In James Lundquist's sermon 'A New Marriage to Bear Fruit to God,' the central theme revolves around the believer's liberation from the law through Christ's death and resurrection, allowing them to bear fruit to God. Lundquist explains that the law, while holy and just, was a demanding master that aroused sinful passions. By using the analogy of marriage, he illustrates how believers were once bound to the law, akin to a spouse, but through Christ's death, they are freed from this bond and are now united with Christ as their eternal husband. This union with Christ not only frees believers from the law's condemnation but also empowers them to live a life of holiness, bearing fruit to God through the Spirit. The sermon emphasizes that this transformation is possible only through God's grace and highlights the characteristics of Christ as a loving and gracious husband who intercedes for believers. Lundquist underscores the importance of living in the 'newness of the Spirit' and serving God out of love and gratitude for the salvation received, rather than as a means to earn it.

For context, James is going to be bringing chapter 7 verses 1 through 6, but we're going to back up to 6 20 to give the full context. So let your eyes see the beauty of these words delivered from heaven to us by the most unlikely of authors in this book. Chapter 6, verse 20. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?

For the end of those things is death. But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Or do you not know, brethren, for I speak to those who know the law, that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives.

But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then, if while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law so that she is no adulteress though she's married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ that you may be married to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. For when we are in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members, bearing fruit to death.

But now, we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. Amen. Let's pray. Our God, Thank you that by your grace and your mercy you would take us from bearing fruit to death to bearing fruit to God. And that can only happen, only happen through your death of paying the penalty that the law demanded.

And then raising from the dead to save a bride, to bring a bride to yourself forevermore. So Holy Spirit, we believe in your power. Give power to your words. Give hearing to our ears. Would you be glorified and magnified through this text that you inspired Paul to read and the preaching of it and the hearing of it.

Amen. Titled this, A New Marriage to Bear Fruit to God. New Marriage to Bear Fruit to God. And if I was having Jim really read context, I'd have him go all the way back to 6.1. We're not going all the way back there for reading, but the chapter breaks, as we say often, right, they're not inspired.

I'm thankful in the 1200s that we get chapter breaks and verses that helps us follow along. I'm thankful for that. This is one letter. And the context is we're still answering the questions back starting in 6-1. What shall we say then?

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? And then over in 14 and 15, for sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not.

And then last week we saw that Paul used slavery as an example to explain that and this week he's gonna bring marriage, death and marriage into this to help explain these questions that he has. Now, in chapter 7, we're going to see the word law, law, law, over and over again. We're going to see it 23 times just in chapter 7. We need to get our mind around what does Paul mean by the law and how are we to view the law. To this point, unless we're listening real carefully or maybe have years under our belt even, We might be tending to say, boy, that law is so bad.

I was under that law. I was a slave to that law. And it was bad. And when you think about law one, it is the Ten Commandments, the Decalogue, but it's much more than that. Were Adam and Eve under the law of God?

Of course they were. Why did the whole world get wiped out except for eight with Noah? Because of the law. They disobeyed God. So we know that law is broader than that.

Even when we went through the Decalogue three years ago now, We saw that the law was broader than what our minds tend to think. It is when we think about the law, think about all the law of God, all that he says, as we'll see is wholly right. And just to help us with this, go and turn to Psalm 19. And we start early turning. I only have a couple of places I'm asking you to turn today.

Go ahead and turn to Psalm 19. You know this well, but at least put your eyes on this to help us think rightly about the law. Psalm 19, 7 through 11. The law of the Lord is perfect, perfect, perfect, converting the soul. The testimony of the Lord, the law of the Lord, is sure, making wise as simple.

The statutes of the Lord, the laws of the Lord, are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord, the law of the Lord, is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord, where those judgments come from? The law.

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they more to be desired are the law than gold yay then much fine gold sweeter are they also than honey in the honeycomb, moreover by them, moreover by the law. Your servant is warned, and in keeping them the law there is great reward. Psalm 119, all 176 verses is dedicated to the blessings of those that will walk in the law of the Lord. Ecclesiastes 12-13, the last verse of Ecclesiastes says, After all that he said, let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God and keep his commandments.

Isaiah 42 verse 21. The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness sake. He will exalt the law and make it honorable. And then you're like, OK, James, well, that's Old Testament. We're freed from the Old Testament, right?

Jesus, in Matthew 5, 17, do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill." And then in Matthew 22, Jesus, the Pharisees come to him and ask him a question and his answer in 22, 36 through 40. The Pharisees ask, Teacher, what is the great commandment in the law? And of course we all know Jesus' answer is the law doesn't matter anymore. I'm here.

Grace. Grace for grace. No. No, that's not what he says. Let me keep reading.

I might have that wrong. I do have it wrong. Jesus said to him, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. What are you going to do with your liberty with that, Christian, who wants to claim liberty?

I'll talk about that a little bit later. You have liberty to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. In 39, and the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. And then Paul, Romans 7 next week or in a couple of weeks, 7-12 says this, Therefore, therefore, all this about slavery, about marriage we're talking about, more next week.

And then he says, therefore the law is holy, the commandment holy, and just and good. So is the law good? Yes, and it's more than good. It is holy and it is just. Martin Lloyd Jones, quote, The law is holy and the commandment holy and just and good.

Do not dismiss the law. Do not say that you have nothing to do with the law. The law of God is perfect and we are to keep it. We are not under it. There is no condemnation.

It is not the way of salvation. Big point today. But that does not mean that we have no interest in it. We have a lot of interest in it. It cursed us.

Christ had to come to fulfill it. And now we are free to obey it because of Christ. So the summary of this, of this introduction in thinking about the law, the summary is our problem is not the law. That's not our problem. The problem is not the law.

It's holy, good, and just. The problem is us. It is, as we'll see, it is our marriage to the law and our expectations from it when we deserve a curse from it. That's our problem, is we expect more from it. And we don't think about what we actually deserve from it.

We need new hearts and spirits. We need recreated. We need born again, a new husband. And we can't do that without God's grace alone. None of it.

So let's start looking at the text. Verses 1 through 3 of Romans 7. We have two examples here that God has given us through Paul. Starting at 6.23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Or do you not know, brethren, for I speak to those who know the law, that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? There's example one. Now example two. For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.

So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. So, The first example, the main point, the main point from the, we'll talk about this, but you need to just focus on what's the main point. The main point is the law only has a power over you, an authority over you, dominion over you while you're alive. All right?

When you're dead, it has no authority over you. When I die, you can think mean things about me all you want. You can say anything you want about me. When someone dies, you might even find they're guilty of some heinous crime. What are you going to do to them?

They're dead. Yes, you can go after their money. They may have gone to their family. But What are you going to do to them? They're dead.

Yes, you can go after their money. They may have gone to their family. But what are you going to do to them? In history, there have been people that hate people so much, hate Christians so much, they've dug up their bones and crushed them to powder. Oh, well, they're dead.

They don't know you're doing that. Dead people don't sin anymore. I know there's a curse, but dead people don't sin anymore. But the opposite is also true, isn't it? While I'm alive, the law can and does have the ming and empower over me when I'm in the flesh.

The key in my pre-regenerate state. So that's the first example. The second, this analogy is You need to be thinking of this like a parable. We're meant to just get the key points out of this to understand the truth. We don't need to give meaning to every part of it.

Or if you do that, you'll be like me this week, and I have to keep correcting myself as I'm not this, I'm not that, I'm not this. And you just dive in. As Jason says, you don't read a parable to get your deep theology of the meaning of the potted plant in the corner. Just one or two key points. And also on this one, this is not where you go to to get your theology, your doctrine, your belief on divorce and remarriage.

Don't come to this text. This is not the text for that. If you're interested in starting a discussion and what you believe on that, then go to Matthew 5, go to 1 Timothy 5, there are other places to go, go there. This is not the text. If somebody brings you this text, correct them, say, no, no, let's not start here.

Here's the meaning after that that we'll talk about today. The main point of this example, this analogy, that when a spouse dies, right, he says this at the beginning, he's telling brethren he loves them, he's so being so careful for them, like you understand this. He's not being condescending, he's like hey these are simple ones that we all understand. The main point is when a spouse dies, you are free from those obligations of your marriage oath. In fact, you're not only free, your marriage oath obligations have been satisfied, been completely satisfied.

And you don't have to live under them anymore. You don't. You're free to marry another if you so please. And then the other point here is if you acted as if married to another before the death of your spouse, you'd be guilty of adultery. Now, let me take this opportunity here to mention categories of sin.

We saw this when we were going through the decalogue. And here, when we think about adultery, this is primarily how we think about adultery, right? Somebody that's in a marriage relationship and they're not faithful to their spouse, that is adultery. But we also know that it's broader than this. Right, we know it's broader.

Matthew 5.28, but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. We know that it's broader, and we need to be thinking about that. If we're gonna get through Romans well, being more sanctified, right, we're talking about sanctification here and how we get there. If we're going to get through Romans, then we have to broaden our view. Then just adultery is this, stealing is this, no I can steal time from my boss, I can steal time from here, I can steal other ways and steal glory from God.

That lying is more than just this, it may be lying about who God is through my sin, that lies about who God is every time I sin. We need to broaden that view. When it comes to sanctification, conforming to Christ, becoming more like we will be forever, we need to broaden our view of sin and be aware of the sneaky ways sin influences us. The sneaky ways that it influences us. Because it does.

We need to hate that as much as we hate the actual sin. Romans 13, 14, put on the Lord Jesus Christ to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust. And you hear that lust and we'll come to Romans 13 a few months, but when you hear that lust your mind might just go right back to yeah adultery adultery. No I can have lust for all kinds of things. I can have lust for your stuff.

I can have lust for stealing. I can have lust for glory. I can have lust for all kinds of things. So, but in these examples, so I went off to the side a little bit, coming back to this, in these examples, keep their key points to understand the application in the next verses. Make sure we have this.

Verse 1, when you die, the law has lost its power over you. When you die, the law has lost its power. And verse 2 and 3, When a spouse dies, the living spouse, with the marriage oath satisfied till death do they part, is free to marry another." So now, let's get in the meat of this in verse 4. In verse 4, we have a new husband, Christ. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God." One of the things that stood out as I was looking at his progression through here that I love, that God had Paul do, was not bury the lead.

He gave us these two examples and he gets right to it. He could have gone on for another couple verses wherever he wanted to do it God would be right but I love that he didn't bury. He got right to it. You have a new husband. This is what this means.

This is how you get a new husband. This is how you get to Christ. This had to happen for you to be able to marry. I love that. We don't have to keep wondering.

To be a Christian, here's the summary. To be a Christian, you had to become dead to the law, so it had no dominion anymore, and you were free to marry another that is Christ. That's the summary here. Now, let's go deeper. It's not that the law died.

Be careful here. It's not that the law died. See, when you go back to that analogy and you start applying the law to this person or that person, me to this, you can drive yourself crazy. Keep it very simple back in the analogy. You had to die so the law had no more power over you, and when you die, you're free to marry another.

Keep it very simple there. We understand that to help us understand the depth of what Christ has done for us. The law did not, it's not that the law died, it is still holy, just, and good. It's that I became dead to the law. The law had power, the law had dominion, the law was my master.

It condemned me because I could not live up to its standard of perfection. I kept wanting more and it, sorry, it, the law kept wanting more and more and more and was never satisfied in anything I did. I was in bondage, it was a terrible master to try to please, that sounds horrible. So why would anybody stay in that marriage? Because I thought I was pleasing it.

I thought I was making progress. I thought I was a wonderful spouse. I believed that. I believed it was a wonderful spouse. I believed it gave me all kinds of freedom.

To be free to marry Christ, I had to die to the law. So Christian, how did you die? When you become a Christian, you're still alive. Even the thief on the cross was still alive for a moment. So how did you die?

Paul gets right to it here. Verse 4, through the body of Christ. Through the death of Christ. And because we are unified with Christ in His death, that death that satisfied the demands of the law, The curse of the law, the condemnation of the law, the wages that were earned was satisfied because of him doing that. It becomes our death, his death satisfying the law's demands, becomes our death.

How? By grace alone, by faith alone, in Christ alone. The key is back to 6, chapter 6, verses 3 through 5. We say these often at baptisms. We say these words either the person speaking before or definitely during the baptism process will say words similar to this.

I've been through Romans before, but may this heighten my awareness of never to look at a baptism the same way again. To remind me when I'm looking at it, it's more than just salvation. It is about salvation, but just the depth of what that means. It's part of our memory text. We've preached on it.

Let me read it again. Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death. That frees us from the power of the law that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we should walk in newness of life. We're going to see this newness of the Spirit later on.

That's how that by being married to Christ. For if we've been united together in the likeness of his death, certainly, we certainly, not maybe, certainly, we also shall be in the likeness of his resurrection baptism is a physical demonstration of a spiritual reality that has already happened it's already happened when you're baptized that spiritual reality is already happening been united to to Christ already at salvation in that moment you've been united to Him in His death and His resurrection. You've gone from one husband to another like that. I am unified in his death, becoming dead to the law through Christ, free from its condemning power, because our Christ paid the wages it demanded. Galatians 3, 13.

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. That is the key to being free from the law. That is the key from coming under law. That is the key to having death to law. The key isn't my liberty, and that the law is bad.

The key is I've been freed from its curse. Its curse has no power over me anymore because of Christ's death. Not because of anything I did. That's what I'm free from. John Murray, quote, John Murray, quote, Union with Christ in his death must never be severed from union with him in his resurrection.

Union with Christ is now and forever. How are we able to marry Christ? Because he's alive. His resurrection. Union with his death must always be with union in his resurrection.

He's alive. We don't marry a dead person. We marry Christ. He is alive and forevermore. If you don't believe John Murray, you shouldn't believe him unless it aligns with scripture.

Jesus says in Revelation 1, Jesus says, I am he who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. Alive forevermore. Just as a side, you have an eternal husband. You need to think of it.

I have an eternal husband. We're going to talk about these qualities here. I have eternal husband. I'm going to say something. It's not the end of the argument of what I'm going to say, but it is a big part of it.

For anyone that thinks that you can go from saved to not saved to saved again. In order for that happen, Christ would have to die again in order for you to be able to marry the law again, or you'd be an adulterer. And that won't happen. Believe the words of Christ. I am he who lives and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore.

Amen. You are his forever. He keeps you. He keeps you. That husband keeps you and cares for you.

It's not the end of the argument of the perseverance of the saints, but it's a good place to be, to think through. This is all of God. So I said, God, in the same instant, you're never a widow or a widower, right? When we go and try to put all the pieces together, it can drive you crazy in the order of salvation. What happens if you just take this and try to?

In an instant, all of grace should go from the law is your husband under its curse, under its demands, to Christ is your husband. Completely forgiven, justified, His righteousness in an instant. I could do none of it. Then why? Verse 4, we get to the why.

Why would Christ do this? If you're not reading or you don't see it coming, I'll accept the answer for His glory. For His glory. And God says, OK, so How does it glorify me? Here's the way, if you've ever wanted to know God's will for you, here's the filter.

Here's the filter you should use to bear fruit to God. Now, that can come across flippantly. I don't mean it. I'll try to help explain it. I know if you're trying to figure out, God, you're praying, God, which job will bear more fruit to you?

This job or that job? That's a good prayer. That's a right prayer. Many of you have been through that prayer. That's a good prayer.

That is not as simple of an answer, not saying it's simple, but it is a prayer to start with. God, which way here will bring, will bear more fruit to you? That's my ultimate concern. Right, it's not as easy, right, that, now should I, Should I look at this or not, which will bear fruit? Right?

Should I steal this or not, which is going to bear fruit? Right? Those are easy answers. Should I obey my parents or not? Those are easy.

Not all of them are that. But it's still a filter that we should have because that's why Christ has married you. To bear fruit to God. And this is the expectation. It's not just the expectation, it's what will happen.

It's what will happen. If you're a Christian and you think you don't bear fruit to God or you haven't bear fruit to God, you have. If you're a Christian, the first thing you should do is be baptized. The first thing you've repented, you've believed, Right? In God alone, by grace alone, in Christ alone, you were baptized.

Baptism, as we just read, bears fruit to God, but declares his wonderful gospel and what he has done to save you. That's bearing fruit to God. He's transformed you. He's given you a new heart, a new spirit to bear fruit. You have a new husband that fills you with this new spirit, Martin Lloyd Jones.

What is the fruit? The fruit is holiness. Now, Lest you think, you're wondering where does Martin Lloyd Jones get this? It is back in verse 22 of chapter 6. But now having been set free from sin and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness." It shouldn't surprise us because we're being conformed to God, to Christ who is God.

Continuing with Lloyd-Jones, holiness is to live to God's glory and to God's praise. Holiness is not a feeling. Holiness is a life lived to the glory of God and to His eternal praise. We are married to Christ in order that we may bring forth such fruit. You knew this would probably come.

You start thinking about fruit. You start thinking about where, what verses we might go through. You know that We're going to mention Galatians. You should anticipate that's coming. Start Galatians 2, 19.

For I, through the law, died to the law that I might live to God. Died to the law. I didn't die physically. I'm unified with Christ. So make sure we look at things, right, and help scripture, help one another.

I didn't have to physically die. Christ died and I'm unified in His death. And it's not just to the law. The law is nothing. No, we're talking about the curse of the law, the demands of the law.

And then we have over to 5, 522. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. By the power of the Spirit you will bear fruit to God. And those passions and those desires of your sin and of your desire to try to satisfy the law have been crucified.

Have they been crucified? By being united with Christ. His crucifixion satisfied the law's demands. Whose laws are they? God's holy laws, just laws, good laws demands.

Ultimately, they are God's demands of perfection and holiness. He satisfied that for you. So that takes us to verses five and six. Five and six. Christ, your husband, delivered you.

Christ, your husband, delivered you. For when we were in the flesh the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter. By nature, we were in the flesh. We bore fruit to death in the flesh, my pre-redeemed state.

And in that state, the law aroused sinful passions. I looked forward to expressing my sin. I wanted to rebel. I was looking for ways for my sin to be used. Now, None of us ever called it that.

The world doesn't call that that. Yeah, there's few that are bold enough. But in general, the world doesn't call it that. The world says, I'm a free thinker. I've got liberty.

I'm a free thinker. I'm enlightened. I'm enlightened. Or you lie to yourself. And I can control this.

And as long as it just affects me, it doesn't matter. I've said this before. Children, church, nothing only affects you. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing ever only affects you. That's a lie.

That's a lie. It's a selfish lie. Our sinful passions were aroused by the law. Not that sinful, it's not that our sinful passions were created by the law. They were aroused.

They're already there. The law doesn't create these passions. It just arouses what's there. They're controlled by these passions. I've nourished them.

I've practiced them. I'm ready and willing to be aroused and put into action. Charles Hodge, quote, we embraced it, loved it, devoted all to it, conversed daily with it, made it our care to please it. This is a product of this marriage brought forth fruit unto death. The product of this marriage brought forth fruit unto death.

This is a marriage we thoroughly enjoyed. We look forward to those passions being aroused. We enjoyed this marriage. As Hodges says, we embraced it. We loved it.

We devoted it. We conversed with it daily and thought of ways to plead it. And we thought we were pleasing it. We didn't know the curse that it really was, and it was never satisfied. More laws don't make people more moral.

More laws aren't going to make people more moral. I get that. We know that. It may constrain more, and that is very good to have, but when we create more laws, which are good, especially when they're good laws, expect more arousal of sinful passion. That should be our expectation.

Our expectation shouldn't be when we create more good laws that people might, oh, look at that. Look at that. Wow. I didn't even realize I needed to be there. I'm going to be there.

No. You should expect more arousal of sinful passions. Tell a child, don't touch something. The child's wandering around. He's never noticed this thing over here in the corner ever before in his life.

But he gets within five feet of it. You're like, uh-oh, I better warn him. Don't touch that. All of a sudden he's like, I didn't even know that exists until two seconds ago. I want to touch that.

Right? How many of you know that we have freshly painted picnic tables out there? Well, now that you know, how many of you are thinking, is it still wet? I'm going to go find, right? That's our nature, and we have that with business, We have that with authorities.

We have that. Look at the Garden of Eden. Let's get more serious about this. Look at the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam and Eve every tree of the garden to eat from.

And they said, I want that one. I want that one that you said not to eat from. I looked it up. I have an orchard, and I was curious. How many kinds of fruit trees are there?

I don't know how many were in the garden, but how many are there now, right? When we think about how God created, we talk about kinds, right? There's one kind of dog, and from that, all the different varieties we have came from that, right? Right now, there's 46 types of fruit trees. That's how 46, on the top of my head, and I thought I knew this stuff.

I'd maybe get to 10 or so. I couldn't get to 46, and now we're close. And from that, there's hundreds of thousands of varieties. There's thousands of varieties of apples alone, and peaches, and everything else, and nut trees, fig trees. But still, the thing is, let's say there were 46.

God says, not that one. I said, but that's desirous. I desire that. And they had that one. Let's take it, use a more recent example.

You tell people they can't murder babies. The law changes, allow states to do things. Allow states to make these laws, which is, I'm glad for that. Some states say no abortion, some say it this and this and that, each state's making their own law. That is right, I believe, underneath the Constitution, although I think, I really believe that all babies, no matter how far along they are, should be treated as persons under the Constitution.

We don't have to have any other laws. That's another discussion. But with what happened recently, you do this and what happens to people's passions, right? Although they believed in having abortion before, now their passions have been more aroused. They want to kill more babies, no matter when, including after they're born.

And then they take it further on raising these passions. They say, well, now that they're born, let's sterilize them in the name of gender health. That is arousal of passion. And yes, that's red, meaning that it's easy for us to say that's evil. But we had all of that.

The law aroused our passions. We still have to fight against some of that, don't we? But by God's grace, by the power of His Spirit, we know when we're fighting. Once in a while, we don't realize it. Too often, I don't realize it and have to repent.

But I have a wonderful husband. Christian, let's compare your previous husband and your new husband. Previously, before you were saved, you had a husband. Everyone's born with a husband. Think of that.

Maya, you have a husband. It's hard to think of when we're guys, right? And this pronoun, these pronouns do matter. These pronouns matter. God, He, Church, She.

Pronouns do matter. It's hard to think of that we're a she, Huh? The church is a she for us guys. But it's what we are and it's beautiful. But everybody's born with a husband.

If you're a Christian, the law was your husband. If you're not a Christian, this is still your husband. Listen to this. This husband is cold. The law is written on, well, we had it on tablets for Moses, written on scrolls.

Right? I love my Bible, but here it is, written black and white. It's demanding, it's never satisfied, it's threatening, it shames, it condemns. Being accepted by the law is dependent on me. The law says, just do what I say, and I'll accept you.

We'll be fine. Just do what I say. The law does not know grace. The law does not know mercy. The law knows you get what you deserve.

And that is holy, and that is just, and that is good to get what we deserve, our wages for sin. But that's all it knows. It only knows that for me to work to satisfy. And you would pity a woman that was in that type of marriage, wouldn't you? You pity her.

But You know what? She never pines for God. In that state, you never pine for God. You really didn't. You might think you did.

You might think you were searching. As you look, and I'm going to look at all these religions. There's got to be something better. Yeah, there are people that are very wore down, that are not Christians, that are very wore down. And they'll go to the point of self-murder.

I'm not saying that doesn't happen. That's all joy. We know it's not all joy under the law. But when you're under the law, when the law is your husband, you're focused on unsatisfying your oath to that husband. You didn't physically make the oath, but you have it.

It's your husband. So there was an oath there at some point. And live to do this. You think you can be good enough Christian let me explain the husband you have now explain Christ non-christians listen to the husband you could have by his grace his grace alone Christ as a husband grace for grace I love that phrase and John a grace for grace. What does that mean?

He's gracious to me today, and that doesn't diminish him. He still has all of his grace for me tomorrow. He's gracious to all of you today, and that doesn't diminish him. He still has just as much grace. He's gracious to all the nation, all the world, all at one time, all in the past and all forever, and his grace has not diminished one bit.

That's your husband. Grace for grace. He's good. He's loving. He's interceding.

All of this right now. Bread of life. He's your shepherd. He's your protector. He's your solid rock.

Your sure foundation. Your leader. Your way. Your truth. Your life.

Your deliverer here in verse 6. Now we have been delivered from the law, from the penalty of the law. He forgives, he cleanses, he's patient, all that fruit. And here's the key. His acceptance of me is dependent on him and him alone.

My husband's Christ's acceptance of me is all dependent on his work alone of righteousness, of him satisfying the law's demands. The father, God, who is God, the Trinity, But how do I become accepted and adopted as a child of God? Because he accepts Christ's sacrifice to satisfy his commands, his law, and the curse of the law. Turn to Isaiah 54. I encourage you to read all of 54.

Read a little portion here of what we have with Christ, our new husband, starting in verse 4 through 6. Isaiah 54. Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed. The law shames you. You will not be ashamed.

Neither will you be disgraced. The law disgraces you. For you will not be put to shame. For you will forget the shame of your youth, and will not remember the reproach of your widowhood anymore. For your Maker is your husband.

The Lord of hosts is his name and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. He is called the God of the whole earth. For the Lord has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused, says your God. The law refused, the demands of the law refused to comfort you, to give you any peace. But that's not your husband now.

Your husband now has. There's no fear with him, no shame, no condemnation. He's a Redeemer, everlasting kindness, mercy, comforter, peace, righteousness, power. You will see all of that if you continue reading Isaiah 54. Ephesians 5, 26, 25, and 26.

We go to this often about husbands and their wives. Listen to it with this context. Christ loves the church and gave himself for her that he might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word. This is a husband that I want to passionately satisfy and please. You know what?

Although my passions have been changed, my desires have been changed, he's done all the satisfy, he's done all the work. The work is finished and he patiently, gradually, for his own glory to bear fruit to him brings me along and will complete that work. One day I will be able to perfectly, wholly bear fruit all the time. Ezekiel 36, 26. We read this often as well, how this happens.

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, in his laws, and you will keep my judgments and do them. This is what God does with my new eyes, my new heart, my new spirit. I very willingly, humbly now take the name of my husband Christian you take his name think of that in this context of why you're a Christian because you're married to him and you take his name like we would, like we understand in human marriage.

We take his name. We bear his name. We're Christians. I want to serve this newness of the Spirit. John Stott said this way about the serving.

How do we serve God? Not because we are slaves to the law and have to, but because Christ is our husband and we want to. Not because obedience leads to salvation, but because salvation leads to obedience. Understand the difference there in the serving God? Doesn't lead to salvation, You have that.

Because you love this husband so much. Why? Because he has loved you first. That leads to obedience out of love for him. You see what a caring, compassionate, Gracious, merciful, and on and on and on husband he is.

You can't help but serve in the newness of the Spirit. The Spirit that he has put in you. John 14, 14, Jesus says, if you love me, keep my commandments. You can't help but bear fruits to God if you're a Christian because you have the spirit within you. And you will.

And you are. You may need help seeing it, but you are. Some applications, just a couple. So I've been saying, Christian, you do bear fruit to God. You do.

You Realize that? Look for it. Look for it. You do. Get help if you need it.

But we also know our sanctification isn't over till death. We keep sinning. Remember who your husband is though to forgive you. He's done all the work. You're not having to live to please the law anymore.

As a Christian, you recognize that. And there is, as I talked about, there is, to help us with our sanctification, God has given us this filter. Does it bear fruit to God by serving in newness of spirit. Examine how you're using this freedom from the lost curse to serve God. We need to be examining ourselves.

How am I using this new marriage? How is this new marriage being used to bear fruit to God? Many focus when they're saved, and there's a lot of people out there. There's different phrases, different titles or labels we'll put on this. But many focus on, I have liberty and freedom.

I can do this because I have liberty and freedom. Somewhat that's right, but really it's just in the defense of my actions. Don't talk to me about obeying, I'm free from the law, yes you are. I do have liberty from obedience for salvation. But that liberty is now a freedom to bear fruit to God in newness of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Be careful. Make sure we're looking at the filter right. The filter is, James, but I have liberty. Well, you're talking all about yourself. What do you get?

Where's about God? Well, God fulfilled the law. OK, great. What part of law did he fulfill for you? It's a law's demands.

It's its curse. It's not that there's no law that's not good anymore. The law is good and holy and just. He's changed your motivations. He's changed your heart.

Now from, now it was before you had a heart that the externals all might have said that maybe you're moral and up, but really your externals were very obvious, your fruits to death. But he gave you a new heart for now your motivations, your motivations are to love God because He loved you first. And they don't always come out right. But when they don't, because you have an indwelling Holy Spirit and a loving Savior, He'll open your eyes, He'll forgive you, and He'll continue to walk forward. And He doesn't shame you.

He may rebuke. He may chasten. He does chasten. There are trials. It's because he loves you.

He's not shaming you through these trials. It's to bear fruit to God. We should never shame anybody through these things. And as you're doing the self-examination, These observations, make sure you're looking to Christ for help and holiness. He is your compassionate high priest.

He is your husband. Don't look at yourself. Don't look at me. Don't look at somebody else. Look to Christ.

Right? Understatement of the day, maybe, He has way more love for you than I'll ever have. Way more compassion, way more forgiving. Oh, you're a gracious church. You have forgiven me more than I ever deserve.

But nowhere close to love Christ has for you. The compassion he has for you. The grace he has for you. The mercy he has for you. The desire he has for you as his bride.

John 15 for abide in me and I in you, as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine. Neither can you unless you abide in me." You can't do this without Christ. You can't have the benefits of Christ without Him being your husband. There's no good you can have. Children that live in their homes, oh, I'm glad you're constrained.

I'm glad there's a lot of teaching in your home. But that doesn't make you a Christian. It gives you a lot of knowledge. But you're not in the vine unless you've repented and trusted in Christ alone, his work alone, to take away the curse of the law alone on your behalf, be united in his death and in his resurrection. Christian, if you're struggling, if you're Still struggling with the law's demands and its curse.

There's only two possible answers. No, no, there's only two, but Christian, if you're struggling, hey, look to Christ. Look to Christ. Look to Christ. There's sin we do struggle with, but look to Christ.

Don't look to your bootstraps. Don't look to yourself. Don't look to one of the wonderful books I have in my library. Look to Christ. The only other, one of the other possible conclusions though if you're struggling is you're not a Christian.

You've never known this compassionate high priest. That's another possible answer. Know Him. But Christian, refocus on your husband. Refocus on your husband.

Pray. Converse regularly. Be washed by Him through His Word. Be strengthened by His Spirit. He will never leave you nor forsake you he is alive forever more amen let's pray Jesus the depths that you would go to, to be loving to people that desired a different husband, nurtured and cared for and served An enemy in many ways.

We were enemies. The law was good, but we served it in ways that we were not to serve it. But it did demand a curse. Your curse. You demand us to be holy.

We're not, but you are Christ. Thank you that you would not just die for sin, but unite us in that death and in your resurrection. What a beautiful husband. Thank you for giving us yourself. Thank you that you would marry such ugly, awful, wicked, wretched people and make us beautiful by your righteousness, by your beauty.

Oh, what glory it is. What a glorious work it is. Oh thank you Jesus. Amen.