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Galatians chapter three, we have 
seen Paul's appeal to the Galatians experience in terms of their 
justification and reception of the spirit. It was by faith alone. We see his appeal to the scripture, 
specifically the example of Abraham in verses six to nine. He highlights 
the fact that Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him 
for righteousness. Highlighting again, faith alone. Faith alone for justification. faith alone for the reception 
of the Holy Spirit. Tonight we're going to look at 
another appeal to Scripture in verses 10-14 with specific emphasis 
upon the expectation of the law. The expectation of the law. As we consider God in His holiness, 
as we consider God in His righteousness, and as we ask the question, how 
can a sinful man stand before a holy God There's one of two 
ways of approach. One is in our own strength. One 
is in our own merit. One is in our own law keeping. 
The other, of course, is the right way by grace through faith 
in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so what Paul highlights in 
this appeal to scripture, specifically in verses 10 to 12, is that the 
Mosaic code, the law of God itself, specified that man needed Christ. The law was given to define or 
to show man his sinfulness and his need for a redeemer. It functions 
in other ways, to be sure, but that's the primary emphasis in 
this passage. John Calvin said, when we come 
to this passage, the contradiction between the law and faith lies 
in the matter of justification. For the present question is not 
whether believers ought to keep the law as far as they can, which 
is beyond all doubt. but whether they can obtain righteousness 
by works, which is impossible. So again, the context is very 
clear. He's dealing with justification, 
or how a sinner is made right before God. If you choose law, 
if you choose the works of the law, you are under the curse 
of the law, as the apostle says. The scripture itself testifies 
concerning this reality. Well, I'll just pick up reading 
in verse one. Oh, foolish Galatians, who has 
bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose 
eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified. 
This only I want to learn from you. Did you receive the spirit 
by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? Are you 
so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are 
you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered 
so many things in vain, if indeed it was in vain? Therefore, he 
who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, 
does he do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of 
faith? Just as Abraham believed God, 
and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Therefore, know 
that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. And the 
scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by 
faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, in 
you all the nations shall be blessed. So then, those who are 
of faith are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are of 
the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, 
Curse it is everyone who does not continue in all things which 
are written in the book of the law to do them, but that no one 
is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident for the 
just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not a faith, but 
the man who does them shall live by them. Christ has redeemed 
us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, curse it is 
everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham 
might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might 
receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Amen. Pastor Cam, can I ask you to 
pray, please? God, we thank you so much again to have you here 
to worship for us. We just pray that you bless this 
aspect of our worship this evening. We appreciate your work. We just 
pray that you send down to the rest of the world and to communities 
to preach the word of God. We pray that those who are on 
your course, those who are unsafe here, Lord God, know the glory 
of the gospel and become salvaged by that same eternal God. We just pray that they return 
from a fall of chastisement in their minds and that they return 
unsurprisingly. Amen. Well, there are two main 
sections in verses 10 to 14. The first is, as I said, the 
expectation of the law. Versus 10. to 12 through an appeal 
to Deuteronomy, Habakkuk and Leviticus, the apostle again 
underscores the reality that it's by faith alone that we stand 
before a holy God. And then the second observation 
of the second section is in verses 13 and 14, the gracious provision 
of God. So the law expects and demands 
a very particular thing. But God in his grace provides 
a way of redemption and that by Jesus Christ, as it is spelled 
out there very clearly and wonderfully in verses 13 and 14. So we'll 
pick up. First, with the expectation of 
the law in verses 10 to 12. Notice the marked contrast between 
what comes before and this section. The emphasis in verses 6 to 9 
is of faith, of faith, of faith. It's of faith that we are brought 
in as sons of Abraham. It's of faith that we are the 
recipients of all of the blessings that God has promised in terms 
of His covenantal dealing. It's by faith that we come into 
this place of righteousness or justification before a holy God. The contrast here very clearly, 
verses 10 to 12, is of law, of the works of the law. Those who 
put all of their emphasis and resources into the law itself. And then he highlights very clearly, 
just by way of an observation in verse 10, for as many as are 
of the works of the law are under the curse. You're believing on 
the Lord Jesus, you've been blessed with Abraham. You believe on 
the Lord Jesus, you're brought into that place of justification. 
Belief on the Lord Jesus means salvation and everlasting life. But those who reject Christ, 
those who look to their own resources, those who look to the law, are 
under the curse. Now this is a very powerful statement 
that the apostle makes. Under the curse of God, there 
could be nothing worse As there is nothing better than being 
under the blessing of God, so is there nothing worse than being 
under the curse of God, the condemnation of God. The Westminster Shorter 
Catechism asks, what does every sin deserve? The answer is, every 
sin deserves God's wrath and curse, both in this life and 
that which is to come. It's a very powerful and a very 
biblical statement. And so when we look at this particular 
passage, when we look at this particular section, I believe 
it underscores the gravity of the apostles argument. What we 
are dealing here with is life and death. We are dealing with 
everlasting bliss or everlasting torment. We are dealing with 
being in the presence of God for all eternity, praising Him 
and the Lamb upon the throne, or being cast out into the lake 
of fire where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Paul says 
very clearly that if you seek salvation through your own merit 
or law keeping, You are under the curse. And then he appeals, 
as I said, to the scripture. Notice the first text, Deuteronomy 
27, verse 26. For it is written, he says, person 
is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written 
in the book of the law to do that. Remember before how he 
dealt with Abraham. Remember, we observed that more 
than likely these Judaizers came to the churches of Galatia and 
they said that it's good that you believe the gospel of Jesus, 
but you should be like Father Abraham as well and submit yourself 
to circumcision. You should go all the way. You 
should listen to what Paul says, but you should also engage in 
this obedience to the Mosaic code so that you will be really 
righteous before God. So what does Paul do? He appeals 
to Abraham to teach the exact opposite. It wasn't by circumcision, 
it wasn't by law keeping, it wasn't through his faithfulness, 
but rather Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for 
righteousness. Well, one must suspect that the 
Judaizers, again the Judaizers being Those people who came and 
told Christians that they needed to also participate in obedience 
to the Mosaic law so that they could be saved. The Judaizers 
probably would have appealed to Deuteronomy 27 and verse 26 
also. If you remember in that instance 
in Deuteronomy 27, it's a covenant ratification ceremony. You've 
got Levites on Mount Ebal, and they are pronouncing 12 curses 
upon the children of Israel. If you fail to obey the terms 
of the covenant, cursed be you. You can read that later in Deuteronomy 
chapter 27. But the Judaizers would have 
came with verse 26 and would have told their audience, cursed 
is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written 
in the book of the law. To do them. You can understand 
the people going, yeah, that's right. We should actually submit 
to circumcision so that we're doing all the things in the law 
and so that we will be right before the Lord God. So Paul 
counters that with a correct interpretation and application 
of Deuteronomy 27, 26. Look at what the text says. Cursed 
is everyone who does not continue in all things. which are written 
in the book of the law to do that. The law demands entire, 
constant, complete, and perfect obedience. The law demands absolute 
compliance in every particular and in every detail. Now, that 
is bad news for sinners like us. If there were no doctrine 
of total depravity, it might not be so bad. But we know in 
the very beginning, God made man upright, but they sought 
out many devices. We know the dismal history of 
Israel after the pronouncement of those curses on Mount Ebal. As soon as they were let go and 
let free, they wandered into sin and in rebellion. The stipulation 
of the law is such that if you say to God, I am going to earn 
my place in your favor by my law keeping, it must be entire. It must be complete. It must 
be perfect. You must do so in every jot and 
tittle. This, of course, is the reason 
why Jesus is so blessed. Because Jesus did obey every 
jot and tittle. Jesus did satisfy every requirement. Jesus did engage in perfect, 
wholesome, constant, entire, and perfect obedience to the 
law. And by virtue of the fact that 
we believe in Him, we receive the benefit of His law-keeping. But for the moment, notice what 
he says. Cursed is everyone who does not 
continue in all things which are written in the book of the 
law. He highlights this again in chapter five. Look at chapter 
five. He is telling these Galatians 
that if you submit to circumcision, that obligates you to the entirety 
of God's law. There is not a one of you, because 
of the doctrine of depravity, because of the fact that you 
are inattentive, because of the fact that you are sinful, none 
of you can render the sort of obedience that God demands in 
His law. Again, that's the beauty of our 
Lord Jesus. Notice in Galatians 5 verse 1, 
Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, 
and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed, 
I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will 
profit you nothing. Now, again, he's not dealing 
with a cultural observation. He's not dealing with a physical 
observation. He's not saying that if medically 
you prefer circumcision because it's a cleaner way to live. That's 
not the condemnation here. Christ profits you nothing if 
you think that your obedience to the law of circumcision somehow 
avails with God in the religious realm. Paul himself practiced 
circumcision. We talked about this yesterday 
at the men's meeting. He had Timothy circumcised when 
he went into a specific region. It was not religious in nature. 
It wasn't to avail with God, but rather it was to be sensitive 
to the culture that he was ministering in. That's not what he's talking 
about here. What he is talking about here 
to these Galatians, that if you accept this requirement to undergo 
physical circumcision as a means of acceptance with God, then 
Christ profits you nothing. He's already said that, Galatians 
2.21. If righteousness comes through the law, then Christ 
died in vain. Now notice what he says in verse 
3. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that 
he is a debtor to keep the whole law. It's not just a matter of 
circumcision. It's not just a matter of that 
one particular right. If you subscribe to circumcision 
as a means of acceptance with God, there's a whole lot more 
involved. You need to obey perfectly. You 
need to obey entirely. You need to obey completely and 
wholly in order to be accepted with God Most High. So the very 
law, the very text, Deuteronomy 27, 26, that no doubt these Judaizers 
tried to bind the people of God's conscience with, Paul says, let 
me really explain it. If you don't continue in all 
things, you are under the curse. One commentator said the Judaizers 
had evidently focused on the words to do them. Paul, however, seems to be more 
concerned to stress all, which is his emphasis again in chapter 
5, verse 3, which we just looked at. Thus, those listening favorably 
to the Judaizers' arguments must realize the full consequences 
of what they are about to accept. For they are obligating themselves, 
not just to a few legal observances, but to all things written in 
the book of the law to do that. So Paul is essentially saying 
they're appealing to Deuteronomy 27. I'm going to make that same 
appeal and show you God's intention in it. God is teaching the people 
of Israel that you need a mediator. God is teaching the people of 
Israel that you need a redeemer. God is teaching the people of 
Israel that you need a sacrifice. God is teaching them that curse 
it are you because there's no way you can render up the obedience 
that is dictated by the law. You need justification by faith 
alone in Christ alone. And that again, as I said, is 
the blessing of Jesus coming into this world, living in obedience 
to the law of God. We need a righteousness with 
God. We need perfect obedience to 
the law. We need entire obedience to the 
law. We can never do it, but Jesus 
did it. I love this quote from John Robbins. 
He says, The righteousness of God is that which God himself 
provides. When Luther discovered this, 
the Reformation was born. That is the good news. That is 
the gospel. The righteousness of Jesus Christ 
is both the demand of God and God's provision for his people. If you want to see what God demands 
of you and me, look at the perfect life of Christ. He is the provision. I'm sorry. He was truly man as 
man was meant to be. Jesus is the righteousness of 
God in that he is the provision of God. When he was born to this 
world, it was a birth such as had not been since Adam fell. If you look at the whole stream 
of human history from the fall to the end of the world, you 
will see only 33 years that God accepts. Jesus came to give the 
perfect sacrifice, the substitutionary ransom for the failure of men 
and women to live righteously before God. He arose from the 
tomb and ascended to the right hand of God, so that right now 
He is in God's presence as a perfect man on behalf of all those who 
trust Him. Jesus came and lived a life of 
perfect obedience to the law of God. His life matched the 
holiness of God at every point. What the holiness of God demanded, 
Jesus provided. So someone along the way had 
to continue in all things which are written in the book of the 
law. You and I cannot Christ alone did. And it's by virtue 
of faith in him that we receive the righteousness of God. So 
Paul's appeal here should shut the mouths of the Judaizers and 
should be of encouragement to the Galatians to abandon reliance 
upon observance to the law in order for acceptance with God. 
Notice his second appeal. His second appeal is in verse 
11, but that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God 
is evident for the just shall live by faith. It's beautiful, 
isn't it? What he's doing, he's going back 
to the very scriptures that the Judaizers twisted and he is explaining 
to them properly. but that no one is justified 
by the law in the sight of God." That's the purpose here. That's 
what's in view here. You may look good to your neighbor. 
You may look good to your husband or your wife. You may look good 
to your children. You may look good to your parents. The issue is justification in 
the sight of God. That's what we need. We need 
a righteousness that avails with the Father. We need the pardon 
of our sins. We need acceptance on high. And 
that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident. Why? Because God announced through 
the prophet Habakkuk that the just shall live by faith. It has never been the case that 
the just shall live by law. It has never been the case that 
the just shall live by faith plus works, that the just shall 
live by merit, that the just shall live by their doing, the 
just shall live by their giving, the just shall live by their 
participation in worship, the just shall live by their Sunday 
school attendance, the just shall live by their showing up at Bible 
study. It has never been that case. 
It has always been the way that the justified by faith man lives 
by faith in the steadfast God of Holy Scripture. So it's a 
twofold argument. The law itself condemns you and 
the Bible itself commands you to live by grace alone through 
faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. The just shall live by faith. Paul quotes this as well in Romans 
1. Remember in chapter 1, verse 
16, he says, I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the 
power of God unto salvation. for everyone who believes, to 
the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it, he says, the 
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, that just 
as it is written, the just shall live by faith. If you're familiar 
with the life of Martin Luther, it was that passage, it was that 
text that freed him from the bondage of Rome, that freed him 
from the bondage of a worse righteousness. When he understood Romans 1, 
16 and 17, he said, it was as if that day paradise opened up. I saw that the righteousness 
of God is that righteousness that He demands and that He provides 
in the Gospel. And it is for me, not by works, 
but by faith in the living Lord." So brethren, the appeal to Scripture 
involves the demand of the law or the expectation of the law 
that they must continue in all things which are written in it. 
And then as well, that no one is justified by the law in the 
sight of God is evident. For the just shall live by faith. And then a third passage. Notice 
in verse 12. Yet the law is not of faith. But the man who does them shall 
live by them. This again highlights the impossibility 
of justification by law. He appeals to Leviticus chapter 
18 and verse five. The man who does the law. the 
man who puts his trust in the law, the man who looks to the 
law as his deliverer, as the one that will bring him up into 
heaven. He must continue to live by that law. Again, it's not 
just partial obedience. God doesn't say, do the best 
you can. God's not like us with our children. Do the best you can. God demands 
absolute perfection. The one who chooses the law to 
do that must live by that law. The law is something to be done. It is something to be performed. 
And it is something to be done and performed in a perfect manner. Again, I hope that you understand 
the weight of Paul's argument. He is saying that the law itself 
tells you that your efforts at self-justification or your efforts 
at justification by law are certainly destined to fail. There is no 
way a sinner can do this. Have you ever just tried to obey 
the law? There's a sign or a funny statement 
I've seen one time that said, you know, I was doing really 
good. I hadn't yelled at anybody. I hadn't lied. I hadn't cussed. I hadn't done this. But then 
I had to get up out of bed. It's a brief time after the alarm 
clock goes off and then you have to get up. Oh yeah, did a really 
good job. And then I had to get up. What's 
the point? As soon as we get up, and I would 
argue even before that, we're already sinning. I mean, that's 
our minds. That's our hearts. We are sinners 
by nature. Now, God's grace and his redemption 
and his beautiful power in freeing us from the curse of the law 
is wonderful. But even as Christians, we have 
remaining corruption, such that to try and obey the law for an 
hour is a chore, brethren. Take the two great commandments 
for a moment. Remember, Jesus was asked, Teacher, 
what is the first and the foremost commandment? What does Jesus 
say? You shall love the Lord your 
God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your 
mind and with all your strength. The second is like unto it. Love 
your neighbor as yourself. Now, just be honest. Can you 
do this for an hour? Can you live for an hour completely 
oriented toward God? Completely concerned with love 
to God. And genuinely concerned about 
other people. Genuinely selfless. Genuinely 
altruistic in the way that you consider your fellow man. On those two hang all the law 
and the prophets. We fail miserably in those areas. You see, the law is nothing to 
play games with. If you leave here tonight saying, 
I'm going to try to be a better guy or a better gal, you are 
under the curse. If you leave here tonight rejecting 
the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation, you are 
under the curse. If you leave here thinking that 
in your strength and in yourself, you can somehow muster up an 
obedience that will avail with God, listen to Paul. For as many 
as are of the works of the law are under the curse. You must 
flee to Christ. You must look and live. You must 
believe God, and it will be accounted to you for righteousness. That 
is the only way that a sinner will ever stand before the Holy 
God. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply 
to thy cross I cling. The hymn writer says, foul I 
to the fountain fly, wash me, Savior, or I die. I need and 
you need a righteousness that avails with God and it comes 
only by belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and all that He has said 
in the Scripture. So that is the expectation of 
the law. Let us look quickly at the gracious 
provision of God. Verses 13 and 14. Christ has 
redeemed us from the curse of the law. Isn't that a beautiful 
statement? We are under the curse of the 
law. because we are disobedient, because 
we are covenant breakers, because we raise our fists at God, because 
we prefer lawlessness, because we prefer darkness, because we 
prefer Satan and his company, and we prefer idolatry. That's 
how we come out of the womb. The psalmist said the wicked 
are estranged from the womb, speaking lies as soon as they 
are born. The psalmist said, how can a 
young man cleanse his way? It's an interesting statement. 
Of course, the answer, by taking heed according to your word. 
But look at what the question assumes. That a young man, his 
way stands in need of cleansing. Look at a young man today, and 
we say, look at how innocent he is. On the one hand, he is. But according to the Scriptures, 
he's a sinner. He's an Adam. He needs his way 
cleansed. We are all under the curse of 
God. And yet Christ, has redeemed 
us from the curse of the law. Christ the Lord, this idea of 
redemption that is spoken of here, presupposes slavery. You ever realize that? When you are engaged in sin, 
when you have given yourself to a particular idol, you are 
a slave to that. You do its bidding. You jump 
when it says jump. You perform when it says perform. Jesus taught this clearly in 
the Gospel of John. Whoever commits sin is a slave 
of sin. We don't look at it that way. 
In fact, if you ask your neighbor at work, or you ask your neighbor 
at home, and he's not a Christian, ask him sometime, do you believe 
that you're a slave? I suspect you'll get the same 
answer Jesus got when he taught the leaders of Israel. We have 
never been in slavery. We have never been in slavery, 
neglecting and forgetting the fact of Egypt, at least in the 
physical, temporal realm, that they denied the fact that they 
were spiritual slaves. That's the stakes in all of this. Whoever commits sin is a slave 
of sin. What better thing is there than 
freedom? What better thing than liberty? 
And this whole idea of Christ redeeming us from the curse of 
the law has that idea. Redemption means to buy out of 
the marketplace, to redeem, to ransom from slavery. The presupposition 
here is that we were in the slave market. We were in that place 
of total depravity. We were in that place of being 
obedient to our lusts. Paul says that in Romans 6. Don't 
obey sin or don't obey lust. Don't bow to lust. Don't bow 
to yourself. Don't bow to your idols. Bow 
to God. Blessed liberty comes through 
the Lord Jesus. And we see here that Christ redeems 
us from the curse of the law. He mentions or He specifies or 
He declares the means by which He redeemed us. Notice in verse 
13, having become a curse for us, for it is written, curse 
it is everyone who hangs on a tree. He became a curse for us. Just 
think about some time what Jesus did on our behalf. Yes, he lived 
for us. Yes, he died for us. And yes, 
he rose again for us. According to Paul in second Corinthians 
five, God made him who knew no sin to be sin. It's amazing. And here it says, 
he became a curse for us. John Eady says, not under the 
curse originally, but filled with blessedness, the law having 
no claim on him derived from previous or personal violation 
of any of its statutes. And nevertheless, he became a 
curse for us. He became for us what He was 
not by nature so that we are by nature or what we are by nature 
could be redeemed from the curse of the law. He became a curse 
for us. Paul appeals again to the Scripture, 
verse 13, Deuteronomy 21, 23. Cursed is everyone who hangs 
on a tree. Remember, the Jews were very 
meticulous. They had to get the three men 
who were crucified off of the crosses before nightfall. Remember 
that prior to the Sabbath? They didn't want to work on the 
Sabbath, but they also didn't want to leave those bodies on 
the cross. Why? Because cursing is everybody 
who hangs on a cross. They would have believed that 
it would have defiled their holy city. It would have defiled their 
very land. It would have defiled everything. 
They would have invoked the anger of God. So we need to get them 
off those crosses and get them into the graves. Jesus became 
a curse for us. I wonder if we ever think about 
this. Wonder if we ever consider this, if we ever wonder in amazement 
that God most high would send his son and that he would redeem 
us from the curse of the law. And he wouldn't do it some magical 
way. He wouldn't just snap his fingers 
and off it goes. No, he would take our place. 
He would put himself under the law. He would obey it perfectly. 
And he would offer himself up as a sacrifice at Galbraith, 
that the very curse and wrath of God would fall upon him, though 
it was due to us. Brother, how much does God love 
you when you consider something like that? I really believe we 
ought to be amazed at infinite love, that He became a curse 
for us. And then notice, very specifically, 
what happens as a result of this. Verse 14, that the blessing of 
Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might 
receive the promise of the Spirit. There it is again, through faith. 
It's not through the works of the law. It's not through looking 
to your own performance. It's through looking to this 
one who became a curse for sinners. There is redemption in only one. 
There is salvation given in only one name under heaven. There 
is salvation in Jesus Christ alone. That's why he said, I 
am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father 
except through me. We need to look to Him. We need 
to live by faith in Him. It is not a mixture. It is not 
a combination of our faith plus words. It's not a combination 
of our faith plus law-keeping. It must be fully Christ. It must be wholly Christ. It must be solely Christ. Because if righteousness comes 
through the law, then Christ died in vain. Well, just by way 
of conclusion, a couple of observations on the nature of redemption. 
The nature of redemption. First of all, it is covenantal. 
Look at this, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the 
Gentiles in Christ Jesus. Go back all the way to Genesis 
chapter 12, when God calls Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldeans. He 
promises that he will be a blessing to many nations. In him, all 
the nations of the earth will be blessed. It's ratified in 
Genesis 15 with that bloody ceremony where the father, where God, 
in the personage, or the representative of this human torch, or this 
fiery torch, rather, goes between these animals. is ratified in 
that ceremony. God takes upon himself the full 
obligation of this covenant. It is restated in Genesis 17, 
Genesis 18, Genesis 22, Genesis 26. We are blessed with believing 
Abraham. It is covenantal. God deals in 
terms of the covenant of grace, the promise made to Ada, the 
promise made to Abraham, the promise made to Noah, the promise 
made to Moses and to David, ratified in the blood of Jesus. We are 
partakers of a great and a wondrous plan. We are no afterthought 
in the mind of God. We are not an add-on in the mind 
of God. From the very beginning, He purposed 
to save a great multitude, which no man can number, from every 
tribe and tongue and people and nation. We are part of a comprehensive 
plan. I always think that when we get 
sight of that, brethren, it ought to cause us to respond in amazement. When God promises Abraham, we're 
in the mind of God. When Jesus goes to the cross, 
we're in the mind of Christ. When Jesus does His work at Calvary, 
when He says, it is finished, we are in that. We are blessed 
with Abraham, not by works, but by faith. As well, redemption 
is instant. Christ has redeemed us from the 
curse of the law. The moment you believe the gospel, 
you are justified. We think of the Christian life 
and it seems anything but instant, doesn't it? I mean, some of us 
get converted maybe later on in our lives. Some get converted 
early on in their lives. We think, wow, I've got about 
another 20 or 30 or 40 or 50 years trying to cleanse myself 
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, seeking to perfect 
holiness and the fear of God. We look at that and we go, wow, 
man, that almost seems to be a scary proposition. That's sanctification. Remember with justification, 
the moment you believe, you're justified. It's instant. God 
pardons all of our sins. God imputes the righteousness 
of Jesus Christ to us. It's instant. I love what the 
hymn writer said, Joseph Hart. The moment a sinner believes 
and trusts in his crucified God, his pardon at once receives redemption 
in full through his blood. That is beautiful. The moment 
a sinner believes and trusts in his crucified God, his pardon 
at once receives redemption in full through his blood. If you 
have not believed the gospel, believe. Justification is yours 
tonight. Pardon of iniquity is yours tonight. A righteousness which is not 
your own is yours tonight. Such that if you get hit by a 
car, or you choke on your spit, or you have a massive heart attack, 
or you have cardiac arrest, You will be ushered into the presence 
of God and stand clothed in a righteousness which avails with God. It is 
instant. The moment a sinner believes 
and trusts in his crucified God, his pardon at once receives. Redemption in full through his 
blood. And then thirdly, the nature 
of redemption is that it's complete. It's complete. Jesus saves us. Then ask the question, I don't 
know how many times as a Christian, can a Christian lose his salvation? No. He can't. Spurgeon said, such a gospel 
that teaches that is a gospel I abhor. It's no gospel. It's not good news. The moment 
a sinner believes and receives the pardon of sin and the righteousness 
of Christ, he is safe. He is secure. He is blessed. Now sometimes people say, well, 
I knew somebody. They were a Christian and they 
fell away. No, John describes it this way. 
They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they were 
of us, they would not have gone from us. In other words, there 
are false professors. There are fakes. There are those 
who, whether it's their own confusion or their own creature lying to 
them or whatever it may be, there are those who think that maybe 
they're in. Well, brethren, those who are in by God's grace will 
stay in by God's grace. It is complete. Again, another 
hymn writer. We sing this in December. Watts 
says, No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make his blessings 
flow far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far 
as the curse is found. Paul says that when we are in 
Christ Jesus, we are new creatures. We're a new creation. All the 
old is passed away. Jesus in John's Gospel says that 
when we're in the Father's hand, there's no one who can pluck 
us out. Paul the Apostle in Romans 8 says, I am persuaded. There's 
nothing that can separate us from the love of God, which is 
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Paul in Philippians 1 says, I'm 
confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work 
in you will complete it unto the day of Christ. Brethren, 
looking to Christ means safety. Looking to Christ means security. Looking to Christ means completion. Augustus Toplady says, My name 
on the palms of his hands, eternity will not erase. Isn't that beautiful? My name on the palms of his hands, 
eternity will not erase. Impressed on his heart, it remains 
in indelible grace. Yes, I to the end shall endure, 
as sure as the earnest is given. More happy, but not more secure, 
the glorified spirits in heaven. You see that? More happy they 
are, but not more secure. Those who believe the gospel 
in this world are as safe and as secure as those saints already 
in heaven. That's the nature of redemption. Just a brief sketch to be sure. Obviously, there are a bunch 
of other things that we can say. So it is covenantal, it is instant, 
it is complete, and it is powerful. He breaks the power of reigning 
sin. He sets the prisoner free. His blood availed for the foulest. So in other words, when we've 
been redeemed out of that slave market, We don't have to keep 
obeying that Master. We don't have to keep bowing 
to the idol. We don't have to keep serving 
ourselves. We don't have to keep engaged 
in lawlessness and in darkness and in belial and in idolatry. When Jesus breaks the power of 
reigning sin, He sets the prisoner free. When we believe the Gospel 
of Jesus Christ, we are accounted righteous and then He enables 
us to follow him out of that slave market and to go wherever 
he commands. The faith that justifies is the 
faith that sanctifies. And we can bless God for that. 
He deals with the penalty and the power of our sin. Well, brethren, 
do not look to the law to bring you to God. Look to Jesus to 
bring you to God. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank You for the Word. We thank You for its clarity. 
And we praise You that You have been merciful to us. We praise 
You for redemption through Jesus Christ. God, the very fact that 
He became a curse for us, that that is even written in the Scripture, 
truly testifies that God is most gracious and most glorious. I 
pray that we would consider these truths, that we would consider 
these realities, And that when we are downcast or when we face 
trials or tribulation or where there is corruption and sin that 
bids for our attention, God, I pray that we would consider 
the power of Jesus Christ, the power of His grace, the nature 
of His redemption in our lives. I pray that you would go with 
us now and watch over us in this coming week. And I pray through 
Christ our Lord. Amen.