FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

TITLE: THE BLESSINGS OF JUSTIFICATION

TEXT: ROMANS 5:1-2

INTRODUCTION: (1) HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN THE TIME TO CONSIDER ALL THE BLESSINGS WE HAVE AS BELIEVERS AS A RESULT OF OUR SALVATION?

* WELL, THERE ARE MANY. TO NAME A FEW, FORGIVENESS OF SINS, PEACE, JOY, LOVE, HOPE, HEAVEN, THE PROMISES OF GOD THAT APPLY TO BELIEVERS, WHICH ARE MANY.

** THEN THERE IS GOD’S GRACE, GOD’S COMFORT, PRAYER AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO INDWELLS US, AGAIN JUST TO NAME A FEW.

(2) AND IF I WERE TO DEVELOP EACH ONE OF THESE BENEFITS THAT COME AS A RESULT OF ALMIGHTY GOD’S SOVEREIGN WORK OF GRACE IN OUR HEARTS, WE HOPEFULLY WOULD BE OVERWHELMED AND MOVED TO PRAISE THE LORD, TO BLESS THE LORD AND SERVE THE LORD MORE.

* AND COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS AND THE BENEFITS WE HAVE IN CHRIST IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD DO ON A REGULAR BASIS, FOR WE WILL PRAISE HIM AND BLESS HIM AS A RESULT.

** IN FACT THE PSALMIST SAID IN PSALM 68:19 (READ IT.)

*** IN PSALM 103:1-4 THE PSALMIST SAID, (READ THEM).

**** THEN IN PSALM 116:12 THE PSALMIST SAID, (READ IT).

(3) NOW MY POINT IS WE ON A DAILY BASIS SHOULD THINK OF ALL THE BLESSINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT THE WORLD DOES NOT HAVE, AND OUR PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE AND OUR ATTITUDES WILL CHANGE.

* AND BELOVED WHEN I’M ABLE TO GET MY FOCUS OFF OF THINGS AND CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOCUS ON THE BLESSINGS, I CANNOT SAY POOR ME.

** AND ALL OF US HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE POOR ME RUT AT TIMES.

*** YOU KNOW WE START TO LOOK AROUND AND FOCUS ON SELF, AND GET OUR EYES ON THE TEMPORAL RATHER THAN THE ETERNAL AND WE GET DEPRESSED AND START TO LOOSE MOTIVATION AND SAY POOR ME.

(4) WELL AT THAT TIME, CONSCIOUSLY START TO THINK AND MEDITATE ABOUT YOUR SPIRITUAL BENEFITS, START TO COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS.

* THINK ABOUT YOUR ETERNAL FUTURE, THINK OF THE PROMISES OF GOD, THINK ABOUT THAT YOUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLS AND GIVES YOU LOVE, JOY AND PEACE WHEN YOU ALLOW HIM TO CONTROL YOU.

** AND WHAT I’M TRYING TO SAY IS: START TO COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS. START TO SING “COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS”.

*** A SONGWRITER JOHNSON OATMAN, JR. PUT IT THIS WAY IN A HYMN TITLED: “COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS”.

(5) WHEN UPON LIFE’S BILLOWS YOU ARE TEMPEST TOSSED, WHEN YOU ARE DISCOURAGED THINKING ALL IS LOST, COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS NAME THEM ONE BY ONE, AND IT WILL SURPRISE YOU WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE.

* VERSE 2 SAYS: ARE YOU EVER BURDENED WITH A LOAD OF CARE? YES. DOES THE CROSS SEEM HEAVY YOU ARE CALLED TO BEAR? YES. COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS EVERY DOUBT WILL FLY, AND YOU WILL BE SINGING AS THE DAYS GO BY.

** VERSE 3 IS A GOOD ONE: WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHERS WITH THEIR LANDS AND GOLD, THINK THAT CHRIST HAS PROMISED YOU HIS WEALTH UNTOLD, COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS MONEY CANNOT BUY YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN AND YOUR HOME ON HIGH.

*** THEN THE LAST VERSE SAYS, SO AMID THE CONFLICT, WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL, DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED GOD IS OVER ALL, HE’S SOVEREIGN, HE REIGNS, HE RULES FROM HIS THRONE, COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS ANGELS WILL ATTEND, HELP AND COMFORT GIVE YOU TO YOUR JOURNEY’S END.

**** THE CHORUS SAYS: COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS NAME THEM ONE BY ONE; COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS SEE WHAT GOD HATH DONE; COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS – NAME THEM ONE BY ONE; COUNT YOUR MANY BLESSINGS SEE WHAT GOD HATH DONE.

(6) NOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN WE DO WHAT THE SONGWRITER HAS ENCOURAGED US TO DO, WE WILL BE ENCOURAGED AND MOVED TO PRAISE THE LORD.

* AND YOU MIGHT BE THINKING, RAY THAT IS WONDERFUL BUT WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ROMANS 5? WELL, A LOT.

** FOR IN ROMANS 5:1-11, PAUL STARTS TO TALK ABOUT THE PRIVILEGES, THE FRUITS, THE BLESSINGS, THE BENEFITS OF BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.

*** IN OTHER WORDS, IN VV. 1-11, PAUL COMES TO A NEW PHASE IN HIS DISCUSSION OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, FOR HE BEGINS TO FIX, TO FOCUS HIS ATTENTION ON THE FAVORABLE EFFECTS RESULTING FROM JUSTIFICATION.

(7) AND TO SET THE CONTEXT IN ROMANS 3:21 THROUGH CHAPTER 4 PAUL HAS MADE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT WE ARE JUSTIFIED BY GOD’S GRACE THROUGH FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST. JUSTIFIED BY GRACE ALONE THROUGH FAITH ALONE BECAUSE OF CHRIST ALONE.

* NOW BEGINNING IN ROMANS 5:1B, PAUL STARTS TO GIVE US THE RESULTS OR BENEFITS OF THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH, HE STARTS TO COUNT OUR BLESSINGS.

** AND THIS MORNING WE’LL LOOK AT THREE OF THOSE BENEFITS UNDER THE TITLE OF THE BLESSINGS OF JUSTIFICATION.

(8) NO.1 WE’LL LOOK AT THE BLESSING OF PEACE IN V. 1; NO. 2 WE’LL SEE THE BLESSING OF ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, V. 2A; AND NO. 3 WE’LL SEE THE BLESSING OF FUTURE GLORY IN V. 2B.

* AND NOTE IF YOU WOULD, THAT THE THREE BLESSINGS WE’LL LOOK AT TODAY AS BELIEVERS HAVE TO DO WITH OUR PAST, OUR PRESENT AND OUR FUTURE.

** FOR IN THE PAST OUR SINS WERE FORGIVEN SO WE ARE AT PEACE WITH GOD, IN THE PRESENT, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, AND IN THE FUTURE, OUR GLORY IS GUARANTEED, HEAVEN IS OUR HOME.

*** BELOVED WE ARE BLESSED! AND TO BEGIN WITH TODAY LET’S LOOK AT THE BENEFIT OF PEACE, LOOK AT V. 1 PLEASE.

I. THE BLESSING OF PEACE, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW HAVING ESTABLISHED THE TRUTH THAT TRUE CHRISTIANS HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, PAUL STARTS TO TALK ABOUT THIS FIRST BLESSING OF JUSTIFICATION WHICH IS PEACE WITH GOD.

* AND FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE PEACE. AND NOTE THAT THE VERB TRANSLATED “HAVE” IS IN THE PRESENT TENSE IN THE GREEK LANGUAGE INDICATING SOMETHING THAT IS ALREADY POSSESSED.

** AND MANY OF THE BELIEVER’S BLESSINGS MUST AWAIT THEIR RESURRECTION AND GLORIFICATION, HEAVEN, BUT PEACE WITH GOD IS ESTABLISHED THE MOMENT A PERSON IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH.

*** SO THIS PEACE STARTED WHEN WE WERE FORGIVEN, JUSTIFIED, AND CONTINUES AT THE PRESENT.

**** NOW WHAT IS THIS PEACE? WELL, THE PEACE THAT PAUL IS SPEAKING ABOUT HERE IS NOT SUBJECTIVE BUT OBJECTIVE.

1. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS, THIS PEACE IS NOT A FEELING BUT A FACT.

* FOR YOU SEE APART FROM SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, EVERY HUMAN BEING IS AT ENMITY, AT WAR WITH GOD, SPIRITUALLY IN CONFLICT, IN HOSTILITY WITH HIM, REGARDLESS OF WHAT OUR FEELINGS ABOUT GOD MAY BE.

** WE ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD BEFORE CONVERSION. ROMANS 5:10 – “FOR IF WHILE WE WERE ENEMIES, WE WERE RECONCILED TO GOD THROUGH THE DEATH OF HIS SON, MUCH MORE, HAVING BEEN RECONCILED, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE.”

*** WELL, IN THE SAME WAY, THE PERSON WHO IS JUSTIFIED BY FAITH IN CHRIST IS AT PEACE WITH GOD, REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY MAY FEEL ABOUT IT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

**** THROUGH THEIR FAITH IN CHRIST, A SINNER’S WAR WITH GOD IS ENDED FOR ALL ETERNITY.

2. BELOVED, JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS TOOK UPON HIMSELF ALL THE FURY OF GOD’S WRATH FOR OUR SIN.

* AND WHEN WE APPROPRIATE CHRIST’S PAYMENT THROUGH THE CHANNEL, THE INSTRUMENT OF FAITH, WE ARE NO LONGER GOD’S ENEMIES AND NO LONGER UNDER HIS WRATH, BUT ARE AT PEACE WITH HIM, READ ROMANS 5:9.

* BELIEVER, THE RESULT OF JUSTIFICATION IS RECONCILIATION. AND RECONCILIATION WITH GOD BRINGS PEACE WITH GOD. AND THAT PEACE IS PERMANENT AND IRREVOCABLE.

** AND WHEN A PERSON EMBRACES JESUS CHRIST IN REPENTANT FAITH, THE SINLESS SON OF GOD WHO MADE PERFECT SATISFACTION FOR ALL OUR SINS MAKES THAT PERSON ETERNALLY AT PEACE WITH GOD THE FATHER.

*** IN FACT, CHRIST NOT ONLY BRINGS PEACE TO THE BELIEVER BUT “HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE” ACCORDING TO EPHESIANS 2:14-17. IT SAYS THIS, WONDERFUL TRUTH:

**** FOR HE HIMSELF IS OUR PEACE, WHO MADE BOTH GROUPS INTO ONE (JEWS AND GENTILES), AND BROKE DOWN THE BARRIER OF THE DIVIDING WALL, BY ABOLISHING IN HIS FLESH THE ENMITY, WHICH IS THE LAW OF COMMANDMENTS CONTAINED IN ORDINANCES, THAT IN HIMSELF HE MIGHT MAKE THE TWO INTO ONE NEW MAN, THUS ESTABLISHING PEACE, AND MIGHT RECONCILE THEM BOTH IN ONE BODY TO GOD THROUGH THE CROSS, BY IT HAVING PUT TO DEATH THE ENMITY. AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR.

3. SO CHRIST BRINGS PEACE TO INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE AT WAR WITH GOD, WHO ARE THE ENEMIES OF GOD, THROUGH HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS.

* NOW WHAT SHOULD THIS REALITY DO, HOW SHOULD IT IMPACT US? WELL, AWARENESS OF OUR PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH CHRIST IS MEANT TO GIVE US FAR MORE THAN FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE AND WARMTH.

** FOR WHEN A CHRISTIAN IS CONVINCED HE IS ETERNALLY SECURE IN CHRIST, HE IS ABLE TO SERVE THE LORD WITH THE UNQUALIFIED CONFIDENCE THAT NOTHING CAN SEPARATE HIM FROM HIS HEAVENLY FATHER.

*** HE CAN SAY WITH PAUL IN ROMANS 8:38&39 (READ THEM).

4. AND THE PEACE THAT A BELIEVER HAS IN THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HE IS SECURE FOREVER IN CHRIST NOT ONLY STRENGTHENS HIS FAITH BUT STRENGTHENS HIS SERVICE.

* THE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE ETERNALLY AT PEACE WITH GOD PREPARES US TO WAGE EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE IN CHRIST’S BEHALF AND IN HIS POWER.

** TO ILLUSTRATE THAT, WHEN A ROMAN SOLDIER WAS ENGAGED IN BATTLE, HE WORE BOOTS WITH SPIKES IN THE BOTTOM TO GIVE HIM A FIRM FOOTING WHILE FIGHTING, FOR TRACTION SO HE WOULDN’T SLIP OR SLIDE.

5. WELL IN THE SAME WAY, WHEN WE AS CHRISTIANS HAVE OUR FEET SHOD WITH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, EPHESIANS 6:15, WE HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO STAND FIRMLY FOR CHRIST WITHOUT THE SPIRITUAL SLIPPING AND EMOTIONAL SLIDING THAT UNCERTAINTY ABOUT SALVATION INEVITABLY BRINGS, KNOWING THAT GOD IS ON OUR SIDE!! READ ROMANS 8:31.

* AND BELOVED THIS IS THE FIRST BLESSING OF JUSTIFICATION FOUND IN V. 1, AND WHAT A WONDERFUL BENEFIT, PEACE WITH GOD. BUT WE MUST MOVE ON, AND OUR 2’D BENEFIT IS FOUND IN V. 2A. LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE, THE BLESSING OF ACCESS.

II. THE BLESSING OF ACCESS, (READ V. 2A)

A. NOW THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST WE ARE JUSTIFIED AND THROUGH OUR LORD (OUR OWNER AND MASTER), JESUS (OUR SAVIOR) CHRIST (OUR ANOINTED ONE) WE HAVE OBTAINED OUR INTRODUCTION BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHICH WE STAND.

* AND THE WORD INTRODUCTION IS A KEY WORD HERE, AND THIS PARTICULAR GREEK WORD IS USED ONLY 3 TIMES IN THE N.T.

** IT IS USED IN EPHESIANS 2:18 WHERE IT IS TRANSLATED ACCESS, IT SAYS, “FOR THROUGH HIM WE BOTH HAVE ACCESS IN ONE SPIRIT TO THE FATHER.”

1. AND THEN IN EPHESIANS 3:12, IT IS TRANSLATED ACCESS WHERE IT SAYS, “IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENT ACCESS THROUGH FAITH IN HIM.”

* AND IN BOTH OF THESE VERSES THIS GREEK WORD IS TRANSLATED ACCESS AND IS USED OF THE BELIEVER’S ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

** NOW THIS WORD IS USED THAT WAY IN ROMANS 5:2 AND IS TRANSLATED ACCESS IN THE KJV AND NKJV AND THE NIV, AND INTRODUCTION IN THE NAS. IT HAS TO DO WITH OUR ACCESS OR INTRODUCTION TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

2. AND THE BLESSING HERE IS THROUGH CHRIST’S ATONING SACRIFICE, HE MADE GOD THE FATHER ACCESSIBLE TO ANY PERSON, JEW OR GENTILE, WHO TRUSTS IN THAT SACRIFICE. WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF APPROACH, WE HAVE AN ENTRANCE TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH GOD THE SON.

* AND THIS BENEFIT OF DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE O.T. SAINTS IN A SENSE.

** FOR THE JEW WAS KEPT FROM GOD’S PRESENCE BY THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE AND THE GENTILE WAS KEPT OUT BY A WALL IN THE TEMPLE WITH A WARNING ON IT THAT ANY GENTILE WHO WENT BEYOND WOULD BE KILLED (THEY WERE LIMITED TO AN OUTER COURT, THE COURT OF THE GENTILES.)

** BUT WHEN JESUS DIED, THE VEIL WAS TORN IN TWO AND HE BROKE DOWN THE WALL OF PARTITION FOR THE GENTILES. AND THROUGH CHRIST BELIEVING JEWS AND GENTILES HAVE ACCESS TO GOD.

3. AND THAT TRANSLATES TO ME THAT WE HAVE THE DIVINE ACCESS OF PRAYER THROUGH OUR MEDIATOR THE LORD JESUS.

* AND WE CAN COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE TO OBTAIN MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED, HEBREWS 4:16 (READ IT)

** AND BELOVED WE HAVE CONFIDENT ACCESS TO THE FATHER AND TO HIS THRONE OF GRACE THROUGH OUR HIGH PRIEST, THE LORD JESUS. WE HAVE THE SPIRITUAL BENEFITS OF PRAYER.

*** WE CAN ENTER INTO THE THRONE OF GRACE AT ANYTIME AND FROM ANYWHERE, WE THAT HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED. AND WHAT A BLESSING!! YET UNFORTUNATELY ONE THAT WE DO NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ENOUGH.

4. WE DO NOT REALIZE WHAT A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE WE HAVE, WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, WE HAVE HIS EAR.

* AND AGAIN INTRODUCTION OR ACCESS IN V. 2 DENOTES THE PRIVILEGE OF APPROACHING OR BEING INTRODUCED INTO THE PRESENCE OF SOMEONE IN HIGH STATION, ESPECIALLY A ROYAL OR DIVINE PERSONAGE, WE HAVE AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING.

** AND CHRIST USHERS US INTO THIS BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHICH WE STAND, THIS IS A FIRM, UNMOVABLE, PERMANENT ACCESS THAT WE HAVE BY GOD’S GRACE, WHICH WAS APPROPRIATED BY FAITH, THIS IS A PERMANENT ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL NOT CHANGE.

5. SO THROUGH CHRIST WE HAVE PERMANENT ACCESS TO GOD THE FATHER. WHAT A BENEFIT! LET’S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.

* WHICH LEADS US TO A THIRD AND FINAL BLESSING THAT I WANT TO LOOK AT THIS MORNING, THE BENEFIT OF FUTURE GLORY, LOOK BACK AT V. 2.

III. THE BLESSING OF FUTURE GLORY, (READ V. 2)

A. NOW CONSIDER THIS. PEACE WITH GOD TAKES CARE OF THE PAST, HE WILL NO LONGER HOLD OUR SINS AGAINST US.

* ACCESS TO GOD TAKES CARE OF THE PRESENT. WE CAN COME TO HIM AT ANY TIME FOR THE HELP WE NEED.

** AND THEN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD TAKES CARE OF THE FUTURE. ONE DAY WE SHALL SHARE IN GOD’S GLORY.

1. AND PAUL HERE IN V. 2B IS TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE, HE SAYS WE EXULT IN THE HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD, AND THE WORD EXULT HERE LIT. MEANS REJOICE, IT DENOTES JUBILATION AND REJOICING.

* AND PAUL WAS SAYING, WHEN I THINK OF THE FUTURE I HAVE CONFIDENT HOPE FOR THE FUTURE, BECAUSE I AM JUSTIFIED, I REJOICE, I AM JUBILANT, BECAUSE I WILL SHARE IN FUTURE GLORY IN HEAVEN.

** AND BELOVED THE CHRISTIAN HAS NO REASON TO FEAR THE FUTURE AND EVERY REASON TO REJOICE IN IT, BECAUSE HE HAS A DIVINELY SECURED HOPE THAT HIS ULTIMATE DESTINY IS TO SHARE IN THE VERY GLORY OF GOD.

2. AND THE GLORY OF GOD HERE IS TALKING ABOUT OUR FUTURE STATE IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE, THE GLORY OF HEAVEN, OF THE ETERNAL STATE OF THE REDEEMED, THE JUSTIFIED.

* AND IN SCRIPTURE THE HOPE OF GLORY IS SET BEFORE US TO DO SEVERAL THINGS.

** NO. 1 TO HELP US THROUGH SUFFERING, ROMANS 8:18 (READ IT).

*** SO THE HOPE OF GLORY HELPS US THROUGH SUFFERING.

**** NO. 2 THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO SET OUR AFFECTION ON THINGS ABOVE AND HAVE AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE, COLOSSIANS 3:1-4,

II CORINTHIANS 4:17&18.

***** SO THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD MOTIVATE US TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

3. NO. 3 THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD BE A SPECIAL ENCOURAGEMENT TO ELDERS TO FEED THE FLOCK OF GOD, I PETER 5:1-2 & 4 (READ THEM).

* NOW NO. 4 THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD ENCOURAGE US TO STAND FIRM IN THE LORD AND NOT WAVER IN HIS WORK. II THESSALONIANS 2:13-17 SAYS:

** II THESSALONIANS 2:13-17 – “BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR YOU, BRETHREN BELOVED BY THE LORD, BECAUSE GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU FROM THE BEGINNING FOR SALVATION THROUGH SANCTIFICATION BY THE SPIRIT AND FAITH IN THE TRUTH. AND IT WAS FOR THIS HE CALLED YOU THROUGH OUR GOSPEL, THAT YOU MAY GAIN THE GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. SO THEN, BRETHREN, STAND FIRM AND HOLD TO THE TRADITIONS WHICH YOU WERE TAUGHT, WHETHER BY WORD OF MOUTH OR BY LETTER FROM US. NOW MAY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF AND GOD OUR FATHER, WHO HAS LOVED US AND GIVEN US ETERNAL COMFORT AND GOOD HOPE BY GRACE, COMFORT AND STRENGTHEN YOUR HEARTS IN EVERY GOOD WORK AND WORD.

*** SO THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD ENCOURAGE US TO STAND FIRM AND NOT WAVER.

**** AND THEN NO. 5, THE HOPE OF GLORY SHOULD ENCOURAGE US TO TAKE HEED TO THE COUNSEL OF THE WORD OF GOD.

- FOR IN PSALM 73:24 THE PSALMIST SAID, “THOU SHALT GUIDE ME WITH THY COUNSEL, AND AFTERWARD RECEIVE ME TO GLORY.”

* AND THY COUNSEL IS THE WORD OF GOD – PSALM 119:105.

4. AND BELOVED, THE SURE HOPE OF FUTURE GLORY SHOULD MAKE US REJOICE NOW. IT WON’T BE LONG!! WHETHER THE 2’D COMING OR VIA DEATH, IT WON’T BE LONG.

* BROTHERS AND SISTERS: WHAT WONDERFUL BENEFITS AND BLESSINGS WE HAVE IN CHRIST!

AND AS I WRAP UP THINGS TODAY: (1) LET ME SAY THAT BENEFITS ARE A HOT TOPIC TODAY IN OUR SOCIETY. MEN AND WOMEN WANT JOB SECURITY WHICH WE HAVE VERY LITTLE OF ANYMORE.

* THEY WANT THEIR PAST SENIORITY TO HELP IN KEEPING THEIR JOB AS A BENEFIT. IN THE PRESENT PEOPLE WANT GOOD HEALTH BENEFITS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR FAMILIES. AND WE NEED THAT!

** AND IN THE FUTURE, THEY WANT A GOOD RETIREMENT, BENEFIT PLAN THAT THEY CAN LIVE COMFORTABLY ON. SO BENEFITS TODAY ARE A BIG ISSUE.

(2) WELL LET ME SAY THAT FOR US THAT HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED, BENEFITS ARE A BIG ISSUE AND THEY ARE SECURE. WE CAN’T LOSE THEM.

* IN THE PAST, WE WERE JUSTIFIED, OUR SINS WERE FORGIVEN, IN THE PRESENT WE HAVE ACCESS TO THE CREATOR, AND IN THE FUTURE, GLORY IS ASSURED.

** AND BELOVED ALL OF THESE BENEFITS ARE AS SECURE AS THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD AND THE PROMISES OF GOD. THEY ARE ROCK SOLID!!

(3) SO LET US REJOICE THIS MORNING, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE ARE GOING THROUGH WHICH IS A LOT FOR SOME OF YOU.

* EVERYTHING IS TAKEN CARE OF IN CHRIST. LET US SELL OUT FOR HIM. CLOSE WITH ROMANS 8:1, 18, 28&29, V. 31, 35-39.

** THE BLESSINGS ARE GREAT!