How clearly and sweetly God
speaks to us in the person of his Son Jesus Christ.
He is the word incarnate who died in our place on
the cross.
Our hearts become soft and
tender when we receive God’s word into our heart,
acknowledging our sin and the blood of Jesus Christ
washes away all our sins.
How tragic when our hearts
reject the grace of God and become hardened in
unbelief. We are saved by faith alone in Jesus
Christ; we are lost through unbelief. Our heart is
purified by faith in Christ, but it is hardened by
unbelief. Faith in Christ brings us near to God, but
unbelief separates us from him.
There is no sin that cannot be
pardoned if the sinner believes on Christ.
A heart of unbelief is a
serious matter with God. It is the heart of every
spiritual problem. An unbelieving heart results in a
hard heart that is insensitive to God.
An unbelieving heart refers to
a heart solely and entirely controlled by unbelief,
in which there is no faith.
On the other hand, the evidence
that we are children of God is that we hold to our
confession of faith in Christ. True believers have
an eternal salvation because they trust in a living
Savior who constantly intercedes on our behalf.
Believers who doubt God’s word
or rebel against him will be disciplined. They will
not lose their salvation, but they will lose out on
the blessings and suffer the chastening grace of
God. Jonathan Edwards said that the sure proof of
election is that the believer holds out to the end.
The possession of salvation is
evidenced by a continuation of faith to the end of
our lives, despite the presence of the world belief
systems and the persecution we endure for the cause
of Christ.
The writer of Hebrews says,
“For we have become partners with Christ, if in fact
we hold our initial confidence firm until the end”
(3:14 NET).
Partnering with Christ Jesus
involves a vital union with him. Charles Williams
translates, “For we have become real sharers in
Christ . . .” “For we have become
partakers of Christ . . .” (NASB). The action is
completed in past time and as a result has present
results. “For we became partakers of Messiah with
the present result that we are partakers of him . .
.” Our faith is in the finished work of Christ.
There was a time when we were not “partakers of
Christ.”
In his vital union with us,
Christ Jesus entered into perfect fellowship with
us. His death and his life became ours spiritually.
We are co-crucified, co-buried, and co-risen with
him. All of the saving and sanctifying benefits of
the death and resurrection of Christ are now ours.
It is from this intimate relationship with him that
we live the Christian life and serve him.
Our salvation consists in the
possession of Christ, in the being one life with
him, in having himself as our own. He gave us
himself when we believed on him. “I in you and you
in me.”
Galatians 2:20 tells us Christ
is in us. “I have been crucified with Christ, and it
is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me . .
.” (NET). The life I now live in this physical body
is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave
himself for me. I live by faith in the Son of God.
Christ is our life and therefore personally dwells
in us and lives his life in and through us.
Because we have entered into
this new life in Christ we can now live as people
who have become partakers of Christ. We share in his
life.
We can enter no farther into
God’s favor than we are in Christ Jesus. He has
saved us by the perfect atoning sacrifice of his
Son. We stand complete in his righteousness, not
ours.
We are made partakers of Christ
by faith. It is by faith in him that we have our
riches in Christ so God can work into us all there
is in him for us (Eph. 3:17-19). It is by faith in
Christ that he makes us partakers of the riches of
his grace.
Selah!
Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006
Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author's written consent.
Unless otherwise noted "Scripture quotations taken from the NASB."
"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE" © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://www.bible.org/. All rights reserved.
Wil is a graduate of William Carey University, B. A.; New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Th. M.; and Azusa Pacific University, M. A. He has pastored in Panama, Ecuador and the U. S, and served for over 20 years as missionary in Ecuador and Honduras. He had a daily expository Bible teaching ministry head in over 100 countries from 1972-2005. He continues to seek opportunities to be personally involved in world missions. Wil and his wife Ann have three grown daughters. He currently serves as a Baptist pastor and teaches seminary extension courses in Ecuador.
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