Complete in Christ C

Jesus Christ buys complete working free men from sin its power and consequences gave life so new and so vital and so rated that can be described only by the term resurrection. Time magazine. He then declared that he wanted nothing to do with the God who would allow such an atrocity, and he never went back to church. Now what if you had a child like Steve Jobs. How would you show him that God is far more loving and kind and gracious than you or I could ever imagine. John MacArthur gives you a great place to start today on grace to you as he looks at God's all sufficient and amazing forgiveness is part of John's study on the blessings of salvation titled complete in Christ turned the book of Colossians. And here's John Ellis.

Look at Colossians 210.

Colossians 210 says and you are complete in him who is the head of all principality and power are complete in him you have been made complete. Now what does that mean say what you mean John was a complete complete what what is the definition of that completeness well.

Paul can't just say it either so he's gotta preach a sermon on it just like I would. He's gotta explain it.

So he does in the next verses, and he shows you three ways in which you are complete. These are just basic beautiful thing. Three ways three kinds of completeness three aspects to our completeness number one complete salvation member to complete forgiveness and number three complete victory complete salvation. Verses 11 and 12 complete forgiveness verses 13 and 14 complete victory verse 15 how we complete Paul number one your salvation is complete. Verse 11 in whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ buried with him in baptism and which also ye are risen with him to the faith of the operation of God is raising from the dead second what ways are completion in Christ, seen here complete salvation. Secondly, complete forgiveness. This is so great I love it.

Complete forgiveness I know about you, but probably the most exciting doctor in all the Bible is forgiveness to me. I may not.

Let's face it, knowing what I know if I felt guilty all the time for my sins and felt like they weren't forgiven, I'd be a basket complete forgiveness. This approach is the same reality from another aspect, the first one emphasized the completeness of salvation apart from ritual and this emphasizes the completeness of forgiveness apart from any work but in verse 13 and you, being dead in your sins. Young circumcision of your flesh, has he made alive together with him, having forgiven you. Most of your trespass. All all blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us to get out of the way, nailing it to his cross, Jesus Christ buys complete working free men from sin its power and consequences gave them new life so new and so vital and so liberated that can be described only by the term resurrection life and even to the Gentiles. He gave it apart from any ceremony like circumcision say this is fantastic mean it's possible for somebody to be completely restored to God completely given a new heart and a new nature to have a complete new relationship with God, eternal life.

How how watches you must verse nine. Two little words in him ready verse 10. Two little words in him. Sam verse 11. Two little words in verse 12. Two little words with him. Verse 13 two little worlds with him. How do you get Ellis by being what in Christ is the key you put yourself in the hands of Christ to receive them by faith. It all becomes yours and then he says here's the first major benefit the end of verse 13, having forgiven you all trespasses past tense folks, it's already been done last miss all the time. John, how many of our sins have been forgiven. What's the answer all, having forgiven all trespass that's miraculous and not say I agree with some 32 one. It's as happy as he was transgression is forgiven, whose sin is removed or covered as a happy man is sadly to be forgiven. I like it. I don't like to be guilty about that. I'm so happy I'm forgiven. If I thought there were two sins that weren't forgiven would be a miserable wreck, know what I like I like Isaiah 118 is what it says member. This one come now, let's reason together set the Lord though your sins be as scarlet, they should be is white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as will how much forgiveness is there.

There total white as snow is wool. Isaiah 118 Isaiah 55, seven is good thought on that. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him. Listen and to our God, for he will doing to leave pardon screen was next. 1338.

Again, the completeness of forgiveness. Acts 1338 be it known unto you therefore, men a brother that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sin, the forgiveness of sins is Paul preaching this in verse 39 and by him. Listen to this. I love it.

All that believe are justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses all that believe that simple enough are justified. From what all fantastic total complete forgiveness instant, the moment you believe God forgave the sins you have committed and were to commit. I love this. Acts 1043 to hear him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believes in those parents will. Whosoever believes in him shall receive forgiveness of sins you receive forgiveness for believing say what about confessing no for believing confessing does not relate to forgiveness. It relates to knowledge in your sin, repenting of forgiveness is already settled matter. Hebrews 810 is good for this is the covenant that I'll make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord.

I will put my laws in their mind, write them in their hearts. I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother say no. The Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest probably merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I what remember hollow no more. I am always amazed at the fact that there are many Christians who continue to remember what God has forgotten.

I used to call it a God complex listen, the highest court in the universe is God and if God has forgiven me.

The only thing that would justify my holding myself guilty for sin is if I am a higher authority, then God, if I'm not then I might as well forgive myself. What are the characteristics of God's forgiveness. Everything about that.

Were the characteristics we just Fridays at you quick. First of all it's gracious God's forgiveness is gracious, you can earn it. You didn't earn his forgiveness is a gift of grace. Romans 324 being justified freely by his what race justified freely by his grace. Titus 34 after the kindness and love of God our Savior, not by works of righteousness. What we at which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior justified verse seven by his grace God's forgiveness is gracious.

Secondly, it is complete absolutely complete nothing missing Ephesians 17 in whom we have reached we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins listen to me according to the riches of his grace say how much forgiveness is there equal to the riches of his grace. You want to know how much forgiveness you have figure out how much grace he's got help you where sin abounds. Grace does what much more. So however much sin you piled up. He's got a lot more grace complete forgiveness. First John 212 my little children, I write unto you because your sins are forgiven for his names sake. Thirdly, God's forgiveness is not only gracious and complete its eager you don't have the idea of God up there saying all boiling why labor get into this now I gotta keep forgiving these people Psalm 86, five, says he is ready to forgive Ziegler forget.

Second Corinthians 519 to wit, that God was in the world. God was in Christ, I should say reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses under them.

Here's God, and he says I want to reconcile you and I don't want to. I don't want to hold your sin again shall want to forgive your sin, and so he says he committed to us the word of reconciliation and set us out as ambassadors to tell everybody that God just waiting to do this, not fantastic just up there waiting to do gracious complete eager for God's forgiveness is certain in calendar absolutely certain, no questions, no doubts in acts 2618 Paul says God sent them to preach Christ to open their eyes to turn them from darkness to light and power of Satan to God, they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them were sanctified by faith that is in me. In other words, it's based on his promise. It's based on God's promise losses as I have seen these things and as I heard Christ, and as he told me what to do and promise to do it. I go out for each verse 25 he said I am not mad noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and soberness. God is set it and I preach it it certain based on his problems and I would add 50 is unequaled. If you're looking for forgiveness. Try God will never find any other kind like I love this. Who never listen Micah 718, who is a God like the pardons iniquity and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage. Have you ever known a God like that pagans have never invented one who is a God like that pardon so much further forgiveness of God is not only gracious, complete, eager certain unequaled but it is motivating. Say what you mean motivating John Ephesians 432 helps us on that is what it says and be kind one to another, tenderhearted doing what, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake.

What has forgiven you listen to me if God has not totally forgiven us. That principal gets all messed up he says forgive totally and completely as God has forgiven. Listen. Be clear on this. Forgiveness is total complete forever for the Christian is no such thing as unforgiven sin in the life of the Christian is all forgive. Now let's look at verse 14. This marvelous verse blotting out the handwriting of ordinances against us.

Contrary to us. He took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross or to look at two words are the give you the picture two Greek words, in which the whole idea hinges number one. The handwriting which was against us was blotted out. The word is Aragua fun. Literally, autograph blotting out the autograph. The technical use of this word is interesting. It was a handwritten note of the debtor acknowledging his indebtedness. You know what it literally was an IOU.

I John MacArthur oh you $500 signed John MacArthur that is a car Aragua fun. A handwriting you know what happens. A signed confession of debt. Your sin and mine piled up a debt to God right we owed God for that to pay and it is against us notice it against us. It was against us. In other words, it would destroy us. It would condemn us, we couldn't pay. It is a self-confessed recognition of those debts, but when you're willing to go up there and sign it and say it's true, I will sign my name on outline.

This is true. These are mind it's the minute that you sign it and confess that God blessed rotating the second will put together.

It says that which was against us was contrary to us.

He took it out of the way, literally.

He wiped it off like erasing a blackboard.

This is the forgiveness of God. The day you walked up to God and sign your confession is the day he erased total and what were you confessing sin this this give you that. I do this the substance on which ancient documents was written was a papyrus and papyrus was a kind of paper made of the bulrush. There was another thing that was used vellum which was made from an animal's hide, and both were fairly expensive and wouldn't be wasted. And since no ancient Inc. had any acid into it. The ink never bit into the papyrus or the vellum anyway but it lay on the surface if nobody fussed what it would remain there because it didn't bite into the surface it had no acid and sometimes ascribed in order to preserve his papers because he didn't have too much money would simply take a sponge and wiped the ink off the papyrus or the vellum and use it again. And that's exactly what he saying when you receive Jesus Christ and you locked up and sign your confession. That's when God nailed to his cross paid the penalty and wiped it clean. Great thought is so God by our faith in Christ took that indictment nailed to the cross we signed nourished know what's left not one trace and he remembers it. What complete forgiveness. Although the wonder of that kind of grace fantastic last complete salvation complete forgiveness third complete victory verse 15 having spoiled principalities and powers. He made a show of them openly triumphing over them minute he saying those classes for goodness sake don't piddle around with those eons in intermediary spirits.

They were all decimated at the cross when he died he spoiled principalities and powers. He made a public demonstration over them triumphing over them. Where was it that Jesus bruise the head of Satan.

At the cross. Where was that he broke his power at the cross where was it that he took away the power of death at the cross. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 14 forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood. He also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage Satan's dominion was broken at the cross as Christ was suspended on the cross. No doubt that demons are having a carnival seeing a bound hand and foot to the wooded apparent weakness and defeat they imagine he was their victim, but how wrong they were. He mastered them, even in death, and first Peter 318 says when his body went into the grave. His spirit went into the place where the demons were bound and it says he proclaimed his victory over them right there. Their faces in that place read first Peter 318 Christ ascended and proclaimed to the spirits in prison who are they bound demons, he proclaimed his triumph, and they were disabled and they were dethroned so the cross and the resurrection is the answer and the heresy beguiling the minds of those living in the likeness Valley is no point in paying tribute to principalities, or powers that have been vanquished by Jesus. One of victory, but for the gospel.

Beloved man is a puppet in the hands of fate GHC McGregor says this lesson, we are still conscious that apart from the victory of Christ, man is a helpless victim in a hostile cosmos is little comfort to us at the inexorable fate which was once expressed in terms of the influence of the stars conceived as personal demons is not expressed in terms of psychological or physical or economic determinism.

We still ask how a man is to triumph over evil, heredity, or how can he be free and victorious in a world of rigid law on scientific necessity. We still suffer from astronomical intimidation characters insignificance of man and the vastness of the material universe encompassing him." Man has this fear of being crushed. Sooner or later by an intimidating universe and cosmos that he can explain is only one message of hope comes firing through and it is this Jesus Christ crucified Jesus Christ, risen is Lord of all and the forces of the universe are subject to him as its creator and its conqueror. They and that they feared the demons and they feared the Angels and they fear the stars and because of Jesus Christ.

We fear nothing. What a confidence death of Christ was a trans formation, the death of Christ was a pardon and the death of Christ was a triumph and that makes for a complete salvation. Lord, thank you again for what you've done.

No wonder Paul said, God forbid that I should glory saving the cross of Christ father for this complete salvation. We give you praise and thanks from the deepest part of our hearts.

Thank you for what you've done in us because of Christ we are. Thanks be manifest not just in our thought, not just in our word, but in our acts and we live thankful lives let me say this. In closing, the closing just a minute. I know that there are some who never come to the completeness that Christ off. You know what it is to be completed in Christ you don't know what it is to have complete salvation forgiveness of triumph over Satan and all of this terrible fear, intimidation man in our universe knows you know what it is to have peace in the midst of the storm blood which you like to, I can promise you that you can come to Jesus Christ and he will not only give you what you are looking for the more than you ever dreamed one of you lose. Try to deserve your hardest to know Jesus Christ want you just whisper that to God and say God I don't know all about this, but if it's true, I want to if it's true, I want Jesus said if you seek me and really will do the father's will will know the truth. The truth shall set you free. We thank you for what you're doing and all of our hearts. Thank you for the great sense of gratitude that I feel inside what you've done for me in this wonderful salvation.

Help me to speak to others to be that ambassador to proclaim the eagerness of your forgiving school take us from this place. Father this week to with open hearts and open mouths and open minds to be your servant in this world is so desperately need praise you for what you're going Christ. This is grace to you with John MacArthur. Thanks for being with us along with teaching on this radio station. John serves as Chancellor of the Masters University in seminary. He's titled his current study on the innumerable blessings of salvation complete in Christ, John, that was an encouraging message in particular what we saw about God's eagerness to forgive us our sinful flesh may tempt us to believe that God is just waiting for us to do something wrong so that he can punish us but the fact is we worship a God who is for us. It's an amazing truth it is and it goes back to the Old Testament who is a pardoning God like you.

This was this was just not true of false gods, false deities, they were harsh.

They were unbending they were in different that is the basic way satanic false deities are designed to threaten them to frighten their adherence and just pull them into line so that Satan can accomplish his purposes. But what made the God of the Bible, the only true and living God stand apart from all other gods was his love in the Old Testament. It was his Hess said his lovingkindness, his mercy, his grace, and that's what the prophet said, who is a pardoning God like you, and we even hear God early on in the Pentateuch, saying that he forgives that he is a God who forgives.

He's a God who is merciful and compassionate and full of forgiveness. And that's the true representation of the true and living God in fact God finds glory in his forgiveness when people asked the question why did God allow sin in the world, which is a common question.

You know, if God could've stopped and why did you let it happen in the really the big answer the simple answer is this God allowed for sin, so that he could demonstrate forgiveness. In other words, forgiveness is so true to the character of God that he wanted to put it on display before the holy angels forever and before the redeemed Saints forever so he even allowed in the world. Sin, for the purpose of displaying his love and mercy and grace and compassion and kindness and forgiveness so it matters greatly to God that he put himself on display. That way you see that in the worship of heaven in the book of Revelation, where heaven is celebrating the wondrous work of God in the cross of Christ were God's forgiveness was made possible through the death of his son. So God is a God of forgiveness and we are finding that out in our series. Currently, I do want to remind you of the new study guide on the series titled complete in Christ. This study guide is designed to enrich your understanding of these profound truths so get a copy of the study guide and you'll find that that will happen in your life as you go through it faithfully.

Yes, thanks John and friend. This really is a resource that can make a profound difference in your life and not just in your life alone. It makes a great curriculum for your midweek Bible study group for to use one-on-one with someone you're discipling pick up a copy or a few copies of the complete in Christ study guide today. Call us here at 855 grace. You can also place your order@ourwebsitedety.org the complete in Christ study guide will help you answer questions like how can I draw strength from the Lord.

How can I be sure that my salvation is and how can I better love my church to place your order.

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I'm Phil Johnson reminding you to watch grace do you television this Sunday also be here tomorrow when John looks at how you can defend the gospel when it's attacked. Don't miss the next 30 minutes of unleashing God's truth one person at a time on racing.

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