(Tune – I Love Thy Kingdom – p. 188)

(Words written by Pastor Gary Shepard)

Complete in Christ the Lord.

No trusting in my best.

Wrapped fully in the garment of,

Imputed righteousness.

Complete in Christ the Lord.

By faith His fullness known.

The Father looks at me and sees,

One as His very own.

Complete in Christ the Lord,

No better could be had.

For none can by their doing here,

To His completion add.

Complete in Christ the Lord.

Though circumstance be grim.

Above it all does God declare,

“We are complete in Him.”

TODAY’S SERVICES –

BIBLE CLASS – 10:00 a.m. – Punishment and Pardon

EXODUS 34:5-7 | Mark Pannell

MORNING WORSHIP – 11:00 a.m –

• CALL TO WORSHIP (above)

• HYMN – When I see the Blood – p. 232

• READING – Isaiah 45:17-25

• MESSAGE – “Words of Delight” | Jeremiah 9:23-24
  Randy Wages

• CLOSING HYMN – Sweet Hour of Prayer – p. 361

Birthdays: Jimmie Mathis – Sept. 17^th | Tony Wages – Sept. 18^th
David Alvord – Sept. 20^th

“MY HEART REJOICETH IN THE LORD”

“And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in Thy salvation” (1 Samuel 2:1). The believer’s joy does not come from within himself. It comes by God’s grace through looking to the Lord Jesus Christ as his whole salvation and confidence of eternal life and glory. It is “joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost” who convicts him of sin, leaves him with no hope but in Christ, and drives Him to Christ as the Lord his righteousness (Romans 15:13). It is joy in knowing that “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). It is joy in God’s salvation as the Lord Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of his salvation and his faith. This is the godly joy and confidence that inspires true worship and the obedience of grace, love, and gratitude.

– Pastor Bill Parker

IMPUTATION

It is our sins and our sins in the highest degrees and aggravations that Christ was accountable to God for, and that He bore them in this sense, by way of imputation, though none of the spot or stain by way of inherent pollution or defilement fell upon Him, nor could cleave unto Him. And we defend this position as the Spirit of God everywhere states it.

-- Isaac Chauncy

A true believer is one who has committed his whole salvation to one Person – the Lord Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul wrote – “for I know Whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (2 Timothy 1:12).

THE OBEDIENCE OF A CHILD OF GOD

“For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 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. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. (Galatians 2:19-21)

The obedience of a child of God is an amazing work of God’s sovereign power and unconditional love towards His elect in the Lord Jesus Christ. It finds its source and motivation in the sovereign grace of God who freely gives all His children a righteous standing before Him based on the merits of the obedience unto death of Jesus Christ alone. When the Holy Spirit applies this truth in the new birth, and gives a sinner a new heart, this sets the child of God on a path of life where he is driven to war against the flesh and seek to obey God. He knows he is not righteous within himself and cannot be made so by his best efforts to keep the commandments of Christ. But this does not dissuade him from striving because the Holy Spirit continually reminds him of what he was (an enemy of Christ and a sinner who deserved nothing but God’s wrath), and what he is (a sinner saved by grace – washed clean from all his sins by the blood of Christ and justified by Christ’s righteousness imputed). He knows he has absolutely nothing to glory (boast) in except the glorious Person and finished work of Christ who gave Himself a ransom to save His people from their sins. This truth applied in the power of the Holy Spirit gives the true child of God the liberty of grace so as to live as a servant of righteousness rather than a slave to sin (Romans 6:17-18). He knows a servant of righteousness is not one who is perfect or righteous in himself, but one who stand perfect and righteous in Christ and who clings to and follows Christ for all salvation. He knows that he must be saved, preserved, and ultimately glorified totally by the grace of God in Christ and not by his own efforts to obey. This establishes within his heart the motivation and drive to express his love and gratitude for the God of all grace in serving and worshipping the Lord. The legalist says, “If the law cannot condemn me, and I cannot be made righteous by my works, then why obey?” The true child of God says, “Considering all that God has done for me, and has freely given me, through the death of His Son, how can I not obey?”