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Privileges of the Lord's People

    Almighty God has an elect people, chosen unto salvation before the foundation of the world. These elected ones are a vast multitude chosen from every nation, kindred, people, and tongue under heaven. These vessels of mercy enjoy great and glorious privileges through Christ.

  1. ADOPTION. These objects of God’s electing grace have been adopted into the family of God and declared to be the children of the Lord. Paul declared to the believing Ephesians that God the Father had “predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself” (1:5). “As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16). Because of adopting grace, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Colossians 1:13).
     
  2. REDEMPTION. We deserved to be forever cursed by the law of God which we offended, “but Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). The ransom price for the freedom of the captives has been paid. “We are redeemed…by the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
     
  3. REGENERATION. Though all of God’s elect are in the same condition as the entirety of Adam’s fallen race, dead in sins, yet the Spirit of grace, using the gospel of Christ, raises God’s people from being spiritual corpses to being alive in Christ forevermore. The result of this new birth is repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
     
  4. JUSTIFICATION. God’s elect have been “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). The Son of God has paid for all the sins of His sheep by His sacrificial death; we are forgiven and declared by the Lord to be made the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). God makes us righteous through the imputation of the righteousness of Christ established for His people by His bloody death upon the cross of Calvary.
     
  5. SANCTIFICATION. Paul wrote, “But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). The One who set us apart for Himself, has made us pure and holy in Christ. As no man can justify himself before God, so no one can sanctify himself. Christ is our holiness!
     
  6. PROVIDENCE. The Word of God says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23). Our lives are governed, directed, and guided by the loving hand of our covenant God. He who ordained all things, brings everything to pass to fulfill His purpose and makes them work together for the good of the people of God (Romans 8:28).
     
  7. GLORIFICATION. Even though the everlasting state of the children of God is yet in the future, the attainment of it is so sure that Paul speaks of it in the past tense. “…And whom He justified, them He also glorified” (Romans 8:31). In God’s view we are already justified and glorified in Christ. Each believer joins with the Psalmist and says, “As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness: I will be satisfied, when I awake, with Thy likeness” (Psalm 17:15).
Topics: Church Bulletin Articles
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