Sermon
#1254[1]
Title: The Pre-eminence of Christ in Salvation
Text: 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Subject: Christ’s Pre-eminence in Salvation
Date: Sunday Evening - October 6, 1996
Beth-EL Baptist
Church - San Jose, CA
Introduction:
My text is 1 Corinthians 1:30-31. Read it with me. "But of him are ye in
Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: (31) That,
according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
In thes verses the Holy Spirit distinctly teaches three things. See that you
understand them. They are vital.
1.
Salvation is God’s work. If
you and I are in Christ we are in him by the work and operation of God
almighty, not as the result of our own effort or decision (Rom. 9:16).
2.
The whole of God’s salvation is in and by the Lord Jesus
Christ. He is made of God
unto every believer, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption.
Everything we need, everything God requires of sinners is in Christ. Everything
we need done for us Christ has done. And everything God gives to sinful men he has
given to his elect in Christ (Eph. 1:3).
3.
The reason for this is that we might glory in Christ alone. If our knowledge of God, righteousness before God,
sanctification in the sight of God, or redemption as the sons of God were in
any measure, to any degree determined by or dependent upon us, we would glory
in ourselves; and it would be right for us to do so. But God has made Christ
alone our Savior and has given him all pre-eminence in the whole affair so that
he might have all the glory for it. And so it shall be!
Now when we think about this business
of salvation we must never think of it as one thing, one experience, or one
thing done for us. To do so is to greatly limit our understanding of God’s
grace. When you think of God’s salvation, never limit it to your experience of
grace. Salvation is the whole work of
grace by which we are brought from the gates of hell into the gates of glory.
It includes far, far more than any of us have ever imagined.
·
I hve been
saved in the purpose of grace.
·
I am being
saved in the experience of grace.
·
I shall be
saved in the consummation of grace.
And I know this...
Proposition: In the whole work of salvation, in the whole work of grace,
past, present, and future, Christ is pre-eminent.
As I said, none of us has ever
imagined all that is involved in the saving of our souls. But there are at
least ten things clearly revealed in the Scriptures as different
aspects of salvation. And in all ten of these things Christ is pre-eminent.
Let’s look at them each briefly.
I. Election - Salvation begins with election. We were chosen in Christ
unto salvation.
John 15:16 "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you."
Ephesians 1:4 "According as
he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be
holy and without blame before him in love:"
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 "But we are
bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord,
because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through
sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: (14) Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of
the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
1 Peter 1:2 "Elect
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the
Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto
you, and peace, be multiplied."
II. Predestination - Having chosen to save us, the Lord our God then
predestinated all things necessary to bring us unto the full enjoyment of the
adoption of sons in heavenly glory. In love he predestinated us to be conformed
to Christ.
Romans 8:29-30 "For whom he
did foreknow, he also did predestinate to
be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brethren. (30) Moreover whom he
did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Ephesians 1:5 "Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will,"
III. Redemption - The basis of our salvation is the redemptive work of
Christ. We have redemption through his blood. This is the very heart of the
gospel.
Galatians 3:13 "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the
law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:"
Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to
the riches of his grace."
Hebrews 9:12 "Neither by the
blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the
holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us."
1 Peter 2:24 "Who his own
self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins,
should live unto righteousness: by whose
stripes ye were healed."
1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ
also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring
us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:"
I want you to see three things about
this matter of our redemption by the precious blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
·
It is A Just
Redemption.
·
It is A
Particular Redemption.
·
It is An
Effectual Redemption.
IV. Justification - We are justified freely by God’s grace through the
redemption that is in Christ.
Romans 3:23-28 "For all have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
(24) Being justified freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (25) Whom God hath set forth to
be a propitiation through faith
in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God; (26) To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of
him which believeth in Jesus. (27) Where
is boasting then? It is excluded. By
what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (28) Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law."
V. Forgiveness - Redemption, justification, and forgiveness go hand in
hand. It is impossible to have one without the other two. How I love that word
- “Forgiveness!”
Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the
riches of his grace;"
Colossians 1:14 "In whom we
have redemption through his blood, even the
forgiveness of sins:"
1 John 1:7 "But if we walk
in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin."
1 John 1:9 "If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
·
We are
forgiven freely!
·
We are
forgiven fully!
·
We are
forgiven forever!
VI. Regeneration - The new birth is having Christ formed in you by the power
and grace of his Spirit.
John 3:3-8 "Jesus answered
and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a
man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's
womb, and be born? (5) Jesus
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) Marvel not
that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and
thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and
whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." The
new birth is a resurrection from the dead!
Colossians 1:27 "To whom God
would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory." The new birth is
having Christ formed in you!
2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust." The new birth
is being made a partaker of the divine nature! I am talking about something
that requires more than the excerise of your imaginary free will!
VII. Sanctification - Christ is our sanctification.
A.
We were set apart in him in divine election as the objects of God’s grace, to
be made holy.
Jude 1:1 "Jude, the
servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by
God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:"
B.
We were declared to be holy when Christ washed away our sins at Calvary.
Hebrews 10:10 "By the which
will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
Hebrews 10:14 "For by one
offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
C.
And we have our Savior’s holy nature imparted to us in the new birth.
2 Peter 1:4 "Whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be
partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the
world through lust."
1 John 3:5-9 "And ye know
that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. (6) Whosoever
abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known
him. (7) Little children, let no man
deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. (8) He that committeth sin is of the
devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (9) Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed
remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."
VIII. Preservation - Christ keeps and preserves his chosen, redeemed, called
sheep in the arms of his almighty grace. Our preservation by him secures our
perseverance in him.
John 10:27-30 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me: (28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck
them out of my hand. (29) My Father, which gave them
me, is greater than all; and no man is
able to pluck them out of my Father's
hand. (30) I and my Father are
one."
Ephesians 5:25-27 "Husbands, love
your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (26) That he might sanctify and cleanse
it with the washing of water by the word,
(27) That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish."
Philippians 1:6 "Being
confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will
perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ:"
Jude 1:24-25 "Now unto him
that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, (25) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and
power, both now and for ever. Amen."
IX. Resurrection - When Christ comes again we shall be raised up from the
dead by the power of God. Every chosen, redeemed, regenerate sinner shall be
raised up to glory in the last day.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 "But I would
not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that
ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so
them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (15) For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we
which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. (16) For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout,
with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in
Christ shall rise first: (17) Then we
which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so
shall we ever be with the Lord. (18) Wherefore
comfort one another with these words."
Illustration: The Robin’s Eggs
X. Glorification - When we have been raised up from the dead all God’s elect
shall be glorified together, transformed into the very image of Christ, and
made to possess that very glory that he now possesses as our glorified Mediator.
John 17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self
with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."
John 17:22 "And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them;
that they may be one, even as we are one:"
A. Christ will be
our Crown of Glory, of Righteousness, of Life,
and of Rejoicing!
B. Christ will be
our great Reward.
C. Christ will be
our Satisfaction.
·
Total
Communion with Him!
·
Total
Commitment to Him!
·
Total
Conformity to Him!
Application:
Illustration: The Leper - “Helpme!
Help me. Somebody help me!”
Psalms 115:1 "Not unto us, O
LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake."
Psalms 70:4 "Let all those
that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation
say continually, Let God be magnified."
Jeremiah 9:23-24 "Thus saith the
LORD, Let not the wise man glory in
his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory
in his might, let not the rich man glory
in his riches: (24) But let him that
glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."
1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God."
Revelation 5:9-10 "And they sung
a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals
thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (10) And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall
reign on the earth."
The
glory of God is paramount. Let us make the glory of God paramount with us in
all things.
·
In Our Faith.
·
In Our
Worship.
·
In Our
Preaching.
·
In Our Homes.
·
In Our Lives.
To God be the glory,
Great things He hath done!
1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God."
Amen!