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210.
One spirit with the Lord.
All blessed one this word, what heavenly light with our Divine and that sweet version.
One spirit of the Lord Jesus, glorify.
Steve, The Church of Richard Glenn, His Body and His Bride, 210.
Oh my God.
One would be subject for arts.
I believe so.
The Beans Chapter one.
Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God to the Saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
Grace be to you, and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him and love.
Having predestinated us under 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. Where any hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made note unto us the mystery of His will, according to his good pleasure, which he half purposed in himself.
But 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, and whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who work with all things after the council of his own will. That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ, and whom he also trusted, after that he heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
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And whom also after that you believe you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise?
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession under the praise of his glory. Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints, cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you. And my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, and the knowledge of him that the eyes of your understanding being enlightened.
He may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward, who believe according to the working of this mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and sent him in his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and mighty dominion, every name that is named not only in this world, but also in that which is to come, and hath put all things under his feet.
And gave him to be the head over all things to the Church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth All in all.
Statement of our brother Potter when he was with us. He said that in the first chapter of his seasons, God is for himself.
You notice that we're just brought in by the way doesn't take up our our so much our condition dead entrepreneurs and sins that you get in the second chapter. But it's more what God has purpose that.
There is thought of what God has in view for himself, for his glory, and for the glory of his beloved Son.
This would be why there are no ifs in efficiency.
It brings the forest responsibility, but in these early chapters, as you say, it's God's work for his own glory. So there's nothing no ifs about it.
In Romans chapter 8, God is for Us.
Here in this chapter, he's for himself.
And this is where the blessing comes to us, because God is doing something for himself. He has done something for himself, for his glory. And if God had not done this for himself, there wouldn't be any blessing for us. The source of our blessing is in him and what he has done.
Blessing that comes to us, though, is the satisfaction of his own heart in doing it, isn't it? And that is beautifully brought in. That is, although God is acting for Himself, our blessing is part of the joy that he finds. Because God is love, and he has made objects for that love, and so he has brought into association with himself, those who are spoken of here as his body.
The Church.
In connection with what was said about.
God acting for himself too, I suppose. Up to the end of the sixth verse we get this especially because all His purposes are brought before us before redemption is even mentioned, so that God had these things in His eternal purposes before sin entered. When sin entered, He found the remedy, saw that these purposes could be carried out. It has been said that medical science goes to work when some new trouble occurs.
To find the remedy, God had the purposes before, and when the difficulty came in, He had the remedy. When sin came in, the remedy had already been in His purposes too, because the Lamb was foreordained before the foundation of the world, and nothing could hinder or will hinder the grand fulfillment of all these purposes that are outlined in the 1St 6 verses of our chapter.
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CHM says that the cross was no afterthoughts of God.
As soon as Adam and Eve had sinned that very day to get in what the Lord God says to the serpent, the woman's seed shall bruise the serpent's head. That was God's remedy. The woman's seed of Christ isn't the seed of the man.
And there was another man born into this scene who could be spoken of in that way as the woman's seeds, because his origin was divine.
He was born of a virgin, but there God had his purpose, his remedy, as you say, right from the beginning of man's sad history, when he had listened to the tempter. And all through the history of man, we see God quietly, consistently working with that.
Purpose before him that the woman's feed his son.
Should defeat the enemy. I think your father used to say Brother Hale, that.
It says he shall bruise his heel, That is the the serpent. No, that is the the seed of the woman, that he shall bruise his head. That's the surface. That is the the Blessed Lord in his pathway down here.
Was bruised in connection with all the hatred and malice and enmity of man. But when it speaks of his head being bruised, that is the serpent's head. The head is where all our thoughts and slams and designs come from. And he was to smite all those plans of Satan forever defeat them. So go, just allow Satan to remain here until his purposes and the youths he asked for. Satan is accomplished.
Then he puts him in the bottomless pit for 1000 years and then went in. God allows the leader to bring about the final state of man, what's in his heart. After the 1000 years, Satan is released out of his prison for a short time. Then he cast him into the lake of fire forever.
The solemn thing that God allows Satan.
To remain in this world, but he is accomplishing his purposes through it.
How's you going to say, brother? He said, blessed to that not only.
Was the Lord Jesus the one who was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but his bride was chosen. That bride which would accompany him and be with him in the glory, was also chosen there before the foundation of the world.
God would have a right for His beloved Son, and He has thus chosen, and now He has told us, and soon He's about to bring us into that home that we might share there His love and His joy.
The marvelous picture that the deep sleep into which Adam fell was a very beginning that brought to him Eve. This was before sin had come in, where we find God's purposes displayed before from doing that.
Things which are in Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.
I do not think that the faithful as more devoted class, but it takes in all the children of God. You could put it those who have faith.
You have the same thought in the opening of the book of Colossians.
So if we have faith in the Lord Jesus, we are entitled to receive for our souls.
All that's taught in this blessed epistle, although it was primarily addressed to the to the Saints, which are at Ephesus, who doubtless were in a very spiritual state as an assembly, so that the apostles could bring out these purposes and counsels of God.
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And give them the very highest truth that's taught in the whole range of the word of God. Because within the Ephesians that we get where we're raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus you couldn't go higher than in connection with.
With our privileges and blessings down here, but we mustn't get on to the second chapter while we're on the 1St chapter. But I just mentioned that in passing.
Thank you.
We might wonder why these Ephesians believers were so privileged to get this high truth that we have in this book.
But we find that there was a a very real work of God that went on at Ephesus. We got the record of it in Acts chapter 19.
In the 10th verse it says by the space of two years.
So that all which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus.
Both Jews and Greeks. So the gospel was going out there and there were many that heard it and we go on down in the chapter.
Says in verse 18, and many that believe came and confessed and showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious art, brought their books together and burned them before all men, and they come to the price of them and founded 50,000 pieces of silver.
So lightly grew the word of God, and prevailed.
These who had believed.
Made a clean break with what they've been going on with before.
They judged it and it wasn't 1/2 and half thing with them, but they really were convicted by the spirit of God. God did a real work in them and.
They acted in such a way that God could vouchsafe to them these blessed truths. I believe very often we're hindered in learning of God.
And entering into the good of what God has given us, because we're sort of half and half.
Where Lukewarm. Of course. This is what characterizes us today in the Legacyan period of the Church's history. Lukewarm. And we're not out and out for God, and we like to go on with the things of the world as well as going on with the Lord. But I believe it's a great hindrance to us, and we're hindered from entering into these blessed things.
That have already been revealed. Well, perhaps the Lord might exercise our hearts about this.
One thing we tell us in the opening of all the Epistles versus Hebrews, and it begins with grace and peace.
So whatever the state of the assembly might be.
The Spirit of God could always speak of grace and peace as the portion of God's children.
For without grace.
There's no salvation.
And there's no peace with God or peace in our souls apart from the work of Christ on the cross.
So this is a very, very foundation of everything. But the Apostle would have the children of God whenever he addressed them to be enjoying more of his grace and going on.
The precious peace that passes all understanding, as he tells us in another place.
Keeping your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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We're thinking of that expression, too. In the first verse, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the will of God. We have this again in the fifth verse, says in the end of the fifth verse, according to the good pleasure of his will. And in the ninth verse, having made known unto us the mystery of his will. And then again in the 11Th verse, he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.
How beautiful this is, because the will of God is the source of all the blessing that flows to us.
And so it tells us that not only is that will toward us to bless us, but God finds his own good pleasure in doing it. You know, a person might show a kindness to a person out of compassion, but it's an entirely different thing to find pleasure in doing that act. And oh, how wonderful, Brethren 4 Failing things that we are, God finds his own pleasure in our blessing. Isn't this a lovely thing for us to get hold of?
And then the next one, he's made known unto us the mystery of his will.
Now, that is, God wants us to know all that is in his will, all His purposes in regard to the glory of Christ and to the blessing of those in association with him. How many dear Christians do stop at the wondrous fact that they are saved, that their sins are forgiven? Well, it's just like laying hold of one truth when God has so many precious things for us to know and He's unfolded them.
His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness.
And this precious book that we hold in our hands is a full revelation.
Of all that God would have us to know and to enjoy, Sometimes we bother ourselves about things that God hasn't told us, but all if we would just enjoy more what He has told us, these precious things and then the last one that he works all things after the council of his own will. Is God going to fulfill all these things that he has purpose? Is any failure on the part of the church? Is any power of Satan going to hinder? No, there's not one thing that God has purpose that is not going to be fulfilled.
How often? We have some plan, and it's a very nice plan, but it doesn't always workout. We're not able to carry it through, but when God purposes anything, he's able to carry it through. So how wonderful to think of this will of God. And we can say to everyone in the company this morning who is saved, that God's will is your blessing to the fullest possible extent, and not only is his will to bless you, but he's not going to be satisfied.
Until that will has been fully accomplished, thank God it will be in the glory, and by the Spirit He would have us to enjoy this beforehand. For in this epistle we are seeing as already seated in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus.
Being carried out of that will then, I mean in our lives. If we should fail, would that come in?
To counteract the purposes and the Willow cloud that you're bringing up, Well, it can hinder our enjoyment of it, but not the blessing itself. The blessing itself is secured in and through Christ, and we're not accepted in what we are in ourselves, but we are accepted in the beloved, in the beloved. God sees us in Christ, and so these things are all going to be accomplished in Him and as we have had before us for His glory.
But we may not be in the enjoyment of it. We can live like coppers when we own a beautiful mansion, yet the mansion is ours, whether we're enjoying it or not. And we see this so beautifully in the end of the 8th of Romans. Paul was enjoying the love of God in Christ, and he said, I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, and our height and our depth, nor any other creature.
Shall be able to separate and notice the change the plural word separate us.
From the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. So when he speaks of the love that's in Christ Jesus our Lord, he says it's for us, it's for all the redeemed family. But Paul is enjoying it. And he could say in the singular I am persuaded. And how often it's not true of us that we're persuaded of that we're enjoying these things, but they're true of us, whether we're enjoying them or not. But as to our loss and the work of the Spirit is to lead our souls.
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Into the enjoyment of our portion. We have the example of this in the children of Israel. Going into the land of Canaan. The whole land was there, It was all for them. But how much of it did they really possess in a practical way? They were not in the enjoyment of all of the land of Canaan. It was a fruitful land, it was a good land, and there were all kinds of earthly blessings there for them.
But they never really entered into the enjoyment of it all. And why?
All there were things that they went on with lack of faith, first of all.
They didn't put their foot on every part of that land and then they went on with things that finally.
Have caused God to remove them from that land, and they were taken right away from all of these blessings. But as far as the nation of Israel is concerned, it still belongs to them, and they're going to possess it someday. This is according to the the purposes of God in connection with these earthly people. Well, so it is with his heavenly people. We're not entering into the enjoyment of all the land that God has provided for us in the heavenlies.
In Christ Jesus, and what our brother Heyho has been telling us about the security of it, and sure must be in those expressions in the heavenlies in Christ. They're in a place where they cannot be touched, but they're also in a place by virtue of which we must be in communion with the Lord in order to be in the good of them. That is, we must be in touch with that heavenly one in order to be in the enjoyment of them.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
You notice there are two sources for our blessings.
The God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that takes us back to the 20th of John, where Mary Magdalene saw the Lord after he rose from the dead.
And she was so overjoyed. Doubtless she was going to the embrace it.
But the Lord says, touch me not wasn't the time for association with him, as Israel will be associated with him in the coming days.
Have for the what the Lord had in view for his people, since he had gone to the cross and risen again.
With a heavenly portion and blessing. So he says that for I have not ascended.
So to my Father. But go tell my brother that I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and the my God, and your God. The Lord never was able to say that in all His ministry before the cross He could talk to his disciples about the Father and tell them much of the.
Father's grace and so on.
But as soon as redemptions work is accomplished, and now has a risen man, he can lead them into the very blessings that he himself enjoyed in all his perfect life. Down here they were to be in the blessings of the Father. No God is their Father, and to receive blessings as the God of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We should be familiar with the fact that when those two names, Father and God, are used, they are not used in the indifference, careless way. Fact. Nothing in Scripture has found that thousands of definite meaning, but they're used in the very instructive way. Well, I understand that when it's God, it has more of a thought of authority.
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Power. When you read of judgment and justice and so on, you'll find the name of God is connected with those thoughts. But when it's nearness, when it's intimacy as children enjoying the parents love, then the name Father is brought before us and you'll find if you follow the subject of Ephesians.
That that pattern is followed right through the epistles.
First he speaks of the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, and then the Father. And if you follow on in the.
Through the 4th verse he says, 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. They're the thought of authority and power is the theme of what he's writing.
But now read on in the next verse, the fifth verse, having predestinated us under the adoption of children.
There's the blessing that comes from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, showing how consistently the Apostle is sitting a line of truth before our souls.
Well, it's lovely to notice those words blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. For this is in contrast with what was given to Israel when they entered the land. They were not spiritual blessings, but they were material blessings, and God spoke of these in the Book of Deuteronomy. And those things, as our brother Anderson remarked, will be enjoyed in a wonderful way in the millennial age when God blesses his earthly people.
There will be a grandeur and a material blessing bestowed upon them in the in the Jerusalem and in the land such as has never been seen in this world before. God will show what was in His plan for man, and a material way down here upon the earth, and even in family blessing.
But now, in Christianity, we're introduced into a new sphere, and our blessings now are not here. They're in the heavens. We're blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, so God doesn't promise us material blessings. He cares for us, just as a country cares for its ambassador. When He's in another land, they care for him. They provide a lodging for him, but it's not his own. It's just a place where He dwells while He represents that country.
And in that sense, as Christians, God cares for us, He provides for us. But in a similar way, we're like ambassadors here, and we really don't look upon the things that we have here as our own, but our blessings really belong to another sphere. In fact, so carefully does the Spirit of God to speak of this in the New Testament, and that the material things are always spoken of as mercies, the spiritual things as blessings in connection with Christians.
And so we're blessed with all spiritual blessings, and it's helpful for us to realize, brethren, that this is not a matter of progress.
It's not something that we gain as we go on. We gain the enjoyment of it. But all, all in the heart of God for us is given to us as a gift. When we receive Christ as our Savior is not one single thing that belongs to a Christian who has been saved for 50 or 60 years.
Any more than belongs to one who has been saved for 50 or 60 minutes. It's the very same. But certainly if that one who has been saved 50 or 60 years has been walking with God, he's enjoying his portion much more. But this is true of every believer. And everything that God has in His purposes for us through the work of Christ is ours from the moment of our salvation. But their heavenly blessings, their spiritual blessings, and the great work of the enemy.
Was to hinder Israel from enjoying the material things in the land. And the great work of the enemy is to keep us from enjoying what we have in Christ. And all the power of Satan has arranged against the believer and against the Church of God to keep us from entering into the fullness of blessing that has come to us through the work of Christ.
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It's the most blessed.
Thought in connection with our blessing. Spiritual blessings, that's higher and more wonderful than just temporal blessings. Getting a few good things down here in this world Have spiritual blessings, and then think of where those blessings are found. You couldn't think of anything more glorious than heavenly blessings. The very theme and the very glory of which our Blessed Lord has entered and where He's waiting for us and where He's soon to take us.
And then?
The most touching thought of all that they're in Christ. Nothing touches our hearts as the mention of his name. To think that we actually possess those blessings in that one who has loved us and given himself for us. Well, beloved, we surely are blessed. Just as our brother Hale is saying, though the enjoyment of it is what is needed.
For our instruction at this time. And may the Spirit of God really lead our hearts into the enjoyment that which he so wonderfully is setting before our soul.
Can we see the Apostle himself enjoying it in the way in which he writes this verse? Of course, it's written by inspiration, but he says, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us. He not only tells us about the blessing, but the very way in which he does, and those that his own soul and enjoy it. Peter used to the same language, and I believe that in Speaking of these blessings, our souls ought to enjoy them through.
Well, that's the power of ministry, isn't it, brother? Hell, when John the Baptist was looking upon Jesus as he walked, he just exclaims in the delight of his soul. Behold the Lamb of God and John and Douglas. John and Andrew left Jesus, left John and followed Jesus. That's the power of ministry and without the enjoyment of the truth.
That we're seeking to set before others are.
Precious to our own souls just become the sounding brass and the tinkling symbol, just the noise and the sound and display. So may the Lord give us one and all to really be in the enjoyment of these precious things, what we have in Christ and taking us completely out of this poor world to which we're passing just to the hymn that was sung at the beginning of the meeting would bring.
This thought before us all, bright and blessed, seems where sin can never come.
And that stirred our hearts this morning, beloved.
2 words that are used in these verses which are very helpful and perhaps for those that are younger.
The word half and the word in If we stop and think as we read these first verses in the this chapter of Ephesians and throughout the Epistle to the Ephesians. If we stop and think of these words half and in.
He already has blessed us, hasn't He, this blessing. And what He has accomplished for us is already ours. And so He hath blessed us. And there in Christ Jesus, and as we follow it down through the verses, we find these words in most of the first verses of the chapter.
And we find in the next verse that we were chosen in him.
Before the foundation of the world.
And Brother Aho is mentioning whether we've been saved 60 years or forget whether it's 60 minutes or 60 seconds. That either would be true. But all that we get here still is something that would we can enjoy and know is true for every believer in connection with the word hath. I've enjoyed seeing how many times you get the word half and the and the.
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The first chapter and the few verses of the second notice, I believe it's seven times. In verse three, he hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Verse four he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world. Verse six he hath made us accepted in the beloved. Verse eight he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence or intelligence. Verse nine, he hath purpose of the good pleasure says, which he hath purposed in himself.
Without reading the 10th verse it goes on and connects with the word half and verse 11 it says in whom also we have obtained an inheritance. And then in verse 22 he has put all things under his feet. But then we're brought in at the end of that verse, gave him to be head over all things to the church, and then in the second chapter and the sixth verse.
Hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.
Seven times you have that word half connected with ourselves through grace.
I believe the reason Satan is called in this epistle, the Prince of the power of the air is because the air is that which comes between US and the heavenlies. We know that after the church has been taken away, then Satan is cast down to the earth, and his great malice is against the seed that will be brought into the earthly blessing.
But now His work is to try and keep us occupied with this earth and with material things, just as later he will try to hinder Israel.
From enjoying it, he's trying to keep us occupied with us and come between us and our portion up there. And so there's a real spiritual conflict because the enemy's power is between us and the enjoyment of those heavenly things. Well, there is an energy of the Spirit of God that is stronger than all this. Just as Israel were able to overcome their enemies when counting upon God when they entered the land saw, there can be that spiritual energy that arises above things here.
Which tend to press us down and give us a glimpse and an enjoyment of what is ours up there.
You know, it's been said that.
Ephesians is the Joshua of the New Testament. We might just look at the first chapter of Joshua and see how the two books correspond.
First chapter of Joshua.
The first verse every place that the soul of your foot shall spread upon that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses, from the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even under the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and under the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
Well, you have those two things brought before us.
To serve every place that the soul of your foot shall credible, that have I given you their responsibility to take position.
Of the virus.
Position that God had for his people.
Rather remarkable the boundaries there too. It stretches out to a wilderness, to a great river.
And to the great sea.
So beyond the land spiritually, that God has given to his people what is there, Beyond it nothing but a vast howling wilderness is there, and a river, the commerce of this world, and the great sea of which it says it cannot rest, which cast us up in mire and dirt.
We're bound by all around us. That would distract us, that would turn us away from our blessings. But here we are, brought together in marvelous grace to enjoy what the world knows nothing about, all its last wilderness and with all its commerce.
And with all this vast sea, here we are, a little company enjoying the spiritual blessings.
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Rather remarkable too, that when you come to the second chapter of Galoshes of Joshua, you get rehab brought in. That corresponds with the second chapter of Ephesians, where you get those who are the subjects of this blessing. And who are they? Those who were dead in practices and in sins. Just poor, miserable loss.
Guilty sinners that had no claim on God any more than Rehab had claimed upon the promises and blessings of God to Israel.
Still looking at this first chapter of Joshua, Notice 3 words in verse 15.
Down toward the end of the verse and.
Enjoy it.
Now it's Speaking of the land of their possession there in that verse. Also, it's in connection with those on the other side, Jordan, but it applies to.
What was given to the other tribes?
On the West side of the Jordan.
But it's one thing to have the land for possession.
It's another thing.
To enjoy this is emphasized here. It seems to me, even in connection with the earthly blessings, the material things that were promised to the children of Israel, they should be exercised about enjoying it. And we noticed in connection with that that they had to go out armed. There were battles to be fought. The enemy would contest every step they took.
Every piece that they would try to enjoy.
The enemy would contest it, and they never did overcome all of the enemies.
And so we have in this book, in Ephesians, at the end of it, in the 6th chapter as has already been mentioned, an enemy that's contesting every step that we want to take in the enjoyment of these good things that the Lord has provided for us all. This is what should exercise our hearts. We should remember that we're in an enemy's land and the enemy is busy and he wants to hinder us, keep us from enjoying all these blessings that God has provided for us in Christ Jesus.
We should notice too, all the purpose that God had in his choice back in eternity. Look at the sixth verse, courting as He had chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world. What for? That we should be wholly and without blame before Him in love. Is that true of us now? I believe it is.
It's not our state that is considered here, it's our standing. And you'll find in Isaiah that God has put all our sins behind his back. And where is he? Put those whom His grace has redeemed before him in love? That is, he put our sins behind his back. He has his redeemed ones before him where he can look upon him with complacency.
The light there before him in love, where he can find his joy and delight in the blessings of those that are before him.
I was thinking of how nicely this is typified in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus.
Where on the.
Chief of first fruits which typifies to us the Lord Jesus in resurrection.
It was way before the Lord, and it says to be accepted for you. And so the great secret here is the end of the sixth verse. He has made us accept it not in ourselves, but accepted in the beloved. In the new translation, the beloved is in the capital because it's the Lord, and just as that chief of first fruits was accepted for them, that is, it was waived with all the value of the sacrifice, and it was accepted for them.
So that's the only way that it can be said of us that we're holy and without blame before him in love because we're accepted in Christ. I believe we could say too that holy is as to the nature and without blame is as to our character, well we have a divine nature, but also as to Christ we are made the righteousness of God in him.
01:00:14
It is not merely the righteousness of God being put to our account, because if that were Saul, then there were a lot of other things that we have done, and we might be occupied with them. But how wonderful Christ himself is our righteousness before God. Not his actions and not his perfect life, but he himself. The one who has accomplished redemption, who's glorified God about the whole question of sin, is now there at God's right hand, and we can say like the psalmist.
Prophetically looked upon the face of thine anointed, and if he looks at us there's failure. But if he looks upon the face of his anointed, now the blessing can come, so he can go on. In that beautiful 84 Psalm, the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly and so holy as as to our nature and without blame as to our character. This is our present standing before God.
Because we are accepted in the Beloved. 1 The Apostle John would say everyone that hath this hope in him purifies himself.
Even as he is pure, that's the way God works in the lives of His Saints. He shows us what we are in Christ and then exercises us that we might measure up to the perfect standard, which is Christ himself, now glorified. So we look at his blessed life down here, and then we look at him up there after he has finished his course and run the race.
There we see. There's where God sees me.
There in his own presence, just like his beloved Son. Now how much am I manifesting that in my walking ways down here? Well, you see that he isn't putting us under law at all. Soon as you go to putting Saints under law, it occupies them with themselves to see how faithful they are. And then they begin to think they are maybe better than they really are as to their ways. But if you're occupied with the perfect pattern, Christ and glory.
Your little side of self, you're occupied with him, and it's just as you get in First Corinthians 3. The last part, we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. That's the way the Spirit of God works in the hearts of his people.
I read in Genesis.
Chapter One In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Well, this verse goes back beyond that. Before that this goes back into eternity. We speak of the eternal counsels of God.
Well, this is what this verse is Speaking of. The eternal counsels of God chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. We were in the counsels of God.
That is, we who are saved can say that we were in the counsels of God before there was any word.
Before the foundation of the earth was laid.
Way in ages past. Now this is not taking us simply back to the creation of Adam. It takes us back beyond that way, into the ages past and before those ages began, before the earth was formed, we were chosen in Christ.
So our history really begins before there was any earth. And I suppose this is 1 great reason why we should be exercised about being separate from it, not being connected with it in any way, becoming defiled by being occupied with it. We don't belong to this scene at all. We were in the counsels of God before there was any scene like this.
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children.
Oh, here we get the blessings that flow from the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that tag takes us back into eternity again, predestinated.
Us unto the adoption of children.
Predestination I understand is marking out beforehand.
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I've heard it like into a man who is about to build a.
Own building. He goes to the quarry and looks over the different layers of stone and selects the stone that he thinks is suited for the building he's going to erect. The owner of the quarry is with him and when he makes his choice he puts his mark on these stones. Those stones are predestinated, marked out beforehand.
For a very special and definite purpose. Now I'm sure we all understand the love of death, the line of things we're talking about.
Is not what we would preach on the street or tell they are lost about. These are family secrets, very blessed secrets for the family of God, for those who are brought into the adoption of children. Is not addressing lost sinners.
I'm sure we've heard most of us, the illustration of the man that comes to an arch. And over this arch is written whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely. Well, he looks through the arts, and he sees the fountain of the water of life springing up. He goes in and drinks refresh, And then someone says, Have you read the inscription on the inside of the arch?
And he looks around and hear the words that he sees.
Chosen in him before the foundation of the world. But he had to go through the arts and drink of the water of life before he was privileged to read the inscription on the inside. So these are tools for the family of God, most blessed and most encouraging for our hearts.
Well, for us to remember that the Bible never speaks of anyone being predestinated for judgment.
They fit themselves for judgment. Predestination only has to do with the.
Family of God only with blessing, but as far as the will of God is concerned, it says he's not willing that any should perish.
And when the unsaved stand before God, they will be dealt with by according to their works, so that.
As responsible people, they are judged, but those who are blessed must recognize that we would never have come if it hadn't been for the grace of God.
So that responsibility has a very definite place with the unsaved, and we preach to them as responsible people. And all through the Bible, God addresses the unsaved as responsible people.
But after we're saved, as you say, we find out that God had purposes and connected with His people, things that we could never enter into or understand until after we are saved.
We might call attention to these.
Scriptures that our brother is calling attention to in Romans Chapter 9.
Verses 22 and 23 you get the contrast between the two classes.
In verse 22, they're fitted to destruction. That is, they fit themselves for destruction. But in verse 23 it speaks of the best vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory. He's the one that prepares the vessels of mercy for glory.
That in the thought of this to produce a sense of worship in our hearts, the thought that we were predestined to this wonderful place of blessing Fact, in Speaking of that love that was set upon us before the foundation of the world, I thought, sometimes it's rather humbling to us to find how the scripture exhorts us concerning such flowers. It says, Keep yourself in the love of God, it says.
Continue ye in my life.
It is a little humbling, is it not, to think that when this wonderful love is made known to us, we should actually need a word of exhortation like that? Especially do I think of it in reading this epistle where it's made known to us as having existed before the foundation of the world, and where we're brought into such a wonderful place of blessing, To be reminded that what I personally sometimes speak of as the second Epistle to the Ephesians.
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Speaks of the very same people.
And having lost their first lot, or left their first lot, or if we wish to put it that way, the Ephesians did receive a second epistle before the scripture was closed. Revelation 2. It's the same company to whom this wonderful revelation is made known and this wonderful love is revealed before the scripture is closed. They received this second letter, and in it they reminded I was left by first love. So as we sit here enjoying it this morning.
I believe our hearts can well be certain that we might walk in it too. Lord, use that very way to restore Peter fully and completely in the presence of his brethren, didn't he? The Lord didn't reproach Peter for denying him, But he said, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
Or how deep that went and when Peter is brought to the confession that only the Lord could see that?
Love that was truly there for his blessed Lord and master. And the Lord says he's my lambs shepherd, my sheep, feed my sheep. And that is really again, the power of ministry, its love for Christ and its love for Christ that really breaks down the barriers that exist between US and that blessed one. That's what the Lord laid before Peter. Whether.
He loved the Lord more than the other disciples, for that was Peter's boast. The law shall forsake thee, yet will not die. There was a boasted self-confidence, but the Lord just pulled him three times. Love us, thou me, oh brethren, may that speak to each one of us here. Love us, thou me out exercises our souls to think of the infinite love of Christ.
There's such worthless things as ourselves.
We're just thinking too how in this fifth verse it says unto the adoption of children. We notice the accuracy of the word of God in John's ministry were looked upon as children by birth. Aren't we born into the family of God for taking of the life and nature of the family we can enjoy as children all that is in the heart of God as our father. But in Ephesians here we're brought in by adoption because the thought is rather choice.
When a person adopts a child, its choice, and this is very lovely to me.
It's impossible for a person to adopt A child and have the two things. The one who has a child born might have a child born and perhaps the child has some physical disability. That child carries it through life. We love the child. It's part of ourselves. It partakes of our very life and nature, but it isn't exactly what we would have chosen. But in adoption you have the thought of choice and in the family of God's both.
Oh, isn't this lovely?
To think that we're just exactly the very ones he chose, but lacked nothing, because we partake of the very life the nature of the family, and so that we can enjoy possessing that nature all that's in the heart of God. And so it tells us this in John 17. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God. And Jesus Christ comes our sins, that is eternal. Life is not merely the length of time that the life will exist.
Because even the unsayed will exist eternally. But it's a character. It's the very life of Christ himself, and a life by which we can, as I say, enter into and enjoy.
All that's in his heart, and with a life too that is perfectly suited to him.
To enjoy it, well, what a portion is ours and as we have in this portion here.
It's rather the thought of adoption. It's choice. It's just what he wants. Isn't it lovely, brethren, to think that we can sit here? The Lord might be grieved in us, but never disappointed, because we're the very ones He chose. And when he looks upon his own in the coming day, he shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied. I heard a story once, of a couple that adopted the boy.
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And then afterwards.
They had some children of their own born into the family well.
After a while, the boy got to realize that he was different from these other children.
That threes had been born into the family, but he hadn't been born into the family. And he got worried and concerned about it and he he got to feeling unhappy. Well, the parents, his foster parents, had to do something about it. And so they they explained it on that same basis that these other children, they had to take them when they came because they were born into the family. They had no, actually no choice about it.
But when they wanted him.
They were looking around for a boy and they saw him and they desired him. They wanted him and they said to him, well, you're wanted. We chose you because we wanted you. And all that made him feel so much better. That made him really happy to know that he had a special place in the hearts of his parents.
Doesn't forget, though, that it's by Jesus Christ.
Everything depends on that blessed one. His work, His love, His grace.
That fought and found us as well as redeemed us at such a cost God could not possess apart from the person and the work of his beloved Son.
That's him #141.