Ephesians 1:3-7, 13-14 (NKJV) 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, 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, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,…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, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
To be confident while seated at the right hand of Christ beside the Father, we need to know what spiritual blessings belong to us. They allow us to rest and sit firmly.
These Scriptures contain some important doctrinal truths regarding our position in Christ. Our union with Christ and being found hidden in Him are the highest spiritual truths concerning the Christian life. This blessing comes from God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Heavenly Father was pleased to have Jesus Christ become sin for us so that we can have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins. God had planned before the foundation of the world that we would have this position.
The Scriptures revealed to us:
- It is the Father’s pleasure to adopt us as sons and daughters by Jesus Christ.
- He made us accepted in the Beloved, which is the only way to be accepted by God.
- In Him, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.
- Having believed, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which guarantees our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession.
- In Him, we are seen as righteous, holy, and blameless.
This is our identity, so this is how we should choose to behave in this world, and if this is how God sees us in Christ, we should choose to act according to how God sees us in the spiritual realm. This is the best identity you will ever have on earth and in heaven.
John 8:32 (ESV) And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Lastly, if God has gone to such extent to restore His relationship with us, blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenly places, and made us seated with Christ far above all principalities and powers, we can be convinced that God is not the source of our sufferings, no matter what form of tribulation it may be.
Sermon Series: STAND!
如何得安息、坐安稳
以弗所书1:3-7,13-14 愿颂赞归与我们主耶稣基督的父神.祂在基督里曾赐给我们天上各样属灵的 福气 ：就如神 从创立世界以前 ,在基督里拣选了我们，使我们在祂面前成为圣洁,无有瑕疵；又因爱我们，就按着自己意旨所喜悦的，预定我们藉着耶稣基督 得儿子的名分，使祂荣耀的恩典得着称赞；这恩 典是祂在爱子里所赐给我们的。我们藉这爱子的血得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照祂丰富的恩典。你们既听见真理的道，就是那叫你们得救的福音，也信了基督，既然信祂，就受了所应许的圣灵为印记。这圣灵是我们得基业的凭据，直等到神之民被赎使祂的荣耀得着称赞。
为了在基督的右边就座在天父旁边时保持自信，我们需要知道哪些属灵的福分是属于我们的。这使我们得安息、坐安稳。
这些经文中包含了我们在基督里的地位的重要教义真理。我们与基督联合并藏在祂里面，这是有关基督徒生命的至高的两个属灵真理。这祝福来自上帝，我们主耶稣基督的父。天父乐于让耶稣基督为我们的缘故成为罪，好教我们藉着祂的宝血得到救赎和罪的赦免。上帝在创世之前就已经计划好了让我们坐在这里。
经文向我们启示了：
- 天父乐意藉着耶稣基督认养我们作祂的孩子。
- 祂使我们在爱子里被悦纳。这是蒙上帝悦纳的唯一途径。
- 在祂里面，我们藉祂的血得蒙救赎，过犯得以赦免，乃是照祂丰富的恩典。
- 我们既然信了，就受了所应许的圣灵为印记。这圣灵是我们得基业的凭据，直等到上帝之民(产业)被赎。
- 在祂里面，我们被视为公义、圣洁、无有瑕疵。
这就是我们的身份，于是我们据此选择如何在这世上行事，若这就是上帝在基督里如何看我们，我们行事就应该按着上帝在灵界对我们投来的注视作出选择。这是你在地上和天上所拥有的最好的身份。
约翰福音8:32 你们必晓得真理，真理必叫你们得以自由。
如果上帝这样不遗余力地与我们恢复关系，赐予我们天上一切属灵的福分，并让我们与基督同坐，远超一切执政的、掌权的之上，我们可以确信无疑的是–上帝不是我们所受苦难的根源，无论它以何种形式出现。
讲章系列 :立定心志 站稳脚跟
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