Restored to Favor Only by Satisfaction

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Hebrews 10; Lord's Day 5
Psalters: 413, 330, 109, 162
  1. The great need.
    1. Reconciliation implies a friendship which is broken.
    2. How can it be restored? Only by the satisfaction of God’s justice.
      1. God CAN bestow favor ONLY on those who have satisfied His justice.
      2. Divine justice demands death/blood (Heb. 9:22).
  2. The satisfaction of God's justice is impossible for us.
    1. It is utterly hopeless for the sinner.
      1. First, our spiritual debt cannot be paid because hell is punishment, not payment.
      2. Second, even if hell paid for sin, it would not earn favor. It only fulfills an obligation.
      3. Third, salvation requires paying the full penalty for past sins AND rendering perfect love each moment.
    2. Also, there is no mere man who could qualify as a proper substitute for us.
    3. Nor can satisfaction be made for us by another creature!
    4. It is truly hopeless to look to man for the possibility of reconciliation between God and man.
  3. God Himself provides the only possibility (Eph. 2:4,5).
    1. The only kind of Mediator must meet three requirements (Matthew 1:23).
    2. So great is the punishment of sin that the death of God Himself is necessary to satisfy God’s justice.
    3. Application.
      1. There is no pardon except through the shedding of Christ’s blood.
      2. Let us experientially and consciously claim Christ’s payment by faith.