MESSAGE – The Success of Our Savior’s Suffering – Isa. 53:10-12
CLOSING HYMN – My Faith Looks Up to Thee – p. 359
Birthdays: Sandy O'Connor – Oct. 6th
The Lord willing, I will be traveling to Ross, OH, this weekend to preach in a conference at Gospel of Grace Church where Brother Scott Price is pastor. Debbie and I will be traveling home next week. We covet your prayers for this conference, for the services here and the men who will preach in my absence, and for Debbie and me as we travel home.
—Pastor Bill Parker
THE NON-IMPUTATION OF INIQUITY
"Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalm 32:2). His thoughts toward them are thoughts of peace and not of evil. Their sins and iniquities He remembers no more. He does not charge them with their sins. He does not reckon them, or place them to their account, having imputed them to His Son. "To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them" (2 Co 5:19). The Apostle Paul interprets this as inclusive of the imputation of righteousness without works; even of the righteousness of Christ in which the blessedness of a man lies (Romans 4:6-8); for such an one is accepted with God, is justified in His sight, and is secure from condemnation and wrath. It is well with him at all times – in life, at death, and at judgment. He is an heir of eternal life and will enter into it and be forever glorified. —John Gill
CHRIST OUR SURETY
My English dictionary defines a surety as “one who is legally liable for the debt, default, or failure of another.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the Surety of the everlasting covenant of grace (Heb. 7:22; 13:20). Before the foundation of the world, He covenanted with the Father to be the Surety for the elect (Rev. 13:8). From that time the Father looked to Him to answer for those sinners, not as a mere co-signer, sponsor, or helper to make up for their deficiencies, but to assume and fully discharge ALL of their debts and obligations; for they were (are) totally bankrupt! From the very moment that He, by covenant, agreed to be their Surety, the Father no longer looked to them but to Him for all that they owed. He fully satisfied God in their behalf. Therefore, they MUST be set free and enter into the glories of heaven. What a message of hope this is to guilty sinners! Full, free, everlasting salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, their Surety, BY FAITH, TRUST, AND CONFIDENCE IN HIM! —Copied
“Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16:13-14)
The gracious and powerful work of the Holy Spirit within every true child of God is continually to convict him of sin and continually drive him to Christ for forgiveness, righteousness, peace, and joy. Hereby He motivates God’s children in the obedience of faith to the praise of God’s glory and grace. —Pastor Bill Parker
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
The “fruit of the Spirit” is that fruit of grace planted by the Holy Spirit in the hearts of God’s people in our regeneration and conversion (new birth). The Holy Spirit plants this fruit from the life of Christ who is “the Vine” (John 15:1-8; cf., Rom. 7:4). This fruit is the result of His death on the cross to put away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself. It is the fruit of grace, of life, of righteousness from Christ. Although planted within us by the Holy Spirit, this fruit is not yet perfect and complete as it grows and evidences itself within sinners saved by grace. We have to cultivate this fruit with prayer and with the Word of God, but within the limitations of our human infirmities and against the sinful yearnings of our sinful flesh and the evil works motivated by sin and self (Gal. 5:16-21). The fruit of the Spirit in no way or degree makes up our righteousness before God. That place belongs to Christ and Him alone. The fruit of the Spirit, however, evidences and adorns our standing before God in Christ. As we seek to walk after the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, we realize that we are “not under the law,” (Gal. 5:18). We are not condemned by the law because there is no condemnation IN CHRIST, and we are not obligated to the law in order to attain or maintain salvation. Christ is the “end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Rom. 10:4). So, the fruit of the Spirit is not the product of the law but the product of God’s grace in Christ. – Pastor Bill Parker
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