Faith in the Atonement
Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 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.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Introduction
Introduction
Explain: Bro. Joel would not automatically become the pastor if I something happened to me, the entire church would vote on their next pastor, whoever that is. Might be Bro. Stuart or some other person.
"laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isa. 53:6). Commenting on this verse Martin Luther wrote: "All the prophets did foresee in Spirit that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, rebel, blasphemer, etc., that ever was or could be in all the world. For he, being made a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world is not now an innocent person and without sins...but a sinner." He was, of course, talking about the imputing of our wrongdoing to Christ as our substitute.
Luther continues: "Our most merciful Father...sent his only Son into the world and laid upon him...the sins of all men saying: Be thou Peter that denier; Paul that persecutor, blasphemer and cruel oppressor; David that adulterer; that sinner which did eat the apple in Paradise; that thief which hanged upon the cross; and briefly be thou the person which hath committed the sins of all men; see therefore that thou pay and satisfy for them. Here now comes the law and saith: I find him a sinner...therefore let him die upon the cross. And so he setteth upon him and killeth him. By this means the whole world is purged and cleansed from all sins."
The Word translated Atonement in Rom 5:11 is:
The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words katallagē καταλλαγή
2643. καταλλαγή katallagē, kat-al-lag-ay´; from 2644; exchange (fig. adjustment), i.e. restoration to (the divine) favor:— atonement, reconciliation (-ing).
The human race had a problem when Adam fell, they had been barred from the tree of life. Their very birth caused them to be separated from the holiness of God.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me.
This was not because they cheated on their homework, they were born in sin.
All of us are identified with Adam in death.
The very first idea the Puritans introduced to their children in the 1690 New England Primer was “In Adam’s Fall, We Sinned All”.
Adam and Eve should have died the day they sinned.
They attempted to cover themselves with fig leaves, but it did not atone for sin because God required something different.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Something had to die so these skins could be obtained.
(show picture of Sheepskins)
Bro. Braham dramatizes it:
God had to keep His judgment because He had spoken it. And In order to be God, God has to keep His Word.
…I can imagine seeing poor little Eve, when she looked at Adam, her long blond hair hanging down her back. Those big, bright, blue eyes that looked like the skies, where God had made them, the tears pouring down; mixing with the blood on the garments, and flapping down around her body…
Adam, with his strong body, caught her and leaned her over on his bosom, and there the tears, mingling, falling, as it ran through the sheepskins, blood dripping down.
Now He says, “You have to depart out of My Presence.”
And I can see Eve and Adam, with their arms around one another, going, the bloody sheepskins flopping against their legs.
Then I can see all that space, which was God. God had no beginning of days, ending of years. He is forever and forever. I can see all that great space begin to move together like this, coming down to a funnel shape like that, and it moved right down, as He begin to eye that little couple going down through the garden of Eden, bloody skins flopping against their leg.
He couldn’t stand it. And it moved down, oh, it moved it down to the very heart of God, spelt l-o-v-e, “God so loved…” He just couldn’t see them go.
He called them back and said, “I’m going to put enmity between your Seed and Satan’s seed.”
Then when that was done, was at Calvary; when God Himself came down through a woman, born of a virgin. 53-0403 - "The Cruelty Of Sin, And The Penalty That It Cost To Rid Sin From Our Lives"
From that time to this the whole world had become guilty before God, but there was a promise of a seed.
15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Later it was found that the woman’s seed would be Abraham’s seed:
15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Paul explains this:
16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
The death of Christ is the only atonement for me. I cannot rely on merit, I cannot rely on keeping the law, or wearing certain clothes, or going to church, or listening to my pastor or a tape.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
He had Ishmael, but when his biography was written by Paul, “he staggered not”
21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Imputed
The New Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words lŏgizŏmai λογίζομαι
lŏgizŏmai, log-id´-zom-ahee; mid. voice from 3056; to take an inventory, i.e. estimate (lit. or fig.):— conclude, (ac-) count (of), + despise, esteem, impute, lay, number, reason, reckon, suppose, think (on).
(Explain: Imputation. Credited to our account)
Now, Abraham believed God. And it was imputed unto him for righteousness, or, allowed to his account for righteousness.
You say, “Well, I’m some of the…I’m the Joneses; I live in a certain…” That don’t have one thing to do with it. God called you, and you accept the call.
And by your faith, by accepting Christ, the Royal Seed of Abraham which calls you, then you’re justified by faith. Is that right? That’s the only way I know it. That’s the Scripture as far as I know it.
I know I was a sinner, rank. God stopped me in the middle of my sin and knocked at my heart’s door, and I turned and looked back, said, “Who is it?” He said, “I’m your Lord.” I said, “Then Lord let me come.”
I never stopped and said, “Hey, Lord, hey, where You at? I want to talk to You awhile.” See? No, you don’t do that. It’s God stops you.
So now, it’s by grace that God called you, not what you did, what you could do, what you will do. If you’re the seed of Abraham, God spoke to you by His amazing grace, just like He did Abraham in the 12th chapter of Genesis.
Now, now, and then notice: As soon as Abraham believed God by justification (Believing on the Lord, we’re justified.), immediately God called Abraham to total separation from all unbelief.
Is that the way He did in you? Separate yourself from your kindreds, from all your associates; come out of the poolrooms; come out of the dancehalls; come away from the things of the world. God calls for a total separation, to Abraham’s seed, ’cause that’s what He called Abraham.
Are you patterning it? This instrument is Abraham, this instrument represents his seed after him. And the covenant was made to both Abraham and his seed after him. And as Abraham was called by grace, by election, so was his seed called by grace and election.
They heard the Voice of God and believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.
Heard the Voice of God in a barroom, ever where It was at, and believed God, and Abraham was commanded to abstain and to separate himself from the things of the world, and so is the seed of Abraham: separate themselves from the seed…of the things of the world. 61-0416 - "Abraham And His Seed After Him"
The work of atonement was finished at Calvary.
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Our faith in the finished work of the atonement is what determines whether or not we benefit from that atonement.
What is included in the atonement?
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.
Salvation of the Soul and body.
50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
42 And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee.
sōzō, sode´-zo; from a primary σῶς sōs (contr. for obs. σάος saŏs, “safe”); to save, i.e. deliver or protect (lit. or fig.):— heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.
And the Greek word there is called sozo. And sozo is used for both salvation and Divine healing. You are either saved physically or saved spiritually.
The same Atonement was made by the same Man on the same day: “For He was wounded for our transgressions; with His stripes we are healed.”
And it’s: either the Bible is the truth, or It’s a falsehood. And there’s no need for people in this day, or any other day, to try to explain It all away to try to hide your unbelief. It’s still God’s Promise. 55-0400 - "Blind Bartimaeus"
30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
What was finished? The atonement.
Now, you have to accept it for your own personal affair. You say, “I am a sinner and Christ died for me, and I’m the one He died for, so therefore, tonight, I come on the basis of the shed Blood, and I accept my salvation,
knowing there’s nothing that I can do within myself, and I’m wholly and fully trusting Him tonight, and believing that He does save me, according to His promise,” then you’re saved, no matter if you have a sensation, or not a sensation, you’re saved by faith in the finished work at Calvary. 61-0212E - "It Is I, Be Not Afraid"
If you really believe in the finished work of the atonement, you will accept Christ the Word as He is revealed in His fulness in this day.
Faith in the atonement leads you to the seal of your faith which is the Token, the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. (Abraham received a seal of circumcision)
30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Not till the next revival. “Until the day of your redemption!” Being baptized into It, according to First Corinthians 12. And in Him is the fulness, and no sin is recognized in Him.
“He that’s borned of God does not commit sin. The seed of God remains in him, and he cannot sin.” How can he, when the Token is there? The Token is the sign he has been accepted.
And, well, you say, “I sin.” Well, then you never had the Token. See? The Token is the barrier, shows that the price is paid. If Satan tries to hand it to you…Just think of this. If Satan tries to hand you some sickness, or tries to hand you something, you know what to do? Show him your Token.
Sure, sickness strikes the Christian. Show him your Token, and prove to him that you’re a purchased product of God. “Resist the devil, and he’ll flee from you.” Hold the Token over your unmovable faith in His promised Word. 64-0308 - "The Token"
That’s when I stand at the platform here, to face everything there is, and around the world, and devils. God’s Word promised it.
As long as I can know that Blood has been applied, and holding that Holy Spirit here in my heart, the devil has not one word to say against it. Yes, sir.
“We’ll walk where the apostles have trod,” yes, sir, because the Token paid the way. The Token is the evidence that the way has been paid, and we’ve accepted It. And, to prove it, God gave us the Token, the sign that we was received.
A minister said to me one time, said, “Brother Branham, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness.”
I said, “That’s true.” Said, “What more can a man do but believe?” I said, “That’s exactly right.” “Then where do you get this Holy Ghost, outside of believing?”
I said, “But He give him the seal of circumcision, as a confirmation of his faith.” Amen.
And if He has never give you the baptism of the Holy Ghost, yet, then He hasn’t confirmed your faith that you say you have. But the Token is the confirmation.
I say, “I got the money, I paid it in the office down there!” But you’ve got to show the token. That’s right. When I show the Token, I got a right.
And when I can show the Token, of the Holy Spirit, you’ve got the right to any purchased thing that Jesus Christ died for. It’s the Token.
Hold the Token over your unwavering faith in the promised Word. “I believe that Jesus said, ‘Ask the Father anything in My Name, I’ll do it.’” Hold your Token over that promised Word, and walk right to it.
“‘I’m the Lord that heals all thy diseases.’ ‘He was wounded for my transgressions, with His stripes I was healed.’ Take my Token, of the Holy Spirit that’s in me, hold It over my prayer, and say, ‘Lord God, You promised it, “When I see the Token, I will reward you. I promised to do it.”
He can’t do nothing else. He look right through the Blood of His Own Son. There is the Token applied. He has to do it because He promised it. 64-0208 - "The Token"
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
This is the time of the fulness of the atonement, the opening of the Word.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
Faith brings obedience.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Full obedience to the whole Word of God will entitle you to the Token. Full obedience! Not the part of It as far as your denomination goes, but all of It. Full obedience to the Word, which is Christ, brings you into Christ. 63-0901M - "Token"
Full, complete obedience puts you and the Word One. You believe It, every bit. And all of It’s in you, and you watch It working through you. 63-0901M - "Token"
Conclusion
Conclusion