The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! The praise of my God and King, the triumph of His grace!
This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. When I survey the wondrous cross, on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss, and for contempt of all my crime. Today we continue in our series that is sometimes referred to as the Tulip Doctrine. So just as a review, the T stands for Total Depravity, which was the first message we used.
And then the U is Unconditional Election, which we had on the last two weeks. And so today we come to the L, which is Limited Atonement. Now, as I will say again in the message, I personally prefer to talk about particular redemption.
But fitting in the acronym, Limited Atonement is what comes next. I hope that these messages on the doctrines of grace will be a blessing to you. We open our program by saying I invite you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. So everything we preach has as its foundation the sovereign grace of God.
But we're going through these particular doctrines one by one, hoping that they will be instructive, comforting, and God-honoring. And if the messages are a blessing to you, please write us at Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. I also encourage you to visit our website at BaptistBibleHour.org. There you can hear both our Sunday and daily programs and can read The Baptist Witness. And I encourage you not only to read the articles, but to go to Mailbox and read some of the comments that our listeners have made when they have written to us. I do ask an interest in your prayers, especially at this time. We've had to cancel some stations recently.
We don't want to have to cancel anymore. But we must have adequate donations to be able to meet our obligations. And so I look to the Lord to supply, but ask you to pray for us. The doctrines of grace are basic Bible doctrines. Almost every message we bring is connected in some form to these fundamental truths. Continue this morning with a series on the doctrines of grace. This is the third one, the subject, Limited Atonement. The text, John chapter 10, verse 15.
As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father, and I lay down my life for the sheep. The term Limited Atonement fits the acronym we use, the word TULIP, to remember these doctrines. But it is also referred to as Definite Atonement.
Or I really personally like the term Particular Redemption. The death of Jesus Christ was typified in the Old Testament sacrifices, prophesied by God's chosen servants, and came to pass at God's appointed time. It was the message of the apostles. Paul said, I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is proclaimed in the ordinances when a person is baptized. They are saying, I believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, publicly confessing their faith in Him and their dependence, not upon the waters of baptism, but upon what Jesus Christ accomplished at the cross.
When we sit together at the Lord's table, He says, you do show forth the Lord's death till He come. So a focus on this truth, the death of Jesus Christ, and what was accomplished by it, is a tremendous Bible theme. First then we consider, what was the purpose of the death of Christ? If we want to know what was accomplished, we need to start with this. What was intended by it?
What was the purpose? First of all, the purpose of Jesus Christ in coming to this earth, and ultimately going to the cross, was to do the Father's will. These are His words in John chapter 6 verse 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.
So Jesus emphasizes the point that He did not have a plan and purpose that differed from that of the Father. He came to do explicitly what was designed in the everlasting covenant of grace, came to fulfill the will of the Father. And then we turn to the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 10, reading in the ninth verse. Then said He, lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. This is a quote from one of the Messianic Psalms. 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.
Language could not be plainer. The very words of Jesus Himself and what is here declared in the book of Hebrews lets us know that Jesus was not coming for some unknown or indefinite purpose, just hoping to do something good and hoping it might all work out well in the end. He was coming to do a specific work. He was sent by the Father and so He says, I am come to do Thy will and I delight to do it. There was no desire or intent to alter that, to do anything differently, but to do the Father's will. Now let's go to an Old Testament passage, Isaiah chapter 53.
And we'll read several verses here because it does lay out for us by way of prophecy, the wonderful work of redemption. Reading in the third verse, He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him. He was despised and we esteemed Him not.
Certainly we can see that when Jesus came here. Even the Jews who had the benefit of all of the Old Testament prophecies, the types and the shadows, and should have rejoiced in His coming, not only rejected Him but hated Him and ultimately desired His crucifixion. He was despised. Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. We did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. 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. Our transgressions, our sins were put upon Him. Now this is a key to understanding what the work of redemption is all about. Jesus Christ was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Our sin put upon Jesus. And that's the reason that the agony of the cross was so tremendous. It was not just the physical suffering.
Indeed that was great. But when the sin of all believers were put upon Jesus, the Father's wrath was poured out upon Him. And there's no way that we can comprehend what that entailed. For the perfect spotless Lamb of God to have all of the sins of all of His people put upon Him. And that the Father deal with Him as though He were guilty of those sins. That He suffered in the place of His people. So that it says He was wounded for our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed.
Not talking about physical healing here, talking about that healing that took place because of His redemptive work. Because of our sins being put upon Him. All we like sheep have gone astray. We have turned everyone to His own way and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. So the doctrine of depravity is before us in this passage as well. We had all gone astray. Not just part of the human family.
Every member of Adam's race was condemned as a result of Adam's sin because they're born with a sinful nature. All have gone astray. Everyone has turned to His own way. You find that desire in small children. You see it as they continue to mature and maybe get themselves under control to some degree. But down deep is that still strong desire, I just want to do what I want to do. I don't want anybody to interfere. I just do not like the word no.
I can be very congenial, get along very well, as long as I can have my way. And as adults we're no better. The old fallen nature is still there. We turn everyone to His own way and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth. He came humbly submitting Himself to the death of the cross. He was taken from prison and from judgment and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of My people was He stricken.
Here's the doctrine, here's the teaching. Jesus Christ died for those that were given to Him by the Father. For the transgression of My people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.
Now that's a remarkable statement. You read that and say how could it be that since the Father loved His Son, it would please the Father to bruise Him. It would please the Father for the Son to go to the cross and endure what He had to suffer. How did it please Him? Because it was something that was already designed, agreed upon, planned from all eternity.
This was not an unexpected turn of events. I've actually heard some suggest that Jesus came to set up a kingdom and when He was rejected, He turned in desperation to go to the cross and set an example of what it meant to be one that suffered. No, it was His purpose when He left heaven to come here and to go to the cross. It was the purpose of the Father that the Son would die. It was by His death that the salvation of the elect would be made a reality. It pleased the Father to bruise Him.
He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make a soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. The pleasure of the Lord. Whatever was pleasing to the Heavenly Father would prosper. Jesus Christ was not going to be frustrated, He was not going to be disappointed, He was not going to be defeated.
Whatever the purpose was would prosper. He will see His seed. He'll see those that were given to Him. God's purpose pertaining to them would be accomplished. And He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied.
And there's another key word to connect to this doctrine of particular redemption. He saw His seed. He saw all that the Father had given to Him. He saw the end result. He knew that when He went to the cross His death would not be in vain.
He was going there to accomplish something that would be indeed a success. He saw the suffering. He saw what He must endure. But He was satisfied. Do you think He could have been satisfied if He paid the price and lost most of those for whom He died? He could only be satisfied because He got what He paid for. He paid the price. He secured those that were given to Him by the Father. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great and He shall divide the spoiled with the strong because He hath poured out His soul unto death and He was numbered with the transgressors and bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors. His purpose was to make salvation certain for those that were given to Him.
Not just to make it a possibility. The general thinking of many is that Jesus Christ came to make salvation a possibility. And whether or not there is a consummation of it depends on man's free will. So salvation is not really of the Lord. It's a cooperative effort between God and man.
When you understand though man's fallen ruined state that he turns to his own way. He doesn't love God. He doesn't fear God. He doesn't seek God. He's dead in trespasses and in sin. You understand that if anybody is ever saved it has to be by God's sovereign grace entirely.
No part of it left to where man can glory in his own accomplishment. He came to actually redeem a people. Matthew chapter 1 verse 21 says, And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins.
That's a certainty. That's why He was given the name Jesus. It means Savior. He shall not attempt to but He shall save His people who are His people.
They're the ones that were chosen by the Father and given to Him in the covenant of grace. Then we go to the prayer recorded in John chapter 17 verse 1. These words make Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father the hour is come glorify thy son that thy son also may glorify thee as thou has given him power over all flesh. See Jesus Christ has power over all flesh. There is no heart so hard that he cannot penetrate it.
No will so stubborn that he cannot break it. No case so difficult that he cannot rescue that fallen ruined sinner. He has power and authority over all flesh for what purpose? That he should give eternal life to as many as thou has given him. Sometimes people say well I don't really like doctrine that much. I just like the words of Jesus.
That's what I'm reading to you. These are the words of Jesus. This is what Jesus said as he prayed to his Father. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent. I have glorified thee on the earth. I have finished the work which thou givest me to do. And now oh Father glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. Then look at verse nine.
I pray for them. I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me for they are thine and all mine are thine and thine are mine and I am glorified in them. You see there's no difference between the purpose of the Father and what was to be accomplished by the Son. All of thine are mine, thine are thine.
We're together. He came to carry out the purpose and will of the Father that sent him. And then we look at the book of First Peter chapter 3 verse 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit. What was the purpose of his death? That he might bring us to God. I ask you then was he a success? Did Jesus Christ fail to bring us to God?
Was he disappointed? No we're confident that since he had power over all flesh since he was the God man he was God and he was man but he had all power that he accomplished what his purpose was to accomplish. So he suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God. Now we see that to be the purpose of the death of Christ. So if we understand what the purpose of it was to begin with we can then appreciate even more what actually was accomplished. Let's look at what the death of Christ accomplished.
He purchased a particular people. John chapter 10 verse 11. I am the good shepherd the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep verse 15. As the father knoweth me even so know I the father and I lay down my life for the sheep. Is there a difference between the sheep and the goats?
Absolutely. If you go to Matthew chapter 25 you find that in that final day of judgment that the goats are going to be on the left hand and he will say depart from me. Those who are the goats are going to be cast into hell and suffer forever. He says on the right hand the sheep on the right hand come inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
There is a difference. Jesus said that he laid down his life for the sheep. You look at verse 25. Jesus answered them I told you and you believe not the works that I do in my father's name they bear witness of me but you believe not because you are not of my sheep as I said unto you. These religious leaders that hated him that called for his death that cried crucify him crucify him he says you don't believe because you're not of my sheep. In contrast my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. The sheep hear the voice he knows them they respond they follow him and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My father which gave them me is greater than all and no man is able to pluck them out of my father's hand I and my father are one. Aren't you glad to believe in a salvation that's absolutely sure not dependent upon the fickle will of man not dependent upon his works and efforts. Even our righteousness is ours filthy rag so we have nothing to offer nothing about which we can claim that God would be obligated to us.
It's all entirely by his grace. This is what Jesus taught these are the words of Jesus he laid down his life for the sheep laid down his life in their place died so that they might live. And in Hebrews chapter 2 verses 9 to 13 we find reference to the sons for whom he died. Hebrews chapter 2 we began reading in the ninth verse but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Somebody might say well see right there preacher that refutes what you're talking about.
Let me tell you the Bible does not contradict itself and scripture has to be interpreted by scripture and the best way to interpret this is to look at the context. So we continue with it for it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons to glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings for both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy name under my brethren in the midst of the church while I sing praise unto thee and again I will put my trust in him and again behold I am the children which God hath given me. So who is he talking about in this passage? He's talking about sons. He calls them brethren. He calls them the church. You see Jesus Christ purchased a particular people the sheep the sons and according to Acts chapter 20 the 28th verse that he purchased the church with his own precious blood that obviously being the church of the firstborn those that are called out chosen of God given to the son. He fulfilled all the types and shadows of the Old Testament. We find what I believe is a beautiful type of this redemptive work. When God had told Abraham to take his son Isaac upon a mountain build an altar and offer him as a sacrifice.
You can imagine how perplexing that was. Isaac was the son of promise that had been born in this family when the parents were past age. Now God says offer him as a sacrifice.
But we learn in Hebrews chapter 11 that by faith Abraham moved forward to do what God had commanded him. Isaac is put down on the altar. Abraham no doubt with a degree of perplexity but nevertheless moving by faith lifts the knife and is ready to plunge it into his son's heart. And the Lord stopped him and said look yonder in the thicket there is a ram caught by its horns.
Offer the ram as a sacrifice. Now when the ram was to be put on the altar Isaac got up and when Isaac is standing there watching that ram bleed and die and be burned as a sacrifice he was no doubt thinking had it not been for that substitute that would have been me. I would have died upon that altar. Now friends that's exactly what happens with respect to the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. We were justly condemned.
The stroke of judgment would be meted out upon us. But Jesus Christ the lamb of God took our place and when Jesus laid down his life on the altar the church got up it was free not any part of it not any member of it ever ultimately to be condemned. How wonderful to know that the work of Jesus Christ at Calvary was a success. He saw an advance. He saw the travail of his soul and was satisfied. He knew that victory was his so that while his enemies thought they brought him down to a tragic defeat it was the greatest victory of all times because the price was paid. Redemption was complete for those that were given to him by the father.
We can therefore find hope and comfort in him to know that there is forgiveness of sin because of his perfect sacrifice. I encourage you to write us and until next week at the same time may the Lord richly bless you all. Hallelujah! The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.
That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. When he comes, our glorious King, all is ransomed, home to bring. Then under this song we'll sing, Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a Savior!
