Grace Gospel 101 (Part 7): Our Blessings

Grace Gospel 101 (Part 7 of 7): Our Blessings

Start with Part 1 of the series here.

Romans 5:1 begins, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have..." and then proceeds to speak of the blessings that we have as believers. These are blessings given to every person who has been justified by faith. In previous lessons we have already seen that we have peace with God, a standing in grace, a hope of glory, and are sealed with the Holy Spirit. As wonderful as this is, there is even more! In this lesson we will learn more about the marvellous blessings that we have in Christ.

Regeneration

Titus 3:3 describes each one of us before we were justified by faith: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." Certainly not a very pretty picture! We were enemies of God and were spiritually dead. However, that is not the end of the matter! "But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour" (Titus 3:4-6). This passage tells us about another spiritual blessing we have. We have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit. The word "regeneration" means, to be produced anew. The Holy Spirit has quickened us in our spirit. We are no longer "dead in trespasses and sins," but have spiritual life within us.

Some have taught that the "washing of regeneration" mentioned in Titus 3:5 is water baptism. This is not so. Water baptism is not an ordinance that is applicable in the grace program, 1Cor 1:17, and water baptism, in the context of its actual purpose in the prophetic program, does not regenerate anything, but rather it is for the forgiveness of sins, Act 2:38. It is very important that we understand the following points:

Titus 3:5 says that this is "not by works of righteousness which we have done." Water baptism is a work done by men (a priest, pastor, etc.). Therefore water baptism cannot regenerate us.

"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God" (I Corinthians 6:11). It is clearly stated in this verse that we are "washed... by the Spirit of our God," not by water baptism. Everyone who is justified by faith is instantly regenerated by the Holy Spirit!

Indwelling

"So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Romans 8:8-9). Our own efforts to be religious and do good things can never please God. These arise out of our own flesh, and we cannot please God "in the flesh." The good news is that we have the Holy Spirit living in us. Everyone who has been justified by faith, belongs to Jesus Christ. Everyone who belongs to Jesus Christ has the Spirit of Christ living in him. There is nothing we must do to get the Holy Spirit to come to live in us. On the contrary, the Holy Spirit immediately comes to dwell in every person at the moment he believes the gospel of grace.

"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11). This verse tells us that the Spirit of God dwells in our mortal bodies. A mortal body is a body that is subject to death or is destined to die. This refers to the bodies that we have now.

We also find this truth taught in the following verse: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (I Corinthians 6:19). If you are saved, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He lives in you!

More Spiritual Blessings

• We have fellowship with God "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord" (I Corinthians 1:9). Nothing can break this fellowship.
• We have liberty "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage" (Galatians 5:1).
• We have been justified--declared righteous "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1).
• We are dead to the law and alive unto God (See Galatians 2:19)
• We have unlimited access to God "For through him [Christ] we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Romans 5:2; Ephesians 2:18).
• Christ lives in us "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
• We belong to Christ "And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's" (I Corinthians 3:23).
• We are partakers of God's promise "That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6).
• We will never face the wrath of God "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9).
• We have been delivered from the curse of the law "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Galatians 3:13).

All the above are blessings that we have instantaneously when we get saved by trusting the cross work of Jesus Christ. There is still many, many more spiritual blessings that we can partake in as we start to grow in the knowledge of the written Word and allow Christ to form within us. When we get to Ephesians, we start to learn of blessings that we have as we start to look ahead at our participation in the Body of Christ and in our ultimate purpose and position in heavenly places.