Let's go to Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4. Our focus tonight specifically is verse 25. But verse 25 caps an argument that begins actually in chapter 3 at verse 21.
But we'll pick up reading in chapter 4 at verse 1. Paul the apostle writes, what then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say?
Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. Just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works.
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin. Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness.
How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath. For where there is no law, there is no transgression. Therefore, it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.
As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations. In the presence of him whom he believed, God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did, who, contrary to hope, In hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations. According to what was spoken, so shall your descendants be. And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead, since he was about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what he had promised, he was also able to perform. And therefore, it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now, it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification.
Amen. Well, let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you very much for what this passage affirms concerning your graciousness, your kindness in delivering up your own son, raising him up again from the dead, stationing him at your right hand as the mediator, as the savior for those who have been chosen by God, those who in time believe the gospel. We thank you for the gospel of our salvation and pray now the Holy Spirit would encourage us as we look to specifically verse 25, that you would fill our hearts with fond thoughts, with glorious meditations concerning our beloved Savior and His cross work on our behalf. and on that empty tomb, on the reality that He is risen.
Our Father, we just thank You for this great Gospel. We thank You for a saving interest in it. Fill us again with Your Holy Spirit, we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Well,
Introduction
this, like many of Paul's writings, is a very dense portion of scripture that would certainly take a long time to try and unpack. But I do want to give a bit of an overview of this particular section because, as I suggested earlier, verse 25 caps off the entirety of what had been said up to this point. Paul begins his presentation, or rather defense, of the doctrine of justification by faith alone. at chapter 3, verse 21. Now in that particular place, he's already summarized the reality that all men everywhere are guilty.
They're liable to God's wrath and punishment and curse because they have broken His law. And in verse 21 of chapter 3, he says, but now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed. You have to see in chapter 1, verse 18, he starts by saying, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Why?
Because they suppress truth in unrighteousness. They exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for the creature, and they worship and serve the creature rather than the creator. And so Paul discourses at length in chapters 1 to 3 presenting the doctrine of man's just condemnation under a holy God. He shifts directions in 321 with that as the backdrop to present the righteousness of God.
And here the righteousness of God being that righteousness which God demands and provides to sinners. They receive it by His grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So in 321 to 425, Paul's treatment of justification by faith alone. Specifically in chapter 3, verses 21 to 26, justification and the righteousness of God.
How can it be the case that God does justify guilty, vile, helpless sinners? Well, we see in verse 26, for instance, of chapter 3, that after this propitiation is rendered by our Lord, this satisfies God's law, it satisfies the demands of justice, and this indeed enables God, according to verse 26, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. When God receives us to Himself by grace, through faith in the Lord Jesus, He doesn't relax the law, He doesn't suspend the law, but it's because Christ satisfied the demands of the law, both by His obedience in terms of His perfect life and by His sacrifice. bearing the penalty and condemnation of God that was due to us. So Paul deals with justification and righteousness, and then justification by faith alone in verses 3-27 all the way to the end of chapter 4.
Now, Abraham is a bit of a test case. Abraham is a bit of a man that Paul is able to refer to in history that had a very similar situation. He believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. David, likewise, was another man.
Notice in chapter 4, verse 6, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works. Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin." So David, Abraham, they are test cases or rather examples or proofs or evidences that the believer today is justified by faith. That's always been God's way.
It's not as if Abraham or David were saved in some other way. They were saved the same way by the same Savior as we are, and so they serve as helpful reminders of that particular fact. And now as Paul begins to bring this section to a conclusion, notice what he says in verse 23. Well, backing up just a bit to verse 22, and therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness.
So the reality is Abraham lived at a time when God gave him a promise that seemed absolutely, incredibly outlandish. God told Abraham, you are going to be the father of many nations. Abraham knew enough biology to realize that things were not looking well in terms of him and Sarah with reference to the fulfillment of this particular promise. But contrary to hope, nevertheless, in hope he believed. all the odds physically, all the odds in terms of everything known by men was stacked against Abraham.
But God had promised, God was faithful, Abraham believes God. And so that brings us to verse 23, therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now Paul's point in verses 23 to 25, now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him. It's not simply for Abraham, he believed God and therefore righteousness is imputed to him, received by faith alone.
It's not just a situation peculiar to Father Abraham, but notice, but also for us. Verse 24, it shall be imputed to us this righteousness that we desperately need. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification. So you see, Paul is saying that Abraham, David, they're not unique in redemptive history.
This whole idea of the forgiveness of sins and the imputation of Christ's righteousness received by faith alone is not a new development. It is an old doctrine, and Paul says this is the basis upon which you and I stand, by grace, through faith, in our Lord Jesus Christ. Matthew Poole summarizes verse 25 this way. He says this one verse is an abridgment of the whole gospel.
I don't think he's wrong. Charles Hodge says this verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel. The denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of His resurrection from the dead is a denial of the gospel. And we have both those concepts present in verse 25.
He was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised, I think, that for our justification makes a bit of better sense in this particular context. He was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised for our justification.
Two Redemptive Purposes Announced
We're going to look at two things specifically. First,
Death of Christ: Redemptive Purpose
the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ, and secondly, the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. But notice, back in verse 24, Paul says, but also for us, it shall be imputed to us who believe in him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. And then in verse 25, who was delivered up because of our offenses. So verse 24 introduces the concept that God, the Father, raised up Jesus from the dead.
That might suggest to some, well, why was he dead? Why was he in the grave? Why did He need to be erased from the dead? And that brings Paul in verse 25 to indicate He was delivered up because of our offenses.
Not Mere Example, but Propitiation
It was not in the first place an example. Now, there is a bit of an exemplary function in terms of the atonement, in terms of the cross. We see that in 1 Peter chapter 2, verses 18 to 25. We're called to suffer the way our Lord Jesus suffered.
But there are some who take the cross and make it strictly exemplary. They make it strictly an example, and that is not legitimate. That is not right, and we must refuse that and resist that. 1 Corinthians 1, 23 to 24, Paul says, 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. We're not to take the cross and make it just this example of love, though it certainly displays that, or an example of suffering, though it does display that.
We need to see in the first instance that the cross is about the satisfaction of divine justice. by the only Mediator of God's elect, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer of God's elect, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is in the first place atonement, propitiation, sacrifice, substitution, Christ bearing the wrath of God Almighty on behalf of all those whom the Father had given Him, Christ satisfying divine justice by His sufferings and death. That's the purpose, and Paul specifies that very clearly in that first clause in verse 25, who was delivered up because of our offenses. It was not for offenses in general, sort of sins out there, but it was for the sins of all those whom God had given to the Son.
Particular Redemption in the Atonement
It was for the sins of the elect. It was for the sins of those who would ultimately believe the gospel by grace through faith. There's a beautiful analogy of this in the book of Leviticus. Remember on that day of atonement, when the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies.
When he went into the Holy of Holies, he shed the blood or he sprinkled the blood from the goat on the mercy seat. He did that probably three or four times for his own sin, for the sin of the people, for the temple or tabernacle or altar itself, and then there was a second goat in that situation. That was called the scapegoat. And on that particular day, the high priest would lay his hands upon the head of that scapegoat and he would confess the sins of Israel.
He wouldn't confess the sins of the Hivites or of the Hittites or of the other Canaanites. It was particular redemption. And we need to appreciate that. When we see Paul say, who was delivered up because of our offenses, these are offenses in the concrete, not the abstract, not sort of sin out there, but the sins that you and I were guilty of, the sins that you and I had committed, the sins that you and I justly deserve God's punishment and wrath and condemnation as a result of.
It was for our offenses, the kinds of sins outlined in chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, all the way to chapter 3 and verse 19.
The Offenses Defined from Romans 1
In fact, turn to one specimen section in chapter 1, just to see the sorts of offenses that are in view here in 425. He was delivered up because of our offenses, our transgression of the law of God. Notice in chapter 1 at verse 29. Well, let's go back to verse 26.
For this reason God gave them up, two vile passions, for even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men, committing what is shameful and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. and even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. I think that particular clause is somewhat similar to what we saw in 1 Kings chapter 14. You remember when God comes to deal with Jeroboam.
When God, through the prophet Ahijah, comes to deal with Jeroboam. God says, through the prophet, that you provoke me to anger. And then he says to Jeroboam, you cast me behind the back. Almost as if God was a piece of trash.
Jeroboam had opened his candy, he took the candy, put it in his mouth, and he took that wrapper and he cast it behind his back, easily discarding the God of heaven and earth. I kind of feel like this passage in verse, not that I kind of feel like is any exegetical warrant, but if you notice there in verse 28, the same idea I think is present. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. Isn't that offensive and disgusting?
We don't like to retain God in our knowledge. We will cast Him behind the back. We will discard Him as if He's a candy wrapper. We will simply treat Him as if He is not even there, even as they did not like. to retain God in their knowledge.
God gave them over to a debased mind to do those things which are not fitting. Now notice, being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness. They are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God. violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful, who knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same, but also approve of those who practice them. So when we get to this statement in chapter four at verse 25,
The Father's Initiative in the Delivery
who was delivered up because of our offenses, we ought not to scratch our head and say, I wonder what he means. He means those violations of God's holy law that we have seen outlined or detailed in chapter 1. Now, you and I may not have been practicing homosexuals. That's condemned in chapter 1.
We may not have been murderers. We may not have been some of the more evil sorts in that particular list, but we are in that list, brethren, every last one of us. Those offenses are the reason the Father delivered up the Son. That's the emphasis of the Apostle, who was delivered up because of our offenses.
So we ought to appreciate that the cross that teaches us that God is merciful, the cross that teaches us that God is gracious, the cross that teaches us that God is just, that God is righteous, that God is holy, also teaches us something concerning the exceeding wickedness of sin. Trinity Hymnal number 192, Thomas Kelly. It says, ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great. Here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed, see who bears the awful load. Tis the word, the Lord's anointed, Son of Man and Son of God. So those are the offenses. He was delivered up because of our offenses.
But it was the case that he was delivered up. Now, certainly in our studies in Matthew's gospel, our Lord's Supper sermons, we can all answer the why as to this. God's justice demands that we be delivered up to hell for our sins and rebellion. I mean, that is the just punishment for those who offend the living and the true God.
See, the thing about the Bible is that hell ought not to surprise any one of us. Heaven should. Not so much heaven as the habitation of God, but that any of us will ever enter into heaven. That is far more surprising than the doctrine of endless punishment.
I mean, persons are absolutely offended at the thought of an eternal hell. Why? Why would we be offended at the fact that the wages of sin is death? Why would we be offended at the fact that sin must be punished, that guilt must be punished?
That is not a surprising reality. The surprising reality is that guilty, vile, helpless we, spotless Lamb of God was He, full atonement can it be, hallelujah, what a Savior. The surprising thing is not hell, the surprising thing is heaven. for anyone like us. So God's justice demands that we be delivered up to hell because of our sins.
God, in His grace, provides Christ the satisfaction for our sins through the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son. I think there's this idea that it was Jesus' love that propitiates the wrath of his nasty father. It was love that procured this whole scenario. It was the love of God that sent forth his son.
Notice in chapter 3 at verse 24, I'm sorry, verse 25, whom God set forth as a propitiation by his blood through faith to demonstrate his righteousness because in his forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed. The father and the son are perfectly unified in this whole arrangement. The father's love is expressed at Calvary. The father's love is demonstrated in the sending of his son.
In fact, Paul in 5.8 says, God commends his own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. So it's not the case that Jesus is the gracious and kind and merciful one that is just dealing with this sort of, you know, unmitigated terror of His Father. No, they're in perfect harmony, blessed unity with reference to the design behind the atonement. So God's grace provides satisfaction for our sins through the substitutionary sacrifice of His Son.
And that Son is the perfect, spotless Lamb of God who died in the place of guilty sinners. Now, before we move on to resurrection, we ought to appreciate the divine initiative here. Who was delivered up because of our offenses? Now, in our studies in Matthew, we see the act of the betrayer.
I mean, Judas was a wretch, wasn't he? He comes to that conspiracy, that mob of men that are conspiring to commit murder, and Judas says, how much are you willing to give me if I deliver him up to you? That language of delivering up, we see it used by Judas. We see it used with reference to that mob of conspirators.
We see that he was indeed delivered up by the rage and the wickedness and the malice of men. But that was according to the plan of God. It was the Father's will that the Son come. It was the Father who delivers Him up.
It was the Father who set His Son upon the cross. In the language of the prophet Isaiah, He was pleased to bruise Him. The language is, Yahweh was pleased to bruise Christ in order to save us from our sins. So as we look at that particular statement, He was delivered up, because of our offenses, He was delivered up by the Father.
That's the referent. Now the Son was certainly willing and compliant every step of the way. So that's the purpose of the death of Christ. So verse 24, also, for us, it shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.
Should anyone say, well, why was he dead? The first part of verse 25 highlights that. He was delivered up because of our offenses.
Resurrection of Christ: Redemptive Purpose
Now notice the redemptive purpose of the resurrection. The fact of the resurrection is stated. He was raised because of our justification. He was raised from the dead.
Now the scriptures are filled with references to that resurrection. We don't have a whole lot of time, so I'm just going to give you the outline here in terms of how we can trace or what we know concerning the resurrection of Christ. He appeared first to the women who had left the tomb, Matthew 28, and then to Mary Magdalene in John 20. He appeared to Cleopas and the unnamed disciple on the road to Emmaus, Luke 24.
He then appeared to Peter sometime that same afternoon. He appeared to the twelve, minus Judas and Thomas, on that day of resurrection in the upper room. He invited his disciples to touch him and he ate broiled fish and honeycomb among them. He appeared a week later to his disciples, this time Thomas was present.
Again, Jesus invites Thomas to touch his wounds. He appeared to seven of his disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, or the Sea of Galilee, and prepared and ate breakfast with them. He appeared to the eleven on a mountain of Galilee. This occasion could have possibly been the one when he also appeared to more than 500 people.
He appeared to James, his half-brother. He appeared again to the eleven on the occasion of his ascension into heaven. He appeared to Saul of Tarsus sometime later. So, there is no shortage of references to the idea that Christ was raised from the dead.
According to the Old Testament testimony, according to Christ's own prophetic word, according to the power demonstrated when He raised, say, for instance, Lazarus. So, the Lord Christ was raised the third day. This is Paul's way of saying what we declare with the gospel writers, he is risen as he said. Now, the verb employed by Paul here at the end of verse 25 is a passive verb.
He was raised because of or for our justification. The passive verb suggests that it was the father who raised the son. Now, there are certainly instances where we see that Jesus refers to the fact that He will raise Himself, John 2. Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.
He says essentially the same thing in John chapter 10. But the Father is emphasized in this particular passage parallel to the reality that it was the Father who delivered Him up, it was the Father who raised Him up again. Turretin makes this observation, although the resurrection of Christ is often ascribed to the Father, it does not follow that it cannot be ascribed to the Son, because whatever the Father does, the Son in like manner does. And as the resurrection is an outward work, it ought to be undivided to the whole Trinity.
So it is a work proper to the persons of the Trinity. And in this particular instance, it is attributed to the father. Again, to parallel the thought that he was delivered up by the father because of our offenses, he's raised up by the father for our justification. Now, in terms of the historical fact of the resurrection, it is a doctrine that is essential and must never be compromised.
It must never be compromised. The empty tomb is a reality, a foundation stone upon which the gospel is grounded. As Hodge said, quoted earlier, the denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of His resurrection from the dead is a denial of the gospel. In fact, look at 1 Corinthians chapter 15. 1 Corinthians 15.
These particulars are outlined here specifically. Notice as Paul comes to define for us or describe for us or encapsulate for us what the gospel involves or includes, notice in 1 Corinthians 15. In fact, 1 Corinthians 15 as a whole is Paul's grand apologetic for the resurrection. That's the point of 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the resurrection of Christ, and as a result, the resurrection of Christ's people.
This is what this entire chapter is focused upon. Notice foundationally what Paul says in 15.1, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain." We see it is a message that is received by faith. It is a message that must be appropriated by faith. Paul links salvation with belief.
Verse 2, "...by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain." So what's the correlate? If you didn't believe in vain, then you are saved. Salvation has always been by grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ alone. Now, he deals with the specific content of that gospel message.
Verse 3, For I deliver to you, first of all, that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that he was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all he was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time." You see, we cannot relax when it comes to this doctrine.
We cannot hold it with a limp wrist. This is one of those particular truths that we need to grip hold on and not let go. Fasten your grips, as Spurgeon would say, upon the doctrine of the resurrection. With reference to the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ, first place,
Historical Link: Death and Resurrection
the fact of the resurrection. Secondly, we ought to appreciate the historical link between death and resurrection. See, these are inseparable events. Paul uses a convention at the end of this particular passage that is a bit curious or a bit sort of off the beaten path.
He typically likens, or rather links, the justification by faith alone to the death or to the cross of our Lord Jesus. Here he links resurrection and justification. Before we see that theological connection, we ought to appreciate the historical link between death and resurrection. You don't have the death of Christ without his resurrection.
The two are inseparable. You can't have one without the other. And I think that helps us to appreciate how he can tell us that he was raised for our justification. B.B.
Warfield made this observation. That he died manifests his love and his willingness to save. That he rose again manifests his power and his ability to save. We are not saved by a dead Christ who undertook but could not perform and who lies there still under the Syrian sky, another martyr of impotent love.
If we are to be saved at all, it must be by one who did not merely pass to death in our behalf, but who passed through death." In one word, the resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the Christian hope and to the Christian confidence. All our assurance of salvation is suspended on this fact. John Fesco makes this observation, Christ's death atones for the sins of God's people. His resurrection is the evidence that death had an illegitimate claim upon him, for he lived his life in perfect obedience to the law.
Attempt to extract one of the three, life, death, or resurrection, from justification and our redemption collapses. So if we ask the question, perhaps you haven't, but I'm just speculating that you might, why does Paul link resurrection and justification? Because of that historical inseparable link between the two events. You don't have a dead Christ, you have a death and resurrection.
And now
Theological Connections: Resurrection and Justification
let's tease out finally some theological connections between resurrection itself and the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Now, several commentators approach this in several different ways. I've just tried to modify and give us a few thoughts in conclusion here. with reference to the theological connection between resurrection and justification. In the first place,
Resurrection Declares Christ Son of God
the resurrection testifies that Christ is indeed the Son of God with power. Look at Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1. Paul, a bondservant, verse 1, of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God, which he promised through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead.
For those investigating the hypostatic union of Christ and our propriety in speaking of Him concerning His deity, concerning His humanity, here is a particular instance of that reality. The one person was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. So we see how that impinges upon the doctrine of justification. If we are saved by grace through faith, that faith is directed to a particular object.
Now, as Paul suggests in chapter 4, verse 24, our faith is definitely in God as the one who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. The specific object in terms of saving faith is Christ. And so as faith is directed to Christ, the doctrine of the resurrection tells us or testifies that Christ is indeed the Son of God with power. He is the object for our faith, that faith that justifies.
Secondly,
Resurrection Confirms Sacrifice Accepted
the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. Doesn't it? Highlight the validity, the acceptability, the beauty, the blessedness, the wonder, and the glory that God indeed was pleased with the sacrifice of His Son, that the tomb is empty, that that victim raised, That that one ascended back on high, that is confirmation that it is indeed finished. The sacrifice was accepted by God Most High.
John Gill says Christ's resurrection did not procure the justification of His people. That was done by His obedience and death, but was for the testification of it. It's a great old word, testify. It was for the testification of it that it might fully appear that sin was atoned for and an everlasting righteousness was brought in, and for the application of it, or that Christ might live and see His righteousness imputed and apply to all those for whom He had wrought it out.
So the resurrection testifies that Christ is the Son of God with power. The resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. And we can praise God for that because our lives depend upon that sacrifice. In the third place,
Resurrection Confirms Satisfaction Rendered
the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was rendered. And by satisfaction rendered, I mean the satisfaction of God's penalty, God's just penalty upon sinners. Christ satisfied divine justice by his sufferings and death, and the resurrection testifies to that. The law was honored.
The law was magnified. The law was obeyed and kept. As I said before, God doesn't suspend the law. He doesn't send the law away.
He doesn't relax the law. He doesn't lower the law, but rather that law is fully satisfied by Christ's life, and in His death, He satisfies the justice of God's law that was due for sinners. And fourthly,
Resurrection Confirms Redemption Accomplished
the resurrection testifies that redemption was accomplished. In other words, that empty tomb speaks worlds of comfort to us. The fact that the tomb was empty assures us that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. If you will, we have justification.
We have sanctification. We will have glorification based on what Christ has done. That empty tomb is a great preacher to the people of God of the benefits wrought by the Savior on their behalf. He isn't in it, He didn't remain under death, but rather He was raised.
And in that, He renders the perfect sacrifice, He satisfies divine justice, and He accomplishes redemption for His people. And then I would suggest, fifthly,
Resurrection and Christ's Current Session
the resurrection testifies that the session was initiated. And by the session, I mean what we call the current session of our Lord Jesus. Christ had the state of humiliation and the state of exaltation. What is associated with the state of exaltation is resurrection, ascension, and current session.
The fact that Christ is no longer in the tomb Again, breathes great comfort to the people of God. He's enthroned at the right hand of the majesty of God on high. He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is not a dead Christ.
He is not a dead Savior, but He is alive. He is risen. He is there. We can entreat Him.
He is our advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. So, all of these lines, and there are several things more we could say, all converge to show us the absolute propriety and the blessed utility of the apostles' language here, that He was delivered up because of our offenses, and He was raised for our justification. Life, death, resurrection, inseparable events. connected to the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, and they are such for us as well.
Application
Well, in conclusion, I hope that we appreciate we need the death of Christ. We need the death of Christ. We need substitution. We need a sacrifice.
We need one to pay the debt that we could never pay. That Sunday school song, he paid a debt we couldn't pay. He paid the debt, and I'm botching it up. I think you all know it.
I'd actually have to sing the tune to get the words right, and I want to spare you all of that, because that's just not a nice thing to do on a Sunday evening. But Jesus paid the debt that we owed. Jesus in his death was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus was the antitype that all those bulls and those goats and those animals suffered under the Levitical priesthood or died under the Levitical priesthood.
They all pointed forward to this one who stood in our place and bore the wrath of God and satisfied divine justice for us. We need the death of Christ. Secondly, we need the resurrection of Christ. The work of satisfaction having been accomplished, Christ was no longer under the dominion of sin.
Romans 6, 9 and 10 tells us that. And the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, the Father raised the Son to testify the completion of the work. It's connected to our justification, as Gil says, as a testification. God accepted the sacrifice.
Redemption has been accomplished. Redemption will be applied by the work and power of the Holy Spirit. The empty tomb is a seal and a guarantee of that. Turretin says, but there is a peculiar reason why it, the resurrection, is ascribed to the Father on account of the obligation which Christ took upon Himself. from which he ought to be released by the Father as judge, who as he had delivered up Christ to death for our sins, so we ought to raise him up again for our justification, in order to testify that a full satisfaction had been made by him.
And then notice Romans 5, verse 1. I touched on this this morning. We won't spend a whole lot of time here, but is there any wonder that Romans 5, 1 follows what he's just said in Romans 3, 21 to 4, 25? It's no accident, in fact, that therefore links us specifically to the preceding context.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The means by which peace is secured is through the bloody death of our Lord Jesus and His glorious resurrection on the third day. That is the means by which sinners have peace with God. And as we conclude, if you look, I know I've said conclude twice now.
Sorry about that. Jesse Van Oort this morning told us they do the same thing in Belize. The pastor says, well, finally, or soon I'll be finished. He goes another hour.
So pastors all over the earth lie, I guess is what we're trying to point out here. Soon and close and almost. Those just have no meanings for pastors or preachers. But look at Abraham in this passage.
Abraham, as I said, had everything stacked against him. You're going to be the father of many nations. And Abraham, you know, Paul says he was already dead. I mean, he did not consider his own body, verse 19, already dead since he was about 100 years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb.
Imagine that. God comes to you, Father Abraham, you're going to have a multitude of descendants. There's no way other than the God who promised is true. And I think we ought to follow this out.
Abraham had to look away from his own inability. He had to look away from his own capabilities. He had to look away from his own limitations and that of his wife as well. He had to look outside himself to the promise of the God who is faithful.
That's why who, contrary to hope, in hope believe the promises of God. And I suggest there's a parallel here. We need to look outside of ourselves. We need to look beyond our limitations or our lack of capability.
We need to look to the one who is delivered up for our offenses. We need to look to the one who is raised for our justification. We need to look away from self, unto him who is indeed altogether lovely and chief among ten thousand. Romans 10, 9 makes it so clear, makes it so plain, makes it so simple that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Closing Prayer
Let us pray. Father, we thank You for this, Your Word, and we thank You for the doctrines of the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ. We thank You that the grave could not contain Him. We thank You for His current session at Your right hand.
We thank You for the fact that He makes intercession for us, and that He is our advocate with the Father, and that He is an able Savior for any who come to the Father through Him. May the gospel be proclaimed throughout the earth, and may sinners everywhere turn from their wickedness to the true and living God. May they know the blessed joy of being found in Jesus Christ. Go with us now, Lord God, and keep us in this coming week, and help us to honor and to praise and to worship you, and we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen.