Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

REFRAIN: Redeemed, redeemed,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it;
His child and forever I am.

Redeemed and so happy in Jesus,
No language my rapture can tell;
I know that the light of His presence
With me does continually dwell.

I think of my blessed Redeemer,
I think of Him all the day long;
I sing, for I cannot be silent,
His love is the theme of my song.

I know I shall see in His beauty
The King in whose love I delight,
Who lovingly guardeth my footsteps
And giveth me songs in the night.

----------0----------

Today: Bible Classes – 10:00 a.m.; Morning Worship – 11:00 a.m.
Messages by Pastor Bill Parker

Television Broadcast: Reign of Grace Television
Sunday morning on WALB-TV @ 9 AM.

Live Streaming – 11:00 a.m. service from Sermon Audio web site

Web Sites: Reign of Grace: www.rofgrace.com
Sermon Audio: www.Sermonaudio.com\reignofgrace

Birthdays: Evan Renfroe – Feb. 22^nd – Marsha McKenzie – Feb. 24^th – Reid Jackson – Feb. 28^th

As Christ’s righteousness is the only merit that can exalt us to the pres­ence and kingdom of God, so that doctrine alone is to be considered as evangelical which depresses the righteousness of man and exalts the righteous­ness of Christ, leading us to trust, not on what we do, but singly on what He has done for us. The business of the Law is to knock us down from the pedestal of self-confidence and grind us small as Moses ground to powder and dispersed the materials of the Israelitish idol. The business of Grace is to lift us from the dust, settle us upon Christ the Rock of ages, and put a new song of free salvation into our mouths. – Augustus Toplady

----------0----------

Whether or not a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should be obedient to God’s Word and strive to be like Christ in character, attitude, and conduct is never a struggle within the hearts of those who are truly saved by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. The struggle within is a warfare between the flesh (sinful desires, motives, and goals) and the Spirit (God the Holy Spirit Who indwells us and gives us spiritual desires, motives, and goals). It is a battle against that which keeps us from being perfectly conformed to Christ in every way. It is not a struggle to earn our salvation; for Christ has already earned full salvation for us by His obedience unto death. It is not a striving to make ourselves righteous so as to attain or maintain salva­tion; for Christ is our righteousness before God, and we stand in His righteous­ness imputed and received by God-given faith. This struggle is an ever-present reminder from God that even as sinners saved by grace, we still cannot make ourselves righteous by works of the law. What, then, motivates us to continue? The grace of God in Christ is the motivation that keeps us fighting this warfare, knowing that the final victory is assured, not because we are getting better and better, but because we stand in Jesus Christ Who is our assured victory. The believer’s testimony in this life at all times is, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:24-25).

– Pastor Bill Parker

FAITH NO SUBSTITUTE FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Let no one think that since man is incapable of rendering perfect obedi­ence to the just requirements of the law that God will, therefore, accept faith in the stead of righteousness. Faith is not a substitute for righteous­ness. The Book of God still says, “It shall be perfect to be accepted” (Leviticus 22:21). “For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; His countenance doth behold the upright” (Proverbs 11:7). The perfect obedience required by a holy God could never be rendered by any man, whether an unbeliever or a believer! Exact obedience to all the divine precepts has already been rendered by the Lord Jesus Christ Who was “made under the law to redeem them that were under the law” (Gala­tians 4:4-5). He was the only Man who could live up to the strict and inflexible demands of the law and faith looks to Him for righteousness. In His life He was dutiful in all things, and the very culmination of His faithful­ness was that He “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). Faith is not our righteousness and faith is not trying to work out a righteousness with which God is pleased. Christ is our righteousness and faith submits to Him. The Lord’s people are “made the righteousness of God in Him,” (2 Corinthians 5:12), and He is Him­self our righteousness. The righteousness of the saints is not a pretend or imaginary thing. Our righteousness is the living, reigning Mediator who is seated at the right hand of God. “In His days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is His name whereby He shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6).