The sermon by Eric Bechler, based on the Second London Baptist Confession, Chapter 11, Paragraph 6, emphasizes that the justification of believers under both the Old and New Testaments is identical. Justification is achieved through the righteousness of Christ, not by human effort. The sermon highlights that Old Testament figures like Abraham were justified by faith in God's promises, relying on the eventual work of Christ. It contrasts the Mosaic covenant as a shadow of Christ's ultimate sacrifice, underscoring faith as the means to salvation. The role of the Holy Spirit is crucial in applying redemption, with a difference in the experience of His indwelling between Old and New Testament believers. The speaker reassures that despite feelings of inadequacy or spiritual coldness, believers are held securely by Christ's love and righteousness, providing peace and joy irrespective of circumstances.

Our reading today from the Second London Baptist Confession comes from chapter 11 of justification, from paragraph 6. The justification of believers under the Old Testament was, in all these respects, one and the same with the justification of believers under the New Testament. This is our final paragraph in our study of the doctrine of justification. Last week we discussed a few points regarding our justification. First, that our justification doesn't mean that we will not sin anymore.

We still have a sin nature. And once we are justified, we cannot fall from that state of justification, even if our sins cause us to be in God's fatherly displeasure. Remember, the means of our justification is the righteousness of Christ, not anything from us. This week, we end with a point that the Old Testament believers and the New Testament believers are justified in the same way. We believe that all the elect whether in the Old Testament or New Testament whether living before or after Christ are justified in the same way.

Do we have an example? In Genesis 15, 6, we read about Abraham, and he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Abraham had faith in God's promises and in the promised mediator. Dr. Sproul comments, Abraham was justified through faith in the promise, and the ground of his justification was the finished work of Christ.

Abraham believed God's promise to perform this work in the future. We're living on the other side of that atonement, and we trust in the fulfillment of that promise. That is the only difference. The objective ground for Abraham's salvation as well as for our own salvation is Christ in His work. It is through Jesus Christ the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13, 8. Galatians 3, 8 through 9 emphasizes that God would justify the heathen through faith, just as he would justify the Jew through faith. They who have faith will be blessed with the faithful Abraham, his faith in Christ, the promised Messiah, and the risen Lord. Paul reminds us of what he has done and the promise that awaits us. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3, 13, and 14. Some might argue, well, what about the Mosaic covenant and all the sacrifices, all the requirements of the law. Wasn't that how the people of Israel were to be saved by keeping the law? No. There's only one way to be saved.

Paul clarifies this in Romans 4.13, for the promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. He continues, therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace. To the end, the promise might be sure to all the seed, not to that only which is of the law, And he continues, The Mosaic Covenant was not the covenant of works or a repubblication of it. It served as a shadow of things to come, not the reality of itself. We read this directly from Hebrews 10.1 that the animal sacrifices and feasts symbolize the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus who takes away the sin of the world.

1st John 1.29. The law revealed sin and showed our weaknesses and need for a Savior. It could not impart spiritual life or regenerate the heart, Galatians 321. It points to Christ and the necessity of faith in him alone. Hebrews tells us directly that the Old Testament believers died in faith.

These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11 13. But what about the Holy Spirit? If we were justified the same way do Old Testament believers have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as do the New Testament believers. Think of Saul.

He had been anointed but through his rebellion and disobedience God removed his spirit from him. First Samuel 1614. Contrast that with the permanence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers of the New Testament. Sounds different to me, but is it? Dr.

Sinclair Ferguson suggests that unless the Holy Spirit had dwelt in believers in the Old Testament, they couldn't have come to faith and the fruit of the Spirit would not have been produced in them. So I would say the Holy Spirit did indwell believers under the Old Covenant. The difference is not so much in His indwelling, but the manner of their experience of Him and their knowledge of Him. In the New Covenant, because of the coming of our Lord Jesus, we have a clearer view of who this Holy Spirit is, and we have a richer experience of Him. It's maybe helpful to think about the same question in relationship to the Father.

Was the Father the Father of believers in the Old Testament? Well, there really isn't a believer in the Old Testament who says, Abba Father. Does that mean he wasn't their father? No, he was their father but they didn't have the kind of knowledge of him as their father that came to us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul tells us in Romans 8-11, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Him.

It is Jesus Christ who has accomplished the work of our redemption, but it is the work of the Holy Spirit to apply that redemption. There is no regeneration without the spirit. There's no faith without the spirit. No justification, no sanctification, no perseverance, no assurance. The work of the Holy Spirit is essential for every part of the Christian life, from the first moment of new birth to eternal salvation.

We just sang a song with some really nice words. When I fear my faith will fail, when the tempter would prevail, I could never keep my hold, for my love is often cold. Christ will hold me fast, For my Savior loves me so, He will hold me fast. Do you ever feel that your faith will fail? Are you consumed with anxiety that you don't measure up?

Do you feel like the devil is winning or gaining the upper hand? Or do you feel a coldness towards God or towards others in your church or even towards your family? Don't despair. Don't be anxious. Our Savior loves us and He will hold us fast.

It is not how perfect you are or how terrible you are. Our justification comes from the finished work of Christ, from His righteousness imputed to us, and this should give us peace. And this should give us joy, no matter what our circumstances. Paul tells us, Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.