Representitive, Substitutionary, Soteric, Activity

The point: Gird up the loins of your mind and deeply exercise it upon the truths of God, as mental laziness leads to spiritual instability and immaturity.

The phrases 'quickened with Christ, raised and seated with Christ' are likened to the tip of an iceberg, with a massive amount of biblical thought (the axiom) hidden beneath the surface, forming their true meaning.

That salvation is effected by God in love and mercy in a way that involves an intimate life union with his Son is a dominant concept of the New Testament. Now in those five to six minutes we've brought together the main lines of truth that we've covered in several hours of exposition. Now having shown the predominance then of this concept, quickened with Christ, raised with Christ, seated with Christ. We address ourselves this morning to an opening up of that concept. When the apostle used these unusual words to describe the divine method, he was using them, if I may use the figure, in a way t...

8:27 - 9:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Gird up the loins of your mind and deeply exercise it upon the truths of God, as mental laziness leads to spiritual instability and immaturity.

Changing the iceberg figure, the phrases are described as 'fruits' of salvation, with the 'trunk, branches, root, and soil' representing the underlying biblical concepts that give them substance.

words. There is a massive amount of biblical thought beneath the surface of the mere use of those words, which indeed forms the substance of their meaning. To change the figure, the apostle Paul said, Paul, when using these words, is pointing to some of the fruits of the divine method in salvation, but behind that fruit is the trunk and the branches and the root and the soil of other biblical concepts. And it is only because the apostle's mind was furnished with these submerged concepts, if we use the figure of the iceberg, only because there was the trunk and the branches of these concepts, t...

9:41 - 10:57 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section defines 'representative activity,' explaining that Christ acted on behalf of others, just as a political representative acts for constituents. Martin uses scriptural…

A representative in the New Jersey State Assembly is used to explain the concept of 'representative activity' – acting on behalf of constituents, reflecting their will and desires.

Now, what does the word representative mean? Well, if you have a representative, a representative in the State Assembly of New Jersey, what does that representative do? Well, I'll tell you what he's supposed to do. He is supposed to reflect in the gathering together of the representatives from the various districts of New Jersey, the thinking, the feeling, the desires, the will of his constituents.

17:53 - 18:18 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section defines 'representative activity,' explaining that Christ acted on behalf of others, just as a political representative acts for constituents. Martin uses scriptural…

Adam's role as the representative of the human race, whose fall triggered God's dealings with humanity, is used to parallel Christ's representative role for His people.

Just as Adam stood as the representative of the human race, and in his fall we fell, God's dealings with us are triggered by his dealings with Adam, so the Apostle says there is this parallel. Jesus Christ stands as the representative of his people. And this is why the little preposition, and for you fellows, who are slugging away with your prepositions and your diphthongs and your verb endings, it's the little preposition huper. It's used again and again, especially with reference to the work of Jesus Christ.

19:35 - 20:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin moves to 'substitutionary activity,' distinguishing it from mere representation by explaining that Christ literally took the place of His people. He illustrates this with…

A substitute teacher taking the place of the regular teacher is used to explain 'substitutionary activity' – not just representing, but occupying the precise place and performing the same duties.

But I must go further and think of it in terms of substitutionary activity. That is, not only was He acting on my behalf, in my interest, as my representative, but He was that because He was my substitute. Now, you kids can tell me what a substitute is. When you have a substitute teacher, what happens?

27:46 - 28:09 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin moves to 'substitutionary activity,' distinguishing it from mere representation by explaining that Christ literally took the place of His people. He illustrates this with…

A substitute player entering a football game after an injury is used to further illustrate 'substitution' – taking the precise position and performing the exact role of the injured player.

Some guy's running downfield, doing some downfield blocking, and somebody cracks him from behind and gives him a click, a clip, and he wrenches his knee. You send in a substitute. You put someone in the precise place that he was on the play before. Maybe he lined up at a running back or he lined up at an offensive tackle position.

29:31 - 29:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Jesus Christ is living, dying, conquering death and ascending for me, representative, as me, substitution, for my deliverance, soteric.

The title 'President Ford' is used to distinguish between a person's name and their office, illustrating that 'the Christ' refers to Jesus' peculiar office and function, not just His person.

You see the difference? When you say President, Ford, you know instinctively that the first word President has reference not so much to person but to office. Ford is name that has reference to person. Therefore all references to Mr. Nixon are now former President Nixon. When we read in a context like this that God has done something in the Christ, the attention is being focused not so much upon the person, Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, but upon his function and office as the Christ. And as you've been told, times without number, that simply means the anointed one. But the moment you're in t...

43:04 - 44:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Embrace the word of the gospel by hearing the truth of salvation and believing, to be sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The idea of angels folding their wings in 'breathless rummage' and trying to 'peek' into gospel mysteries is used to highlight the profound and glorious nature of the truths being expounded, contrasting with human indifference.

And I would not be surprised at all if as I have labored to lay this truth out, there are some of you that probably would have been much more interested if I had stood here whistling Yankee Doodle or giving you the scores of your favorite football teams. Oh, my friend, listen. I pity you this morning because you've been able to be dull and lethargic and indifferent to that which causes angels, if I may use the figure, to fold their wings in breathless rummage and try to peek. into such great gospel mystery.

49:10 - 49:52 Read in full sermon