SIX GREAT PRIVILEGES OF
GRACE
"Blessed
and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second
death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with him a thousand years.”
-- Revelation 20:6
When John saw Satan bound by Christ and the saints
of God reigning with Christ, his heart broke out with wonder, adoration, and
praise. And in his praise he sets before us these six great privileges of
grace. Are you born of God? Do you trust the Lord Jesus Christ? If you are a
believer, these six privileges belong to you. Meditate upon them and rejoice in
them.
1.
YOU ARE "BLESSED.” Lift up your heart. Why
should the children of God spend their days mourning and weeping. If Christ is
yours, God is yours, time is yours, heaven is yours, eternity is yours. "All things are yours." Every
spiritual, heavenly blessing of grace is yours, unconditionally, in Christ
(Eph. 1:3).
2.
YOU ARE "HOLY.” This too is a blessing of grace. It is not a work performed by
man. To be holy is to be purged of all sin by the blood of Christ (Heb. 1:3;
9:26), perfectly righteous before God by the imputation of Christ's
righteousness in justification (Rom. 5:19), and have the righteous nature of
Christ imparted to you in regeneration (1 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:9). This is what
you are now - "HOLY".
3.
YOU HAVE "PART IN THE
FIRST RESURRECTION." That is to say, you are born again by the power and grace of God.(Read
John 5:25;Eph. 2:1-6). The first resurrection is, without question, the new
birth. It is a resurrection from spiritual death to spiritual life in Christ.
4.
UPON YOU "THE SECOND
DEATH HATH NO POWER." If you are blessed of God, made holy in Christ, and born again by the
Spirit of God, there is no possibility of condemnation for you (Rev. 21:8;I
Cor.6:9-11;Rom. 8:1).
5.
YOU ARE "PRIESTS OF GOD
AND OF CHRIST." What a privilege. Every believer is a priest, with immediate access to
and immutable acceptance with the eternal God, through the blood and
righteousness of Jesus Christ. He is our Aaron, our great High Priest. But we
are Aaron's sons, those who do business in the holy place.
6.
YOU "SHALL REIGN WITH
HIM A THOUSAND YEARS." You are a king. And kings reign. We reign with Christ now over our
enemies. We shall reign with Christ in heaven until this gospel age is over
(the 1,000 years). And we shall reign with Christ forever in the new creation.
Grace Baptist Church of Danville - Grace For
Today Radio Message #790
2734 Old Stanford Road -
Danville, Kentucky 40422-9438
Donald S.
Fortner, Pastor -Telephone 606-236-8235 - Email grace@mis.net