The Cross
Reading: Rom 5:1-11
Text: Rom 5:6-9

1. The Circumstances of Redemption
a. God’s plan of redemption did not include some contribution from us—Not weak, not with a little bit of strength, but without strength
(1) Without Strength—lost people are sinners, dead, deaf, insensitive to God, hating God and His Gospel, and such were we!
(2) One of the glories of the Cross is that we were totally helpless and totally alien to God, yet He sent His Son to die for us!
b. in due time…..The cross was part of an ancient plan, conceived by God, and carried forth in His time.
c. When was this plan conceived? 1 Pet 1:19-20 , Titus 1:1-2
d. Remember… The Gospel is Good News, but it is Not New—The Gospel is older than creation itself, The Gospel is older than time.

e. Before Time Began--
(1) God was God-- Psa 90:1-2
(2) Before Time Began, the Triune God existed in a loving, mutual relationship—Jn 17:24
(3) Before time began, the Bible was written down in Heaven—The Bible is not some afterthought—Psa 119:89, Psa 119:152
(4) Before Time Began, God ordained a Mysterious Purpose. Eph 3:8-9
(5) God ORDAINED his purpose--He made it an eternal law--and that eternal mysterious purpose was done for our benefit and glory. 1 Cor 2:7
(6) Before the world was made, God ordained the method of redemption and the redeemer--He filled in all the blanks in the plan.
(7) We are heirs to an eternal heritage, prepared for us from all eternity. Mat 25:34

f. In Due Timeè
(1) The plan was announced and prophesied, the prophecies were given—Rom 1:1-4, Rom 3:21,
(2) There are dozens of scriptures that predict the Messiah, in excruciating detail.
(a) The Time of His Birth
(b) The Place of His Birth
(c) The Manner of His Birth
(d) His Forerunner
(e) The Character of His ministry
(f) The manner of His betrayal
(g) The Manner of His death—and crucifixion had not even been invented at the time Psalm 22 was written—Ps 22:14-18
(h) The time of His Death—the evening sacrifice
(i) His resurrection, that He would not see corruption
(j) His Second coming as well as His first
(3) The prophecies were so mysterious that the prophets did not even understand what they were writing—1 Pet 1:10-12
(4) In Due Time…The plan was carried out by God. Gal 4: 4-5èActs 2:22-23, Acts 4:27-28

g. His Death was a Choice—Christ died for the ungodlyèJohn 10:11-18
(1) He was not murdered as a helpless victim
(2) He was not caught up in some thing over which He had no control.
(3) He was not part of some miscalculation by God
(4) He gave up the ghost, He laid down His life, He died, He was in control from beginning to end.

h. The death of Christ was a substitution.
(1) He died in the place of particular people—He died that we could live, He sacrificed, that we could be free, He died in our place. Isa 53:5-6
(2) He did not die for good people, there are no good people.
(3) Christ died for sinners, ungodly sinners, unholy sinners, dirty, rotten defiled sinners—sinners in need of a Savior, sinners totally without any spiritual resources whatsoever, lost, doomed sinners.
(a) And this is why we have hope
(b) And this is the Love of God that has been shed abroad in our hearts
(c) And this is the basis for all we are in Christ—Rom 5:6

3. Dying for Another is Rare

a. It is a Remarkable Thing to Die for Another
(1) The annals of heroism hold in highest esteem those who died for others, who made the highest sacrifice.
(a) The mother defending her children.
(b) The soldier protecting the lives of others.
(c) The police officer in defense of public order.
(d) The middle school teacher in Jonesboro who died shielding a student.
(2) It is rare even to die for someone worthy.

b. It is Even More Remarkable to Die for the Undeserving
(1) Though it is rare, and though we hold it in high esteem as evidence of great nobility of spirit and character, we can understand a mother sacrificing for her children, a father dying for his family.
(2) Though it is rare, and though we consider them great heroes, we understand somewhat how a man could die for his country or to protect his buddies.
(3) Though it shows unusual character, we can understand a teacher shielding a student or a policeman protecting a citizen, and paying the ultimate price.
(4) But to die for someone undeserving, or worse, for someone who deserves anything but this sacrifice, that is rare indeed.

b. That is the case with the cross—5:8
(1) What love! What Grace! We were rebels, murderers, haters of God and of His way, and He sent Christ for us!
(2) Again, God did not send His Son for righteous people—there are not any righteous people. God did not send His Son for nice people—in God’s eyes, we are all vile, hopeless sinners.
(3) God did not forsee us as believers and send His Son—while we were yet sinners He came!

c. It was a voluntary act of Love by a Sovereign, Triune God
(1) Christ did not die because He was too weak to get out of it.
(2) Our Lord and Savior was no helpless victim--as He demonstrated when He said, “I am” and they all fell down (Jn 18:4-6), Jesus could have wiped out the Roman Empire with a word and called for twelve legions of angels to do the light work and mopping up.
(3) No third party arbitrated a settlement between God and the human race--God did it Himself. John 10:11-18, 1 John 4:10, Rom 3:24-26, Heb 9:14
(4) The Cross, therefore, was all a work of God! It was undeserved by us, it was uncaused by us, it was All of God!

2. The Doctrine of the Cross—Substitution, Satisfaction, Blood Atonement, Propitiation!

a. The Cross is a substitution--Christ actually died in the place of sinners--He specifically took the punishment that should have been theirs
(1) 2 Cor 5:21, Isa 53:5
(2) How can the death of One man accomplish this? It is possible because He is infinite--He is God, and His blood sacrifice is of infinite worth.

b. The Cross is a Satisfaction –5: 9 The Cross is our Satisfaction (of the Law's demands).
(1) Unlike the "gods" of the world's religions, who either disregard sin or forgive it capriciously, the God of the Bible can state that all the demands of His law have been met. Rom 3:28-31
(2) And on the cross, God showed to the world that as He forgives people through faith in the blood of Christ, He has dealt with their sin...
(3) to demonstrate His righteousness, Rom 3:26
(4) There are three things in which Christianity is vastly different from the various human religions:
(a) We serve a risen Savior
(b) Our way of salvation is totally apart from human effort
(c) In the Cross, a Holy God DEALS WITH SIN

c. The Cross was a Blood Atonement—
(1) Every blood sacrifice made, every lamb, goat, bull, calf, or dove sacrificed, foreshadowed the great sacrifice Christ would make. He shed real blood for the real sins of real people!
(2) As on the first Passover—“Exo 12:13
(3) The New Testament is full of references to this: Mat 26:28, Acts 20:28, Eph 1:7, Eph 2:13, Col 1:14, Col 1:20, Heb 9:14, Heb 10:19, 1 Pet 1:2, 1 Pet 1:19, 1 John 1:7, Rev 1:5, Rev 5:9,
d. The Cross is a Propitiation— we shall be saved from wrath through him
(1) Rom 3:25 whom God set forth--We can never let this get away from our minds, that God is the Author of the Cross...as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, Jesus’ death on the Cross was a propitiation--this is a word in the Greek which carries several shades of meaning.
(2) It is the same word used for mercy seat--that place in the temple where the blood was sprinkled on the day of atonement
(3) In the context of the wrath of God revealed against sin, it means a sacrifice which turns aside the righteous wrath of God against our sin and rebellion and makes reconciliation.
(4) God propitiated His own righteous wrath which was aroused because of the interaction of His holiness and our utter rebellion against Him—John 3:36, Rom 5:8-9, 1 Th 1:10

e. The Cross is a finished work—John 19:30
(1) It cannot be repeated èHeb 9:27-28
(2) It cannot be supplemented by human works
(3) His suffering ended on the Cross....it was not added to in the days following
(a) I know there is a popular myth that Christ went to hell during the three days His body was in the tomb.
(b) The source of this myth is an addition to the Apostle’s Creed, made by pagans in the 6th century church.
(c) Among some groups of TV preachers, this myth has achieved giant theological meaning, tied in with their concept of Christ as being a mere man during His earthly ministry.

Luke 23:43-46
Jn 19:30..."It is finished!"

The Peace of God

Introductory Thoughts

v I know of no area of practical Christian doctrine about which there is more heresy than what we teach on tonight, and I know of no area of Christian doctrine about which there is a greater need for solid teaching.
v Perhaps because so few believers really know and understand what the Bible has to say about the Attributes of God, that God is Absolute, many fall prey to false prophets who prophesy a life of ease and worldly wealth.

1. The Heresy of Worldly Christianity

a. The attitude and doctrine of the false prophets toward God and the universe.
(1) God, in their mind, is little more than an errand boy for the whims of their life.
(2) I heard a heretic on the radio this week, claiming that it was a false teaching to say that God’s sovereignty ruled over whether or not trials came into our life. This man claimed that we can control the trials of our life through self-generated and controlled faith—this man does not worship the same God I worship!
(3) In some churches, an opposite idea exists that Trials are the result of sin, that God punishes us through trials, and that prosperity is the result of works. There is a grain of Truth here, as sometimes God is chastising us in trials, but the ups, downs, trials, and tribulations of our lives are not due to our works either.

b. The problem of the false prophets.
(1) Their problem is that they do not understand what the universe is all about.
(2) They, and perhaps we, are too caught up in comforts and pleasures to realize that comfort, ease, success in this life, and so on, are of no importance.

c. The doctrine of the false prophets
(1) You can control your circumstances by faith.
(2) If you are not blessed, it is your fault for lack of faith.

d. Spiritual application
(1) In our warfare, the objective is to glorify God by making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
(2) In our warfare, the conflict is a spiritual one, not a physical, worldly one.
(3) In our warfare, victory has already been won on the Cross, and is being worked out by the power of God’s Spirit through the preaching of the Word and the salvation of sinners.
(4) The victory of Faith is overcoming the world, living eternally, seeing the enemies of God crushed. The heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11 include not only those who had victory in this world, but many who would be considered losers by the world.
(a) Heb 11:32-35a—At this point, all of the lovers of the pleasures and comforts of this world are shouting, “victory, victory!”
(b) But now it changes— Heb 11:35b-39
(c) So, what about this second group? Are they losers for not claiming the same victory as those before? Are they second-class believers? Is their faith weak? NO! They are classed in the same boat as the others, because the point is not relative comfort in this world, but whether or not you followed God in faith!


2. Glorying in Tribulations— "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also:

a. Our attitude in tribulations

(1) Is not to be one of bitterness, nor of stoic acceptance of trials and troubles.
(2) Is not to be one of grudging acceptance of circumstances.
(3) The attitude of the mature believer in Christ is to be one of Glorying in What God has done or allowed to be done—to glory in God’s will alone.
(4) “Not Only So…” Not Only What?
(5) We Have Peace With God-- Rom 5:1
(a) By Faith we are justified, declared holy and righteous in the Blood of Jesus
(b) This justification is a present possession, a priceless possession, and a permanent possession.
(c) This Peace is only in and through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ
(6) We Have Access to the highest—Rom 5:2 “…We Have Access By Faith Heb 10:19-22
(7) We stand in an unmovable place called Grace—Into This Grace Wherein We Stand
(8) We rejoice in a blessed Hope— And Rejoice in Hope of the Glory of God

b. Glorying in Tribulations— but we glory in tribulations also:
(1) The word for tribulations is thilipsis, which means pressure (lit. or fig.):--affliction, anguish, burden persecution, tribulation, trouble. It was a word used to describe a wine press squeezing the last drop from grapes. MacArthur says, “…they are not the normal pressures of living, but the inevitable troubles that come to followers of Christ because of their relationship with Him…”
(2) Mat 5:10-12, John 15:20, Tribulations are the normal lot of Christians—John 16:33, Acts 14:22, Rom 12:12, 2 Cor 1:4, 2 Cor 7:4, 1 Th 3:4, Rev 1:9
(3) The Work of Trials in Our Hearts— Patience, Experience, and Hope—“…knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:…”
c. What is it that trials do for us? What do they teach us, how do they mold us? There are three results that are given here, and they all result in changes in our character.
(1) Patience—the word can also be translated “perseverance.” 2 Th 1:4
(2) Experience—or character. The word in the original has to do with proof, as in assaying a sample of metal to find out whether or not it is pure.
(a) Our experience in the Lord, our proven character, the reality of our faith, all come out in times of trial.
(b) It is easy to be a believer when the sun is shining and everything is fine—the test comes when times are dark and things are not good at all.
(c) It is in the crucible of trials and tribulations that our character is molded, proven, purified. James 1:12
(d) This, of course, is totally opposed to what the so-called Faith Message teaches. I was listening to one of those heretics this week, and he ranted and raved on about how God’s Sovereignty has nothing to do with trials, and how that we can claim victory, etc. Then he stated that he had shot holes in the idea that God is sovereign over our trials—and he quoted not one scripture, just his own rantings and ravings.

(3) Let’s remember Who God Is—He is Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Absolute God, and He either brings trials into your life or allows them, for He could prevent any one of them.

(4) The Faith Message “god” is the “god” of dualism. They see Satan as dominating the world, and God can’t help us unless we add our sovereign faith—what heresy, what malarkey, what lies! This is nothing other than sheer crass paganism!

b. Hope—Hope in the Bible is not an indefinite word, but a word of strength, a definite certainty that something is going to happen.

3. The Christian life is a process of growth in Grace—How does this whole process work?

a. Elements of the process of growth—1 Pet 2:2 , 2 Pet 3:18, Eph 4:13-15
(1) We believe and begin to follow Christ, we become disciples, learning from His Word. We master the doctrinal teachings of the Faith.
(2) God brings things or allows things in our lives that mold us, and that help us to understand walking by faith, not by sight.
(3) After overcoming each challenge, our confidence and faith in Christ grow, and we mature to be able to handle the next lesson and test. We continue to feed on the Word, continuing to grow in faith and knowledge of God.
(4) Like Job, we come to really see God as He is, not as the pagans want Him to be. We understand the way the universe works more and more every day.
(5) We grow into mature Christians, able to withstand the false prophets of this world and able to speak the Truth in witness to others.

b. Explanations of the process of Christian growth—2 Pet 1:1-8, 1 Pet 1:3-9

c. The Specific passage on the Peace OF God—Phil 4:4-9

4. Applications

a. If we are going to have peace of mind, we must know what the Word says.
b. We must understand how the universe works, what God is like, what the nature of the war is, what the meaning of victory is.
c. We must realize that tribulations in this world are normal for a believer in Christ.
d. We must understand that the Christian life is one of growth, development, following, learning, maturing, and entry into ministry, as God has gifted each one of us.
e. We must understand that God is there to walk with us through each and every one of our trials.

At War With God

At War With God
Rom 5:1-2
Brother Charley Buntin
Sunday School Teacher
Trace Creek Baptist Church
Mayfield, KY
Reading: Rom 5:1-11
Text: Rom 5:1-2

Introductory Thoughts

v In Romans Chapter 5, we have come to a new place in the Holy Spirit’s presentation (through Paul) of the doctrines of salvation.
v Remember Romans’ basic outline:
§ We cannot save ourselves—1:18-3:20
§ Only God Can Save Us—3:21-11:36
§ God Expects Saved people to live for Him—12:1- end of Book.
§ In 3:21-31, Paul lays out for us the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
§ In Chapter 4, Paul teaches us about a vital part of justification, the doctrine of Imputation, and he illustrates that doctrine through the life of Abraham.
§ And now in Chapter 5, we begin to see the full meaning of Justification and its effects in our lives.
§ The First effect of justification is Peace With God, but before we can really look at that, we need to re-examine the fact that we are at war with God in our natural lives.

1. The Reason for the Conflict—Rebellion Against our Creator

a. God is our Creator and King, with all rights to our worship and obedience.
(1) God Created all--Isa 37:16 "O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth."
(2) Neh 9:6 "Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee."

b. Because He is our Creator, we owe God full worship, obedience, and dominion—
(1) Rev 4:11 "Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created."
(2) God calls upon us to acknowledge His Lordship and to serve Him. Is 45:18-24, Dan 4:34-35

c. As rebels against our Creator, we have no basis from which to negotiate, we have no right to make demands.

(1) Job 9:2-3 "… how should man be just with God? 3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand."
(2) Job 33:13 "Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters."
(3) Job 40:1-2 "Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it."
(4) Isa 45:9 "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou?

d. Our Rebellion was open, direct, and conscious—1 Tim 2:13-14 "…Adam was first formed, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived….

(1) Adam knew what he was doing
(2) Adam knew that what he was doing was wrong.
(3) Adam went into rebellion with his eyes fully open. He willfully sinned and disobeyed God.

e. We continue to renew the rebellion even today.

(1) Psa 58:3 "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies."
(2) Rom 3:10-12 "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
(3) 2 Tim 3:13 "… evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."

2. Barriers to Peace with God

a. The Wrath of God Against the Sin of Man—
(1) Rom 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;"

(2) John 3:36 "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."

b. The Law of God, which demands justice for the sins we have committed.
(1) Ezek 18:4 "Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die."

(2) Rom 5:12 "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:"

(3) Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

c. The Guilt we possess over our sins

(1) People spend countless dollars trying to deal with guilt

(2) Even if we do not admit there is a God and even if we do not acknowledge His law, still, deep within our souls is guilt over our sins.

(a) Rom 2:14-15 "For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15 Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)"

d. Our slavery to sin—
(1) John 8:34 "Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin."
(2) Rom 6:16-17 "Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."

e. Our own minds and natures, hateful and hating God, desiring pleasure, not desiring God and His Way.
(1) Rom 8:6-8—we really hate God in our natures

(a) Lost people hate God because He reminds them of their sin. John 7:7 "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil."

(b) The Lost world hates Christ, but it is all without a valid cause—John 15:18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

(c) John 15:25 "But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause."

(3) We are this way by nature—Eph 2:1-3

f. The blindness, deafness, and deadness of our Souls

(1) 2 Cor 4:3-4
(2) Eph 4:18 "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:"
(3) John 12:34-40
(4) 1 Cor 2:14

g. The impotence of our will.

(1) John 1:12-13
(2) John 5:40
(3) Rom 9:16
(4) Rom 7:18 "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find."


3. Application

a. The human race is at war with God, a war we cannot possibly win.

b. The King of the Universe has offered a way of pardon through the shed blood of His son.

c. Most people have rejected that way also, the rebellion continues to grow and intensify

d. The way out of this rebellion is to surrender to the forces of the King.