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Devotions from Gospel Chapel Ministries HOME SERMONS SERMON NOTES
IT IS ACCEPTABLE
The law is still upon us saying, "Obey, obey!" The law was totally satisfied by perfect obedience before the penalty was accepted. Some may say "Oh, but Christ has paid for all my sins! All my past offenses have been forgiven in Christ!" Is that a license to continue in sin? No. Let's look at ROM 5:19-21. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord."
Now note ROM 6:1-4: "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
If we claim a part in the resurrection of Christ, it must be through our walk of life. It is so important to understand that our tender, loving Father is not pleased with the sight of blood. That only satisfied His wrath upon sin. It was only when He saw the blood given in the right spirit that it was acceptable. HEB 10:6-7 says, "In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God." That which made His atonement so pleasing unto His Father was the spirit in which Jesus fulfilled His Father's commands.
HEB 10:8-10 says, "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." When the Lord looked upon sacrifices and offerings, He was not pleased, but when Jesus came to do His will, it was acceptable.
The same principle is taught in ISA 1:11: "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats." Even though these sacrifices were the type of the blood of Christ, the Father had no delight in them. Verses 12-15 continue, "When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood."
In other words, the people had not repented; there had been no restoration of obedience. Therefore, God did not want those sacrifices. Now He has removed all the burnt offerings because His will was done in the Lord Jesus' perfect obedience.
The Lord was not only pleased with Christ's obedience, which He pledged under the covenant of circumcision, but with the attitude in which He obeyed. An example from our every day life might be the child who knows and obeys the letter of the rules of the house, but pushes them to the limit. He’s pushing it to the point of having you come down on him in chastisement. That attitude is not pleasing. God the Father was looking at the attitude, the spirit, in which Jesus obeyed. It was a spirit of unconditional surrender and submission.
JOH 8:28-29 tell us, "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him." Notice the significance of the word "do." That is the reason the Father was pleased. The atonement was done in a way to please the Father; it was done in the right spirit.
Not only was the Father pleased with the perfect obedience of the Son, but the Son is as pleased with the obedience of His dear children. Where does salvation lay? It lies in being reconciled to God, not just from His side to gain a fire escape to avoid hell, but our hearts are reconciled with His will.
JOH 8:30-32 says, "As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Again, we see the importance of doing the will of the Lord.
As we see from ROM 5:19, in the Garden of Eden, disobedience and rebellion were the first sin. "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, ..." Even so, reconciliation could be had only by obedience, restoring that which Christ pledged in the covenant of circumcision: "...so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Amen.
These on-lines sermons are a ministry of Gospel Chapel located in Conrad, Montana. We also have a book ministry and a daily devotion. See also our sermon notes. We pray this sermon has been a blessing to those who read it. If you share this sermon with a friend, please let us know. Thank you.