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Believers’ Benefits V

Posted on 31 Mar 2019, Pastor: Tolu Makinde

Title: Believers’ Benefits – V

Text: Eph. 1:3-14

[Eph 1:3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

[Eph 1:4] just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,

[Eph 1:5] having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

[Eph 1:6] to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

[Eph 1:7] In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

[Eph 1:8] which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,

[Eph 1:9] having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,

[Eph 1:10] that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.

[Eph 1:11] In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

[Eph 1:12] that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

[Eph 1:13] In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

[Eph 1:14] who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Introduction

Brethren, when we came to Jesus, we came as dirty sinners.
Out of grace and mercy, Jesus forgave us and accepted us as one of His own
We were saved through grace, not by any ounce of work that we did
However, as if being saved by grace is not enough, the Lord also provided additional benefits for us
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it’s a start. The benefits demonstrate just how much we are loved by the Lord
In Christ Jesus, we have:
- Spiritual Blessings
- Righteousness and Holiness
- Became sons of God
- Redemption through His blood
- The gathering of the saints
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit
We are going to be addressing each of these benefits so we have a better understanding of what we have in Christ Jesus

Main Topic

1.0 Spiritual Blessings

1.1 We have the assurance of our salvation – Eph. 2:8-10

1.2 We have access to the Fruit of the Spirit – Gal. 5: 16-26

1.3 Unity and Oneness

2.0 Righteousness and Holiness

2.1 You ought to be righteous

2.2 Jesus Christ made us righteous

3.0 Adopted as Sons

3.1 We were not the original sons

3.2 By predestination, we were adopted as sons

3.3 Your son-ship status gives you the right to approach your Father

4.0 The Forgiveness of Sins

4.1 We were forgiven

4.2 We must forgive others

4.3 Unforgiveness

5.0 Partakers In The Gathering of the Saints

[Eph 1:10] that in the dispensation of the fullness of the timesHe might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.
God’s plan is for us to be gathered together as one
In the end time, we shall be gathered with the saints in Christ
This will happen in two ways:
- Those that are asleep in Christ will wake up
- Those that are awake in Christ will be raptured – 1 Thes. 4:13
  - [1Th 4:13] But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
  - [1Th 4:14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
  - [1Th 4:15] For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
  - [1Th 4:16] For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
  - [1Th 4:17] Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
  - [1Th 4:18] Therefore comfort one another with these words.
Why? – 1 Thes. 5:9, Gen 18:23
- [1Th 5:9] For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
- [Gen 18:23] And Abraham came near and said, “Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
At least 4 Raptures already took place in the Bible
- Enock
  - [Gen 5:24] And Enoch walked with God: and he wasnot; for God took him.
- Elijah
  - [2Ki 2:11] And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
- Jesus Christ
  - [Act 1:9] And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
- Matthew 27 saints
  - [Mat 27:50] Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
  - [Mat 27:51] And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
  - [Mat 27:52] And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
  - [Mat 27:53] And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
- Was Moses raptured??
  - [Deu 34:5] So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.
  - [Deu 34:6] And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.
  - [Heb 9:27] And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
  - [Mat 17:2] And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
  - [Mat 17:3] And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.
At least 2 more raptures are coming
- The saints – 1 Thes. 4
- The 2 witnesses – Rev 11:1-12
  - Most likely Moses and Elijah
After the rapture, the following will happen
- Tribulation – 3.5 years
- Great tribulation – 3.5 years
- Satan will be bound for 1000 years
- Jesus Christ will return to rule for the 1000 years – Millennial reign of Christ
- Satan will be released
- The battle of armagedon
- Satan will be defeated
- The great white throne judgment
- The new heaven and the new earth will be created

6.0 Sealed with the Holy Spirit

[Eph 1:13] In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
[Eph 4:30] And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
[2Ti 2:19] Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”
There are two purposes of a seal in the Bible:
- To display the authority in power – A king would use his signet ring to seal a document or law as a form of authentication
- To preserve from external forces of destruction
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit to authenticate the authority of God is at work in us
We are sealed with the Holy Spirit to preserve us from destruction until the day of redemption

Conclusion

According to Eph. 1, there are many benefits that the Lord has blessed us with.
In Christ Jesus, we have:
- Spiritual Blessings
- Righteousness and Holiness
- Became sons of God
- Redemption through His blood – forgiveness of sins
- Partaker In The gathering of the saints
- Sealed with the Holy Spirit

Sermon

Believers’ Benefits V