Good News for Sinners - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. I'm happy that you are with us today and pray that the message will be a blessing to you. If it is, we'd like to hear from you. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.

We depend on our listeners for support, so if you can help us at this time, we'll be very thankful for it. And I hope you will visit our website at BaptistBibleHour.org. There you can see our publication, The Baptist Witness, and find various messages and articles that we trust will be a blessing to you.

That's BaptistBibleHour.org. We obviously believe that it is a good thing to go to church. We ought to come to the house of God, to worship Him, to praise His name. But I'm confident that there are people who go to church simply because they think religion is basically a good thing, and yet they've never been deeply affected by it. It could be that someone here has been attending services at this church for an extended period of time.

You see the order of service. You hear songs about the blood, for example, there's a fountain filled with blood drawn from Immanuel's veins and sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. But you've never quite understood just what all that means. There might be some young people who come to church because your parents require it, but references to the blood of Christ or preaching about redemption or justification just has never been clear to you. So I know that the purpose in coming to church is to worship God. I know that the gospel concerns Jesus Christ, but yet you've had no real experience with it. Periodically you see somebody go into the waters of baptism.

Maybe it's not real clear in your mind as to why we put people under the water and bring them out. Baptism speaks of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. By baptism a person declares, I deserve to die, but I'm looking to the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead as my hope and the basis of my salvation.

I'm being identified with him. You may have observed the Lord's Supper without understanding what all it represents. Why do we come to a table where there is unleavened bread and wine? The emblems speak of death, for the bread represents the body of Christ and the wine his blood.

Obviously, when the blood is separated from the body, there is death. And Jesus himself said that by the observance of this ordinance we show forth his death till he come. See, all of this, whether it be the singing of hymns about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, about the shedding of his blood, whether it be the preaching of fundamental gospel principles, whether it be the observance of the ordinances, all of this is about the glorious truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The word gospel means good news, and what we have is good news for sinners. The true gospel of Jesus Christ has always been offensive to multitudes. They are interested in religion.

If it addresses them on a level of their perceived intellect, if it's going to provide for them a positive outlook on life, build their self-esteem, help them to have greater confidence in solving their problems and meeting their challenges. But you start talking about the cross. You talk about the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.

You talk about the shedding of his blood, and many are offended. The book of 1 Corinthians chapter 1 clearly tells us that Jesus Christ, the preaching of the cross, was a stumbling block to the Jew who looked after a sign, and was foolishness to the Greek who put all of his emphasis upon wisdom and education. What does the gospel mean to you? The gospel is good news for sinners. I read to you from the book of Romans chapter 5.

Romans chapter 5 beginning with the sixth verse. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet pray adventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more than being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. The first thing that we notice here is the condition of those for whom Christ died. Christ died for the ungodly. It is a condition that only grace could overcome.

This is not the setting forth of a list of conditions or hard rules. This is not a word of commendation to those who are worthy, to those who can make themselves acceptable before God. But it describes a condition that man of himself cannot overcome, and that it requires the sovereign grace of God for intervention, that this individual might become acceptable in the sight of a holy God. Christ died for the ungodly.

Notice three things that it says about them. First of all it says they were without strength. That means they were totally incapable of saving themselves. That means that you are incapable of saving yourself. Or you'll hear people say, well I'm doing the very best I can. Well I want to tell you today, you'll never make it on that basis.

The best you can do is not good enough. Because a holy God requires absolute perfection. You have drastically missed the mark. As a part of the fallen human race, you were born with a sinful nature.

They come forth from the womb speaking lies. God looked down from the height of his sanctuary and what did he see? Man doing the right thing? Man moving in the right direction, coming to God?

No. He saw that all had sinned. He saw all in an ungodly state. He saw all going their own way. Not coming to him, but going in the opposite direction.

And that's where you would be in nature apart from his grace. These individuals, the ungodly, are enslaved by sin. Oh how often somebody says, I can overcome this habit. I know I ought not to be doing this, that, or the other. And when I make up my mind to it, I can overcome.

I can quit. And why don't you? It's because you don't want to.

You've got a problem with your want to. The inclination of your human nature is wanting to sin. You sin not because it's imposed on you. You sin because you want to.

You sin because that's the direction of your own fallen nature, your depraved state. Enslaved by sin. Dead in sin, according to Ephesians chapter 2, verse 1 says, And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. What then do we learn about the condition of those for whom Christ died when it says that he died for the ungodly? When it says that he died for those that are without strength? They're dead in sin. No strength. Nothing they can contribute. It's not a matter of God doing his part and then you doing your own so that you contribute to the salvation.

Bringing it to fulfillment. At last in heaven would be able to say, I'm grateful for all that God did for me, but had it not been that I turned the final point and not I joined my free will with the whole matter, it all would have come to nothing. No. You are without strength. Enslaved to sin. Dead in sin. Then secondly, it says, while you were yet sinners. Christ then did not come to provide something for the worthy. For those who were upright.

For those who are on the right track. But while we were yet sinners, he died for us. Book of James chapter 2 makes it quite clear that it would be utterly impossible for you or anybody else to present a clean slate before God and expect to enter heaven on the basis of personal conduct. James chapter 2 verse 10 says, for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all.

Can you imagine that? Keeping the whole law living day after day, year after year. Never doing anything wrong. Never committing a single sin. Never being angry. Never being critical.

Never talking about somebody else or putting somebody else down. Never being deceitful. Never being dishonest. Never having a lustful thought. Never putting yourself above God himself. Loving God with all your mind, heart, soul and strength.

Your neighbor is yourself. Doing that day after day, year after year. Living that way for 50 years.

And then on your 50th birthday, something goes wrong. And you commit one sin. You're condemned.

That doesn't seem really fair, I tell you. I believe if somebody had a record like that, the Lord ought to just overlook that one flaw. But you see, the problem is we fail to grasp God's perfection, God's holiness. We're always willing to cut corners. We're always ready to say, well, I got close. Don't you think this ought to be good enough? Many today envision God as a gracious grandfather who tends to overlook the frailties and faults and sins of his children.

It's just going to be alright. God is a God of holiness. The law demands perfection. To have sinned at all.

To have offended in one point is to be guilty of it all. So by nature, you're a sinner. But the good news of the gospel is that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. Not after we had cleaned up our act. Not after we had improved our situation. We should come to him and say, Lord, it's been an uphill battle, but I think I've kind of gotten there now.

Can I have some identification with your great blessing? No, while we were yet sinners. The continuation of that second chapter of the book of Ephesians after telling us about our fallen state being dead in trespasses and in sin. It talks about our active participation in sin.

Ephesians 2 says, wherein time passed, he walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power, the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past. That is, our conversation, our life, our lifestyle, the way we live. This is the way we live.

How was it? For the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. Does that not describe you? What has your life really been like? Has it not been fulfilling your own desires?

How often have you given thought, will this action, will this activity, will this spoken word, will this particular deed, be to the honor and glory of God, or you just rush ahead doing something because it appealed to you, it was going to bring you some instant pleasure, something you wanted to do. As a matter of fact, if anybody confronted you about your activity, you resented it. Some of you young people know that there's one word you do not like to hear from your parents. The word no. You often, down deep inside, get pretty resentful about it.

Why is it I have to be told no? Your first consideration is not honoring God. As a matter of fact, if you're honoring Him, you honor your parents. Honor thy father and mother. This is something required of God. But often there's resistance, there's opposition.

Even if you submit outwardly, there is deep resentment within. What about the rest of your life? Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. What's in your mind? You think about something, this is something you want to do. This is something that's appealing to you.

That's what you pursue. So you are by nature the children of wrath, even as others, living according to your own desires. So the first two things that it says regarding the condition in which we are found is that we are without strength. And that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners.

And then the tenth verse goes on to say, For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God. It wasn't just that we were lacking something. It wasn't just that we missed the mark and that we came short. We were His enemy. We were opposed to God. Our nature was in opposition to Him.

We resented the fact that there was one in absolute authority to whom we are accountable. See, that's the real indication of the fallen corrupt nature of the human race. Romans chapter 1 tells us about those who seek to suppress the truth. That's why there's such a concentrated effort to put on to try to prove the theory of evolution. It's not a desire to be scientifically correct as some would suggest. It's a desire to get rid of God. If it can be proven that there is no God, then I'm not accountable.

I don't have to answer to anybody. That's the ultimate desire of man. He wants to be his own God. He wants to do his own thing.

He doesn't want to have to answer. We were enemies, opposed to God, determined to go our own way and do our own thing. But, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son. You see, then, this gospel that we're talking about, this good news, it's not for the righteous.

It's for sinners. Verse 7 says, For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet prayer adventure for a good man some would even dare to die. How many would be ready to give their life for someone else?

There's a strong element of self-preservation built into us. The idea of giving your life scarcely for a righteous man would one die. If here's a man that, as far as men are concerned, they could be basically considered a righteous man, they've done the right thing, their life is on track, would you be willing to die for them?

It's not very likely. It's not her adventure for a good man, someone who not only is righteous and meeting the standard, but is gracious and kind and giving and loving and outgoing. Some might even dare to die, but God commendeth, God recommends His love, presents His love to us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Isn't that the amazing aspect of grace? These blessings bestowed upon the unworthy, the undeserving, Christ died for us. While we were yet sinners, He died for the ungodly, He died to reconcile these who were His enemies. Not for the righteous, but for the sinner. Now, if you were to say to me today, Richard, I believe it is good to go to church. I think everybody ought to be involved in religion. I think it's a positive thing as far as our society is concerned.

I think it has a good influence. But when you start talking in terms about being a sinner, being ungodly, being an enemy of God, I find those terms to be too strong to adequately describe me. I'm really not all that bad. Just a lot of things that other people do that I haven't done. There's some sins that I've never participated in, might be some I haven't even thought about.

I don't think I'm all that bad. But I want to tell you that the work of our Savior Jesus Christ was for sinners. The gospel message that we bring is for sinners. And so if you're one, on the other hand, who has been convicted of sin, there may be a time that you, like the Pharisee, were saying, I thank God that I'm not this other man. I'm not unjust, I'm not an extortioner, fast twice in the week and give all the tithes that I possess. But if you have been humbled, brought low like the public and the new today, say that's the best news anybody could ever bring to declare the good news for sinners because that's me.

Then you can rejoice. You can find hope, courage, comfort to know God has favored you and blessed you, even with an interest in and a desire for this good news of the gospel. Certainly not for the innocent. Isaiah chapter 53, which prophesied the coming of our Savior and gives explicit detail as to what he would accomplish, his work at the cross, says in the 12th verse, Isaiah 53 verse 12, 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. Get this, he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and he made intercession for the transgressors. So this gospel is not to the innocent. Somebody might assume innocence, but the fact is none are, for all have sinned come short of the glory of God. And Romans 3 tells us that all the world has become guilty before God. Every member of the human family must trace his or her ancestry back to Adam. And Adam willfully sinned, rebelled against God, plunged himself and all of his seed and posterity into a state of corruption and alienation from God. There are no innocent souls in the universe.

It's not for the good. Look at verse 5 of this 53rd chapter. 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. What's the condition of those for whom Christ died?

He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. The individual that tries to make out a case for himself saying, I'm not a transgressor, I'm not full of iniquity, excludes himself from the very message that we proclaim, saying I have no interest in it, I want no part with it, then certainly you will have no complaint to see that God has passed you by because you wanted nothing to do with him after all. Verse 6 says, And all we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. So we see it's not for the obedient.

This doesn't describe a people who are obedient, this describes disobedient people because he says everyone has turned to his own way. What way have you traveled in your life? Oh, you might try to impress somebody that doesn't know a whole lot about you. But those that know you best, know something about your faults, know something about your sins, but I want to tell you there's one who knows you better than anybody else. There's one who knows you better than your parents, one who knows you better than your husband or your wife. There's one who knows you better than you know yourself and that is God himself. He knows all about you. He knows your past, he knows your present, he even knows your future.

He knows your thoughts, your attitudes, your motives. And his description is you have turned to your own way. This message is not for the pure. If it was for the pure, where then would have been the woman when Jesus visited her at the well? And as he conversed with her it became evident that this woman could not claim a godly walk by any stretch of the imagination.

He said you've had five husbands and the one you've got now is not your husband. Yet Jesus blessed that woman to find water that was of greater benefit than the water that was there in Jacob's well. This woman was so excited that she went back into the city and said come see a man that told me all about myself. And the amazing thing was that even though this woman had a terrible reputation, people were so impressed by the spirit in which she spoke that they followed her out there to see Jesus. On another occasion Jesus went to the house of Simon the Pharisee.

A harlot from the streets came in and knelt down at his feet and began to weep, wiping his feet with the hair of her head to wipe those tears away. Simon the self-righteous Pharisee is sitting there thinking if this man was who he claimed to be, if he was a true prophet of God, he would understand something about the character of this woman and would not allow this. Jesus though knew what Simon was thinking. And Jesus says the one that is forgiven most loves most, making it clear that Jesus had forgiven this fallen woman of the streets.

You see the gospel is for sinners. Jesus, what a friend for sinners, Jesus, lover of my soul! Friends may fail me, foes assail me, he, my Savior, makes me whole. Alleluia, what a Savior!

Alleluia, what a friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end. Well, the scriptures are perfectly clear that man by nature is in a fallen state. He's ruined.

He's not just injured. He's dead and trespasses and in sin and cannot recover himself. So that brings us to appreciate so much the wonderful truth of the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, to know that Christ died for sinners and in him is our hope. Once again I encourage you to visit our website at BaptistBibleHour.org and until the same time next week, may the Lord richly bless you all. Alleluia, what a friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, he is with me to the end. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. Alleluia, what a Savior! Alleluia...