How Can We Be Again Received Into Favor With God?

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: II Corinthians 5; Lord's Day 5
  1. By satisfaction? A must.
    1. If man is to have God’s favor, it can only be in accordance with God's perfect justice.
      1. He will “not justify the wicked” (Ex. 23:7); He “will by no means clear the guilty” (Ex. 34:7).
      2. God’s justice requires full satisfaction.
    2. We must understand that hell is not satisfaction.
  2. Can we ourselves make this satisfaction?
    1. Natural man thinks that he can.
    2. But Scripture declares that no man is able to deliver himself – our situation is utterly hopeless.
      1. First, God declares that each of my sins earn me the right to spend an eternity in hell.
      2. Second, I am only increasing my guilt, and do that daily - my debt is greater every second – the longer I live.
      3. Third, I cannot earn God’s love and favor.
      4. The road to self-redemption is completely blocked!! “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling.”
    3. Nor can satisfaction be made for us by another creature: "the soul that sins shall die" (Ez. 18:4).
  3. The only possible way to have God’s favor requires a deliverer who is a real man who is perfectly righteous and very God.
    1. The gospel is the good news that God did everything necessary, satisfying His own justice: He gave His own Son.
      1. He came into our flesh because man must bear the punishment for man’s sins.
      2. He remains sinless, absolutely perfect, so He would not be punished for His own sins.
      3. And as the eternal Son of God, Christ could give infinite value to the work He performed.
    2. Thus, He accomplished all that was necessary: full remission and perfect righteousness.
    3. Believe God’s Word that reconciliation is through the shedding of Christ’s blood, and trust in nothing else.