places in Christ, according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of His glory. Amen. May God bless the public reading of His Word to our hearts. And now if you would turn to the shorter catechism found toward the back of the Psalter hymnal. Shorter catechism. And we'll be looking at questions and answers 32 and 36. Starting at page 970. Page 970. Both questions and answers are found there. Page 970. The Shorter Catechism, question 32. What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life? Answer, they that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them. And then question 36. What are the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? Answer, the benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification are assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. Well, people of God, as we have been working our way through the shorter catechism, in light of the scriptures, we have seen how, although we were ruined by sin, God in his mercy did not leave us to perish, but he provided a Redeemer, right? He provided a Savior to save us from our sin and misery. And the only Redeemer of God's elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who being the eternal Son of God became man And so was and continueth to be God and man in two distinct natures and one person forever. The Lord Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And how do we receive what Christ has done for us? The Holy Spirit. effectually calls us. The Holy Spirit makes us dead sinners alive by working faith in us and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. And so as we come to Ephesians 1, verses 1 through 14, in particular as we focus on verse 3, we see that our salvation is the work of the triune God. Our salvation is the work of the triune God. We see here that our redemption was purposed by God the Father from before the foundation of the world. Our redemption was accomplished by God the Son in the fullness of the time as the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins and satisfied divine justice to bring us to God, to reconcile us to God, and as He died for our sins and was buried and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. Our redemption was accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. And our redemption is applied to us by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who applies the redemption purchased by Christ to us in our effectual calling. Redemption purposed, redemption accomplished, and redemption applied. It is all the work of the triune God. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. And the God who saves us, as Ephesians 2 tells us, we saw this morning, God who is rich in mercy, who has great love, that God is the triune God. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. One God and three persons. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory. And so 1 John 5 verse 7 says, For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. One, one God and three persons. And so our salvation is the work of the triune God. And we are held in the hands of the triune God. Each person of the Trinity is intimately involved in our salvation and in our preservation to the end. And this is what we see here. Ephesians 1, and then in our shorter catechism we see how as the Holy Spirit works faith in us, by that faith we are united to the Lord Jesus Christ, right? We are united to Christ and out of our union with Christ we have all these benefits that manifest, that flow out of our union with Christ. Justification, adoption, sanctification, and then several other benefits that in this life do either accompany justification, adoption, and sanctification, or flow from them. What are some of those benefits? Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. All these benefits we experience as Christians. by virtue of our union with Christ. Amen? So here's the point. It is God, the triune God, Jehovah, who saved us, who has accomplished our redemption, who has brought us out of darkness into light. And all the blessings that we enjoy as Christians, all the benefits that we possess as God's people, come to us in and through Christ. All the benefits that we have come to us by virtue of our union with Christ. It is in Christ that we are blessed. Amen? This is what we see in verse 3, if you look at it with me. Verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us. With how many spiritual blessings? All spiritual blessings. In heavenly places. And watch those last two words. In Christ. Do you see that? Verse 3. In Christ. And that little phrase, the two-word phrase, in Christ, is is speaking about our union with Christ. As we're united to Jesus Christ, as we are found in Christ, we are blessed with all spiritual blessings. And so very briefly then, let's meditate on these verses as we think about the blessings and the glory of the believers' union with Christ. And so very briefly then, the theme of our sermon is that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ. And we'll have three brief headings. Number one, we are chosen by the Father. Secondly, we're redeemed by the Son. And thirdly, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Or you could say, Redemption purposed by the Father, redemption accomplished by the Son, redemption applied by the Spirit. This is the work of the triune God and we are blessed in Christ. Our salvation is in Christ. And so firstly then, chosen by the Father. We see that in verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, verse 4, according as He hath chosen us, right? Now watch this. What does it say after, as He has chosen us? He has chosen us in Him. Do you see that? So our election is in Christ. Again, all the blessings that come our way are in Christ. We are chosen in Christ. When were we chosen? Before time began. Before the foundation of the world. And what's the purpose? That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. As we especially focus on verse 3, what does it mean that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings? This is not speaking of material prosperity or good health, you know, the health-wealth theology. Of course, one day every believer will experience perfect health, right? As our bodies are raised, to glory imperishable as we receive our, you know, the resurrection bodies. We will have perfect health. We will have true prosperity. But this is speaking about spiritual blessings. This is speaking about blessings that we experience even today in this life, even as we await The final resurrection, the resurrection of the dead. We are blessed today with all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. Think about that. Which means that the Christian is complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no deficiency. All that we need, we have in Christ. There is no lack. No lack. Because if you are found in Christ, then you have all that you need for life and godliness. Our sufficiency is in Christ. We are, by virtue of our union with Christ, we are received into God's family. We are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12, verse 13 says, For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one spirit. We have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba. Father, we are complete in Christ. In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And therefore, if you are united to the Lord Jesus Christ, you are blessed today, not just in the future, but today. You are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ. There is no lack. So you can say with David, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. There is no lack. There is no deficiency because Jesus Christ is our all sufficient Savior. And then notice in verse 4 how God the Father, the first person of the Trinity, chose us, elected us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Now very briefly, There is a popular but unbiblical view of election that says that God looked down the tunnel of time before the world began and as he looked down the tunnel of time he saw human responses, human behavior, and God could see As people heard the gospel, who would respond to the gospel in the affirmative and who would reject the gospel? And on the basis of the responses of the people, God chose them to be saved. God elected them in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, that is not the biblical doctrine of election. That is God's response to human Freedom or human autonomy or human sovereignty. That's not biblical at all. Because notice what it says here. God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, before we even existed. The Lord purposed, God the Father purposed our redemption. The reason, even today, we believe, and many of our relatives or perhaps our neighbors and friends do not believe, but we do, is not because we, by our intelligence or reasoning, made the right choice, whereas others were too not intelligent to make the right choice. That's not the reason why we're saved. The reason we are saved is because God in His mercy awakened us to life sovereignly, monergistically, mercifully, and raised us to life in Christ and worked faith in us, and by that faith we embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel. Because if you think about it, if you go back to that popular but unbiblical view of election, If God's election of us depended on our response to the preaching of the gospel, whether we would accept the gospel or not, if that was the basis of God choosing us, no one would be chosen. No one would be elected by God. Why? Because Ephesians 2 verse 1, we were dead in trespasses and sins. We were dead and we were sons of disobedience and children of wrath. and we were living under the tyranny of the devil, under the oppression of the God of this world who had blinded our eyes so that the light of the gospel would not shine. We didn't want to come to the light. We hated the light and we loved being in the darkness because then we can enjoy our sin. We didn't want our sins to be exposed in the light. We did not want the Lord Jesus Christ. If God was waiting on us, To make the right decision, we would all be lost. But the good news of the gospel is the Lord is merciful. He's the one who quickened us. He's the one who made us alive. And the Holy Spirit applying the redemption, applies the redemption of Christ to those whom God the Father chose from before the foundation of the world. And so if someone were to say, well, how do I know if I'm part of the elect? The answer is given in verse four. How do you know if God chose you from before the foundation of the world? How can you be sure that you have been chosen, that you have been predestinated unto the adoption of sons? How can you have the certainty that God is your God? and that you can experience all these spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Notice what verse 3 says. Verse 4, rather. God has chosen us in Him. In Him. So the way we know if we're part of the elect is by putting our faith entirely upon the Lord Jesus Christ. When you trust in Jesus, when you embrace Him by faith, when you rest in Him alone for your salvation, you can be sure this is because God is the one who purposed your redemption from before the foundation of the world. And the reason you came to the Lord Jesus is because God in His mercy drew you to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And you came because you were persuaded and enabled by the Spirit to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered in the gospel. But your duty and your responsibility is to make sure that you cast yourself at the mercy of Jesus and you trust in Him alone for your salvation. And if you are trusting entirely upon Jesus and not in yourself, not in your works, but in Christ alone, you can be sure That verse 4 is true of you. That God has chosen you in Christ before the foundation of the world. And you can rejoice that all that you need, you have in Christ. You are chosen in Christ. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Right? This is what the Philippian jailer asked the Apostle Paul. What should I do to be saved? What must I do to be saved? The Apostle Paul didn't say, well, I'm not sure if you're part of the elect. You need to maybe wait to see if God will send some confirmation. No, no. He said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shall be saved and thy house. This is the answer. This is how we know if we are part of the elect. This is how we become members of the household of God. This is how we're adopted into God's family. This is how we can be sure that God is not against us, but he is for us. This is how we can be sure that we're not objects of wrath, but we are recipients of mercy. Believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice also that God's election produces what? Holiness. Look at the end of verse 4, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Do you see that? God's election produces holiness. in us by the grace of God. You know, as the Holy Spirit applies the redemption of Christ to us, awakens us to life, works faith in us, and we're united to the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are justified and adopted, and we're being sanctified, which is the work of the Holy Spirit, we are growing in holiness, right? We're growing in holiness. If God has saved you, there will be a pursuit of holiness in your life. Now notice, God's purpose of election, His purposing of our redemption from before the foundation of the world, produces in us holiness and not hypocrisy. Holiness and not hypocrisy. Because the Lord Jesus Christ Saves sinners and we're not just saved on the outside, but we're saved. Our hearts are changed so that we are saved and transformed from the inside out. If any man is in Christ, he's a new creature. There is a new identity that we have, which is in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so as an application for us, 1 Peter chapter 2, Peter says this for us, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. If so, be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. If you have tasted and seen that the Lord is good and gracious, then lay aside all malice, lay aside all hypocrisies, and with sincerity, not with hypocrisy, but with sincerity, desire the sincere milk of the word so that you may grow. as Christians in your Christian life, that you may grow more in your sanctification, die more and more to sin, and live more and more to righteousness. Sincerely desire the Word of God. You see, hypocrisy should have no place in the life of the Christian. May the Lord help us. Pray, cry out to the Lord that He would work in us sincerity and that we wouldn't be hypocrites. Make sure that you're not playing games with the Lord. Make sure that you're not merely giving lip service to Jesus while your hearts are far away from Him. You better believe that that is possible, that in the visible church that there are those who have made profession of faith, but they don't have true possession of faith. Think about Judas Iscariot. Judas Iscariot was one of the 12, right? He even went out to minister in the name of Christ. He cast out demons. He was preaching. He walked with Jesus and observed Jesus, and he was under the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ for three years. He heard the sermons that were preached by God in the flesh. And at the end of those three years, he was ready to sell the Son of God for some money. He was never truly saved, but he was so good at pretending to be a true Christian that when Jesus said at the Last Supper that one of you is going to betray me, no one said, oh, we know that's Judas, right? Because he's a hypocrite. We know that. No. The disciples were asking, is it I, Lord? Why? Because Judas was so good at hiding from all the other disciples and putting on a perfect show of piety and godliness on the outside, while at the same time, his heart was far away from the Lord Jesus. And he was a lover of money. He was filled with greed. And that's what motivated him, not the glory of God. He did not love the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, you and I can hide from others. We can hide from our parents. We can even hide from our spouse, and we can pretend, and we can play games, and we can make everyone believe that we are sincere, and we are godly, and we're trusting in Christ. while at the same time we have malice and guile and hypocrisy in our hearts. But we cannot hide from God. We cannot hide from God. We cannot fool God. Impossible. He sees our hearts. He sees our motives. So let us make sure that we, by the grace of God, are living by faith in Jesus Christ, with sincerity, with sincerity, and that we're pursuing holiness by the grace of God in our Christian life. According as He had chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Verse 5, having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by who? by Jesus Christ to himself. So we just saw in the Shorter Catechism what are some of the benefits that we partake of? Justification, adoption, sanctification. And here we see that we are adopted We are adopted through the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Lord Jesus Christ. For the sake of Christ, we are received into God's family, and we are adopted as God's children. And it's all, end of verse five, according to the good pleasure of his will. Verse six, it is all to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted. the Beloved. Do you see that? Again, it's in Christ, it's in the Beloved that we are received, that we are saved, that we are welcomed into God's family. He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Our redemption is purposed by God the Father from before the foundation of the world. But then look at our second heading then in verse 7. Our redemption is accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Our redemption is accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 7, in whom, again, which means in Christ. If you were to do a little assignment, and if you go over chapter 1, in fact, the Pauline epistles in general, and highlight or underline every time you see the little phrase, in Christ, or in him, or in whom, you will have a lot of pages highlighted because Paul again and again makes use of this important phrase to show us that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ and the great and glorious doctrine of our Christian faith is that we are united to Jesus Christ, our union with Christ. We are united to Him and by virtue of our union with Christ, we have all the benefits, all the blessings that we can enjoy and experience as God's people. So notice again, verse 7, where do we have redemption? In Christ. Do you see that? In whom we have redemption. So it is Jesus Christ who accomplished our redemption. It was God the Father who purposed our redemption, ordained our salvation from before the foundation of the world. And that redemption is purchased by Jesus Christ, right? That redemption is accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ. Redemption means to rescue someone from slavery, from a bondage, by paying a price, by the payment of a ransom price. It is Jesus Christ who rescued us from our slavery to sin, from our bondage, from, he delivered us from the curse of the law, and he brought us into communion and fellowship with God. Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption. How did he do that? What kind of ransom price did he pay? Verse 7 tells us, What's the next phrase? Through His blood. How did Jesus accomplish our redemption? By shedding His blood, by dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus Christ redeemed us, not by silver or gold, but by His own precious blood. And He has brought us to God. And so as Jesus accomplished our redemption, notice what we experience. Look at verse 7 again. In Christ we have redemption through His blood. Listen. the forgiveness of sins. Isn't that amazing? All of our sins are forgiven because all of our sins are paid for. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, and as He suffered and died as our substitute, Jesus Christ satisfied the wrath of God. He satisfied the justice of God so that through His redemption we might be reconciled to God. We might come into joyful, reconciled communion with God through the redemption purchased by Christ. We have the forgiveness of our sins in the Lord Jesus Christ. All of our sins are forgiven in Christ. How encouraging is that for us who struggle with sin every day, right? You and I, as Christians, continue to struggle with the remnants of corruption. Let us remember, in Christ, we have the forgiveness of our sins. So as an application to you, Christian, as you struggle with sin and as you fall into sin, here's what you need to do. You need to immediately run to the Lord Jesus Christ. For forgiveness. Why? Because it's in Christ that we have the forgiveness of sins. Do you see that? So when you sin, don't run away from God. Don't do what our father Adam did. When he sinned against the Lord, what did he immediately do? He went and tried to hide from God behind some bush. Doesn't work. You can't hide from God. You can't play hide-and-seek with the God who is omnipresent, who is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. But when we sin, instead of running away from God, we are to run to God by faith in Jesus Christ. You see, the Christian is encouraged to approach the throne of grace even when we sin. We are reconciled to God, God is our Father, and if we come to Him in humility, if we confess our sins before Him, He will abundantly pardon all those who come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ. And even our sin cannot separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so as Christians, let us make sure that every day we're confessing our sins before God. Let us make sure that every day we are seeking godly repentance, that we have godly sorrow, not worldly sorrow. The worldly sorrow that you feel some remorse because you got caught, but if you weren't caught, you would keep living that way. No, no, godly sorrow, realizing that our sin is against the supreme majesty of our merciful Father. How could we do that? Our hearts need to be broken. We need to have a broken and a contrite heart. And if you have a broken and a contrite heart, God will not despise it. You don't have to wonder, is God going to say, enough, I can't take it anymore, you've sinned one too many times? No. If you come with humility and faith and repentance, confessing your sins before God, He will always, without fail, accept you. He will always forgive you, because in Christ we have what? The forgiveness of sins. Think about all the blessings that we enjoy by virtue of our union with Christ. So that 1 John 1 says, if we confess our sins, He is just and faithful to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Every single time, Christian, be encouraged in your struggle, in your pursuit of holiness and in your sanctification. As you fall into sin, get up by the grace of God and run to Jesus Christ for refuge. And as you run to Christ, you are restored and you experience refreshment and grace and comfort so that you may continue to live. in holiness, dying more and more to sin and living more and more unto righteousness. In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Christian, your Savior is a rich Savior, right? He doesn't have stingy grace. He doesn't have little bit of grace and little bit of mercy that He runs out of every day. No, He has riches of grace. And then look at verse 8, wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence. Jesus Christ has brought us to God. He has accomplished our redemption. But how is that redemption applied to us? How do we receive what Jesus did for us? The Spirit applies the redemption purchased by Christ to us in our effectual calling. And that's what we see in verse 13. But then notice, but before we get to verse 13, notice that refrain that is repeated in this passage. It is all to the praise of his glory. Verse six, right? To the praise of the glory of his grace. And then we see that again in verse 12. Notice that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ. And then we see that again. At the end of verse 14, unto the praise of His glory. Do you see that? Our salvation is to the praise of the glory of the triune God. It is all to the praise of His glory. We are saved for the glory of God, right? We read that verse from Revelation this morning, how God created all things, and for His pleasure they are and were created. We exist for the pleasure of God, for the glory of God, and our salvation is unto the praise of His glory. Amen? So, as you think about the glory of your union with Christ, Glorify God, worship God, praise God, bless His holy name. Let this study and this meditation of your union with Christ lead you to doxology, lead you to worship as your hearts are filled with joy and comfort and gratitude at the great mercies of your God. Amen? And then notice, starting at verse 13, verse 14, starting at verse 13, "...in whom ye also trusted," again, "...in whom," again, Paul keeps repeating that beautiful phrase, "...in him, in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, in whom Also, after that she believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise. Do you see that? We are sealed with the Spirit. We are sealed with the Spirit. The reason the redemption that was purchased, purposed by God the Father, accomplished by God the Son, will be applied to all of God's elect is because the Holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance. The Holy Spirit applies Christ's redemption to us. There is perfect harmony in the work of the triune God. Amen? Perfect harmony. So that Jesus Christ died for those whom the Father chose from before the foundation of the world, from every tribe, tongue, and nation. And the Holy Spirit effectually calls them for whom Jesus died on the cross and who were chosen by God the Father in Christ. There's perfect harmony as the triune Jehovah saves His people. We are sealed with the Holy Spirit. What a wonderful reality that is. What is a seal? Think about it, children. A seal provides security. It is a confirmation. It authenticates the promise given to us. How do you know that you belong to Christ and that you will never be abandoned? How do you know that your union with Christ is unbreakable? That you are united to Christ forever? How do you know that? You can be sure of that because you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been given to you as the guarantee of all the promises of God that he will never leave you. He will never forsake you. 1 Corinthians 6 says, What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God? And ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. God has justified us, He has adopted us, He sanctifies us, and God will never change His mind because He has sealed us with the Holy Spirit of promise. Do you see that in verse 13? Holy Spirit of promise. We are sealed with the Spirit. The Spirit is with us and in us. God, the Holy Spirit. Verse 14, "...which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, and all of it is unto the praise of His glory." So the Holy Spirit is the earnest, is the guarantee of our inheritance. Christ, by His Word and Spirit, sanctifies us. God, the Holy Spirit, will preserve us. and will keep us in the one true faith to the end. How comforting it is. Again, the main point that we're focusing on is in verse 3, that we are blessed. All these blessings that we're talking about, all of them are in Christ. Do you see that? Are you united to Jesus Christ? Remember, outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, You have nothing but curses and judgment from a holy God whose law you have broken. But if you are in Christ, you have nothing but blessings. You have nothing but favor with God, because in Christ we're blessed with all spiritual blessings. In Christ. And so very briefly then, in our shorter catechism, question 32 says that they that are effectually called by the Holy Spirit, do in this life partake of what benefits? Justification, adoption, and sanctification. And then there are several other benefits which in this life do either accompany justification, adoption, and sanctification, or flow from them. So very briefly then, Justification. Let me just give you just a couple of verses on each of these benefits, and then with God's help we'll be focusing on justification, then adoption, then sanctification in the coming weeks. But justification, if you would turn with me to Romans chapter 5, Romans chapter 5 and verse 1. Romans 5 in verse 1. Justification is an act of God's free grace. The Shorter Catechism says, wherein He pardoneth all our sins, He accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. So in our justification, God forgives all of our sins and He accepts us as righteous. in His sight. On what basis? On the basis of the perfect righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to us, and the only way we receive it is by faith alone. And that faith is the gift of God, right? It's the Holy Spirit who works faith in us in our effectual calling. So look at Romans 5 and verse 1. Romans 5 verse 1. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God. Through who? Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen? So we have peace in Christ. We have justification in Christ. We have no more hostility with God. We were in a state of hostility and we were God's enemies, but now we have peace. We have been reconciled to God and it is through the Lord Jesus Christ. As we put our faith in Him, we are justified. But we're also adopted. The shorty catechism says adoption is an act of God's free grace whereby we are received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. We see here in Ephesians 1 and verse 5 that our adoption is by Jesus Christ. You see that? Our adoption is in Christ. How glorious is the doctrine of adoption. Let me just give you one verse on adoption. John 1 and verse 12. John 1 and verse 12. But as many as received Him... Who is the Him? Jesus Christ. As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name. We also have sanctification as a benefit flowing out of our union with Christ. Sanctification, the Shorter Catechism says, is the work of God's free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and to live unto righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 17, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a what new creature Old things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. And then question and answer 36. What are the other benefits that in this life do accompany or flow from justification, adoption, and sanctification? Number one, assurance of God's love. Right? Assurance of God's love. Let me give you one verse on that. Romans 5, verse 5. Romans 5, verse 5. And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. We have assurance of God's love, that God loves us. Because we are in Christ. Secondly, second benefit is peace of conscience. Peace of conscience. We read earlier from Romans 5 verse 1, therefore being justified by faith, we have what? Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thirdly, joy in the Holy Ghost. Joy in the Holy Ghost. Turn to Romans 14 and verse 17. Romans 14 and verse 17. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and what? Joy in the Holy Ghost. And then the fourth benefit, increase of grace, increase of grace. 2 Peter 3 and verse 18, but grow in grace. And in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. And then finally, perseverance therein to the end. Perseverance in the grace of God to the end. And for that, we can turn to a couple of passages as we bring this to conclusion. Philippians 1 and verse 6, being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. If God has begun the good work of salvation in you, he will bring it to completion. He will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He will not leave you in the middle. And then Romans chapter 8, Romans chapter 8, and the last couple of verses, Romans 8, verses 38 and 39. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And so, Christian, you are complete in the Lord Jesus Christ. Pursue Christ. Don't look to the right or to the left. Don't be attracted by the philosophies of this world, by the false religions, by the self-help methods. Look to the Lord Jesus Christ. The key to your sanctification The key to your growth and grace is Christ, right? You need to depend upon Him. You need to look to the Lord Jesus Christ. In Colossians, we are told we're given this great promise. Colossians 2 and verse 3 says this, "...in whom," that is in Christ, "...are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Hear that? Where are the treasures of wisdom and knowledge? Where should you turn? It's in Christ. All the treasures, not some, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found in Christ. And then verse 9 says of Colossians 2, For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And then verse 10, And ye are complete in him. Ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power. And the last verse, 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30. 1 Corinthians 1 and verse 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Isn't that glorious? Jesus Christ is made unto us. What? Wisdom, He's our righteousness, He is our sanctification and redemption. So, as we seek to grow in sanctification, where do we turn? Not to our own understanding, not to our own ideas, but to the Lord Jesus Christ. Keep turning to Christ, keep running to Christ, day after day after day, until you breathe your last. You look to the Lord Jesus Christ, and remember, as you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, It is God who works in you, both to will and to do of His own good pleasure. It is God. Underneath your perseverance is God's preservation. He will preserve you. He will keep you to the end. Because in Jesus Christ, we have perfect redemption. And he is able to save us to the what? Uttermost. To the uttermost. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Look to him and come to him by faith. Amen.