2/17/2019
Keeping God First In All Things – Pt6
The Priesthood of Believers Is A Serious Responsibility
Webster’s Dictionary…a doctrine of the Protestant Christian Church: every individual (true believer) has direct access to God without ecclesiastical mediation & each individual shares the responsibility of ministering to the other members of the community of believers
Christ’s Position Authorizes Ours
Ephesians 3:12 …because of Christ “we have boldness & confident access through faith in Him”
Hebrews 4:16 (because of Christ) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 10:21-22 …since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…
Priests Offer Sacrifices
1 Peter 2:5 …you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Christ’s Sacrifice Was Offered Once
Hebrews 7:27 …He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself.
Hebrews 9:26 …But now He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
Hebrews 10:10 …we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
1st Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God…
Old Covenant Prophecies Spoke of His Atonement as FINAL
Zechariah 3:9 See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes on that one stone, I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the LORD Almighty, I will remove the sin of this land in a single day!
The Prophecies Declared That Sin Finished, Ended & Reconciled
Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people & upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins & to make reconciliation for iniquity & to bring in everlasting righteousness & to seal up the vision & prophecy & to anoint the Most Holy.
Jesus Christ Himself Declared His Work Complete
John 19:30 …when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.
The Justification of the Believer is Absolute, Complete & Final
Romans 8:33 “…it is God that justifieth”
Ecclesiates. 3:14 “… whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be added to it, nor any thing taken from it”…
Romans 8:30
1 John 3:2
Romans 4:17
As far as the believer is concerned, the punitive side of the sin question has been settled once & for all! The sinner’s case has been tried in the Supreme Court of God, Who justifies anyone who believes: therefore the decision of God is stated in this way… Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”.
Before faith in Christ a person is in a state of condemnation (John 3:18); but now that their faith has united them to Christ; there is no condemnation. The debt of their sin has been paid by Christ; the record thereof has been “blotted out”
(Acts 3:19).
It is God that justifies. Who is he that condemns? (Romans 8:33-34)
Who can reverse His decision? It is utterly & absolutely impossible that the sentence of the Divine Judge should ever be revoked or reversed! His sentence of justification results from & rests upon, the complete satisfaction offered by His Son. So the recall of the verdict is IMPOSSIBLE.
The Father stipulated to release His elect from the curse of the law when the Son met the claims of justice against them. The Son freely complied with His Father’s will: “Not My will but Thine be done.” He was born under the law, fulfilled the law,
& suffered the full penalty of the law… Therefore Isaiah 53:11 says: After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life & be satisfied; by His knowledge
My Righteous Servant will justify many & He will bear their iniquities.
How very far from the truth of the Gospel is the mere conditional pardon that False Theologians (who claim salvation can be lost) represent. They say God bestows to those who come to Christ, a pardon that can be withdrawn or canceled, unless they “do their part” & perform certain religious stipulations! What a horrible & blasphemous travesty of the Truth it is! God has not & will not suspend our justification (salvation) based on human efforts! Not only is there “no condemnation” for the believer, but there never again shall be, for “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute sin!” Romans 4:8.
The sentence of the law, “Thou shalt surely die,” (for not keeping it perfectly) cannot now be required of the believer, or else their salvation would be forfeit. It must follow that the believing sinner is freed from all condemnation; that is, so cleared of culpability that they are beyond all liability of punishment! The Savior Himself, in words so plain & emphatic that they cannot be misunderstood… “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word & believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life & shall not come into condemnation; but has passed from death to life!” John 5:24