Redemption Part 2

         
          Redemption is the act of God that frees sinners from the bondage of sin
     and the curse of the law, through Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross.


          The following information comes from the book
     Salvation Accomplished by the Son:  The Work of Christ, by Robert A.
     Peterson.

          * Jesus purchased the church (His people)  with His own blood.
             "Be shepherds of the church of God, which He bought with His own
     blood."  Acts 20:28

         * Jesus "purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people
     and nation."  Revelation 5:9

                           ******************************************


         * Redemption comes through Jesus Christ.

           "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified
     freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus." 
     Romans 3:23-24

         * Believers are redeemed already, but our final redemption is still future and
     that is why we live in hope of it.  It will be even greater, for it will involve our
     being raised in bodies that are immortal, imperishable, glorious, powerful, and
     dominated by the Spirit.

           "...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we
     wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this
     hope we were saved."  Romans 8:23-24a

          "So it will be with the resurrection of the dead.  The body that is sown is
     perishable, it is raised imperishable;  it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;
     it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;  it is sown a natural body, it is raised
     a spiritual body."  1 Corinthians 15:42-44

          "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wis-
     dom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption." 
     1 Corinthians 1:30

                           *****************************************

          * Our bodies belong to God three times over - by creation, redemption, and
     indwelling.

         * God called us to to live for Him no matter the circumstances.

            "Keeping God's commands is what counts."  1 Corinthians 7:19b

                   ********************************************

          My Comment
        *(The Bible is not pro slavery.  It just addresses the situation many believers
     found themselves in at the time.  Freedom is a theme throughout the Bible).

          Slaves made up the majority of the first century Roman world.
          Slavery then was not like the slavery of the 18th and 19th centuries in America.
     Many sold themselves to others just to make a living for themselves and their fam-
     ilies.  This was often a temporary situation.
  
          Paul told the Corinthians believers to be content with the situation to which God
     had called them, but they should gain their freedom if possible (1 Corinthians 7:21).


                       ******************************************

           * Christ bore the law's curse, its threat of punishment, that He might deliver His
     people from it (Galatians 3:13).  Here, legal, penal substitution and redemption
     overlap.
             Christ, redeems His people by giving Himself in death as a redeeming and aton-
     ing self-sacrifice, receiving the punishment that we lawbreakers deserved.

             He redeemed us so that in Christ Jesus, the blessing of Abraham might come to
     the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith (Gal. 3:13-14).

                     ********************************************

         * How God accomplishes redemption:

            The Father is the Elector;  the Son is the Redeemer;  and the Holy Spirit is the
     seal and guarantee (Ephesians 1:14).

            We receive an inheritance as children of God through redemption.

             "But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born
     under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons."
     Galatians 4:4-5

            We also receive forgiveness of sins.

            "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins..."
     Ephesians 1:7a

           * Jesus paid a ransom to God the Father to set His people free from sin.

              We "WERE ransomed", not we "CAN BE ransomed" if we believe.

              "... you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers,
     not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of
     Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot."  1 Peter 1:18-19

              My Comment:
             (A prisoner who has been ransomed will leave his prison and go home.
     Likewise, a sinner who is a prisoner of sin, will leave his life of sin and follow
     God, after the ransom has been paid.  In other words, Jesus paid the ransom for
     His people only, not for everyone in the world.  Many will never believe, or have
     died in their sin.  Jesus did not pay their ransom).


                    ******************************************

         * Redemption in Revelation

            "... To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood."
             Revelation 1:5

            1. Jesus redeemed us because He loves us.

            2. Jesus liberated us from sin by His blood.

            3. Redemption's price is Christ's blood.


        * Christ's death is effective  It actually ransoms people so that they belong to God.

            "... [He] has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve His God and Father."
             Revelation 1:6a

                           *****************************************

        * Redemption in Hebrews:

           Hebrews 9:11-15
           Jesus appeared as High Priest and secured an eternal redemption.  He entered the
     Most Holy Place (in heaven, not earth).
           He offered one sacrifice for all time, not many times.  His self-offering does not
     need to be repeated.
           He didn't offer animal blood, but His own.

                          *****************************************

        * Redemption is Past, Present, and Future.

         PAST
         "They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the
     Lamb."  Revelation 14:4b

         PRESENT
          "For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us ino the
     kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
     Colossians 1:13-14

         FUTURE
         "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the
     day of redemption."  Ephesians 4:30


                           *****************************************

          Christ's death does not save every human, but saves all of God's people from every
     people group, language, ethnic group, and country (Revelation 5:9).
          

         


         

    

Redemption

          Redemption is the act of God that frees sinners from the bondage of
     sin and the curse of the law, through Jesus Christ, and His death on the cross.

          All who have received Jesus Christ as Savior are set free by His offering
     of Himself as a sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sins of His people.


          "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ
     Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of Life set me free
     from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do in that
     it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending His own Son in the
     likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering."  Romans 8:1-3a


                          *****************************************

          "The Greek word translated 'redeemed' was often used to speak of buying
     a slave's or debtor's freedom.  Christ's death, because it was a death of substi-
     tution for sin, satisfied God's justice and exhausted His wrath toward his elect,
     so that Christ actually purchased believers from slavery to sin and from the
     sentence of eternal death."   John MacArthur

          Redemption delivers us from the punishment we deserve for our sinfulness.


          "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us -
     for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree' - so that in Christ
     Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might
     receive the promised Spirit through faith." 
          "... And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according
     to promise."   Galatians 3:13-14, 29

          We are adopted as His children through Jesus' act of redemption.

          "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of
     woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we
     might receive adoption as sons."   Galatians 4:4-5


           God promised to send His Spirit to His chosen people.

          "And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit
    upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord God."  Ezekiel 39:29


                         ******************************************

          Redemption comes through Jesus Christ.

          "....for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by
     His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put
     forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith."  Romans 3:23-25a

          God declares us, His people, legally righteous (justification) through Jesus' death
     on the cross.

          God delivers us from Satan's kingdom, and forgives our sins through Jesus'
     atoning work at Calvary.

          "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the
     kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
     Colossians 1:13-14

                             **************************************

          We belong to God, because His Son has paid the price for our redemption through
     His blood.

          "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom
     you have from God?  You are not your own, for you were bought with a price.  So
     glorify God in your body."  1 Corinthians 6:19-20


                           ***************************************

          RANSOM

          Jesus paid the ransom to obtain the freedom of His people.

          "...even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life
     as a ransom for many."   Matthew 20:28

          Many receive eternal life because of the ransom paid by Jesus.
          The ransom was paid to God the Father, (not Satan, as some have taught), to satisfy
     His wrath against us for our sins.


          Jesus ransomed people for God from all over the world.

          "...'Worthy are you to take the scroll, and to open its seals, for you were slain, and
     by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people
     and nation ..."   Revelation 5:9


                         ***********************************************

          J.I. Packer, theologian commented on redemption.

          "Redemption is Christ's actual substitutionary endurance of the penalty of sin in the
     place of certain specified sinners, through which God was reconciled to them, their
     liability to punishment was forever destroyed, and a title to eternal life was secured
     for them."

          "In consequence of this, they now have in God's sight, a right to the gift of faith, as the
     means of entry to the enjoyment of their inheritance.  Calvary, in other words, not merely
     made possible the salvation of those for whom Christ died;  it ensured that they would be
     brought to faith and their salvation be made actual."

          "The cross saves."
         

    
          

         



         

    

Propitiation and Expiation

          The atonement of Christ is the sacrificial work of Jesus in His death on
     the cross to satisfy the wrath of God, with reconciliation accomplished for all
     who will be redeemed.

          Atonement was necessary because of our sinfulness, which required God's
     punishment.  Jesus became the substitute for His people's sins, as God the
     Father imputed our sin to His Son, and gave us His righteousness in return.

         
                                        ***************************

          "To grasp the depth and reason for the atonement, we must understand the
     enormity of our sin.  Sin is an evil of infinite magnitude, for it is committed
     against an infinite Person, unto whom every creature is under infinite obliga-
     tions of rendering unceasing and joyful obedience."

          "This is why God's punishment of sin unatoned for will be eternal;  neces-
     sarily so for nothing less will fit the case, nothing less will satisfy Divine
     justice.  And this is why God could receive no satisfaction to His broken law
     save from one that possessed infinite merits." 

          "Sin is coming short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23), which dishonors
     God.  Fallen people cannot restore God's honor and the sinner cannot be
     pardoned until the law is followed completely.  This is impossible for sinful
     men.  Only a mediator who is both Divine and human is able to bring full
     satisfaction to God."  (From 'The Satisfaction of Christ')

          Before Christ died, only a spotless animal sacrifice without blemish was
     acceptible to satisfy God's wrath against mankind for its sins.

          Therefore, only a perfect, spotless, sinless human sacrifice would be
     acceptable to God also.  No ordinary human being is able to meet that
     standard.  Only God in human form could do that.

          Jesus' death was a vicarious sacrifice, one given in the place of the sinner,
     so that the person never has to face the penalty for his sin.  Christ's atoning
     work for His people brought total satisfaction to God the Father for all time.  


                                  ********************************


          Two fruits of the atonement of Christ are propitiation and expiation.

          Propititation is the turning away of wrath by an offering.  In relation to
     soteriology (salvation), propitiation means placating or satisfying the wrath
     of God by the atoning sacrifice of Christ.  (Theopedia)


          "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the
     law, although the Law and Prophets bear witness to it - the righteousness of
     God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no dis-
     tinction:  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are
     justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
     whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith."
      Romans 3:21-25a


          "Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in every respect, so that
     He might become a  merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to
     make propitiation for the sins of the people."  Hebrews 2:17

           John MacArthur commments:

          "By His partaking of a human nature, Christ demonstrated His mercy to
     mankind and His faithfulness to God by satisfying God's requirement for
     sin and thus obtaining for His people full forgiveness."


          "In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent
     His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."  1 John 4:10


          John wrote this epistle to recall believers to the fundamentals of the faith.
     The words "we," "us," and "our" refer to God's people.  Jesus died as a sub-
     stitute for His people.


                                        ****************************

           Expiation is God's removal of the sins of believers.  The difference be-
     tween expiation and propitiation is that the object of expiation is sin, not God.
     One propitiates a person, and one expiates a problem.


          "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love
     toward those who fear Him;  as far as the east is from the west, so far does He
     remove our transgressions from us."  Psalm 103:12


          (John the Baptist said), "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin
     of the world."  John 1:29 

          Here, the word "world" means humanity in general, not every person in the
     world.  Jesus' sacrifice for sin is efficacious only for those who believe.


          "For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
           Jeremiah 31:34b

          This was God's proclamation to individual people and Israel as a nation.
     Later, it also applied to all who believed in Christ for salvation.

          "Because Christ's expiation of sin is indivisible, inexhaustible, and sufficient
     to cover the guilt of all the sins that will ever be committed, God can clearly offer
     it to all.  Yet only the elect will respond and be saved, according to His eternal
     purpose."  John MacArthur


           "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I
     will raise him up on the last day."  John 6:44


                                   *************************************

          Jesus fully accomplished the Father's will through His atonement on the cross,
     as a vicarious sacrifice for His people, removing and forgiving their sins.



                                          





    
   

Definite Atonement

          The atonement of Christ is the sacrificial work of Jesus for sinners.
     In His death on the cross, Christ atoned for the sins of humanity such
     that God is satisfied and reconciliation is accomplished for all who will
     be redeemed (Theopedia).
         
         
                         "For if while we were enemies we were
                           reconciled to God by the death of His Son,
                           much more, now that we are reconciled,
                           shall we be saved by His life.  More than
                           that, we also rejoice in God through our
                           Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have
                           now received reconciliation."
                           Romans 5:10-11

          Jesus' death accomplished much more than just making people saveable.
     His death actually saved His people and reconciled them to God the Father.


                          "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to
                            Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that is
                            in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not
                            counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us
                            the message of reconciliation."
                            "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His
                            appeal through us.  We implore you on behalf of Christ, be
                            reconciled to God."
                            "For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so
                             that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."
                            2 Corinthians 5:18-21

          John MacArthur's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:19

          "The word "world" should not be interpreted in any universalistic sense,
     which would say that everyone will be saved, or even potentially reconciled.
     "World" (the word "world" has many different meanings in the New Testa-
     ment) here refers to the entire sphere of mankind or humanity, the category
     of beings to whom God offers reconciliation - people from every ethnic
     group, without distinction."

          "The intrinsic merit of Christ's reconciling death is infinite and the offer
     is unlimited.  However, actual atonement was made only for those who be-
     lieve.  The rest of humanity will pay the price for their own sin in eternal
     hell."


          John MacArthur's Commentary on 2 Corinthians 5:21

          "God the Father, using the principle of imputation, treated Christ as if He
     were a sinner though He was not, and had Him die as a substitute to pay the
     penalty for the sins for those who believe in Him."  (Isaiah 53:4-6; Gal. 3:
     10-13; 1 Peter 2:24)

          "As Christ was not a sinner, but was treated as if He were, so believers,
     who have not yet been made righteous (until glorification) are treated as if
     they were righteous.  He bore their sins so that they could bear His righteous-
     ness.  God treated Him as if He committed believers' sins, and treats believers
     as if they did only the righteous deed of the sinless Son of God."

                                       
                                 ***************************************

          Though Christ's death is of infinite value and is sufficient to redeem every
     man (had this been God's intention), the true intention of Christ's death was
     to accomplish effectively the full salvation of His people, and His people only
     (a definite atonement).  Theopedia

          Obviously, only His people, the elect, are atoned for and reconciled with God,
     because unbelievers are still in their sins and Jesus has not atoned for them.

                                ****************************************

          In the Old Testament, the high priest offered the sacrifice for his people who
     drew near to God, not for everyone in the world.  He didn't offer sacrifice for the
     Egyptians or the Assyrians - only for those of his people who were faithful to God.
     However, these sacrifices were only temporary and had to be performed over and
     over.
          On the other hand, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for His people, and enters
     into the presence of the Father to provide intercession for those for whom He died.
          His sacrifice was once for all time and never needs to be repeated.

    
                                     "Since then we have a great high priest who
                                      has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the
                                      Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
                                      For we do not have a high priest who is unable
                                      to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one
                                      who  in every respect has been tempted as we
                                      are, yet without sin."
                                      Hebrews 5:14-15

          Jesus was the sacrifice and the high priest - the Offerer and the Offering for
     His people, and their mediator and intercessor with the Father.


          Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and saves completely through His death and
     resurrection.  He is the only High Priest we need.


                              "The former priests were many in number,
                                because they were prevented by death from
                                continuing in office, but He holds His priest-
                                hood permanently, because He continues
                                forever."
                                "Consequently, He is able to save to the
                                uttermost those who draw near to God
                                through Him,
                                since He always lives to make intercession
                                for them." 
                                Hebrews 7:23-25

          Sacrifice is no longer needed to satisfy God the Father's wrath.

                                 ***********************************

          James White comments on definite atonement:

                    "I believe Jesus saves everyone for whom He dies and He intercedes
          for them.  Who do you think Jesus intercedes for today?"

                      "In the old testament, the high priest offered the sacrifice.  He had to
          present the blood of the sacrifice in the Holy Place, and everyone for whom
          he offered the sacrifice, was those for whom he interceded."

                       "Jesus is interceding today in heaven in the presence of the Father
          specifically for those He's going to save.  Do you really think He's interced-
          ing for those who will spend eternity in hell, and failing in His intercession?"

                                  *************************************

          Tom Ascol comments on definite atonement:

                        "Jesus actually redeemed everyone He intended to redeem when He
          shed His blood on the cross.
                        "Just as the high priest under the old covenant wore the names of the
          twelve tribes of Israel on his breastplate when he performed his sacrificial
         service, so our Great High Priest (Jesus), under the new covenant, had the names
         of His people inscribed on His heart as He offered up Himself as a sacrifice for
         their sins."


                        "He Himself, bore our (His people) sins in His
                          body on the tree, that we might die to sin and
                          live to righteousness."
                          1 Peter 2:24a
                               




                                       

                         



         
    


    

Could Lazarus Have Refused To Come Out?

                                                   
                                               "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives
                                                them life, even so the Son gives life to whom
                                                He is pleased to give it."    John 5:21



          We all know the story of Lazarus, and how Jesus raised him from the dead,
     even though he had been in the tomb for four days.

          Jesus loved Lazarus (the messenger told him, "Lord, the one you love is sick"
     (John 11:5), but He waited two days to go and see about him.  Jesus knew that
     God the Father would use Him to bring glory to Himself and lead many to be-
     lieve in Him, through the raising of Lazarus from the dead."

          When Jesus finally reached the tomb and cried out in a loud voice, "Lazarus,
     com out," could Lazarus have refused to do so?  Could he have said, "No thanks,
     I like it in here.  It's nice and cool and quiet.  No kids to bother me.  I'll just stay
     right here?"  Could he?

          The answer will be obvious as you read further.

                                           ******************************

          Jesus told the people gathered around to remove the stone in front of the tomb.
     When Martha told him that he had been dead four days and there would be an
     odor, Jesus replied," Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the
     glory of God?"  Jesus knew a great miracle was about to take place, bringing
     glory to God.


          Jesus prayed aloud, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  I know that
     you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that
     they may believe you have sent me."  John 11:41b-42


          Then, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, " Lazarus, come out."  Lazarus appeared
     from the tomb, with his hands and feet bound by linen strips, and a cloth on his
     face.  Jesus told the people to "unbind him, and let him go."  John 11:43-44


                             **********************************


          Jesus went to Bethany to show the people God's mighty power and to lead
     many of them to salvation in Him.  He knew that He was going to raise Lazarus
     from the dead, and God would receive the glory for it.

          He knew that when He called out to Lazarus to come forth from the grave, that
     Lazarus would obey and come out.  Lazarus' death and resurrection were a picture
     of what happens to people who are dead in their sins (Ephesians 2), and are re-
     generated (born again) by God so that they CAN and WILL have faith and believe
     in Him.

          Those whom God the Father has given to His Son, WILL COME to Him, and
     He will never cast them out.

               "All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I
     will never drive away.  For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but
     to do the will of Him who sent me.  And this is the will of Him who sent me, that
     I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day.  For
     my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall
     have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."   John 6:37-40


          Those given to Jesus are the elect (Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Thessalonians 2:13) and
     they WILL COME to Him and He will never drive them away.

          This is the doctrine of "Irresistible Grace."

                                 ********************************


          Theopedia, an encyclopedia of Christianity, defines "Irresistible Grace" as:

          "The doctrine that teaches that the saving grace of God is effectually applied to
     those whom He has determined to save, (because of His sovereign will
     and purpose), whereby in God's timing, He overcomes their resistance to the call
     of the gospel and irresistibly brings them to a saving faith in Christ."

          "Rather, the willingness and ability to do God's will are evidence of God's
     own faithfulness to save men from the power and penalty of sin, and since man
     is so corrupt that he will not decide and cannot be wooed to follow after God,
     sovereign efficacious grace is required to convert him." 

          "This is done by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit whereby a fallen man who
     has heard the gospel is made willing and necessarily turns to Christ in God-given
     faith."

                                   *********************************

          Coming to Jesus is a gift.

                              
          "For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who
     would betray Him.  He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come
     to me unless the Father has enabled him."  John 6:64b-65

 
          This gift is given to some and not to others.  Jesus knew from the beginning
     that Judas would not believe in Him, in spite of all the teachings and invitations
     he received.  Judas was not given to Jesus.  There were many good influences on
     his life for good, but the decisive, irresistible gift of grace was not given to him.

                                      ****************************


          John Murray (1898-1975), theologian who helped found Westminster
     Theological Seminary, said of "irresistible grace:"

          "When a sinner comes to Christ in the commitment of faith, when the rebellious
     will is renewed and tears of penitence begin to flow, it is because a mysterious trans-
     action has been taking place between the persons of the Godhead."

          "The Father has been making a presentation, a donation to His own Son.  So
     perish the thought that coming to Christ finds its explanation in the autonomous
     determination of the human will." 

          "It finds its cause in the sovereign will of God the Father.  He has placed upon
     this person the constraint by which he has been captivated by the glory of the
     Redeemer, and invests in him all his interests.  Christ is made wisdom from God,
     righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.  Here is grace, surpassing;  and
     it is grace insurmountable."

                                     ********************************


          John Calvin, one of the great Reformers of the 16th century said of "irresistible
     grace:"
                 "It is not violent, so as to compel men by external force, but still it is a
     powerful impulse of the Holy Spirit, which makes men willing who formerly were
     unwilling and reluctant."


          John Gill, theologian  said of the doctrine:
                 "This act of drawing (John 6:44) is an act of power, yet not of force;  God
     in drawing of unwilling, makes willing in the day of His power.  He enlightens
     the understanding, bends the will, gives a heart of flesh, sweetly allures by the
     power of His grace, and engages the soul to come to Christ, and give up itself to
     Him;  He draws with bands of love."


                                      *******************************


          God makes His people alive through Christ.

                               "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with
     which he loved us (believers), even when we were dead in our trespasses, MADE
     US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST - by grace you have been saved."
     Ephesians 2:4-5


                                     *********************************


          James White, theologian and author wrote:

                    "Irresistible grace is simply the confession that when God chooses to
     raise His people to spiritual life, He does so without the fulfillment of any condi-
     tion on the part of the sinner."
                    "Just as Christ had the power and authority to raise Lazarus to life
     without obtaining his "permission" to do so, He is able to raise His elect to
     spiritual life with just as certain a result."



             (Jesus said), " For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them
     life, so even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it." 
     John 5:21
  



                 

                          



 
                

         
         







   
                                               

A Believer's Prayer of Thanks

          Heavenly Father,

                      Thank you for graciously choosing (*1) and calling me (*2) to be one
          of your children, adopting me as one of your own (*3) and appointing me to
          eternal life (*4), not because of anything good in me (*5) or anyone else (*6),
          but because of your Sovereign will (*7), according to your purpose, (*8), and
          because of your love for me (*9).  In Jesus name, Amen.


                                               *************************


                        *1 "For He chose us in Him (Jesus) before the creation of
                              the world to be holy and blameless in His sight."
                              Ephesians 1:4


                       *2 "And we know that for those who love God all things
                             work together for good, for those who are called ac-
                             cording to His purpose."
                             Romans 8:28


                       *3 "In love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons
                             through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure
                             and will."
                             Ephesians 1:4a-5


                      *4 "... and all who were appointed for eternal life believed."
                            Acts 13:48


                     *5 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
                           and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not
                           by works, so that no one can boast."
                           Ephesians 2:8-9


                     *6 "Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in
                            His name, He gave the right to become children of God -
                            children born not of natural descent, nor of human de-
                            cision, or a husband's will, but born of God."
                            John 1:12-13


                     *7 "For He (God) says to Moses,' I will have mercy on whom
                           I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I
                           have compassion."
                          "It (God's choice to elect on the basis of His Sovereign
                           freedom) does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or
                           effort, but on God's mercy."
                           Romans 9:15-16


                     *8 "... in accordance with His pleasure and will - to the praise
                            of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the
                           One He loves."
                           Ephesians 1:5b-6


                    *9 "For God loved the world in this way:  He gave His One and
                          Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not
                          perish but have eternal life."
                          John 3:16

                         "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God;  He is the
                          faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand
                          generations of those who love him and keep his commands."
                          Deuteronomy 7:9
                           


                   
         

God's Word is Precious to His People

          In case you haven't noticed, the world doesn't really care much for the Bible, or
      Christians, and the beliefs we hold onto dearly.

          While reading a story on ESPN.com about last week's NFL player draft, I couldn't
     help but notice a gratuitous shot the writer took at the Bible.
          That writer, Rick Reilly, who worked for Sports Illustrated for years, and now for
     ESPN.com, has let it be known for most of that time that he is not a believer, and not
     above mocking those who do believe.

          The shot he took at God's word wasn't egregious, but was totally unnecessary.  He
     was making note of the lack of excitement at the top of the draft, because everyone
     knew that the Indianapolis Colts, were going to take Andrew Luck with the first pick,
     and the Washington Redskins would take Robert Griffin III with the second choice.

          The line that drew my attention was this:  "It has all the drama of a reading from
     Paul's first letter to the Corinthians."  At first, I thought to myself, "Now why did he
     fell the need to go there and mock the Bible in that way?"

          But, then I remembered what Paul said in that first letter to the Corinthians about
     those who don't believe.


          "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us
     who are being saved it is the power of God."   1 Corinthians 1:18

         

                             ********************************************

          While to Christians, the Bible is God's holy and inspired word, to many unbelievers
      it is just a bunch of fairy tales written long ago, with no meaning for sophisticated
     people of today's modern world.  God's word is boring to them;  they don't understand
     it and don't care to know the message that God has for them.

          "The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of
     God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are
     spiritually discerned.  The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he him-
     self is not subject to any man's judgment:  'For who has known the mind of the Lord
     that he may instruct Him?'"   But we have the mind of Christ.  1 Corinthians 2:14-16

          Unbelievers are hardened toward God and His word and want no part of Him or His
     message of forgiveness and grace for those who believe.


          "The god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot
     see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.  For we do
     not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus'
     sake.  For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made His light shine in our
     hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.'"
     2 Corinthians 4:4-6

                                **************************************

          Non-Christians reject the God who created them and gives them every breath they
     need to continue living.  Even though their hearts are hard toward Him, God still blesses
     them each day with abundance.


          "How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!
          The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked
     spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.  But you,
     O LORD, are exalted forever."  Psalm 92:5-8

                            ****************************************

          God's Word guides His people and brings joy to those who love Him.

          "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.  The statutes of the LORD are
     trustworthy, making wise the simple.  The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy
     to the heart.  The commmands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes."
     Psalm 19:7-8

          The word of the LORD is flawless.

          "As for God, His way is perfect;  the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a  shield
     for all who take refuge in Him."  Psalm 18:30

                             ****************************************

          The Bible may not be important to most of the world, but God's word is precious to
     His people!
 

          "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."  Psalm 119:105

          "Your word, O LORD, is eternal;  it stands firm in the heavens."  Psalm 119:89