BSGCEPH # 6 In Him we have redemption Eph 1 vs 7

The gospel is not an invitation for men and women to come and seal or close the deal by their own decision making.

No, rather it is declaration of God's will and purpose in Christ by which He has made a certain people called the elect, chosen in Christ by His grace, to be holy and above reproach and this to the praise of His glory of His grace. Holiness is only intrinsic to God in the nature of being, for the elect it is relational to/in Christ.

And God did not just declare them holy and righteous arbitrarily. No, the merit by which He accomplished this was through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The redemption means a setting free by way of payment. Thus, the blood of Christ, the cross is the means by which the elect who are the believers have their sins forgiven and this according to the riches of His grace.

And that means the cross of Christ was the condition that God required to be met on behalf of the elect for them to be declared as holy and without blame.

And so, the gospel proclamation is a declaration of this fact-a historical fact-accomplished fact.

We explored the matter of sin and Law and how these relate to one another in the matter of salvation. Sin was always in view of God's purpose from eternity if there was ever going to be praise of His grace and mercy. Lots of gospel nuggets and learning and may the Lord grant ears to hear.