Today's message is called Five
Important Bible Words. Now, words that we say are important,
aren't they? We are careful how we say words. Words can build a person up,
or words can tear a person down. So words are very important.
It's how we communicate, isn't it, as humans? There's various
languages in this world, but they each use words. Words that
are understood by the people who speak those languages. And I want us to look at five
Bible words today. Now, these words, you've all
heard them. They're not new. They're not
new. I'm not gonna bring up any words
that are new. But they're five of the most important words that
we can find in scripture. Again, you know them. But yet, they are sometimes despised
by people who would call themselves religious, or people who would
even say they were Christians. And you mentioned some of these
words, not all of them, but some of these words. And people who profess to love
the Bible will recoil from them. But yet, they're Bible words.
And the definition is not hard to find. You open up a Strong's
Concordance, or Thiers, or Young's, and it's very clear what they
say. And in reading the context of
the verse, you can find out how it's used. But yet, unless the
Holy Spirit illuminates the scriptures, they're just words. But these five words, for we
who are born-again believers, We rejoice at these five words.
We find comfort in them. We find comfort in them. And again, these words will be
familiar with us, but they're scripture, and we can always
learn from what the scripture says. I remember doing a study
on Psalm 23, in Oregon, back when I lived in Oregon, and reading
Brother Henry Mahan's comments on Psalms, and he said, we must
never let ourselves come to the point where scripture is commonplace,
or the truth of the scripture is commonplace. Even Psalm 23,
we know it, right? We've read it, we've heard it
read and preached on at sometimes funerals. A lot of people like
to preach a funeral service with Psalm 23. And so we're all familiar
with it as believers, but never let it become commonplace. Because
you know, I'm gonna do a study again through Psalm 23. Do you
know that there's all different things that point to who God
is in that Psalm? We're gonna look at that. It's
wonderful. It would be down the road a little bit, but I'm planning
on that. And it's wonderful, I'll tell you. Start looking
at the names of the God in Hebrew and all that, In finding out
what they mean, it's absolutely amazing. The Bible is full of gems that
we have not yet learned. You've heard me mention a few
times from the pulpit that if we feel like we've arrived, we're
in big trouble, aren't we? We're in big trouble. So let's look at these five Bible
words. Five Bible words. Turn, if you
would, to 1 Thessalonians 1. The first Bible word is elect or
election. Elect or election. A lot of folks
say, well, I've already learned that. But have you really sat
and pondered the truth of election? The truth of how God's love has
been set upon us from eternity, and in that love, because of
that love, he chose us in Christ? Before the world was? Before he even spoke anything
into existence? When God was just God and he
was content being God? Pink said that. In the silence
of eternity, God was God and he was quite content being God.
He didn't need anything. And yet he manifested and created
this world for our glory. For his glory, I'm sorry. For
us to enjoy and for his glory. Not for our glory at all. No,
but for his glory, right? To manifest his glory. You look
up in the stars, you see the stars at night, and it's just
incredible. It's just for the glory of God. For us to look
at, too, and enjoy and go, look what the Lord's done. Look what
he's done. Great Lakes. No one around here,
you talk to people in other states, you talk about the Great Lakes
being like inland oceans, they're like, what are you talking about?
Come and look. Those are magnificent. And they manifest the glory of
God. Now remember this too, if you
take out Christ from election, or us being elect, there's no
election. If we're not chosen in Christ,
we're not saved, are we? And that's the wonder of election,
too, as you start to dig into it, the fact that we weren't
even born, and yet the scripture says God chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world. We know that from Ephesians 1.4,
right? Very clear. Look at this in 1
Thessalonians 1.2-5. You know, when Adam fell, we
all fell in him. And this is where a lot of folks
get it wrong. If you get it wrong at the fall,
you get it wrong with it all. We fell. We were dead in trespasses
and sins. When Adam fell, we fell. We were
dead spiritually. Come out of the womb alive physically,
but spiritually just dead. Absolutely dead. But praise be to God that long
before the fall, long before the fall, God chose a people
in Christ. Did you know that before the
Lord saved you? You know, before the Lord saved
me, I didn't even know what, I thought election was going
to an election and voting for somebody, right? But that's what
you do, right? Now you cast a vote. God didn't
just cast a vote for us. He chose us in Christ. And that's what that word elect
means, is to choose. Look at this. 1 Thessalonians 1, why
do I keep saying? 1 Thessalonians 1, verses two
to five. We give thanks to God always
for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering
without ceasing your work of faith, in labor of love and patience
of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father,
knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. So we see the
word election is a Bible word. So think of this, if a person
has a problem with election, they have a problem with God,
don't they? If a person has a problem, we
saw the elect angels in our study this morning. So people are fine
usually when, you know, well, God chose angels. Well, that's
okay. But it says here, your election of God, the Greek word
there, it means you're chosen. Your
election of God. For our gospel came not unto
you in word only. So to those who are not the elect, the Bible
comes to, the preaching of the gospel comes to them in word
only. There's no power there. It's not made effectual. That's what we mean when we say
effectual calling. The word comes with power, and
that power only comes from the Holy Spirit of God. It doesn't
come from a decision. It doesn't come from anywhere
in us. It comes from the Spirit of God. For our gospel came not
unto you in word only, but also in power, there's the key right
there, power of the Holy Spirit of God, and in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance, as you know what manner of man we were
among you for your sake. Now go to Ephesians chapter one,
verse four, if you would. I'm gonna read John 15 while
you turn in there. John 15, verse 16, the scriptures
declare this. Ye have not chosen me, but I
have chosen you. What? That's what scripture says,
right? So you mean Christ actually,
God the Father chose us? This is the master's word. You
have not chosen me, but I have chosen you and ordained you that
you should go forth and bring forth fruit. Why? Because you're
in the vine. That's the passage where he's
talking about I'm the vine and you're the branches. And in that
section, he says these words that we should just burn to our
hearts. Without me, you could do nothing. We can't do nothing without the
Lord. We can't understand the scriptures without the Lord teaching
us. But look at this in Ephesians
1, 4. According as he has chosen us in him before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love. Now see the Greek word for chosen
there, or the Greek word for chosen there is defined to pick
out. So you can't get away from it,
can you? And we as the people of God don't want to. But isn't
this marvelous to know? You ever play baseball when you're
a kid? Man, okay, they divide the kids
in the playground right there and, you know, they pick the
strongest guy every time. Whoever was captain, they go
for the strongest guy because they can knock that ball, right? And then there'd be the weakest
guy. He all got chosen last. But he still got chosen, didn't
he? See, God chooses us in Christ
not based upon anything in us. Not at all. But we are chosen
by him in Christ. It means to choose, to pick out. We are picked out from humanity.
And when was this done? Well, is there any way that I,
surely I can make a decision about that. When I made willing in the day
his power I do. See? Man's fully responsible
for their sin though, aren't they? Absolutely, 100%. But we would never be saved unless
God had chosen us in Christ. So election's a wonderful word.
And when we consider our election in Christ, it'll leave you in
awe. You're gonna say, like every believer says, why me? We all said that, right? We've
all said that. You know why? You know what the answer to that
question? Because it pleased God to do so. Isn't that wonderful? Won't that fill your heart with
joy? God's chosen you in Christ because it pleased him to do
so. God Almighty, who those huge lakes are nothing but a drop,
just a drop in his hands. Look up at night, see them beautiful
stars, that's just nothing, just a canopy to him. Why? He chose us. He chose us in Christ before
the foundation of the world. You know what? Before we could
have anything to do with it. That's marvelous, isn't it? Isn't
that marvelous? Isn't that wondrous? So no wonder
we rejoice in the electing grace of God. No wonder we give Him
all the glory. No wonder. Romans 9, verse 11 says, for
the children being not yet born, neither having done any good
or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might
stand, not of works, but of him that call. And this is talking
about Jacob and Esau. They're not even born yet, but
God's already made a choice. When were you and I chosen? Way
before we were born, eh? In eternity past. Just marvel at that. Just marvel
at that truth. We were included in salvation's
plan, and it was all according to the purpose and will of God. Now, do we know who the elect
are? No, we have no idea, right? Therefore, we preach the gospel
to all, don't we? And say, come to Christ. Flee
to Christ. We know that if he makes you
will and you're gonna run to him. And that's our hope, right? Have hope for your family members
and friends as long as they're breathing. Bruce Crafter said that to me
a long time ago. Hope for my family as long as they're breathing.
Oh, amen. The second word I'd like us to
look at is predestination. Now remember, too, you take out
Christ and there's no predestination. Just as you take out Christ,
there's no election. There's no salvation. Well, you
take out Christ and there's no predestination. Because what
is predestination? Well, people often confuse predestination
with election. Predestination means we're predestinated
to be conformed to the image of Christ. That's what that means. Election is we're chosen to salvation.
A lot of people get that mixed up, though, with predestination.
Oh, I'll ask you, any believer, do you want to be conformed to
Christ? Amen! We do, don't we? Now, we don't
ever see our growth that way. It's just like when we looked
at that study about those stones being made ready for the temple,
they were all hewed and cut and hammered on away from Jerusalem. And then they were taken to Jerusalem
and they fit perfectly in. We're being hewed on right now.
We're being chipped away. God's conforming us to the image
of Christ while we're here on this earth. And we're stones
being worked upon, beloved, and when that stone is ready, up
to glory we go. You hear people say, well, they
died before their time. No, they didn't. No. No. No. No. Everybody has an appointment,
eh? But for the believer, that stone was ready to be fit into
the holy temple, heavenly temple. So predestination is God's sovereign
arrangement of all affairs of the universe from eternity as
well. everlasting and unchangeable
determination of all things by which he secures the salvation
of his elect both adopted sons and daughters. And predestination again deals
with being conformed to the image of Christ as well. Turn if you
would to Isaiah chapter 49 or 46 I'm sorry And then we turn to Ephesians
chapter one. And we look at the word predestined. Look at this in Isaiah 46, 9
to 11. Our God knows the end from the
beginning, doesn't he? And he knows everything in between
too, doesn't he? He knows it all. Nothing catches
him by surprise. Absolutely nothing catches him
by surprise. Things often catch us by surprise,
but nothing catches God by surprise. And in Isaiah here, it says,
verse 9 to 11 in Isaiah 46, remember the former things of old, for
I am God. That's a declaration. That's
not up for debate. He's declaring who he is. He
says, I'm Jehovah. I'm Elohim. I'm the strong and
mighty one. And there's none else, look at
that. There's no other God. There's only one true and living
God. This is a declaration of who he is. I am God and there
is none like me. Now marvel at this. That's the God who chose us in
Christ in eternity. The one true living God. And
he says this, this is what our God can do, declaring the end
from the beginning. He already knows how it's all
gonna wrap up. Now think of that. What comfort
that can bring you and I as believers today, right now, as we're going
through this world, as we're going through this week. Think
of the comfort that we can get from this, knowing that nothing
this week is gonna catch my God by surprise, and everything that's
come my way is for my good and for his glory. Or if I could just live in that. But the flesh, the flesh, the
flesh, right? Lord, give us grace. Give us
grace just to keep that at the forefront for ourselves. Look
what he can do though, and from ancient times, the things that
are not yet done in his prophecies. He prophesies in the Old Testament
things that come to pass. Hundreds of years before. His son is prophesized as coming
into this world, and then he comes into this world, why? To
save his people from their sins. Look at this, the things that
are not yet done. Remember in Isaiah, we've looked at it many
times, there's a passage that talks about the Messiah and it
says, he shall not fail. That's written like 400 or 500
years before Christ even comes. Did he fail? Nope. No, he accomplished
eternal redemption, didn't he? He obtained eternal redemption
for us. It's wonderful. It says, my counsel
shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. God does whatever
he pleases. And there's no one who can tell
him or say, what are you doing? No one. He doesn't need counselors. He doesn't even need us. And
yet by his mercy and his grace, he uses means, doesn't he? Right? We heard a preacher preaching
the gospel, didn't we? And the Lord used those words by the
power of God, and we were regenerated, born again, now we believe. Calling
a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executed my counsel
from a far country. Yea, I've spoken it. Look at
this. So he speaks it. Now sometimes
we speak things, but we don't have the power to do it, right? Does God have that problem? Absolutely
not. He wouldn't be God if he did,
right? If he couldn't do what pleases him, and if he couldn't
accomplish what he says he does, he wouldn't be God. And it says
here, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have
purposed it, I will also do it. Okay, think of this. Scripture
says Christ was manifested to take away our sins. He's spoken
it, right? And in him was no sin. Did he
take away our sins? Hallelujah, he did, didn't he?
Could we take away our sins? Nope. No power, right? He did
it once. Once, dying on the cross in our
Roman place. And that was predestinated by
God to occur. Turn, if you would, to Ephesians
chapter one. Now sometimes I just sit and marvel at the fact that
God's chosen me. And I look back on my life and
I marvel how, that God included me in this plan of redemption.
It was planned and purposed by God. It's just, it's incredible.
If you sit back and look at your life and even before you were
saved, it'll amaze you at how many times you can look back
and go, the Lord protected me then. He took care of me then.
Even before I was saved. Why? Because I was always one
of his. Look at this in Ephesians 1,
verse five. Having predestinated us unto
the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according
to the good pleasure of his will. This is for every believer. Having predestinated us. born-again
blood-washed believers unto the adoption of children by Jesus
Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will."
Look at that! And then, you know what predestinated
means there in the Greek? It means to limit or mark out
beforehand. To limit or mark out beforehand. To design definitely beforehand.
Ordain. Well, doesn't the scripture say
that as many as were ordained to eternal life believed? Yes,
it does. And then look at verse 11. In
whom also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated
according to the purpose of him, that's God again, who worketh
all things after the counsel of his own will. He works things out to the counsel
of his own will. Now we're made willing, aren't
we, to flee to Christ? But it's all according to the
will and purpose of God. It says this in Romans chapter
8, 29. For whom he did foreknow, he
did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, here are the benefits of predestination.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom
he called, them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he
also glorified. This is amazing grace. So why
would anyone want to argue against predestination when it's in the
scriptures? Because we're proud. Because we're sinners. Because we think salvation should
be about something we do. in our natural state. Salvation's
all about what the Lord's done. Ain't that wonderful? That's
why he says, my yoke is easy, my burden is light. Let me just
look to him, beloved. It's wonderful. Listen to these
words and acts. Remember, the word predestination
means ordained Acts 13, verses 47 to 48. For so hath the Lord
commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the
Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends
of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad. When
they heard the preacher of the gospel, they were glad. Salvation
in Christ? For us, too? Not just for the
Jews? No. And glorified the word of the
Lord. and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. And then it says, and the word
of the Lord was published throughout all the region. They just went
out and told everybody about what Christ had done for them.
Isn't that marvelous? It's wonderful. They're as excited
as we are about the gospel. It's wonderful. The third Bible
word I'd like us to consider is redemption. Again, you take
out Christ and there's no redemption. These words are so important,
beloved, is redemption. How are we redeemed? Well, by the precious blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ. Redemption is the ransom of chosen
sinners who were elected in Christ, right, and who were predestined
to be conformed to the image of God's Son, were ransomed,
chosen sinners, from under the curse of God's broken law, which
we broke again, right? We're fully responsible for our
sin, aren't we? Right? We're not robots. No. If a man goes to hell, he
deserves to go to hell. If a man goes to heaven, it's
undeserved mercy and grace. Henry used to say, if a man goes
to hell, it's all because of him. And if a man or woman goes
to heaven, it's all because of God. Right? Yeah? Redemption is accomplished
how? By a sacrificial substitutionary
satisfaction of God's justice and law. So God's justice and
law must be satisfied, it must be. There's no, it has to be
satisfied. God wouldn't be a just God if
his law and justice wasn't satisfied. You've often heard me say, if
you go to a judge and he just lets you off and you had murdered
somebody and just said, well, okay, you can go ahead and go
out, that wouldn't be a just judge, would it? Not at all, not at
all. But God must be just. His justice
must be satisfied. His law must be fulfilled. Well, it can only be done by
the substitute, right? The law says the soul that sins,
that must die. And the justice of God demands
satisfaction. Again, or God wouldn't be just,
right? So how can God be just, then, in the justifier? Only
in Christ. God's law is upheld. Remember
He said, I came to what? Fulfill the law, not abolish
it, right? He didn't come to take the law
away, He came to fulfill the law. And He's sinless though. So who's He fulfilling the law
for then? His elect. Who's He the substitute
for? When He's on that cross and that
sin is laid upon Him, our sin. he's still sinless and that our
sin is laid upon him and he's bearing the wrath of God who's
he bearing the wrath of God for if he's sinless for us for we
who are his people and that wrath has fallen upon
him because God's law and justice must be satisfied must be It has to be. Galatians 3.13
says, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being
made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that
hangeth on a tree. First Peter 118 says, for as
much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible
things of silver and gold from your vain conversation received
by traditions from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
the Lord Jesus Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without
spot, who verily was foreordained. When was he foreordained? He's
a lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, isn't
he? He was foreordained before the foundation of the world,
but was manifest in these last times for you. and we are purchased and delivered
by the precious precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and
those in Christ cannot be bought into condemnation ever that's glorious isn't it he that spared not his own son
but delivered him up for us all. God didn't spare his son. He delivered him up for us all,
for all his people. How shall he not with him also
freely give us all things? We have all things in Christ,
don't we? All spiritual blessings in Christ. Therefore, Who shall lay anything
to the charge of God's elect? It's God that justifies. Remember
what we looked at that word justified, rendered righteous. It's God
who renders us righteous by the righteousness of Christ,
which is imputed to us. Ain't that wonderful? Who is he that condemneth? It
is Christ that died, yea, rather than is risen again, who's even
at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for
us. Who shall separate us from the love of God? Shall anything
separate us from the love of God? Shall anything separate
from he who has redeemed us with his precious blood? Shall anything
separate us from him? Nothing. Nothing. Not even death. Because then we go into his presence,
don't we? As it is written, for thy sake
we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep for the
slaughter. Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or
famine or nakedness or peril or sword? Nay, in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded
that neither death nor life nor any other creature shall be able
to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus
our Lord. You know what redemption is defined
as in the Greek? It's defined as this. A deliverance. A deliverance procured by the
payment of a ransom. A deliverance then that only
comes to us by the payment of a ransom. Job said, I found a
ransom. Have you found a ransom? Amen. You know who Job's ransom was? Lord Jesus Christ. I found a ransom. It's the Lord,
he's done it all. He's done it all. Ephesians 1,
7 says this, in whom we have redemption. See, again, it's
a Bible word, redemption. So a deliverance obtained by
a payment of a ransom. In whom we have redemption. Through
his blood, through the shed blood of Christ, it's paid that which
God's demanded. The forgiveness of sins according,
which is the result. forgiveness of all our sins according
to what the riches of his grace the redemption we have is in
Christ we're a purchased possession in Christ and the purchase price
of our redemption is the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ
and the result of this wonderful redemption is that we have forgiveness
of all our sins a full free forgiveness of all our sins God's law and
justice that rightly had a claim on us
no longer has a claim on his people in Christ. We're purchased. It's finished, it's already done.
That goes back to what Brother Tim James was saying, that when
we preachers stand up, we're preaching what God's already
done for his people. And the Holy Spirit makes that
effectual, doesn't he? It's already done. And I ask you, if a work's
already done, can you add anything to it? You can't Kenya. When you finish
something that you set out to do and it's finished. And it's
a job that if you can't add anything else to it, then it's done, isn't
it? Work's done, beloved. We've been
redeemed by the precious blood of lamb, and we love to proclaim
it now, don't we? Which, oh, my. And again, the
source of this wonderful redemption is according to the riches of
God's grace. The fourth Bible word I'd like
us to look at is born again. Turn, if you would, to John chapter
three. Very important word. Two very important words. I remember
talking to folks, and oftentimes, you know, you run into people
who are, like I said, when I used to go out in the streets and
evangelize, and I'd run into people and they'd say, well,
I've been a Christian my whole life. You're like, what? That's not
biblical. What do you mean? No, I went
to church my whole life. I was raised in a church. And
then we'd always ask them, are you born again? What do you mean,
born again? Are you born again? That's what
the scripture says. What do you mean? And they would
normally have the same kind of reaction like Nicodemus said.
See, we're not born Christians. No one's born a Christian. We're
born sinners. And we must be saved. And this
again, this is a biblical word. Two biblical words here. From
the master's lips himself. Look at this in John chapter
three. Now regeneration is the new birth.
It means to be born again. John chapter three, verses one
to seven. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus,
a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know thou art a teacher come
from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except
God be with him. Jesus answered. Look at how our Lord is. He's
so gentle with some and then he's so blunt with others, right?
And don't forget who Nicodemus was. He was a teacher. He was
a Pharisee. He was a man looked upon in Israel
as a very learned man. And contrast this to the lady
at the well. If you get a chance, read the
next chapter when he meets the lady at the well and how gentle
he is with her. But with Nicodemus here, he's gonna be a little
blunt with Nicodemus. So Nicodemus is heaping praise on him a little
bit there, right? You notice that? We know you're a man sent
from God. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? Jesus answered and said
unto him, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Boom. Now look at the following words
here. Nicodemus saith unto him, how can a man be born when he's
old? Now that's a natural man's response there, isn't it? How
can I be born again when I'm old? He's looking at things from
a natural perspective, isn't he? Can he enter the second time
into his mother's womb and be born? Well, of course the answer
is no. Now look what our Lord says to
him again. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, twice now he's saying
this, except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God. And then he says here, that which
is born of the flesh is flesh, that which is born of the spirit
is spirit. Marvel not that I say unto thee,
ye must. Look at that. It's not, well,
you know, you must be born. It's essential. See how important
these words are? We know them, but there's so
much more to them, isn't there? This is essential. Redemption's
essential, isn't it? Election's essential. Predestination's
essential. Because they're all in Christ.
Now, this is the words of the master here. He said, you must
be born again. See, so a person says, well,
I've been to church my whole life, and I was raised in a church,
and I'm a Christian. Are you born again? If they say,
well, no, you say, well, you must be born again. That's the
words of the master. Think of how many people out
there who are deceived. Thinking, well, I went to church,
or I became a member of the church, or, you know. Or I was baptized,
like the Church of Christ, they say you have to be baptized to
be saved. They say, well, I was baptized. Not gonna save you. You must be born again. Now turn
to Colossians chapter two. Now in the Greek there, the word
being born means being born from above. It's not speaking of a physical
birth. The Greek word says being born from above, from a higher
place. So the Lord, again, wasn't talking
about a physical birth. No, he's talking about being
born from above. How does that come about? God makes sinners alive in Christ,
beloved. How? By regenerating us. Look
at this in Colossians chapter two. Verses 10 to 14. And ye, now let this sink home,
beloved. And ye are complete in him. That's a whole message by itself.
That's a whole lot of messages by itself. Completing, look at
that. Live there, live in that. You're
complete in him. Oh God, give us grace to live
in that. which is the head of all principality and power, in
whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without
hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the
circumcision of Christ. That's an operation of God. It's
an operation of God. Buried with him in baptism, wherein
you are risen with him through the faith of the, look at this,
operation of God. You must be born again. It's an operation of God. You
must be. Who raised him from the dead.
So he comes to this world, the sinless sacrifice. He lives a
perfect life. and he dies in our ruined place,
satisfying the law and justice of God, then he's buried, then
he rises again, and where is he right now? He's seated at
the right hand of the Father, isn't he? Interceding for us. And what do we say? Praise his
mighty name, don't we? It's wonderful. So regeneration
is the actual deliverance of the elect, redeemed sinners,
purchased sinners from spiritual death. We've already been purchased
by Christ, right? And so those who have been purchased
by Christ at Calvary's cross are born again by the power of
the Holy Spirit of God. So the Father purposed our salvation,
the Son purchased our salvation, right? And the Holy Spirit makes
it effectual, doesn't he? Salvations of the Lord. There
it is, right there before us. Oh, my. And this, again, is all
done by the effectual, powerful and irresistible grace of God,
the Holy Spirit. The last word I'd like us to
look at is purpose. Purpose. Purpose. God does things on purpose. On purpose. This can become very comforting
word for we who are the people of God. Now providence is a glorious
and mysterious working. And our sovereign God is sovereign
over all the universe. He rules it all. There's nothing out of place,
not an atom, not a molecule is out of place. And there's not
a molecule in this whole universe that's not under his control. Nothing. Nothing, all things
visible and invisible are all under his control. And God does
things on purpose. Two verses I'd like us to look
at, Romans 8, 28 and Ephesians 3, 11. So if you put your finger
in those two. God does things on purpose. Nothing ever catches him by surprise. there's no chance or luck he
does everything on purpose including choosing us in Christ redeeming
us Christ redeeming us being born again by the Holy Spirit
of God it's all on purpose it's all on purpose look at this in
Romans chapter 828 and we know That all things work together
for good to them that love God to them who are what the called
according to his purpose God's people are those who are
called according to his purpose He governs the universe how According
to his purpose right whole universe everything you see he governs
it according to his purpose He raises up nations He raises up
leaders according to his purpose, right? He elects people in Christ according
to his purpose. He predestinates his people in
Christ according to his purpose. He redeems his people. by the
precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to his purpose. He regenerates us. You must be
born again by the power of God, the Holy Spirit, according to
his purpose. And he keeps us, doesn't he?
He keeps us. He keeps us looking to him according
to his purpose. And praise be to God, we are
saved. According to his purpose, purpose
is a very important word, isn't it? It's a biblical word. God doesn't do things by accident. If you're saved, you're saved
according to his purpose. That's wondrous. That's incredible. Me. Turn, if you would, to fees
in Chapter three, Verse 11. God doesn't do anything by mistake,
by accident, he does everything on purpose. He purposed to save
a people, and those people shall be saved, and they were, their
salvation was obtained at Calvary's cross, and then you must be born
again. According to God's purpose. All things are done according
to God's purpose. And it's God's purpose to save
the people. It's God who's done that in Christ. And why does he save us in Christ? For his glory, for his honor,
for his praise, right? He gets all the glory. He receives
it all. Look at this in Ephesians 3,
verse 11. Now think of this too. We don't
often think of this, but think of this. Let this just warm your heart
this week. You are saved according, and I am saved as a believer.
Both of us as believers. If you're a believer, you and
I are saved according to the eternal purpose of God. So if something comes up this
week, say, well, the eternal God has saved me according to
his eternal purpose, and I'm gonna try to rest in you, Lord,
because you are the eternal God. And you've done these things
according to your purpose. Look at this, look at this here,
Pheasants 311, according to the eternal purpose which he purposed
in Christ Jesus, our Lord. So here we see. That little word
purpose is pretty important, isn't it? Because God has an
eternal purpose. So these five Bible words are
ones which every Christian should know, and we know them. We've
been taught by the Holy Spirit of God what they are, but never
come to the place where you say, well, I know, I already know
that. Don't ever come to that place. Just dig deeper. Start looking at cross-references
for election, and it'll just make you, or redemption, it'll
just make you, it'll make you cry out to God in thankful, Thankful
for His mercy and His grace. These five Bible words point
us also to what? What have these five Bible words
done? They pointed us to the redemptive work of Christ, haven't
they? As we've been going through all
these, they pointed us right to Christ. They all find their
center in Him. All of them. God has purposed
to save us in Christ, right? We're born again by the power
of God, the Holy Spirit, according to the purpose of God. We're
redeemed by the precious blood of the Lamb. So it's Christ who's
purchased us. We're predestinated to be conformed
to the image of who? Christ. And who are we chosen
in? Christ. See, so these five words,
they've all centered us around Christ, haven't they? And these
five precious truths are like a spoke, these five spokes that
go out from the one center. And you take Christ out of any
one of them, and there's no gospel, there's no good news. Ain't that amazing? They're like a wheel with five
spokes. Five precious spokes, hey. Five
precious truths, beloved. Oh my. And where do they flow
from? Our great God. Amen. Elohim.
Jehovah. The Lord of hosts. Mighty one
of Israel. The King of kings. And the Lord
of lords.