|
Listen to sermons at FreeGraceRadio.com
|
“The Manifold Wisdom of God” Redemption — The Revelation of God’s Glory Ephesians 3:10 — Isaiah 43:21
The redemption that is in Christ Jesus is redemption that glorifies God in all his attributes. — Here is the manifold wisdom of God. He found a way to redeem and save his people that would exalt, magnify, and glorify every attribute of his holy Being (Psalm 85:7-13).
Holiness Our redemption by Christ glorifies the holiness of God. God cannot compromise his holiness. He cannot save sinners at the expense of holiness. But never was the holiness of God more fully revealed than it was when God found sin upon his own dear Son. When God found sin upon his Son, he tormented him, forsook him, and slew him!
Truth Our redemption by Christ glorifies the truth of God: the truth of his threats (Ezekiel 18:20) and the truth of his promises (Isaiah 53:1-12). Heaven and earth will pass away before one word of God falls to the ground. Indeed, his own beloved Son will be slain before one jot or tittle of his Word shall fail. Perhaps this is the meaning of that text which says, — “Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2).
Righteousness The redemption of our souls by the blood of Christ glorifies the righteousness and justice of God (Romans 3:24-26). The Lord our God is so strictly and immutably just that he will not save the people he loves without the satisfaction of his law and justice. And God is so strictly and immutably just that he would not spare his own dear Son when he took our sins upon himself and became the sinner’s Substitute. God would not release his Son of one debt, spare his Son one requirement, or relieve his Son of one obligation. Justice must be satisfied, though it cost God his Son, and cost his Son his life by the extraordinary, indescribably painful, shameful death of the cross.
Power The accomplishment of redemption by Christ glorifies the great power of God, too. Every aspect of redemption reveals the power of God. God’s great power in creation and providence fades in comparison with the power of God set forth in our redemption. What great, inconceivable power is revealed in the Person of our Redeemer! Who can describe that power which unites God and man in one glorious Person, without humanizing God or deifying man? The power of God appears gloriously in the actual work of redemption by Christ (John 12:31-32; Colossians 2:14-15). And the power of God is revealed in the application of redemption to God’s elect, our actual deliverance from sin and death by the Spirit of God in regeneration (Ephesians 1:19), overcoming the opposition of Satan, overcoming the opposition of our wills, and overcoming the power of death!
Love And our redemption by Christ shows, as nothing else can, the praise of the glory of God’s mercy, love, and grace (1 John 3:1). The great God of heaven and earth so loves sinners who fully deserve his wrath that he found a way both to forgive our sins and make us the sons of God! He so loves sinful man that he has given fallen man a gift greater than he ever bestowed upon all the holy angels. — God gave us his Son (2 Corinthians 9:15)! God gave his Son for us! God gives his Son to us! God freely gives us all things with his Son!
Don Fortner
|
Pastor Fortner’s
|