Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/6682/romans/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] As the Lord may be pleased to help me, friends, I will direct your attention to Romans 8, verse 32. He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [0:27] The 32nd verse, the 8th of Romans. He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? [0:48] It is a wonderful word, my friends. Does it speak to you? For Paul, in writing this epistle to the Romans, writes with such assurance. [1:06] He opens a chapter with no condemnation, and he closes the chapter with no separation. Blessed character here, my friends. [1:20] Our need again tonight is to find our interest in this people. For there are people, though the world is cynical about it, and though there are so many who lightly speak about it, there are people whom God loves with an everlasting love, and that love keeps them in time and will do throughout eternity. [1:57] A blessed people indeed, for they have a foundation which is not just for yesterday or for tomorrow, but is a foundation continuously that they can take hold of, and that foundation is Christ. [2:18] Oh, how few seem to know anything of this. Do we? We're going to find out tonight, friend. [2:28] For I am quite sure that the gospel is a living gospel. The gospel that is anchored in a crucified yet risen Christ is a gospel that shall be declared by God himself to those whom he loves with an everlasting love. [2:58] For they shall know it. It won't be hearsay, not even from some poor man who stands in a pulpit. [3:09] However able he may be, there will be no resting on that. It will be the fulfillment of that word. And I'm going to quote one now that has been bandied about over the years. [3:23] A wonderful word, but bandied about by men who make professions. Yea, so bandied about by those who set forth free will with all that it contains, that finds its foundation in hell. [3:47] And the word, my friends, is that word in the third of John. The 16th verse. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [4:10] That's not a myth, my friends. Tis not something just recorded in a book of print. Tis the eternal purpose of the living God. [4:25] From everlasting to everlasting. That purpose was in the mind of a triune Jehovah. That his own dear Son should carry the curse that was the entitlement of the people. [4:45] But that curse laid upon his own dear Son should bring in an entitlement to glory. So for a little while this evening, the same old story, friends, as it needs be to find a beginning. [5:06] And not to find that beginning for someone else, but to find it for ourselves. To be able to take hold of the same assurance that doubting Thomas had when the Lord Jesus spoke to him in that upper room. [5:29] brought him into that place not of maybe, perhaps, perchance, my Lord and my God. [5:44] And the children of the living God, every one of them, before they die, shall enter into that place of blessed assurance. [5:56] My Lord and my God. It is my mercy, friends, to be able to say it, and I say it feelingly, no pride. [6:11] I know the things I speak of to be true. I know, my friends, the Lord God has a people. [6:25] And I know he loves that people in his own dear Son. And I know, too, that he will have his people given that blessed assurance so that they shall be able to testify that he is their God when the things of time, the oppressing things of time, and the subtlety in the hatred of Satan be set against them. [6:59] that they shall be able to point to those things that the Lord God hath done for them here in the time state, and be able to say, My God liveth. [7:16] Oh, it is blessed, friends, to be found among this people. The word of the Lord speaks again, and it refers to the pathway this people must walk in, but sets forth once more the blessedness of being a partaker of the things that belong to this people. [7:43] His anger endureth but for a moment in his favour his life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. [8:02] Here we have set forth by this great and mighty God. He hates his people's sins but his anger endureth but for a moment. [8:18] That anger is not an anger that consigns them ultimately to eternal darkness. It is the chastening of a father to his children. [8:33] He sets forth that which man can never give, everlasting life, in his favour, his life. [8:47] And then the experience which must assuredly belong to this people, weeping, may endure for a night, underlined again by his precious word in order to substantiate these things. [9:06] I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, for they shall trust in the name of the Lord. Joy cometh in the morning. [9:20] For the dear Redeemer in the days of his flesh said, Ye now, therefore, have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoice and your joy no man taketh from you. [9:39] what precious opening this is, friends, to our text, setting forth, a blessed family indeed, the sons and daughters of the living God by adoption, united to Christ in the indissoluble ties of love, dovetailed into him. [10:08] Can you find a better word? The blessed people, for the sinners like you. This is where we find ourselves, friends. [10:24] You won't get to heaven because you're a sinner, but you will get to heaven because you're a saved one. The word of God declares all men of sin and come short of the glory of God. [10:38] And the Lord, as if to emphasize that word, sets forth another one, none are righteous, no, not one. [10:51] But he also declares, ye are complete in him. How do these things come about? [11:03] Paul traces out the pathway. He tells us in this chapter there were a people whom God predestinated. [11:17] Colonel Hart doesn't want to know anything about this. The whirling has no time for it. [11:29] child of God is brought to the knowledge of it for the Lord gives him that assurance predestinated before he was born. [11:49] God the Father foreknew that all those whom he would set in Adam, Adam was created in perfection with a natural righteousness but also with a free will. [12:11] God foreknew that Adam would use that free will to walk in those ways which would bring death. [12:21] the outcome of his fall would be the whole of his progeny contaminated with sin. [12:33] The outcome must be death to all men but a triune Jehovah in the covenant of grace settled on a number a number who no man can number chose them out of that mass of humanity as yet unborn before they had done good or evil and predestinated them to glory. [13:07] These are living things friends. Do you believe them? I won't do just to accept them in your judgment. [13:20] Again and again I feel the deep necessity to bring these things forth for we can live under the sound of truth and die under the sound of truth and spend eternity in hell. [13:38] Oh the solemnity of that but the Lord God will not permit it for he has left on record through his servant the apostle whom he did predestinate them he also called a manifestation in time that they were predestinated before time began chosen in Christ all the wonders of it all the condescension of a holy God to meet with sinners and make known unto them his eternal purpose so that there should be no chance work in time so that none should ever come short through ignorance none should ever rest on the ruin of man in whatever ability he might have to set these things forth all the declarations made by man are contaminated by sin but God in the work of his holy spirit quickens all his dear people into life in the calling by grace what is this calling he gives them knowledge that he is a holy [15:17] God he opens to their understanding that they are utterly ruined sinners deserving hell he brings them into that place where they cry for mercy I am quite sure my friends when the Lord Jesus was upon earth he didn't set forth parables for naught we find the parable of the Pharisee and the publican the two men went up to the temple to pray what was the purpose of that to set forth the work of God that the poor publican was brought into that condition of extremity of need that he wouldn't even lift up his eyes toward heaven but beat upon his breast [16:23] God be merciful to me a sinner and so the Lord Jesus in that parable set forth a character acceptable to a holy God how? [16:39] because he didn't leave it there he set forth the other character too the man full of pride the Pharisee who told the Lord what a good man he was made comparison with that wretched publican Jesus said this man went down to his house justified rather than the other the justification my friends is in the work of the living God in a sinner's heart a saved sinner for he brings his dear people into this place where they come into just the same experience as the publican they consider themselves vile unworthy undeserving and they cry under the inspiration of the eternal spirit [17:48] God be merciful to me a sinner and come this way for the Lord still speaks through his servant making the fullness of salvation abundantly clear whom he called them he also justified justification what in confession justification in repentance nay my friends justification in forgiveness where does the forgiveness come from through the finished work God his own dear son but now we touch on this vast subject we must conclude show the character fully predestinated according to the eternal purpose of a triune [19:03] Jehovah called called by grace in the time state according to the same eternal purpose but by that blessed spirit of God that third glorious person whose work it is to quicken into life to bring out of nature's darkness into the glorious light and life of a living Jesus happiness and this character is justified in the finished work of the dear son of God and in the ultimate is glorified as he passes out of time into eternity there are no doubts here friends it is a finished work I felt a little during the day exercised as I have been with regard to something to bring before you tonight and this word seemed to be the last word one that has been with me such a lot today has been those wondrous words of [20:22] Jesus as he gave up the ghost on Calvary's tree it is finished all the wonders of salvation they are all found in our text he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all for all those whom he eternally decreed should be saved with an everlasting salvation for this almighty God the father condescended to look down upon worms of the earth and chose them and chose them because he loved them no other reason no merit in the creature no merit ever to be attained to no matter how the creature tries everything will be contaminated with sin because born in sin shaped in iniquity [21:42] God the father in that wondrous work of love and mercy took of his own dear son sent him into this low world God the eternal son to be made flesh and blood without sin to dwell among men to walk this sinful world that holy man the eternal son of God to move about continually amongst those things that were ever an abomination to his holy soul quite apart from that dreadful agony on the cross his whole life must have been a continuance of endurance under the hateful things of evidenced sin been remember friends he was a man the man of [23:35] Christ Jesus upheld by the living God the God of his manhood the prayers that must have gone up from his holy soul I believe the Lord Jesus knew in his holy manhood the depth of that little petition Lord help me came to Gethsemane's garden the dreadful dreadful time he must there have endured as he wrestled with the powers of darkness as he wrestled with his God to uphold him in that which he foreknew there never was any separation from his holy manhood and his Godhead that mystical union he saw the agonies he must enter into he sweat as it were great drops of blood he was taken by wicked hands brought before Pilate [25:12] Pilate found no fault in him Pilate would have released him the purposes of God must stand his own dear son must enter into the depth of degradation that none had ever known before nor since he must be given into the hands of wicked men Pilate had no power to release him the demand continued crucify him crucify him the human mind the human mind will never understand the workings of the living God in his sovereign purposes of salvation that glorious work whereby his co-equal co-eternal son should put away sin in man forever and satisfy the demands of infinite justice wicked hands laid upon him those dreadful wounds on his dear back as they beat him they put upon him that crown of thorns they spat upon him they bowed before him as they mocked him having dressed him up in purple eternal son of God brought so low for you it must be friends oh that the Lord would in infinite mercy in the ministry here from time to time never permit man to play upon the emotions of you as hearers but rather to cause a deep concern what he done for me for there remains to all men heaven or hell and tis eternal wicked hands nailed him to the cross at Calvary and drove those nails through his hands and feet they did it while the cross lay upon the ground there was no other way they put the cross in the hole prepared for it they shook his holy frame the agony he must have endured in that they sneered at him as he hung there if thou be the son of God come down from the cross he saved others himself he cannot save he had laid upon him all the sin that belonged to that people of God the church of God your sin my sin the father hid his face the darkness that entered into his holy soul no human tongue will ever be able to fully unfold for it brought forth from that holy man the dear son of God my God my God why hast thou forsaken me the awful cry out of darkness but he was satisfying all the demands of infinite justice that a people should enter into glory forever so in ecstasy he cried out it is finished wonders of grace salvation is of the Lord here's the opening of our text friends he that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all when we contemplate these wondrous things the dreadful agonies of the dear son of God co-equal co-eternal with the father and the spirit and then consider it was done for wretched hell deserving men you and they is it not surely without a doubt that a part of our text must be accomplished how shall he not with him also freely give us all things he loved his dear son from eternity past that love that passeth all understanding that is known in measure in the experience of the dear people of God here below that love was ever set upon his own dear son and he sent him into this lower world to suffer bleed and die to redeem a people on such love my soul still ponder love so rich so full so free what does it open up to us friends what need have we to fear anything the pathway of the children of God must essentially be a pathway of union with their [32:32] Lord Master never to enter into the depths that he entered into but in union with the Lamb from condemnation free the saints from everlasting were shall forever be that union must be realized in the time state in measure in suffering too no so often to be brought upon brought about because of one's own folly sin dare you say you're not a sinner though the Lord in the richness of his mercy has given you to believe these things that we testify about now believe them to be true not because you've heard them from so many others but because you've proved a little of the experience of it in your own soul aren't you a sinner still dare you say you've got a clean heart dare you say you can without any trouble at all obey the commands of your [34:08] God nay my friends again and again tis turning out of the way isn't it in heart if not in practice outwardly backsliding falling under the temptations of the evil one as he sets before you those things that cause your flesh to rejoice these things too deep they're not my friends if the Lord has indeed set you in the bundle of life with Christ if he's made you one in him he's given you to know you're utterly ruined and without him you must perish you won't have any argument with [35:10] Peter when he said kept by the power of God that's how he was able to say that this people would enter ultimately into that which wouldn't pass away blessed inheritance but kept by the power of God kept from falling into black despair kept from falling into utter ruin kept from sinking into hell the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked who can know it so my friends from time to time there'll be troubles there'll be trials there'll be difficulties there'll be fears and you won't always be able to say it just came about [36:23] I don't know why it came out of the blue world there'll be times when this word Paul again sets forth still speaking of the same character who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect who is he that condemn us you'll know the experience of that my friends I know Paul makes it abundantly clear that being found in Christ although there'll be anything laid to your charge it is God that justifieth in the finished work of his own dear son so you won't sink into hell but you will know the attacks of the adversary and it won't always be something that isn't true it is infinite mercy friends that the [37:33] Lord in the richness of his love used our poets so frequently to speak of his eternal purposes and oh that good word it comes so often payment to God cannot twice demand first at my bleeding shore at his hands and then again at mine so that when Satan says where were you yesterday when he takes you back to that place where you don't tell your neighbor where you were yesterday when he takes you to that place where as you sit in chapel at times you feel full shame as there is the remembrance of that sin these things too hard for you my friends God hates sin your sin and my sin and in the time state he brings his dear people into union with his own dear son in suffering as he hides his face at the sight of his people's sins brings darkness chastening he permits the circumstances of one's life to be turned upside down it is sin the cause of it but oh the blessedness of it all he gave the psalmist to say [39:21] Lord if thou should mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand but that is forgiveness with them so in our text is how shall he not with him also freely give us all things having loved his own dear son with that depth of love that we shall never understand he sent that same dear son into the law in this lower world to redeem you and to bring you into that blessed favor loved with an everlasting love so that he'll come again poor sinner even even as he shone upon his own dear son after the darkness and brought him into the place to cry in ecstasy it is finished so his dear people you shall rejoice again be be able to say precious precious [40:38] Jesus tis because thou did shed thy precious blood on Calvary's tree that my God has forgiven thee all my sins all the blessedness of that friend when Jesus comes now he's in glory very God still very man but he comes from time to time to his dear people and breathes in their hearts I love thee well my child the wonders of salvation that he should ever look upon you and me choose you out of the mass of humanity and set that love upon you so that he freely will give you all things need for he won't give you unnecessary things from time to time the children of [41:59] God do experience this they seek of him in prayer that he will give them certain things and the Lord knows it's not right they should have them and he withholds them but those things that are for their good he withholds nothing oh my friends what a mercy it is to be found under the love of Christ is it true you are you are going to find one or two places shall we have there been no times of need with you lately times of exercise there be no petitions out of your poor heart [42:59] Lord help me Lord make a way for me Lord open a door for me oh hold me up Lord there be none of these cries in your poor heart of late my friends if you belong to the Lord I don't think you go very far without such a need having come that way you've proved he's a prayer answering God haven't you again the sweetness of the language of our poet that Christ is God I can avouch and for his people cares for I have prayed to him as such and he has heard my prayers Jesus said I will see you again he does doesn't he there have been times when he's met your poor petition and he's helped you hasn't he he satisfies the desires of every living thing my friends if you meditate on that the [44:28] Lord will open to you that those living things are those that belong to Christ he openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing this God is the living God you won't leave you destitute sinner if there's one here tonight passing through a trial whatever that trial is whether it springs from self that is that one has been the cause of it if there is necessity to say Lord I brought it upon myself he's still the same unchanging Jesus I will never leave thee nor forsake thee if there be something that does seem to have come about out of the blue unexpected the times are in his hands he's made preparation for every changing scene he has prepared deliverance as the morning if these things were not true my friends the word before us tonight couldn't stand he will not leave his dear people to battle alone why do they battle at all [46:08] Satan says sometimes and he puts that in the hearts of the dear people of God at times why should these things be he doesn't tell them they're such utterly ruined sinners in their flesh though were there no afflictions they'd never seek their God he doesn't quote to them the language of the psalmist when he says it is good that I have been afflicted for before I was afflicted I went astray no he doesn't quote things like that the Lord is a sovereign he's a God of infinite love and mercy he sees his dear people hidden in Christ he saw them there before time began he sees them in the new man in [47:15] Christ in time and he'll see them complete in him throughout the rolling ages of eternity and so he'll bless you sinner though from time to time you won't understand the way though from time to time there may well be a rebellious spirit and it may even be Lord I can't go on make a way he'll do it for Jesus sake my friends that wondrous word spoken to the children of Israel as they journeyed through the wilderness is the same word to his dear people to the end of time the eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms and he underlines as he does so often these precious truths with that other one given to the same people thy shoes shall be iron and brass and as thy day so shall my strength be the very essence of the foundation of it all is a risen [48:43] Christ he'll bring you my friends to that place one day where you'll see his face and never never sin and from the rivers of his grace drink endless pleasures in I was thinking yesterday often I do of my dear mother's end and I spoke about it yesterday in another place I tell you of it too I saw her as she was dying her eyes upward and the words they came forth so sweetly what must it be to be there the eye of faith saw Jesus she's with him now so will you be sinner if you know anything of this pathway for it isn't the work of man it is the work of an unchanging covenant keeping [50:00] God that God who said to his dear people my covenant will I not break nor to the thing which is gone out of my lips and my daddy's blessing his name shall I praise amen