In Christ, By The Will Of God, WK#4
By The Will Of God • Sermon • Submitted
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· 6 viewsWhat is a spiritual blessing? How do we receive it? Why is it important that we are in Christ? What is the benefit of being in Christ? We will try and begin answering these questions as we examine being "In Christ" this weekend.
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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
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, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
In Christ means - to be found encased within the person and propitiation of Christ.
In Christ means - to be found encased within the person and propitiation of Christ.
We continue to grow into the fullness of Christ through the process of sanctification.
When we begin in Christ, Christ is visible through us to the world, and, we become visible to God through Christ.
When we begin in Christ, Christ is visible through us to the world, and, we become visible to God through Christ.
As we grow in Him though, we should do a John the Baptist stated in
He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Meaning that I become less visible to the world and He becomes more visible.
Meaning that I become less visible to the world and He becomes more visible.
Example of visibility; Trey, his schizophrenia and his medicine.
As I grow in Christ, less and less of the old me is still visible to the world.
That is why it is says we are “in Christ”.
When God looks at me, the only glorious thing he sees is Jesus Christ His son.
When God looks at me, the only glorious thing he sees is Jesus Christ His son.
That is why and how we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. Because of the person and work of God through the person and work of Christ and carried out by the person and work of the Holy Spirit. The trinity is completely visible in the verses we study today.
There is an emphasis on the work of the Father in verses 3-6,
The work of the Son in verses 7-12,
and
Then the work of the Spirit in verses 13-14.
Merida, Tony. Exalting Jesus in Ephesians (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary) . B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Verses 3-6 tell us that we are chosen, predestined, adopted
Verses 3-6 tell us that we are chosen, predestined, adopted
and continually blessed in the Beloved by God the Father according to His will before the foundation of the world.
and continually blessed in the Beloved by God the Father according to His will before the foundation of the world.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Verses 7-12 tell us that we are redeemed by His blood, forgiven, lavished in grace and given wisdom and insight,
Verses 7-12 tell us that we are redeemed by His blood, forgiven, lavished in grace and given wisdom and insight,
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
united in Christ to heaven and our brothers and sisters here,
united in Christ to heaven and our brothers and sisters here,
we have obtained an inheritance, gained a hope in Christ that we did not have without Him.
we have obtained an inheritance, gained a hope in Christ that we did not have without Him.
And all this is according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
And all this is according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Verses 13-14 tell us that we were enlightened by the Spirit in a way that made the Word of the Gospel become truth to us
Verses 13-14 tell us that we were enlightened by the Spirit in a way that made the Word of the Gospel become truth to us
and sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation until we take complete possession of it when we are face to face with our savior Jesus Christ.
and sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our salvation until we take complete possession of it when we are face to face with our savior Jesus Christ.
It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
What possible spiritual blessing have we not received in Christ?
What possible spiritual blessing have we not received in Christ?
So, how do become “in Christ”?
So, how do become “in Christ”?
The way to be in Christ is to repent, or turn away from our sins
The way to be in Christ is to repent, or turn away from our sins
The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
),
),
Confessing to God that we are sinners
Confessing to God that we are sinners
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
When we believe that Christ died to take our punishment and now lives to give us new life
Proverbs
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
). When we believe that Christ died to take our punishment and now lives to give us new life (), He grants us forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that accompany that salvation.
2 Corinthians
2 Corinthian 15:3-4
He grants us forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that accompany that salvation.
He grants us forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that accompany that salvation.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(), He grants us forgiveness of sins and all the blessings that accompany that salvation.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.
Will you choose to be “In Christ” today?
Will you choose to be “In Christ” today?