THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 10-15-17

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LESSON TITLE: “THE GREATEST REMEDY”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>



TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.

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      IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US THIS MORNING FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR THIS TIME OF OFFERING AND PRAISE TO OUR GOD. WE ARE GLAD YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY, AS WE TOGETHER STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD AND SING SONGS OF PRAISE TO HIS NAME. LET ME ENCOURAGE EACH OF US THIS MORNING TO DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME TOGETHER ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. NOW LET’S BEGIN BY APPROACHING HIS THRONE IN PRAYER.<br> <br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE. WE THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO BE CALLED YOUR CHILDREN AND TO BE SERVANTS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND FATHER, HELP US THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY TO GIVE YOU OUR VERY BEST AND ESPECIALLY ON THE LORD'S DAY THAT WE MIGHT DO ALL THOSE THINGS IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH WHICH ARE ACCORDING TO YOUR PERFECT WILL. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR JESUS, AND WE KNOW THAT IT'S ONLY BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT SACRIFICE AND HIS WONDROUS GIFTS THAT WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO BE FOUND JUSTIFIED BEFORE YOU KNOWING THAT, NOT ONLY WE'LL RECEIVE YOUR BLESSING IN THIS LIFE BUT IN THE LIFE TO COME. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. 

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      THERE ARE MANY THINGS WHICH GUIDE US IN THIS LIFE. SOME GUIDE US IN A GOOD AND RIGHTEOUS WAY AND SOME GUIDE US AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS WHICH PERTAIN TO GOD. THIS MORNING WE WANT TO BEGIN WITH A SONG THAT TELLS US ABOUT SOMEONE WE CAN COUNT ON TO LEAD US PROPERLY ALL THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES. THEN WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF FOLLOWING HIM AND DOING HIS WILL EACH AND EVERY DAY. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING THE HYMN,  “TRUST AND OBEY!”<br> <br>



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      THE APOSTLE PAUL GIVES US MANY ENCOURAGING WORDS THROUGHOUT HIS LETTER TO THE DIFFERENT CHURCH. OVER AND OVER, I GAIN CONFIDENCE FROM THE THINGS THAT HE TOLD THE CHURCH OF THE FIRST CENTURY, AS WELL AS THOSE THINGS HE WROTE TO INDIVIDUALS, TO ASSURE THEIR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. <br> <br>

      ONE SUCH FIRST WHICH I FIND GREAT COMFORT IN IS ROMANS 14:8.  THERE PAUL SAYS, “FOR IF WE LIVE, WE LIVE TO THE LORD; AND IF WE DIE, WE DIE TO THE LORD. THEREFORE, WHETHER WE LIVE OR DIE, WE ARE THE LORD'S.”  HERE WE ARE EXHORTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. WHETHER WE LIVE OR WHETHER WE DIE, WE ARE NOT ALONE, BECAUSE AS HE SAID, “WE ARE THE LORD’S.”  <br> <br>

      THINK ABOUT THE LAST STATEMENT FOR JUST A MOMENT. THIS IDEA REMINDS US THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WE MUST DO, THERE IS A PLACE WE MUST BE. AGAIN, WHERE ARE WE REQUIRED TO BE TO ALWAYS HAVE GOD ON OUR SIDE? WE MUST BE HIS, OF HIM, IN HIM, AND WITH HIM!<br> <br>

      ANOTHER VERSE I WANT TO READ THAT HELPS US WITH THIS SAME IDEA IS FOUND IN PHILIPPIANS 1:21, THERE PAUL SAID, “FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN.” WHEN ARE WE GOING TO REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING ABOUT LIFE THAT REALLY MATTERS IS CENTERED AROUND CHRIST? OUR DAILY LIVES MUST ALWAYS BE ABOUT DOING HIS WILL AND PLEASING HIM. IN FACT, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE AS IMPORTANT IN LIFE OR WHICH GIVES US SUCH WONDROUS HOPES AND PROMISES.<br> <br> 

      THE WRITER TO THE CHURCH OF PHILIPPI, ALSO MENTIONS HERE DEATH AS A GAIN. WHAT COULD THIS MEAN? WELL OBVIOUSLY, WHEN WE DIE AS THOSE WHO ARE FAITHFUL IN THE LORD WE HAVE A GREAT REWARD AWAITING US. WE ARE TOLD IT IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING ON THIS EARTH OR ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER KNOWN.  O, YES, IT IS AND WILL BE BETTER TO DIE.<br> <br>

      I LOVE TO THINK ABOUT HEAVEN DON’T YOU? WE ARE TOLD FROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT IT WILL BE COMPARABLE TO A CITY WITH GOLDEN STREETS. IT’S ENTRANCES WILL HAVE GATES WITH PRECIOUS STONES COVERING THEM. WE ARE ALSO TOLD THAT A MANSION HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR US THERE. HOW TRULY WONDERFUL HEAVEN MUST THEN BE IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE.  <br> <br>

      FINALLY, WE ALSO KNOW THIS ABOUT THAT CELESTIAL CITY, THERE WILL BE NO NIGHT THERE, NO TEARS OR SADNESS, NO PAIN OR SORROW.  AS THE SONG SAY, “ALL WILL BE GLORY IN THAT LAND!”<br> <br>

      SO THIS MORNING MAKE SURE YOU ARE FOCUSING YOUR LIFE HERE ON THIS EARTH TOWARDS GOD. HE IS THERE TO HELP YOU - “FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST!” ON THE OTHER HAND, KNOW THAT SOMETHING BETTER IS AWAITING ALL OF US IF WE DO WHAT GOD WANTS. DEATH IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE DREADED FROM SPIRITUAL STANDPOINT - “TO DIE IS GAIN.”     <br> <br>

      TODAY WE WILL CONTINUE OUR TOPIC OF STUDY ENTITLED, “THE LORD HAS DONE GREAT THINGS FOR US.” OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS MORNING WILL BE, “THE GREATEST REMEDY?” SO, PLEASE STAY WITH US AND IN A FEW MINUTES, I WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM THE BIBLE. NOW IT’S TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND SONG OF THE DAY, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “VICTORY IN JESUS.” 

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LESSON<br> <br>

RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      WE'RE SO THANKFUL THAT YOU'VE CONTINUED WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE GREAT GOD THAT WE SERVE. FOR OUR GOD HAS TRULY DONE SO MANY GREAT THINGS FOR US AND TOGETHER WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT MANY OF THOSE GREAT THINGS TOGETHER IN RELATIONSHIP TO, NOT ONLY THE GIFTS OF GOD, BUT ALSO THE SACRIFICES OF GOD, THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THAT CERTAINLY GOD HAS DONE WHAT WAS NECESSARY. THAT WE NOT ONLY HAVE WHAT WE NEED IN THIS LIFE BUT ALSO WE MIGHT HAVE THE PROMISE OF THE LIFE TO COME. <br> <br>

      TODAY WE WILL BEGIN THERE IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW AND CHAPTER 20 IN LOOKING AT SOME WORDS THAT JESUS GAVE AS CERTAINLY THE SON OF GOD AND ALSO GOD IN THE FLESH. AS WE THINK ABOUT JESUS COMING TO THE EARTH AS A MAN LEAVING HIS HEAVENLY ABODE AS GOD, THE CREATOR HIMSELF, AND THEN EVENTUALLY DYING FOR OUR SAKES. WHAT MANNER OF GOD WOULD DO SUCH FOR HIS CREATION? I'M REMINDED OF THAT THERE IN VERSE 28 WHEN JESUS HIMSELF SAID, “’JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE.’” AND THEN IT SAYS, “’AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY.’” YOU SEE, JESUS CAME TO THIS EARTH, AGAIN LEAVING THAT HEAVENLY ABODE, TO BE A MERE MAN, HIS OWN CREATION AND TO BE IN THE FLESH THAT HE MIGHT SUFFER IN THE FLESH ALTHOUGH STILL BEING GOD AND THE SON OF GOD FOR MY SINS AND FOR YOUR SINS. HE GAVE HIMSELF, THE BIBLE SAYS THERE, A RANSOM. WE KNOW WHAT A RANSOM IS. WHEN SOMEONE MAYBE HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED AND THEN THERE IS A PRICE REQUIRED TO BUY BACK, OR THE WORD THAT OFTEN THE BIBLE USES, TO REDEEM THAT INDIVIDUAL. WELL, CERTAINLY THE IDEA OF REDEMPTION IS USED OFTEN IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT JESUS DID FOR US THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME SIN. AND THAT IDEA IS THE REDEMPTIVE PRICE OR A PRICE THAT IS PAID TO REALLY AGAIN COVER THE COST, THE EXPENSE OF WHAT IT IS THAT IS OWED FOR A PARTICULAR THING. <br> <br>

      NOW, THAT BEING THE CASE, WE ARE IN SIN. THE BIBLE SAYS, “ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD,” THERE IN ROMANS CHAPTER 3 AND VERSE 23. SO BECAUSE OF THAT, WHAT DO WE NEED? WE NEEDED A REDEEMER FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF TIME. AS GOD PLACED MAN IN THE GARDEN, WHAT DID GOD KNOW? THAT MAN WOULD SIN. AND MAN DID SIN IN THE GARDEN AND THEREAFTER. AND EVEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD, EVEN ETERNALLY, GOD HAD DETERMINED, THAT IS BEFORE HIS CREATION, THAT HE WOULD NEED TO SEND A REDEEMER. A REDEEMER COULD PAY THE REDEMPTIVE PRICE, AND THEREFORE BE THAT RANSOM THAT WAS NECESSARY TO PAY BACK OR TO BUY OUT OUR SINS, THE WICKEDNESS THAT WE WOULD OFTEN CHOOSE. AND THEREFORE, LIVE BY. <br> <br>

      WITH THAT IN MIND THEN, WE CERTAINLY BEGIN TO SEE WHAT IT IS THAT THE BIBLE CONFIRMS FOR US EVEN AGAIN THERE IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS. WE READ IN CHAPTER 2 VERSE 23 A MOMENT AGO OR MADE REFERENCE THAT ALL HAVE SINNED. AND NOTICED WHAT HE GOES ON TO SAY THERE IN THAT SAME CONTEXT. HE SAYS, “BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY”…(VERSE 24)… “BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN JESUS CHRIST.” SO THE QUESTION WE BEGIN TO ASK IS, HOW DID JESUS REDEEM US THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME THAT SIN THAT WE OFTEN CHOOSE? VERSE 25 TELLS US HOW WHEN IT SAYS, “WHOM GOD SET FORTH,” THAT IS JESUS CHRIST, “AS A PROPITIATION,” THAT PAYMENT PRICE, “BY HIS BLOOD, THROUGH FAITH.” SO WHAT IS THAT CLEANSING AGENT, THAT SACRIFICE THAT WAS NECESSARY? THE VERY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. TURN OVER TO THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS AND YOU SEE PAUL USE THE VERY SAME TERMINOLOGY AGAIN IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE FOUR IS OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD, THE ELECT OF GOD. AND THERE AS HE SAYS THAT WE WERE ADOPTED BY AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (VERSE FIVE) HERE IS THE OUTCOME. READ BEGINNING WITH VERSE SIX, “TO THE PRAISE OF THE GLORY OF HIS GRACE, BY WHICH HE MADE US ACCEPTED IN THE BELOVED. IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION, THROUGH HIS BLOOD.” OH, THERE IT IS AGAIN. WE HAVE REDEMPTION. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME WHAT? SIN. HOW? THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. <br> <br>

      NOW, I WANT YOU TO KEEP YOUR FINGER THERE IN THE TEXT AND WE'RE GOING TO TURN OVER THE BOOK OF HEBREWS FOR JUST A MOMENT. BECAUSE IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS, SPECIFICALLY THERE BEGINNING THERE IN CHAPTER 8, BUT REALLY CHAPTER 9 IS WHAT WE WANT TO FOCUS ON FOR JUST A MOMENT. IT TALKS ABOUT JESUS COMING AS THAT HIGH PREIST FOR US. AND HE THEN HE MAKES THIS COMPARISON. IN VERSE 12 HE SAYS, “NOT WITH BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS OR GOATS AND CALVES, BUT WITH HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED THE MOST HOLY PLACE.” YOU SEE, AS WE GO BACK TO THE OLD TESTAMENT, WE REMEMBER THERE WAS A REDEMPTIVE PRICE THERE, A PRICE PAID FOR SIN BUT IT WAS ANIMAL BLOOD. AND THEN HERE'S THE COMPARISON THAT HE MAKES. HE SAYS (AND THIS IS THE VERSE 13 BY THE WAY), “FOR IF THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS AND THE ASHES OF A HEFFER, SPRINKLING THE UNCLEAN, SANCTIFIES AND PURIFIES THE FLESH, HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST?” SO HE SAYS IF ANIMAL BLOOD WAS ABLE TO PUSH THEIR SINS FORWARD, MUCH MORE THE BLOOD OF A MAN, GOD AS MAN IN THE FLESH, JESUS CHRIST, WHEN HE SHED HIS BLOOD? OH, HOW MUCH GREATER?  HOW MUCH? FAR GREATER, FAR BETTER. THAT'S WHAT THE HEBREW WRITER IS ARGUING. NOT ONLY THERE FOR CHAPTER 8 AND 9 SAYS THAT OUR SINS ARE PUSHED FORWARD. THAT IT SAYS HE REMEMBERS OUR SINS NO MORE. HE NO LONGER HOLDS THEM TO THE ACCOUNT OF THE CHARGE. WHEN THEY ARE FORGIVEN THEY ARE PUT AWAY. THEY ARE BLOTTED OUT AS THE TEXT TELLS US. <br> <br>

      NOW, IF YOU GO BACK TO EPHESIANS CHAPTER 1 LET'S SEE WHAT HE GOES ON TO SAY, “IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.” SO WHAT IS TIED TO REDEMPTION? THE BLOOD. THAT'S THE PRICE PAID. THE GREATEST MOST VALUABLE PRICE THAT COULD HAVE EVER BEEN PAID BECAUSE IT WAS THE BLOOD OF NONE OTHER THAN JESUS CHRIST IN THE FLESH, THE MESSIAH, GOD IN THE FLESH WHO DIED AND SHED HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS FOR YOU AND FOR ME. BUT IT WAS FOR WHAT PURPOSE? THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF, AS HE GOES ON TO SAY, THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE. THAT HE WOULD DO SUCH A THING FOR SOMETHING SO WICKED. EVEN WHILE I WAS STILL A SINNER CHRIST DIED FOR ME. EVEN WHEN HE KNEW THAT SOMEDAY RAY WILL LIVE AND RAY WILL STILL AT TIMES CHOOSE SIN AND YET I WILL STILL DIE FOR HIM, I WILL STILL SHED MY BLOOD FOR HIM. PETER PRESENTS THIS SAME IDEA AND I'M REALLY TRYING TO HELP YOU TO SEE THAT THIS IS A, REALLY AN IDEA THAT ALL OF THE APOSTLES CLEARLY TEACH ACCORDING TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. THERE SPECIFICALLY IN FIRST PETER CHAPTER ONE, HE SPECIFIES AGAIN THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT SAVES US AND A WAY THAT IT SAVES US. LOOK AT VERSE 18 BEGINNING, “KNOWING THAT YOU ARE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS, LIKE SILVER AND GOLD, FROM YOUR AIMLESS CONDUCT RECEIVED BY TRADITION OF YOUR FATHER.” HE SAYS YOU'RE NOT REDEEMED BY FLESHLY THINGS OF THIS EARTH. IN OTHER WORDS, REDEMPTION, LIKE EVEN UNDER THE OLD LAW SOMETIMES THEY WOULD BRING WHAT? MAYBE FRUITS, FIRST FRUITS. THEY WOULD BRING MONEY, THEY WOULD BRING ANIMALS. YOU'RE NOT REDEEMED WITH CORRUPTIBLE THINGS LIKE IT USED TO BE. YOU'RE NOT EVEN REDEEMED WITH SILVER AND GOLD. HE SAYS RATHER, VERSE 19, BUT YOU ARE REDEEMED WITH THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST. AND WHAT MADE CHRIST SO PERFECT AS THAT SACRIFICE, THAT REDEMPTIVE SACRIFICE? AS A LAMB WITHOUT BLEMISH AND SPOT. AND AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHEN WAS IT PLANNED? VERSE 20 SAYS, “INDEED WAS FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.” YOU SEE, GOD HAD DETERMINED, GOD THE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT DETERMINED, EVEN BEFORE IT WAS SAID LET THERE BE LIGHT. OR EVER BEFORE IT WAS SAID THAT THE EARTH WOULD BE BROUGHT ABOUT OR CREATION, THAT MAN WOULD BE MADE AND THE WORLD WOULD BE MADE AND THERE WOULD BE A NEED FOR A REDEMPTIVE PRICE. NOT A SMALL PRICE, BUT A VAST PRICE TO COVER, NOT JUST THE SIN OF A MAN OR A WOMAN OR TO PUSH IT FORWARD BUT A PRICE GREAT ENOUGH TO COVER THE SINS OF MAN OVER ALL AGES, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF GOD'S CREATION UNTIL HE COMES AGAIN TO RECEIVE US ALL. OH, WHAT A POWERFUL, WHAT A VALUABLE AGENT THAT IS! THAT PRECIOUS BLOOD, THAT LAMB OF GOD, THAT SON OF GOD, THAT ONE WHO WAS THE WORD (JOHN CHAPTER 1 VERSE ONE) AND WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD AND WAS GOD. HE CAME AND HE DIED FOR US. HE DIED TO GIVE US HOPE. HE GAVE US THE ABILITY TO OVERCOME THAT SIN. <br> <br>

      NOW WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO DO IS TO TIE THAT TOGETHER WITH WHAT WE BEGIN TO SEE EVEN IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. AND THERE IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF REVELATION THERE IS SOME WORDING USED IN RELATIONSHIP TO UNDERSTANDING THE BLOOD, AGAIN THE PURPOSE OF THAT BLOOD, THAT I THINK WILL BE OF GREAT VALUE FOR US IN OUR DISCUSSION. VERSE FIVE, AFTER TALKING ABOUT JESUS CHRIST REFERRING TO HIM AS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS, “THE FIRSTBORN FROM THE DEAD, THE RULER OVER KINGS OF THE EARTH.” AND THEN SAYS, “TO HIM WHO LOVED US AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD.” SO HERE WE HAVE THIS ACTION OF ONE WHO IS WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS AND THEREFORE, RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN? WHEN THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A BATH IN BLOOD? AND, FURTHERMORE, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT YOU BATHED YOURSELF IN THE LITERAL BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST? AND WHERE WOULD YOU GET THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST? YOU SEE, THOSE ARE INTERESTING QUESTIONS BECAUSE HERE IT SAYS THAT WE HAVE BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD. YOU REMEMBER WHAT ANANIAS TOLD PAUL IN ACTS 22:16? HE ASKED PAUL, “‘WHY ARE YOU WAITING?’” HE SAYS, “‘ARISE AND BE BAPTIZED.’” AND GUESS WHAT? “‘WASH AWAY YOUR SINS.’” WASH AWAY YOUR SIN. WHAT WAS IT THAT PAUL WAS GOING TO DO THAT WOULD MAKE IN PICTURE INDICATE THE FACT THAT HE WAS GOING TO, NOT ONLY DIE TO SIN, BUT WASH THOSE SINS? BAPTISMH, BAPTISM. NOTICE ACTS CHAPTER 2, “‘MEN AND BRETHEREN, WHAT SHALL WE DO?’” AND PETER TOLD THEM REPENT! ‘”AND LET EVERYONE OF YOU BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS.’” NOTICE THE BAPTISM FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS AND THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE BLOOD OF JESUS WASHING ONE. <br> <br>

      NOW, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND IT THEN, YOU SAY, ‘WELL, I THINK I BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANS.’ THE SIGNIFICANCE, THE IMPORTANCE OF BAPTISM BECAUSE IT'S THEN DESCRIBED IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6. IN ROMANS CHAPTER 6, AFTER HE SAYS, “DO YOU NOT KNOW,”…VERSE THREE… “AS MANY OF US AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST, WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH?” SO JESUS DIED, JESUS WAS BURIED, JESUS ROSE AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY. SO WE'RE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH. SO AS HE DIED, WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? WE NEED TO DIE. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DIE TO? SIN. SO HOW DO I DIE TO SIN? WELL, BAPTISM IS THAT SYMBOLIC THING, THAT I'M PUT IN THE GRAVE, I DIE, AND, UNDER THE WATER, I'M PUT IN THE GRAVE. I'M COVERED AND THEN WHEN I RISE I'M A WHAT? A NEW CREATURE. SO WHAT DOES THAT WATER REPRESENT? WHAT IS THE CLEANSING AGENT? WELL, IT'S THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S WHY PETER SAID, WE ARE  NOT WASHING THE FILTH OF THE FLESH BUT WE ARE BAPTIZED BECAUSE WE ARE CLAIMING A GOOD CONSCIENCE AND BY FAITH DOING WHAT GOD HAS DIRECTED US. THAT'S WHAT PETER INDICATED. BUT AGAIN RETURN TO OUR TEXT HERE, “THEREFORE,”… VERSE FOUR… “WE WERE BURIED WITH HIM THROUGH BAPTISM INTO DEATH, THAT JUST AS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO WE SHOULD WALK IN THE NEWNESS OF LIFE.” AND THEN HE SAYS IN VERSE 5, “FOR IF WE HAVE BEEN UNITED IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS DEATH, CERTAINLY WE ALSO SHALL BE IN THE LIKENESS OF HIS RESURRECTION, KNOWING THIS…” THAT WE PUT AWAY WHAT? THE OLD MAN. WE'VE CRUCIFIED THE OLD MAN. JESUS DIED. JESUS SHED HIS BLOOD ON THE CROSS. HIS BLOODIED BODY WAS PUT IN THE TOMB AND HE ROSE AGAIN. HE ROSE AGAIN OVERCOMING DEATH. WE HAVE BEEN MARRED IN STAINED BY SIN AND WE'RE PUT INTO THAT WATERY GRAVE, THAT TOMB THAT FIGURATIVELY WASHES AWAY BECAUSE OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, THAT OLD DEAD MAN THAT NEEDS TO REMAIN THERE AND WE RISE ANEW. A NEW CREATION. A SERVANT, A CHILD OF GOD. OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY IT IS! THEREFORE WHEN WE BECOME A CHRISTIAN, BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS, WE HAVE BEEN WASHED IN THAT FIGURATIVE BLOOD IN BAPTISM SO THAT WE MIGHT DIE TO THE OLD MAN AND THAT SIN MIGHT BE PUT AWAY THAT WE MIGHT ARISE THAT NEW CREATION, SPOTLESS, PERFECT,  THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. THE ONLY THING STRONG ENOUGH TO CLEANSE US. <br> <br>

      WE FINALLY LOOK THERE IN THE BOOK OF FIRST JOHN IN CHAPTER 1 BECAUSE NOW WE SEE, AGAIN, AS REFERENCE TO GOD BEING THE LIGHT AND WE MUST WALK IN THE LIGHT AS GOD IS IN THE LIGHT. NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS HERE WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS BECAUSE JOHN IS TALKING TO CHRISTIANS HERE. WHAT DO WE CONTINUALLY HAVE? WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH ONE ANOTHER, AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST CLEANSES US FROM WHAT? ALL SIN. NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS WHEN WE BECOME A CHRISTIAN BUT WHAT DO WE CONTINUE TO HAVE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST? FORGIVENESS OF SINS. SO WHEN I MESS UP AND I MAKE MISTAKES AND I SAY, ‘GOD I HAVE SINNED.  FORGIVE ME OF MY SINS,’ WHAT WILL STILL FORGIVE ME? I DON'T HAVE TO BE BAPTIZED AGAIN, I'M ALREADY A CHILD OF GOD. BUT I'M STILL ABLE TO BE WHAT? WASHED IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S WHY IN VERSE NINE IT SAYS, “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE'S FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OF OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUS.” GOD FORGIVES SINS! GOD WANTS TO FORGIVE SINS! WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO GIVE YOUR LIFE FULLY TO HIM AND YOU REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND CONFESS HIS NAME AND YOU'RE BURIED WITH HIM IN BAPTISM, GOD WANTS TO ADD YOU TO THE CHURH AS A NEW BABE, AS A NEW CREATION. BUT EVEN AS A CHRISTIAN, WHEN YOU MESS UP, WHEN YOU MAKE THOSE MISTAKES, WHEN YOU STUMBLE, WHEN YOU FALL, WHEN YOU SIN WHAT WILL JESUS DO? FORGIVE YOU. HIS BLOOD WAS SHED THAT WE MIGHT OVERCOME SIN THROUGHOUT ALL POINTS OF OUR LIFE SO THAT WHEN WE SEE HIM COMING IN THE CLOUDS WE WILL BE FOUND JUSTIFIED AND THEREFORE RECIPIENTS OF THE GREAT PROMISES AND REWARDS.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      THANKS FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.   <br> <br>

      NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A FREE CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR FREE BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: <br> <br> 



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      HOW BLESSED WE ARE TO HAVE THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST AS A PERFECT CLEANSING AGENT TO MAKE US PRESENTABLE BEFORE A LOVING AND GRACIOUS GOD. THE QUESTION IS, “ARE WE LIVING IN SUCH A WAY AS TO SHOW OUR APPRECIATION FOR THE GREAT GIFT GIVEN FOR US ALL?” CHOOSE TO SERVE GOD TODAY AND YOU WILL BE RICHLY BLESSED!<br> <br>