wives 
as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her. Women, 
or wives rather, are supposed to submit to their own husbands 
as unto the Lord. Well, Paul develops that, he 
highlights the specific responsibilities between husbands and wives, and 
then he says, I am speaking concerning a great mystery. He's speaking 
concerning Christ and his church. In other words, Christian couples 
are to typify, symbolize, demonstrate what Jesus and his church look 
like. Well, I think this is where this 
whole concept or idea of mystical union or mystical communion with 
Christ has come about. The idea being simply, we have 
solidarity, we are in him. Calvin says, therefore, that 
joining together of head and members, that indwelling of Christ 
in our hearts, in short, that mystical union, are accorded 
by us the highest degree of importance, so that Christ, having been made 
ours, makes us sharers with him in the gifts with which he has 
been endowed. We do not, therefore, contemplate 
Him outside ourselves from afar in order that His righteousness 
may be imputed to us, but because we put on Christ and are engrafted 
into His body, in short, because He deigns to make us one with 
Him. That's what I mean by this idea 
of mystical union, or believers are in Him mystically. So this 
is two things we get from this first part of verse 30. The sovereignty 
of God, but of Him you are in Christ Jesus, and the doctrine 
of union with Christ. We are in Christ Jesus. Now let's look secondly at the 
identification of our spiritual blessings in 30b. Notice, who 
became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification 
and redemption. It's a pretty solid inventory, 
isn't it? It's a pretty excellent list of things that we possess 
in Christ Jesus. I mean, brethren, do you understand 
what Paul is saying? In Christ we have everything. 
This is an A to Z with reference to our salvation. This is an 
alpha to omega concerning. what we have in the person of 
Christ, what we enjoy as those in union with Christ. Now note 
the overarching concern, and it's fitting for the context. 
He says, who became for us wisdom from God? I don't think we're 
dealing with four coordinate blessings. I don't think he's 
saying wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption. I 
think he's saying wisdom, and this wisdom is evidenced by righteousness, 
sanctification, and redemption. In other words, how is Christ, 
the wisdom from God, to us or for us? How is Christ best demonstrated 
in terms of this concept of wisdom? But note the language with reference 
to wisdom, who became for us wisdom from God. That's interesting, 
isn't it? He doesn't say He made us wise. 
He says that He became for us wisdom from God. It's something 
that we possess. It's something that we own. It's 
something that we have. Chrysostom makes the observation 
here. But why said He not, He hath 
made us wise, but was made unto us wisdom? To show the copiousness 
of the gift. Copiousness just means a lot. 
To show us how big it is, how immense it is, how wonderful 
it is. He makes the language this way 
to show us the copiousness of the gift. Chris Austin finishes 
by saying, as if he had said, he gave unto us himself. That's the language that is presented, 
who became for us wisdom from God. The context obviously shows 
the demonstration of this, the world's wisdom versus God's wisdom 
seen preeminently in Christ and the salvation wrought by Christ. And the theological significance 
of this statement, God's plan of salvation is a manifestation 
of His wisdom. Look at Ephesians 3, Ephesians 
chapter 3. just drawing out some theological 
significance of this term, wisdom from God. God's plan of salvation is a 
manifestation of His wisdom. Certainly creation is. When you 
look at the created order, you ought to thank God's wisdom. 
When you look at the mountains and you look at the snow, yes, 
even when you look at the snow, you should thank God's wisdom. 
I realize after a few weeks of this, you're looking at the snow 
thinking, please melt it, Lord, we're ready to get back to normal 
here. It's beautiful. It is a demonstration of His 
glory. It is a demonstration of His 
might, of His power. Pastor Porter read Psalm 19. What do the heavens do? They 
declare the glory of God. The firmament manifests His handiwork. When you look at this created 
order, you ought to see a demonstration of the wisdom of God. When you 
look at the animals, or you look at the plants, or you look at 
the insects, you look at things in a subatomic level, you ought 
to think God's wisdom. But that wisdom is manifested 
through redemption as well. And notice, specifically in Ephesians 
3, at verse 8, just to set the context, To me, who am less than 
the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I 
should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 
and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which 
from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God, who created 
all things through Jesus Christ, to the intent that now the manifold 
wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities 
and powers in the heavenly places." Now, I'd like to sort of explain 
verse 10 there with an illustration that I'm sure many of you are 
probably tired of, but think trophy case in verse 10. If you 
were to be the best bowler on your bowling squad and you got 
the trophy, you would take that trophy home and you'd put it 
on your mantle, and when persons walked into your living room, 
they could gaze at you for your bowling skills and gifts. They 
would see that trophy, and it would point to the reality that 
you're an excellent bowler. Or perhaps you made the award-winning 
pie at the local fair and you got the blue ribbon and you put 
that on your refrigerator and persons came over and they were 
going to get some milk for their coffee and they said, what's 
this blue ribbon? I made the best pie at the local county 
fair. That reflects the glory of your 
pie-making ability. Well, here's what Paul's doing. 
Paul says, in the church, Verse 10, to the intent that now the 
manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church. We're the trophy case, okay? We conquered sinners. We saved 
sinners. We wretches, we base, we nothings, 
we non-mighty, we non-noble, we wretched people. Look it, 
might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers 
in the heavenly places. Now some of that language might 
stretch our minds a little bit, but just think this. Angels look 
down upon the church, and they see the likes of us saved, and 
they give glory to God. They see the wisdom of God manifested 
in the reality that those of us who couldn't tie our shoes 
and chew gum at the same time are now in Christ. Those of us 
who had rejected and rebelled against every one of God's ten 
commandments, those of us who had raised the fist at the most 
high, Those of us are now gathered together singing praises to our 
God, seeking to take the supper, listening to the Word of God 
read and preached. When those angels look down upon 
these trophies of sovereign grace, the glory is given to God. and specifically His wisdom, 
Paul calls it His manifold wisdom, is demonstrated in the church. You see why church attendance 
is important? So you can communicate to these 
angels in the heavenly places, these principalities and powers 
in the heavenly places. Where ought we to be on the Lord's 
Day? We ought to be in that place where these principalities and 
heavenly powers look down and see us so that they may give 
glory to God Most High. And as well, God's plan, or God's 
Christ, however, is the linchpin of His plan of salvation, and 
Christ is the one in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom 
and knowledge. Colossians 2.3 tells us that. So going back to 1 Corinthians 
chapter 1. You see how God's wisdom is manifested 
primarily in Christ, in the work of Christ, in the plan of salvation, 
and now Paul will go on to detail or indicate or inventory the 
specific blessings that we have in Christ that is a manifestation 
of God's wisdom. Note, he says, righteousness. In fact, we could read the text 
this way, who became for us wisdom from God, that is righteousness 
and sanctification and redemption. See, the righteousness, sanctification, 
and redemption further explain this idea of wisdom. So it's 
not four coordinate things, but it's one overarching thing, wisdom. 
contra the world's wisdom, and specifically that wisdom is seen 
in these three particular blessings. Righteousness is the first. Now, 
as we consider this, this does not mean our righteousness. Christ 
is our wisdom, and as a result of Christ being our wisdom, we 
have received this righteousness. And in the first place, the Lord 
Christ fulfills all righteousness in accordance with His Father's 
law. The Lord Christ Almighty fulfilled all righteousness, 
as was said earlier, as our representative had. If in Adam all die, in Christ 
all shall be made alive. Why is that? Because by the one 
man's disobedience, the many were made sinners. But through 
the one man's act of righteousness, the many are made, better constituted, 
righteous. Because of Adam, we die. Because 
of Christ, we live. And that's based on this concept 
of righteousness. The Lord Christ fulfilled all 
righteousness in order that His righteousness may be imputed 
to us, and that righteousness is received by faith alone. I 
mentioned this morning you were going to hear justification by 
faith alone again. We press this a lot. Luther said, 
I preach justification by faith every week because my people 
forget it every week. Brethren, we mustn't forget justification 
by faith. This is the very foundation for 
the Christian life. It really is paradoxical. You 
know, Paul met the argument in Romans chapter 6. What shall 
we say then? Shall we continue in sin that 
grace may abound? If you read through Romans and 
you have an English Bible, notice every time the question mark 
is used by the Apostle Paul. Do you think Paul was just making 
things up? Do you think he was just, you know, being a rhetorical 
artist and just, you know, projecting these things? I submit 
that what Paul deals with by way of these questions in the 
book of Romans are things he heard when he preached the gospel. 
In other words, he would go into a Jewish synagogue and he would 
preach justification by faith. Guess what would happen when 
he stood in the foyer and they would come back and talk to him? 
They would say something like, well, if what you say is true, 
if we're justified by faith, then men can go out and live 
any old way they want, right? No, Romans 6.1, what shall we 
say? Shall we continue in sin that 
grace may abound? May it never be! We get to Romans 9. What is he asked there when he's 
dealing with the doctrine of God's sovereignty in election? 
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness in God? 
These questions were probably present to Paul every time he 
preached the gospel. And I think we ought to take 
encouragement, brethren. If somebody ever says to you, 
if you insist on justification by faith alone, then that will 
give license to sinners to go out and sin. If no one's ever 
accused you of that, you're probably not preaching justification by 
faith alone as you ought. Now, don't go home and cry. I'm 
just saying that when we face the same charges that Paul did, 
we know we're on the right track. It ought to be the case that 
people get a little hot and bothered at the reality of the suggestion 
that when we preach justification by faith alone, somebody somewhere 
is going to make the implication, well then that means they can 
outlive whatever way they want. No. Justification by faith is 
the foundation for holiness. It's because we've been liberated. 
It's because we've been delivered. It's because we've been justified 
freely by His grace that we want to serve God, that we want to 
honor Him, that we want to let our light so shine before men 
that they may see our good works and give glory to God. Never 
let anybody lie to you and tell you that the doctrine of justification 
by faith alone hurts holiness. I would argue just the opposite. It promotes it. It makes it happen. And I think that's the progression 
in our list of spiritual blessings. Romans 5.19 indicates justification 
by way of God's imputing to us the righteousness of Jesus Christ, 
and it's received by faith alone. Notice in our epistle in 1 Corinthians 
6, after making that wonderful statement in verses 9 and following, 
do you not know, verse 9, chapter 6, that the unrighteous will 
not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived, neither fornicators, 
nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 
nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor 
extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." That's not surprising, 
is it? Have you ever read 1 Corinthians 
chapter 6, verses 9 and 10 and said, wow, that's amazing, I 
can't believe that. No, that follows, doesn't it? We live 
in a world governed by a sovereign, a majestic, and a holy God, a 
law-giving God. And when we read verses 9 and 
10, no. I mean, we may go through periods where we don't think 
it's as bad as it is, but there might be the creeping deception 
that may enter in, but when we face this really, verses 9 and 
10 make absolute sense. In a world governed by a holy 
God, a righteous God, we ought to conclude that those who violate 
his law will not enter into his kingdom, right? If I ask you 
to kick the snow off your shoe before you come into my house 
and you don't, you shouldn't be surprised when I don't invite 
you in. I probably still would, but you get the point. What's 
really amazing is verse 11. What's really glorious is verse 
11. Nine and 10 follow from a just, 
holy, righteous God. When I violate that just, holy, 
righteous God, I expect not to enter into the kingdom of heaven. 
But what is amazing is verse 11, and such were some of you, 
but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified 
in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. Notice 2 Corinthians 5.21, this 
whole idea of justification by faith alone. Based on the whole 
doctrine of imputation, God takes our sin, heaps it upon Jesus, 
God punishes Jesus, He satisfies divine justice in our stead, 
and then He takes the righteousness of Jesus and He gives it to us. 
That is all compactly stated in one verse in 2 Corinthians 
5.21, for He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us that 
we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Beautiful. We might become the righteousness 
of God in Him. Again, it's because of what Christ 
has accomplished, because of His active obedience, because 
God gives us this by way of imputation, and that is received by faith 
alone. And then notice in Philippians chapter 3, Philippians chapter 
3, beginning in verse 7 to set the context, but what things 
were gained to me, these I have counted lost for Christ. Yet 
indeed, I also count all things lost for the excellence of the 
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered 
the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain 
Christ." Now note, "...and be found in Him, not having my own 
righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through 
faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith." 
This is the righteousness Paul speaks of. in 1 Corinthians 1, 
verse 30. You want to see how Christ is 
made unto us? Wisdom from God? Consider the 
righteousness of Christ. Consider the doctrine of imputation. Consider the reality that you 
have been justified by faith. Calvin explains. He says that 
He has made unto us righteousness. by which he means that we are 
on his account acceptable to God, inasmuch as he expiated 
our sins by his death, and his obedience is imputed to us for 
righteousness. Gil says it this way, this righteousness 
by an act of the Father's grace is imputed, reckoned, and accounted 
to them as their justifying righteousness. So just by way of a really practical 
moment, Do we reflect upon this? Do we bless God for this? We 
know that God demands perfect righteousness. He wouldn't be 
a moral governor if he turned his eye to sin or if he winked 
at sin. He demands satisfaction. He demands obedience. He demands 
that the creature does the like. As a result of what Christ has 
done, we now have a righteousness. We are clothed in the righteousness 
of Jesus Christ. We will stand before God Most 
High and be given entrance into Emmanuel's land. Brethren, as 
we eat this bread and we drink this cup, it is not wrong for 
us to do so in remembrance of Him, specifically, and with reference 
to Him concerning the reality that He has given us a perfect 
righteousness. Paul goes on to further explain 
what he means that Christ became for us wisdom from God. He is 
righteousness, He is sanctification. Sanctification, these two terms 
are very closely related. Before we get into the now-we-can-pursue-holiness 
aspect, we ought to consider in the first place Christ is 
our sanctification. Christ is our holiness, Christ 
representatively and federally. Gill makes this observation. 
Hodge explains it this way. He says, these, righteousness 
and sanctification, are intimately united as different aspects of 
the same thing. Righteousness is that which satisfies 
the demands of the law as a rule of justification. Sanctification 
or holiness is that which satisfies the law as a rule of duty. Christ 
is both to us. Now, we will make an application 
in just a moment that because of Christ's righteousness imputed 
to us, received by faith alone, we now have the wherewithal and 
the ability and the provision of the Holy Spirit to pursue 
holiness without which no one will see the Lord. We have the 
ability to perfect holiness in the fear of God. We have the 
ability by the power of the Holy Spirit to cut off right hands 
and to gouge out right eyes. Again, metaphorically, don't 
go do this at home. But when we see this intimate 
connection between justification and sanctification, we certainly 
need to make that application. But the primary reference is 
Christ is our sanctification. And I think that Hodge is right. 
It's not so much my holiness that results from the imputation 
of Christ's righteousness, but Christ's holiness as well. Listen 
to Hodge again. Righteousness is that which satisfies 
the demands of the law as a rule of justification. Sanctification 
or holiness is that which satisfies the law as a rule of duty. Christ 
is both to us. So I hope you get that. Christ 
is our wisdom from God. Righteousness, sanctification. 
Now certainly the righteousness is declarative. It is imputed 
to us, received by faith alone. But the idea here is that sanctification 
is as well. Now based on that, we can pursue 
holiness. We can go after those things 
that God calls us to. It is Christ who sends the Spirit 
to enable and empower His people to live in a manner that is consistent 
with their having been accepted by God. In other words, you are 
accepted by God now. You have been justified freely 
by His grace. This same Christ, who is our 
wisdom from God, has now given us the Holy Spirit so that we 
may pursue those things that are pleasing. Calvin makes the 
connection this way. He calls him our sanctification, 
by which he means that we who are otherwise unholy by nature 
are by His Spirit renewed unto holiness, that we may serve God. From this also we infer that 
we cannot be justified freely through faith alone without at 
the same time living holily. I love that word, holily. It's 
a real word, because Microsoft Word didn't underline it. We 
don't use holily a lot, do we? But you get the point, brethren. 
I made this statement a couple of minutes ago. What shall we 
say? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it 
never be! The man who thinks that justification 
by faith promotes licentious living doesn't understand justification 
by faith. I would argue that Roman Catholicism 
does not argue at this, doesn't understand at this very point. They don't want their people 
to think that they are justified by faith alone because then they 
aren't dependent upon the system and the structure and the sacraments. 
They aren't dependent upon the priestcraft. They aren't dependent 
upon those things that need to be channeled down to them or 
funneled down to them. You tell a man he's justified 
by faith alone, it produces a great deal of liberty in that man. 
We can't have that. He's not easy to control when 
he has this liberty and this freedom, this lack of bondage 
that the sons of God enjoy. But that liberty that we have 
in Christ is not the liberty to go out and live as however 
we please. It's unfortunate that today Christian 
liberty is celebrated on Facebook as having a beer with pizza. 
That's where, you know, wow, I've got my liberty in Jesus. Your liberty in Jesus means you 
get to obey God. I'm not saying if you have a 
beer with your pizza, you're not obeying God. But that's not 
where the battle for Christian liberty is fought and won. Liberty as the children of God, 
as the blood-bought people of God, is the liberty to do what 
God says. Because when we're in bondage, 
when we're in the slave market of sin, our hearts are contrary 
to God. We have no desire for God. We 
don't want to do what God says. The Gospel comes and delivers. 
The Gospel comes and saves. The Gospel comes and liberates 
us. And what does the liberated man want to do? I want to follow 
my Savior. I want to pursue my Jesus. I 
want to sing 505 and actually mean it, all the way my Savior 
leads. Wherever He bids, I want to follow. That's what Christian liberty 
is. It's the liberty to obey God. Where did we miss this? How did it become beer with pizza? So from this also we infer that 
we cannot be justified freely through faith alone without at 
the same time living holy. You see, you just cannot say, 
well, you know, I'm justified by faith so it doesn't matter 
how I live. It matters how you live. Isn't this Paul's point 
in Romans 12? After opening up the gospel in 
all of its glorious details in Romans 1 to 11, what does Paul 
do in Romans 12? He gets real practical. Therefore, 
beloved brethren, by the mercies of God, I beseech you to present 
your bodies as a living sacrifice to God, which is your reasonable, 
irrational service. It follows necessarily, doesn't 
it? If God has delivered you from 
your sins, if Christ has died for your sins, if Christ has 
been raised for your justification, if Christ has given you the Spirit, 
the Spirit is active in your heart, enabling you to cry out 
of a father, then doesn't it rationally or reasonably follow 
in Romans 12, therefore by the mercies of God I beseech you 
to present your bodies as a living sacrifice. That's rational. That's how we respond. We don't 
respond that way because we think we're going to be saved. We respond 
that way because we've been saved. And there's no greater joy for 
the conquered soul than to live in light of his father's smile. 
That's our desire, brethren. Justification always produces 
sanctification. We might even conclude if there's 
no sanctification in your life, if there is no holiness in your 
life, if there is no pursuit after the good things in your 
life, arguably you have not come to Christ. That's the reality 
of the connection. And then Paul stipulates or says, 
after righteousness, after sanctification, he mentions redemption. Now redemption 
is used differently in different contexts. The primary emphasis 
on the word redemption, as we find it in other places in the 
New Testament, is the purchase of persons out of the slave market. It is used with reference to 
the exodus in Egypt. That was an act of redemption. 
God redeemed Israel out of Egypt. They were in slavery, they were 
in bondage, and God redeemed them. In the New Testament, the 
idea is redemption through the payment of a price. We get redemption 
through the blood of the Lord Jesus. The price offered is Christ's 
blood. As a result, we are redeemed. 
But it's not quite used in that particular sense here. There 
are other places in the New Testament where redemption points to our 
final deliverance. Notice Romans 8. We're close. 
You can just turn back a few pages. Romans chapter 8, verse 
22. For we know that the whole creation 
groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not 
only that, but we also who have the first fruits of the Spirit, 
even we ourselves grown within ourselves, eagerly waiting for 
the adoption, the redemption of our body, You see, there's 
a day in the future for every one of God's people where there 
is the redemption of our body. We're all dropped dead collectively 
tonight. They put our bodies into the 
ground. Our soul departs and is present with the Lord. But 
that's not it for the Christian. That's the intermediate state. 
But brethren, we are not Gnostics. God is not anti-body. God is 
not against the physical. What is in the future for all 
of us is the general resurrection where God raises those bodies 
from the dead and reunites body and soul so that body and soul 
we stand in the presence of God most high and the Lamb who sits 
upon the throne. We're looking forward to that 
redemption. Redemption is used in a similar 
sense in Ephesians 1. You can turn there. Ephesians 
chapter 1. Verse 13, in Him you also trusted 
after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, 
in whom also having believed, you were sealed with the Holy 
Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance 
until the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of His 
glory. The idea there is that we have 
been sealed, we have received the Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee 
or the down payment of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased 
possession." In other words, presently we have the Spirit 
who functions as this guarantee or down payment until the consummation 
comes. And then Ephesians 4, verse 30, 
another place where this language of redemption is used. with a future referent. Verse 
30 in Ephesians 4, do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom 
you were sealed for, there's the concept, the day of redemption. So the Spirit seals us to preserve 
us and to keep us unto that great day. And I suspect that that's 
what Paul has in mind. in this particular catalog of 
blessings we receive from God. He is our wisdom from God, that 
is our righteousness, our sanctification, our redemption. One last quote 
from Charles Hodge. He says, with reference to the 
term redemption, this term sometimes includes all the benefits received 
from Christ. When He is called our Redeemer, 
He is presented as our deliverer from guilt, from hell, from sin, 
from the power of Satan, from the grave. But when redemption 
is distinguished from justification and sanctification, it refers 
to the final deliverance from evil. So back to 1 Corinthians 
1, our third and final point, quickly, is the goal of our reception 
of these spiritual blessings. Notice, after indicating the 
particulars, he says in verse 31 that, as it is written, he 
who glories, let him glory in the Lord. Don't miss the contrast 
with verse 29. It's not because of your nobility, 
it's not because of your might, it's not because of your wisdom, 
because if it was, then you would boast in the presence of God 
concerning your nobility, might, and wisdom. But the design is 
such that it's not those things so that no flesh will glory in 
His sight. The design is such is that it is these things so 
that all flesh that are saved will glory in Him. That's the 
reason. He is this wisdom from God. And that's the reason why that 
wisdom is manifested in righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 
It's so that those who receive those blessings glory in the 
Lord. We praise Him. We honor Him. We adore Him. We worship Him. There is nothing for credit in 
our own being. There is nothing in our hands 
we bring. We simply cling to His cross. Paul's point here is that the 
system of salvation devised by our sovereign God, wherein His 
sovereignty is magnified in that He puts us in Christ, He gives 
us that union with Christ, That Christ who is our wisdom that 
is manifested in righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 
the design and the purpose and the point of all of this is so 
that we'll gather here on the Lord's Day and sing His praises. 
So that tomorrow we will sing His praises in private. So that 
tomorrow night we will sing His praises as families. so that 
the next day we'll do the very same thing, and that if anybody 
ever asks us, why are you happy, or where are you going when you 
die, and we have the wherewithal to tell them I'm going to heaven, 
we can say it's because of God Most High. It is because of His 
Christ. It is because of the Savior King 
who has become to us, who has become for us wisdom from God. In Him I have righteousness, 
I have sanctification, I have redemption, and my purpose and 
my goal and my function and my design in life is to glory in 
Him. Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that 
the point of that passage in 1 Peter? He calls us out of darkness 
into His marvelous light. Why? So that we may proclaim 
His excellencies. So that we may proclaim His praises. This is God's purpose in your 
salvation, is that you would open your mouth and praise Him. 
that you would honor Him, that you would adore Him, that you 
would worship Him in prayer, that you would be attentive to 
His Word, because in this God is glorified, and that is the 
grand design in our salvation. Calvin says, Mark the end that 
God has in view in bestowing all things upon us in Christ, 
that we may not claim any merit to ourselves, but may give Him 
all the praise. This is precisely where all non-reformed 
soteriology falls. Because in every man-centered 
view, in every view that sees a synergism between the sinner 
and God, there's glory for the sinner. It might be a little 
bit, but it's there. I made this decision. I raised my hand. I chose for Jesus. I didn't smoke crack. I didn't visit prostitutes. I did... That's taking glory, 
isn't it? What do you want? God to say 
good on you that you didn't smoke crack. That's what we're looking 
for, isn't it? And we live in a day and age 
where people think they should be rewarded for doing what they're 
supposed to do. Businesses will give a perfect 
attendance award to the person who never calls in sick. Why? You're supposed to show up. Brethren, if there was one iota 
of credit for us to take, we would take it. And if it's our 
free will, if it's our free choice, if it's the yearnings of our 
heart, We're gonna grab glory from God. But the design of God 
in the gospel is that we were dead in our trespasses and sins. 
We had no ability whatsoever. We were totally depraved, totally 
unable, totally to do anything to offer ourselves to God. He 
picked us up, He washed us off, He cleansed us, He clothed us, 
He gave us everything. So why in the world wouldn't 
we give Him grace and glory? I mean, this is another no-brainer, 
isn't it? After you receive all these things, 
okay, now what? You glory in the Lord. That's 
what you do. Somebody gets converted. Well, 
what do I do now? You praise God. That's the response 
to having been saved. And the backdrop of this specific 
text, or Paul's quotation rather, is a very beautiful text. It's 
Jeremiah 9, 23, and 24. Now I'm going to read Jeremiah 
9, 23, and 24 in just a moment, but you ought to appreciate where 
Jeremiah 9, 23, and 24 are. Yes, in the prophet Jeremiah, 
but in the first temple sermon, Jeremiah 7 to 10. One of the 
things that Jeremiah is doing is indicting the nation of Israel 
because they have put their hope in things other than God. They have put their hope in the 
temple. They have put their hope in the 
sacrifice. They have put their hope in leaders. I think that as we appreciate 
the location of Jeremiah 9, we will see the parallel with Paul's 
statement here. We are not to put our hope in 
the temple. We are not to put our hope in 
the sacrifices. We are not to put our hope in 
our leaders. In this context, we're not to 
put our hope in our wisdom, in our might, or in our nobility. We're not to put our hope in 
any competitor to God Most High. Our hope, our confidence, our 
faith, cleaves to Christ. So Jeremiah says, thus says the 
Lord, let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty 
man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches, 
but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands 
and knows me. That's why we glory, isn't it? Isn't it? I mean, as fathers, 
you look at your kids and there's a sense of glory and joy. Those 
are my offspring. Those are my kids. You know, 
you might do that with your wife. But when all is said and done, 
in the heart of the believer, what do we glory in? That we 
know God. Isn't this the best thing that 
we have? We know God. I mean, you might 
have a big bank account. You might have a nice car. You 
might have a nice house. But you know what, brethren? I know God. 
That's the way the believer responds. We know God. that he understands 
and knows me, that I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, 
and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says 
the Lord." It's an appropriate citation for the Apostle Paul 
in a very similar context. Before the Corinthians get enamored 
with the wisdom of this world, Paul wants to set things straight. Make sure that you understand 
that the wisdom of God makes foolish the wisdom of the world. The best thing you Corinthians 
have, the best thing you Chilliwackians have, the best thing that any 
Christian has is that they know God. And they know that wisdom 
that has become ours, who is Christ, who conveys to us righteousness, 
sanctification, and redemption, that as it is written, he who 
glories, let him glory in the Lord. That ought to be our aim, 
that ought to be our pursuit, that ought to be our desire, 
is to bring glory to God most high. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, we thank you for your word and we thank you for this 
section of Holy Scripture and for what it teaches us concerning 
our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that you would help us 
to understand the doctrine of justification by faith alone, 
that we would hear it, receive it, and be greatly encouraged 
as a result. As well, help us to pursue holiness 
and righteousness and those things pleasing to our Heavenly Father. And help us to look forward to 
that day when Jesus comes again in glory to judge the living 
and the dead. That day when He ushers us in to Emmanuel's land, 
when we will be in that place where there is no more pain and 
no more sorrow and no more hunger and no more thirst and no more 
shame and guilt and sin and wretchedness and the things that so often 
bog us down on this earth. God, help us to look forward 
to that day when we will be in the presence of God most high 
in the land who sits upon the throne, when we will cry throughout 
all eternity, salvation belongs to our God. And may you grant 
us hope and grace and faith and confidence and cause us to persevere 
in the midst of truths like these for your glory, for your honor, 
for your praise, and for the good of our own souls. And we 
ask these things through Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen. Book of Matthew, Matthew 26. 
We find the account of the institution of the Lord's Supper. The Lord's 
Supper, as you know, is an ordinance of the New Testament instituted 
by the Lord Jesus Christ, our only lawgiver, to be observed 
in his churches unto the end of the world. And 2,000 years 
after its institutions, his churches gather together in order to observe 
this ordinance, this sacrament. Remembering the Lord's death 
till he comes again, an offering of praise for that once for all 
offering of Jesus Christ upon the cross, and a proclamation 
of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Matthew 26, I'll read the portion 
beginning in verse 17, finishing at verse 25, and we'll make some 
observations before we partake of the Lord's Supper. This is 
Matthew 26, beginning in verse 17. Now on the first day of the 
Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus saying 
to him, where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the 
Passover? And he said, go into the city to a certain man and 
say to him, the teacher says my time is at hand. I will keep 
the Passover at your house with my disciples. So the disciples 
did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover. 
When evening had come, he sat down with the 12. Now as they 
were eating, he said, assuredly I say to you, one of you will 
betray me. And they were exceedingly sorrowful. 
And each of them began to say to him, Lord, is it I? He answered 
and said, he who dipped his hand with me in the dish will betray 
me. The son of man indeed goes just 
as it is written of him. But woe to that man by whom the 
son of man is betrayed. It would have been good for that 
man if he had not been born. Then Judas, who was betraying 
him, answered and said, Rabbi, is it I? He said to him, you 
have said it. Amen. Well, we've noted before, 
and hopefully, Lord willing, every time, not every time, but 
maybe almost every time we gather together for the Lord's Supper, 
when we read this portion of scripture, we'll make the same 
observation. It's quite a notable thing that 
the Lord Jesus Christ is instituting the Lord's Supper in the midst 
of the celebration of the Passover. Remember what Christ is as an 
antitype. He is the one who fulfills the 
Passover observation of the Old Testament. Paul uses the language 
that Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. It's an amazing 
thing. You see, it's not just, oh, this 
worked out great. Christ is, you know, observing 
the Lord's Supper on the night, or instituting the Lord's Supper 
on the night of the Passover. Isn't that an interesting coincidence? 
No, it's deliberate. It's designed to show now this 
new covenant observance is being instituted by the very one whom 
the Old Testament ordinance pointed forward to. The Passover was 
that which pointed forward to, yes, it remembered that physical 
redemption that Pastor Butler talked about, the exodus for 
the redemption from out of bondage in Egypt, but it also pointed 
forward to, ultimately, the true Passover, the Lord Jesus Christ, 
the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. It's an 
amazing, amazing scene that the very one the Passover typified 
is here instituting the Lord's Supper, a supper that will remember 
him and his once for all death upon Calvary's tree until he 
comes again. It's absolutely amazing. Remember 
what we're doing when we're coming here and observing the Lord's 
Supper. When we take of the bread and we take of the wine, we are 
eating bread and we are drinking wine. The bread does not change. The wine does not change. These 
things do not change into the body, blood, and divinity of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. That is a Roman Catholic abomination. As our confession says, it is 
repugnant to scripture and to common sense to believe such 
a thing. Yet we do have these blessed 
things set aside from a common use to a holy use. in this ordinance, in this sacrament, 
we take of the bread and we take of the wine, those things being 
unchanged and yet recognized in their holy application as 
symbols for the finished and the perfect work of our Lord 
Jesus Christ. It is a solemn occasion as we 
reflect upon his death till he comes again, but don't make the 
mistake of not counting it also a joyous occasion, reflecting 
upon the once for all sacrifice that Jesus Christ rendered upon 
the blessed cross. Now remember, the Lord's Supper 
is for Christians only. If you're here tonight and you're 
not a Christian, you're not to take of the bread and of the 
wine. Just like the ordinance of baptism, 
these things are for believers only. If you're offended by that, 
you shouldn't be. You can come up and ask us afterwards, 
how can I partake in the Lord's Supper? And we'll say, believe 
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you may be baptized. and partake 
of the Lord's Supper. But this is for Christians and 
Christians alone, so please partake accordingly. As well, it is for 
Christians who are living consistent with their profession of faith, 
that is, they're not harboring any unrepentant sin. If you're 
here tonight and you're hiding sin, you're unrepentant and you're 
transgressions against God, as we would read in 1 Corinthians 
11, that is to do damage, to do violence to the ordinance 
of the Lord's Supper, to remember or observe it in such a way. 
But remember, there's forgiveness with the Lord that he may be 
feared. Don't harbor sin. Don't live in unrepentant sin. 
Repent and you find forgiveness with the Lord Jesus Christ. You 
have forgiveness in Jesus Christ, our blessed Savior.