“And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remains, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.”
First, all who are spared God’s wrath are privileged in the kingdom. He gives us the place as sons, no matter how desperately evil we’ve been - (Is 56:4-5) “For thus says the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; even unto them will I give in my house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.”
Forgiveness is COMPLETE, and there are NO LEVELS of Christians regarding our access to God and acceptance; we only have differing levels of ENJOYMENT – “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:27-29).
Secondly, we have all of Christ the INSTANT that we come to Him, and no improvements can be made to JUSTIFICATION by faith (Matt 8:3). Yes, we realize how much salvation is of the Lord, how free we are in Christ, and how much He saves us is by the Spirit. We do learn humility before God and man. But, we don’t get better before God, improve, or have any standing but Christ only. We are commanded, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (II Pet 3:18).
Grace glorifies God because it is equal and has equal impact upon all. We’re equally justified and sanctified, even though we don’t equally experience it, because of unbelief.
God’s grace wouldn’t glorify God if we could improve, because it would be based upon something in us, rather than everything in Christ, and His glory would diminish to nothing.
Thirdly, God’s GRACE saves the sinner, so that he’s not the slave of sin. He doesn’t give this to one but to all of His children. The best Christians don’t have it merely; it is God’s common salvation that He gives GODLINESS to the elect (Titus 1:1; II Pet 2:9).
We come to see our privileges, but we are completely privileged and never to be improved. Character grows, but never acceptance. We understand the gospel, but the gospel has been saving us by God’s power all along – “The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord” (Zech 9:1).
Lastly, as we learn who we are in Christ, we believe God and BECOME who we are in Christ (Matt 9:29).
Forgiveness is COMPLETE, and there are NO LEVELS of Christians regarding our access to God and acceptance; we only have differing levels of ENJOYMENT – “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you be Christ’s, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:27-29).
Secondly, we have all of Christ the INSTANT that we come to Him, and no improvements can be made to JUSTIFICATION by faith (Matt 8:3). Yes, we realize how much salvation is of the Lord, how free we are in Christ, and how much He saves us is by the Spirit. We do learn humility before God and man. But, we don’t get better before God, improve, or have any standing but Christ only. We are commanded, “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen” (II Pet 3:18).
Grace glorifies God because it is equal and has equal impact upon all. We’re equally justified and sanctified, even though we don’t equally experience it, because of unbelief.
God’s grace wouldn’t glorify God if we could improve, because it would be based upon something in us, rather than everything in Christ, and His glory would diminish to nothing.
Thirdly, God’s GRACE saves the sinner, so that he’s not the slave of sin. He doesn’t give this to one but to all of His children. The best Christians don’t have it merely; it is God’s common salvation that He gives GODLINESS to the elect (Titus 1:1; II Pet 2:9).
We come to see our privileges, but we are completely privileged and never to be improved. Character grows, but never acceptance. We understand the gospel, but the gospel has been saving us by God’s power all along – “The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord” (Zech 9:1).
Lastly, as we learn who we are in Christ, we believe God and BECOME who we are in Christ (Matt 9:29).
