CHRIST, OUR DELIVERER, PAST

This is the first of three messages from this text. In these, we shall examine our past, present and future deliverance by Christ.

Christ Our Deliverer - Past
2 Cor 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
David speaks of a threefold deliverance in Psa 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. In this he speaks of the deliverance of the total man. In these three messages we shall see that this deliverance is also complete as to time.

As the Lamb of God He HAS delivered our spirits.

As the Good Shepherd He IS delivering our selves (lives, mind, wills, emotions, etc.)

As the King He WILL deliver our bodies, glorified and complete.

I. The greatness of the death from which we were delivered.

A. It is a universal death. 1 Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

B. It is a PRESENT death. Those without Christ are not going to be lost, they are dead in trespasses and in sin NOW.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

C. The awfulness of this death is that it not only condemns to hell, but separates one eternally from God.

II. Our Accomplished Deliverance. ‘Hath delivered’.

A. The meaning of the word, ‘delivered’.
1. Mat 27:26 Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. In this passage a word was used which means, ‘to hand over to another.’
2.Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Here, another word is translated, ‘deliver’ which means, ‘to loose or set free’.
3. In the text before us, 2 Cor 1:10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us; The word means , ‘to snatch away or rescue to one's self’. It is imperative that we see our deliverance in this light.
Picture a mother who delivers her child from danger and clutches it to her breast.

B. As the fireman must subject himself to the danger of the fire, so Christ had to subject himself to all that is common to man, up to, and including death.
1. In His incarnation. Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
2. He bore the burden of sin, even though not a sinner!.
2 Cor 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
1 Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
3. Subjected himself to ALL of man's temptations.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
C. What this deliverance means to us.
1. It means that the sin (singular) of Adam, condemns no one.
John 1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
2. It means that man has a choice of life or death. 1 Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. In Adam, through fleshly birth , death; In Christ through spiritual birth , life. The choice is yours.
3. It means that our eternal salvation is in the present tense. (I am not ‘going to have eternal life’ it is already mine!.)
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 7:6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.
4. A present salvation means a present assurance.
Rom 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Rom 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
5. This present assurance brings with it a present responsibility.
Rom 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Rom 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Rom 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

III. IT IS FINISHED! all you must do is enter in and deliverance is yours.