Prayer Service 5-8-24

Intercession and Supplication

Case Beasley (age 20): Colon Cancer

Leuna Angell (Kay’s Sister): Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Iva Lee

Pam Rogers: Ongoing Recovery from Respiratory Illness

Kathleen Icenhower: Heart Trouble

Jim Tierney (Trey’s Uncle): Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma

Tammy Orr (Ashlyn’s Grandma): Colon Cancer

Luke Thacker: Second Cancer Diagnosis

Hope Sanders (Jason): Liver Disease

Ty Benton and Familial Caretakers

Amber Benton: Ongoing Recovery and Transitions

Those affected by flooding in Kenya

Sawyers and other Laborers in Sekenani.

Trey Cripe: Wisdom and Guidance in decision making/planning

Faithful Christians/Churches in the UMC

Faithfulness of Denominations that have not apostatized.

Doctrines of Grace

1. Total Depravity (Total Inability)

2. Unconditional Election

3. Limited (Definite) Atonement/Particular Redemption

Definitions:

ATONEMENT:

A theological concept that refers to the reconciliation or reparation of a broken relationship between God and humanity, often through sacrificial or redemptive means.

The debate (once again) is NOT...

Did Christ make atonement for sinners...

But, what was the SCOPE of that atonement that he made?

Was it Universal or Particular?

Was it Indefinite or Definite?

Was the scope (not power) Unlimited or Limited?

John Owen gives famously gave these...

…as the only possible options to consider:

Either Christ died for:

1. All of the sins of all people (Universalism) 2. Some of the sins of all people (Modern Evangelical View) 3. All of the sins of some people (Definite Atonement)

Here’s how Owen fleshes that out:

1. If Christ underwent punishment for all of the sins of all people, then no one will be in Hell.

2. Some people will be in Hell.

Therefore 3. Christ did not undergo punishment for all of the sins of all people.

1. If Christ underwent punishment for only some of the sins of all people, then all people will be in Hell. 2. Not all people will be in Hell. Therefore 3. Christ did not undergo punishment for some of the sins of all people.

1. If some people will not be in Hell, then Christ underwent punishment for all of the sins of some people. 2. Some people will not be in Hell. Therefore 3. Christ underwent punishment for all of the sins of some people.

Finally, we looked at this:

Since not all men will be saved as the result of Christ’s redeeming work, a limitation must be admitted.

Either the atonement was limited in that it was designed to secure salvation for certain sinners, but not for others...

…or it was limited in that it was not intended to secure salvation for any, but was designed only to make it possible for God to pardon sinners on the condition that they believe.

In other words, one must limit its design either in extent (it was not intended for all) or in effectiveness (it did not secure salvation for any). — Steele, Thomas, and Quinn

Here too, we plan to study it categorically:

Jesus Actually Saves

1. The Scriptures teach that Christ came, not to enable men to save themselves, but to save sinners.

For Example, we looked at:

Matthew 1:21 (ESV)

21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 19:10 (ESV)

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

2. The Scriptures declare that, as the result of what Christ did and suffered, His people are reconciled to God, justified, and given the Holy Spirit, who regenerates and sanctifies them. All these blessings were secured by Christ Himself for His people.

a. Christ, by His redeeming work, secured reconciliation for His people

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 (ESV)

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them...

Similarly:

b. Christ secured the righteousness and pardon needed by His people for their justification

Romans 3:21–27 (ESV)

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded...

Romans 5:1 (ESV)

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 5:6–10 (ESV)

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.

10 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.

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (ESV)

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Soli Deo Gloria!

Galatians 3:13 (ESV)

13 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”—

Hebrews 9:11–15 (ESV)

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)

12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

1 Peter 2:24–25 (ESV)

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

-Similarly, yet again:

c. Christ secured the gift of the Spirit, which includes regeneration and sanctification and all that is involved in them

Ephesians 1:3–7 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

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,

6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

Philippians 1:29 (ESV)

29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

Acts 5:31–33 (ESV)

31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV)

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people,

12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 3:3–7 (ESV)

3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Ephesians 5:25–27 (ESV)

25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Hebrews 9:13–15 (ESV)

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh,

14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Hebrews 13:11–12 (ESV)

11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.

12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.

1 John 1:7 (ESV)

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.