Shammah Temple Fellowship: Sermon of April 28, 2024
By Gabriel Ntibinyagiro
Theme: Benefits from Salvation
Reference scriptures: Romans 8:1-39
When we talk about benefit, we first think of businesses. Yes, that’s true, but we also incorporate benefit in any other thing we do, not with money we can count, but in many other ways. Analyzing the cost and the benefit in whatever endeavors we’ve been in.
What do Believers benefit from the salvation of Christ Jesus?
- Lifting of eternal damnation
There’s no condemnation waiting for those who are in Jesus Christ. They’ve been lifted far away above where the condemnation can reach, they’ve been spared and taken so far away from the reach of the condemnation arrows. “Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
The same Christ who died for us, the one who endured the condemnation on our behalf is the very one who will judge the world. He is on the right side of God, praying for us.
What can prove that the eternal condemnation was lift?
- The death Jesus has known was not His own, but our own. He paid the price of all we were expected to pay. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was Crushed for our wickedness; The punishment for our well-being fell on Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isiah 53:5-6).
- Jesus removed the letter that stood against us, the certificate of debt against us. “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive together with Christ, having forgiven us all our sins, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of legal demands against us and which were hostile to us” (Colossians 2:13-14).
- We have been made children of God
By the Salvation from Jesus Christ, we were given an opportunity to become sons and daughters of God. We didn’t deserve it, it was abundant grace upon us, Jesus again paid the price.
“But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in His name – who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12).
Being a good child of God = being led by His Spirit + obeying Him, but being led by the Holy Spirit + disobeying Him is rejecting the sonship we benefit from God.
Why should Believers obey the Holy Spirit?
- Obeying the Holy Spirit is a proof that we are worthy children of God. “For you have not received the spirit of slavery leading again to fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry, “Abba! Father!”” (Romans 8:15).
- The Holy Spirit shows what will happen to us, what we’ve not yet seen. “But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide into all the truth. For He will not speak whatever He hears, and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13).
- We have got hope for eternity
Salvation offers Believers an everlasting hope that is not understood or acquired otherwise. Even the hard times Believers may go through today because of the gospel, the persecution the church and Believers are going through, are in no way to be compared to the everlasting joy we have in Jesus. “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present and threatening, nor height, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, we will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
So, what are we expecting in the eternity?
- The new world and the new heaven (Revelations 21).
- The great glory that is coming. “Therefore, we do not become discouraged. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light distress is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).
