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Greetings and salutations officially. Yep I mean that it's not just a saying. I just I like the way that sounds and I like to say it. So so we'll continue tonight on the course we've been on. We've been cutting through the confession and we'll continue to do it tonight.
We'll speak about article 30 reconciliation and 31 human afflictions. So I hope that will be beneficial to all of us. And as normal let's open up with a word of prayer. You know there's so much to pray about.
Isn't that I mean just just the things that take place in our world. Just just there's so many things that we should to me. There's so many things that just don't make sense. And they don't make sense because they're not in line with God's Word.
And just sometimes wonder why so and I know the reason but why so many people will run so far away from the truth and just try to trust how fast they can go to hell. I don't know how else to say it but anyway let's open up with a word of prayer our Father and our God again we thank you Lord.
We thank you for who you are. We thank you for who our Savior is and we thank you for who we are in him. To you thank you Lord for our salvation. We confess how little we appreciate and recognize and respond to such a great work in our own lives that you've taken us from from rebellious sinners and have by your power and your grace granted us newness of life.
Father as we gather together tonight we do pray for the situations around the world Lord so many in sorrow so many in pain so many hurting so many in in darkness Lord both mostly spiritually Lord so many people called good evil and evil good.
So we pray Lord you'd be merciful. You pray you'd be gracious Lord. We pray that your hand would would save Lord that you would bring many to yourself before that great and terrible day. We're in that day the door will be shut the goats will be separated from the sheep.
And Lord you have said that your righteous judgment will be poured out so to that end tonight Lord may we be sober but maybe we'd be joyful in the truth as it is in Christ. Bless our thoughts. Bless our words.
Bless our fellowship in the name of Jesus. Okay so as I said the first half will be article 30 which is reconciliation. It's rather short article in the confession so we certainly can handle reading it and kind of maybe dissecting it a little bit but I want us to at least read it.
It's on page 17. If you have the confession article 30 which again the term reconciliation has been added in as it seems to be that which the brothers are talking about. So the article says this all believers through the knowledge of that justification of life given by the Father and brought forth by the blood of Christ have as their great privilege of that new covenant peace with God and reconciliation whereby they that were afar off are made nigh by that blood and have peace passing all understanding yay joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have received the atonement.
So as I said in my time tonight I want to simply well I will say I want to look at a bunch of scriptures. I don't know if we'll get through all of them but I think I'll have enough time to at least make the point of what I'm trying to set forth.
But let me say it this way we have been going through as of late especially when we talked about justification and we talked about sanctification and now we're going to talk about a reconciliation and we're talking about the things that to many people are very difficult to understand and and I want us to try to think of it this way that we ought not to make.
We ought to make a distinction between what justification is sanctification reconciliation glorification. We ought to make clear distinctions of what the scriptures give to us concerning these truths.
But but I would ask us to remember that they they are all close relatives if I could use that term in other words you can't really separate them from each other because they are all within the redemption that is in Christ it just different ways in which God gives it to us and in different actions.
So I want us to think about that as we go through this reconciliation is not just a topic or a doctrine that's floating out there in in spiritual ozone somewhere and it's all by itself because it's not it's vitally connected even as we have been going through the doctrines of grace and we've been and I hope everybody understands at least at this point that what we had continually said will continually say is that you can't separate them.
They're inseparable they're they're linked together that the tulip is not just that they didn't just pick the tulip to use because it was just a fancy word or a nice word or a nice thought but because you've represented really a chain of thoughts and that if you don't have total depravity as we say often if you don't have total poverty fixed perseverance of the Saints really that doesn't make sense.
So again I just wanted us to think about that. Okay so as we look at the article it the brothers thought this way all believers through the knowledge of that justification of given by father and brought forth by the blood of Christ and I wanted to ask us to think about this in the very beginning was the way they open it up and they say all believers.
So when you think about it whatever reconciliation is it is something that is given or is something that is a possession of all believers. And I think it's important that we remind ourselves of that that we realize that the truths of the Word of God are for all believers not only those who sometimes I think people think that some of the truths in the Bible are only good for the really spiritual people and that the rest you know they kind of suffer.
It's so important especially these these great doctrines of justification and sanctification and certainly reconciliation that we realize that every single believer has been reconciled to God and if we don't understand it that we don't understand it not only in its individual aspect but in its corporate aspect.
I think we're going to miss what's really behind that truth. And so I think that's why in a sense they say all believers and they will repeat that word all and it's so important again do we really believe that every single child of God has the same positional relationship with God now that does not mean that at times some of God's children please him in a way that at times others might grieve him.
I'm not discounting that I'm not saying that that doesn't take place but I think it's important for us to understand that these these great and glorious truths that God has given to us apply to all of us that there's no second-tier child of God right.
And and again I think sometimes we put people or we put positions on pedestals that God doesn't. I think we need to be careful about that. Certainly I would think that and you'll hear it people will say well he's a very religious man he must be close to God and and in one sense that could very well be true right.
But in another sense he he's no closer to God. Then then if you will the worst saint in the world right. Well positionally we've all been reconciled to God. So as we kind of open up this thought of reconciliation I wanted to to keep that in mind and ask us to think about it that it applies to all of us young old really spiritual somewhat spiritual not very spiritual or in a doghouse as we would like to maybe term but then it says this says all believers through the knowledge of that justification of life given by the father and brought forth by the blood of Christ has have as their great privilege of that new covenant peace with God.
Now if you remember last week when brother Keith was speaking about sanctification he continually mentioned how the brothers have continually mentioned the new covenant. And certainly I think it's one of the reasons and you might not agree with me that one of the reasons why we adopted this confession was because of their understanding and their forwardness about the new covenant.
Again if you look at the the 1689 confession although it's it's in there it's it's a little bit hazy because it kind of mimics the Westminster confession but but that's another discussion. But my point is that as we think about reconciliation and again we'll take a minute to define it a little bit in a little bit but I want us to think about how this thought of reconciliation is is tied into the new covenant and I wanted to show it to you.
So I'm gonna ask you turn to Jeremiah 31 which is one of the great passages that speaks about the new covenant right. Jeremiah 31 and I wanted to read a verses and I wanted to continually make the point that I made that whatever reconciliation is that it applies to all and that in the new covenant there's a there was a there was a reality of it in its totality in its totality and not just in individuals.
So let me just read it's very quick. Jeremiah 31 31 behold the days are coming says the Lord when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt my covenant which they broke though I was a husband to them says the Lord I want you now I want you to focus in on a couple of words as we go through this behold this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel says the Lord I will put my law where in their minds and write it on whose heart their hearts who everyone is in a new covenant.
Right. And I will be their God and they shall be my people. And no more shall every man teach his neighbor and every man his brother saying no the Lord. For they shall all know me from the least to the greatest.
For I will forgive look their iniquity and their sin. I will remember no more the new covenant and all the truths that come out of the new covenant we must always have in our minds that this application as it pertains to all of God's elect and again that plays into a lot of practical living in our lives which I think one of the reasons why I think we struggle with our practical Christianity is because we don't understand that very point that we are not only in union with God individually but we're in union with each other and and that that leads us to be able to live with each other in a community in a very real aspect.
So I wanted to at least mention to that mention that. Okay reconciliation that's the what has been put into parentheses. What is reconciliation anyway. And it says that as their great privilege of that new covenant peace with God and reconciliation.
Reconciliation what does that mean. Anybody and I don't. Please don't try to give me some great doctrinal statement because you'll probably mess it up. Give me something simple. What when you think of reconciliation what do you think about.
Okay. Okay yeah here's a real good hint. Right. Look it says. And reconciliation look what the next few words say whereby those who are what are far off are made nigh by the blood. And I think one of the simplest ways to define reconciliation is to distinguish it that way that it is if you will the removal of us being aliens enemies strangers and bringing us back into fellowship and friendship with God.
That that really is the essence of reconciliation. Justification is our standing before God. It's God declares us righteous in Christ. And then there's the reality sanctification. Reconciliation is that we who.
And that's just the way to put in those descriptions. I want to look at for a few minutes that reconciliation is the removal of alienation or the removal of hostilities. And not only a removal but a renewal of friendship and fellowship.
And it is in reconciliation we have been reconciled to God we who were in his enemies. And I'm gonna look at a couple scriptures on that we are now not only are we the children of God we're in fellowship with him.
We're in communion with God. So reconciliation is a great and glorious truth. It's the it's the thing that people don't have. How's that. Remember what it says in Isaiah. It says there is no peace save my God to unto the wicked right.
And in that alienation their standing before God as enemies will not allow friendship and fellowship because God's have purified them to behold evil. And in that sense even as the psalmist say and we can try to dilute it all we want says God hates all the workers of iniquity.
So when you think about that so what I want to do just for a few minutes I got a few minutes left. I want to look at some scriptures that will reinforce this thought that reconciliation is the removal of the alienation that we had because of sin and bringing us back into friendship and fellowship with God.
And not just in that sense with the father but with through the father the son and the spirit. It's the opposite of being enemies. So let me direct you a couple scriptures you can follow. That's great if not just listen go to Colossians 1 for a minute.
And this is a theme that the Apostle continually picks up in his epistles and I think it's interesting to see how he lays it out in the very first chapter of Colossians. And you'll see as we read a couple of them these key words that keep coming up in Colossians chapter 1.
In verse 21 it says this. And you who were once look at the words alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works yet now he has reconciled. So there that reconciliation is the opposite of being alienated and enemies.
Okay here's another one. Go to Ephesians. We'll go back to Ephesians chapter 2 for a minute and I again I wanted to demonstrate this. This is not just an isolated thought but this is a thought that the Apostle keeps in the forefront as he writes to the churches in Ephesians chapter 2 I want us to look at verse 13 says.
But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been made near by the blood of Christ for he himself is our peace who has made both. One has broken down the middle wall division between us having abolished in his flesh the enmity that was between that is the law of commandments contained in ordinances so as to create one new man from the two thus making peace and that he might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross thereby putting to death the enmity again.
And there's different context here we could discuss but I still think the point will will stand that reconciliation is the removal of being enemies aliens aliens strangers in opposition to God to being brought into fellowship and communion with God.
Here's another one in Romans chapter 9. Romans chapter 5 for all familiar passages friends. But when you link them together like this I think these points grow larger and larger. Romans chapter 5 in verse 9 it says this.
I'll be from verse 8. God demonstrates his own love towards us. In that while we were still sinners Christ died for us much more than having now been justified by his blood. We shall be saved from wrath through him.
For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of his son much more having been reconciled we shall be saved by his life. And not only that but we also rejoicing in God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
There it is again again we not only are standing before God is not only taking care of but but but the fellowship in the communion that comes with. It is also been taken care of through the Lord Jesus Christ to bring us into union member who Jesus said I am the father one and the father is in me.
I am the father and and you and me. And and this whole idea of union friendship fellowship. Right. It's kind of hard to be friends with someone while you're their enemy at the same time. Although I guess there's that saying.
What is it saying. Keep your friends close your enemies closer. Think of it from the new creation he all things pass away. Behold all things have become new. We've been reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ.
We've been brought into friendship. How many of us really think that God is our friend by the way. Right. I think we think we know God is our God. We know God is our Lord. We know God is our man. You had brought it up even talking about Abraham being the friend of God.
Well guess what we are in having been reconciled by the blood of Christ. We have friendship with God we have fellowship with God. We have been reconciled and now we are friends. And again it's the opposite of being an enemy.
It's the opposite of being a stranger. It's the opposite of being an alien. Listen if someone comes knocking at your door and you don't know him or her. Tell me you're not a little skeptic about letting him in your house.
And I know there's no worries with you because you get you got protection in every pocket. I know I know. But but it's different when it's a friend. It's different when it's when you know when you have fellowship with someone then you open the door wide open come on in.
Right. Because that union has already been established that friendship that fellowship has already been established. And that's what we have brothers and sisters. That's what we have in our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that's where I think a lot of people miss the reality of their salvation that it's more than just a legal standing and honestly it's more than just that I'm going to be with God in heaven. God is my friend now in and I'll tell you what we talk about this the other day we talk about it for a different reason.
But I remember especially when I was not that I'm not in the ministry. But you have few friends in the ministry by the way. And if you don't think that's true try to ministry. You'll find out you have very few friends.
Because it is this because a lot of reasons and that's I don't want to go into too many of them but my point is friends. We are the friends of God. And if we're the friends with God we ought to be friends with one another.
Right. The two kind of go together. And so I just I'm going to mention a couple of and something another scripture that talks about it and consider how great a truth this is as they lay it out and they say that we have we who were a far off have now have peace that passes all understanding yay joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom we have now received the atonement.
You remember that proverb that says that there's a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Right. Well guess what. Ultimately who is that friend that sticks closer to the book than the brother. It's the Lord Jesus.
Right. He he's not only our Lord and again never to be taken in an irreverent way. But now he is our Lord and our master and the captain and the author and finisher of our faith and the high priest and and all the other truth.
He's a friend and he's the friend of six closer than a brother in power of 17. It says this it says a friend loves at all times. That's power of 1717. A friend loves at all times. And I thought of that and I thought of what Jesus said where he said I will never what I will never leave you.
No forsake. You wasn't at the mark of a friend. Isn't that a mark of of being in union with someone that. And again I would think that we all would have a short list. Maybe some have a long list but I think it would be short in the end of the day of people that you know friends that you have that you could call at any time about anything and know that they will be there.
Those friends are hard to come by. And those friends are great to have. Right. But it says that a friend loves at all times. And because of this reconciliation that's ours God will never leave us. He will never forsake us.
He will stick close to us. In Proverbs 27 17 it says this as iron sharpens iron so a man's so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. And I thought about that and I thought about the work of the Spirit of God that iron sharpens iron.
And so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend and how the Holy Spirit has been what given to us not only as a seal but also as a comforter a teacher a guide a friend. And just think about that you and I can call upon our friend anytime.
You and I ought to call off on our friend anytime the problem is too often we call on the wrong kinds of friends. Remember what James says to those that be what friends of the world can't be friends with God.
See. So you see if you're not a friend of God then there is no reconciliation. If there is no reconciliation then you have nothing to look forward to but the righteous just condemnation of God. So think about that think about how these truths I often think about.
And I know that's one of the things when I first came here that attracted my thoughts was you guys at that time running around with the t-shirts. Theology matters. You know I don't say it too often anymore.
But but you know how people will say theology doesn't matter. Do you know why people say theology doesn't matter. Because they don't know theology that's the truth. Because if they understood if they understood these great doctrines justification sanctification glorification if they understood the depravity of man and unconditional election and the atonement and the irresistible grace and the perseverance of Saints.
If they understood the great and glorious truths that are revealed in God's Word about the union of the body of Christ that's all theology. Right. That's all the study of God. It draws us into further friendship not only with God but one another.
That's what. That's why so many people. I think one of the reasons why so many people do not align themselves with local church is they're not really right with God. And if you're not really right with God you're gonna have an awful hard time being right with God's people.
You're gonna have an awful hard time being friends with God's people. And and you not met him right. I know many people in particular tell me I don't need to go to church to be you know the whole story.
I don't need to be church. Go to church to be a Christian. And and I don't really like those church people any because they're all bunch of hypocrites. But really if you can't be friends with God's people what makes you think you're the friends of God have you really been reconciled to God.
So it's just something to think about as we go through these different doctrines and and I trust that that we will grow in that grace too that we will even as Peter said grow grow grow in grace and in the knowledge of son of God.
Who what so loved us that he gave himself for us. So all right. That's my time. And now brother Keith will come and deal with the next article.