IF the Holy Spirit only seals believers in the Church Age
(meaning us, the Body of Christ)
and
His sealing guarantees our security
and
there’s no sealing of believers outside our age,
then
there’s no security outside our age,
therefore,
no one else has been/will be secure.
[See the home page article.]
And since the Bible is neither contradictory nor confusing, there must be some kind of distinction between books that show security and books that don’t. We need to know who each book is addressing, right?
Yes!
The Church Age was a mystery that was revealed to Paul – and Paul alone. The other disciples were preaching the gospel of repentance/gospel of the kingdom. Our gospel, given to Paul, looks different from theirs because it is different! We’re secure, they weren’t.
Paul wrote Romans through Philemon. Within these books is where you find security. There are many verses outside these books that talk about the wonder of God’s power and of Jesus’ all sufficient work on the cross, but don’t be misled! Those are salvation verses, not security verses. [Again, discussed on the home page and elsewhere.]
In this article, we’re going to look at gratitude in the life of a Church Age believer.
And forgive me if the intro seems harsh. I don’t mean it to…
…but what are you busy praying for?
- Lord, bless me.
- Lord, encourage me.
- Lord, comfort me.
- Lord, protect me.
These aren’t wrong or bad to pray for, but step back for a minute and look at what you have!
Portions of Ephesians 1
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.
In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us.
In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Please back up and read 13 and 14 one more time. Beautiful.
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.
2 Corinthians 5:5
Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
We’ve been bought and paid for, and a deposit/down payment was given, guaranteeing our inheritance!
So you see, you’ve already been blessed, encouraged, comforted, and protected beyond measure!
And for a reminder of where we once were…
Colossians 1:13
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
1 Corinthians 6:11
Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Colossians 2:13-15
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Paul’s job found in Ephesians 3
8 To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; 10 so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.
11 This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12 in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
And what he, Paul, wants for us:
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
And in Colossians 1…
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
There’s tons more of this stuff in Romans thru Philemon. And you know what happens when we go outside those books, right? You won’t find these guarantees and promises.
So go ahead and pray for blessing, encouragement, comfort, and protection. We certainly need it. Just do it with an overwhelming sense of gratitude!
Ephesians 3:20
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
church age REALLY is different.com!