The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty. (Exodus 34:6-7)
How? Because
the LORD has laid on Him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
In (Christ) we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will. (Ephesians 1:11)
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He works all things according to His will. For those in Christ— what comfort! For those outside of Christ— what terror! Run to His protection today!
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27-28)
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The assurance, the security of being known by Him.
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:11)
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The former inmate wouldn’t dream of sleeping in his old prison cell again.
When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. (Gal 4:4-5)
And the Son says:
If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31)
If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-38)
Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
come, buy and eat! (Isaiah 55:1)
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From the Lord to Isaiah to the Lord to us.
The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
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Paul doesn’t seem to be describing a part of his life, or a religious preference, or an add on here. It sounds like every facet of his life is informed by this reality.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. (Galatians 1:3-5)
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! (2 Corinthians 13:5)
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:10)
Stay awake church!
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For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough. (2 Cor 11:4)
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For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (2 Cor 11:13-14)
Not all people are children of God.
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He (Jesus) came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (John 1:11-12).
From the Old Testament we see:
Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. (Luke 24:46-47)
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Stop and consider the wondrous works of God. (Job 37:14)
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The death and resurrection of Jesus to rescue His people is at the center of that work!
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As for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people? (Isaiah 53:8)
Stay awake friends!
Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. (Luke 21:34)
“if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself” (2 Cor 5:17-18)
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New life, new ownership, new purpose.