The election of Jesus Christ, part 6; Election benefits of the bride of Christ; John 15:16.Title: The election of Jesus Christ, part 6; Election benefits of the bride of Christ; John 15:16.
9. Christ has completely fulfilled His own election and therefore the election of Israel and the individual Church-age believer are completely fulfilled since they depend on His election alone.
Therefore, there is nothing to add to your election in Christ. The benefits, privileges, and blessings of election in Christ are yours to maintain through positive volition or lose through negative volition.
The great benefits and blessings of an election realized reside in the mental attitude of the believer. The soul becomes the true battleground of PV and NV.
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren;
Rom 8:30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
Believers don’t receive these things without opposition. Whenever grace is in action the enemies of God take up arms in the form of thoughts that oppose it.
Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Rom 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Prosperity of soul at spiritual maturity is the only reason for remaining in this life after salvation. Any other priority goal is a waste of your time.
Due to the prosperity of soul at maturity, all earthly blessings can be enjoyed to the maximum without upsetting the true priorities of the spiritual life.
Rom 8:33 Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies;
Judging comes from the source of satan or other members of the human race as those who oppose the grace of God. The integrity of God always meets the one who judges with divine discipline. He is active against those who judge and not passive.
Rom 8:34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
JC was given all authority in judgment and He does not judge the elect, but rather prays constantly for the elect. When Christ sat down at the right hand of God He began a prayer ministry that has lasted for almost 2000 years. He is your retained attorney that consistently approaches the bench in your defense. Our spiritual status never depends on the opinion of others.
Christ Jesus in spiritual death was already condemned for all of our sins; therefore, no one has the right to condemn anyone else for sin. (the exception being parents over children)
Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
God loves His own righteousness which the believer has forever and no amount of suffering will tarnish His love.
Rom 8:36 Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
This epistle is being written in the time of the reign of Nero, who poisoned his step father to ascend to the throne. He greatly persecuted the Church and even had Paul put to death. Yet a hundred Nero’s could never hinder the plan of God.
Rom 8:37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am convinced [passive voice = doctrine convinces] that neither death, nor life [all human events], nor angels, nor principalities [angelic intrusions], nor things present, nor things to come [things in time], nor powers [human organizations],
Presented are six categories of opposition or challenges.
death nor life: all human events Angels nor principalities: angelic oppositions Things present nor things to come: all events in time Nor powers: all human organizations
Rom 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
height nor depth: heaven [not even God can remove what He has given] or hell Created thing: people … shall have the power to separate us from the love of God.
For believers who are positive, confidence is one of the things that is being built up in their life. There is testing to develop that confidence: adversity, uncertainty of circumstances, the daily presentation of Bible doctrine. All of these things combine to give a tremendous sense of security and confidence in life.
Testing, adversity, uncertainty of circumstances, and the daily presentation of BD combine to give a tremendous sense of security and confidence in life.
Election benefits: predestination, justification, glorification, God always for us, intercessory ministry of Christ, uninterrupted love of Christ, all problems conquered, uninterrupted love of the Father, and the potential to have the mind of Christ.
Col 3:12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on [clothe yourself] a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
The correct word order: “Clothe yourselves therefore, as elected ones of God, set apart and having been loved with the result that you keep on being loved …”
“… clothe yourselves with an inner heart of grace compassion, a grace disposition of generosity, a mental attitude of grace, meekness, and steadfastness.”
Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Col 3:14 And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond [cement] of unity [completeness or spiritual maturity].
Eventually there will be personality conflicts in the local assembly which can hinder your intake of doctrine and cause division. God’s solutions to our trouble with RMA is forgiveness and agape love. God doesn’t advocate personality change because inculcation of doctrine will change the inner personality by manifesting a RMA.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule [umpire] in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you [have a soul saturated with doctrine], with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Col 3:17 And whatever you do in word [not in terms of speaking but in doctrine = MA production] or deed [overt production], do all in the name of the Lord Jesus [according to His method], giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Election benefits: a heart at peace and not at war, a life of grace orientation, thankfulness instead of complaint, and the production of divine good. |