One of the greatest disappointments of the church in our century is that preaching no longer takes central stage. In efforts to appeal to people’s interest many different programs, methods and approaches have been used to make things more “culturally relevant.” I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people say, “No one wants to listen to preaching anymore. It just isn’t relevant.” When the Church takes its cues from the culture rather than from the Bible it definitely starts to look more like the world than the Church.

A mark of a faithful church, not necessarily one that appeals to the masses, is that it takes its cues from the Bible, and its methodology from Christ Himself. In order to be faithful, the Church must not adopt the adage that teaches that the “end justifies the means.” In other words, this adage ascribes that pragmatism that grows the church must be godly and effective or otherwise God wouldn’t be blessing it. I have heard that argument all my life, but it simply doesn’t hold true. Some of the most heretical “churches” across our country are the largest in the nation.

Argumentation for Preaching
To be a faithful healthy Church, we must go to the ministry of Jesus and the apostles and the example of the early church to take our cues and develop our ministry philosophy. When these ministries and exhortations are examined, it is clear that the ordained method of the Church must be preaching, and preaching must be central.

First consider Jesus and His ministry. When Jesus first entered His ministry, he entered Nazareth and quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Three times Jesus says He was anointed to “proclaim” the good news. It is clear that this was His method, as He said, “I must preach the Kingdom of God to the other cities for I was sent for this purpose” (Luke 4:43).

Second consider the instruction of Jesus to His disciples. When Jesus sent his disciples out into the world, He sent them to preach the good news of the Gospel. Jesus sent out the twelve apostles telling them to preach as they went, saying “The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matt 10:7). Furthermore, the last thing he said to them before he ascended into heaven was “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

Third consider the apostles in the early Church. The very first thing that Peter did after Pentecost was to preach a sermon. He stood in front of literally thousands and he delivered the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection (Acts 2:17-36). A simple survey through the book of Acts reveals that preaching was the main method of the early Church (Acts 4:2, 5:42, 8:4, 25, 35, 9:20,11:20, 28:31). The Apostles and Church were simply obeying what Jesus commanded them to do when He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach” (Mark 16:15, Matt 10:7).

Fourth consider the argumentation of the Apostle Paul concerning preaching. In his letter to the Romans and Corinthians he clearly taught that preaching was God’s ordained method for saving souls. In Romans 10:13-17 Paul says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So, faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.”

In Corinthians 1:17-25, Paul says, “For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Fifth, consider the exhortations to the Church. Paul exhorts Timothy, “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim 4:1-5).

Al Mohler is right when he says, “Preaching did not emerge from the church’s experimentation with communication techniques. The church does not preach because preaching is thought to be a good idea or an effective technique. The sermon has not earned its place in Christian worship by proving its utility in comparison with other means of communication or aspects of worship. Rather, we preach because we have been commanded to preach.”  I highly recommend Mohler’s four articles on preaching (https://albertmohler NULL.com/2005/12/15/why-do-we-preach-a-foundation-for-christian-preaching-part-one).

The Church should expect sound biblical preaching. Every healthy church consists of members who long for the Word of God to be explained to them (1 Peter 2:2, Neh 8:1-18). Mark Dever in his book on the 9 marks of a healthy church states, “The first mark of a healthy church is expository preaching. It is not only the first mark; it is far and away the most important of them all, because if you get this one right, all of the others should follow. This is the crucial mark.” (Mark Dever, 9 Marks of a Healthy Church, page 39).

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/expository-preaching NULL.jpg)So how should the congregation respond? Here are a few applications:

1. Come ready to hear the Word of God expounded. Prepare your heart the night before and be rested up so that you can be attentive.
2. Ask God to speak to you through His word as it is preached. Without the work of the Holy Spirit, illumination will not occur. (1 Cor 2:6-16).
3. Pray for your pastor/preacher that he will adequately prepare during the week to give clear explanation of a particular text of Scripture. Pray against distractions that will not allow him to have adequate time for study.
4. Demand faithful exposition of Scripture. Topical messages are good periodically, but faithful exposition of the Scripture is going to prove to be the best way to grow spiritually and to get a clear grasp of Scripture.
5. Listen with a discerning mind, not necessarily critical but thoughtful. Make sure that what the preacher is saying can be backed up with Scripture and is pertinent to the particular passage at hand.
6. Pray over what you have heard and ask God to help you apply it to your life and heart.
7. Pray for the lost that God might call them to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

 

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Abram-Wedding1 NULL.jpg)

Solomon reminds us that there is a time for everything. In Ecclesiastes 3, he tells us that there is a time to laugh and a time to dance. This last weekend was that time for the Gibson family. We are so blessed that our eldest son, Abram Gibson, was married to Grace Helfrich Sunday afternoon. We give praise to the Lord for providing such a wonderful union. Grace comes from a godly family. She was raised at one of our sister churches, Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church. The Lord has been so good to us and we wanted you to laugh and dance with us. We are sorry that covid-19 put a damper on inviting guests. We wished that all of you could have attended, but we needed to significantly limit our guest list. Sadly, both sets of grandparents were unable to come. We were blessed to have my twin brother, his wife and one of his sons in attendance. Julie’s brother and his wife were able to come as well. Abram has accepted a job as the Director of Worship for Fairfax Bible Church in Fairfax, VA (just outside of Washington DC).  Once he and Grace get back from their honeymoon in Maine, we will pack them up and send them off to Virginia. A whole lot of change is happening in the Gibson household. Thank you all for loving us so well, and celebrating with us in this joyous occasion. All glory goes to our heavenly Father and His Son and Spirit! I’ve included a few pictures for you so that you can smile like we have!

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Abram-Wedding2 NULL.jpg)

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Abram-Wedding3 NULL.jpg)

(http://aplaceforyou NULL.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Abram-Wedding4 NULL.jpg)

 

One of the most basic questions every Jew had during their dispersions & captivities is “When will Israel be restored?” This was the very question that the disciples asked Jesus in Acts 1:6, just before He ascended into heaven. Jesus had been talking with them about the Kingdom of God and so they naturally were thinking that it was time for the resurrected Jesus to re-establish Israel with preeminence. Interestingly Jesus did not rebuke them for asking the question, nor did He imply that it was a crazy idea. Jesus simply replied, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7). If indeed the idea of a restoration of Israel were an outlandish idea, then the response of Jesus would be guilty of misleading the disciples. The response of Jesus actually implies that there is a day coming when Israel will be restored with preeminence.

Old Testament Promises

The idea of Israel having preeminence in the world comes from several Old Testament passages.  Following is just one of the many number of prophecies that Israel would have prominence in the world and that the Messiah would reign with authority. (See also Ps 72:1-20, Is 11:1-9, 24:21-23, 65:17-25, Zech 8:4-5, Zech 14:16-19)

Isaiah 2:2-4: “It shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many peoples shall come, and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (See also Micah 4:1-3)

In this passage which is repeated in Micah 4:1-3, amazing things will be happening in the “latter days” concerning Israel. These prophecies indicate that “Mount Zion will tower in prominence above all others, and the nations of the world will stream to Jerusalem to learn to walk in the ways of Yahweh. The word of the Lord will go forth as the Messiah rules from Jerusalem, judging between nations of the world and rendering decisions for the people. As a result of this righteous reign of the Messiah, the nations will live in peace, and never again will they prepare for war” (Matt Waymeyer, 2016, Amillennialism and the Age to Come.  Woodlands, Tx: Kress Biblical Resources, page 23).

Two Major Positions & Hermeneutics

Interpreting Scripture can at times be daunting especially when it comes to eschatological issues (eschatology is simply the study of the last things). One particular option that some scholars have presented to explain eschatological events is a simple model known as the “Two-Age Model”.  This model or grid by which interpretative decisions are made has its foundation in the very words of Jesus in the New Testament. Several times Jesus refers to what appears to be two successive ages, “this age” and “the age to come”. There are many places in Scripture which mention these ages separately (i.e. Matt 13:39, Rom 12:2, Eph 2:2, Heb 6:5), while there are a few which explicitly mention both ages together (Matt 12:32, Mark 10:30, Lk 18:30, 20:34-35, Eph 1:21). Theologically this view is typically known as amillennialism, since it denies the idea that there is a thousand-year reign of Christ between this age and the age to come. Hermeneutically, this position is forced to interpret most of the passages mentioned above allegorically. Following is a diagram of the Two Age Model:

 

At first glance this model seems to be adequate until you begin reading these Old Testament passages that describe what appear to be a reign of the Messiah on the earth.

If these passages (listed above) are read literally (not allegorically), they clearly do not describe any events of past or present history (“this age”), nor do they describe heaven (“age to come”). Furthermore, the clear description of a thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth in Revelation 20 reveals that this two-age model is not a sufficient model without clarification. Notice that six times the Apostle John references a “thousand year” reign of Christ.

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth”… (Revelation 20:1-8).

As Waymeyer states, rather than using this two-age model as an interpretive grid, “the best way to honor the divine authority of every passage, as well as Scripture as a whole, is to trace the doctrine of the coming kingdom throughout biblical revelation. This means starting in the Old Testament and progressively moving through the entirety of Scripture – from Genesis to Revelation – allowing each passage to make its own unique, contextual contribution as it builds upon previous revelation” (Waymeyer, page 11). As revelation of God is progressively given, all relevant passages must be sought to be harmonized, so that no one passage is silenced or twisted.

Harmonizing all of the pertinent passages, the logical conclusion is that there must be an intermediate stage that occurs between this present age and the age to come. Theologically this view is known as pre-millennialism. This intermediate stage is not a separate age but rather an initial phase of the “age to come”. The natural and literal reading of all of the pertinent passages logically leads one to conclude that there must be an intermediate stage, which is known as the millennial Kingdom. Following is a diagram describing the “age to come” more succinctly with the intermediate state known as the millennial Kingdom:Waiting for the Return of Christ

Jesus told the disciples that the “Father has fixed by His own authority” the times and seasons surrounding the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel (Acts 1:6). He told them that it was not for them to know these things. While we should not get too bogged down in eschatological debates, the finishing of the canon of Scripture and the progressive revelation of God has given us enough information to put some of the pieces of the puzzle together. It appears that the restoration of the Kingdom of Israel will not occur until the return of Christ and the beginning of the intermediate stage, or the millennial Kingdom. When Christ returns He will set up His throne on the earth and all prophecies will come to pass. We certain don’t know when Christ will return, but we wait with eager anticipation. And when the Messiah comes again to the earth the second time, we know for sure that He will restore the Kingdom of Israel on the earth with incredible preeminence.

 

Psalm 91 has been a favorite psalm of the Saints through the ages and rightfully so. This Psalm boasts of the protecting hand of God for His people. The Psalm opens with this great principle, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (v. 1). For those who make the one true God their God and dwell in Him (v. 9), He promises to be right behind them helping them and allowing His shadow to cover them.

To “dwell” is the key to this promise that God makes. Verse 2 of the Psalm describes clearly what it means to dwell. God’s people have pledged the following statement, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” To dwell means that God’s people have determined that God will be the source of their help. They understand that putting their trust in anything other than God, including themselves, is foolish and will result in disaster (Jer 17:5-8). God alone will be their refuge and their fortress. And as a result, the Almighty God promises to shadow over them, providing rest, comfort, and peace for His people.

The rest of the Psalm describes the gamete of protection that God promises to provide for those who put their trust in Him. He promises to be a shield to protect them from the smallest things like stubbing toes (v. 12), to big things like protecting them when a “thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand” (v. 7). God promises to protect them in the night and the day (v. 5). He promises to protect them from deadly pestilence & plagues (v. 3, 6, 10) and from wild animals (v. 13). And God promises to command His angels to “guard [them] in all [their] ways” (v. 11). For those who “love” and “know” God, He promises to deliver, protect, answer prayers, rescue, give a long life, and show them salvation (v. 14-16). What glorious promises God has made to His people.

When you look through the history of the Bible, God kept these promises. God spared His people Israel from the plagues and pestilence that He brought upon Egypt (Ex 7-12). God delivered the Israelites from the wicked hand of Pharaoh as they walked on dry ground through the Red Sea (Ex 14). God delivered the three Hebrew boys from King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace and Daniel from the lion’s den (Dan 3, 6). God sent an angel and had 185,000 Assyrian soldiers killed in one night to protect His holy city and King Hezekiah (2 Kings 19). The faithfulness of God to His people creates a long list of promises kept. And these promises are not ancient myths, but are examples of God’s faithfulness that believers should expect even today.

Jesus & Psalm 91
But how are we to understand these truths in our everyday lives? While the truths of this Psalm are so important and should comfort every believer to know that God can protect us, we must also ask hard questions about this Psalm. Does this Psalm promise that God will protect every believer from everything that could harm us at all times? If something bad happens to one of our fellow Christians, should we simply assume that they did not “dwell in the shelter of the Most High?” Do Christians who have bad things happen to them simply lack faith or trust in God? How do we reconcile that at times Christians get sick, die tragic deaths, and are swindled by the “snare of the fowler” (v. 3)?

The best way to answer these questions is to look to Jesus. Being God’s Son, and being God Himself, Jesus was the most perfect and righteous man who ever lived on the earth. He was also the most trusting of His heavenly Father. As we look at His ministry, the protecting hand of God is clear. When the crowds of Nazareth wanted to throw Him over a cliff because He claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1-2, the Father protected Him and allowed Him to “pass through their midst” (Luke 4:28-30). When the religious leaders tried to trap and kill him, God protected Him and allowed Him to slip away into safety (Jn 8:59). It is very clear that God the Father was enacting the promises of Psalm 91 to His own Son.

But there was a time when all of that changed and it certainly wasn’t due to a “lack of faith” on Jesus’ part. Jesus told His disciples that His “hour [had] come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (Jn 12:23). He was definitively speaking about His impending death on the cross that was established in eternity past. When that time in His life came, the Father removed all protection from Him and in those moments the promises of Psalm 91 fell short. Jesus was caught in the snare of the religious leaders contrary to Psalm 91:3. The crowds came at night and arrested Him, contrary to verse 5. The crowds demanded that He be crucified, contrary to verse 7. Evil fell upon Jesus as He was crucified, contrary to verse 10. No angel came to rescue Jesus from the cross, contrary to verse 11.

Looking at Jesus, we can clearly make a deduction that while the promises of Psalm 91 are true for those who “dwell in the shelter of the Most High,” they are only true within the framework of God’s ultimate plan. God protected Jesus until His work was complete. When the ministry of Jesus was complete, God removed his hand of protection. This is also true for every believer. God protects every believer until their work on earth is complete. Warren Wiersbe said it wonderfully, “When the child of God is in His will, then he is immortal until his work is done.” Believers are immortal on this earth and nothing can harm us until our work is done within God’s plan. We can live fearlessly and courageously knowing the Lord will protect us as we are in His will.

Live Fearlessly but NOT Recklessly
But we must also be careful to NOT to live haphazardly and put God to the test. This is exactly what Satan tempted Jesus to do in the wilderness (Matt 4:5-7) at the beginning of His ministry. Satan took Jesus to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and quoted from Psalm 91:11-12, “If you are the Son of God throw yourself down for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’” (Matt 4:7). Satan tempted Jesus with the promises of Psalm 91 and took these verses as absolute promises of God’s protection. But Jesus did not take the bait and responded with another text in Scripture from Deuteronomy 6:16 and said, “Again it is written, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” Jesus teaches us in His response that we are not to take just one verse from Scripture and press it to its extreme, but rather we are to allow the entire Bible to guide us and instruct us. Jesus put His whole trust in His heavenly Father, but also trusted that God the Father can do as He pleases and we have no right to “put Him to the test.”

 

I grew up in an area of Oklahoma where earthquakes and landslides were practically nonexistent, and sinkholes were rare. But recently I have heard of enormous sinkholes in Oklahoma that are so large that cars and even houses have fallen into them. It’s scary to think that in a matter of seconds the earth below you could give way and cause extreme damage to property and possibly take your life.

When Life is Hard
The Psalmist uses this phrase “though the earth gives way,” and also builds upon this calamity by saying “though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Psalm 46:2-3). The mountains are one of the most stable parts of creation. It would be a devastating day if the mountains began to crumble. Events would be horrible if indeed the strong mountains trembled as they saw devastating waters rise above them.

The Psalmist is using these phrases hypothetically and metaphorically to describe life. He personifies the mountains and gives them emotions. Essentially the Psalmist is creating a hypothetical scenario that describes the worst kind of disaster and devastation. And he is using that to relate to life in general. Sometimes life gets hard. To use another phrase, “the rug is pulled out from underneath us.” We lose our footing and inevitably we begin to fear and panic.

Jesus promised us that we would have trouble in this life (Jn 16:33). Job said that man was “born for trouble” (Job 5:7). Some erroneously believe that because we are God’s people, He will spare us from trouble (James 1:2). But this is certainly not the case. Trouble comes in small ways and even in enormous ways. There are countless examples in Scripture of God’s people who experienced all kinds of trouble (Daniel, Hezekiah, Paul). So, we all will experience trouble in so many different ways. It may come to us relationally, financially, physically, politically, religiously, and so much more. There are so many ways trouble can come into our lives.

God is Our Refuge, Strength and Help
But how will we as God’s people respond to this trouble? Do we have any resources that will help us in our trouble? Unlike the world, we are God’s people. And the Psalmist reminds us who God is for us. He tells us, “God is our refuge, and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1). In the midst of our trouble, God is three things for us.

Refuge: God is a refuge, a safe, unmovable, unshakable place. The Hebrew word for refuge is “masada” (מצדה metsada, fortress). King Herod the Great had two palaces built for himself between 37 and 31 BC. His famous “masada” was built 1500 feet above the plane on top of a mesa. The only way to the fortress was by way of a narrow road, known as the “snake path.” This palace was truly a fortress and safe place. Our God is a safe place for His people. Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, and the righteous run into it and are safe.”

Strength: God is also a strength for His weak children. When life falls apart, and we find ourselves weak, frail and unable to continue the battle, God provides His strength for us. God always gives grace to His people who are weak (2 Cor 12:9-10).

Very Present Help: God is also a very present help. God doesn’t hide from us when we need Him. He is very present in all our situations. For sure God has been faithful in the past, and promises to be faithful in the future. But we need Him in the present! And God promises to help us when we most need Him. We don’t have to go searching for Him. God is always working “all things together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). It’s hard to do life alone with no one to help us. But we must be confident that “our God” is with us and helps us!

We Will Not Fear
Fear and even panic are the natural responses to the troubles in our life. Because our God promises never to leave nor forsakes us (Deut 31:8, Heb 13:5), the Psalmist says, “therefore we will not fear” (Ps 46:2). Though everything falls around us, and trouble overwhelms us, we are confident that God is for us and with us helping us in our trouble. Unlike the world, we must not be irrational and stop thinking! We must allow the truths of God’s Word to impact how we live. Knowing that God is helping us should cause us to have a calm and peace.

I’m sure that the three Hebrew boys who were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace by King Nebuchadnezzar were frightened at first. But then the truth of what they knew to be true came out of their mouths in their response to the King. Their response revealed their calmness and peace. They told the King, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O King. But if not, be it known to you, O King, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up” (Daniel 3:16-18). The truth of God being their refuge caused them to respond to their trouble with peace and confidence.

While the world panics at every horrible thing that happens, God’s people must not fear. We must allow the truths of God’s promises to impact how we live. And when people ask us why we are not worrying or fearful, we can remind them that our God is our refuge, strength and ever-present help in our times of trouble.

 

One of the greatest summaries of our salvation is found in Romans 8:29-30, where the Apostle Paul tells us, “For those whom [God] foreknew, he also predestined….and those whom he predestined, he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” This verse summarizes the eternal plan of God designed in eternity past, the execution of that plan in time, and God’s intention to fulfill that plan in eternity future.

At the very center of this unbreakable chain is God’s plan of execution, namely a “calling.” Those whom God foreknew and subsequently predestined, He calls in time with the inevitable result that they will also be justified and glorified. Because God is omnipotent, there is nothing that can frustrate this plan. It is all His doing. Reformed theologians typically understand this act of God as being monergistic, rather than synergistic. In other words, God works alone through the Holy Spirit to bring about salvation to an individual through spiritual regeneration without the assistance of the individual. Since this is true, it makes sense to clarify this calling as an “effectual” calling. God’s calling of His elect does not fall on deaf ears. Jesus makes it clear when He said, “All that the Father gives to me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out” (Jn 6:37). Jesus was certain that the ones whom the Father had given Him before time would come to Him.

Understanding the Difference
It is important to understand that while the Gospel goes out to all men and calls them to repent (Acts 17:30), not all are effectually called. Scripture is clear that there are two types of calling. There is what is known as a general call, or external call, in which the Gospel is offered to all people, even to those who do not accept it. By contrast, the effective calling of God that actually brings about a willing response from the person who hears it is internal and effectual. When God intends to accomplish His work, He effectually works in an individual, mercifully “drawing” them to Himself (Jn 6:44).

This tremendous summary in v. 29-30 reveals to us the difference between the general call and the effectual or parti

cular call. Paul is conclusive that those who are called are “also justified” and are “also glorified.” Since it is clear that the Bible doesn’t teach universalism, that is that all people are going to be saved, then this calling is limited to a particular group of people. And those people are the ones whom God foreknew and those he has predestined. So, this call is best to be understood as a summons from the King of the universe, or as one preacher said a “grabbing” or “gathering” of the sheep! When God sets forth to gather His sheep, His call is effectual because He includes empowerment guaranteeing a response. The calling of God supernaturally draws sinners out of darkness and brings them into the kingdom of God (1 Cor 1:9).

 

The Call is a Gospel Call
For sure this calling of God is a call to believe the Gospel, or the good news of God. It is a summons to believe at a minimum the facts concerning salvation, namely that 1) all people have sinned (Rom 3:23), 2) the penalty for sin is death (Rom 6:23), and 3) that Jesus Christ died to pay the penalty for our sins (Rom 5:8). It is certainly not enough to simply believe these facts. The call of God is not intellectual alone, but also personally experiential. When God calls a sinner, He draws them to receive these facts personally by faith. But we should also be careful that while we believe we are “justified by faith alone” as the great reformers taught us, this call of God also includes a call to renounce sin in genuine repentance (Luke 24:47, Acts 2:37-38, 3:19, 5:31, 17:30, Rom 2:4, 2 Cor 7:10). Often times the scripture combines both faith and repentance into one event. Just like there are two sides to one coin, there are two aspects of genuine conversion. When God calls sinners, they will consecutively put their faith in Christ and turn from their sin asking Christ for forgiveness. An invitation to simply put one’s faith in Christ alone without a call to genuine repentance is not an adequate Gospel message. (Systematic Theology, Wayne Grudem, page 692-695)

God’s Instruments
Some wish that God would write His message of hope in the sky for all to see. But better yet, He has written his message in the Bible. And as that message is preached by His Church, God draws sinners to Himself (Rom 10:17). God’s effective calling comes through the human preaching of the Gospel. As God’s people are faithful to preach, evangelize and share the good news of Christ to sinners, God uses that message as the effectual calling of His elect. For sure, many will reject the message and general call of God. But when God’s elect hears the good news, the Gospel will come to them “not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction” (1 Thess 1:4, Acts 13:48). God supernaturally connects all of the dots in that moment and does a transforming work in their heart. He gives them life (Eph 2:4-5), opens their minds (1 Cor 2:14), gives them sight to see (2 Cor 4:4), empowers their wills (Rom 8:7), grants them repentance (2 Tim 2:24-26), and gives them the gift of faith (Eph 2:8-9) all through the wonderful work of His Holy Spirit. And of course, all of this happens in a moment. Lydia is a great example of this miraculous work. As she was listening to Paul preach, the Scripture says, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized…” (Acts 16:14-15). It is clear that salvation is the Lord’s work. But His call to His people comes through the mouth and prayers of His servants, the Church.

Certainty of Salvation
The whole point of Paul’s description of salvation in Romans 8:29-30 is to give us assurance that God’s plan of salvation cannot be frustrated. The final result of God calling His people is that He guarantees them that they will be justified and also glorified. We cannot escape this glorious truth. God promises eternal life to His people! When God calls His people, His plan will come to completion. He promises that they will be preserved by His hand, and that they will persevere to the very end, ultimately never losing their salvation. It is foolish to believe that what God planned in eternity past, will somehow be frustrated and abolished. It is sad that so many have misunderstood this glorious doctrine of assurance. Jesus was clear when he stated in John 10:27-30 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

 

One of the all-time favorite verses of Christians is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” This great promise provides a foundation for Christian living; namely that believers can know for certain that God loves them and is for them, and is working out every detail of life for their good, whether they can see it or not. But there is also something much deeper here that we often overlook. Paul tells us that this promise is not based on anything in us, but rather based on the fact that we have been “called according to [God’s] purpose.” In other words, God guarantees to do the believer good because of what He has purposed or planned. His benevolence toward His children is not based on whether they love Him enough, or do enough good works. His goodness toward them is based on something much greater, namely His purposes which were determined in eternity past (see Eph 1:4, 1 Cor 2:7).

What is the Purpose of God?
What is Paul referring to when he says that we have been “called according to His purpose?” What actually is “His purpose?” We don’t need to go any further than the following verses to discover that Paul expounds on the great purpose of God in Romans 8:29-30. Paul explains this purpose when he says, “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified.” These verses explain every part and detail of our great salvation and God’s glorious intentions in history. Here Paul gives us a complete summary of salvation from beginning to end in order to show that each step is but a part of the outworking of this eternal purpose of God. We are told that God decided, decreed and planned a way of salvation. These verses, unfold for us what God is doing, purposed and planned to do throughout history in His world (see also Eph 1:5, 9, 11, 2 Tim 1:9, 1 Peter 1:20, 2 Cor 2:6-7). These verses also reveal that it is actually God who is acting. There is not one mention of believers doing anything in these verses, but a complete description of what God did before time began, what He is doing currently in history, and what He plans to do in the future. Here is a summary of what the verses say:

• In order that he (Jesus, his Son) might be the firstborn among many brothers.
• Those whom God foreknew, He predestined.
• Those whom God predestined, He also called.
• Those whom God called, He also justified.
• Those whom God justified, He also glorified.

That Jesus Might Have Preeminence
Let’s begin with the statement that shows up at the end of v. 29 – “in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” We begin with this statement because it gives us the overarching goal of the Father in his eternal purpose. Paul tells us that all of this has been done “in order that.” In other words, there was a reason for all of the details. And that reason was that Jesus would become the firstborn among many brothers.

The term firstborn has a couple of meanings. First, it means literally the son who was born chronologically first. But second, the term also came to be known as having more significance, namely having rights and authority and rank. This idea of rank is clearly how Paul uses the phrase in Colossians 1:15, when Jesus is called the “first born of creation.” Clearly Jesus was not the first to be born in all of creation! Furthermore, He was not a created being (unlike what the Jehovah Witnesses claim). So, Paul is certainly using this phrase in this second manner. As the “first born,” Jesus has been given rights and authority that come with being the preeminent one. Jesus is the one whom God appointed to have authority over all things. In Psalm 89:27, God said “I will make [Jesus] the firstborn, the highest of the Kings of the earth” (Ps 89:27). So, Paul is revealing to us in this verse God’s overarching purpose in the plan of salvation. God had one glorious goal, namely that Jesus, His Son would be exalted, glorified and have preeminence in the universe for all time (Col 1:18). When the eternal Son of God agreed in the eternal counsel before time began (Eph 1:4, 1 Cor 2:7) to humble himself as a man, to die, and be resurrected, the Father promised to exalt Him and bring Him glory. The goal of that eternal plan was that every being on the earth, and in the heavens would bow before Jesus and declare that Him to be “Lord” (Phil 2:6-11). Furthermore, it was God’s plan, “in the fulness of time, to unite all things in him (Jesus), things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10). The exaltation of His Son, was the ultimate goal of the Father.

Many Brothers
But the fulfillment of this preeminence of Christ is wrapped up in bringing many sons to glory (Heb 2:10), or Jesus being the first among “many brothers.” The question is, “What will God do in order to accomplish His eternal purpose of giving Jesus “many brothers?” We must remember that the Father had given Jesus these brothers (and sisters) from eternity past (see Jn 6:37, 39, 10:27-30, 17:3, 6, 9, 11, 24) and Jesus came to earth to save and gather them particularly (Jn 10:14-18).

When we look at what God has done in order to fulfill His eternal purpose in regard to these “brothers,” we see that God did something before time, He does something in time, and He promises to do something in the future. God is able to accomplish His eternal purpose and nothing will frustrate it. In fact, the verb tenses that Paul uses are all past tense, as though these things have already taken place. If we look at the chain of events in verses 29-30, often called the unbreakable golden chain of redemption by theologians, we can see exactly how God has fulfilled His eternal purpose. God’s purpose extended back into eternity past and is guaranteed to continue to eternity future.

Before time: Before time existed, God foreknew those He predestined. Many wrongly interpret this foreknowledge as God’s knowledge of the future actions of believers, that God looked into the future and knew that they would have faith (Arminian position) and predestined them accordingly. It is certainly true that God knows all things including actions. But the word “foreknowledge” is a word that is used many times in Scripture (Acts 2:23, Rom 11:2, 1 Peter 1:2, 20) and implies a knowledge of individuals. This text clearly refers to individuals (“whom”) not actions. And it is these individuals which God foreknew, that He also predestined. Predestined means “designated before.” This is simply a description of the destiny that God has determined and decided upon for the people whom He has foreknown (Eph 1:4-14, 1 Peter 2:9).

In time: In time, God calls these individuals and justifies them. This is His work. The calling is a grabbing of His people (1 Cor 1:2, 9, 24, 26). He grabs them and makes them His own. He calls and teaches them with an irresistible grace (Jn 6:44-45) and they inevitably come to Christ with faith. And as a result of that faith, God justifies them (Rom 3:21-26, 5:1). These individuals are no longer condemned in their sin, but God declares them righteous by faith in His Son. These are now the guiltless ones, who have been added to the family of God.

In the future: And as a result of all of this, God promises to glorify them. Just as Jesus was glorified, so believers will also be glorified (1 Cor 2:7, Rom 5:2, Col 3:4, 1 Pet 5:4, 1 Cor 15:51-57, 1 Jn 3:2) and given new bodies. They will be fully redeemed from sin and death.

God’s Purposes Will Not Fail
What God planned in eternity past, He has the power to bring to pass. Paul assumes that the eternal purpose of God will not be frustrated but fulfilled in order that the Father’s Son will indeed be truly preeminent. The exaltation of Christ and having all things fulfilled in His Son is determined by the faithfulness of God to keep His promises. If God were not able to bring many sons to glory and give Jesus “many brothers” then the whole eternal purpose of God would be in vain. But since God is omnipotent, He is able to accomplish His purposes. This eternal plan and purpose of God gives us as believers great confidence and assurance. Our hope is wrapped up in what God has promised. The “good” that God intends to work out for us, is nothing less than the promised calling, justification and glorification of His people whom He knew and predestined before the world even began!

 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been groaning a whole lot these days! The coronavirus pandemic has been challenging enough. But the injustices we have seen in Minneapolis have made my stomach turn and my heart break, not to mention the violent aftermath. Having the right worldview in such a time as this is crucial if we are to maintain peace in our own hearts, and have a positive impact on the world around us. There are some who wrongly believe that this world has the potential to reach perfection. They promote politics, medicine, education, and so much more as the answers to mankind’s greatest problems. While these programs are important and helpful, history has proven that they all fall very short of truly remedying the real problems. The hope of the United States of America in its inception was to provide a new world, a utopia, a nation that promised “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all men created equally. And now almost two hundred and fifty years later, the dream that our forefathers died for, still seems such a long way off. And we all groan for a better day!

We Groan
And the question is why? Why can’t there be a place where there are no more viruses? Why can’t there be a place where love reigns instead of hate? Why can’t there be a perfect place on this earth? It shouldn’t surprise us that the Bible has all the answers to these questions! The Apostle Paul gives us insight into why it seems impossible for this utopia to exist in the present world. He tells us in Romans 8:17-25 that there will be suffering for believers in this world and they will be hated by the world system. He further states that creation itself has been “subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it” (v. 20). Certainly, Paul has in mind here the Fall of Adam in the Garden of Eden (Gen 3). When Adam sinned, not only was all of mankind deeply impacted by sin, but also creation. And now because sin entered into the world, the world is broken. As a result, people often hate each other, and creation itself groans to be “set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). And thus, now for centuries, everyone and everything is groaning for a better day!

Our Only Hope
So, do we have any hope that this day will come? Paul says emphatically “Yes!” He tells us that there is a day coming that is the hope of the world. We do not see it now, but this utopia is a reality that is in the future. And this hope is not an uncertainty, but rather a certainty that promises at least two realities. First, those who are true believers in Christ, children of God, will be revealed in glory and our adoption will be completed when we receive the redemption of our bodies (v. 23). Furthermore, those who are truly God’s children by faith in Jesus will be “heirs of God, and fellow heirs with Christ” and enter into glory (v. 17) and will reign with Christ. We will receive an incredible inheritance that has been reserved in heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). Second, creation itself will also be “set free from its bondage to corruption.” Jesus stated that the earth would be rebirthed, or regenerated when He sits on His throne (Matt 19:28) in what is known as the millennial kingdom. When Jesus returns to the earth and sovereignly reigns with dominion, the earth will be paradise regained. The earth will not be a totally new earth, but a restored one (see also Rev 21:1, Acts 3:21, Is 65:17, 66:22). So here is the hope of the new world that is coming. At this restoration, righteousness will flourish, peace will abound, health and healing will prevail, the earth will produce food as never before, the lion will lay down in peace with the lamb, the deserts will blossom, and life will be long. And the promise of all of this comes with the return of Jesus!

What Do We Do in the Meantime?
So, what do we do while we wait in this broken world? We certainly should expect some things to get worse. The Bible promises us that nation will rise against nation (more hatred), and there will be more famines and earthquakes (creation groaning) in various places (Matt 24:6-8). And as a result, our groaning will become more intense. But the Apostle Paul gives us three exhortations in Romans 8:23-25 while we wait.

First, Paul says that we are to “wait eagerly for adoption as sons.” There is only a utopia and paradise regained for those who are truly sons of God. Better days are coming for us (1 Peter 3:10), but we must wait. Waiting is hard. But we must put our trust in the Lord and keep our eyes toward heaven waiting and listening for the trumpet to blow when we will see Jesus coming on the clouds to make everything better (1 Thess 1:10, 4:16-17, 1 Cor 15:50-58). We should have an eagerness in our hearts, and a longing for these promises. Second, we are to hope! The Bible doesn’t portray hope as wishful thinking or probability but rather a certainty based on the integrity of God’s clear promises. This hope is not yet a reality but is coming. Third, we must wait with patience. God has promised to complete His work in the world and in us (Phil 1:6). We must be patient in the meantime, again putting our trust in the Lord’s purposes and plans.

A major part of that patience is simply “being” the sons of God in this world. We understand that society will continue to have problems. But God has left Christians on the earth to be “salt and light” (Matt 5:13-16). By their very presence, Christians should infiltrate society with righteousness and expose the evils of darkness. The Sons of God should set the standard for society by obeying what God requires of everyone, namely to “act justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). While society will never be perfect until Jesus comes, the Church should remember that we have an incredible obligation to be the catalyst for our culture to adopt God’s truth, righteousness, and love. The Church must never turn a blind eye to racism, hatred, or injustices. Gratitude overflows on account of those who have gone before us, who upheld these virtues and eliminated injustices toward many of the vulnerable in the past. While we groan as we see so much progress yet to be made, we are also filled with hope that a better and more perfect day is truly coming.

 

There is nothing more debatable in Christian theology than the assurance of salvation. Assurance is the doctrine that teaches that Christians can truly know that they have been justified by God and will ultimately make it to heaven. For certain, Catholic teaching as well as many within protestant denominations with an Arminian theological bent (Assembly of God, United Methodist, some Baptists, Wesleyan, Pentecostals, Nazarene, and others) deny that assurance is a real possibility for any believer. But when you study the Scripture deeply, you find that assurance is actually a great gift that God gives His children. It is also a necessary gift in this journey of life to ensure that we are effective. As Hugh Latimer wrote to Nicholas Ridley (two bishops who were martyred in 1555), “When I live in a settled and steadfast assurance about the state of my soul, methinks I am as bold as a lion; I can laugh at all trouble; no affliction daunts me; but when I am eclipsed in my comforts I am of so fearful a spirit that I could run into a very mouse hole.” Latimer understood the power of assurance which makes the believer bold while the lack of assurance debilitates the believer’s service.

Definitive Declarations
It is clear from Scripture that not everyone is a child of God. There is a sense in which the Fatherhood of God makes all people His children and the world seems to jump on that teaching (“We are the World” song lyrics, “We’re all a part of God’s great big family.”) But Scripture really opposes this ideology teaching that there are only two groups of people in the world, those who are the children of the devil (Jn 8:44), and those who are the children of God. But the question for believers in Christ is, can we know for certain that we truly are in the right camp? Can we know for certain that we are truly sons of God?

When you look at the Apostle Paul’s encouragement to the Romans in chapter 8, you hear his definitive declarations. After laying out all that has happened to those who have put their faith in Christ in v. 1-13, he makes clear statements. First, he says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (v. 14). Then again in v. 16 he says, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” There is no question in Paul’s mind that what has happened to believers is that they have definitively been put into God’s family and made “sons of God.”  It is significant that Paul doesn’t use the phrase “sons and daughters.”  The short of it is that the son was an heir. So being a son of God means that we are heirs with Christ. Daughters of Christ are also “sons of God.” If you would like to read more about this, here (https://www NULL.desiringgod NULL.org/articles/daughters-god-has-made-you-sons) is a great article by Stanley on the Desiring God website.

How do we know?
These are objective statements, but the question for us who have believed is, “How can I know personally that I am truly a Son of God?” And Paul doesn’t leave us hanging. In Romans 8:14-16, he gives the very clear evidences that give every believer assurance that they are truly saved. He tells them that every son of God has three vital things that happen to him on a regular basis: Every son of God is 1) led by the Spirit, 2) liberated by the Spirit, and 3) assured by the Spirit. The whole key to the Christian life is of course the work of the Holy Spirit. When the third member of the Trinity permanently indwells the believer (Rom 8:9-11), He ensures these glorious activities.

Led by the Spirit: First, every believer is inevitably led by the Holy Spirit. Paul says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (v. 14). In other words, those who are not led are revealing that the Holy Spirit is not present in their lives. When the sovereign Spirit indwells a person, He indwells with the purpose of leading. He doesn’t do so with violent brutality (i.e. He doesn’t brow beat those He indwells, nor does He drag us along). But the Spirit gently persuades us and moves our desires, will and emotions. And He does this primarily through the written Word of God. Jesus told us in John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.” This is the mission of the Spirit in the believer, to lead us into all the truth. And inevitably, the Spirit will use the very Word of God that He inspired the Prophets and Apostles to write (2 Peter 1:20-21). The Spirit uses the Word to lead in two ways. The first leading work of the Spirit is illumination to inform our minds to understanding. Spiritual truths are foolishness to the natural man (1 Cor 2:10-12), but the Holy Spirit anoints us so that we can comprehend the “things of the Spirit” (1 John 2:20, 27, Eph 1:17-18). This illumination inevitably will bring the Word of God to have an impact on our thinking about ourselves, our sinfulness, the glory of God, the identity of Christ, the essential work of the cross, our great purpose in the world to bring glory to God, and so much more. The Holy Spirit will use the Word to illumine the great truths of the Bible in our hearts, which serve to change our desires. The second work of the Holy Spirit is sanctification, whereby He persuades our desires and leads us to deny ungodliness and to mortify sin in our lives. Galatians 5:17 is a crucial passage describing the Holy Spirit as militating against the flesh. Paul says there, “the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh.” The desires of the Holy Spirit actually militate against the desires of the flesh in our lives. In this way God is working in us (Phil 2:12-13). The Holy Spirit jealously yearns for our spirits to be freed from the bondage of sin (James 4:5) and teaches us how to deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11-13). So here is the first way we know we are Sons of God. The Holy Spirit is leading us by His Word to understand the great truths of the Bible and to be sanctified from sin.

Liberated by the Spirit: The second evidence that we are sons of God is that the believer “did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but [has received] the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:15). In short, the believer has been liberated or set free from a spirit of slavery in their sin. This is a clear description of the believer’s previous life in an unregenerate state. Before he came to Christ, the believer was in slavery, and bondage to the old sinful nature and as a result he lived in fear (Heb 2:14-15). But when the Spirit came to dwell in him, He gave the unbeliever a new Spirit of adoption. This is a glorious description of the new position we have as believers. We were once not a part of the family of God (but of Satan), but now we are placed in the family of God with full privileges, rights and blessings. Before we were believers we could not call God our Father. But when the Spirit indwells the believer, he is able to call God his “Abba! Father!” Abba is the Aramaic word for daddy or papa. There is a totally new relationship established. Sons of God are able to cry out, or pray with diligence to their heavenly Father who loves them and cares for them!

Assured by the Spirit: The third work of the Spirit that gives the believer evidence that he/she is a son of God is the assuring work of the Spirit. Paul says in v. 16, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” The presence of the Holy Spirit constantly provides an inner testimony. The Holy Spirit doesn’t subcontract out this work with the help of an angel, prophet or preacher, but is willing and ready to assure the believer Himself. While there are external evidences of holiness that affirm the believer, there is also an internal personal witness that the Holy Spirit is willing to give. This is hard to explain, but seems to be an internal peace and deep persuasion of the Father’s acceptance and our relationship to Him. The Holy Spirit’s witness may come at different times in the believer’s life when the He brings peace, conviction of sin, affirmation of forgiveness, a spirit of praise, a willingness to serve, and so much more. While it is not necessary to have this inner testimony to be a son of God, it definitely is a joy that strengthens the believer in his journey toward heaven. Furthermore, the experiential nature of this testimony must always be validated by Scripture and particularly the other more objective validations of sanctification and leading.

Are you a Son of God?
So, the natural question to all of this is, “Are you certain of your salvation?” The Apostle Paul was not the only Apostle who believed we could be sure. The Apostle John wrote his first epistle with assurance in mind. He says he writes “these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). When you study 1 John you will find that John says we can “know” a multitude of times, giving us evidence that we are truly “born again.” The Apostle Peter also exhorts all believers to “confirm your calling and election” (2 Peter 1:10). In other words, make sure that you are truly a son of God. Ask yourself, is the Holy Spirit doing a work in me? Do I see and sense His leading? Do I have the Spirit of adoption in my heart and desire to cry out to God in intimate terms? Do I have an inner testimony and peace that I am a child of God? While assurance is not necessary to truly be saved, it sure makes the journey to heaven a whole lot more enjoyable and truly equips us to be bold as a lion!

 

There is a great assumption in Scripture that those who have been saved by grace through faith will inevitably begin a new way of living, a journey of sanctification, a transformation to holiness. God saves His children to make them holy and transform them into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). And while this transformation will not be perfect in this life, God equips every true believer with everything they need in order for this transformation to take place. God makes every believer a new creation (2 Cor 5:17).

God Equips Every Believer
At the moment of conversion, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer! And as a result of that inhabitation by God Himself, several radical blessings are given to every believer ensuring that they will be transformed into the likeness of Christ. While these blessings are not experiential, the declared truths are the foundation that equips every believer. Here are a just a few of these declared truths from Romans 8:

• Pardon: Jesus pardons every believer so that the condemnation of God is totally removed (Rom 8:1), and they no longer have to live in fear of God’s wrath!
• Freedom: The Holy Spirit sets every believer free from the principle of sin and death (Rom 8:2), so that the power of sin is broken and they are no longer obligated or indebted to live in the flesh (Rom 8:12, 7:6). Every believer is moved out of the realm of the flesh and placed into the new realm of the Spirit (8:9) giving life to their own spirits (v. 10, Eph 2:5).
• Righteousness: By sending His Son, God provided the righteous requirement of His Law which is fulfilled in and imputed to us through faith (Rom 8:3-4).
• New Mind & Affections: The presence of the Holy Spirit gives every believer a new mind (1 Cor 2:16), and new affections toward the “things of the Spirit” (Rom 8:5, 14).

With all of these declared blessings in place, every believer is put on a path toward holiness and transformation. In fact, it would be inconceivable that a genuine believer would not inevitably produce some fruit of godliness and holiness. Jesus himself taught that you would know the difference between false prophets and true prophets by the fruit that they bear. He gives a very profound principle in that context. Trees are known by their fruit. Every good tree bears good fruit while every bad tree bears bad fruit (Matt 7:15-20). The continual presence of bad fruit is a clear indication that the root of the tree is corrupt. This is why all of the Apostles in their writings give stern warnings to those who make professions, but are practicing lawlessness (Matt 7:23). Paul warns that the “works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, division, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-21, see also 1 Cor 6:9-11). The Apostle John teaches the same truth when he says, “no one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him [the Holy Spirit]; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (1 John 3:4-10). Paul reiterates this in Romans 8 by saying, “For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live.” Those who live and practice living in the realm of the flesh, and act accordingly will experience eternal death, but those who live according to the Spirit and put to death the deeds of the flesh will experience eternal life (Rom 8:13).

Notice that neither of the Apostles tell us that Christians don’t fall, sin or live imperfect lives (1 Jn 1:8). But they do tell us that the practice of true believers is holy, and that there is no unchecked sinful lifestyle that has taken root in their life. And if sin does cause them to stumble (which is inevitable), they will not stay there, but do everything in their power to kill sin. They are giving evidence that they are born again and that the Spirit resides within them.

Our New Practice: Killing Sin
So, killing sin is the great new practice and way of living for the believer. Sin is not absent from our lives as our sin nature still resides in us, battling against us. The Apostle Paul was quite aware of the sin nature that still resided in his flesh waging war against his mind and desires (Romans 7:17-25). It was this sin nature that prevented him from doing the things he desired to do. But Paul tells us the key to this new way of living in Romans 8:13. He teaches that everyone who lives “by the Spirit” will “put to death the deeds of the body.” To “put to death” means to kill, snuff out, to take away the principle of all its strength, vigor and power so that it cannot act or exert or put forth any proper actings of its own.

John Owen in his classic treatise of Romans 8:13, says, “Do you mortify? Do you make it your daily work? You must always be at it while you live; do not take a day off from this work; always be killing sin or it will be killing you” (John Owen, The Mortification of Sin (https://banneroftruth NULL.org/us/store/christian-living/the-mortification-of-sin/), Banner of Truth Trust, 2001, pg 5). This is the heart of every true believer.

Two Important Ways to Mortify Sin
How do believers go about this great task? The Apostle Paul gives us two insights. First, since we have the Spirit in us, we “set our minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:6). The things of the Spirit are clearly the Words of Scripture (see 1 Cor 2:13-14 where the same phrase is used). When we set our minds on Scripture we take up the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph 6:17) and we hack our old fleshly desires to death with the promises of Scripture. This is exactly what Jesus did in the wilderness when He was tempted by the devil for forty days (Matt 4:1-11). He quoted Scripture over and over, bringing His mind under the authority of Scripture. This is why it is so important to know what God says in His Word. In the time of temptation, the Holy Spirit will inevitably bring to our minds what He says in His word and will provide a “way of escape so that you may be able to endure it” (1 Cor 10:13). So here is the first key. Allow the Word of God to dwell in you richly (Col 3:16).

Then secondly, we must yield to the Spirit’s leading (Rom 8:14). The Spirit wants to lead us. He will not drive us! And if we are to have victory over sin we must yield, walk according to, obey, or be filled with the Spirit (Gal 5:16, Eph 5:18). We must work hard to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Phil 2:12-13). We must learn to “abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

So, this is the new way of living for believers. It is a daily and continual struggle and fight against sin. Inevitably we will have both defeats and victories. But as obedient children, we must make it our life long pursuit to “be holy as He is holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16). And as we do, we will have assurance that we are truly “sons of God” (Rom 8:14). We will have peace and “His Spirit will give witness with our spirit that we are “children of God” (8:16).