“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WISDOM, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION, REDEMPTION “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” 1 Corinthians 1:30 Wisdom outside of Christ is damning folly! Righteousness outside of Christ is guilt and condemnation! Sanctification outside of Christ is filth and sin! Redemption outside of Christ is bondage and slavery! --Robert Traill ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PSALM 147 Author: Henry Francis Lyte Tune: Just as I am 1. O PRAISE the Lord, 'tis sweet to raise The grateful heart to God in praise; When fallen raised, when lost restored, Oh! it is sweet to praise the Lord! 2. Great is His power, divine His skill, His love diviner, greater still; The sinner’s Friend, the mourner’s stay, He sends no suppliant sad away. 3. The lions roar to Him for bread, The ravens by His hand are fed; And shall His chosen flock despair? Shall they mistrust their Shepherd’s care? 4. His church is precious in His sight; He makes her glory His delight; His treasures on her head are pour'd; O Zion’s children, praise the Lord. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ JESUS CHRIST AND HIM CRUCIFIED “For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.” 1 Corinthians 2:2 Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the way in which God displays His perfections, unfolds His purposes, maintains His rights, confounds His foes, and secures His glory in the salvation of His people. Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the only way in which death is destroyed, sin is conquered, righteousness is established, rebels are reconciled, saints are sanctified, and Heaven is opened! – Author unknown
REDEEMED “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 1 Pet. 1:18- 19 Christ redeems us from all sin—and from all the consequences of sin. He endured the wrath of God to the uttermost—for everyone who believes on Him. By this redemption justice is satisfied, wrath is pacified, grace is procured, all spiritual enemies are vanquished. Each child of God is redeemed from the love of sin, the guilt of sin, the dominion of sin, the damnatory power of sin, the power of Satan, the curse of the law, hell and wrath to come! The work of redemption was a great work. The greatness of the person employed in this work speaks out the work to be a great work. The great and invaluable price which was paid down for our redemption, speaks it out to be a great redemption. The price that we are bought with is a price beyond all computation. This redemption that we have in Christ is a free and gracious redemption. All the rounds in this ladder of redemption are made up of free, rich, and sovereign grace! Though our redemption cost Christ dearly—yet as to us it is most free! Jesus Christ has completely done the work of our redemption. He does not redeem us from some of our sins and leave us to grapple with the rest. Oh, no! Christ makes a most complete work of it. He redeems us from all our iniquities. He delivers us out of the hands of all our enemies. He pays all debts, He delivers from all wrath, He takes off the whole curse, He saves to the uttermost, and will settle us in a state of full and perfect bliss—when grace shall be turned into glory. The redemption which we have in Jesus Christ is an eternal, a permanent, a lasting, yes, an everlasting redemption! “Having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Hebrews 9:12 There are many choice and rare spiritual benefits which flow from redemption: reconciliation with God, remission of our sins, justification of our persons, adoption into God's family, sanctification, full glorification. Redemption sweetens all the bitterest trials and sharpest afflictions, which we meet with in this world. Redemption is a rich mine, containing a mass of treasure which cannot be valued. Could we dig into it, could we pry into it—we would find that it contains unsearchable riches – riches of grace, of all grace, riches of justification, riches of sanctification, riches of consolation, riches of glorification, the best of riches, the most durable riches, soul riches, heavenly riches! “Now these are Thy servants and Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed by Thy great power, and by Thy strong hand.” Nehemiah 1:10 --Thomas Brooks
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