CONGREGATIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS TODAY: MORNING: HEBREWS 7:11-28 EVENING: LUKE 10:17-24 *************************************************************************** THE DOMINION OF GOD "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endureth throughout all generations." (Psalm 145:13)
There is a threefold dominion of God. 1. Natural, which is absolute over all creatures, and is founded in the nature of God as Creator. 2. Spiritual, or gracious, which is a dominion over His church as redeemed, and founded in the covenant of grace. 3. A glorious kingdom, at the winding up of all, wherein He shall reign over all, either in the glory of His mercy, as over the glorified saints, or in the glory of His justice, in the condemned devils and men. The first dominion is founded in nature; the second in grace; the third, in regard of the blessed, in grace; in regard of the damned, in demerit in them, and justice in Him. He is Lord of all things, and always in regard of propriety. "The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). The earth with the riches and treasures in the bowels of it; the habitable world, with everything that moves upon it, are His; He hath the sole right, and what right soever any others have is derived from Him. In regard also of possession, "The Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:22), in respect of Whom, man is not the proprietary nor possessor, but usufructuary (one who enjoys the fruits of something that belongs to another) at the will of this grand Lord. –Stephen Charnock *************************************************************************** THE TAKING AWAY OF SIN Almighty God, in everlasting covenant grace, chose a people unto salvation. These were loved with an everlasting love, but they would fall into sin as a result of Adam’s transgression which was imputed to them. God could not accept His people unless they were freed from sin and had a perfect righteousness, neither of which they could accomplish. How was the sin of God’s beloved people to be taken away? By what means could their guilt be removed? How could the sinful ever be declared righteous? Consider these things. 1. All of the sacrifices offered to God in the Old Testament could not put away sin, otherwise, those sacrifices would have ceased. 2. Prayer cannot take away sin. 3. Repentance cannot take away sin. 4. Faith cannot take away sin. 5. Good works cannot take away sin. 6. An eternity spent in hell cannot take away sin. 7. The only way for sin to be taken away was for it to be dealt with in the person of Christ, which is why He came into this world and laid down His life. His death appeased divine justice, put away the sins of His people and enabled God to be "a just God and a Savior" (Isaiah 45:21). "And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins; and in Him is no sin" (1 John 3:5). "Now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Hebrews 9:26). I speak to you who have repented of dead works, who are content to be saved by free grace through the person and work of Christ and who believe on Him - think of what the putting away of sin means for you. All of your iniquities, past, present and future, were removed by His sacrifice. Christ suffered the law’s just penalty for your sinfulness, God therefore declares, "I, even I am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isaiah 43:25). "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). No wonder David wrote, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile" (Psalm 32:1-2). –Pastor Jim Byrd
Older
Top
