Friday, January 2, 2015


NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO ALL PARTNERS
 
GRACE:  GOD'S GIFT THAT TRANSCENDS SALVATION AND ANCHORS THE BELIEVER IN CHRIST JESUS IN JUSTIFICATION.
 
This is the Year to become serious Bible Students.  When we do, we will find that the ontologically significant state of the Believer in Christ Jesus is not just being "saved" but being "justified" to bring about the heavenly patterns of things to this earth as first taught us in the Lord's prayer.  Consider Romans 8:29-31:

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed tothe image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also
glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?..."

Paul seems to be saying in this passage one simple central message:  "Once justified always justified." He most certainly is not saying "once saved, always saved" because for Paul salvation is something that is working in us and that we are working out until the day of Christ's appearing. He tells the Philippians: So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and
trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:12-13).  The Grace release to the Believer in 2015 is the GRACE that catapults the child of God to the seriously consciousness of working out his or her salvation with fear and trembling. Praise God.

Likewise, sanctification is a process whereby God brings us to the fulfillment or realization of our potential. 2015 is the Year to soar like the Eagle to our God-given destiny.  Indeed, having been created in the divine image, the justified are becoming conformed to the image of His Son. This too continues until the day of Christ appearing. For this, we must join The Apostle Paul in giving praise to God, as he wrote, "...to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us...be glory." (Eph. 3:20-21)

The Believer in Christ must be confident of God's power to do all of this.  "For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6) Hence we can say with confidence like the Apostle: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me." (Gal. 2:20).  This is the summary of the mystery of the Grace of God and it is simply yours not for the asking but for the receiving.  Amen.