I've entitled the message for
tonight, Four Descriptions of a Believer. Now, if you're a
believer, you're going to want to see if this describes you.
Four descriptions of a believer. Now, Paul was writing from a
Roman prison cell to a group of people he had never met in
the flesh. the church at Colossum. Look
at chapter two, verse one, for I would that you knew what great
conflict I have for you and for them at Laodicea and for as many
as have not seen my face in the flesh. He had never met these
people personally. They had learned the gospel from
a man by the name of Epaphras. Look in verse seven of chapter
one. As he also learned of Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who
is for you a faithful minister of Christ, who also declared
unto us your love in the spirit. Now, I believe that Epaphras
had been in Rome and he was taught the gospel by Paul when he was
in Rome and he went back to Colossae and thus a church was founded,
the Church of the Colossians. A church was born would be a
better word. I don't know that a church is founded. What in
the world does that mean? A church is born, birthed by
God, given life. Now, sometime later, Epaphras
has returned to Paul and told him of some things that troubled
him, which he saw developing in this church and the members
of this church. It appears that It's a big word,
but it was rampant in the New Testament. The word's not there,
but the teaching against it is, and it's rampant in our day. It appears that Gnosticism, in
its early form, was plaguing the church at Colossa. Now, the
Gnosticism, here's as simply as I can describe what it is. Gnosticism believes God is good,
matter, anything you can touch, evil. That was the basic belief
of the Gnostics. God is good, matter, anything
you can touch, anything material, is evil. Therefore Christ could
not have come in the flesh because that would make him evil. He was an emanation of God. He was some kind of something
that came out from God that somehow made him a little less than God.
Remember when John says, whosoever confesses not that Jesus Christ
has come in the flesh is not of God, Gnosticism had developed
even more at this time. And this was a heresy in the
early church. It made Christ out to be less
than who he was, an emanation from God, but not the God man.
And Gnostic means knowing ones. Your salvation is what you know,
not who knows you. but what you know." Gnosticism. And Paul was combating that with
the church at Colossa. Look in Colossians chapter 2,
verse 2. That their hearts might be comforted,
being knit together in love unto all the riches of the full assurance
of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and the
Father and of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge. This I say, lest any man should
beguile you. with enticing words. For though
I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit,
joying and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your
faith in Christ. As you therefore have received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up
in him, established in the faith as you've been taught, abounding
therein with thanksgiving. Beware, lest any man spoil you."
And this is what was going on. He says, beware of this. Beware,
lest any man spoil you through philosophy. and vain deceit,
after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead in a body." Christ Jesus, God, manifest in the flesh. He's not like God. He is God. I love that. God, manifest in
the flesh. Look down in verse 20. He says,
wherefore, if ye be dead, chapter two, verse 20, wherefore, if
ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why,
as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances,
man-made rules, touch not, taste not, and handle not, which all
are to perish with the using after the commandments and doctrines
of men, which things have indeed a show of wisdom and will worship
and humility and neglecting of the body, but not in any honor
to the satisfying of the flesh. Now, Paul loved these people
he was writing to. I think this is glorious. He never met them,
but he loved them. Don't you love anybody that loves
Christ? You do, don't you? Anybody who loves the Lord Jesus
Christ, you love. Well, Paul loved these people.
He'd never met him. He'd never seen him in the flesh.
But when an epiphany comes and tells him about these problems
going on in the church, he addresses these things. Now back to chapter
one, verse one. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ. And what was an apostle? An apostle
was someone who was taught the gospel directly by Christ Jesus. There are only 12 apostles. Judas
lost his apostleship and Paul took his place. The book of Revelation
tells us there was only 12 apostles. An apostle was someone who was
taught the gospel directly by the Lord Jesus Christ. It wasn't
somebody like I taught them. No, they were taught directly
by Christ. Remember, Paul said he was brought up in the third
heavens and taught the gospel directly. Now, notice what he
says. He says, Paul, an apostle of
Jesus Christ by the will of God. I like that. What's your credentials,
Paul? What's your credentials? The
will of God. That's all that's needed, isn't
it? God made me an apostle. I'm an apostle by the will of
God. Paul dealt a lot with people
questioning his apostleship and his authority, particularly in
the church of Corinth and the churches of Galatia. They were
always questioning his apostleship. And if the false prophets could
make people question his authority, they wouldn't listen to what
he said. That's why he had to defend himself to these churches.
And when he writes to these other legislators, he says, I'm an
apostle by the will of God. Now, if you question, whether
God has called me. If you question my motives, if
you question my integrity, if you question my sincerity, or
if you question whether or not I have your best interest at
heart, it would affect your ability to hear me, wouldn't it? I mean,
if you're calling me into question, it would affect your ability
to hear me. Now, you can be sure that if
God has called me, that's up to you all to find out, isn't
it? You can be sure of this, if God has called me to this,
Satan will do all he can to call that into question and stir up
whatever he can to hinder people from being able to hear. That's
what he does, and that's why Paul said, I'm an apostle by
the will of God. You see, Satan knows faith comes
by hearing, so he called Paul into question so people would
be hindered in hearing him. Now, because Paul always had
people challenging his apostleship, he always says he's an apostle
by the will of God. And this is something that I
think is glorious. There really is such a thing as the will of
God. He worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. And Paul is an apostle by the
will of God. Now, in this verse two, he uses
four words to describe the believer. He says in verse two, to the
saints, Colossians chapter one, verse two, to the saints and
the faithful brethren in Christ. Now there are four words, four
glorious words that describe a believer, a saint, a faithful, a brother. And here's the best
one, in Christ. Four words that describe a believer. First, a saint. Every believer
is a saint. I love saying this, I'm Saint
Todd. I just like saying it, I like the way it sounds. It's
true, I'm a saint. If you're a believer, you are
a saint. The word saint comes out of the
word sanctified. It means to take something common
and ordinary and set it apart for holy purposes. Now, if I'm
a believer, God the Father set me apart in eternal election
when he chose me to be saved. God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ,
the Son of the Father set me apart in redemption when he paid
for my sins and made me holy and made all my sins to be gone.
God, the Holy Spirit set me apart when he came to me and gave me
spiritual life. Thus a saint, a separated one. Now being made a saint is the
work of God. It's not the work of men. Being a saint is what God does
for a man. It's not what man does for God. Being a saint is the actual bestowal
and impartation of spiritual life, the life of God in the
soul of man. It's not the artificial imitation
of ethical living. Being a saint comes from the
righteousness of God imputed, not the imperfect righteousness
of man worked out. Being a saint is according to
the faithful calling of God and not according to the fitful carefulness
of man. Being a saint is God's reward
to Christ. and not a payment for a human
surplus of good works. Being a saint is from divine
revelation, not from human regulation. Being a saint is the cancellation
of all sin and not the cessation or the
stopping of some particular sin. Being a saint is deliverance
from the law, not trying to keep it. I don't try to keep the law,
I've kept it. When the Lord Jesus Christ kept
the law, I did too. Being a saint is divine regeneration. It's not human reformation. It's
not you trying to reform anything. It's God birthing you into his
kingdom. Being a saint is being acceptable
with God and not being exceptionally good. Big difference. Being a saint is completeness
in Christ, not competency in character. Being a saint is possessing
every spiritual blessing. He hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ. Being a saint is possessing
every spiritual blessing and not professing any special betterment
that makes me a saint. Being a saint is always and only
of God. It's never of men. Being a saint
is being His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Being a saint is being less than
the least of all the saints. Now, if you're a saint, that's
how you see yourself. Less than the least of all the
saints. Paul is writing to the saints,
the sanctified ones. What a name for the believer. If I'm a saint, that means God
chose me before the foundation of the world to be saved. It
means Christ died for me and put away my sins. It means God
the Holy Spirit birthed me into his kingdom. We're bound to thank
God always for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. Saint, I'm looking at
some saints. Saints aren't people with halos
around their head, gotta look out, no. Every believer is a
saint of God, a sanctified one. What a high and holy, honorable
calling to be called to be a saint of God. Isn't that amazing? A
saint. I'm one of his saints. He's the
king of saints, and I'm one of his saints. Saint. And the next
thing he says regarding these people of Colossae are that they
are Faith. Now that would describe
every believer without exception. Well, he's an unfaithful believer,
then he's not a believer. Believers are faithful. They believe. Now in an active
sense, they believe. And in a passive sense, they
can be believed. You know what that means? If
somebody can be believed, you know what that means? It means they're
honest. It means they're honest. They believe and they can be
believed. Now, first of all, they believe. I love that verse of scripture,
Romans chapter four, verse five. It's one of my favorites. This
is one of my favorites. The whole gospel's in this verse
of scripture. To him that worketh not. You know what it means when you work not?
means you don't do anything for God's acceptance. You don't do
anything. You don't try to earn God's acceptance. You don't try to do something
to make yourself more savable. You do not work. If you work, there's no salvation
for you. To him that worketh not. Now, to work not isn't an
excuse for indifference. You all know that. But it's to
him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. His faith is counted for righteousness. Do you know, I do believe on
Him. I believe on Him that justified the ungodly. I believe that Christ
Jesus the Lord was delivered for our offenses and raised again
for our justification. And I'm one of those ungodly
sinners He died for. That's who He died for. When
we were yet without strength, in due time, Christ died for
the ungodly. There's my hope. That's it. To Him that worketh not. but believeth, but relies on
him. I'm relying on God, justifying
somebody ungodly like me through the work of my Redeemer on the
cross, where he put my sins away, gave me his righteousness, and
thus I am justified. If thou should confess with thy
mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart, that God raised
him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. You know, I'm confessing
with my mouth the Lord Jesus right now. He's the Lord. You
know what that means? That means you're in his hands.
He's not in your hands. You're in his hands. And He can
do with you whatever He's pleased to do. He can save you to the
praise of the glory of His grace, or He can pass you by as an act
of His justice. Whatever He does is right. I believe, I'm confessing,
He's the Lord. Same thing, the leper confesses,
Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. Everybody that believes,
believes He's the Lord. He's the Lord. I love the Lordship
of the Lord Jesus Christ. I love His Lordship. I confess
He's Lord. that God really did raise him
from the dead. And I know why he did it. Because
God was completely satisfied with what he did. Now let me
ask you a question. Are you completely satisfied
with what he did? You know it's a horrible thing
to think of God being satisfied and one of us not being satisfied,
isn't it? I'm completely satisfied with what God's satisfied with.
He's satisfied with the the life, the death, and the resurrection
of his blessed son. I believe. I believe. I believe the gospel. Now, I
do. That's what believers do. They believe. I am relying on
the Lord Jesus Christ. You know something a believer
cannot do? Now, my flesh, I realize this. My old man never believes. But the new man always does. You can't not believe, can you?
You can't not believe. I mean, you can't. And yet your
flesh can't believe. You got that stuff going on. I realize that, but believers,
but they're faithful. They're, they're called the faithful.
They're called the believing. I know the only reason I believe
is because he gave me that faith, but I believe the gospel. They
believe. And secondly, they can be. What that means is, if somebody
can be believed, that means they're honest. That's all it means,
it means they're honest. Honest before God, honest about
themselves, what they are. Honest with what the Word of
God says. They're honest. You know, when the Lord talked
about that good ground, He spake of a good and honest heart. Blessed is he whose transgression
is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the
Lord will not impute sin, and in whose spirit There is no guile. They're honest before God. They
know before God that all they are is sin. And somebody that doesn't believe
that about themselves is just not honest. Because that's the
truth. That's the truth regarding me,
and that's the truth regarding you. They're honest about themselves. They're honest about God's way
of salvation by Christ only. They rejoice in that. Every one of them really believe
that Jesus Christ is all in their salvation. They really believe
that. They don't have anywhere else to go. I mean, it's, it's,
it's real. It's, it's honest. Faithfulness,
what an encouragement faithfulness is. When I see people who faithfully
attend public worship, it's such an encouragement to me. Faithful
to one another, faithful friends that have each other's back,
that are going to be there for each other. As a believer, he's
faithful. He believes and he can be believed. Now the next description, Paul
gives is to the saints and faithful brethren. Brethren. Brethren in Christ. Members of
the family of God, having the same father, having the same
elder brother, both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are
all of one, for the witch cause, he's not ashamed to call them
brethren. Members of the family of God.
Now, this is a family that's going to go on forever. These
relationships we have right now, like family, I'm thankful for
family. I'm thankful for my wife. I'm
thankful for my daughter. I'm thankful for my son-in-law. I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful
for these relationships and so on. We're thankful for that.
But you know, all of these relationships aren't going to last. these fleshly
relationships. When I'm in glory, I won't think
anything more about Lynn than I'll think about anybody else.
It's hard to imagine that, because she's my soulmate now, but I'll
have millions, excuse me, billions of soulmates in glory. All who worship the Lord Jesus
Christ, brethren. Isn't love for the brethren a
great thing? to be enabled by the grace of God to love the
brethren. I mean, members of the same family,
we love each other, we cover each other's faults. It's not
like that's not real, we know it's there, but we love one another. Faithful brethren in Christ Jesus. Now they say blood's thicker
than water, that's true, but grace is thicker than blood.
It surely is. Brethren in Christ Jesus. And then the fourth description
he uses is in Christ. And this is the most important
one. I love the other saints, faithful brethren, but here's
the most important description of a believer in Christ. You know, that phrase is found
157 times in the New Testament. In Christ. Not a more important
phrase in all the Word of God than this. In Christ. What all is in Christ? There's
no understanding of the Gospel without some understanding of
this thing of in Christ Jesus. Now what's in Christ? I already
read this one scripture. In Him dwelleth all the fullness
of the Godhead in a body. I know at least two people in
Christ. In Him dwells all the fullness
of the Godhead in the body. God's in Christ. And then he
goes on to say, and you are complete in Him. Every believer is in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Isn't that a wonderful place
to be? Ephesians 1.3 says He's blessed
us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
What's in Christ? Every spiritual blessing. God's choice is in Christ. Ephesians
1.4 says, according as He has chosen us in Him, before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without
blame before Him. Now, I don't understand this. I just believe it. God didn't
look at any of His elect independently of the Lord Jesus Christ. He
didn't pick us out and then give us to Christ. God's elect have
always eternally been united to the Son of God. Now, do I
understand that? No. Do I believe it? All together. All together. What's in Christ? Acceptance. Ephesians 1, 6 says,
He hath made us accepted in the Beloved. What's in Christ? Redemption, Ephesians 1, 7, in
whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. What's in Christ? No condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh,
but after the spirit. What's in Christ? Nothing shall
separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus,
our Lord. What's in Christ? of Him, you
in Christ Jesus, who God has made to us. Wisdom. I've got the very wisdom of God.
You're looking at a very wise man. Someone God can have fellowship
with. Because I have the wisdom of
Christ. Righteousness. The very righteousness of God.
Sanctification. Holy. I really am a saint. Redemption. Complete deliverance. That's
what is in Christ Jesus. Second Corinthians 1.18 says,
all the promises of God in him are yea and amen. You know what
that means? That means they're already done. Amen. Already done. When God promises something,
it's past tense before it takes place. That's how secure my salvation
is. It was secured and accomplished
before I was even born. Now that's secure, isn't it? I mean, when I split the womb,
there wasn't any way I would be anything but saved. Now I
didn't know that until the Lord saved me, of course. But it's
true. That's true of all of God's people. Second Corinthians 11 three speaks
of the simplicity that's in Christ Jesus. And I, I love the simplicity
of the gospel. What's my ground of assurance.
The death of Christ resurrection price. What, what's my hope.
Christ died for me. Um, what's, what's my shirt. How do you have assurance? Christ
died for me. You know, that's enough to give
me assurance. I don't need anything else. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough
that Jesus died and that he died for me. Colossians 2 10 says, you are
complete. And did you hear that? You, he's
talking to every believer, not just some special spiritual ones.
Every believer, you are complete. Complete now, you don't I don't
much feel complete But I am complete Because the Word of God says
you are complete in him what's in Christ First John 3 5 says
he was manifested to take away our sins and in him is no sin
That means if I'm in him I have right now present tense no see
Now is it any wonder? that Paul the Apostle said, oh,
that I may win Christ and be found in him. That's my one desire, simply
to be found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what does Paul say
to these people, to the saints and the faithful brethren in
Christ, which are at Colossae? He says, grace be unto you. and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ. He mentions two things that these
blessed people have. These saints, faithful brethren
in Christ Jesus, he says grace to you from God our Father and
the Lord Jesus Christ. It's not just some kind of general
generic, no, this is saving grace. Grace to you and peace from God
our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Now I'd like to
say a few things about the grace of God toward the people who
fit this description. They're saints, they're faithful,
they're brethren, they're in Christ. Turn with me to Romans
chapter five. Now the reason that they are
saints The reason that they're faithful, the reason that they're
brethren, the reason that they're in Christ is the grace of God. Now, what is the grace of God? I bet everybody in America uses
that term at some time, the grace of God. What is the grace of
God? Now look in Romans chapter five,
verse 20. Moreover, the law entered that
the offense might abound. Overflow. Whenever you see God's
holy law, you see that everything that comes out of your mouth
is just the overflowing of sin. Everything. Moreover, the law
entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded. Are you a place where sin abounds? Where sin abounded, grace did
much more abound. Grace abounds like a bucket of
water abound and putting out just a match. at place where
sin abounds, everywhere where sin abounds. Now, if you're not
a place where sin abounds, I can't say anything to you about grace.
Well, I'm not lying. Sin doesn't abound in me. Well,
no grace for you. But if you're a place where sin
abounds, grace does much more abound. Now, grace is God acting
according to his nature. God is gracious. You know, you make the statement,
he must be just and he may be gracious, but I'm not so sure
that's right because he is gracious. He must be just and he must be
gracious because he is gracious. He said, I will be gracious to
whom I will be gracious. And I will show mercy on whom
I will show mercy. Grace is God acting according
to his nature freely. acting according to His nature.
And grace is for the individual who has nothing and can meet
no requirement. Did you hear that? Grace is for
the individual who has nothing and can meet no requirement. Would that be you? Grace of God
is for you. Grace is righteous. It doesn't make sin okay or no
big deal. Grace is altogether righteousness. It reigns through righteousness,
the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, grace
makes a man really righteous, given the very righteousness
of God. Grace will not act where there
is ability, only where sin abounds. That's
the only place grace will act. Grace is all grace or not grace
at all. Every aspect of my salvation
is by the free favor of God. Flesh has no place in the purpose
of God's grace. Do you know all it takes to fall
from grace is to add something to it? You add something to it, it's
not grace anymore. And grace is the only reason
for God's blessing. He doesn't have to have any other
reason than this. He's gracious. Grace is the only
reason for God's blessing. And grace always produces true
humility before God. And if there's not humility,
grace is not there. God resists the proud and gives
grace to the humble. Now, the reason these people
were Saints, faithful, brethren, in Christ is the grace of God. And what comes out of the grace
of God? Peace. Peace. Oh, what peace flows from
grace. You know, the only thing that
causes any disturbance in our soul is sin. That's it. I mean, you wouldn't be afraid
of death if there wasn't any sin, would you? I mean, if you knew you
had no sin, you would not be afraid of death. The thing that
makes us afraid is thinking about sin. But you know, grace takes
care of the sin problem. My sin was given to Christ. He
put it away and it's gone. And I have nothing to fear from
my sin. My sins aren't gonna come back.
All the sins that I've committed that, you know, how many times
have you committed a sin and you've asked the Lord to somehow
get you out of the mess that it's created through your sin?
And you fear the shame and reproach that you bring on the gospel
through something you've done. And you're just scared, Lord,
get me out of this mess. You know, He did. And when you
stand before God in judgment, All that's gone. I mean, it's
not, it's not just forgiven. It's gone. And when your life
is put before the father, it's going to be all perfect. Now,
peace, peace, the peace of knowing that everything is working together
for my good. Everything, all things work together
for good to them that love God, to them who are called according
to his purpose. Knowing that God is at peace
with me. I love the peace of justification,
don't you? I remember what justification is. I hope I say this every time
I preach. I hope I say something about justification every time
I preach. Justification is being without sin. Not just as if you're
out sin, but know it's being without sin. Having the very
righteousness of God. That gives me peace. Gives me
peace. You know, the world has a type
of peace and well-being. I mean, if circumstances are
good, people can feel peace. People can feel well-being. But
it's so fragile, it can be destroyed instantly by change, by doubt,
by failure, by fear, by difficulty, by guilt, by shame, by distress,
by regret, by anxiety over the future, by any kind of challenge
to my position or my possessions that will destroy somebody's
peace. But God's peace passes all understanding. Don't you love that verse? The
peace of God that passes all understanding. It transcends
human intellect, insight, and analysis. No human counselor
can give it because it's the gift of God. It's divine, and
it's not subject to circumstances. That's the piece we're talking
about. Now turn with me to John chapter 16. Here it is. Verse 29. John chapter 16, verse
29. His disciples said unto him,
Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb? Now
are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that
any man should ask thee? By this we believe that thou
camest forth from God. Can you imagine how the Lord
felt when he said that to him? Oh, thanks. I'm glad I have your
approval now. You know, I mean, it was ridiculous
for them to say something like that. The disciples were so dull,
and so were we. So dull. Show us the Father,
and it sufficeth us. Hath it been so long time with
you, Philip, and yet hast thou not known me? Don't you know
that he that hath seen me hath seen the Father? How sayest thou,
but show us the Father? How could they say this to him?
Now we're sure, we weren't sure before this, but now we are,
oh, I'm glad to have your approval. Verse 31, Jesus answered them,
do you now believe? Big talk, now we believe, do
you? Behold, the hour cometh, yea,
now it's come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his
own, and shall leave me alone. Every one of you are gonna forsake
me. Every one of you are going to be so scared you're going
to high-pillow out of here and leave me alone. You're talking
big now. Now we believe. Well, I see. Do you? Do you really? Behold, the hour cometh. It has
now come that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall
leave me alone. And yet I'm not alone, because
the Father is with me. These things have I spoken unto
you. that in me, now there's peace,
in me, you might have peace. Now in the world, you're gonna
get beat to death. You're gonna have tribulation
and trial. You're going to have doubts and
fears. You're going to wonder about
yourself and you're going to wonder about everybody else.
In the world, you shall have tribulation. Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. And my peace is in Christ. And the only peace I have is
that when God sees me He didn't see my preaching. He didn't see
how I treat you. He didn't see my good intentions.
He didn't see my efforts. He doesn't see my good things.
He doesn't see my bad things. Here's the only thing that gives
me peace. That when God sees me, all he sees is Christ. And beloved, there's peace there. May God grant all of us this
peace. You know, the Lord said, my peace
I give you, not as the world giveth, give I to you. You know,
the world can give you a kind of peace, but it's not real.
But his peace is in himself. I love what Paul said in Ephesians
2, 14. He is our peace. Let's pray together.