Jan 20
19
The church possesses, both in name and in interest, from her union and oneness with her Lord. Flowing from this union the church is distinguished, by virtue of her interest in Christ, as…
• The body of Christ, Ephes. i. 23.
Brethren of Christ, Rom. viii. 29. Heb. iii. 1.
• The bride, the Lamb’s wife, Rev. xxi. 9.
• Children of the kingdom, Matt. Xiii. 38.
• They are called christians after Christ, Acts xi. 26.
• The church of God, 1 Cor. i. 2.
• Companions, Ps. xlv. 14. Song i. 7
• Complete in Christ, Col. ii. 10.
• Daughter of the King, Ps. xlv. 13.
• Comely in Christ’s comeliness, Ezek. xvi. 14.
• Election, Rom. ix. 11.
• Family of God, Ephes. iii. 15.
• Flock of God, Acts xx. 28.
• Fold of Christ, John x. 16.
• Friends of God. James ii. 23.
• Glory of God, Isa. xlvi. 13.
• Habitation of God, Ephes. ii. 22.
• Heritage of God, Jer. xii. 7. Ps. cxxvii. 3. Joel iii. 2.
• The Israel of God, Gal. vi. 16
• The lot of God’s inheritance, Deut. xxx ii. 9.
• Members of Christ, Ephes. v. 30. • Peculiar people, 1 Pet. ii. 9.
• The portion of the Lord, Deut. xxxii. 9.
• The temple of God, 1 Cor. iii. 16.
• The treasure of God, Ps. cxxxv. 4. • Vessels of mercy, Rom. ix. 23.
• The vineyard of the Lord, Isa . v. 1, &c.
These, with many others of the like nature, are among the distinguishing, names by which the church of Christ is known in Scripture, by reason of her oneness and union with Him. But this view of the intimate and everlasting connection between Christ and his church will be abundantly heightened, if we add to it what was proposed to shew the sameness between them, from being known under the same names, as descriptive of this union. A few examples in point will be known by the name of Adam, as our first father: “As the first Adam was made a living soul, so the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.” (1 Cor xv. 45.) As Christ is called a Babe, so are they said to be babes in Christ. (Luke ii. 16. 1 Pet. ii. 2.) As Christ is declared to be the dearly beloved of the Father, (Jer. xii. 7.) so the church is said to be dearly beloved also, (1 Cor. x. 14. Phil. iv. 1. 2 Tim i. 2.) Is Christ the Elect, in whom JEHOVAH’S soul delighteth? so are they elect, according to the foreknowledge of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Isa. xlii. 1. 1 Pet. i. 2.) Is Jesus the heir of all things? (Heb. i. 2.) so are they heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ, (Rom. viii. 17.) And when that Christ, by the spirit of prophecy, is called JEHOVAH our righteousness, the church as his wife, and entitled to every thing in him, is also called by the same name, JEHOVAH our righteousness. (See, compared together, Jer. xxiii. 6. with xxxiii. 16.) Yea, in one remarkable instance, the church not only bears Christ’s name, but Christ bears hers. He is called Jacob, and Israel. (Isa. xli. 8. and xlix. 3.)
Robert Hawker
Saving Faith
Saving Faith is not believing that you are saved; it is believing that Christ Jesus the Lord is the One and only all sufficient, successful Saviour. Saving Faith is not believing that you are elect; it is believing that you are a sinner completely dependent upon Christ for all your righteousness. Saving Faith is not believing that God will do something in the future; it is believing ALL that God has said and done. Saving Faith is not believing in the sovereignty of God; it is believing in a God who is absolutely sovereign. Saving Faith is not believing in the resurrection of the dead; it is believing that Christ Jesus IS the resurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? Jn 11:25-26. ~GE
___________________________________________________
Here is a word from God that should brighten the day for you – “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree.” When the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, hung upon the cross, he was made to be a curse, an object of Divine wrath and Judgment, so that we who believe might never endure the curse of God’s wrath. He did not simply make it possible for us to be redeemed. He did not simply make us redeemable. The text says, “Christ Hath redeemed us from the curse of the law!” This redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ is the central theme of Holy Scripture, the foundation of our faith, and the only hope we have of eternal salvation. ~Donnie Bell
___________________________________________________
Neither salvation nor sanctification is in any way a cooperative effort. When Peter was sinking beneath the waves, he did not say, “Lord, nothing is going to happen today that you and I together cannot handle.” He said, “Lord, save me.” ~Chris Cunningham
___________________________________________________
The Gospel
Those who WEARY of hearing the Gospel, who LOSE INTEREST in hearing the Gospel, and LOSE THEIR NEED of hearing the Gospel of Christ, and His redeeming love and grace, have never REALLY heard the Gospel at all. If one can leave Christ, he has never truly met Him! (John 6:65-69)
~Maurice Montgomery
To view justification as a legal standing before God and sanctification as how to live your life is a debasing, if not heretical, view of both justification and sanctification. Sanctification is the word God uses to most completely describe His salvation. Justification is one of the great blessings that arise out of God’s great work of sanctification! We were chosen by God and separated to be holy in eternal election. “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy (sanctification) and without blame (justification) before Him.” We were declared to be, “sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” We were made holy when we were sanctified by the Holy Ghost, being given a holy nature that does not and cannot sin. “Whosoever is born of God sinneth not.” Sanctification, the work of the Triune God, is salvation! We do not grow or decrease in sanctification! Every believer is a saint, a sanctified one! ~Todd Nibert
___________________________________________________
There is nothing that the church does that is more important than assembling to worship Christ. To gather in order to honor Christ through praying, preaching, and hearing the Gospel is such an important thing that each of us should approach it very seriously. Let each one prepare himself in heart and body so as to arrive on time, having the heart clothed with a desire to hear from Christ and the body dressed modestly so as not to attract attention to one’s self. Let each of us enter into every song and prayer, closing out the thoughts of the world and all the cares it loads on us. Let each of us listen to the Word of God with the intensity of baby birds chirping for food. In short, let each of us give himself to worship in this hour as though there were nothing better or more important in all the world to do – because there isn’t. ~Joe Terrell