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You may turn in your Bibles to 
Romans chapter 4. Romans chapter 4, our focus this 
evening will be on verse 25. This morning we established the 
historical fact of the resurrection in the book of John. John chapter 
20 verses 1 to 23, we see that Jesus in fact rose as he had 
said, as the prophetic scripture had testified, as our Lord had 
told his disciples We see the empty tomb first discovered by 
Peter and John, and then we saw that Jesus appears first of all 
to Mary Magdalene, and then to the disciples without Thomas. 
Later on in John chapter 20, he then visits them the following 
week when they are with Thomas. So the fact of the resurrection 
tonight We'll look at the theological significance of the resurrection. 
And the New Testament does work its way out sort of in that manner. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 
the facts concerning Jesus Christ, the revelation of God's gospel 
in the person and work of the Lord Jesus, the epistles then 
get into the task of interpretation and application. The Apostle 
Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15, Christ died for our sins. In other words, it's not just 
the death of Christ, but the Bible also interprets the significance 
as to why these things took place. He didn't die simply a martyr's 
death to show us a better way, but rather he died as a substitutionary 
atoning sacrifice for our sins. And we find that here in Romans 
4.25 as well. But I do want to read the chapter 
just to set it in its larger context, which actually begins 
in chapter 3 at verse 27. It's the idea of justification 
by faith alone. But I'll read beginning in chapter 
4 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 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 might become the father of many 
nations, or 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. Father, 
we thank you for this epistle to the Romans. We thank you for 
the theology and the the exposition of gospel truth that we find 
in this wonderful book. We pray the Spirit would guide 
us now. We pray that as we consider the 
death and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, our hearts would 
be strengthened and encouraged that we would be built up in 
our most holy faith, that we would respond in gratitude and 
in love and adoration and worship to You, our great God. How we 
thank You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for so great a salvation. How we thank You for the sending 
of the Son into this world to live, to die, and to rise again, 
so that we might have everlasting life. Be with us now, we pray, 
and we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, after a 
lengthy treatment beginning in chapter 1 at verse 18 and concluding 
in chapter 3 at verse 20, in that section the Apostle highlights 
the condemnation of man because of his sinfulness and waywardness. 
In other words, what we find first of all in this presentation 
of the Gospel is bad news or the plight of man. It's in that 
context, it's with that background that Paul then speaks of the 
righteousness of God in Romans 3.21, the righteousness of God 
that is revealed from faith to faith, being witnessed by the 
Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through 
faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe. He shows 
in this particular section how salvation is by grace alone, 
through faith alone, in Christ alone. He takes great pains to 
eliminate this idea that we are saved because of our goodness, 
or because of our works, or because of our law keeping. He puts the 
nail in the coffin of such an idea in Romans 3.20, where he 
says, therefore, by the deeds of the law, no flesh will be 
justified in his sight. It is absolutely impossible, 
based on the reality of sin, and the depravity of man that 
we could be justified in the sight of God because we do the 
deeds of the law. We do not do the deeds of the 
law. That last hymn that we sang, 
even as Christians, the only way I think we can sing 492 is 
as a prayer. We're not singing it as if it's 
reality. We're not singing it as if it's 
an accurate description of our hearts and our souls and our 
lives. Do we really live like what we just read and sang in 
492? If we do not formulate that in 
the manner of prayer to God and petition, we're most likely hypocrites. There is no way that even a Christian 
man could work himself into heaven. God demands absolute perfection, 
absolute strict obedience to the law, and without that there 
is no salvation, apart from our Lord Jesus. That's the point 
in chapter 3, verse 20. He summarizes everything that 
has gone before, and he says, by the deeds of the law, no flesh, 
Jew, Gentile, doesn't matter your privilege, doesn't matter 
your background, doesn't matter your state, no flesh will be 
justified in His sight. For by the law is the knowledge 
of sin. And it's on the heels of that 
he introduces the righteousness which is by faith. And here in 
Romans 4 he gives this initial statement concerning faith alone 
actually in 3.27 to 31. He then deals with Abraham. He 
cites David and Abraham as examples or exemplars or illustrations 
rather of this principle. There's nothing new. This has 
been witnessed by the Law and the Prophets. David didn't go 
to heaven because he was an obedient man. David didn't go to heaven 
because he fulfilled the law of God at every step of the way. 
Remember, David committed adultery and he committed murder. The 
only way that David could go to heaven was by the imputation 
of the righteousness of Christ. And that's what David celebrates 
in Psalm 32. The same for Abraham. He believed 
God and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. It wasn't 
his works. It wasn't his law-keeping. It 
wasn't his ability. It wasn't his duty. but rather 
it was the grace of God manifested in the life and salvation of 
this brother through Jesus Christ our Lord. So he shows faith and 
works in chapter 4, verses 1 to 8. There is a contrast there. 
And then he speaks of faith and circumcision in chapter 4, verses 
9 to 12. And then faith, promise, and 
the law, chapter 4, verses 13 to 22. And then the faith of 
Abraham and the faith of the Christian in verses 23 to 25. 
Do you love what he says in verse 23? Now it was not written for 
his sake alone that it was imputed to him. It wasn't simply for 
the benefit of Abraham. Genesis isn't in the Bible simply 
for Abraham. Genesis is in the Bible for us 
as New Covenant Christians. It is there for our admonition 
and for our encouragement and for our consolation and our hope. It is there for our instruction 
to answer the question, how does a sinful man stand before a holy 
God? Well, we with Abraham believe 
God and that is accounted unto righteousness. So Paul says 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. 
So those who believe the gospel of free and sovereign grace, 
those who look to the Lord of glory, receive the pardon of 
sin and the imputation of righteousness. This is the glory of God's gospel. And then that leads him to give 
this capstone summary statement to all that has preceded in verse 
25. When he mentions Jesus Christ 
in verse 24, he then highlights these two realities concerning 
our beloved Savior. Who was delivered up because 
of our offenses, and who was raised up because of our justification. Charles Hodge says that this 
verse is a comprehensive statement of the Gospel. The Gospel is 
not how you feel. The Gospel is not how you live. The Gospel is not how you conduct 
yourself. The Gospel is the message concerning 
the Lord Jesus Christ. And as Hodge, I think, rightly 
identifies, This verse is a comprehensive statement of it. He then goes 
on to say the denial of the propitiatory death of Christ or of his resurrection 
from the dead is a denial of the gospel. So we strip the message 
of either of these components and we're left with no gospel 
at all. If we're not preaching a bleeding, 
crucified, risen Savior, we're not preaching the Gospel. If 
we're preaching principles to a happy life, we're not preaching 
the Gospel. If we're preaching David as an 
example on how we ought to slay our giants, We are not preaching 
the gospel. If we are preaching Nehemiah 
as a wonderful builder of cities and walls, we're not preaching 
the gospel. We need to preach the message 
concerning the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ our Lord. Anything less than that is not 
gospel. So let's look at this subject 
under two considerations. First, the redemptive purpose 
for the death of Christ. And secondly, the blessed result 
of the resurrection of Christ. First of all, notice the reason 
for His death. It says, very simply and very, 
very clearly, who was delivered up because of our offenses. These two statements are parallel. 
They read almost essentially the same, except, of course, 
for the words offenses and justification and the different verbs that 
are employed. But he was delivered up because of our offenses. Again, please listen to this. 
He wasn't delivered up to be an example. Now, it is growing 
increasingly my conviction that exemplary preaching, while necessary, 
and while necessary for the people of God, if it does overtake the 
indicative nature of the gospel, we've got a problem. What do 
I mean by exemplary preaching? Jesus as an example. Now Jesus 
is an example, and I don't want to diminish from that. Jesus 
is set forth throughout the New Testament pages as an example 
for us to follow. But what often happens is that 
when we preach Him as example, we neglect to preach Him as bleeding, 
as dying, as buried, and as risen from the dead, other than, hey, 
that's a great model and pattern for how we ought to go through 
these trials that we face at work. In fact, one particular 
man recently said this. He says, you see, the death and 
the burial and the resurrection of Jesus happened over three 
days. Friday was the day of suffering 
and pain and agony. Saturday was the day of doubt 
and confusion and misery. But Easter, that Sunday, was 
the day of hope and joy and victory. Here's the fact of life. You 
will face these three days over and over and over in your lifetime. Again, I'm not here to diminish 
the reality that we're going to face difficulties in our lifetime. 
But our difficulties aren't Good Friday difficulties. Our difficulties 
are not bleeding out of our pores. Our difficulties aren't drinking 
the cup of God's wrath. Our difficulties is not having 
or bearing the sin of the world upon our shoulders. Our difficulties 
is not having a group of people crying out, away with him, away 
with him, crucify him. Our difficulties are not wearing 
a crown of thorns. Our difficulties are not being 
nailed to a cross. Our difficulties are not suffering 
on that cross, the wrath and fury of God Most High. So you 
see on the one hand, exemplary preaching, where we look at Jesus 
as an example, is necessary. 1 Peter chapter 2, Peter does 
this with reference to servants, with reference to their masters. 
You need to submit to your masters the way that Jesus Christ did. 
And so I don't want to be listened to or heard as saying, there's 
no place for exemplary preaching. There is a place, but we need 
to be careful that that exemplar doesn't overrule the indicative, 
the reality that Christ did this to satisfy the Father's justice 
and to save us from our sins. He was delivered up because of 
our offenses. He wasn't delivered up simply 
as an example. This is the martyr that you ought 
to follow. This is the way that you ought 
to live. This is the way you ought to bear the brunt of difficulties 
that you face on a daily basis. That's not the point of the redemptive 
sufferings of our Lord Jesus. He bore the wrath of God in our 
place and in our stead. The fundamental meaning in atonement 
is satisfaction. Christ satisfied divine justice 
by His sufferings and death in our stead. And if our exemplary 
preaching overrules or overtakes that, then we are making a distortion 
of gospel truth. We need to make sure that we 
focus upon the indicative, the historical redemptive reality 
of what Christ did. And maybe as a sideline note, 
properly qualified, we draw examples for our benefit in life. This happens. Moralism. This happens, exemplar, this 
happens when the Bible simply becomes a playbook on how to 
have a satisfying life in the here and now. That's not the 
emphasis in the Bible. It's not a playbook for you to 
be satisfied in your life. It is the record of the satisfactory 
work of our Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners. the ones 
whom God the Father had given Him. In that great statement 
concerning the foolishness of the message of the cross, the 
Apostle says in 1 Corinthians 1.21, For since in the wisdom 
of God the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased 
God through what? Through the foolishness of the 
message preached to save those who believe. He then says that 
Jews seek after signs. Greeks seek after wisdom. And 
I love what Paul says there. We don't cater our messages to 
them. This is typical church growth 
drivel today. If Jews want signs, then give 
them signs. If Greeks want wisdom, then give 
them wisdom. If people want to hear the Bible 
over a beer at the tavern, then go have a beer at the tavern 
with them and tell them the Bible. Accommodate everything to the 
God-hating rebel, because after all, he's most important. In 
our attempt to be relevant, we are betraying the very message 
that we say we hold near and dear. What does Paul say when 
Jews seek after signs and Greeks seek after wisdom? He says, but 
we preach Christ crucified. In other words, Jews, we don't 
care that you want signs. Greeks, we don't care that you 
want wisdom. Whoever you are out there, we 
don't care what you want, we're going to tell you what you need, 
because that's most important. 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. So when we read in Romans 4.25, 
who was delivered up because of our offenses, it wasn't for 
our admonition, it wasn't for our example, it wasn't so we 
could trod the Jesus path and deal with our difficulties the 
way our Master did. Again, we need to, we need to 
obey, we need to follow in His footsteps, but please hear the 
delineation that I'm making. If we focus on the example, we 
focus on the moral lesson, we miss the bloody cross. And that 
is terrible. That is horrible. Notice what 
the Apostle says, who was delivered up because of our offenses. It was for sin. And notice it 
wasn't for general offenses. It wasn't just for sins out there 
that this sort of universal atonement was made. So if the sinner plugs 
it in, then it will be atoned for. No, that's not it at all. 
He says our offenses, it's particular in nature. I love the particularity 
in Hebrews 2, 17 as well. One of the very, very important 
points of what has been historically called five point Calvinism, 
the very linchpin, the very crux of the matter is the death of 
Christ in the limited atonement or definite atonement or particular 
redemption. In Hebrews 2, 17, it says, therefore, 
in all things, he had to be made like his brethren, that he might 
be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to 
God. Notice, to make propitiation for the particular sins of the 
people. It's not a universal, it's not 
a hypothetical, it is a definite and particular. This squares 
with Matthew 1.21. What was the announcement concerning 
Jesus? For it is He who will save, who? Everybody who turns Him on, everybody 
who makes a decision, everybody who walks the aisle, no, He will 
save His people from their sins. He was delivered up because of 
our offenses. And if we just tease that out 
for just a moment. Why did the Son of God go to 
the cross? Luther said something to the 
effect, if man can work his way to heaven, or man can provide 
for his own righteousness, or man can make himself acceptable 
to God, then why the cross? Reflecting, of course, on Paul's 
admonition, or Paul's statement in Galatians chapter two. I do 
not nullify, I do not set apart the grace of God, for if righteousness 
comes by the law, then what? You know the rest? Christ died 
in vain. He was delivered up because of 
our offenses, our wickedness, our sin, our evil, our transgression 
of the law of God. It doesn't take but a moment's 
notice to reflect upon the Decalogue, the idea that we've had other 
gods before him. Do you ever pray through the 
commandments? Do you ever consider each of those holy words? Do 
you ever run through Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5 and contemplate 
the great misery that you were in and the reality that Christ 
paid your debt? He paid it all. You shall have 
no other gods before me. You say, well I didn't worship 
Molech. I didn't bow to Baal. I didn't hang with Ashtoreth." 
No, but you worshipped yourself. Every man's idol is in his own 
bosom. Every man's idol happens to be 
in his mirror. You shall not make for yourself 
an idol. We do that all the time. Again, 
492, if we're singing that in anything other than a prayer, 
we're in big trouble. Can you really say, not a mite 
would I withhold? Really? Not a mite. You give 
everything to the Lord and to his people. No. Do you always 
use your mouth for good? Do you always speak love to everybody 
around you? Do you always do those things 
which are necessary for edification to those you're with? Do! Love that third word. Don't misuse 
the name of the Lord your God. Do not take it in vain. For some 
of us in this room, it was a blasphemy, or it was a curse word. It was 
common to revile the holy name of God Most High. This was Newton's 
crime. This was Newton's sin. Everybody 
says, oh, he was a slave trader, and that was a horrific thing. 
And it is a horrific thing. I'm not justifying slave trading. Do not leave here tonight saying, 
well, Jesus isn't our example, and you can trade slaves. That's 
a misrepresentation. I will deny that if you blog 
that on me. What about his blasphemy? By 
his own admission, he was a blasphemer. Why is slave trading so evil, 
but taking the holy name of God Most High? Somehow that's just 
not so bad. Sabbath breaking. We have a tough 
time giving God a half hour in the morning, let alone a day. It's mine. It's all mine. Everything's mine. Give it up. It's God's day. It's the Lord's 
day. You'll find blessing when you relinquish your death grip 
on the Sabbath. What about insubordination to 
lawful authority? It's not just a command for the 
children. This isn't a time just to say, 
oh, you little ones, how wretched you are when you disobey and 
dishonor mommy and daddy. How wretched we are as adults 
that we don't submit to lawful authority. Submission. It's never a question of submission 
versus no submission. It's always a matter of submission 
to lawful authority. What about murder? You may have 
never taken a knife and plunged it into somebody's throat. You 
may have never taken a .38 and capped somebody in the head. 
But if you hate someone without cause, you violate the sixth 
word. What about adultery? You say, 
well, I've been faithful to my spouse. I've been faithful for 
these 15, 20, 20, 35 years, whatever. What does Jesus say if a man 
looks upon a woman and lusts? Now, by implication, we ought 
to say that if a woman looks upon a man and lusts, it may 
sound a little bit different, it may look a little bit different, 
but when a woman thinks or when a woman says, you know, I like 
that man, I'd sure like to have him as my husband, That's a violation 
of the seventh word. You see, it's not offenses in 
general that are out there. It's our particular acts of criminal 
wickedness against the living and true God. Stealing. You never 
stole anything in your life. You probably stole time. I don't 
know of anybody that I've ever met that worked an eight-hour 
day, that actually worked eight hours. They didn't stop. Most 
everybody steals at some point or other in their particular 
workplace. Bearing false witness. You say, 
well, I don't lie. I've never perjured myself. Well, 
that's good on you. Praise God for your holiness. 
The rest of us have probably played loose with the truth of 
God. And then what about covetousness? In the Uniform Code of Military 
Justice, the standard for criminal activity in the United States, 
General Article 134, if 1 to 133 didn't get you, 134 will. You may say, 1 to 133. I've never 
committed that. I've never done this. I've never 
done that. All those say, what happens? 134 says, well, this 
is it. You've done at least this. That's 
how the 10th word is, isn't it? Remember that rich young ruler? All these things I've kept from 
my youth. Did he think Jesus was going 
to pat him on the back? Did he think Jesus was going 
to put a star on his chest? Did he think Jesus was going 
to applaud for it? Jesus was doing to this man what 
Paul does in Romans 3, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Go and sell everything you have, 
give it to the poor, and follow me. He didn't want to do that, did 
he? What happened? The law exposed his sin. You see, it wasn't for nebulous 
offenses out there that Jesus died. God made Him, who knew 
no sin, to be sin for us. Remember on that Day of Atonement 
recorded in Leviticus chapter 16, they take the blood of the 
first goat and they bring it into the most holy place. The 
high priest does, not they. One man enters into the Holy 
of Holies. And then what do they do with that second goat that 
we call the scapegoat? The high priest lays his hands 
upon its head and he confesses the sins of Israel. Do you think 
he says, Lord God, forgive our generic offenses out there? No, 
he's probably rehearsing the Decalogue. He's probably rehearsing 
the moral law of God, confessing specific iniquities, laying them 
or transferring them onto the head of this scapegoat, and then 
it's driven out into the wilderness as a living sacrament of the 
removal of sin from the people of Israel. You see, it wasn't 
for nebulous kind of offenses out there for anybody who might 
decide for Jesus. It was for your lawlessness. 
It was for your transgression. It was for your breach of the 
Decalogue. It was for your sin. That's glorious. He was delivered 
up because of our offenses. As I said this morning, the empty 
tomb Will the death and the resurrection of Christ preach the reality 
of the graciousness of God? Certainly. The cross and the 
empty tomb preach to us the reality of the mercy of God. But it also 
demonstrates something about the wickedness and the evil of 
sin. In our hymn book, 192, Thomas 
Kelly sings, or writes for us to sing, 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, the Son of Man and Son of God. He was delivered 
up because of our offenses. Now probably, in Paul's mind, 
is the prophet Isaiah chapter 53. In the Septuagint, the Greek 
translation of Isaiah 53, the last clause reads that Christ 
was delivered because of their iniquities. Now the New King 
James renders it and he made an intercession for the transgressors. But as I said, so often the apostles 
appeal to that Greek translation. And in that LXS it says, "...and 
was delivered because of their iniquities." Paul is thinking 
in terms of substitutionary wrath-bearing on the part of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. He was delivered up. The verb is passive. That indicates 
that it was the Father who delivered him up. Delivered up there means 
to death. It doesn't mean as an example, 
doesn't mean simply as a friend, it doesn't mean as a helper. 
In Romans chapter 8 at verse 32, the Apostle uses the same 
language that God the Father delivered him up for us all. So much of what is in the apostles 
mind is probably Isaiah 53, this man of sorrows, this one acquainted 
with grief, this substitute who stood in our place to bear the 
wrath of God on our behalf. Verse 11 in Isaiah 53, the Lord 
was pleased to bruise him, putting him to grief. He stood in the 
stead of sinners. That's The emphasis. He was delivered 
up because of our offenses. The Father's initiative. The 
Father's plan. The Father's purpose is displayed 
here. Look back for just a moment in 
Romans 3 at verse 25. Whom God set forth. This is speaking about Christ. 
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, to 
demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might 
be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." 
That statement is glorious in this divine transaction wherein 
sin is imputed to the Son. And wherein the Son is punished 
in our stead, God's justice is magnified. It's not that God 
just wills away His wrath. God doesn't just send it away, 
but rather God pours His wrath upon His Son, And then the righteousness 
of Christ is imputed to us so that God may be both just and 
the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. You see, 
the cross upholds the righteousness of God Most High. That is important. That is absolutely crucial. At times, as new believers or 
even as believers that are, you know, sort of weighed down with 
concerns and cares and all that sort of thing in life, the glory 
and the majesty of God and the upholding of His righteousness 
and justice at the cross isn't always our first priority. It 
was with Paul. It was with the Apostle. That's 
the point in Romans 3, 25 to 27. It was to demonstrate His 
righteousness. He justifies those who have faith 
in Jesus Christ. He maintains His justice by punishing 
His Son, by taking that righteousness and giving it to His people. 
It's truly a glorious gospel that is absolutely seamless. It's the Father's plan, but the 
Son is willing. As Jesus said in John 10, the 
Son lays down His life willingly. The Son doesn't go grudgingly 
to the cross. Now, in Gethsemane, when He understands 
the cup of His wrath that He must drink, He prays, Father, 
if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. He understands 
the weight and the fury of God's holy wrath that is coming upon 
Him. That is legitimate expression of manhood. You know something 
like that is waiting around the corner. It's not wicked or wrong 
to say, God, if it's possible, please let this cup pass. But 
what does He do? He resigns Himself to obey His 
Father and to submit. to the fullest degree. So he's 
delivered up because of our offenses. Now notice, secondly, the blessed 
result of the resurrection of Christ, and was raised because 
of our justification. We might also translate this, 
and was raised for our justification. There's other reasons why. It's 
not simply causal that it was the resurrection, or rather our 
justification, that caused Jesus to be raised from the dead. The 
fact is, He was without sin. Sin did not, or death did not 
have dominion over him, Romans 6, 9. Could not contain it, contain 
him in its grasp. We might say he was raised for 
our justification. Again, the verb is a passive. 
This means that the Father raised him up. Romans 1, 4, the Apostle 
says the very same thing. It is the Father who raises up 
His Son. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the 
Apostle Paul highlights the necessity for the resurrection, underscoring 
what we find here. He's raised for, raised because 
of our justification. 1 Corinthians 15, 17, he says, 
and if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you are still 
in your sins. And if we ask the question, why 
is the resurrection necessary? I mean, doesn't pardon for sin 
and the imputation of righteousness turn on and depend upon the death 
and the life? In other words, it's through 
Christ's death that we receive pardon for sin. It's through 
Christ's life that we receive the imputation of righteousness. 
He fulfills all that the law demands. He fulfills His Father's 
will. And as a result, there is a righteousness 
to impute to the people of God. So we might say the death of 
Jesus Christ secures for us justification. In fact, our very own confession 
of faith speaks or connects justification to the death of Christ. It says 
that God justifies by imputing Christ's obedience unto the whole 
law, I'm sorry, Christ's active obedience unto the whole law 
and passive obedience in his death for their whole and soul 
righteousness. Have you ever asked yourself, 
have you ever read Romans 4.25 and said, wait a minute, I thought 
our justification was intimately connected to the death of Jesus. 
And here Paul says it's intimately connected to the resurrection 
of Jesus. What gives? Well, the death inevitably 
leads to the resurrection. The resurrection, to use the 
language of John Gill, was the testification of the legitimacy of the work 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I typed in testification in Microsoft 
Word and it was a red underline. I'd never heard of that word, 
so I thought maybe dear brother John Gill was making up words 
on me. You do a dictionary.com and testification 
is there. attestation, affirmation, confirmation. Here's what one man says concerning 
the reality of Christ's resurrection. John Fesco in his very helpful 
book on justification. I highly recommend the book. 
An older standard that you ought to read on the doctrine of justification 
is by James Buchanan. Absolutely wonderful. A newer 
update, not an update, it's not the same thing, but it's the 
classic Protestant doctrine of justification by faith by John 
Fesco. James White also has a helpful 
volume called The God Who Justifies. This is a doctrine worth your 
perusal. This is a doctrine worth your 
study. Get the Westminster Shorter Catechism 
in your noggin. Get 33 in there. What is justification? 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. Justification is glorious. The 
Apostle is highlighting it. He says that Christ was delivered 
up, He died because of our offenses, and He was raised for our justification. Fasco says this means that Christ's 
resurrection confirms and authenticates that our justification has been 
secured. If Christ remains dead in the 
tomb, then the powers of sin and death have not been conquered, 
and Christ's crucifixion was legitimate, for the wages of 
sin is death. Warfield says it this way, 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 
directed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. We are to believe 
in a living Savior. We are to believe in one reigning 
at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Apart from the resurrection, 
if He's dead in the tomb, there is no living Christ for us to 
direct our faith unto. So Warfield says he died, or 
that he died manifests his love and his willingness to save, 
that he rose again manifests his power and his ability to 
save. He says, 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. He was delivered up because of 
our offenses. and He was raised because of 
or for our justification. May God be glorified. The resurrection serves as the 
proof that His death has been accepted by God, that He has 
fully and actually or effectively secured the will of God. The 
Christian is justified by faith and this faith must be directed 
to a living Lord, to Jesus Christ. The Christian is in union with 
Christ by virtue of his life and death and resurrection. Isn't 
that Paul's whole emphasis in Romans 6? You've been raised 
with Christ. Well, if Christ hasn't been raised, 
then neither are you. The death and resurrection of 
Christ are inseparable. Fasco again says, Christ's death 
atones for the sins of God's people. His resurrection is the 
evidence that death had an illegitimate claim for him or 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. The Apostle is highlighting 
the blessed solidarity that we have with Abraham and with David 
by virtue of our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, we learn 
a few things and then we close. First, the necessity of the death 
of our Lord Jesus. Just turn for a moment to Galatians 
2. I know I cite this verse occasionally. I think it's good for you to 
see what Paul says, and what the 
emphasis is. Verse 20, that blessed statement 
of Paul, I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer 
I who live, but Christ lives in me. In the life which I now 
live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved 
me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace 
of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ 
died in vain. You see, the necessity of the 
death of Christ is in the doctrine of total depravity. Romans 1.18 
to Romans 3.20 teaches us most assuredly that no man by his 
own righteousness can ascend the ladder and enter into heaven 
itself. If we are to do that, death must 
occur. the death of the Son of God, 
the spotless, perfect, holy, blemish-free sacrifice. Sin is a great demerit. Sin is 
a great evil. Sin is abominable. And the only 
way the sin problem is ever taken care of is because Jesus was 
delivered up for our offenses. We do not need moral refinement. We do not need a little bit of 
help. We need a sacrifice. We need the one who was spotless 
to die in our behalf and to rise again on the third day. At this 
time of the year, people get warm and fuzzy feelings connected 
with Jesus. Let's get past that and see the 
absolute necessity of a crucified and a risen Savior. The necessity 
not only of the death of Christ, because we cannot work. Righteousness 
does not come through the law because we are dead in our trespasses 
and sins. So Christ must die on our behalf. But the necessity of the resurrection. Hodge says with a dead Savior, 
a Savior over whom death had triumphed and held captive, our 
justification had been forever impossible. As I mentioned Gil, 
Christ's resurrection did not procure the justification of 
his people. that was done by His obedience 
in death, but 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, where that Christ might 
live and see His righteousness imbued and applied to all those 
for whom He had wrought it out." We need Christ's death, we need 
Christ's resurrection, we need this desperately or we perish 
in our sins. And isn't gospel logic amazing? 
Look at Romans 3.25, and physically you don't have to, but think 
about it. He was delivered up because of our offenses. Without 
the gospel, what does justice demand? that we are delivered 
up to hell because of our offenses. Right? Isn't that the just punishment, 
the just reward? Romans 6.23, for the wages of 
sin is death. We deserve to be delivered up 
unto everlasting punishment, but God in His gospel, God in 
His mercy, God in His grace was pleased to deliver up His Son 
because of our offenses. That's the gospel. That's the 
good news. That's what's most blessed and 
excellent in the scriptures. Again, it's not a message of 
self-help or exemplary preaching. It is the message of Christ and 
Him crucified. The Bible is not good advice. The Bible is good news. And this is typified or captured 
in Romans 4.25. He was delivered up because of 
our offenses. He was raised for our justification. And then finally, is it any wonder 
that Romans 5 follows Romans 4? I always think when I say 
things like this, you know, you guys are saying, yeah, Paul knew 
how to count. Butler is showing that he knows how to count. I 
mean the themes. How does Romans 5 begin? Therefore, 
having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. You see the logical flow. You see the implication. You 
see the reality. He's delivered up because of 
our offenses. He's raised up for our justification. Based on that reality, the logical 
implication is peace in your heart. joy in your soul, delight 
and comfort in your life. You see, this is where it gets 
practical. Now it doesn't matter what your 
situation is, your trials, your afflictions, your difficulties. 
I mean, it matters because you're going through them. But you've 
been justified freely by the grace of God. You are heaven-bound. That's not going to change. No 
matter what this world throws at you, no matter what the trials 
you face, no matter the difficulties and the hardship, you are going 
to one day hear the Savior for sinners say, well done, good 
and faithful servant. You are going to hear the Savior 
for sinners say, enter into the joy of your rest. You are going 
to hear the Savior for sinners say, I'm going to wipe every 
tear from your eye. I'm going to take every sorrow 
from your heart. I'm going to make it so that you never hunger 
and you never thirst. You see, it's the doctrine of 
justification by faith alone. It's not 15 principles on how 
to navigate through difficult waters. It's the reality that 
I've been justified freely by the grace of God. through a crucified 
and risen Savior, it is based on that fact that I'm able to 
deal with this life in a manner that is consistent with the entirety 
of Scripture. Here's now how you ought to do 
these sorts of things. We have peace with God based 
on that. Go live and move and have your 
being in this lower world. Well, let us pray. Father, we 
thank You for Your Word and we thank You for this capsule her 
encapsulated statement concerning the gospel of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, how we thank you for these truths, how we praise you 
for the fact that he has risen, how we praise you for the fact 
that he is at your right hand even now, making intercession 
for his people, being an advocate for his people. And if any here 
have not believed, if any here are not in Christ, I pray that 
you'd open their eyes and hearts Give them faith and repentance 
so that they may come to the Savior and know the joy of being 
found in Him, not having their own righteousness which is from 
the law, but having that righteousness which is from you through faith. 
Go with us now, we pray, and we ask through Jesus Christ our 
Lord. Amen.