In Christ Jesus (Part 2 of 2)

The Bible says that Jesus is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world so does that mean we can do whatever we want because Jesus has taken care of sin. Alister Greg provides the answer today on Truth for Life is teaching from Ephesians chapter 2 were focusing on verse 13 said this before, and we need to keep while God elects to salvation. He doesn't believe Phares we believe John chapter 1 go there expire the rabbit trail but let me quote interior he came to his own his own people didn't receive him by and large, but to all who did notice the verb receive him. Notice the verb who believed in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God unless a man is born again he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

A lady once said to George Whitfield what he was preaching she said with you.

Why do you keep saying to people you must be born again, and Whitfield said because you must be born again.

There is no other way. Well, did you bring about your own birth, physically, no spiritually.

No, all I know that somebody told you you notes to turn to Christ be repented of your sins and you did all that and it seemed like you were doing everything but now you've gone along the road a little while you keep looking back and further back in for the bags that you know it's remarkable that I was even there. It's remarkable that he gave me that book is remarkable that she shared with me what she did and as you trace the line further back where you trace it to you trace it to eternity in him you hair the gospel you believe are the factors, this is what Paul is of course pointing out in the classic section of the eight, nine and 10 of chapter 2 that the faith our faith, our laying hold of the promises of God is actually rooted in the activity of God. For by grace you have been saved through faith, your faith in this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, so the identity that is ours in Christ and the mystery of the work of Christ. Are there with each other. Paul in Romans as you know begins by showing how the whole world is accountable for God. All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God points out that there is no way that we can work out our condition and put ourselves in a right standing with God. He then says for the glory of the good news is that the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law and it is it is that was the law and the prophets have testified to, but it is the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. Okay, so a righteousness that is alien to us through Jesus Christ. As a result of what Christ has done. He is The law and its perfection is the only righteous man that ever lived. He has borne the penalty of sin which we deserve, but he too can our place and now that righteousness is imputed to all who believe. Therefore, it is not to those who don't believe as Calvin says all that Christ has done for us is of no value to us, so long as we remain outside of Christ, so that there is an appropriation. There is an acceptance. There is a gift that is to be received and whether that takes place instantaneously in a great dramatic moment whether it takes place over a period of time. Whatever way it comes about. Eventually the person begins to sing the songs and suddenly says you know I actually believe that something has happened to me. I guess I have been born from above and I believe is a Rhodes a result of believing I know myself to be included in this company now. By the time he gets to chapter 6 Paul is recognizing the fight that somebody will put up her hand and say, well, if this justification by faith thing means that I am completely righteous in Christ that I am now raised with him as he said in Ephesians 1 that I am seated with him in the heavenly places of all things signed, sealed and delivered. Why don't I just sin as much as I want to send. Actually I can.

I can affect nothing at all. The pulses now listen Moses think about is what shall we say then are we to continue in sin will just go on sinning so that grace may abound so that we can say look how wonderful God is that he forgives, by no means I what's his argument. How can we who died still live in it when you mean die where life no died with Christ in his death and then he says pictured it in terms of baptism, don't you know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism, not baptism achieve this as the Roman Catholic Church teaches by the baptism portrayed in this so when the person has been brought face-to-face with the word of truth, the gospel of salvation and is believed has discovered who Jesus really is, as Paul did. Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, then it follows logically that they would then be prepared to let everybody know that they are under new management that they have been brought underneath the jurisdiction of another, other than themselves. So the baptismal pool which I stand on top of here closed mercifully by the baptismal pool is like a grave and it is purposefully like a grave so that when the person is baptized the matter for unfolds buried with him in baptism raised with him to newness of life. Nothing special in the water, all accomplished by Christ, but portrayed then in this way, what is Paul's argument. He says you live in a society where these regards sex as just fun with anyone you want, anytime you want, but you have been united with Christ you now live in a community where Jesus says sex is for the enjoyment of relationships within the commitment of marriage and only within the commitment of marriage. Therefore, since you have been united with Christ.

It is absolutely incongruous for you then to engage in that which he who is now your Lord and King has told you is off limits. You can take it all away down the line. Society says you are what you have amassed Jesus says where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Society says is the tough guys that when Jesus says blessed are the meek for they shall inherit their society says give as good as you get get him back. Jesus says forgive your enemies, and do nice things to those who can't stand you. So he says what is the impetus for this is that you are united with Christ. It is not that you've decided to be religious. It is not that you determined to live a better life invite you even surprise yourself because you know yourself to be sinful. You know how easy it is to be tempted.

And the answer to it is not to pull the shutters up and run for your life. The answer is to remind yourself who you are. This is who I am. I am a new creation. I died with him. I've been raised with. He ascended and I ascended whether I had been seated with him in the heavenly places.

It is absurd if not impossible, but that's the appeal. You see, dementia is a dreadful thing is not when people grow older especially. I guess pre-senile dementia where there is a loss of identity people no longer know the art you find them in the street. They have no way of identifying where they're going or what they're doing is a terrible thing, but what is an even worse thing is for that to happen and you is in my case you've known who you are and you've forgotten who you are but in the case of some of us in Jesus would never known who we are. We never know who we are we going to Canada dementia as it relates to what will our identity and that's why Paul hundred and 60+ times says to his readers again and again and again you need to know who you are. You need to know that your life is Christ's life and when you go from Romans six and Colossians 3. As I suggested, it comes across with great clarity. Indeed, I've already been dipping into it. You can take sense that when you turn to Colossians 3 if then or since then, equally good, if then. Since then you have been raised with Christ was that me we been united with Christ as his argument in Ephesians 1.

The same power.

He said that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that has been unleashed in your life to bring you from death to life he was raised and you were raised with. He has ascended and you've ascended to is Don Carson told us as pastors of the conference a few weeks ago as he was speaking tangentially about this. He says this notion of being raised with Christ is the spatial dimension of realized eschatology. You have to love Don Carson for for a just a phrase like that, but it makes perfect sense. In other words, this is absolutely done in certain is not questionable. We are both in Christ and we are in Cleveland.

We are raised and were down here. We are both perfect and horribly imperfect perfect in the righteousness of Christ.

He looks honest and he sees is in his son how wife look honest and then once he is like that.

We look on ourselves and if we look inside ourselves. There's only reason for discouragement.

There's only reason for disappointment because I haven't done what I said I would do. I've done what I said I wouldn't do. I was going to do this.

I didn't do that and I probably did it again, and so on. So where do I look while I look to my identity.

I am in Christ, a new creation. That's what he said.

Since then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on the year for you have died and here's this amazing phrase, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. My life is hidden with Christ in God. We used to sing it, his children see in the arms of Jesus save on his gentle breast. I still love that song was a child. Such a beautiful metaphor I'm seeing Courtney and he's keeping me and he won't let me go. Why because he to the initiative in getting a hold of me and he didn't get a hold of me to let me go. The marriage of Christ to his church is in a revocable engagement.

That's what makes marriage wonderful if you can stick with it. That's why I love songs like with lines like, as long as old man sit and talk about old woman as long as all women sit and talk about those little men sent out about the weather, as long as all women sit and talk about old man honey I'm going to love you forever and and and and oversee finishes that song if you wonder, he says to his wife. If you wonder how long I'll be faithful will just listen to how this song ends because I'm going to love you forever, forever and ever. Amen. Now on our best day we can only approximate to that. But God says that that's exactly what God says when he threw a hold of you when he drew you to himself.

When used in childlike trust opened up your empty hands and too cold of that which he made available to you by his death on the cross he promised and fired way before you even did anything he had already promised. That's what makes it so amazing. I'm little love you forever love with everlasting love, led by grace that love to know spirit breathing from above, thou hast taught me. It is so all, what perfect pieces this his forever only his who the Lord in me shall part with what arrest of bliss.

Christ can fill the loving heart heaven and earth may fade and flee, and airborne light in gloom decline, but allow God and man shall be ion his and he is my password policy.

He saying this is what is transform my life I was a radical Jew. I hated this Jesus thing, but he is transform me and I know now that the reason that I tell you the story. The reason that he says in two Corinthians 5, I say to you, I beseech you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. In other words, receive the reconciliation that God has provided for you in Jesus.

And when you do, you'll discover that your identity is just this and that your security is found in this and that your mentality will be governed by this note will go on from here. Later on, but for now should draw this to a close and I want to remind you of story I told some years ago now about a Chinese student that I met in on Harvard Square in a coffee shop one morning when I was there for a conference was empty.

It was early in the morning I was sitting at a table I haven't of my Bible out because I had to give a talk that day and so this girl came in with a backpack adjuster young Chinese girl. As it turned out, and she saw my Bible and she said to me she said are you a Christian. I said yes but at that time I wasn't in a doing what I do now and I said yes I said are you a Christian and she said yes and I said, done, tell me how you became a Christian and this was her answer and I never got.

She said I enter through the narrow gate.

I enter through the narrow gate. What Jesus said there is a broad road is completely full. There's a narrow road that leads to life.

I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved in the Chinese girl said I hear the word of truth, the gospel of my salvation. I believe I enter through the narrow gate. See that's the thing is that so socio-solar what is this Christian thing you're on about what you mean you Krista when you want to tell what was going to go on and say is if you want it just in a phrase, especially for the Gentiles. He says you were far away. He has brought near so far away near I was once far far away and I'm as I finish my studies this week. I had one picture then in my mind and it was the picture of Joseph disclosing himself to his brothers in the in Genesis 45.

If you remember, we won't do the background to the story but eventually after all the comings and goings. The brothers are present and Joseph can control himself anymore because his brothers are there and he realizes what he's confronted with so EE shouts out everybody out. Get everybody out of here and and the record record so no one stayed with him. When Joseph made himself known to his brothers and he wept aloud so loud that the Egyptians ferreted in the household of Pharaoh Herod, and Joseph said to his brothers. I am Joseph, what an interesting thing.

I mean whether the brothers are like really what Illinois was Joseph, and I would imagine that when he dispensed with the Egyptians. He probably dispensed with the evidences of his statehood. Perhaps his Egyptian headdress had obscured his visage, even from his brothers and he takes office at where the majesty of his statehood and he lays it down and he reveals himself to these guys. I am Joseph Doering any bells for you. Saul of Tarsus is blinded by a light brighter than the noon day sun. He falls on the dust of the Damascus road and a voice from heaven says I Jesus have Jesus and Joseph says to his brothers, near to me please come near to me please. It would have been legitimate if he said I am Joseph, welcome to Egypt.

The jail is down here you will only be in it. A short while because most of you will have your head chopped off. As a result of all that you've done. You were my enemies. You were opposed to me.

You did all these things to me.

But hey, come near to me is what Jesus said that's what he says to you, if you have never actually closed with his offer of mercy during testing company written draw near to me.

How do you draw near to Jesus by taking a might as well by believing in his promises, I received by being placed in Christ Jesus, being in Christ Jesus doesn't mean we decided to become religious or to try to live a better life.

It means we have a completely new identity. A transformed life listing to Alastair big country for life. Alister returns to close the program in just a minute. Over the next few months you may be traveling to celebrate the holidays with friends and family.

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Alister will be the guest speaker aboard the deeper faith 2023 Mediterranean cruise. It sets sale August 26 goes through September 4. You can start making plans now. In fact, visit deeper faith cruise.com to find out more in October is pastor appreciation month. Are you married to a pastor. Today we have a book we want to recommend to you. It's called partners in the gospel 50 meditations for pastors and elders wives. The author is herself a pastor's wife. She understands the joys and some of the challenges that come with that unique role in the church, she writes from the heart of someone who gets it. This book will come alongside you and encourage you whether you are new to vocational ministry or you've served with her husband for many years. Requester copy of partners in the gospel when you donate today to give simply tap the image you see in the mobile app or visit us online at truthforlife.org/donate course you can always call us her number is 888-588-7884 and if you'd rather mail your donation along with your request for the book right to truthful a PO Box 39, 8000, Cleveland, Ohio. The ZIP Code is 44139. Now here's Alister with the closing prayer.

Father, we thank you that your word is clear.

My nose isn't any confusion is always on our side of the fence so grant Lord, that we may have absolute clarity in these matters so that those of us who profess to know me have our chins lifted out of our chests may realize that when we sing in Christ alone. My hope is fun.

We are supposed to really really need and help us to marvel again the wonder of the song that you give us the same with which we close that we pray in Jesus name, then Bob Lapine. Most of us long for harmony in our families in our workplace or communities in the whole world essentially is peace really possible. Join us tomorrow as we see what the Bible has to say about that Bible teaching of Alister Greg is furnished by Truth for Life Learning is for Living