CATECHISM QUESTION #36
Catechism Doctrine • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What benefits do they that are effectually called, partake of in this life?
What benefits do they that are effectually called, partake of in this life?
They are effectively called, do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.
Main Proposition:
Statement of Doctrine or Application
We are no longer the same people we once were
Intro:
Statement of proposition
When we are called to Christ this is something incredibly special because it is not something that happens to everybody as we have talked before on God’s elect
We also come to the realization that coming to Christ in faith, receiving his righteousness, being justified in the eyes of God is nothing that we could have ever done on our own.
We have to come to the realization that our sin is too much for us to handle on our own. That if it were up to us that we would continue to live a life in sin pollution and sin nature
That moment that you come to Christ is the moment that you realize that HE is the only way that you can overcome your sin.
When this happens you are instantly justified, you are instantly adopted as children of God and you begin to become sanctified (growing closer to Christ)
This is only for the person that is truly converted, truly comes to a saving faith in Christ
Other texts that support
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Why does this matter?
As we just read in Galatians and 1 Corinthians a lot happens before we come to true saving faith in Christ
As Paul reminds us in Romans it is “IN CHRIST” that any of this is possible
It is through faith in Christ that we are considered sons of God
The second we came to this faith we were washed from our sins
We lived a life that kept us in this dirty world and no matter what we did we could not escape from its filth.
We try to climb out of it, we try to do deeds that the world thinks is admirable and it doesn’t work
Christ’s blood washed away our sins
As we will talk about more tonight sin came into and affected the entire world by one man (Adam) and that sin and death was cleansed by one other man (Jesus Christ)
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
So not only do we need someone to save us that was righteous enough to fulfill the covenants that we couldn’t, but we also needed a new/regenerated heart to properly love God and follow his laws.
No matter how great a person was, Noah, Moses, David they could not atone for the work that Christ had done for us.
Only when he was resurrected and defeated death did God say he accepts the payment for Christ’s sheep.
We are called to live a life that is different than the world. We are to partake in God’s glory and not the glory of the world.
I want you to ask yourselves as we go through this lesson this morning:
What is your attitude towards God?
Do you seek to glorify God in your works or yourself?
These are questions only you can answer. Your best friends don’t know these, your siblings don’t know these and your parents don’t know these answers.
That is between you and God
Main Point #1: We are justified through the blood of Christ
Statement
Justification isn’t just a question of doctrine that we know and we move on. Justification is going to speak to our relationship with the one and true God and how we stand in the right before Him.
Prove
Our unrighteousness means that there is no reason God should count us as righteous before him.
We have disobeyed the Lord and because of that we deserve judgment
BUT we can be justified before God.
the ungodly and unrighteous can be declared justified if they put their faith in Jesus who was crucified and risen.
One of the themes of reformed theology is faith alone by grace alone and we see that throughout the entirety of scripture over and over again.
What we see in Scripture is that Jesus does not abandon us that have rebelled and strayed from God, but calls us to repent
The truth is that we are justified by faith and not works
We are not made right before God, we are not made in good standing with God because of our goodness, moral superiority compared to others or anything that the world deems good
It is only by the grace of God that is poured out into the ministry of Jesus.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
There is hope, forgiveness and a new beginning of a new life, BUT it is not found in ourselves
It can’t be found in ourselves because there is nothing that is good as natural humans
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
What we have to focus on and look at here is the fact that Jesus does not say “Come as you are or I get you”. His ministry to sinners and tax collectors in these verses is REPENT AND BELIEVE
He does not ignore or cast out sinners or tax collectors. He reaches out to those who have strayed away from God.
What does he do?
He invite them to come to God, he offers them forgiveness, a new heart and a new start to life.
BUT they first must have faith and by doing so repent from their sins. Carry their cross daily as it is seen in Luke 9:23
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
We see it again in “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” in Luke 15:11-32
In this parable sinners are the Prodigal son and God is the father
The son did not do anything to earn the forgiveness or acceptance of the father.
He failed just as we have failed in any attempt to glorify God, love God or worship God without having faith in Christ and by having the Holy Spirit work in our lives.
But Jesus reveals the mercy and grace that God that there is a way back to God for us who have wandered from God.
Those who admit their need, those who acknowledge their unworthiness, those who reach out an empty hand for help are the ones who are forgiven.
In the world today we want to appearance of being strong, independent, moral people so what do we do?
We put on a mask and hide the fact that we are not those things.
Lets look at another passage that shows us the pridefulness of a person and also someone that knows the depth of his sin
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
First let’s look at the physical posture of the Pharisee:
The Pharisee is standing by himself
In his mind he is better than some of the others, he doesn’t want to be corrupted and defiled by by the unclean and sinful people that are also in the temple
Second, let’s look at the heart posture of the Pharisee:
What do we notice? What is his attitude? What does his heart say?
He is grateful that he isn’t like other people like the tax collector that is in his sight of vision
He has abstained from sin and even more than that he has fasted twice a week (WOW)
Hi prayer is prideful, arrogant and shows elitist
Now lets look at this tax collector:
What is his physical posture like?
He is standing far away because he feels unworthy, knowing the depth of his sin
What is his heart posture like?
He asks God to be merciful on him
And what happens? We find out in verse 14
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
The tax collector that did not trust in his own righteousness was the one that was ultimately justified and not the pharisee
Illustrations
Apply or Confront
What does the world teach us today? We are taught that everybody is worthy of everything, if you work hard enough you will fill all the needs and holes that are in your life.
For men we are told to never to hold out our empty hands to anybody
We are being taught the opposite from what Scripture teaches us, from what Christ himself is teaching us.
We cannot have an elitist mindset when it comes to Christ
That legalism and works based righteousness is an actual problem.
Main Point #2: We are adopted as Children of God
Statement
When we come to Christ we are adopted into his covenant family
We are now Children of God and what an honor it is to be able to say that God chose me to be one of his own children
What is adoption: Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.
Prove
When we think of adoption it usually envisioned by an orphaned child that is now joining a new set of parents.
This child’s life changes drastically: There is a new identity, address, relationships, care, provision
Nothing will remain the same for the child or the parents
This is something that was predestined by God, there was no mistake, in God’s sovereign providence this was Plan A and the only plan.
While God could have drawn the redeemed merely, but gloriously as slaves to himself, but according to his love and wisdom , brought the fullest amount of glory to himself by adopting them as sons.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
God has granted his elect, Jesus’ flock of sheep a new citizenship, a new family.
Adoption is a legal term and as adopted sons of God we are redeemed and inherit a new citizenship and enter a new household with all the rights and privileges of sonship.
In a sense we are not blood related to God or Christ, but because we are adopted into God’s family we inherit all of the rights and privileges of the son.
One of those privileges is having access to God. What we talked about last Sunday evening. We know can come to God at any time and have the ability to pray to him, be in communication to him and he will be there for us 24/7
When someone is adopted they aren’t just an external source that is brought into the fold and don’t receive any of the benefits of other family members. They receive everything that everybody else gets.
4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,
Here Paul is saying that adoption changes status, it changes hearts and ultimately changes everything.
Our entire trajectory of live is providentially changed.
Those are who in Adam are sons of disobedience, guilty and corrupt in him, but those in Christ are adopted sons, forgiven and washed in him.
Son’s in the son, enjoy forgiveness and a new status, they enjoy a new transforming grace and they are conformed into the image of the redeeming Son.
Our adoption is secure because God is secure because Christ is secure.
4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.
What we want to focus on in section of coming to that saving faith is that all of this starts with God grace and because of the work of His Son.
In Romans 8:15-17
15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
We see that the adoption that we get is applied by the Holy Spirit
Not only is it applied by the Holy Spirit, but we see once again something about eternity “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear”
What is Paul saying? We received the Holy Spirit in our hearts that will preserve our faith and because of that Spirit we are now adopted sons of God.
We cannot be unadopted at this point. We are eternally God’s children.
The resurrection life of the Son of God shapes the believers’ state, nature, outlook, and identity in this world.
For adoption to occur like sanctification and justification, the presence of the Holy Spirit is mandatory.
He alone brings the believer to victory over sin in his life through application of the work of the victorious Son of God
Illustrations
Apply or Confront
Main Point #3: We will continue to be sanctified until we meet Christ
Statement
Lastly, one of my favorite doctrines in Scripture is the doctrine of Sanctification.
Sanctification is a work of God’s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.
The difference between justification and sanctification is that once we are justified by God we cannot get more justified than we are when we first believe
But with sanctification we can feel every bit of grace in our new heart, life and character. We feel more strengthened in our faith, we feel a deeper level of our faith for Christ and our love for Him.
Prove
We have talked about the doctrine of sanctification quite a bit over the last few weeks, but what I love about this gift it’s the fact that it is a continuous gift that we grow closer to the image of Christ throughout our lives after we come to that saving faith and that saving knowledge.
Once we come to Christ that is NOT the end of our spiritual journey. We have to keep running towards Christ.
When we first come to that saving faith we are babes in Christ
When we are sanctified Christ not only washes us with his own blood, but he also separates us from our natural love of sin and the world, puts a new truth, a new guide in our hearts.
When you are sanctified we grow closer to God and grow further away from the world. It is so crazy to think of life for myself before I got saved. I was definitely of the world, wanted to get my happiness from the world and only the world could satisfy my needs and it is not like I lived a life that was wild or crazy, I was a professional cyclist trying to make it in European cycling. My only goal was to make myself happy, live a cool and exciting life and unfortunately God was not in my plan.
Fast forward to 2018, God brought me my incredible wife, I came to a saving knowledge of His son and 6 years later Here I am now if front of you fine people.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
The Spirit never lies still or idle within the soul.
A believer is going to feel the Holy Spirit’s presence, you are going to see the fruit of the spirit.
R.C. Ryle quote: “The Spirit is compared to the wind; and, like the wind, He cannot be seen by our bodily eyes. But, just as we know the wind by the effect it produces on waves and trees and smoke, so we may know the Spirit is in a man by the effects He produces in the man’s conduct.”
1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,
When we first come to the Lord we cannot handle solid food of theology, scripture, doctrine. We need something more simple that we can actually get some spiritual nutrition from
What good would it do to a new believer if the second that they came to faith they are thrown into John Frame’s systematic theology, The history and Theology or Calvinism, etc.
What do they need as babes in Christ? Scripture, fellowship with other believers, prayer, someone to disciple them.
There are a lot of professing Christians that are complacent today, they do not serve in the church, they do not like time of fellowship with other believers. They do the bare minimum to get by.
We are not called by God to walk off the field and sit on the bleachers. We are called to be active in God, in his word, his ministry, with his people
Flowers in texts
13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Illustrations:
Lets use a gym illustration here: You start to go consistently to the gym. That first day you go to the gym you are small (or fat), weak, not a lot of knowledge about nutrition or workout structure. As you consistently eat correct, sleep properly, workout with good structure and properly overload your muscles you are going to grow more and more toward your health or body composition goal. Will there be times when you plateau yes, but you should overall continue to move upward towards your goals.
It is the same with sanctification. We have the Holy Spirit indwelled in our hearts, we are given new tools, new knowledge, new outlook on life and if we truly are a believer in Christ and the sanctified person is not someone that has temporary religious feelings. They have permanent Christ filled feelings that continues to grow.
Application Points:
As believers we must believe that we are instantly justified when we come to that saving faith in Christ
That as Christ’s sheep we are adopted as God’s children and we will enjoy those amazing benefits
Benefits of eternal life
Believers will not be stagnant or idle in their growth/sanctification.
We are called to be active in Christ’s ministry and continue to grow as stronger believers
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