Sin Swallowed Up, O Love, By Thee
Our sins in Eden and since have condemned all men to three horrible deaths. But God set His love on His elect in eternity - a glorious doctrine known by few - and He will always love them and save them from all their sins. Not only has He saved them, but He has also adopted them and promoted them to glory.
Introduction:
- Today is communion Sunday, and as is our practice, we want to emphasize our Lord’s death.
- Sin damns men to three different deaths – spiritual, physical, eternal – without human remedy.
- But God chose to love planned rebel enemies and buy their freedom and adoption by His Son.
- He chose us in eternity, paid for it at Calvary, applied it by regeneration, will glorify us (Rom 3:23; 5:12-19; 6:23; 8:1,28-39; Eph 1:3-8; 2:1-7; Tit 3:1-7; Heb 1:1-3; 8:12; Rev 5:6-10; etc.).
- He removed all sin and sins from us, buried them far away, and will not remember them again.
- Sinner! Do you know God has loved you with an everlasting love in both directions? Glory!
- Will you calm your soul and free your mind from all distracting thoughts to glory only in Him?
Our Title Words:
- While my mandate is to preach the word, I use a few words from a song for our theme words.
- Twas With An Everlasting Love, by an English High Calvinist Baptist, John Kent (1766-1843).
- This writer is different and special for emphasis on the eternal union of Christ and His elect.
- The relationship of Christ and His elect from eternity is based on God’s choice to love them.
- So let us today rejoice in the love of God for His people that He set on us in Christ in eternity.
- His everlasting love from eternity has swallowed up thy sins to never let them be seen again!
- He has swallowed up all our sins by His great, glorious, eternal love to never be seen again.
- Swallowed Up = To make away with or destroy completely, to consume, to cause to disappear utterly or to vanish (as if by devouring or absorption into itself).
- Swallowed Up = Isaiah 25:8 or I Corinthians 15:54; II Corinthians 2:7; II Corinthians 5:4; etc.
- His love, set intentionally on you in eternity, has totally annihilated and eliminated your sins.
- If only one remained, it would be more than enough to send your soul to hell forever and ever.
- But if the whole truth were told … of your heart, mind, and life … you far exceed ten thousand.
- But the true song cries, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
Twas with an everlasting love, That God His one elect embraced; Before He made the worlds above, Or earth on her huge columns placed.
Long ere the sun’s refulgent ray, Primeval shades of darkness drove, They on His sacred bosom lay, Loved with an everlasting love.
Then, in His love and His decrees, Christ and His bride appeared as one; Her sin, by imputation His, While she in spotless splendor shone.
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O love! How high thy glory swell! How great, immutable, and free; Ten thousand sins as black as hell, Are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
[Loved, when a wretch defiled with sin, At war with heaven, in league with hell, A slave to every lust obscene; Who, living, lived but to rebel.]
Believer, here thy comfort stands, From first to last salvation’s free; And everlasting love demands, An everlasting song from thee.
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The Facts of Sins Being Swallowed Up by Love
- Jesus came for sinners. He did not come for the righteous, meaning the self-righteous.
- He condemned self-righteous Pharisees (Matt 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32).
- Hate two damning sinful ideas – you hardly need a Savior, you are better than others.
- If you think yourself better, then it is likely He did not come for you (I Cor 1:26-31).
- Never think thoughts of the Pharisees and the older brother (Luke 15:1-32; 18:9-14).
- Let us never be ashamed to tell others that we are only ugly sinners saved by grace.
- Jesus came to this world for sinners … is a faithful axiom and worthy of all acceptance.
- Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle Paul, is the great example for you (I Tim 1:15-16).
- His inspired response should be your response – glorious praise to God (I Tim 1:17).
- His ways of forgiveness and pardon fully transcend the best of men (Isaiah 55:6-9).
- Listen to God’s Son in His hometown’s synagogue about sinners (Luke 4:16-22)!
- Which is worse? Prostitute or Pharisee? There is no comparison! The self-righteous!
- Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and He is the Great Shepherd. You may trust Him wholly.
- He is the Good Shepherd of John 10 and all declared (John 10:10-11,14-16,26-29).
- He is the Great Shepherd of Hebrews 13 and God’s covenant promise (Heb 13:20).
- Conversion by hearing about Jesus in the gospel leads us to the Shepherd (I Pet 2:25).
- You may trust each word of Psalm 23 and apply all of them to yourself (Ps 23:1-6).
- Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, is our risen, reigning, and returning Lord and Savior.
- He died to save us from death by perfect substitution and rose again (Rom 4:23-25).
- Having fully purged us from our sins, swallowing them up, He now reigns (Heb 1:3).
- As the King of the universe, He will return to destroy and rescue us (II Thes 1:7-10).
- Never doubt these and all gospel facts related to them; they are your soul’s life and light.
- Satan will do anything he can to destroy faith and joy in Jesus; he is forever hopeless.
- Never let him dilute the news or distract from knowing you desperately need Jesus.
- Never despise others, for you are the worst sinner, and you should know it perfectly.
- Let this subject drive you, motivate you, thrill you like it did Paul (II Cor 5:14-15).
- His love, set on the elect in eternity, swallows up their sins … and makes them glorious!
- Sinner! Your sins are not only gone, but you are adopted and promoted over angels.
- Sinner! You have the Presence and power of God Himself in you as His possession.
- Sinner! You know all things and own all things. Do you believe it? Then live like it!
- How great is the power of His love?! How great is the power of His blood?! Hallelujah!
The Examples of Sins Being Swallowed Up by Love
- Saul or Paul … had the worst sins against Jesus swallowed up to be the greatest apostle.
- He was a blasphemer … a persecutor … injurious … a rebel kicker (I Tim 1:12-17).
- God’s grace was exceeding abundant giving him faith, love, and his apostolic might.
- Do you see the love? The worst sins were swallowed up; he was made great for God.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Rahab … was a woman cursed by nationality and profession but made famous by love!
- God had cursed the Canaanites to annihilation and the death penalty for prostitutes.
- She is great-great-grandmother of David and a mother of the Lord Jesus (Matt 1:5).
- She is beside Joshua and Gideon and compared to Abraham (Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25).
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- David … sinned heinously numerous ways but was God’s favorite by many measures.
- David knew his family wicked – Amnon, Absalom, Adonijah / Solomon, Rehoboam.
- He was the man after God’s own heart and the greatest praise and worship leader.
- God was pleased to name His Son Jesus the Son of David to the end of the Bible.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Manasseh … was the worst king of Judah but restored to the throne to reign the longest.
- Son of Hezekiah, he undid his father’s revival and sinned more than any other king.
- He promoted idolatry in Judah, built pagan altars in the temple, and burned his son.
- God forgave him in a Babylon prison, restored his crown, and let him reign 55 years.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Four Women … were wicked or suspect in varying ways but honored in Jesus’ lineage.
- Tamar, played prostitute for sex with her father-in-law, so mother of tribe of Judah.
- Rahab, we have had above, but God gave this Canaanite prostitute Boaz as her son
- Ruth was a Moabitess, whoremongers by Balaam; she married Boaz to birth Obed.
- Bathsheba, an adulteress, birthed Solomon and three sons, was Jesus’ mother twice.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Lazarus … a beggar in horrible conditions was carried by Jesus angels to join Abraham.
- The lifestyles of the rich and famous are turned upside down by divine eternal love.
- The rich man, who ate sumptuously every day, woke up in hell to see Lazarus above.
- There was no hope for him or his brothers and a great gulf fixed between the places.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Thief … knew he was killed justly for his sins but Jesus promised him the third heaven.
- This thief and criminal was worthy of capital punishment but saved by God’s love.
- Though he also railed on Jesus while He hung on the cross, God’s love changed him.
- He had nothing to please God or gain heaven, but Jesus promised him it and Himself.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Mary Magdalene … possessed by seven devils became one of Jesus’ favorite women.
- We are not told what kind of wickedness she did, but maybe a prostitute by the devil.
- What terrible sins she must have committed and/or vile wickedness in spirit and life.
- But Jesus appeared first of all to this woman in the tenderest way in Gethsemane.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Zacchaeus … a chief traitor to his nation and extortioner but got to host Jesus for lunch.
- The Jews despised this man who had got rich off tax-paying Jews by Rome’s power.
- Though everyone murmured at any attention given to this sinner, Jesus pursued him.
- He accepted his repentance, forgave him instantly, and declared him one of His own.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Gadarene … was a devil-possessed lunatic that became an assigned publisher for Jesus.
- He lived naked in the cemetery and could not be tamed any way at all by other men.
- He was always ruled by the devils crying and cutting himself cruelly with stones.
- Due to eternal love, Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee in a storm to fully rescue him.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Corinth … was a wild city of sexual excesses but divine love formed a church of them.
- The idolatry and wild sexual practices in this city were known throughout the world.
- The members had been wild fornicators, dumb idolaters, cross dressers, sodomites.
- But by eternal love set on them, they were washed, sanctified, and justified in Jesus.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Sinner woman … known by her city as a sinner was defended and honored by Jesus.
- Simon despised Jesus for not rejecting this sinful woman intimately touching Him.
- Jesus defended her by pointing out how much better she had treated Him than Simon.
- He comforted her by divine love and sent her on her way with forgiveness and peace.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Samaritan woman … quite the whore by many men but Jesus found her and saved her.
- She was a Samaritan, which were despised by Jews, but loved by Jesus in spite of it.
- His personal conversation with her by divine eternal love was gloriously special.
- He revealed Himself to her in special ways and honored her by staying in her city.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
- Peter … committed one of the worst crimes possible but was Jesus’ apostolic leader.
- Jesus had highly honored Peter among the apostles, thus aggravating his cruel denial.
- Peter denied Jesus three times with curses and oaths to a maid, reversing his promise.
- Jesus appeared to him before others, told the women it was so, and made him great.
- Shout it again, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.
The Results of Sins Being Swallowed Up by Love
- You should rejoice He forgave and adopted you, which makes no sense (II Cor 9:15).
- You should be dedicated to Him forever for swallowing up your sins (II Cor 5:14-15).
- You should forgive others like He forgave you in spite of your stupid sins (Ep 4:31-32).
- You should never be a respecter of persons as James warned his readers (James 2:1-5).
- You should always and only want to decrease in order for Him to increase (John 3:30).
- You should always hate the self-righteous spirit of the older brother in you or others.
- You should open to His knocking for fellowship with them knowing their wretchedness.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him;
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:7
Shout it loud, Ten thousand sins as black as hell, are swallowed up, O love, by thee.