What Shall I Render

God is the God of peace, hope, and redemption. He promises these to us in Christ Jesus, His Son. God is faithful, and He will do it. Be thankful for that! (1 Thess 5:16-22)

God's purpose and work accomplished in Christ, holds power and hope for everyday relationships and life - Ephesians.

Considering what God gives, does, and promises in Christ Jesus in Ephesians 1 and 2.

Jesus revelation to John, the apostle, was a revelation of Himself. Jesus told John " Do not be afraid...", because Jesus is exactly who He claims to be! (Rev 1:17-18)

God did not predetermine some people to be saved and some to be lost. He predestined "how" He would save those who choose faith. Christ Jesus has always been God's plan to save sinners! (Eph 1-3; 1 Pet 1:18)

God has done what He purposed in Christ Jesus, redemption. Redemption accomplishes all that we needed and more than we could ask or imagine. (Eph 1-3)

Many will try to present their deeds for God on the day of judgment. Only those who do the will of the Father will enter heaven. What is, doing the will of the Father? (Matt 7:15-21; Jn 6:28-29; 1 Thess 1:3)

Jesus asks His followers many questions, questions that are to be contemplated daily, questions that are to forge our lives in our answers daily. John 11:26 is such a question, "Do you believe this?"

The gospel calls us to believe and trust, not just Christ's power but also His love and concern for us.

Christ's sacrifice, His enthronement, conquering of sin, death, and the grave, allay our fears (Rev 4; 5; 6:2)!

God has given us victory in Christ over all our fears. God's work in Christ, His love, and His Spirit bring redemption and glory to God in every aspect of our lives, in Christ who reigns for us!

By faith, we can face the facts of our fears, and trust the gospel to allay them.

This life is full of the devastating floods of temptation, sin, and trial, if we are wise, we will dig down to the Bedrock of Christ, Himself, as God, and build our lives upon Him (Psalm 18:2, 31; Luke 6:46-49).

Under the law of sin and death, we find death and condemnation, but under that law of the Spirit of Life, we find freedom from condemnation, the Spirit, life and peace (Rom 8:1-8).

When (baptism) we died to sin, we died to law as that which would condemn us and empower sin over us. We were also at that time (baptism) united to another, Christ Jesus, in order that we might be free indeed! (Jn 8:24, 31-32, 36; Rom 6:1-7, 14; 7:4)

If giving an account of myself to God means God will weigh my good deeds against my bad deeds, how would that be good news?

God did, in His Son, what man in the flesh cannot do. He created a place of freedom from condemnation.

The gospel calls us to more than an awareness of the Kingdom of His Son; it calls us to seek Christ's reign and rule in our hearts and lives.

Under the Law of Christ, we find the justification God grants us by faith in Christ and a new life to live.

Law, as a legal/moral system/principle, has no power to justify the law-breaker/sinner. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the revelation of God's work in the cross which has the functional power to offer justification to those who believe it. In memory of a mentor, Edward C. Wharton, some of this class is recited from his book "Freed for Freedom" (p. 14)

When we fail, we must remind our souls of the nature of our promise keeping God! (Psa 103)

We cannot make up for our sin. What we can do is trust God, Who has offered us His Son. (Jer 10:23; 17:5-10)

No matter how much you can reduce sin, you cannot remove it, yourself!

We need God's justification because righteousness cannot be attained by law-keeping.

God glorifies Himself in His church, because of the great work He has done in Christ to redeem our lives. Even heartaches, weakness, even failures or sins cannot stop Him from being faithful to love us and give us purpose.