1 Corinthians 1

Introduction to the Sovereignty of God in Grace

0:01 May we once again unite our hearts in prayer. O Lord, our God, you have heard the prayer that we have uttered in this hymn we have just sung.

0:19 Breathe upon us, breath of heaven. Come, we pray, this night, as the spirit of wisdom and revelation.

0:29 Come, O Holy Spirit, as the spirit of truth, the spirit of conviction. Come as the spirit of consolation. Come, O we pray, that you will do your gracious, manifold work through the preaching and teaching of the word of God. O Lord, we confess our need both to speak and to hear aright.

0:54 So come, bind the powers of darkness, drive the clouds of satanic blindness from our eyes, the fleshly dullness from our hearts, those remains of rebellion from our will, and quicken us to hear and to do that which you would say to us tonight. We pray through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. We come tonight to the twelfth in this series of messages on the general theme of the sovereignty of God.

1:36 When we use the term, the sovereignty of God, we are simply using it as a convenient term to describe what the Bible teaches, concerning the Godhood of God. The fact that the God of the Bible is the God who not only brought his world into being, but he actually rules over and governs the world of men and things to the accomplishment of his own eternal purpose. For some weeks now, we have been studying that aspect of divine sovereignty, which on the one hand is the source of perhaps the deepest comfort to many of God's children, and on the other hand, and the greatest object of the hatred of men, and sometimes even the disdain of the children of God. Namely, God's sovereignty in the realm of grace. As we've sought to think our way through this grand scriptural theme, we have done so by focusing our attention, first of all, upon the key words of the Bible, which clearly assert that when God saves men, he saves them according to his own purpose. That they are not saved by the wisps and willy-nilly activity of their own notions, and certainly they are not saved because the devil thinks it would be nice to see some people saved, but as the scripture declares, they are saved and called according to his purpose

3:04 given to them in Christ Jesus before the world began. The words we have studied are the biblical words, elect or chosen, the biblical word, predestinate, the biblical word, called, and the biblical word, foreknowledge or foreknown. Now we are making our way through those key passages in the scripture, which in a very unusual way assert the sovereignty of God in the realm of grace. There are many individual texts of scripture which declare this, but if we can become conversant with the basic sections or passages which teach it, I believe we shall be stronger in our faith of this grand and glorious doctrine of the word of God.

3:49 So we looked at the key passages in the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ, John 3, and then again in John 6, in Matthew 11, and we could have taken a study of John 17, but we didn't in the interest of time. And now we are studying those passages in the teaching of the inspired apostles, which clearly assert the sovereignty of God in the realm, we spent two evenings studying Romans chapter 9, which is in one sense the very bulwark of this teaching, in which the apostle makes some very strong assertions, and then he deals with some objections to those assertions, and then he answers those objections. He asserts, as we saw in our two-week study of Romans 9, that God is free to show mercy upon whom he will, to show mercy, that he has a perfect right to love a Jacob and to hate an Esau. This raises some objections, and people say it isn't right, and then they say it isn't fair. And Paul answers those two objections in a very masterful way to the question or to the objection, it isn't right that God should love one and not love another. Paul says you don't understand mercy, for mercy is not anybody's right.

5:08 The only right you and I have is the right to judgment, and if any of the sons of men receive anything other than judgment, it'll be because God chooses to show mercy upon whom he will show mercy. And then in answering the objection, it isn't fair. If everything's determined by the will of God, how can God judge me as a responsible creature? And Paul answers that objection by saying, first of all, you just better remember who you are.

The Twofold Reaction to the Preaching of the Cross

5:36 Nay, O man, who art thou that replyest against God? Does the scripture reveal that God is sovereign and that man is responsible yes it does then it's not for us to seek to reconcile within the confines of our narrow human minds that which is reconciled only in the limitless expanse of the mind of god remember you're a creature and the place of the creature is to learn and to listen when god the creator speaks so we thought our way through romans 9 now we come to a second key passage in the writing of the apostle paul and this is a wonderful passage as all of these are but perhaps in a different way first corinthians chapter 1 and we shall be looking together at verses 18 through 31 first corinthians chapter 1 now remember what we're doing it's amazing how people can get lost and not see the woods for the trees we're not just studying a passage for the sake of studying one we're trying to explain found an exegete a key passage which teaches in a very clear way the fact that god is sovereign in the realm of grace that he saves whom he will according to his own will paul has been dealing

6:57 in first corinthians 1 with the problem of division amongst the brethren there lining themselves up with different preachers and he's trying to show them how foolish this is by the very nature of the fact that they were not baptized into the name of one of these different preachers with whom they're aligning themselves but they were baptized into jesus christ and were therefore to show their allegiance to him then he moves having mentioned the preaching of the gospel in verse 17 christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the gospel not in the wisdom of words lest the cross of christ should be made void he now begins to introduce this whole theme of the preaching of the gospel and the response to that gospel wherever it may be and he's trying to show them how foolish this is and he's trying to show them how foolish this is and he's trying to show them how foolish this is and he's trying to preach so we find in verse 18 the following for the preaching of the cross or better translated the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us who are saved it is the power of god for it is written and then he quotes from isaiah 24 14 i will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning will i bring to naught i'm reading from the american standard it's a little bit different than the king james where is the wise where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world hath not god made foolish the wisdom of this world

8:24 for seeing that in the wisdom of god the world through its wisdom knew not god it was god's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe seeing that the jews ask for signs and the greeks seek after wisdom but we preach christ crucified unto jews a stumbling block and unto gentiles foolishness but unto them that are called both jews and greeks christ the power of god and the wisdom of god because the foolishness of god is wiser than men and the weakness of god is stronger than men for behold your calling brethren that not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many nobler called but god chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame them that are wise and god chose the weak things of the world there you might put the shame the things that are strong and the base things of the world and the things that are despised it god choose yea in the things that are not it might bring to not the things that are that know play should

9:41 glory before God but of him are ye in Christ Jesus who was made unto us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written he that glorieth let him glory in the Lord now thinking our way through this passage notice the statement of verse 18 and that's what we're going to do tonight in just hitting the high peaks as we try to think our way through this rich section of the word of God Paul declares in verse 18 that the declaration of the message of the cross standing before men and saying to men your eternal destiny hinges on what transpired when a peasant out of Galilee hung in weakness upon a Roman gibbet and died with the heavens shrouded in blackness and his cross surrounded by an ugly, cheering, heartless mob. Now Paul says, when I preach that message and I don't so adorn it with the philosophical thought patterns of the day to flatter men,

11:02 and when I don't so embellish it with all the arts and tricks of the orator so to take away its blunt message, he said, I don't preach that gospel in the wisdom of words, lest I should make it of none effect, verse 17. But he said, when I preach the cross as God's only message of hope to sinners and that the whole destiny of man hinges on that cross, he said, there's a twofold reaction. To those who are perishing, it's foolishness. They say, how ridiculous.

11:33 How unphilosophical. You mean to tell me that all the answers of life are bound up in that ugly scene? Foolishness. Foolishness.

11:42 But he said, there's another group. But to those who are saved, or as your margin says, to those who are being saved in the present tense, but unto us who are being saved, it is the power of God. Whenever the message of the cross is preached as it ought to be preached, to some it will be foolishness, to others it will be the power of God. Now, why is this true?

God's Ordained Purpose for the Message of the Cross

12:03 Verses 19 to 21 answer it from God's side. It's true because God ordained it that way. Notice. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning will I bring to naught.

12:18 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

12:29 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Why is it? It's that God has ordained to fix the eternal destinies of men on the basis of a message that centers in a bloody cross. Well, you see, God has worked out his scheme of redemption intentionally so that that message will be to those who perish foolishness, but to those who are being saved, the power of God.

13:02 For you'll notice these two phrases occur in verses 19 to 21. First of all, for it is written, I will destroy. God says this is true because I'm intending, to do something I will bring to naught. Hath not God made foolish?

13:17 It was the good pleasure of God to save through the foolishness of preaching. So if you were to ask Paul, Paul, why did your God commit to your trust a message that is so offensive to the natural mind and so unimpressive to the philosophical world? You tell us that the humble carpenter who came out of Nazareth and born in the obscurity and rising in obscurity and came like a comet on the scene and then died on a cross, you tell us that my destiny hinges on what he did upon a cross. Paul, can't you come with something that's a little more intellectually satisfying, a little bit more flattering to my flesh?

13:55 Paul says, no, I can't do it. Well, why? For he says, God has ordained that I preach a message which by its very nature will put to naught the wisdom of men, but will be to the heart who is savingly called the power, of God. Now, we have two words that we've already covered, and I want you to see their connection.

14:17 I'm going to be doing this all the way through the passage. He says in verse 18 that one class, those who are saved, notice, the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us who are saved it is the power of God. Now, who are the saved? Well, he develops that thought in the latter part of verse 21.

14:36 He determined through the foolishness of preaching to save them that what? Believe. Now, we've got to say, we've got two words before us.

14:45 The preaching of the cross is to some a means of salvation. Well, who are the ones who are saved? They are called, in verse 21, believers. Now, keep that in the back of your mind.

Man's Prejudice and Pride Against the Cross

14:56 He's going to pick up another word later on, and then another, and then it's going to tie this whole passage together in a wonderful way. I trust. Now, looking at this question from man's standpoint, notice verse 22, 24. Seeing the Jews ask for salvation, and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified unto Jews, stumbling block, and unto Gentiles, foolishness.

15:24 Why is it that when the Gospels preached to some it's foolishness and to some it's the power of God? Well, from God's standpoint, God ordained it this way. That's the answer of verses 19 to 21. And then the answer of verses 22 to 23 is, from man's standpoint, it's because this message is to some that which stirs up their prejudice.

15:49 The Jews seek for signs. You come to the Jew and tell him that his Messiah died in weakness upon a cross. He says, no, no, it cannot be. Remember, they came to the Lord.

16:00 Show us a sign from heaven and we'll believe. Do something spectacular. Let the lights flash and the bells ring and everybody say, then we'll believe. Paul, don't come to us and tell us that our Messiah was the one who hung in weakness.

16:13 On a cross, who led a little puppet court made up of a spineless pilot and a sinfully inquisitive Herod and a bunch of apostate Jewish leaders. Don't tell us that a man who could be a victim of a little puppet court and die in weakness is our Messiah. That's a stumbling block to us.

16:33 That's why it's foolishness, because the Jews seek for a sign and this does not meet the prejudice of their heart. Well, what about the Greeks? Well, they seek after wisdom. Now, Paul, let's be real.

16:45 Reasonable. I mean, you tell us that all the answers to life are bound up in the cross and the one who died on that cross. Now, Paul, that's an oversimplification. I mean, that's all right for fellows in kindergarten.

16:58 But, Paul, we're Greeks. I mean, we're thinkers, Paul. I mean, you've got to realize that, you know, that may be all right for these people.

17:07 You see why the message is foolishness? Because it struck at the prejudice of the Jew who was looking for a sign, Paul says, and at the pride of the Greeks. These were the Gentiles who wanted something that sounded very wise so that he would say, ah, now I see it because of my supermental abilities. I've got a little insight into the secrets of saving grace.

17:29 Now, Paul said God has given a message which by its plainness and its bluntness is foolishness to those who perish because it cuts the nerve of prejudice in the Jew who wants a political conquering Messiah coming in triumph, in power, instead of coming in weakness and dying. And it strikes at the core of the pride of the Greek who wants to be reasoned with and flattered, and Paul simply stands in front of them and plants a cross and tells them the meaning of the cross and says, repent and bow before that Christ or you'll perish.

18:06 And that cut their pride.

18:10 But, he says in verse 24, something happens to a different class. But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Christ's weakness was a stumbling block to the Jew, but to the Jew or to the Greek who believed, he sees the very power of God released through a cross in an open tomb. And to that proud Gentile who wants something philosophical, who wants to reason his way up to God, when he sees that God sent out of the heart of his own love, Jesus Christ, who is the truth, and in humility of mind, he embraces him. He sees that in Christ, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid. And so, to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is not a stumbling block of prejudice or of pride, but he's the power of God and the wisdom of God. But we've got a third word introduced here now.

The Effectual Call of God

19:14 Notice it. Back in verse 18, you had those people who were called saved. Well, who are the saved? Verse 21, he calls them those who what?

19:25 Believe. Well, who believes? Here he calls them, verse 24, those that are what? Called.

19:35 Now, the word called we studied a few weeks ago. This means something more than simply invited. Let's put the word invited in here and see if it fits. But unto them that are invited to the gospel, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

19:50 Is Christ the power of God? And the wisdom of God to everyone who's invited to the gospel? Yes or no? No.

19:57 Many are invited who never find him as the power of God and the wisdom of God. What is this word called? It's used exactly as we went into that word study several weeks ago. It means that effectual persuasion of God, which not only summons men out of darkness into light, but actually brings them by the sovereign operation of God.

20:17 And we find that word used again and again in the scripture. God hath called us. Out of darkness into marvelous light. He not only summoned us, but he brought us by that inward effectual call of the spirit, subduing our wills and enabling us to embrace Jesus Christ as he's offered in the gospel.

20:38 So these people to whom the message of the cross is not foolishness, but is the power of God, they're called saved in verse 18. Well, who are the saved? Those who believe. Well, who are the ones who believe?

The Superiority of God's Foolishness and Weakness

20:50 Those who are effectually called. By God. Now let's move on in our study. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

21:05 You see how he uses that parallel all the way through? The foolishness of God is wiser than men. Men in their vaunted pride, trying to find an answer to the riddle of life. And Paul stands and says the answer is found in him who is the life and the only way to God.

21:22 And in the pride of their hearts they say, that's too simple, that's simplistic, that's elementary, that's kindergarten-ish. But those that are called see why. The whole meaning of life is bound up in him who loved me and gave himself for me. And so that which men call foolish, the foolishness of God, brings them into the possession of that which all the wisdom of the world couldn't give them.

21:44 How may my sins be forgiven? Take that question to the philosopher tonight and ask him. Take it to the psychologist and ask. Take it to the PhD.

21:53 Say, look, I'm conscious. I'm conscious of guilt and sin. What do I do? See if he can give you an answer.

22:00 He can't do it.

22:04 And so he looks at the message of the cross that offers forgiveness in the name of a crucified, risen Savior. And he says, foolishness. But all that foolishness to the ones who are called becomes something which all the wisdom of the world could never give. What happens to me after I die?

22:22 Take that question to the philosopher. Take it to all the PhDs in NYU and Columbia University. Now, say, look, look, I want some answers, Mac. I'm going to die someday.

22:34 I've been to enough funerals to know I'm going to end up one day laying there. What happens?

22:41 They can't give you an answer. And so when Paul or any one of Paul's successors stands in the name of Christ saying the answer to what lies beyond the grave is found at the cross, they say, ah, foolishness. But all the person who's embraced Christ by the call of God and has found the sweet kiss of forgiveness, and knows his sins are blotted out, and can face death straight in the eye, and know that death has now become his servant through Jesus Christ, that all that death can do is release him from the bondage and the restrictions of this earthly tabernacle to swing his spirit loose to look upon the face of Jesus.

23:22 And so that which the world calls foolishness is wiser than man. See it? And notice, the weakness of God is stronger than men. See it?

23:32 That's what the Jews couldn't stand. Give us a Messiah who comes with strength, but don't give us one who's weak. Why, look at him. When they falsely accused him, as we saw this morning, he couldn't even raise his voice and defend himself.

23:46 Ah, but we realize that that was a self-imposed weakness, that he had emptied himself in order to go down into the jaws of death to bear away the sins of his people. And so we glory in a weak Savior. We glory in a weak Savior. For we know that it's through that self-imposed weakness that we come to forgiveness.

24:09 And so people say, Ah, what a weak Savior you've got. We say, Ah, yes, but through that weak Savior has come strength to face life, death, eternity, God, and all that's important in time and in eternity.

24:25 Now, to whom is that true? Well, it's true to those who are saved. And who are the saved? Well, those who believe.

24:30 And who are those who believe? Those that are called. Now, picking up the train of thought in verse 26. For behold your calling, brethren.

God's Sovereign Choice and the Ordo Salutis

24:40 He says, just sit down and look at yourselves. See what a motley crowd God's got together there at Corinth.

24:47 By way of application, see what a motley crowd he's got there tonight at the Jefferson School. He said, now just sit down and take account of yourself. Not many wise after the flesh. We got any PhDs here tonight?

25:02 Got any MAs? Got a few BAs? BAs and BSs? Most of us just about struggled through high school?

25:13 Cheating a little along the way before you got converted.

25:18 All right, let's just take stock tonight. We don't have too many of the world's wise here tonight, do we? Behold your calling, brethren. That's what he's saying.

25:25 Look at yourselves. Take stock of yourself. Take an inventory. Not many wise after the flesh, as the world counts wisdom.

25:33 Not many mighty. How many of you are of noble birth here? Do we have any counts? Any princes or princesses?

25:40 Do we have any with royal blood?

25:46 Not many mighty. Not many noble. But notice, God chose the foolish things. And things here are not general, but they're people.

25:58 Behold your calling, brethren. And as you do, you say, boy, God sure took a foolish thing when he chose me.

26:07 But God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame them. The things that are wise. And God chose the weak things of the world that he might put to shame. The things that are strong.

26:22 And the base things of the world and the things that are despised did God choose, yea. And things that are not that he might bring to naught. The things that are to one great end that no flesh shall ever strut in the presence of God. Now I want you to notice something.

26:44 Who are these people whom God has owned as his own? Why, they're saved people. Verse 18. Yes, and why are they saved?

26:54 Well, because they believe. Verse 21. Well, why do they believe? Because, verse 24, they've been called.

27:00 Now I ask you one more question. Why are they called?

27:04 What does verse 27 say? Because God chose them. Oh, do you see the beauty of this? You have what the theologians call here the ordo salutis in reverse.

27:17 Ordo salutis. Ordo salutis, just the Latin term for the order of salvation. Which usually, when the theologians write about it, it starts with God's eternal purpose to save his people and then his calling of his people in bringing them to faith and justification and eventually bringing them to glory. Here Paul, not being the armchair theologian, but the pastor, the apostle with a heart for the people of God, he starts on the other end.

27:44 And he said, now you're saved. And why are you saved? Because you believe. And why do you believe?

27:48 Because God called you. And why did God call you? Because he chose you. See the beauty of it?

27:54 And he traces their salvation right from the fact that they are saved back to the initial cause of their salvation where it's locked up in the eternal selective purposes of God to choose a people for himself. And now he's fully answered the question that we raised in verse 18. The word of the cross is to, them that perish foolishness, but unto us who are saved it's the power of God. Why is it that way?

28:25 Well, God ordained it that way from God's standpoint, from man's standpoint, because when that message is preached it cuts at his prejudice, it cuts at his pride. But how is it that there were some to whom prejudice was not able to resist and pride was not able to overcome? Well, they're the people who believed. Yes, but why did they believe when others went on in unbelief?

28:47 It's because God, God powerfully called them by his grace. He called them and he drew them to himself. And why did he draw them? Because the Father chose them.

28:59 And what's the great end of all of this? There it is in verse 29, that no flesh should glory before God. You see, God is so ordained both the method, the message of his grace, that when the full purpose of grace is accomplished, there won't be one little last joint of a pinky in heaven that can wiggle in favor of free will or what I did. No flesh, not even the last joint of a pinky, shall glory in his presence.

Christ as Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption

29:39 Now is a glorious summary to the whole thing. Look carefully at verses 30 and 31. But of him are ye in Christ, Jesus, who was made unto us wisdom from God. That's the better translation.

29:59 Why the King James? Maybe the manuscripts, they didn't have the better manuscripts that we now have, but it's in the aorist tense there that he not is made unto us wisdom, but he was made unto us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Let's break that verse down for a moment because this is the glorious summary of what God has given to the saved people. That's the people who believed.

30:24 That's the people who were called. That's the people who were chosen. Now, what does this verse tell us? But of him.

30:33 What is the source of all this blessing? The American Revised Standard Version translates the first part of the verse this way. He is the source of life in Christ. The New English Bible translates it this way.

30:47 You are in Christ by God's act. Who is the author of this life? Who is the author of this life? Who is the author of this glorious salvation?

30:55 Listen, verse 30 tells us. But of him. He's the source of all of this. It was he who chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world.

31:07 He who called us in time by his Spirit, enabled us to believe, and brought us to the place where we can say by the grace of God we're being saved.

31:20 God is the author of that life. What is the source of that life? Notice. But of him, that's the author of life, are ye in Christ Jesus.

31:34 The source of that life is union with Christ. The author of it, God, but of him, ye are in Christ Jesus. That's the source of that life, vital union with Jesus Christ the Lord. The scripture says that in him we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings.

31:53 So God is the... the ultimate author of that life.

31:57 It's of God that ye are in Christ. Christ is the source, the medium, the channel through which that life is conveyed to us. And what are the benefits of that life? Well, he says in a sweeping way, in Christ Jesus we now...

32:15 Christ was made unto us wisdom from God. See, the whole theme of this is wisdom. The whole theme of this passage, as we've read it through, we find the term wisdom coming up. It's coming up again.

32:26 And so with God as the author, Christ as the source or the channel, we have come into the possession of true heavenly wisdom. And what does true heavenly wisdom do? Well, it won't tell you whether it's pre-, post- or mid-tribulation that the Lord's going to come. That's not heavenly wisdom.

32:44 It's not heavenly wisdom to be able to find some hidden meaning in a Greek or Hebrew verb. No, no. What's heavenly wisdom? Heavenly wisdom is to have an answer to three of the greatest problems that human beings can face.

32:57 The three greatest. Number one, what are you going to do with the guilt of your sin? You're guilty. You fell in Adam and you've broken the holy law of God a billion times by your own rebellion.

33:08 What are you going to do with your guilt? After all your bills are paid and your house is yours and your kids are grown and off to college and they bring the grandchildren home and everything's lovely, what are you going to do about your sin? You're guilty and you need forgiveness. There's no more basic human problem than that.

33:25 Second basic problem is you're a depraved creature with a nature and a disposition that would make heaven hell to you. It's a heaven of all light, all purity, all holiness, and you and I by nature are all impurity and sin and unclean. What are you going to do with that nature? What are you going to do with it?

33:43 And the third great problem we have is the Bible teaches we're in bondage to the devil. We are his bond slaves and we're captive and we need to be released. Now when you can come up to the answers to those questions, that's wisdom. And that's exactly what this verse tells us.

34:00 Notice. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who was made unto us wisdom from God. What kind of wisdom? Wisdom that is brought to us in the place of our guilt.

34:12 What? Righteousness. In the place of our depravity, sanctification. And in the place of our bondage, redemption.

34:23 Now that's wisdom, isn't it? If you can walk through this world and face God in the world and say, I have the answer to the problem of the guilt of sin. I know I'm forgiven. I have the answer to the depravity of my heart.

34:38 I know I'll be at home in a heaven that's all light and purity and holiness. And I have an answer to the rule and bondage of the devil. I'm redeemed and loosed. Or you can face a man with 25 PhDs and say, I'm smarter than you.

34:57 And say, It's only because God saved me. Because I believe. Because he called me. Because he chose me.

The Interconnectedness of Justification, Sanctification, and Redemption

35:10 Isn't that wisdom? And that's what Paul is saying here. Now notice. Maybe I ought to preach a night just on that verse.

35:19 This just screams at me to be preached at from a number of different ways. Notice. Wherever a man has come into the possession of true wisdom, all three of these things meet. Not only does he have wisdom, not only does he have righteousness, that's the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.

35:37 That's justification. That's what God does up in the legal courts of heaven. When a repentant, believing sinner embraces Christ, God, for Christ's sake, puts the perfect righteousness of Christ to his account. But God never justifies a sinner without also sanctifying him.

35:55 That is, setting him apart from the dominion of sin unto a life of progressive holiness. That will culminate in that perfection of holiness when we shall be like him and see him as he is. God never justifies a man without sanctifying him. God not only deals with man's guilt but man's depravity.

36:17 You say you're a Christian and you've got righteousness put to your account? You better have some clear evidences that you've been basically sanctified. Not perfectly sanctified, but basically set apart from the dominion and love and practice of your sin unto a life of holiness and obedience. Imperfect yet genuine.

36:39 And then redemption. Release from the bondage and the grip of the devil beginning now and then, culminating in that day when even this body shall experience its full redemption. Romans 8. We who are in this body, Paul says we just long for redemption to it.

37:00 The redemption of the body. And that day, when we shall have this body of humiliation fashioned like after his own glorious body as we read in Philippians. Well, when a man or woman can come through that passage and say, oh God, it's true of me, even me, that I am found in Jesus Christ in the person of his son as righteous as he. I can look back and see that God has broken the dominion of sin in my life and I look forward to the end of it.

37:34 The expectation of one day experiencing the full inheritance of my redemption. And it's because I'm saved as a believer who was called because I was chosen. Then verse 31 is automatic. That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in his decision.

Application: Glory in the Lord and Seek Christ

37:58 And beloved, I'm not trying to be funny, but I get weary when I hear testimony people, the people stand up and say, well, I'm so glad that three years ago I decided for Christ and it's I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I. Would to God we'd hear some people stand and say, I was nothing but a hopeless, helpless sinner. And if God hadn't intervened, that's still what I'd be. And not say it because they think it's spiritual to say it, but because they understand, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, that if they're called and if they believe and they're saved, it's because God was pleased to choose the foolish, to choose the weak, to choose the base. The more I study and seek to fill my own mind with this glorious scriptural theme, the more I'm actually wondering if we truly worship God unless we worship him at the footstool of sovereign mercy. Oh, beloved tonight, child of God, who may be seeking to press the mighty God in his workings within the confines of that poor and little head that you have and that I have, would that this night you'd say, Lord, I'm going to let my heart leap beyond the narrow confines of my head.

39:27 And I'm going to worship you as the God who chose me for your glory and that I have nothing to glory in, no preparations that I made, no movings and stirrings that I concocted toward you. But Lord, you called me by your grace. I would say to those of you here tonight, who are strangers to that righteousness, oh, what a terrible thing to stand guilty before a holy God tonight. What a terrible thing to stand, still wallowing in the depravity of your heart, a stranger to the regenerating power of God the Spirit, still under the bondage of the devil.

40:06 What's my word of direction to you? My word of direction is, seek Christ as he's revealed in the cross, for God sets him before you in the gospel as the one who by his death and resurrection is able to break the power of sin, who's able to give you the life that he purchased for his people. Seek that wisdom that is found in the message that to the Jew is a stumbling block, to the Greek foolishness, but to those who are called is even the power of God. May God enable us to experience each one the wonderful truth of verse 31, that as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord, the Lord who chooses and calls and brings to faith that men might be saved. If you have your Bibles, I hope you'll circle those four words, starting in verse 18, verse 21, verse 24, and then verse 27. I shall never forget a few months ago when I was reading through 1 Corinthians 1, not knowing I was going to preach on it tonight, and all of a sudden, it just seemed that those four words suddenly began to come together in their beautiful interrelationship, and I saw a little bit clearer the mighty ways of God with the fallen sons of men.

41:32 Let us unite together in prayer. O Lord our God, we would glory in you tonight. We would revel in that grace and mercy extended to us so freely in Jesus Christ. Forgive us, O Lord, for the foolishness of past days when we so ignorantly thought that there was something in us that would have moved toward you.

42:07 We say with the hymn this tonight, I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew it was he who sought me seeking him. It was not so much as I on thee laid hold as thou, dear Lord, on me. Oh, we thank you for your mercy, your grace, sovereign grace, electing, distinguishing grace, and yet grace proclaimed freely in Jesus Christ to all who will come. O Father, grant that those tonight who do not know this heavenly wisdom, who may know many things, but who do not know that their guilt is removed, that their depravity has been touched by your grace, and that the bondage of the devil has not been released, O God, make them insatiably thirsty, to seek that heavenly wisdom through Jesus Christ, who is the source of it. O Father, for your people, give us a new appreciation of the wonder and glory of all that you are and all that you've done, and fill us with a holy zeal to proclaim to others such a wonderful salvation and such a glorious Savior. Hear us, O Lord, and answer the prayer of our hearts for Jesus' sake. Amen.