God’s Best
There is a record here in the book of Romans that I want
like to share a little bit about with you tonight because this section of
Romans has changed a lot of lives. And
by the way the lady in
Verse one of chapter 5 says, well maybe you ought to go back to 21 or 20. I better just read you just 20 and start in to get you the feel of this thing. Talking about Abraham.
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith [believing] giving glory to God; -- Romans 4: 20
And being fully persuaded that, what he [God] had promised, he [God] was able also to perform. -- Romans 4: 21
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. -- Romans 4: 22
Imputed means reckoned, set to his account, like someone making a deposit in the bank for you to your account for righteousness.
Now
it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; -- Romans
But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him [God] that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; -- Romans 4: 24
Isn’t that wonderful?
Who
[Jesus Christ] was
[past tense] delivered
for our offenses [sins, trespasses] and was
raised again for our justification. -- Romans 4: 25
The literal text reads “was raised again when we were justified”. Boy, what a fantastic truth. Jesus Christ delivered for our sins. He who knew no sin became sin, the Word says. That you and I might become the righteousness of God in Him. And in order to have the righteousness of God, you have to have the justification. That’s why it’s talking about being justified. Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses and was raised again when we were justified or for our justification, when we were justified. Because he’s a complete Savior, able to save to the uttermost, paid for all sin, took upon himself that sin, paid for it. That’s how we got justified. Therefore, therefore because of what Jesus Christ did for us, being justified by believing. We have peace. We have what? Peace. Do we have to pray for it? We’ve got it. If you have something, you don’t have to pray for it, just be thankful you got it. When we’re born again of God’s spirit, having received Christ in us the hope of glory, we have peace. We have it. Not something you have to pray for, oh Lord I need peace in my life. Just accept the Lord Jesus Christ and you have the Prince of peace. You’ve got peace. Now all you have to do is put it on up here and live it. You’ve got to transfer what the spirit of God in Christ in you is into your knowledgeable approach and action, in your mind, walking on it according to the Word. We’ve got peace. We don’t have to go to bed at night and take 4 sedatives to go to sleep. We have what? Peace. We don’t have ulcers because were not sitting around and worrying about things. We’ve got what? Peace. Boy I want to tell you, the greatest insurance I know is being a Christian if we believe it. You can’t buy health with insurance. No, people. All you can do with insurance is to leave it, when it’s all over with, to somebody squabble about it or something. But I know that peace is an inside job and it’s a gift from God when you are born again. We’ve got it. One of the great research believers in the ministry says, if you can’t sleep at night, don’t. That settles it. Real simple. Can’t sleep at night, now worry about it. No, can’t sleep at night, don’t. Maybe get up and do something worthwhile. That’s right. And we make the statement around here that, you just don’t lay awake counting sheep, you just talk to the shepherd.
It’s just, people, it’s such a different walk of life. The senses world relies upon sedatives, everything else, alcohol and all that junk to get their nerves settled down so that they can get go to sleep. We just believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, work like crazy, and boy we’re tickled to death we have the privilege of laying on a pillow because the moment we do, the alarm clock has to ring pretty loudly and some of our kids have to have flashers on the alarm clock that may get all over the place to get them up. Isn’t that something? We have what? Peace. People, this is just fantastic. How many people don’t you run into who are quite unpeaceful? They’re worried, they’re full of fear, they’re full of anxiety, they’re just the opposite of manifesting peace. You and I have it. We’ve got it. We don’t have to pray for it. We’re just thankful that we’ve got it. We’ve got it. And it says by whom? Through our Lord Jesus Christ.
THERFORE being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: -- Romans 5: 1
By whom [Jesus Christ] also we have access [ ‘by faith’ is not in the text] into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. -- Romans 5: 2
Through our Lord Jesus Christ. The words by faith are omitted in the text. By whom also, Jesus Christ, we have access into this what? Grace. Grace is divine favor. Perpendicular - God to man. It’s not earned. It’s not worked for. Anything that’s earned, or anything that’s worked for is a debt. Your indebted to someone if they work for it. We didn’t work for this. God wrought it in Christ Jesus, people. And into this grace, God’s favor wherein we do what? Stand. We stand in it.
Look, if there’s a big circle around me and I’m standing in it, I’m in the circle. I’m standing in it. That’s how we are in grace. Into this grace wherein we stand. We’re not beat down, we’re not discouraged, we’re not defeated, in this grace we stand. What grace? The grace that God wrought in Christ Jesus for every believer. Every Christian. This ministry is nothing new. It’s been here all these years. God made it available, ma’am through Christ Jesus. It’s been there. But for most people it would be, as an illustration, if they had $1000 in the bank and didn’t know it, they couldn’t use it. Jesus Christ has been in every Christian who is born again all these years. But you have to know what you got and be thankful for it to utilize it.
Well, watch it, it’s beautiful. Grace wherein we stand and we do what? Rejoice. Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, of God’s glory. It’s put in the genitive, glory of God. It’s put in the genitive to put the emphasis upon God, and not upon the word glory. It’s a tremendous truth. Whenever God wants to mark the Bible, as to that which is the important thing, He wants to hit in a verse, He’ll always put it in a figure of speech. Figures of Speech are the Holy Spirit’s markings in the Bible as to that which is to be emphasized and made important. Whenever a word is written, if this was written, in hope of God’s glory, in hope of God’s glory. The emphasis grammatically according to usage of language would be on the glory of God. But putting it in the genitive, it puts it upon God, and not upon the glory. That’s how accurate the Word is. And every text ma’am backs this up. Look at that and rejoice in the hope, in the hope, the hope is the return, Christ’s coming back. Which is the glory of God. You get it? Well you ought to, that’s what it is. You see why I stand in utter amazement of the Word. Men use words many times surreptically and in different ways. But the Word of God uses them with a mathematical exactness and scientific precision. And that’s one of the reasons why we are in research. We are a biblical research group that keep looking for the accuracy of text that just give us that greatness.
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; -- Romans 5: 3
That word would mean more to you
accurately in opportunities. Situations with which you are confronted. Knowing that those opportunities work
what? That’s right. And that’s a great thing you have to learn in
your walk with God. You just got to
patiently stay put. I think I talked to
you this morning in the
Well what about God’s Word? The Word of God says that God’s Word never returns void. But it sometimes takes years to get the crop. That’s why once you witness the Word of God to a person honestly and wonderfully, forget it. Because it’s God who has to give the increase. Isn’t that beautiful? The same with the crops. See God teaches people if they would only hear. You don’t plant wheat today and harvest it tomorrow. So it is with witnessing to people. Why some crops grow up faster than others, I don’t know. I guess it’s the nature of the crop. I guess. Why do some people respond more quickly to God’s Word than others, maybe it’s the nature of the crop. So after you just stay faithful, then you just have patience. Having patience. And patience does what? Experience. And experience brings you to the point of hope. Hope is the return. Without the hope of the return of Christ, people get discouraged.
The book of Thessalonians is the first book written chronologically. Thessalonians was the first book written. And I used to wonder about this, I question, I didn’t know why would that be the first book written, Thessalonians that deals with the return of Christ. Why did God start out teaching the Church of the body about the return when that’s the last thing that happens? And the truth is the reason He did that is because when you don’t see the return, you’ll never be able to stay faithful in the present administration in which you live. It’s the return that keeps you going, sir. Because, you know, it doesn’t return void and if you have to wait till the return of Christ, you know it’s got to produce. That’s why it talks about hope.
And patience, experience; and experience, hope: -- Romans 5: 4
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God [in the genitive case which puts the emphasis on God] is shed abroad in our hearts [in the innermost part of our being] by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. -- Romans 5: 5
Shed abroad in our hearts is translated in a text “flooded our spirits”. Shed abroad. It’s not just shed abroad, it’s flooding, flooding.
For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5: 6
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. -- Romans 5: 7
But [in contrast, but in contrast] God commendeth [extended, gave forth] his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. -- Romans 5: 8
Isn’t that beautiful?
Much
more then, [much more then, not just more then, much more] being now justified by his blood [Jesus Christ’s
blood], we shall [absolutely tense] be saved from wrath through him. -- Romans 5: 9
One of the other texts reads “from the wrath by what he did.” Now the wrath is the one that begins at the end of this administration. After the gathering together begins that age referred to in the book of Daniel, referred to in the book of Revelation. And churches have argued for years, they talk about post millennial, pre millennial. They’ve argued for years whether the Christians go through the tribulation or don’t go through the tribulation. Why don’t they just read the Word? What would be the great joy and rejoicing in a Christian’s heart if all you had to look forward to is the tribulation? Some of us got enough of it now. Yeah. Very plain. We shall be saved from that wrath. Well, praise the Lord. For if we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His son. Much more, much more, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved (made whole - the word is sozo – meaning whole mental, physical, spiritual, financial). Everything whole stands for. We shall be made whole by his, Jesus Christ’s life. Man, what a tremendous thing. Isn’t that beautiful? Verse 9 said much more than justified, saved from wrath, then we go reconciled to God, much more being reconciled, we shall be made whole.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. -- Romans 5: 10
And now only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement [at one ment]. -- Romans 5: 11
If you would read that word as ‘at one ment’, you would understand it. The Word atonement is a big old theological word they argue about. It’s real simple. Just read it ‘at one ment’ with him. He died for us, right? We are made at one with him. That’s what the word atonement really means.
Verse 9 said we were justified, verse 10 reconciled, and verse 11, it talks about the joy. People when you know your justified, reconciled, you can have that joy. It’s like the peace, it’s a gift on the inside. Justified, have peace, we have joy. We read some place about rejoice a little while ago, or something. You can’t rejoice until you first have joy because rejoice is joy rejoiced. It’s like the couple who had twins. They called the first one Pete and the next one Repete. You can’t rejoice until you first have joy. Every time you read that word, that’s literally what it means. To rejoice is to have joy and get it out there.
And the word here ‘receive’ is the word Lambano. Lambano is to receive it in evidence, in manifestation. There are 2 words used for ‘receive.’ Two Greek words that deal with this greatness of the Revelation of the Holy Spirit field. One is the Greek word ‘dechomai’. The other is the Greek word ‘lambano’. The word ’dechomai’ means a subjective reception where I as the subject receive it. The ‘lambano’ is where the subject who has received it manifests it, holds it forth.
It does a take off of in the Greek word ‘ballo’. That’s the Greek word. And the word ballo in Greek is transliterated into our English word, ball. That’s where you got the name from, ball, b-a-l-l. Well what do you do with the ball? That’s lambanoing. They lambano, they lambano the atonement. You know what that means? Live like a Christian, walk like a Christian. Let them see it. Let them see that at one ment you have with Christ.
Look, it’s Christ in you. When you walk down the street, where is he? In you. That’s right. What are they going to see when they walk down the street? You. Well, Christ is in you. You can let them see in your walk, Christ. Do you understand? That’s the word receive here. Lambano. That’s at one ment with him. You and he walking hand in hand. Remember that song? We used to sing it. He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me. That’s it. I’m His own. Man, when you walk down that road or that street wherever you are, you’re God’s man. Whenever you are moving, your god’s woman. Boy, you’re not just a human being, you’re God’s human beings. You’ve been called. The Bible says your life is not your own. Why? You’ve been called, bought with a price it says. Remember? He paid for it. Cost God His only begotten son and people that he covered all our sins. He’s worth walking for. You know how miserable you were until you found out he covered them. And the real truth is, he not only covered them, He cleansed them. Cleanses us – I John -- cleanses us of all sin. Right. And honey if he cleansed you your what? Clean. If he covers it, which he does, he covers it and cleanses, I understand it.
But in the Old Testament, he never cleansed. Did you know that? In the Old Testament it says he only covered their sin. Took the day of Pentecost, sir Jesus Christ to bring the cleansing. And the difference is very vivid to me. It’s like a garbage can, full of stinky stuff. He just put the lid on it. That’s covered. But boy with the Christ in you, the hope of glory, he cleanses you out inside. Even removes the stain of sin. Boy, what a walk. I can understand why you young people get so turned on and want to go WOW. Why? Because look what happened in your life. God cleaned you up and you know it. And you’re thankful for the peace you now have, for the joy you now have, for the love you now have within you. You’re thankful and you want somebody else to get it, so you go WOW, cause you want to share it. Rufus Mosley used to say if you want to give the measles away, get a good case. Then you don’t have to talk to your enemies or friends, just walk among them. They’ll find out you got them. Oh, look at that. By whom we have now, now, now, right now lambanoed this at one ment with Christ which is our unity, our identity with him. Because as Christ is, so are we in this world, it says. Jesus Christ said, the works that I do, ye shall do also. Boy, he either lied or he told the truth. We don’t believe he lied. Just taking us a long time to get our mind lined up with God and His Word and move. Because when Christ came in you can’t feel it. Then how do you know he told the truth? Well act on it. You want to find out if the water will go over your head, jump off the board. Stand underneath a while, if it goes over, you know it. What about God’s Word? Just walk on it, try it out, walk on it. I don’t believe God objects if you prove Him by His Word a little bit, does it? He said that one day in Malachi and they were having a tough time, and He said prove me now herewith. We try everything else to prove except God’s Word. Do you ever think of that? In science, we try to prove people came from monkeys or fish worms or something. Everybody tries to prove everything, but who’s ever tried to literally take God’s Word and walk on it? Really prove it. Well how do you prove it? Try it. People, you have the greatest lives in the world. You’re God’s best. You’re not playing second string, your playing first-team, people. You’re right up there where you are God’s crack troops. Your His spiritual Green Berets or name in gold. I don’t care. You’re God’s best. Well, let them see God’s best this week. When you’re out there witnessing, walk like a son of God. Because you’re at one ment with Him. You have peace. You’re no longer at loggerheads. You’ve been reconciled. The word reconciled means to bring back together that which has been separated. Man dead in trespasses and sins and God made him alive, He brought him back together. That’s reconciled. You have the peace of God, you have the love of God, you have the joy, you have the reconciliation, justification, righteousness, sanctification, wisdom. I Corinthians 1: 30 says so.
But of
him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and
righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: -- I Corinthians
What a week it can be for us, right? Why? Because God so loved that He gave His only begotten son. The least that I can do this week is so love that I make known that son that He gave. That’s all I can do. That’s the least I can do. For a God, sir, who so loved and did for me what His Word declares He did which is a living reality. The least I can do is so walk for God that they see Jesus Christ as a living reality.
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