Grace Bible Church

In Ephesians 3, Paul describes the mystery of the Gospel, only then revealed in full. That God would save Gentiles as well as Jews, and unite them all together in Christ's church, was a veiled truth until after the Resurrection. But all of this was the eternal purpose, proposed in Christ Jesus as Lord. So by faith in Christ, we all have boldness, and access in confidence to our God. That faith was itself given to us by God through the Holy Ghost. By Christ's blood shed and presented in the holiest place in glory, and being cleansed by that blood, by faith we lay hold upon that boldness and confidence in Christ. Paul insists that those believers faint not because of his own persecutions. Indeed, being bold in Christ in the face of those persecutions is our glory. Paul next prays for them, as members of the family of God in Christ, that according to His riches in glory, they would be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man. Paul seeks that Christ might dwell in our hearts by faith, and we ourselves rooted and grounded in the love of Christ, so that we might be able to comprehend, with all the saints, the infinite greatness of the love of Christ. Oh, how we need to grasp the truth of Christ dwelling in our hearts, and believe it is so! It is the unity of the Lord's people by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, which knits us together with Christ, and the Father, and with each other, that we may all be one in Christ! Oh, that we would know the love of Christ, which naturally cannot be known, but by His Spirit in us, and that we would be filled with the fullness of God Himself! In a real sense, the saints are all "taken over" by the Spirit of Christ in us.

In Philippians 1, Paul describes how his persecution advances the Gospel! In his bondage, he displays the Gospel message even in the palace, and its spread is thereby furthered. Notice that this is the opposite of what false teachers preach. The Gospel is not preached by violence by believers, but rather by violence AGAINST believers! Further, Paul's boldness induces boldness in other Gospel preachers! Paul exclaimed that "many waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Some people even preached the Gospel to hurt Paul, but he rejoiced in that also. Paul rejoiced in every way that Christ was preached. Rather than shutting down the Gospel message by jailing Paul, instead the Gospel message exploded. Paul expected to be released from his bonds, due to the saints' prayers for him, and the further supply of the Holy Ghost. Paul had an earnest expectation, that he wouldn't be ashamed of anything, but rather that in all boldness, as usual, but now more so, Christ would be magnified in Paul's body, whether in life, or in death. Paul knew he would not be ashamed in his suffering for his faithfulness to Christ and Gospel preaching. It would not, and could never be, in vain. The Gospel preaching could never fail to work God's will in the hearts of the hearers. In Paul's body, Christ would be magnified, whether in Paul's release, or in his death at the hands of his persecutors. Either way, Paul would be delivered from the wrath of wicked men. This makes Paul's dilemma greater, because he wins either way, in life, or in dying. Paul realizes that should he die, he would be instantly with Christ, and what joy that would be!

Godly boldness is not of ourselves, or inherent in our ethnic lineage, neither is it a character quality backed by force or violence, but rather is in and through Jesus Christ. Paul exhorts us to prayer. Our prayer is to be continuous, in the Holy Ghost, and with watchfulness and perseverance. It is to be prayer for all the saints, and will include our petitions and supplications, which are supporting, upholding, and asking the Lord for help for all the brethren. Then Paul adds, "and for me." Paul asked the believers to pray for himself, that he would be able to speak boldly. Think of it: Paul desires prayers for more boldness in his Gospel preaching! The one whom Scripture portrays as very bold by the Holy Ghost, seeks supplication by his fellow believers for even more boldness. Paul asks for prayers, that he might be able to make known the mystery of the Gospel. The Gospel is a mystery to the lost, for it is foolishness to them, and while they might understand it, they are unable to trust in it, or believe it unto salvation. Paul did reveal in his epistles the essential help required from the Holy Ghost, to cause the natural man to be able to understand and receive the things of God. Paul also explained how the Gospel operates to save lost men, by the satisfaction of God's justice against poor sinners, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ in our place and for our crimes, imputed to Him by God. Christ's blood is the appeasement and satisfaction of God's wrath against us for our sins, and by faith we lay hold of that sacrifice, and God imputes to us Christ's righteousness, making us fit to come into the presence of our holy and infinitely powerful God!

At Iconium, bold Gospel preaching brought about the conversion of many Jews and Gentiles together. This preaching was done by Jewish believers to both Jews and Gentiles. But then, unbelieving Jews tried to shut down Paul's Gospel preaching! They poisoned the minds of some unbelieving Gentiles against Christ. Paul and the brethren didn't stop. For a long time, they continued to preach boldly the Gospel to all the people of Iconium. God honored their faithfulness by giving signs and wonders, to testify to the truth of what they were preaching, even under opposition by lost men. So the city was divided between Jews and Gentiles who believed in Christ, and those who opposed the Gospel. The unbelieving Jews and Gentiles assaulted Paul and other Christians, plotting to abuse and murder them, and trying to stop the spread of the Gospel. Notice the parallel with the murder of Jesus: recall how reprobate Jewish leaders co-opted the Roman tyrants to put our Savior to death on the cross! This cooperation between wicked Jews and Gentiles had been explained by Christ to His disciples beforehand. First, Jesus said, the Jewish rulers would corruptly condemn Him to death. Then secondly, they would turn Him over to the Roman governing authorities, to be mocked, beaten mercilessly, spit upon, and murdered by crucifixion. Sure enough, what Jesus described came to pass: the wicked Jewish leaders condemned Him to death, and the Romans carried it out at the cross. While initially crushed in spirit by this dreadful turn of events, the disciples, soon after Christ's resurrection, recalled that the Scriptures had foretold that lost Gentiles would believe on Jesus also!

Paul's boldness is explicitly credited to the work of the Holy Ghost. An example of Paul's boldness in Gospel preaching is seen in his powerful and provocative sermon at the synagogue in Antioch of Psidia. Paul points out that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises to the house of David, and that Christ is the long-desired Savior. Not only that, but right here, right now, word of this salvation is preached to you! Paul forcefully asserts that the rulers of Israel falsely condemned the innocent Jesus to death, never realizing that the prophets foretold Christ's death in the place of His sinful people, dying for their sins laid upon Him by God! But the third day, God raised up Christ from the grave, vindicating Him before all the world! Paul then declares glad tidings to his listeners, mostly Jews, but some others as well in the synagogue that day, of how the promise of a Savior, made to the fathers, has been fulfilled by Christ being raised from the dead. Paul then exclaims, "be it known that through this Man, the Savior, is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and the justification of all those who believe on Him, from all things from which you cannot be justified by Moses' law! What Paul has described to these people that day was just that very work of God to provide salvation for His people, proven by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, and yet most of Paul's hearers rejected his preaching, and later tried to shut Paul down from ministry in their town. Indeed, the Gentiles caught wind of Paul's Gospel preaching, and desired Paul to preach it to them as well! A week later, almost the entire city was gathered to hear the good news Paul preached.

Regardless of what certain false teachers claim, as we have mentioned before, the Holy Ghost is powerful to sanctify every sort of believer, and suppress our character flaws for God's glory and our good, regardless of race. Paul's boldness is explicitly credited to the work of the Holy Ghost. He was bold in proclaiming the Gospel even when dangerous, followed by persecution, followed by Paul going elsewhere to preach. When Paul and Barnabas went to Paphos, the local minor ruler, Sergius Paulus, summoned Paul to hear the Gospel. Sergius' friend Barjesus, a sorcerer, interfered with the gospel work. No doubt this wicked man's income would be lost if his friend Sergius turned away from the devil's work and toward Christ. He needed to keep Sergius in Satan's thrall. Once again, Scripture tells us that it was the Holy Ghost in Paul that led him to denounce this wicked man to his face, as a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness, and a perverter of the ways of the Lord! Then Paul called down judgment against the sorcerer, placing blindness upon him for a while. When Sergius saw what happened, he realized that the so-called "power" of his sorcerer friend was no match for the power of the Holy Ghost. All the benefits he supposed he had in his wicked friend, were worthless in the face of the truth of the gospel! Most people would have declined to confront the friend of the ruler, worrying that it would alienate him from the message, and perhaps even result in a violent reaction against the preacher. But not Paul. We see here a striking example of a boldness that could have been dangerous, but instead, the Spirit moved Sergius to believe the Gospel.

Godly boldness is not inherited, nor comes from some so-called noble or superior lineage. God can and does embolden His people, no matter how lowly or poor or disadvantaged they may be. We were all lost in sin and degradation and humiliation, until Christ cleansed us with His Own precious blood. He has saved us, and placed upon us His nobility and honor, and a portion of His boldness, by the Holy Ghost, for God's glory, and for our great benefit! The apostle Paul is a key example. He was very bold in his persecution of the Lord's people, but at that time he was aligned with the wicked power structure of Israel, the same one that murdered Messiah. But when Jesus confronted Paul on the road, Paul was struck blind. Ananias went to lay hands on Paul in Damascus, and not only was his sight restored, but he was filled with the Holy Ghost. Immediately Paul began preaching Christ's gospel, and that the Lord Jesus is God manifest in the flesh. This drove some of the local Jews into a rage, and they plotted to kill Paul, but Paul escaped over the wall and went to Jerusalem. Instead of piping down, and laying low, Paul started back up again, proclaiming the Lord Jesus, right there in the place where his former mentors and overseers were headquartered. They too plotted to kill Paul, so he left Jerusalem and went to Caesarea. This pattern repeated over and over throughout Paul's ministry: boldness in proclaiming the Gospel even though dangerous, followed by persecution, followed by Paul going elsewhere to preach. So we see that boldness and prudence are in no way incompatible. This is in keeping with Christ's instructions to His people during His ministry.

The Holy Ghost is powerful to sanctify every sort of believer, and suppress our character flaws for God's glory and our good, regardless of race.The Lord makes us brave by His providential care and through His Word to us, and by being with us always.God instructed Joshua to be strong and courageous, because God Himself would never leave Joshua nor forsake him. Paul quotes that same text in calling for the saints to exclaim, that the Lord is our helper, and we shall not fear what man can do to us.This Holy Ghost boldness was well displayed by the disciples from the very first. Joseph of Arimathea was bold to beg Pilate for the body of Jesus, so that He might receive the promised honorable burial in the tomb.Peter's boldness was evident in his confrontational preaching at Pentecost. When the Jewish rulers called Peter and John before the council to rebuke them for healing the lame man in the name of Jesus, they grew bolder still!Acts is clear why this is: because they were filled with the Holy Ghost.This is very striking in view of Peter's denial of Christ at the crucifixion. Peter had before talked big, but was cowed by the words of a servant girl.But now by the Holy Ghost, Peter did not mince words, but rather declared hard words, that he knew would rile up those wicked rulers who had murdered Messiah. Peter threw Christ's warning back into their faces: they had killed God's Son to try to seize the kingdom, rejecting the cornerstone, but God had raised up and exalted Christ to be the cornerstone anyway!Even the wicked rulers marveled that these ignorant and unlearned men had great boldness before them. But they took note, that they had been with Jesus!

The church is being polluted by a form of "our blood, our soil" extreme nationalism, that teaches that God gave America to Anglo Saxon Protestants, but all sorts of other people are invading our country and "ruining our heritage."These false teachers hold even Italians, Greeks, Jews, Hispanics, and Blacks as aliens, who should be excluded as far as possible from America. Often, they advocate discrimination and suppression, claiming a "spiritual basis" for these wicked notions.In the case at hand, the false teacher preaches that all blacks are under "the curse of Ham." But it turns out that Scripture never mentions a curse against Ham, but rather, a curse against one of his four sons, Canaan. Needless to say, Blacks do not descend from Canaan, so the curse against Canaan cannot be used to justify anti-black racism.Furthermore, this false teacher believes that Blacks ought to be made our servants, according to the terms of the imaginary curse of Ham! In fact, he teaches that the curse is actually a command for white people (which he claims are the "true sons of Japheth") to enforce the imaginary curse against Blacks!Meanwhile, he notes that the sons of Japheth were specially blessed by Noah in Genesis 9, which he supposes supports his view that white people are blessed and superior to the offspring of Ham and Shem.His false teaching on these matters is a mass of made up scripture, confusion, and circular argument that is unsupportable from Scripture.We obtain an insight into this false teacher's warped thinking and inability to grasp the logical contradictions of his beliefs, when we read one of his latest ideas.

According to Paul in Romans 8, the comfort of the Holy Ghost for us includes the promise of our resurrection one day. The same spirit that raised up Christ will also raise up all of Christ's people!That power of Christ rising again will be deployed in every single one of the Lord's people!Then glory will be revealed in us, a glory that far exceeds the suffering of this world.But then, Paul inserts an argument about the creation as a startling example of the glory that will one day be revealed in us.That glorification of Christ's people will include the salvation of the natural world from the corruption of sin and death.It is as if Paul is saying, if we can hardly grasp the glory about to be revealed in us by the Holy Ghost, then look at how that same glory will result in the restoration and saving of the natural world!This is a teaching that most believers find wholly novel, and yet Paul thinks it an important reason why the glory of our resurrection is particularly spectacular.We don't like to think that man's fall so marred the physical creation, but it did. That fact explains all the pain and sorrow and dying and suffering of the entire world.But Paul teaches that our coming into glory by the resurrection power of Christ through the Holy Ghost, will have visible and astonishing effect upon the whole creation.That great glory that will be revealed to us at our resurrection, will extend to the whole creation.All the brokenness of the animals, their violence, their brutal deaths, their tragic existence, and the malignant power of nature, will finally be set right, with goodness restored, and Christ's righteousness overwhelming the world like a flood.

Peter claimed he would die before he would ever deny Jesus.When it came time for Christ's betrayal, Peter demurred. Why was this?The key is Christ's forbidding Peter from fighting to stop His murder. In other words, Christ deprived Peter of a "fair fight" with swords and fists. So long as Peter could strike the enemies of Jesus with weapons of war, his determination was secure.But Christ forbade Peter from using carnal methods in the cause of Christ. It was at this point, that the disciples all forsook Christ and fled.It turned out that Peter's boast to stick with Christ was limited to circumstances where He, as a man, could put up a fair fight with arms. Peter was a man of action, and such a battle appealed to him.So long as Peter could resist physically and violently the taking of the Savior, he was operating in his zone of comfort as a strong and determined man!But the idea of submitting according to the will of God to violent men, to murderers, to traitors, that Peter could not and would not do.If Jesus wasn't going to put up a fight, how could Peter?But Christ must be slain to save His people from their sin! The gospel plan of salvation was utterly contrary to carnal man's way of thinking.To submit to the Holy Ghost, to place one's hope in a savior who died to save us, was to turn away completely from all self-reliance, earthly power, strength, and self-righteousness.Peter and the other disciples were not ready for all that!

There has been catastrophic damage by Hurricane Helene in Georgia, Tennessee, North and South Carolina. Some areas received over 2 feet of rain in eight hours. Some are calling this a 1000-year flood.There is massive flooding, where whole towns have been swept away in rivers of raging muddy water. It appears that many hundreds of people have been swept away in the floods and have drowned.Sometimes, floods are used by God as judgment against gross societal wickedness. The best example is the worldwide flood in Noah's day, which God directly brought to pass, that He might destroy the earth, and every creature that breathed, including all mankind. This was, God revealed, to purge away the great evil wrought by mankind.Only Noah and his family found grace in God's sight, and were spared by means of the ark. We know that ark was a picture of our Savior, the Lord Jesus. Just like Noah, all those saved by the blood of Jesus have been shut up in that Ark. The wrath of God against sin, like an overwhelming flood that destroys all breathing life, was borne by that Ark, God's Lamb, while His people were safe inside. He sheltered us from God's wrath for our crimes, by being subject to that wrath in our place!God Himself speaks to Job, and confirms that He made all things to begin with, laying the foundations of the earth. He shut up the sea with doors when it broke loose, and carved out a place for it to stay put. He set bars and doors upon the oceans! He directly commands the sea, this far and no farther!He controls the snow and the hail and the wind. He creates the watercourse for overflowing floods.God's control of all nature, including the floods, is all-pervasive.

Jesus never fails to save His loved ones- He never faces failure in saving anybody---When we were brought to Christ, we were already dead - dead in our trespasses and sins- In fact, we were too dead to come to Jesus on our own. --In Ephesians 2, Paul describes our deadness. We had, not the Holy Spirit, but that vile spirit that works in all the children of disobedience.--But God loves His people so, and is rich in mercy to us, even while we were dead in our sins, and so He made us alive together with Christ, by grace saving us---For by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, even it is the gift of God to us---For lost people, it must be the Holy Ghost that brings us to Christ, because we are dead already---Jesus made this clear to Nicodemus- except a man be born again by the Holy Ghost, he cannot see the kingdom of God.--Most appropriate to this discussion, is to recall that new, fleshy heart that God gives to those whom He will save. He told Ezekiel, that He would take out our stony, dead hearts, and give us new hearts of flesh, to know and to love and to obey Him. He promised to give us a new spirit as well, His very spirit, to cause us to walk according to His commandments---Our Savior has been very clear- He never loses a single one of us brought to Him by the Father for rescue---In John 6, Jesus couldn't have said it any plainer- -I came from heaven not to do my own will, but the Father's will. And this is the Father's will Who sent me, that of all that He gives to me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.---Christ also asserted here, that everyone who believes on Him, will have everlasting life-

Jesus never fails to save His loved ones! He never faces failure in saving anybody!When we were brought to Christ, we were already dead – dead in our trespasses and sins! In fact, we were too dead to come to Jesus on our own. In Ephesians 2, Paul describes our deadness. We had, not the Holy Spirit, but that vile spirit that works in all the children of disobedience.But God loves His people so, and is rich in mercy to us, even while we were dead in our sins, and so He made us alive together with Christ, by grace saving us!For by grace we are saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, even it is the gift of God to us!For lost people, it must be the Holy Ghost that brings us to Christ, because we are dead already!Jesus made this clear to Nicodemus: except a man be born again by the Holy Ghost, he cannot see the kingdom of God.Most appropriate to this discussion, is to recall that new, fleshy heart that God gives to those whom He will save. He told Ezekiel, that He would take out our stony, dead hearts, and give us new hearts of flesh, to know and to love and to obey Him. He promised to give us a new spirit as well, His very spirit, to cause us to walk according to His commandments!Our Savior has been very clear: He never loses a single one of us brought to Him by the Father for rescue!In John 6, Jesus couldn't have said it any plainer: "I came from heaven not to do my own will, but the Father's will. And this is the Father's will Who sent me, that of all that He gives to me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."Christ also asserted here, that everyone who believes on Him, will have everlasting life!

We all need to be saved from various things in our lives. In some cases, we need somebody with knowledge and skill to save us. Other times, we need someone with wisdom and prudence. Or sometimes, we need somebody with connections and influence to save us.--But sometimes, we need a savior with the power and strength to save us---What is the nature of our salvation from sin and death and hell by Christ's Gospel----Paul reminds us that the Gospel of our salvation is, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures- that He was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures- and that He was seen alive again by numerous witnesses.--But that raises the vital question- where is the power of Christ in His dying-- Dying seems to be weak and powerless to us. How can a dead savior rescue anybody----Paul underlines this strange counter-intuitive juxtaposition of our weakness, and Christ's dying to save us, in Romans 5-6 -- when we were without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly---We were dying in our weakness, without strength, because we couldn't keep the law for our own righteousness, and therefore we could never escape the subsequent wrath of God against us.--We needed strength, we needed power, so Christ died for us in our place. The love of God for us was thereby displayed, that Christ died for poor, helpless, lost sinners.--Notice that Christ's salvation for us was His assumption of our weakness, and our sin, and our powerlessness to save ourselves. Christ swallowed it all up by dying in our place---Thus we are justified by His blood, shed for our crimes, and we are saved from wrath through Christ's dying for us.

Leviticus 4-3 is a little noticed, curious text of scripture. There we find this requirement- -If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed.---Thus, God held all of Israel guilty for the sins of their priests---This is another example of the imputation of guilt upon persons who did not themselves personally violate God's commandments.--Adam's sin is the primary example of this, which drives false Christians and heretics insane to hear of. But Adam was the representative of the whole human race, and when he sinned, in him we all sinned, and therefore we all died.--In the case of the sinning priest, a heightened animal blood sacrifice was required, in which the blood was taken into the tabernacle and sprinkled on the vail, and daubed on the horns of the altar of incense that stood before that vail.--But we recall that Caiaphas the high priest had our Lord Jesus put to death at the hands of the Roman tyrants. His was the greatest of sins possible, the killing of the Lord of Glory---This explains why Peter rebuked all the Jews of Israel at Pentecost- they had taken and by wicked hands had crucified Messiah---The listeners immediately grasped the dire nature of their sin in this matter, especially after Peter proved from Scripture that Jesus is the promised Messiah Who rose from the dead just like David had foretold.--Therefore Peter warned the people to repent and trust in Jesus, and save themselves from their nation and its sin against Messiah. Many did so that day.--There is an absolute necessity that our high priest be completely without sin.

Leviticus 4:3 is a little noticed, curious text of scripture. There we find this requirement: "If the anointed priest sins, bringing guilt on the people, he must bring to the Lord a young bull without defect as a sin offering for the sin he has committed."Thus, God held all of Israel guilty for the sins of their priests!This is another example of the imputation of guilt upon persons who did not themselves personally violate God's commandments.Adam's sin is the primary example of this, which drives false Christians and heretics insane to hear of. But Adam was the representative of the whole human race, and when he sinned, in him we all sinned, and therefore we all died.In the case of the sinning priest, a heightened animal blood sacrifice was required, in which the blood was taken into the tabernacle and sprinkled on the vail, and daubed on the horns of the altar of incense that stood before that vail.But we recall that Caiaphas the high priest had our Lord Jesus put to death at the hands of the Roman tyrants. His was the greatest of sins possible, the killing of the Lord of Glory!This explains why Peter rebuked all the Jews of Israel at Pentecost: they had taken and by wicked hands had crucified Messiah!The listeners immediately grasped the dire nature of their sin in this matter, especially after Peter proved from Scripture that Jesus is the promised Messiah Who rose from the dead just like David had foretold.Therefore Peter warned the people to repent and trust in Jesus, and save themselves from their nation and its sin against Messiah. Many did so that day.There is an absolute necessity that our high priest be completely without sin.

Scripture makes it clear that the Savior joys in His people, and is pleased to meet with us here this morning.--First, Jesus is certainly here with us today, for He told His disciples, that wherever two or three of us gather in His name, He is in the midst with us.--Jesus was promised of olden time by God that Christ would see His saved ones. Isaiah recorded it this way- -He shall see His seed.---In Hebrews 12, there is reference made to the joy set before Christ, by which He endured the pain and agony of the cross. No doubt that joy which Christ anticipated, included the saving of His loved ones, that is, the sure prospect of -seeing His seed,- those whom He was about to redeem---In His high priestly prayer, Jesus refers to His joy - -these things I speak unto the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves.---Thus, the joy of Christ in saving us, is fulfilled in each of us when we first believe on Him and enter into His glorious salvation---Indeed, He delights in mercy toward us, as Micah recorded- -Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage-- He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us- He will subdue our iniquities- and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.---God's joy breaks forth in singing over us- As Zephaniah recorded, -The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing----Christ rejoices over the saving of His lost sheep, whom He seeks out and finds and brings home safely-

Scripture makes it clear that the Savior joys in His people, and is pleased to meet with us here this morning.First, Jesus is certainly here with us today, for He told His disciples, that wherever two or three of us gather in His name, He is in the midst with us.Jesus was promised of olden time by God that Christ would see His saved ones. Isaiah recorded it this way: "He shall see His seed."In Hebrews 12, there is reference made to the joy set before Christ, by which He endured the pain and agony of the cross. No doubt that joy which Christ anticipated, included the saving of His loved ones, that is, the sure prospect of "seeing His seed," those whom He was about to redeem!In His high priestly prayer, Jesus refers to His joy – "these things I speak unto the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves."Thus, the joy of Christ in saving us, is fulfilled in each of us when we first believe on Him and enter into His glorious salvation!Indeed, He delights in mercy toward us, as Micah recorded: "Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger forever, because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."God's joy breaks forth in singing over us! As Zephaniah recorded, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy, He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing!"Christ rejoices over the saving of His lost sheep, whom He seeks out and finds and brings home safely!

God made all the world perfect and good, with no animal or human death. It was a paradise- None of God's creatures killed another creature---God placed man as His highest creation over all the rest of the creation, giving him dominion over the creation and commanding him to subdue it. God provided only vegetables and fruit for food to His all creatures.--Man's dominion was to be wise, non-violent, and benevolent. That's because man was made in God's image -- rational, spiritual, able to communicate with God, and most loved by God.--But when Adam sinned, this all came crashing down. Thus, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, instantly they were spiritually dead, and physically, corruption set in, and dying soon they would be dead.--They were both alienated and ashamed to be seen by God in their naked and disobedient characters, so they hid themselves from His presence.--God pronounced several curses, which are but samples of the full consequences of the punishment of death upon Adam, all his descendants, and the creatures God had placed him as head over.--But things soon grew much worse. The first man born in this world murdered his own brother in cold blood---Why-- Because Adam was our representative before God. His rebellion was seen as a rebellion of the whole creation against God, which Adam represented. Adam was made in God's image, given God's command, and appointed by God to represent the creation.--In man's fall, the whole world fell, and became subject to pain, sorrow, destruction, vanity, hopelessness, brokenness, and death.--But the Holy Ghost works in believers unto our glorification- That glory will far exceed the sorrow - pain of our sufferings here.

God made all the world perfect and good, with no animal or human death. It was a paradise! None of God's creatures killed another creature!God placed man as His highest creation over all the rest of the creation, giving him dominion over the creation and commanding him to subdue it. God provided only vegetables and fruit for food to His all creatures.Man's dominion was to be wise, non-violent, and benevolent. That's because man was made in God's image -- rational, spiritual, able to communicate with God, and most loved by God.But when Adam sinned, this all came crashing down. Thus, when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit, instantly they were spiritually dead, and physically, corruption set in, and dying soon they would be dead.They were both alienated and ashamed to be seen by God in their naked and disobedient characters, so they hid themselves from His presence.God pronounced several curses, which are but samples of the full consequences of the punishment of death upon Adam, all his descendants, and the creatures God had placed him as head over.But things soon grew much worse. The first man born in this world murdered his own brother in cold blood!Why? Because Adam was our representative before God. His rebellion was seen as a rebellion of the whole creation against God, which Adam represented. Adam was made in God's image, given God's command, and appointed by God to represent the creation.In man's fall, the whole world fell, and became subject to pain, sorrow, destruction, vanity, hopelessness, brokenness, and death.But the Holy Ghost works in believers unto our glorification! That glory will far exceed the sorrow & pain of our sufferings here.

In Romans, Paul dealt with life and death, both spiritual and physical, and we learn that spiritual life and physical life are not always tied together. Spiritual death and physical death only APPEAR not to be tied together.--In the Garden of Eden, God gave a commandment- if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in that day, you shall die.--When Adam ate of the forbidden tree, instantly he was dead spiritually, even though that death was a silent thing. He lay spiritually dead in rebellion against God, and he was unable to hear and obey God's commandments, without the Holy Ghost first working a miracle in his mind and heart, a miracle of spiritual regeneration, spiritual new birth, in short, a spiritual raising from the dead.--But Adam's physical death was also a stealthy thing, consisting of the onset of physical corruption due to sin. Little by little, corruption brought decay, disease, dissolution, detrimental aging, until finally Adam's physical corruption reached its pinnacle in death and the grave.--This physical death proceeded apace, even in those souls where the Holy Ghost had since the fall worked faith to trust in God's promise of salvation for sinners---This meant that every person was dying physically, whether or not they remained spiritually dead, or were spiritually alive again through God's gracious work in them.--In Romans, Paul makes it clear that the judgment for sin is death, and he doesn't distinguish between physical and spiritual death in the first five chapters.--That's because the punishment for sin is all of one piece- death, both spiritual and physical, because the wages of sin is death.

In Romans, Paul dealt with life and death, both spiritual and physical, and we learn that spiritual life and physical life are not always tied together. Spiritual death and physical death only APPEAR not to be tied together.--In the Garden of Eden, God gave a commandment- if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in that day, you shall die.--When Adam ate of the forbidden tree, instantly he was dead spiritually, even though that death was a silent thing. He lay spiritually dead in rebellion against God, and he was unable to hear and obey God's commandments, without the Holy Ghost first working a miracle in his mind and heart, a miracle of spiritual regeneration, spiritual new birth, in short, a spiritual raising from the dead.--But Adam's physical death was also a stealthy thing, consisting of the onset of physical corruption due to sin. Little by little, corruption brought decay, disease, dissolution, detrimental aging, until finally Adam's physical corruption reached its pinnacle in death and the grave.--This physical death proceeded apace, even in those souls where the Holy Ghost had since the fall worked faith to trust in God's promise of salvation for sinners---This meant that every person was dying physically, whether or not they remained spiritually dead, or were spiritually alive again through God's gracious work in them.--In Romans, Paul makes it clear that the judgment for sin is death, and he doesn't distinguish between physical and spiritual death in the first five chapters.--That's because the punishment for sin is all of one piece- death, both spiritual and physical, because the wages of sin is death.

In Romans, Paul dealt with life and death, both spiritual and physical, and we learn that spiritual life and physical life are not always tied together. Spiritual death and physical death only APPEAR not to be tied together.In the Garden of Eden, God gave a commandment: if you eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in that day, you shall die.When Adam ate of the forbidden tree, instantly he was dead spiritually, even though that death was a silent thing. He lay spiritually dead in rebellion against God, and he was unable to hear and obey God's commandments, without the Holy Ghost first working a miracle in his mind and heart, a miracle of spiritual regeneration, spiritual new birth, in short, a spiritual raising from the dead.But Adam's physical death was also a stealthy thing, consisting of the onset of physical corruption due to sin. Little by little, corruption brought decay, disease, dissolution, detrimental aging, until finally Adam's physical corruption reached its pinnacle in death and the grave.This physical death proceeded apace, even in those souls where the Holy Ghost had since the fall worked faith to trust in God's promise of salvation for sinners!This meant that every person was dying physically, whether or not they remained spiritually dead, or were spiritually alive again through God's gracious work in them.In Romans, Paul makes it clear that the judgment for sin is death, and he doesn't distinguish between physical and spiritual death in the first five chapters.That's because the punishment for sin is all of one piece: death, both spiritual and physical, because the wages of sin is death.

The Spirit bears witness to all believers, that we are the children of God by adoption, that we are therefore heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, and that because we suffer with Christ and in Christ, we shall also be glorified in and with Christ---God has given us a miraculous faith to trust in Jesus, and to persevere in all our trials and sorrow, because the Spirit testifies to us of the glory that surely will come one day---Paul elaborates to the Thessalonian believers upon this same theme of our faith growing to overcome persecution.--He rejoices that their faith grows exceedingly, in tandem with unity and love together.--Paul rejoices that those believers are an example of faith and patience in persecution, which he brags about to the other churches. Their example manifests the righteous judgment of God, Who counts them worthy of the kingdom of God.--God's justice against their persecutors will be revealed one day, and it will be a righteous judgment.--Paul exhorts them to rest with all the saints, until that coming day, when Christ and His angels will appear from heaven, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, nor believe Christ's gospel.--The end of the wicked is everlasting destruction before Christ's presence, and by the glory of His power---Christ will, at that time, be glorified by and in His people, and be admired by them, because they believed upon Him beforehand.--Paul therefore prays for them, that God would count them worthy of all these things, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with His power.--All this is to be done, that our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in His people-

The Spirit bears witness to all believers, that we are the children of God by adoption, that we are therefore heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, and that because we suffer with Christ and in Christ, we shall also be glorified in and with Christ!God has given us a miraculous faith to trust in Jesus, and to persevere in all our trials and sorrow, because the Spirit testifies to us of the glory that surely will come one day!Paul elaborates to the Thessalonian believers upon this same theme of our faith growing to overcome persecution.He rejoices that their faith grows exceedingly, in tandem with unity and love together.Paul rejoices that those believers are an example of faith and patience in persecution, which he brags about to the other churches. Their example manifests the righteous judgment of God, Who counts them worthy of the kingdom of God.God's justice against their persecutors will be revealed one day, and it will be a righteous judgment.Paul exhorts them to rest with all the saints, until that coming day, when Christ and His angels will appear from heaven, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, nor believe Christ's gospel.The end of the wicked is everlasting destruction before Christ's presence, and by the glory of His power!Christ will, at that time, be glorified by and in His people, and be admired by them, because they believed upon Him beforehand.Paul therefore prays for them, that God would count them worthy of all these things, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness, and the work of faith with His power.All this is to be done, that our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in His people!

Our Lord Jesus was cruelly mocked and taunted during His ministry, and certainly when He was crucified to save us.--Isaiah had foretold that this would be- -He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And we hid our faces from Him, and esteemed Him not.---When Jesus cast a demon out of the blind and dumb man, the Pharisees scoffed that He had done so by the power of the prince of devils. Imagine, they mocked Christ for doing a good thing for this poor man---When Jesus healed the man born blind, they denounced Him as -not of God,- because He had healed on the Sabbath day. Later on, they asserted that He was a sinner, and that they didn't know where He came from.--Christ Himself warned His disciples that He would be mocked and spit upon, and murdered by wicked men, and rise again the third day.--At His trial before the Sanhedrin, He was blindfolded and struck on the face, and taunted to guess who it was that struck Him.--When they hauled Christ before Herod, Herod and his men belittled Him, and mocked Him, and dressed Him in a gorgeous robe, like some character in a comedy.--Pilate's men were the worst. They flogged our Lord Jesus, stripped Him of His clothes, dressed Him in scarlet, pressed a crown of thorns upon His head, and placed a reed in His hand.--They staged their own -tableau,- dressing Jesus up as a clown king, with royal robes, and a crown, and a scepter. They mocked Him with the words, -Hail, King of the Jews,- and then as His blood ran down His face from the thorns, they smote His bleeding head with the reed.--Then the people at the cross mocked Jesus. They wagged their heads at Him, and dared Him to save Himself.

Our Lord Jesus was cruelly mocked and taunted during His ministry, and certainly when He was crucified to save us.Isaiah had foretold that this would be: "He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And we hid our faces from Him, and esteemed Him not."When Jesus cast a demon out of the blind and dumb man, the Pharisees scoffed that He had done so by the power of the prince of devils. Imagine, they mocked Christ for doing a good thing for this poor man!When Jesus healed the man born blind, they denounced Him as "not of God," because He had healed on the Sabbath day. Later on, they asserted that He was a sinner, and that they didn't know where He came from.Christ Himself warned His disciples that He would be mocked and spit upon, and murdered by wicked men, and rise again the third day.At His trial before the Sanhedrin, He was blindfolded and struck on the face, and taunted to guess who it was that struck Him.When they hauled Christ before Herod, Herod and his men belittled Him, and mocked Him, and dressed Him in a gorgeous robe, like some character in a comedy.Pilate's men were the worst. They flogged our Lord Jesus, stripped Him of His clothes, dressed Him in scarlet, pressed a crown of thorns upon His head, and placed a reed in His hand.They staged their own "tableau," dressing Jesus up as a clown king, with royal robes, and a crown, and a scepter. They mocked Him with the words, "Hail, King of the Jews," and then as His blood ran down His face from the thorns, they smote His bleeding head with the reed.Then the people at the cross mocked Jesus. They wagged their heads at Him, and dared Him to save Himself.