Free Gifts for a Purchased People



It is needful that we understand that the entire eternal inheritance is the gift of God’s grace.  Everything from faith to heaven is said to be a gift.  God’s elect are blessed with all spiritual blessings, even eternal life being a gift.  Christ did not purchase that which was already freely given.  But all these gifts are given to a people who are enslaved, imprisoned, blind and spiritually dead. They are not in a position either legally or spiritually to enjoy them!  They require a work to release them and a work to make them alive to enjoy them. 

The first is the work Christ accomplished.  He redeemed His people from the bondage of Satan, sin and the curse of the law.  His death and sacrifice was the ransom payment and the satisfaction of divine justice against them.  By His cross death Christ purchased them and thus afforded for them a complete liberation from all that would keep them from the total enjoyment of every gift of God.  His redeeming blood even accomplished a redemption not yet enjoyed by them but born witness to by the Holy Spirit, the redemption of their body.  “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, UNTO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY” (Eph. 1:14 & Rom. 8:23).

Thus, Christ purchased THE CHURCH with His own blood (Acts 20:28).  “For YE are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (1Cor. 6:20). He has redeemed US! (Gal. 3:13; I Peter 1:18; Rev. 5:9, 14:3,4) The second work is that of the Holy Spirit regenerating us and giving us spiritual life which is manifested by faith.  The Spirit of God is given to us “that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God” (I Cor. 2:12). If you were left a large inheritance, it would do you no good if you were in prison, sitting on death row, or even dead.  Christ has “set the captives free” and the Spirit makes them alive that they might know and enjoy all that God has freely given them!  Thus Paul says, “Being JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 3:24).


-Gospel report by preacher Gary Shepard

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