Praise His Name for b-u-t!!! part 5

From: Ben Kelley
Subject: Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

(If you haven't read part 1 of this series, you need to read at least the first 2 paragraphs of it before proceeding with this message, so you will understand its premise.)

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith (Galatians 3:11) Some in the Galatian Church had begun teaching that works were necessary for salvation. Paul addressed that and called those who were beginning to practice that teaching, "foolish." He reminded them their salvation had begun for them as a spiritually based matter; and asked them why they would think it went from that to a flesh based thing. He then quoted the Scripture that told God had not saved the beginner of their faith, Abraham, because of his good works, but because of his faith (Genesis 15:6). He also quoted Habakkuk 2:4 (the last part of our subject verse above), which states that those who are considered justified by God (HE sees them as if they had never sinned) become that way through their faith in Him. All of this reminds us that we receive salvation solely by the grace of God, through our believing on Jesus. We can not, and don't have to try to, be justified by our works. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:7) Here we are told the blessed truth, that, because we have believed on Jesus, we are no longer slaves to the Law; but, now sons and daughters of God, the Master. In addition, since we are now His children, we are heirs to all God has, which is everything! We no longer live in "the shack in back", but our rightful home is now with the Lord and Master of all, out from the law and into the Lord! Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19) A truthful study of God's Word would reveal that Israel was promised the blessings of God. Those of us who are not Jewish (therefore Gentile) were not. We were outsiders, strangers and foreigners as our verse states, but God graciously opened the door for us to be able to become recipients of His precious promises through faith. We are no longer foreigners, but fellowcitizens with all of those who belong to the City of God and will live in God's household. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ (Ephesians 4:7) We read in the first verse of this chapter Paul's admonition to live our lives in a way that is worthy of our calling. Sometimes we think that calling is just too much for us to handle and think God should have given us some different gifting for our calling, but this verse reminds us that God has given us adequate grace measured out specifically for our gift. We can do what HE has called us to do. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!

For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8) What a great reminder of the fact that we no longer have to live in the darkness of our old "pre-Jesus" days! We are no longer slaves to those sins, because we have been made new, out of the darkness and becoming pure as the light in the Lord of light. We are now to walk as such. Praise His Name for b-u-t!!!