Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

• 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

• Romans 14:7-9

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

• Titus 2:14

“Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

That I am not my own, but belong with body and soul, both in life and in death, to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from all the power of the devil.
He also preserves me in such a way that without the will of my heavenly Father not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, all things must work together for my salvation.
Therefore, by his Holy Spirit he also assures me of eternal life and makes me heartily willing and ready from now on to live for him.

• 1 Cor 6:19, 20.
• Rom 14:7-9.
• 1 Cor 3:23; Tit 2:14.
• 1 Pet 1:18, 19; 1 Jn 1:7; 2:2.
• Jn 8:34-36; Heb 2:14, 15; 1 Jn 3:8.
• Jn 6:39, 40; 10:27-30; 2 Thess 3:3; 1 Pet 1:5.
• Mt 10:29-31; Lk 21:16-18.
• Rom 8:28.
• Rom 8:15, 16; 2 Cor 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14.
• Rom 8:14.”

• Heidelberg Catechism, Question 1

The Message

I only provided a few of the Scriptures, but the Bible references are provided, if you care to look them up.

Believers belong to Christ, lock, stock, and barrel.  Jesus is faithful to us.  Once we are His, He will never let go.

Some denominations believe in a falling from Grace.  We may not feel that Jesus is by our side, but as Beth Moore suggests, that is because we moved away from the fire.  Jesus is there for us, but we need to repent and return to Him to have the rewards of that comfort.

Yet, if we do not truly have Jesus in our hearts, Jesus does not reside in us.  There is no falling from Grace.  We never had the Grace in the first place – just a feeling that grace was there.

Jesus purchased us on the cross.  A blood sacrifice was needed and He provided it.  Almighty God came to earth.  The Son of God, fully human and fully God, died on the cross for our sins.

God protects me and preserves me so that I can serve Him.

One bit of problem that I have with the language, is that for all who are believers, God works things for our good, but not for “salvation.”  Salvation is a done deal.  When we have God in our hearts, it is not by our works that we are saved.  Rather, all things work for the good toward our sanctification where we become more like Jesus.

Jesus promises us eternal life and being God, He cannot fail on a promise.

And how do we respond to the comfort in life and in death?

We serve Him.

And now let us sing.

Here is Christ Our Hope in Life and Death sung by Keith and Kristyn Getty, and Matt Papa.

 

Closing Prayer

Dear Lord,
We believe in You.  You are our comfort.  We belong to You and You do not let us go.  You died on the cross for me, and You could have stayed in Your glory in Heaven.  You gave that up to die for me.  And You are with me every day.  And You will be with me forever more.  Praise Your Holy Name.
In Thy name we pray,
Amen

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.