Romans chapter 4, Romans chapter 4. I'll read the chapter and then our focus will be on verse 25, so beginning in chapter 4 at verse 1. 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 to see, 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 a hundred 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 because of our justification. Amen.

Well, let us pray.

Opening Prayer

Father, thank you for the written word of the living and true God. Thank you for this book of Romans and the great detailed exposition of the gospel that we find here. And God, guide us and navigate us now by the Holy Spirit as we look at this one particular passage in the context, and may it again edify, strengthen, and encourage each of our hearts. Forgive us for all of our sins and our transgressions, and bless this local church, we pray, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Introduction

Well, this is a very dense section of Paul's argument in the book of Romans. Essentially, it starts at chapter 3, verse 21, and goes to the end of chapter 4. And the primary focus is on justification by faith alone. Before Paul gets to the example of Abraham, he gives, first of all, a statement concerning justification and the righteousness of God.

So before Paul starts to treat of the doctrine positively in terms of its effect, not only for Abraham but for us as well, he wants to make sure we understand that God has authorized this, God has instituted this, God is the driving force behind it. That's how chapter 3 verses 21 to 26 function. It demonstrates that in the gospel, God is both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So God doesn't compromise His holiness, God doesn't get rid of His law, God doesn't look away with reference to justice, but rather at the cross, God upholds His justice, God demonstrates His righteousness, and at the same time demonstrates that mercy and grace and kindness to the elect of God who find their justification at the hands of this righteous father.

And then he makes a few statements concerning justification by faith specifically in chapter 3, verses 27 to 31. And then he explains the doctrine relative to Abraham. He cites Abraham, and then David, and then returns to Abraham. And essentially what Paul is saying is that the doctrine of justification by faith alone is no new thing.

Everybody that has ever been saved, it was according to God's grace and it was through faith in Jesus Christ. Remember Abraham believed God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. So Abraham becomes this sort of paradigm or figure in redemptive history. And so Paul takes that now and shows how it relates not only to Abraham, but to us.

And that brings us to verses 23 to 25. He says, now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him. And the imputed to him is the idea of righteousness. In other words, we need a righteousness to be able to stand before a holy God.

We don't have a righteousness because we're unholy men. We have rebelled, we have transgressed, we have lacked conformity. To that law, as the prophet Isaiah says, all we like sheep have gone astray. So God imputes or gives or confers or hands over to us this righteousness.

It's received by faith alone. It is ultimately the righteousness of Jesus Christ, which He accomplished in His act of obedience. So verse 23, 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 because of our justification.

So when he refers to God raising, or rather God imputing to us who believe in him, verse 24, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, verse 25, at least in the first statement, explains why it was that Jesus was dead. In other words, this God, this father raised up his son from the dead. Verse 25a describes or defines or tells us why Jesus died in the first place. Charles Hodge said this verse is a comprehensive statement of the gospel.

Verse 25, the denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of his resurrection from the dead is a denial of the gospel. Now, Hodge wasn't overstating the case there. If you deny those things, you deny the Christian gospel. Matthew Poole commented on verse 25.

He says, this one verse is an abridgment of the whole gospel. If somebody ever asked you, what is the gospel? You would certainly be well served by citing Romans chapter 4, verse 25. I want to look at two things as we consider this particular passage.

In the first place, the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ, and then secondly, the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. And

The Death of Christ: Redemptive Purpose

in the first place, notice the redemptive purpose of the death of Christ. Notice in verse 25,

Delivered Up for Our Offenses

who was delivered up because of our offenses. We need to understand in the first place that the gospel, the cross work of our Lord Jesus, was not first and foremost an example. It is certainly exemplary. It does function as an example, say, in 1 Peter chapter 2, where the Apostle Peter points us to Christ. as one who modeled a steady composure under suffering the way that the people of God are supposed to.

But we don't see the pinnacle of Christ's cross work in the exemplary function. The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 Verses 23 and 24 says, we preach Christ crucified to the Jews, a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those but to those who are being saved, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. So, yes, there's an example there, but that's not the first priority.

The first priority of the death of Christ is redemption. It is salvation. It is reconciliation. It is the purchase of those who are dead in their trespasses and sins by the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Notice what Paul says specifically. It was for sin, who was delivered up because of our offenses. Now the offenses are obvious. It is a transgression of God's holy law.

If you go back to the book of Romans, chapter 1, beginning in verse 18, and you move all the way to chapter 3 at verse 20, it fleshes out the sorts of offenses, the sorts of transgressions, the sorts of sins that Jesus was delivered up because of. And so it's not for some nebulous potential out there, but rather it is for the specific sins of the elect of God that were laid upon the Savior and the Father punished Him in our place. That is the glory of the atonement. It is substitutionary.

When Christ went to that cross, He didn't go because of His own sins. He didn't go because of His own crimes. He went rather for our sins. But again, it's not nebulous, it's not generic, it's not sort of undefined.

Hebrews 2.17 tells us, And then it goes on to say, Again, there's an idea that Christ made this atonement and that it's available for anyone that wants to avail themselves of it. That is simply not the case. When Christ went to that cross, it was for the sins of the people, and in this, the people greatly rejoice. It wasn't a hypothetical atonement, but rather it was particular, it was limited, it was definite.

Christ went to the cross for the sins of His people. And as we consider this particular statement, who was delivered up because of our offenses, We ought to ponder that the cross teaches us certain truths. It does demonstrate the righteousness of God, that he's both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. It teaches us the willingness of the Son of God to go to such great lengths to purchase us from the slave market of sin.

But it also underscores just how bad sin is. Sin is wretched, sin is an offense to God Almighty, sin is horrific, and it took the very blood of the Son of God Himself to atone for it. In the Trinity Hymnal, the older one, I don't know that this song is in the new one, It says, there's a particular hymn by Thomas Kelly, and 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.

Ye who think of sin but lightly, nor suppose the evil great, here may view its nature rightly, here its guilt may estimate. So the cross proclaims the odiousness and the wretchedness and the reprehensibility of sin itself. So Jesus was delivered up because of our offenses. And that is the particular aspect that we need to concern ourselves with.

God's justice demands that we be delivered up because of our sins. But the glory of the gospel is that Christ took our place. Christ went in the stead of his people. Christ wrought out atonement on behalf of those whom the father had given him.

There's an analogy in the Old Testament, Leviticus chapter 16. Leviticus 16 is sort of the central chapter in the book of Leviticus, not only structurally, but literarily and theologically as well. It deals with the day of atonement. And you see the high priest given that particular responsibility to kill the one goat and then to take the blood and go into the Holy of Holies and there make atonement, there pour out that blood on the mercy seat.

And then there's a second goat and they call that the scapegoat. And so the high priest takes his hand and he lays them on that goat, and he confesses the sin of Israel. Again, not generic, not undefined, not nebulous. Most likely, he goes according to the Decalogue, confessing the transgression of Israel committed against God Most High.

Once that hand or that gesture is done and the sins are confessed, then that lamb, or rather that goat, is driven out into the wilderness. It's a wonderful picture of the expiation or the removal of our guilt and sin. You see, what happens in the Old Testament, Christ accomplishes. That is typological and Jesus fulfills it.

He is the anti-type and in him, we have forgiveness. In him, we have the removal of guilt. In him, we have the removal of all the sanctions that were upon us for our having transgressed that holy law of God. It's a beautiful and a blessed transaction that occurs.

And again, he was delivered up because of our offenses. And we need to appreciate that and praise God Almighty. Now, when it says He was delivered up because of our offenses,

Divine Initiative in the Atonement

there is divine initiative there. The Son is certainly willing, and He shows us that and demonstrates that throughout the gospel records. But most likely what's in view here is the Father. In Isaiah the prophet, in Isaiah 53 11, it says that Yahweh was pleased to bruise Him.

In Acts 2, the apostle Peter says that the crucifixion of Christ was according to the predetermined plan of God Almighty. In Acts chapter 4, when the apostles are praying, they acknowledge the same thing. that it was God who ordained the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this book of Romans, you see that emphasis right here in chapter 3. Notice in verse 25, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood.

That's the divine initiative in this transaction. It's not that we sought God, it's that God sought us. From the very moment Adam and Eve transgress, they run and they hide. God comes after them.

God kills animals and covers them. God seeks out Abraham. God is the one who comes to Isaac and Jacob. God is the initiator.

God is the one who saves. And it's the father who delivered up the son because of the offenses committed by the elect. And in chapter 3, 25, he says that he was set forth as a propitiation, a rich and beautiful and lovely word describing the atoning work of our Lord Jesus. It presupposes wrath.

God's wrath is targeted against all sinners. Propitiation is Christ's taking the wrath of God in himself for us. He doesn't deflect the wrath, he doesn't send the wrath away, but rather he drinks the cup of God's wrath to its bitter dregs. That's how propitiation is wrought out.

And then he goes on to say, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance God passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Turn over to Romans chapter 8. Again, just to see this emphasis in terms of the divine initiative in the cross. Romans chapter 8, verse 31.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? It's an argument from the greater to the lesser.

If the father didn't shrink back from delivering up his son on our behalf, and delivering up there means to the cross, to the shame, to the suffering, to the punishment, to the death ultimately, if he does that, how is he gonna leave us on Thursday? How is he not gonna be there for us in our time of need? If he does the greatest in terms of the crucifixion of his beloved son, then how will he not be there for us in crunch time that we undergo. It's a beautiful thing and a glorious doctrine and a glorious truth, but it does underscore again, divine initiative.

Now we know in terms of the death of Jesus, there was an instrumentality of the Jewish leaders. Certainly Pontius Pilate signed off. He gave the execution order. So that instrumentality is there to be sure.

Peter doesn't minimize their lawlessness or their vileness or their wretchedness in Acts chapter two, but ultimately it comes from the hand of God. Octavius Winslow said, who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas for money, not Pilate for fear, not the Jews for envy, but the Father for love. It's a beautiful thing when he says it that way.

It is the Father's love. I think at times we have this idea that Jesus came to sort of secure God's love for us. Jesus came as a result of God's love for us. Jesus doesn't procure the Father's love.

Rather, Jesus is the manifestation of the Father's love. John 3, 16, God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. There's no New Testament God appeasing the wrath and fury of the Old Testament God. No, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit work in perfect unity and harmony. to save us from our sins.

So the reason for his death, it wasn't first and foremost exemplary, it was first and foremost atonement, it was redemptive. And then in terms of the specifics, he was delivered up because of our offenses.

The Resurrection of Christ: Redemptive Purpose

Now let's look secondly at the redemptive purpose of the resurrection of Christ. The fact is stated, and was raised because of our justification. Again, we saw that fact stated this morning in Matthew chapter 28 at verses 1 to 10. You see that fact stated in John, in Mark, in Luke.

You see that fact stated in a whole host of places. In fact, turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 for one other sort of specimen passage concerning the resurrection of our Savior. The entirety of the chapter is devoted to an argument concerning resurrection, but he starts off with the foundation, the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Verse 1 in 1 Corinthians 15. that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

Now, the Scriptures are the Old Testament. You need to understand that. When Paul's writing 1 Corinthians and he refers to Scripture, he is not referring to New Testament documents. The Old Testament prophesied the death of the Savior.

We see it in the prophet Isaiah, specifically in Isaiah 53. We see the cutting off of Messiah in Daniel chapter 9. We see it typologically in Abraham going up to Mount Moriah with Isaac. We see it throughout the Old Testament.

And then notice he goes on to say, and he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Again, not New Testament scriptures, though the New Testament certainly highlights or underscores this blessed fact, but as we read this morning, Psalm 16. Other passages in the Old Testament highlight the resurrection of Messiah, the fact that he will indeed complete God's work, supposes or assumes that he will in fact be alive. So this is foundational for the apostle Paul.

He goes on to say he was buried, that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas, then by the 12. After that, he was seen by over 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remained 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." So going back to Romans chapter 4, just as he was delivered up because of our offenses, he was raised for our justification.

And again, the emphasis is on the father raising him from the dead. It's not that Christ does not participate in that particular action, but what is in view here is the Father raising the Son from the dead. Turretin explains it this way. Although the resurrection of Christ is often ascribed to the Father, he gives several passages, 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 what the Trinity does, and in this particular instance, we see appropriated to the Father the reality that He raised His Son from the dead. So the Son is delivered up because of our offenses, and that selfsame Son is raised up for our justification. And that is the result of the resurrection.

Justification as a Forensic Reality

Now, when we look at that particular statement, justification, we ought to appreciate, especially in this context, that it's a forensic term. Paul is not talking about moral transformation here. Paul is not saying this occurred so that you and I might be great girls and guys. Sanctification certainly follows, and Paul will definitely deal with that, but in this context, in Romans chapter 3 and 4, he is highlighting and accenting the judicial character of justification by faith, the forensic nature of it.

This righteousness is imputed to us. It is received by faith alone. That blessed righteousness is also accompanied by forgiveness of sins. So the justification that Paul is speaking about is defined, I think, beautifully by Westminster, Shorter Catechism, when it says, justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein He pardons all our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.

There's people that are Christians, and I don't doubt their Christianity, but a lot of Christians want really practical sorts of things. And they like tips, they like hints, they like principles, they like the sorts of things that we can put on a list and just sort of do. My encouragement, brethren, is to get that definition down. There's nothing more practical, nothing more blessed, nothing more great for the Christian to apprehend than the reality that God, in justification, forgives us of all our sins and receives us as righteous in His sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone.

Whenever I deal with new believers and it comes time to talk about our confession of faith, I always emphasize chapter 11. If you understand the Bible's teaching on the doctrine of justification, which I think our confession gets really, really good, that opens up a world of comfort. You've heard the story of Martin Luther who was just plagued by his own sin, plagued by his own rebellion, plagued by his own wickedness as he was a monk. Remember R.C.

Sproul saying, what kind of sins could a monk get into? I mean, Martin Luther would go into the confessional and he'd be in there for hours. And, you know, Sproul asked the question, you know, what is he in there confessing? I coveted brother so-and-so's bond.

I mean, you know, there's how much trouble do you get into in a monastery? Well, you get into a lot of trouble if you know your own heart. Doesn't matter where you are. Doesn't matter who you're with.

Doesn't matter what you're about or doing. If you contemplate for a moment on God's law in your own heart, you will see the bankruptcy. You will see the depravity. So anyway, Luther had this great crushing burden of sin over him, and it was Romans 1, 16 and 17 that opened paradise for him.

For I'm not ashamed of the gospel, the apostle Paul writes, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Why? For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. And Luther understood Paul's point.

When Paul says that in Romans 1, 16 and 17, we see a parallel in Philippians chapter 3, 9. It's not God's perfection of righteousness, though God possesses that, but that righteousness that is spoken of there in Romans 1, 16 and 17 is the righteousness that God demands and that God supplies. For in it, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. That, as it is written, the just shall live by faith.

So there is a perfection of God, righteousness, justice, holiness. But there is this gift of God, righteousness, that comes in the gospel as a result of the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ. For Luther, that is when paradise opened, when he understood The gospel. When he understood that it's not good advice, but rather it's good news.

When he understood that guilty, vile, helpless, we, spotless Lamb of God was He, full atonement can it be? Hallelujah, what a Savior. When Luther understood that, he then rejoiced.

Death and Resurrection: Inseparable Events

Now, when it comes to these two things, look at what the text says. He was delivered up because of our offenses, death, and he was raised because of our justification, resurrection. The two events are inseparable. The resurrection is the necessary follow-up to the death of our Savior.

Listen to Warfield. He says that he died manifests his love and his willingness to save. That he rose again manifests his power and his ability to save. Now, please follow because this is crucial, because I'm sure there's somebody saying, he was raised because of our justification.

The Apostle Paul typically connects justification to death. Here he connects it to resurrection, but he has just spoken of death. Again, two inseparable events. Listen to Warfield.

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 on our behalf, but who passed through death, that's crucial.

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. So there is this close and inextricable connection between the death of Christ and the resurrection of Christ. This morning I mentioned Romanism.

Again, not trying to unnecessarily pick on them, but when you have Christ still on the cross, that's not the entire message. Christ was on the cross, he entered the tomb, but on the third day he was raised from the dead by his Father. Charles Hodge says the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact established by the most satisfactory evidence authenticates the whole gospel. In other words, if Christ said he was who he said, and Christ died but did not rise again, then there is no authentication, there is no confirmation.

We might muse and say, what a noble character, what a wonderful human, what a kind man, what a compassionate fellow, but we wouldn't be able to testify that he is in fact the savior for sinners. It wasn't just death, but it's resurrection as well. He goes on to say, as surely as Christ has risen, so surely shall believers be saved. Verse 25.

Five Testimonies of the Resurrection

Now, if we ask the question, what is the theological connection between resurrection and justification? I want to answer that. First,

Son of God with Power

the resurrection testifies that Christ is in fact the Son of God with power. Look back at Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1, beginning in verse 1, Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God, which he promised before 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 now notice, and declared to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Not that he became the son of God, but rather it testified that he was in fact the Son of God.

The resurrection underscores the truth that Christ is the Davidic Messiah, the mediator of the New Covenant, the second person of the Trinity, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. Secondly,

Sacrifice Accepted by the Father

the resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. The resurrection testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted. In other words, the father was pleased and raised him from the dead. 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." In other words, it testified concerning 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." In other words, when Christ is raised from the dead, it not only testifies that He is the Son of God with power, but it also shows us divine approbation for the sacrifice rendered up by the Son of God. The language of Hermann Bavink, the resurrection is, quote, a divine endorsement of His mediatorial work, a declaration of the power and value of His death, the amen of the Father upon the it is finished of the Son. I don't think that could possibly be said better outside of the written scriptural record.

Satisfaction Rendered

Thirdly, the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was rendered. Now, you might think this all sounds the same. It's not. The sacrifice was accepted by the Father, but the resurrection testifies that satisfaction was rendered.

Older writers oftentimes refer to atonement as satisfaction. It's the underlying theme with reference to atonement. Christ satisfies divine justice by his sufferings and death at the cross. So again, God is angry with the wicked every day, Psalm 711.

God hates the workers of iniquity, Psalm 5.5. God will bring men into judgment and punishment as a result of their sins. Propitiation answers the question, what happens to that wrath? Well, Christ takes it.

Satisfaction deals with it from a bit of a different angle. The Father, the judge of all the earth, is satisfied. The requirements of his just law have been met by the Savior. The punishment that is due for sinners is received by the Savior.

And so satisfaction is rendered at the cross. In other words, again, we have a definite atonement. We have a real atonement. We have atonement that's not just sort of set out there for anybody that wants to activate it, but rather the atonement is efficacious for those God purposes to save.

Redemption Accomplished

Fourthly, the resurrection testifies that redemption was accomplished. What does Jesus say on the cross? The sixth saying of the Savior on the cross, he says, it is finished. That's a blessed statement that Christ utilizes from the cross.

It's not, I am finished. It's not a weak sort of an insipid emptying of himself. It is a triumph cry. It is victory.

It is finished. The work that the Father has given me is accomplished. That sixth saying of the Savior on the cross indicates that reconciliation, redemption is affected by the Son of God. And it's in what's called the perfect tense.

I don't wanna sort of bore anybody here, but the perfect tense in Greek means something that happened in the past, but it has present and abiding effect on us now. And then, interestingly as well, when archaeologists go out, archaeologists, if any of you kids really like playing in the dirt or mud, consider archaeology. That'd be a good pursuit for you. Someday you could get paid to dig around in the dirt and mud.

I mean, wouldn't that be great? You find things. Well, as persons have taken that task on, they have found the Greek word that Jesus uses here on bills, receipts, commercial, transcript or paperwork from commerce. And this word, it's technically, or the Greek word is tetelestai.

It's not stamped, because they didn't have stamps back then, but it's in there. It means it's paid in full. It means that the transaction is completed, and that is what Christ says on the cross. Spurgeon makes this comment concerning the Savior with reference to this sixth saying from the cross, it is finished.

He says, I am persuaded that it was so intended to be used for none of the... Oh, he's talking about it's for the benefit of his church. I am persuaded that it was so intended to be used for none of the words of our Lord on the cross are addressed to his church but this one. I cannot believe that when he was dying, he left his people, for whom he died, without a word.

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do is for sinners, not for saints. I thirst is for himself. And so is that bitter cry, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Woman, behold, thy son is for Mary.

Today shalt thou be with me in paradise is for the penitent thief. Into thy hands, I commend my spirit, is for the father. Jesus must have had something to say in the hour of death for his church, and surely this is his dying word for her. And it's a most excellent dying word for her as well.

It is finished. Christ did what he came to do, and he successfully completed the task. So the resurrection testifies that Christ is the Son of God with power. It testifies that Christ's sacrifice was accepted.

It testifies that satisfaction was rendered. It testifies that redemption was accomplished.

The Session Initiated

And finally, it testifies that the session was initiated. And by session, I mean right now, the current session of our Lord. Go back to Acts chapter 2, and we'll see that connection. Acts chapter 2, the apostle Peter speaking concerning Jesus, His person and work sets forth the true humanity of Christ in verse 22, the predetermined death of Christ in verse 23, the glorious resurrection of Christ in verses 24 to 32, and then the triumphant exaltation of Christ in verses 33 to 36.

Now this triumphant exaltation of Christ refers to the session, the current session of Christ. In other words, what is Jesus doing now? Well, this is what we see here. Verse 32, this Jesus God is raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Again, that's the emphasis in this passage. In Acts chapter 2, the primary focus isn't on the Spirit and tongue speaking. I'm not suggesting that we relegate the Spirit to some marginal status, but that's not the emphasis.

The emphasis is that Christ, the ascended Lord, sits enthroned at the right hand of the Father, and He is the one that has poured out the Holy Spirit on this particular occasion. Verse 34, for David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. So the resurrection testifies that the current session, or the session rather, was initiated.

There's still stuff for the mediator to do. He ever lives to make intercession for us, but he will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. So there are aspects of the mediatorial work of Christ that still need to be accomplished, not relative to our salvation. That is a done deal. not some sort of Seventh-day Adventist doctrine where he continues to make atonement in the Holy of Holies.

That's nonsense. Christ wrought out atonement in his life, his death, and his resurrection. But it does still remain for Christ to come again and to judge and to consummate the age.

Application

Well, in conclusion, in the first place, we ought to appreciate the necessity of the death of Christ. The evil of sin is no small thing. If you are not a believer here tonight, you need to ponder this. If you are reflecting or listening, perhaps, online, and you're not a believer, you may not think sin is that big of a deal.

You may think something like, well, you know, everybody does sin. Yeah, everyone does sin, and it's horrible. It is abominable. It is wretched.

God made us upright, and behold, we sought out many devices. Your devices might not be mine, my devices might not be yours, but that undercurrent, that theme that is connecting all of us is rebellion against the living and true God. If that necessitated the death of Christ for its remedy, then we ought to appreciate just how bad sin really is. As well, the remedy for sin involves forgiveness and the imputation of Christ's righteousness.

The death of Christ secures that forgiveness. The life of Christ obviously secures the imputation of the act of obedience, but that death of Christ What does the Apostle say in Hebrews 9.22? Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission. There is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood.

What does John the Baptist say when he beholds Jesus Christ in John 1? He says, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. In Him we have redemption through His blood, both Ephesians 1 and Colossians 1.

This emphasis on the blood of Jesus Christ is not owing to a sick, twisted fascination on the part of the people of God, but rather it tells us or proclaims to us that in the death of the Savior, we have the forgiveness of sin. Secondly, the glory of the resurrection of Christ, the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, Christ was no longer under the dominion of death. Romans 6, 9 and 10 tells us this. Hodge says, with the dead Savior, a Savior over whom death had triumphed and held captive, our justification had been forever impossible.

In other words, if Christ is not raised from the dead, then we are still in our sins. That's what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15. That's a horrible condition to be in. So we need death, we need resurrection.

As well, the work of satisfaction having been accomplished, the Father raised the Son, to testify concerning the completion of the work. As I mentioned this morning, we looked at the historicity of the resurrection and the gospel narratives and other New Testament passages. Paul deals with the theology. Not that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John don't.

Not that the other gospel or other New Testament authors don't, but Paul really investigates the theological sort of basis or foundation for these things, and they are most encouraging and most stabilizing. And once again, may I encourage you, encourage you the pathway to good practical Christianity comes through a robust appreciation of good Christian doctrine. In other words, without the theory, without the truth, without that substance, you will flounder in your Christian experience. Don't just reach for the book on how to be a good wife or the book on how to be a good husband, but reach for the book that explains to you the glory of the cross, the book that explains to you the glory of justification by faith alone, a book that explains to you the connection between justification and sanctification.

In other words, brethren, feed your souls with the great doctrine of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, if you look just ahead in chapter 5 at verse 1, we see the blessed result of His death and resurrection. Look at what Paul says. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace is something everybody wants. Now there's the few sick individuals out there that seem to thrive in chaos. They seem to thrive when everything's a mess. They seem to thrive when everything is just coming off the tracks.

But most people like a degree of peace. Most people are a little bit upbraided right now because we can't go outside or we are being frowned upon as we meet together in the church. There's this absence of or lack of, but that's at the horizontal level. The apostle is dealing with peace, with God, Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Now look at how Paul gets real practical here. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. That's a good bit of practical theology based on his exposition of the cross and the empty tomb of our blessed Savior.

It is absolutely crucial that we appropriate these doctrines in our minds and in our hearts. It is this which will promote stability, which will promote encouragement, which will promote comfort and security in the lives of God's people. When you get justification, the way that Paul deals with it, the way that Jesus teaches it, the way that the prophets and Moses dealt with it, when you understand it the way the best of the Reformation theologians articulated, that which is encapsulated in Westminster Catechism 33, there is a world of comfort and hope afforded to us by that glorious truth. And if you're not a believer tonight, it's faith in Jesus.

It's look and live. It is believe on that one in whom there is forgiveness. All that the Father gives me, Jesus says, will come to me, and the one who comes to me, I will serve. certainly not cast out. It'll never be the case that a sinner coming after Jesus will be rebuffed, will be rejected, will be resisted.

Christ came into this world, sinners to save. And if you look at 1 Timothy 1.15, That's exactly what Paul says. This is a faithful saying. It's worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

But he puts sinners in the front of the sentence. Greek is interesting. It's not the typical sort of way we do things in English, where you have a subject and then a predicate. You can put the predicate and then the subject.

Sometimes they do that for emphasis, and when Paul does that in 1 Timothy 1.15, he is saying Christ Jesus came into the world, sinners! to save, the emphasis is upon the sinners there. So never conclude, well, I'm too sinful, Christ can't save me. You're so sinful, Christ alone can save you. Never try to argue yourself out of running to the Savior, believing on Jesus Christ, looking and living, because that is eternal life.

Well, let us pray.

Closing Prayer

Our Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the clarity of Romans 4.25. And as Poole says, it is a great summary statement of the entirety of the Christian gospel. And I pray it would speak multitudes of comfort to our own hearts, that it would help steady us, that we would have that confidence, not in ourselves, but in our beloved Savior, and that we would rejoice in the goodness and in the kindness and in the mercy of our great God and Savior.

We pray that many, many, many more people will believe this message, and many, many more people will come out of darkness into marvelous light. As we look at the book of Revelation, we see there's not just a handful, it's not just a small group of people, but a great multitude that no man can number, from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. This gives us great hope, this gives us great encouragement. So God, we pray, send forth men to preach send forth all of us to testify, to witness, to declare that Christ is a real Savior for real sinners.

And we pray these things in His most blessed name. Amen.

Scripture References

• Leviticus 16
• Psalms 5:5; 7:11; 16
• Isaiah 53; 53:11
• Daniel 9
• Matthew 28:1-10
• John 1; 3:16
• Acts 2; 2:22; 2:23; 2:24-32; 2:33-36; 2:32; 2:34; 4
• Romans 1:1; 1:16-17; 1:18; 3:20; 3:21; 3:21-26; 3:25; 3:27-31; 4:23-25; 4:25; 5:1; 6:9-10; 8:31
• 1 Corinthians 1:23-24; 15; 15:1
• Ephesians 1
• Philippians 3:9
• Colossians 1
• 1 Timothy 1:15
• Hebrews 2:17; 9:22
• 1 Peter 2
• Revelation 7:9