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.