GRACE FOR TODAY Radio Message #500
THE FOURFOLD MESSAGE
OF GRACE
Pastor
Don Fortner
Grace Baptist Church of Danville
2734 Old Stanford Road
Danville,
Kentucky 40422-9438
The Lord God commands all who preach the
gospel, saying, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people... Speak ye comfortably
to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her
iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the Lord's hand double for all
her sins." In response to that command, for the comfort of God's elect, it
is my joy to constantly declare a fourfold message of grace to all who trust
Christ.
1.
PERFECT ATONEMENT!
The Lord Jesus Christ took our sins upon
himself, paid for them, completely satisfying the just demands of God's holy
law, and forever put them away. Redemption is accomplished! We are redeemed by
the blood of Christ (II Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13; Heb. 9:12).
2.
PERFECT
RIGHTEOUSNESS!
It is not enough for the sinner to be
pardoned. We are required to keep the law. "Cursed is he that continueth
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them"
(Gal. 3:10). This too Christ has done! By his faithful obedience to the law of
God as our Representative, he has brought in everlasting righteousness for us
(Rom. 3:19-22; 5:19).
3.
PERFECT IMPUTATION!
Christ has given us life, light and
understanding by the gospel, enabling us to see and receive the imputation of
his righteousness to us by faith in him (Rom. 1: 16,17; 4:3-8,9.0-25).
Righteousness is not imputed to us upon the basis of our faith, but upon the
basis of Christ's faithfulness as our Representative. This imputed
righteousness is received by faith. Righteousness is imputed to us without
works. And it is an unconditional, irrevocable imputation (Rom. 4:6-8).
4.
PERFECT LIBERTY!
Since justice has been satisfied, the law
has been honored, and righteousness has been imputed to us, God's elect are
completely freed from all possibility of condemnation (Rom. 8:1-4). Where there
is no debt, there is no liability. Where there is no sin, there is no curse.
Where there is no guilt, there is no fear. And where there is no fear, there is
perfect liberty.
AMEN.