At the beginning of his first epistle, the apostle John explains his purpose for writing: “that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:4 KJV). John writes for our joy. And who wouldn’t want to have joy fully? But to be clear, the joy John describes is not joy as the world understands it, since John says, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). No, the joy John describes is rooted in Christ, who is “from the beginning,” whom John and the other apostles heard, and saw with their eyes, whom they looked upon and touched with their hands, the living “word of life,” Jesus Christ himself (1 John 1:1). Just as they enjoyed in-person fellowship with Jesus, John desires for us, that all who are “of God” would enjoy a fellowship of obedience to Christ, love for the body of Christ, and discernment in living for Christ, all of which gives us Christ-exalting joy (1 John 1:3-4).
Tag Archives: Redemption
Deep Woes, Enduring Hope
In this, we are reminded of God’s steadfast love for his people. We rejoice that our redemption in Christ is so plentiful that it covers the sins of our past, present, and future. For, we are a people who have received the gift of God’s grace in Christ, who has redeemed us from all our iniquities, and he is the God who hears our cries, answers our prayers, sustains us moment by moment, and gives us hope, even in the depths of woe.
Short of Glory, Saved by Grace
Where does this put us, those made in God’s image but fallen from grace, those saved not by works but by grace through God’s gift of faith? It puts us in a position not of self-exalting glory but of God-glorifying praise. As the Shorter Catechism beautifully states, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever” (Q. 1). Yes, for this we were created in God’s image, and for this reason we were redeemed, to glorify him. So, let us rejoice in this: Though we all fall short of God’s glory, we are saved by his grace to glorify him forever!
He Who Is God
Indeed, He is God and there are no others, but there are plenty of false gods that seek our attention and devotion. In Christ we have been redeemed as the sole possession of the one, true God.
Redemption Remembered
Just as the life of every firstborn in Israel was sealed by the blood of a lamb, Christ is “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation” (Col. 1:15) and by God’s grace through faith in Him, we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1Pet. 1:19).
Freedom In Christ
It’s time for us as Christians to change the way we think and talk about our rights and privileges. What the world needs to see and hear from us is that true freedom is in Christ.
The Feasting and Fasting of Redemption
And fasting prepares our hungry souls for the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. So, there is a feasting and a fasting of redemption which we find in fellowshipping in His Spirit, a fellowship known only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Planter, Pastor, Preacher 