Am I a Partaker of Christ?

Q: What does the Bible say about being a partaker of Christ?

Being a partaker of Christ means sharing in His benefits, grace, and salvation through faith and the Holy Spirit. The concept of being a partaker of Christ is rooted in scripture, particularly in Hebrews 3:14, which states, 'For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.' This indicates that our participation in Christ's salvation is linked to our faith and perseverance. As believers, we share in His righteousness, His fulfillment of the law, and His victory over sin and death. This partnership is a gift from God, enabled by the Holy Spirit, who enlightens our understanding and draws us to Christ gloriously and irresistibly.

Q: How do we know that perseverance in faith is essential?

Perseverance in faith is evidence of being a partaker of Christ, proving God's sustaining grace in our lives. The significance of perseverance in faith is illustrated in Hebrews 3:14, which connects our confidence in Christ to our status as partakers. The Apostle Paul states that true faith is evidenced by a steadfast commitment to Christ until the end. This aligns with the notion of divine election and calling—those whom God has chosen will ultimately endure in faith because their faith is sustained by God himself. By understanding this, we see that our assurance of salvation is grounded not in our strength but in God's faithfulness to keep us.

Q: Why is it important to understand being partakers in Christ?

Understanding our role as partakers in Christ establishes the foundation of our identity, hope, and assurance in the gospel. Recognizing that we are partakers in Christ is vital for several reasons. First, it reinforces our understanding of salvation as a communal and relational aspect, where we are not mere individuals but members of Christ's body, the church. Secondly, being a partaker means we share in His righteousness, His divine attributes, and His promised inheritance. It encourages us to live in light of our new identity, spurring us on to pursue holiness and good works, reflecting the glory of Christ. Finally, this understanding instills hope and assurance, as we can be confident that all that Christ has accomplished is imputed to us, securing our status before God.

Q: How does the Holy Spirit relate to being a partaker of Christ?

The Holy Spirit enables us to be partakers of Christ, giving faith and guiding us in our spiritual journey. The Holy Spirit plays an indispensable role in our participation in Christ. According to Romans 8:9, those who belong to Christ have the Spirit of God dwelling in them. The Spirit not only regenerates our hearts but also opens our minds to the truths of the gospel, leading us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a partaker of Christ. Essentially, the Holy Spirit is the means by which we are drawn into fellowship with Christ, ensuring that we experience the fullness of His grace and love. It empowers us in our spiritual journey and confirms our identity as children of God, providing us with assurance and guidance.

Q: Can a believer lose their status as a partaker of Christ?

According to scripture, true believers cannot lose their status as partakers in Christ because their salvation is secured by God's promise. The question of whether a believer can lose their status as a partaker of Christ is addressed throughout scripture, particularly in Hebrews 6:4-6, which emphasizes the impossibility of losing salvation for those who have truly been enlightened and experienced the grace of God. The teaching of perseverance indicates that those who are genuinely saved will endure, not because of their efforts, but due to God's unwavering commitment to them. In this understanding, the assurance comes from the sovereign grace of God, who will complete the work He began in His people. Thus, believers can rest assured in the promise of eternal life and acceptance in Christ.

Good morning. I do love that hymn. Such words of encouragement and comfort for a sinner. We're going to be in Hebrews chapter three this morning. If you'd like to turn with me there in your Bibles, Hebrews chapter three. Fred and Mary Jane will be leaving this week to head back up north, so we'll miss them for the rest of the summer and look forward to them being back next year. Our text this morning is in verse 14 of Hebrews chapter 3.

For we are made partakers of Christ. Am I a partaker of Christ? Paul said in Philippians that I might be found in him. I think that has something to do with being a partaker of Christ. We are made partakers of Christ. if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end.

Let's pray together. Lord, what great hope, what great comfort we have in knowing that You promised to never, never, never forsake your people, to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the throne of grace with great joy. We find the hope of our salvation accomplished in the in the person of thy dear son and his accomplished work of redemption and lord how hopeful we are that your holy spirit would enable us in this hour to have our affections set on him that we would be able to put aside all those things of this world that do so easily beset us and so easily distract us Lord, that you would bless us with your presence and with your power, that you would enlighten the eyes of our understanding, that you would give faith to our hearts, and Lord, that you would enable us to rest and rejoice in Christ. For it's in his name we pray, amen.

Scriptures tell us that we are to compare scripture to scripture. We're to compare that which is spiritual to that which is spiritual. The Bible interprets itself. And if we're to understand any text in scripture, then we we find other supporting passages that speak to this same truth. And together, we are given by God a full picture of what he's saying.

I have an interest in being a partaker of Christ, and I know you do too. What does that mean? to be a partaker of Christ. Other than one place in the book of Luke, you remember when the Lord told the disciples to cast the net on the other side and they brought in such a large amount of fish that the net was about to break and the scripture says they called their partners from the other ship to come and to help them. That's the same word as partakers in our text. And that's the only place outside of the book of Hebrews where this word partakers is used. But it gives us some understanding. We see these fishermen working together as partners to bring in this great catch of fish.

Hebrews chapter one, if you'll turn back with me just a page, perhaps in your Bible, Hebrews chapter one at verse nine, speaking of the Lord Jesus and how his scepter and his throne is an everlasting kingdom. And the father is now, telling us why he exalted Christ to this position of power and authority. And he says, for thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness.

Now that's the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus came as the anointed one. He came as the Messiah, the Christ. He came in the full power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish the salvation of God's people. We have an anointing of the Spirit of God. We have the Spirit of God in part. It is the Spirit of God that gives us faith. It's the Spirit of God that opens up the scriptures to us. It is the Spirit of God that regenerates us. Except to be born of the Spirit, you cannot see the kingdom of God. It is the Spirit of God that continually leads us to Christ. We must have the spirit of God.

If we have not the spirit of God, Paul tells us in Romans that we are not of his. This is God's anointing. This is his gift to his people. But what the Lord is telling us here is that Christ didn't have a portion of the spirit or measures of the spirit as we do. Sometimes the spirit seems very powerful in our lives and sometimes he seems very distant.

The Lord Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows, the word fellows there. is the word that we have in our text in Hebrews chapter 3 at verse 14 as partakers. It is the same word that we just saw in Luke chapter 5 as partners. This matter of being a partner, a partaker, sharing in and having fellowship. The fellows, that's us. That's us. That's the people of God.

The Lord Jesus was anointed with the oil of gladness above his partners, above his partakers, above his fellows. Look at chapter 3 at verse 1. This word is used four times by the writer of Hebrews, partakers. I only found one other place outside of the book of Hebrews. Wherefore, holy brethren, verse one, partakers of the heavenly calling.

This heavenly calling, this call that comes effectual to the heart, it's irresistible, it's invincible. It is a call that cannot be resisted. It is a work of grace by the Spirit of God that calls us out of darkness into his marvelous light. It calls us to look away from any hope of salvation outside of Christ. Calls us to be partakers. And so We have, as holy brethren, partakers of this calling.

Consider the apostle, and that word apostle means messenger. The Lord Jesus is the very living word of God. who brought the message of salvation and who is the message of salvation. The word was made flesh. Consider the apostle and high priest. We have a priest who intercedes for us priest that makes himself the offering for sin to his father, and that offering acceptable to God, consider him. Consider the apostle and high priest of our profession.

We profess to believe on Christ for all of our salvation. Holy brethren, partakers, This is what's called the common faith. This is what's called that which we all have together. All believers are partakers of this heavenly calling. This is not a calling that comes from a man. This is not a calling that comes from our own conscience or our own will. It is a calling that comes from heaven. And we are all partakers together So here we see, turn with me to Hebrews chapter six. We are looking at places where this word partakers is being used in order to understand what the Lord is telling us about being a partaker with Christ.

Hebrews chapter six at verse four, for it is impossible. It is impossible. There were some that were suggesting that one could be saved and then lost. And although Hebrews chapter 10 does deal with apostasy, and we will get to that, but here in this passage of Hebrews chapter 6, the Lord is telling us of the impossibility of falling away. His promise and His power will keep us from that.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, they've been able to see themselves for what they are, sinful, with no righteousness and no hope of salvation within themselves. They've been enlightened as to who the Lord Jesus is, all of their righteousness before God, their sacrifice for sin, that he is the Christ, that he is the son of the living God, and that he accomplished our salvation by himself. Their eyes have been enlightened. That's what we've been enlightened to, who Christ is and what he did. What he did, how it is that God's pleased to reconcile sinners to himself, to atone for our sins, to redeem us only in Christ.

It's impossible for those who have ever seen that, seen it in truth, understood it. No man can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. We're not talking about just giving some verbal confession. We're talking about having the eyes of our understanding enlightened and understanding.

And have tasted of the heavenly gift. We've tasted the sweetness of his grace. And like a, well, I don't want to be disrespectful in any way, but like an appetizer, which just makes us more hungry for more. We crave the sincere milk of God's word. We want more, and we will continue to want more until that day when we see him in his fullness.

We've tasted of the heavenly gift and we have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost. It's the Holy Ghost that has come and taken residence in our hearts and given us this understanding and enabling us to rest all the hope of our salvation in the Lord Jesus. One more. Chapter 12, verse 8. And here the Lord's talking about chastising his children when they sin. And he likens it to the chastisement of a parent to their child, a loving parent. Scripture says that if a parent doesn't chastise their child, they hate them. They hate them.

When we as a culture decided some, in my generation at least, some years ago that culpral punishment was no longer the right thing to do, we figured out we know better than God. What has happened as a result of that? Children growing up with no No correction, no discipline. And yet when we do discipline our children, we don't do it perfectly. Sometimes we're too harsh, sometimes we're not strong enough.

And so the Lord's likening his chastisement as a loving heavenly father to that chastisement that a parent gives to their children. casting out. I'm trying to think of the proverb, how the rod of correction will remove the foolishness from the heart of a child. That's what we need. That's what we need. We need the foolishness in our hearts to be chastised out. But look what the Lord says in Hebrews chapter 12.

Verse 7, and if you endure chastening, chastening is not pleasant for the season, but in the end, it leads to the peaceable fruit of righteousness. No one likes to be chastened. Children don't like to be chastened. What a blessing it is when a child comes to the parent and has some understanding that that parent did that out of love for them and agrees with the parent over their need to have been chastened. That's what the Lord does for his children. And if you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

But if you be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers. Here's the word the fourth time that's used in Hebrews, the word partakers. We are in this together. We all partake of the chastisement of our loving Heavenly Father. And if we're not chastised, then you are King James bastards. I understand that word is used in a bad way today, but it's an illegitimate child. You don't belong to him. You don't go to your neighbor's house and chase in your neighbor's children. You chase in your own children.

And so it is with the Lord. The Lord will allow the reprobate to be on their way. He'll leave them to themselves. That's what he said to the Pharisees. Leave them alone. They're blind guides leading the blind. They're all going to fall into the ditch. I've left them to themselves. The worst thing that God can do, leave a man to himself.

So we see from these verses what the Lord is telling us in Hebrews chapter three, verse 14. We are made partakers. We're fellows and in fellowship. And if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. This is the word partakers. And the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us of all of our sin. We are partakers of the heavenly calling. We are partakers of the Holy Ghost. And we all are partakers of our loving Heavenly Father, who will not allow us to rebel without correction.

He will not allow us to forget about Him. He will continually bring us back to get to himself. I wanna be a partaker in that, don't you? This word partakers has something very important to say to us about sharing in all the benefits that the Lord Jesus accomplished. He fulfilled, by his perfect obedience, all the requirements of God's holy law.

And so, in Christ, who shall deliver me from the body of this death, thanks be to God, in Christ Jesus, there is now therefore no condemnation. No condemnation. What is it that condemns us? It's the law that condemns us. The law can only do one thing to a sinner, and that's pronounce them guilty.

The Lord Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness. When he kept the law, we kept the law in him. We are partakers with Christ in that the law has nothing to say against us if we're found in him. He has satisfied the requirements of the law. The law has been silenced.

God's justice has been met. The wrath of God, also called the curse of the law, requires justice. The wrath of God fell in its full fury on the Lord Jesus from heaven. It was the fiery wrath of God's justice that fell upon him. And he quenched that fire so that God saw the travail of his soul and God said, I'm satisfied. Justice has been met.

We're partakers in that. partakers in having fulfilled the law, partakers in having satisfied divine justice, partakers in an everlasting righteousness. The Lord Jesus established an everlasting righteousness and we are partakers in him. The scripture says that all those for whom he established this everlasting righteousness are seated in heavenly places in Christ right now, right now. So being in Christ, we are partakers of this everlasting righteousness.

The Lord Jesus put away sin. He separated it from us as far as the east is from the west. That's why the scripture says that we are dead to sin. Sin has been put away. It's been buried in the depths of the sea. God doesn't charge us with our sin. He charged Christ with all the sin of all of God's people and the sacrifice that he made of himself put away those sins once and for all. God said, I remember them no more.

This is our boldness in the day of judgment. And this is our boldness now to come before the throne of grace and find help in our time of need. What is our boldness? That as he is, so are we. Partakers. Partakers. When the Lord Jesus destroyed the devil and the works of the devil, which is death. We were partakers in that.

Paul said, I am crucified in Christ. When Christ lived a perfect life of obedience, we were partakers in that. When Christ died on Calvary's cross, we were in him, partakers of that. When Christ rose from the dead, We rose from the dead. When Christ ascended back into glory, we partake in that. And when he comes again, his church will be with him. We will be partakers with him for all eternity. We have been made partakers The life of one has accomplished it for all the rest. All that belongs to the husband has been given to the bride, partakers.

The story of David and Goliath is not a story of a brave young man who stood up against the giants of life to give unto us, to encourage us to be more brave. We ought to be. How many times the Lord said, fear not, I am with you. But that's not what that story's about.

One man from the opposing side was sent against one man of Israel. And whoever got the victory won the victory for the whole nation. And David slew the giant. He is a type of Christ. And he defeated sin, and defeated Satan, and defeated the grave. And all the children of Israel were cowered behind rocks until the giant fell. And David took the sword and cut his head off. And the scripture says, they all came out of the rocks and started chasing the Philistines. Why? They were emboldened knowing that they had been made partakers in what David did. You say, well, are all believers partakers in Christ? Yes, to the same degree. In 1 Samuel chapter 30, we've looked at this story on several occasions.

This is where David and his men come back from battle, and they found their families have been taken by the Amalekites, and David goes to recover the the things that the Malachites have taken. They've taken all their wives, all their children, all the spoils.

Ziklag is burning in smoke. And David had 600 men of war. And 200 of them were so grieved, and they were so tired from the previous battle. I mean, this all happened one on top of the other, that they couldn't participate in the battle that David was about to wage against the Amalekites, which ended with David recovered all.

He got it all back. What a beautiful picture of Christ, going after his bride, he recovered all. But the scripture says that 200 of David's 600 men stayed behind in Ziklag and watched the stuff. That's the way the King James said, they watched the stuff.

And when the 400 came back victorious over the Amalekites and having recovered all, the 400 that went to battle said, those 200 that stayed behind don't get anything. And David put his foot down. And David said no. And the scripture says in 1 Samuel chapter 30 that David wrote a decree that day. that all that were in his army, regardless of what participation they made in a battle, all that were in the army received the same percentage of the spoils. It was divided evenly among them all. A decree by the king. Do you see what the story is telling us? Again, David's picture of Christ. He's made a decree, all that I have recovered, my children, all of them that are in Christ, some of little faith, some of much faith.

Some very useful, some maybe not so much. And let me say this, at this point, all of us consider ourselves to be unprofitable servants. Lord, what do I deserve? I don't deserve anything. I'm one of the 200 that stayed behind in the stuff with the stuff. I didn't go to battle.

But God says, they're all going to be partakers. Everything that I got, everything that I earned, everything that I accomplished goes to every one of them. Now, there's something else about being a partaker of Christ. Look at our text again, Hebrews 3.14, for we are made partakers of Christ.

And a mystery, the gospel is called a mystery. And the word mystery means that which must be revealed. that which must be uncovered. It is hidden from the natural man. The natural man receives not the things of the spirit, neither can he know them, for they are spiritually discerned. The gospel cannot be understood. I cannot have a really understanding of what I am as a sinner, who God is, or how God saves sinners, unless he reveals it to me.

That's a mystery. But there is another way this word mystery is used, and it's the word mysterious. The word mysterious is something that can never be understood. It can only be believed. Not that we fully understand anything, but those things which are mysterious are beyond any part of our understanding. And yet the Lord has been clear with these things. I said mysterious, I really meant to use the word mystical. In that the church is the mystical body of Christ.

Let me show you that. Turn with me to 2 Peter chapter 1. This I hope will clear up what I'm trying to say. Verse 4, and this We didn't go to this word partakers because it's a different word, but it means essentially the same thing. Verse four of second Peter chapter one, whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises. A promise is something that's believed. given to us great and precious priceless promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature. Now this is what I was trying to say about being a part of the mystical body of Christ. what Paul said in 1 John, I've already quoted it once, as he is, so are we. That's not a mystery to be revealed, that's mystical. That's something I can't begin to understand. But I believe it. It's a promise, and it's precious to me.

And I believe it. partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. The Lord Jesus, when praying for his church, the body of Christ, in John chapter 17, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee that they also may be one in us. This is not something, you know, there are so many, when the Holy Spirit enlightens the eyes of our understanding and gives us faith to believe God's word, we believe it. whether we're able to understand it or explain it. To be found in Christ, to be partakers of the body of Christ, that's mystical.

Turn back to the left from Hebrews chapter 3, one page, and you'll find the little tiny letter of Philemon. Philemon is a gospel story, a runaway slave by the name of Onesimus left his master Philemon, ran to the big city of Rome. And in God's divine providence, ran into the Apostle Paul and heard the gospel and God saved him. He became a partaker of the heavenly calling, that irresistible, invincible call of God. And now Paul is sending Onesimus back to his master Philemon and telling Philemon to receive him as a brother.

And he says in verse 17, if thou count me therefore a partner, this is the same word, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or owed thee aught, put that on my account. Now in this story, Paul pictures the Lord Jesus. Philemon pictures God the Father. Onesimus, that runaway slave, pictures me and you. And the Lord Jesus is saying to his father, if you count me to be a partner with you, then receive him on my account. And if he owes you anything, charge it to me.

Now that's what it means to be a partaker in Christ. Having compared scripture to scripture, I hope that the Lord has helped us to see how glorious it is and how necessary it is that we be made, go back with me to our text, that we be made partakers of Christ. Paul said in Philippians chapter three that I might be found in him. I can't put myself in Christ. God has to do something for me. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth. It's of God that showeth mercy. I can't manipulate God. I can't force the hand of God. I'm at his mercy. I must be made a partaker.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 1. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 30. Scott, I think I heard you sharing this verse with somebody this morning in the men's prayer time. But the first pronoun, him, is a reference to God the Father. 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 30.

But of the Father are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us our wisdom, our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption, partakers with Christ, Christ is all my wisdom. He's all my righteousness. He's all my sanctification. He's all my redemption. And God made it so. God made it so. We don't come to Christ with our faith. We come to Him for faith. We come to him for faith. Lord, save me. Lord, help me. Lord, have mercy upon me. Lord, do for me what I cannot do for myself.

Paul said, I've lost. I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. What do we lose? We lose everything. Everything. We've been made partakers with Christ. All that is His belongs to us and all that's ours belongs to Him. That's what this partnership is. That's what this partakers is. Our bodies, our minds, our health, we're temples of the Holy Spirit. All that we possess materially belongs to Him. It's all His. Partakers. I count all things but loss. All my righteousness, I count it as done. Now in this verse, the Lord has given us some, some reason to believe. that we've been made partakers. Notice in the rest of the verse, if not because we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, not by holding the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, Faith is not the cause of our salvation.

It is the evidence of it. It is the evidence of it. This word confidence is also found in Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1, the word substance. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. That is the same word confidence. And it's also found in Hebrews chapter one. If you turn back with me, just a page there in verse three, speaking of Christ as the brightness of the glory of God and the express image of his person. You see that word person, that's the same word confidence. And that's the same word substance.

The substance of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ is our confidence. I am persuaded that He is able. He is all my confidence. He is all the hope of my salvation. I have nothing outside of Christ to rest the hope of my immortal soul on but Him. I must have Christ, and I cannot add to Christ anything or take from him anything. The substance of his person is my confidence. Who he is and what he has done.

The Lord Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10 verse 22, if you will be hated by all men for my namesake, but If you endure to the end, you shall be saved. The Lord's talking about perseverance here. Now, the gifts, that's faith, and the calling, that's the irresistible call of God to believe on Christ. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance. God doesn't take them back.

And what the Lord is telling us here in our text is, if you hold the beginning of your confidence steadfast to the end, if God has given you faith, if God has saved you, you will continue to believe. You will not be able to not believe all the way to the end. And that will be, that will be your confidence that you've been made partakers with Christ. that all that he achieved is yours. And all that is yours has been given to you by him. Our confidence is not in ourselves. It's not in our faith. It's not in our experience. It's not in our understanding. It's not in our works. Our confidence is in the substance of his person and of his work. And that will remain steadfast to the end.

That's why John said, if they go out from us, if they forsake the gospel, brethren, you can't. If you can, ultimately you will. If you can leave, you will leave. You'll give up. If you're holding on by your own strength, But if your faith is the gift of God, he will keep you from falling. Not because we hold to the confidence steadfast to the end. We're not being rewarded with being partners with Christ because of our faith or because of our perseverance. But faith and perseverance is the evidence that we've been made partakers with Christ. All right. Let's take a break.

Am I a Partaker of Christ?

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being a partaker of Christ?

How do we know that perseverance in faith is essential?

Why is it important to understand being partakers in Christ?

How does the Holy Spirit relate to being a partaker of Christ?

Can a believer lose their status as a partaker of Christ?

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Am I a Partaker of Christ?

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about being a partaker of Christ?

How do we know that perseverance in faith is essential?

Why is it important to understand being partakers in Christ?

How does the Holy Spirit relate to being a partaker of Christ?

Can a believer lose their status as a partaker of Christ?

Sermon Transcript

About Greg Elmquist

Comments

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