Following God Series
Delivered at Harlem Reformed Church, 2013

God is Righteous; God Hates Sin

  • Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7 – people were made in God’s image, with an eternal component (God’s, “breath of life”).  They were meant to spread life throughout the world.  
  • Gen. 3:6; Rom. 5:12,19 – Sin entered humanity
    • Gen. 6:5-7; Ps. 5:5; 51:5; Rom. 1:18-32; 3:23; 6:23 – Sin = rebellion from God.  It brings wrath and hatred from an eternal, holy God.  All humans are sinners from birth and have earned God’s eternal wrath.

A Righteous God Enters A World Of Sinners

  • Malachi 3:1-3; 4:1,4-6 – God is going to come with fire of judgment and stand in judgment against sinners.  The sign of His coming will be a messenger that turns hearts back.
  • Mt. 11:10; 17:10-13; Mk. 1:2; 9:12-13; Lk. 1:13-17 – John the Baptist is the messenger.
  • Lk. 3:16-17 – Jesus is the Lord whose way John prepared.  Jesus would bring fire of judgment just as was predicted (see Mal. 3:2).  But…

First, THE GOOD NEWS

  • Lk. 4:34; Jn. 3:16-17; 12:47 – Jesus brought the good news of salvation when He came to earth
  • Rev. 22:12 – Jesus will return to earth as Judge
    • Gen. 6-8 – the ark was built before the flood / Mal. 4:2 – those who fear God were healed and given life instead of judgment / Lk. 3:16-17 – the Holy Spirit was given before fire
  • Mark 1:15 – repent and believe the Good News:
    • Lk. 15:18-20 – repentance = a change of mind and action in choosing God as Lord
    • Jn. 8:24; 1 Cor. 15:1-5 – the good news = (1) Jesus Christ is fully God / fully Man, (2) Christ died for your sins, (3) Christ was buried, (4) Christ bodily resurrected.    
    • Rom. 10:9-10 – belief must be in the heart
    • Lk. 18:9-14; Rom. 3:21-26; Gal. 5:6; Eph. 1:13; etc. – trust/faith in Christ alone brings eternal life, and the life of the Spirit within you is the evidence

The GOOD NEWS Explained: Jesus Took The Judgment Upon Himself

  • Gen. 3:7,21 – Adam and Eve’s naked flesh had to be covered by the slain life of another 
  • Exodus 12; John 19:14; 1 Cor. 5:7 – Jesus as the Passover Lamb:  Ex. 11:4; 12:7,8,13, 29 (cf. Matt. 25:6) – At Midnight, judgment comes.  Only those covered by the Lamb’s blood were spared from death, and they alone also had the Lamb within them (by eating).
  • Gen. 6-8 – Jesus as the Ark: Gen. 6:7,13,17-20; 7:17-24; 8:11; 2 Pet. 3:5-7 – God’s judgment killed all flesh, but the ark incurred the wrath/judgment for those inside.  A dove with an olive branch confirmed the judgment complete, just as the Spirit in us (Who came as a dove, see Luke 3:22) confirms our judgment finished (see Jn. 19:30).

The GOOD NEWS Continued: Jesus Paid the Full Price of Sin – 

Sin (in Adam) – Gen. 3:6Redemption (in Christ) – 2 Cor. 5:21
Gen. 2:8; 3:1-3,8 – sin began in a gardenMk. 14:32; Jn. 18 – a garden brought obedience from Christ and betrayal from men, both precursors to redemption
Gen. 3:7-10 (cf. 2:25) – sin brought shameHeb. 12:2 – the cross brought Christ shame
Gen. 3:7 – sin revealed nakednessJohn 19:23-24 – Christ died naked
Gen. 3:9 – sin brought separation from GodMatt. 27:46 – Christ was separated from God
Gen. 3:12-13 – sinners took on nature of Serpent/Satan (Satan means “Accuser”)John 3:14 – The crucified Christ is depicted as a serpent on a pole.
Gen. 3:18 – sin brought thornsMatt. 27:29 – Christ took thorns on His head
Gen. 3:19 – sin brought sweat on man’s faceLuke 22:44 – Christ had sweat on his face
Gen. 5:5 – The sinner died physically1 Cor. 15:3-4 – Christ died physically
Gen. 2:7; 3:9,22-24 – sin merits eternal deathCol. 1:19; 1 Cor. 15:3-4 – Christ (as the Eternal God) took on eternal death
Comparison and Contrast of Adam’s Sin versus Christ’s Redemption

Also, as the first record of human sin was within a female (Gen. 3:6), so the Redeemer dwelt in a female (virgin) first (Matt. 1:23).  And as the sin-spreader was a male (Rom. 5:19), so the redemption-spreader is Male (Luke 3:23).

  • Rom. 5:18 – 1 righteous act undoes 1 evil act in those “born again”…
  • Ex. 21:23-25 – “life for life” – Christ’s suffering and death justly paid what we owe
  • 1 Cor. 15:45,47 – “Last Adam” = He put an end to all that came from Adam; “Second Man” = He marks the beginning of a new race of people who live through His blessed life
    • Gen. 4:3-4 – God accepted the slain lamb, not the cursed earth
    • Jer. 18:4 – “Spoiled vessel” = life of Adam; “Another vessel” = Life of Christ
    • Luke 3:22,38 – “son of God” = Adam (not that he was divine, but was made directly from God’s hands; “Beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” = Christ

Our Job & The Second Coming of Christ:

  • Eph. 5:22-32; 1 Cor. 11:12 – As Christ’s bride, formed from His life (think of Eve and Adam), the church births and nurtures this new race of “born again,” redeemed people
    • 1 Thes. 2:8 – How?  With our words, and the Spirit’s power and character in us
  • 2 Kgs 7:9; James 4:14 – Our “vapor of a life” is in the gap between Christ’s 1st coming as Savior, and 2nd coming as Judge.  We are building the ark while the world laughs at the idea of a judgment to come.  We are preparing houses with the Lamb’s blood while the world mocks the idea that death would come at midnight.  We are doing our part to give Christ the greatest reward we can for His suffering and His work.  This is TRULY good news for every human being…we fully deserve EVERYTHING Christ paid.