GOD'S GRACE SHOWN BY CHRIST DEATH

The righteousness of Christ is the believers life. I ask often of myself, "Do I see the righteousness of Christ in my life?" The primary evidence in a believer's life is the righteousness of Christ living out in the life of a believer.

A person's salvation is not necessarily accomplished by words at an altar in some church, or some prayer at a revival meeting. Salvation is the redemption paid for by Christ at the Cross. And God then is able to redeem the sinner by His mercy from the wrath that is laid upon the sinner. Because of one man sin, Adam, all men became sinners, which means all men fall from God's grace. And by one man Jesus, made it possible for God to show mercy upon those whom God gave to Christ at the cross.

When God by His grace saved us, gave us a new nature, removed the sin whereby we were damned, we are now made a new creature in the righteousness of Christ. And the result of the new nature we become new in our lives. The evidence of a new life is seen in a new atttiude, a new belief, and a new means whereby we live and think, and act.

Personal note:

I am in Midlothian, Tx where my Mom lives. I am on my sis's touch to begin 22 " screen HP. How cool is that. We have had a cool time, literally it has been cool. And Herschel and I took a cool ride, 2008 Solara convertible around Midlothian.

Thus far we have a had a very good time with family. Stay tune.

FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST

"Too many people convert to a church style or Christian culture rather than to Christ."

Really have you notices. People are more into church style rather than into Christ. Yet Christiantiy is Christ, not church.

My outline from Philippians 1:21 "For ME to live IS Christ, and to DIE is GAIN." You take out "Christ" and "Gain" you have "For me to live is to die." Living without Christ can lead to anger about living.

Church life, is of no value if we are not living to live for CHRIST.

SPIRITUAL BREAD GIVES SPIRITUAL EVERLASTING LIFE

FOOD FOR THE SOUL AS WELL AS FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT .

• 1 Corinthians 10:17 2 Corinthians 9:10 John 6:32-35
• Proverbs 1:27-33
  
  We are to ask for the heavenly bread–not physical bread. Christ told us specifically to not ask for food. “Do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it” (Luke 12:29).
  
  

• Christ gives a treatise on the heavenly bread in John 6: 32-33 . The “true bread from heaven” was not manna which fell for the Israelites in the wilderness. They all died. But, My Father gives you the true bread from heaven (v. 32). The spiritual “bread of God is He which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world” (v. 33).

• Physical bread is the staff of a physical life that ends. But spiritual bread is the staff of the spiritual life that never ends. This bread feeds the new inner spiritual man; it is our sustenance.
  
  

The Photos are of the bread made at Union Mills, and one of the meal Charity made for supper.

CHECK THE SIDE BAR FOR A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I DO DURING THE DAY.

MY CHURCH OFFICE plus THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

THIS IS MY STUDY ROOM AT THE HOUSE.

This photo I was trying to use to make a point.

Charity was trying to get the point of what I was trying to get at.

I WAS POINT OUT.........

A view of the office I have at Rivers of Joy Baptist Church

I like the picture of the eagle.

It's a great joy to have a office again at the church. Its humbling to know that the Lord is so gracious to us.
The three pictures on the wall, I have had since the 1980's and they speak of the leadership roll of the Pastor/Teacher

SEVERAL QUESTIONS TOAY

1. CAN THERE BE REGENERATION WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION?

I.E. can a person go to Heaven without having been saved? Do those who never hear the gospel go to Hell?

• CAN THERE BE JUSTIFICATION WITHOUT SANCTIFICATION?

I.E. can a person who has been justificed, saved, born again, and not be sanctified, this is a change of character, nature, and a life style?

• AND CAN THERE BE EITHER (JUSTIFICATION/SANCTIFICATION) WITH OUT THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST?

I.E. Can a person be saved without hearing the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, Jesus Christ?

If you believe the truth about the Gospel then you need to follow that belief throughout your understanding about the Gospel message.

• Upon futher study of the Scriptures, I finally understood that the Gospel is far more than just the message about the invitation of salvation. Salvation is about the past, present and future realities of the believers life, and the Work of God and Jesus Christ.

• Salvation: is also Redemption revealed, and Redemption accomplished , and then Redemption applied. From Genesis to Revelation the Story of Salvation/Redeption is taught.

1. But just a footnote, I do not apply every verse in the Old Testament to Christ. I do believe there is another thread that is woven throughout the Old Testament. I do not spiritualize the Old Testament. I do believe in progressive history and progressive redemption. I do believe there is a "seed" that you can trace throughout the Old Testament and that seed is the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

1. I do not think I need to address salvation each time I preach, in the sense I need to address "you need to be born again", with that said, I believe you need to preach or teach the scriptures you are addressing.

Its Just Not Bibical - Same Sex Marriage

Perfectly normal people who do not have normal sex drives will do some un normal things. In their mind I would think, they believe its as normal as any other marriage. Their minds can be trained to believe a lie about life, marriage and sex, as it is meant to be.

SIN is the system that brings in the belief that God and the Bible is not the means whereby we make our decisions about living, life, marriage and sex. The natural mind is blinded to those things that are spiritual in natural. SIN I believe is the DNA of the nature of man. Within the nature of man is the gene principle that is natural for the mind to be against what God says is right or wrong. Our very being is naturally set against the truths that God has set forth in the Bible. You don't have to be a moral bad person to have this DNA of sin within you. It is in every human person ever born. The truth is every person has a negative desire to be in obediences with just about any law of God or man. Few want to obey the laws of their parents, their government and God's. Its natural to want to go 65 mph rather than the law of 55 mph. Its in the natural of a person. Its natural for the youngest child to disobey what his parents wish for them to do. Babies cry often because they are not getting what they want. Children throw a fit in K Mart when they can not buy a toy of their choice. Its natural, its in the DNA of the nature.

So when they become an adult, they see nothing wrong with doing what they have always desired, if it seems right for them to do, its right for them to do. Its natural for them to see nothing wrong with same sex marriage.

The probem is SIN, its in every person. And of course you don't see your behaviour as SIN.

To solve the probem of SIN is to have a born again change of nature. There needs to be a born again experience. And only through the work of Jesus Christ can a person under go this born again change of nature.

Only Jesus Christ can made the difference in the mind and nature of the person who has a the mindset of set in rebellion against the laws of mankind and God.


And no, the photo above is not from Union Mills, I don't believe my wife, Charity or her sister Debbie would honor a cake as such. I need to ask.

IF YOU CAN SAY THIS, YOU KNOW GOD AND HIS GRACE

WHAT TRUTH DID YOU RECEIVE THIS WEEK FROM THE MESSAGES YOU HEARD THAT IS GOING TO SUSTAIN YOU WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED TO GIVE UP?

TODAY WE ARE STILL STANDING THE THE GRACE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, DAILY HE KEEPS US BY HIS POWER AND GRACE.

WHAT IS SUSTAINING GRACE?

ENABLES US TO CONTINUE WHEN WE'RE TEMEPTED TO GIVE UP

We all want what God's grace provides, but we have to get it His way.

We can not focus more on the issue than on God

YOU CAN NEVER JUSTIFY GIVING UP

WHY?

GOD ALWAYS HAS A VALUABLE LESSON FOR US TO LEARN.

GOD DOES NOT PROMISE AN EXPLANATION

GOD IS WORKING SOMETHING GOOD IN YOUR SITUATION.

HOW CAN YOU QUIT

Charles Stanley

1. GRACE RELEASES WITHIN US SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH TO KEEP GOING IN THE MIDST OF PAIN AND SUFFERING.


2. GRACE IGNITES WITHIN US DETERMINATION TO KEEP GOING NO MATTER WHAT. GOD GRACE CONTINUES TO GIVE US NEW SURGES EVERY DAY TO KEEP GOING. NOW FOR OVER FIFTY YEARS.


3. GRACE ECHOES IN OUR SPIRIT THAT GOD IS WITH US TO BE OUR FRIEND AND SUPPORTER.


4. GOD KEEPS POINTING US TO GOD'S GOAL OF TEACHING US.


5. GRACE REMINDS US THAT OUR FATHER ENABLES US TO BECOME STRONGER IN FAITH AND DEEPER IN INTIMANCY.


6. GRACE ASSURES US THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL AND SETS LIMITS ON WHAT WE CAN BEAR.


7. GRACE AWAKENS OUR FAITH WITH CONVICTION THAT GOD WILL TURN OUR TOUGH TIMES FOR SOMETHING GOOD.

He who can truly say this, is a God

(Thomas Brooks, "An Ark for All God's Noahs" 1662)

"The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will hope in Him." Lamentations 3:24

God is every believer's portion.

Riches are not every believer's portion --but God is every believer's portion.

Liberty and freedom are not every believer's portion--but God is every believer's portion.

Honor and applause are not every believer's portion--but God is every believer's portion.

Prosperity and success are not every believer's portion--but God is every believer's portion.

God is a universal portion. God is a portion that includes all other portions.

God has Himself the good, the sweet, the profit, the pleasure, the delight, the comfort--of all portions.

There is no good in wife, child, father, friend, husband, health, wealth, wit, wisdom, learning, honor --but is all found in God.

There is in God--an immense fullness, an ocean of goodness, and an abundance of all that graciousness, sweetness, and kindness--that is to be found in all other things or creatures.

All the goodnesses of all the creatures, are eminently and perfectly to be enjoyed in God.

The cream, the good, the sweet, the beauty, and the glory f every creature, and of every thing--centers in God.

God is a universal excellency. All the particular excellencies that are scattered up and down among angels, men, and all other creatures--are virtually and transcendently in Him.

He has them all in His own being. All creatures in heaven and earth have but their particular excellencies; but God has in Himself the very quintessence of all excellencies! The creatures have but drops of that sea, that ocean—which is in God. They have but their parts of that power, wisdom, goodness, righteousness, holiness, faithfulness, loveliness, desirableness, sweetness, graciousness, beauty, and glory--which is in God. One has this part, and another has that; one has this particular excellency, and another has that. But the whole of all these parts and excellencies, are to be found in God alone!

There is none but that God, who is the universal good, who can truly say, "All power, all wisdom, all strength, all knowledge, all goodness, all sweetness, all beauty, all glory, all excellency, etc., dwells in Me!" He who can truly say this, is a God; and he who cannot, is no God.

All the excellencies that are scattered up and down in the creatures, are united into one excellency in God. There is a glorious union of all excellencies in God--and only in God.

Now this God, who is such a universal good, and who has all excellencies dwelling in Himself, says to the believer, "I am yours, and all that I have is yours!"Every believer has the whole God wholly; he has all of God for his portion. God is not a believer's portion in a limited sense, nor in a comparative sense--but in an absolute sense. God Himself is theirs. He is wholly theirs. He is always theirs. Our property reaches to all that God is, and to all that God has. He has all--who has the Possessor of all.

To be able to say, "God is mine!" is more than if I were able to say that ten thousand worlds, yes, and as many heavens, are mine! Oh what a spring of joy and comfort should this be to all the saints!

"This God is our God forever and ever!" Ps. 48:14

ON THE PHYSICAL DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST

• Jesus of Nazareth underwent Jewish and Roman trials, was flogged, and was sentenced to death by crucifixion. The scourging produced deep stripelike lacerations and appreciable blood loss, and it probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock as evidenced by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar (patibulum) to Golgotha. At the site of crucifixion his wrists were nailed to the patibulum, and after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post, (stipes) his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiologic effect of crucifixion was an interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia. Jesus’ death was ensured by the thrust of a soldier’s spear into his side. Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when taken down from the cross.
  (JAMA 1986; 255:1455-1463)
• Read this article on the Physical Death of Jesus Christ, it is amazing.
• Click on the title

Jesus was lying in the tomb during the Sabbath, and the Pharisees secured Roman guards to keep watch of the tomb (Matt. 27:61-66; Mark 15:47; Luke 23:55-56).
[Harold W. Hoehner, Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ, 92] The above picture.

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SIMIL IUSTUS ET PECCATOR

PART TWO

CHRIST CAME TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.

I JOHN 3:4-11 (8)

Until then we are simil iustus et peccator - at one and the same time both justified and sinners. Yes this is true, as Martin Luther said.

And I agree with imputed righteousness we have now in Christ, and would say the final stage of the process of salvation is termed "glorification." It involves the perfecting of the spiritual nature of the individual believer, which takes place at death, when the Christian is absent from the body and present with the Lord. (Which is open for thought).

In this life, while believers have been granted and given the gift of righteousness, our spiritual perfecting will occur in a future completion of the process, begun in regeneration and continued in sanctification.

Our "position" is perfect in Christ now, our "practice" in ever growing into Christ likeness.

• I believe I John 3 teaches "whosoever abides in Him does not continually habitually practice sin." So Believers sin? Yes. Do they sin on purpose? Occasional, sometimes, once in a while intermittent. But if they do, they will respond with grief and repentance. Ps. 51. And this is the thesis of I John 3:4-10.

I don’t know how long one can continue in deliberated sinning. A day, a season! But I know he will not enjoy it for long.

But I think the question given by Dan was: Didn’t Christ come to destroy the work of Satan? And if so, why do believers continue to live in sin?

The point of John in I John three is a believer will not live is life as if there was no law (I John 3:4) The sin that is spoken here, I think, is "to live as if there were no law of God is to live as if there were not God." Which is the definition of sin.

Christ will one day destroy Satan himself and all his workers who seek to destroy Believers today. That is a future event. What Christ accomplished when He became the Son of God, as Jesus Christ, was to provided the means whereby God could justify granting unbelievers salvation.

What Christ did was to destroy the power of the devil in the life of the Christian. I often said "You don’t have to sin, you chose to sin." The fact is, to the believer, we are a lost cause to Satan. The work "destroy" means "to loosen" or "to undo" or "to remove." Christ didn’t destroy sin, but threw off the chains and freed us from sin. The work that Christ did was to unite us with Himself in His righteousness, and release the work of the devil. The work of Christ was to give us a new nature, we are given as my brother likes to say, "a seed" that remains. A seed of divine existence. i.e. God himself was planted in us. I became a "son" of God. Sin can no longer be the habit of such a life.

SIN WAS NOT DESTROYED IN THIS WORLD, BUT THE POWER OF SIN WAS IN THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER, THOSE BORN OF GOD.

The ground of the imputation of our sin unto Christ. He took on him the person of the whole church that had sinned, to answer for what they had done against God and the law.

If it be a perfect righteousness that is imputed unto us, so it is esteemed and judged to be; and accordingly are we to be dealt with, even as those who have a perfect righteousness; and if that which is imputed as righteousness unto us be imperfect, or imperfectly so, then as such must it be judged when it is imputed; and we must be dealt withal as those which have such an imperfect righteousness, and no otherwise. And therefore, whereas our inherent righteousness is imperfect (they are to be pitied or despised, not to be contended withal, that are otherwise minded), if that be imputed unto us, we cannot be accepted on the account thereof as perfectly righteous, without an error in judgment.

This imputation is an act of God "ex mera gratia," of His mere love and grace; whereby, on the reflection of the mediation of Christ, He makes an effectual transfer and gift of a true, real, perfect righteousness, even that of Christ Himself unto all that do believe; and accounting it as theirs, on His own gracious act, both absolves them from sin and grants them right and title unto eternal life.

That the righteousness of Christ is imputed unto us as unto its effects, has this reverberate sense in it,--namely, that the effects of it are made ours by reason of that imputation It is so imputed, so reckoned unto us of God, as that he really communicates all the effects of it unto us.

All that we aim to demonstrate is, only, that either the righteousness of Christ itself is imputed unto us, or there is no imputation in the matter of our justification;

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant