Todays target is the Leadership of the Spirit as our Guide. But first Pastor Hoekstra and his teaching on Grace with the heading of much more Grace. And as has become my normal habit I will use the ESV translation with the LORD's guiding's in all things.
"The "Much More" Grace of God"
"For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17)
"The Grace of GOD is here connected with the phrase "much more." What a grand description of His Grace — the "much more" Grace of GOD! GOD's Grace is "much more" than forgiveness. It is "much more" than new birth. It is "much more" than we have yet understood. It is "much more" than we have ever yet experienced. Here, we see it is "much more" than sufficient to deal with the devastating effects of sin in the lives of the children of the first Adam (man).
Due to sin, mankind begins their existence separated from the LORD. They are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). Additionally, each person's individual experience can be decimated by the effects of sin. Selfishness, dishonesty, brutality, fear, disloyalty, deception, and the like can leave individuals in miserable bondage and paralyzing defeat. These devastations come from being under the rule of death: "For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one." When Adam fell into sin and rebellion, the enemy of men's souls gained access to Adam and his seed. This cruel dictator rules over everyone who is related to Adam through natural birth (and not yet related to Jesus by new birth). Elsewhere, Jesus described the sole intention of our enemy's interest in us. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10:10).
The remedy of GOD for escaping this reign of terror of death is two-fold: "those who receive abundance of Grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ." First, the "gift of righteousness" provides an acceptable standing in heaven before a Holy, righteous GOD. "But now the righteousness of GOD apart from the Law is revealed . . . even the righteousness of GOD which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe" (Romans 3:21-22). Second, "abundance of grace" provides the ongoing spiritual resources that are necessary for the development of a godly, victorious walk for the glory of GOD in the midst of humanity here on earth. Both of these wondrous provisions ("abundance of Grace and of the gift of Righteousness") are ours because of the relationship we have by faith with Jesus Christ: "through the One, Jesus Christ."
The Leadership of the Spirit Guides:
Guides Into All Truth,
John 16:12-15 and Acts 8:26-40 (Jesus is speaking) "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when the Spirit of truth comes, HE Will guide you into all the truth, for HE will not speak on His own authority, but whatever HE hears HE will speak, and HE will declare to you the things that are to come. HE will glorify Me, for HE will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine; therefore I said that HE will take what is Mine and declare it to you."
Acts 8:26-40 "An angel of the LORD said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" And he said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." (Isaiah 53:7-8) And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?" And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea."
Controls in the Movement of Christian Leaders,
Acts 10:17-23a "Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon's house, stood at the gate and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, "Behold, three men are looking for you. Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them." And Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?" And they said, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say." So he invited them in to be his guests."
Directs in the Selection of Christian Leadership,
Acts 13:1-3 "Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the LORD and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off."
Chooses the Fields of Operation,
Acts 16:6-10 "They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that GOD had called us to preach the gospel to them."
Obedience to, a Mark of Sonship,
Romans 8:12-17 and Galatians 5:16-24 "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 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. For all who are led by the Spirit of GOD are sons of GOD. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of GOD, and if children, then heirs—heirs of GOD and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with (like) Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."
Galatians 5:16-24 "I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are (wage war) against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 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. For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires."
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