O, God, my heart is fixed on Thee, to sing and give Thee praise;
I’ll praise Thee, Lord, among Thy saints, as we our anthems raise.
As we our anthems raise; as we our anthems raise.
I’ll praise Thee, Lord, among Thy saints, as we our anthems raise.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy mercy great, that reaches down to me
In Christ my Savior, I am blessed with all salvation free.
With all salvation free; with all salvation free.
In Christ my Savior, I am blessed with all salvation free.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy righteousness as sent from Thee above;
Thy law and justice satisfied in union with Thy love.
In union with Thy love; in union with Thy love;
Thy law and justice satisfied in union with Thy love.
I’ll praise Thee for Thy cleansing Word that sanctifies my soul;
As in my heart Thou art glorified in Christ who makes me whole;
In Christ who makes me whole; in Christ who makes me whole;
As in my heart Thou art glorified in Christ who makes me whole.
Today’s Speaker: Brother Jim Casey will conduct the 11:00 am service today. Pray for him as he delivers God’s word.
Television Broadcast: Our Reign of Grace Television program is being broadcast on WFXL Fox 31, Channel 4. The program will air every Sunday morning at 11 AM. Pray that God will use it for His glory.
Radio Broadcast: Sunday morning at 9:30am on 98.7 FM –WISK. To hear sermons on your computer click on www.americusradio.com
Web Sites: Visit our newly designed web site at: www.rofgrace.com
In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, 14Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14
The “earnest” mentioned here bears some similarity to our usage today of the phrase “earnest money” – referring to the money that is often required as a deposit when one enters into a sales contract to buy real estate. It is money that is given to express our sincere, earnest intention to fulfill the terms we’ve agreed upon, guaranteed by the fact that legally one must forfeit their “earnest” money if they fail to follow through with the deal. And so, here too it speaks of a guarantee – but this guarantee is from the faithful, almighty God who cannot fail. So the saved are convinced by God the Holy Spirit of God’s gospel wherein they see all of the requirements for their salvation having been fully met by the doing and dying of their Substitute, with no contribution remaining due from their hand. In other words, their salvation is truly to “the praise of His glory.” And having been so convinced – having this mystery of the gospel made known unto them by the miraculous application of it to their hearts and minds by God the Holy Spirit – they have an earnest from God – a guarantee that cannot fail.
To have received the earnest of the Holy Spirit is indeed precious to these objects of God’s mercy and grace. This work of the Spirit is one in which they are altogether passive. And yet by God-given faith they confirm the certainty of their being sealed (of being certain for heaven’s glory), when, from the same almighty power that raised Christ from the dead, they are enabled to trust solely in Christ for the salvation of their souls, in repentance turning from the way that before seemed right to them to God’s Gospel – the gospel of their salvation.
Randy Wages
Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Romans 5:18-19
There was a condemnation that came about due to Adam’s fall. We see this in Romans 5:18. When we speak of our condemnation in Adam, we have to speak of it within the context of the everlasting covenant of grace made before the world began and our justification in Christ. It is asked – Were God’s elect ever condemned? Were God’s elect ever charged with their sin? Yes, but only as they were considered in their Representative and Surety, the Lord Jesus Christ. This sentence of condemnation comes upon all men, all the sons of Adam without exception, even upon the elect of God themselves; though it is not executed upon them, “but” on their surety, the Lord Jesus Christ. Sin was never charged to their person’s individually apart from being considered in Christ. It is not as if God condemned them as individuals and then changed His mind at the cross. The sins of God’s elect were charge to them IN CHRIST. Christ was always legally responsible for the sins of His elect. Christ became a Surety for His people from everlasting, engaged to pay their debts, bear their sins, and make satisfaction for them. He was eternally accepted as such by God His Father, Who viewed His elect eternally IN CHRIST on the ground of the payment and satisfaction that Christ made on the cross. The cross is not a testimony to the changing mind of God but a testimony to the eternal mind, will, and purpose of God from the beginning. (2 Tim 1:9) “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”
We cannot lose sight of the elect of God being in Adam, but we also cannot lose sight of the elect being in Christ according to the everlasting covenant of grace. As one old writer said “we fell in Adam but we did not fall out of Christ”. As we still look at condemnation, let’s look at (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. We must also understand that our believing or not believing does not make us condemned or not condemned. Our believing or not believing only gives evidence of our being condemned or not condemned. Also look at (John 5:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Christ took care of the whole sin problem on the cross, when He died for His sheep and established righteousness for them, and if you are in Christ, if Christ represented you in His cross death, “there is therefore now no condemnation”.
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