The Necessary Knowledge of God’s Work in the Age of Grace
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| The Necessary Knowledge of God’s Work in the Age of Grace |
Sermons and Fellowship
If we are able to earnestly ponder Almighty God’s words that reveal the significance and essence of God’s work in the Age of Grace, we will be entirely able to recognize that the Lord Jesus’ work in the Age of Grace was the work of redemption, and it was the work of atonement for corrupt mankind. The Lord Jesus’ words and work in the Age of Grace all centered around the work of redemption, and it was all to have people accept Jesus as their Savior, come in front of God to acknowledge all of their sins, gain God’s forgiveness, and be able to rely upon God’s grace to live in front of Him.
It was all to have people be able to enjoy all the grace and blessings bestowed upon them by God after turning toward Him, to recognize that He is a God of mercy and love, to frequently pray to Him, worship Him to live in the grace and blessings bestowed by Him. It was all to have people spread the gospel and bear witness to God’s salvation after recognizing that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and be able to take on Jesus’ promise and know how to prepare to gain salvation of the last days. That is enough to make people see that what the Lord Jesus did in the Age of Grace was entirely the work of redeeming mankind. The Lord Jesus being nailed to the cross and becoming a sin offering is closely linked to God’s work in the Age of Law. In the Age of Law, the Israelites knew God’s leadership and knew how to follow His laws and commandments, but because of humanity’s corruption, they still frequently violated the laws and commandments, sinning against and offending God. This made people realize what a sin is, and what committing a sin is, know what sins people commit and how to make a sacrifice to obtain God’s forgiveness after having sinned. From this, we can see that the primary outcome achieved from God’s laws and commandments was having people know what a sin is, and how they should make sacrifices after having sinned so that they can be forgiven by God. That is why the Lord Jesus came in the Age of Grace to complete the work of atonement for mankind. This really is very meaningful. In the Age of Law, offering sacrifices, burnt offerings, and peace offerings only resolved a single sin, and provided one pardon, but in the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus was an eternal, thorough sin offering, and at one time forgave mankind’s sins for all of eternity. This allowed people to see how great God’s love for mankind is, and that His disposition not only includes righteousness, majesty, and wrath, but it also includes mercy and love, and in particular that the grace He bestows upon man is vast and plentiful. Once people’s sins have been forgiven, they can enjoy all of His grace as before. It can be seen that His love for mankind is true and His grace is truly great and immeasurable. Not only was the Lord Jesus a sin offering for corrupt humanity and with that one act He eternally forgave mankind’s sins, but He taught people many truths of the Age of Grace to have them love each other, have tolerance for each other, to forgive others seventy times seven times, as well as to forgive others for eternity and to pray for their enemies, and to love others as themselves. Not only did He not abolish the laws and commandments, but He perfected the work of the Age of Law, so that all those who accepted the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption could properly assemble and pray to God, worship God, spread the gospel and bear witness to God—that is bearing witness. It is clear that God’s work in the Age of Grace was entirely built on the foundation of His work in the Age of Law. The Lord Jesus truly became a sin offering and achieved the work of redeeming mankind, and in one action eternally forgave all of corrupt mankind’s sins of resisting God, qualifying them to come in front of God, pray to Him, and worship Him. However, the Lord Jesus being a sin offering is not the same as completely saving mankind and completing God’s management plan. There are many people in the Christian religion who believe that the Lord Jesus saying “It is finished” on the cross meant that He had already completed God’s work of saving mankind. This is incorrect—it is nothing more than a human notion and imagination which shows that people don’t have an iota of understanding of God’s work. If Jesus’ work of redemption had already completely saved mankind, then religious people today would not be constantly praying and admitting their sins, and the major denominations would not be as depressed and desolate as they currently are. The Lord Jesus also certainly would not say “I come quickly.” Only the return of the Lord Jesus, Almighty God’s work of judgment and chastisement in the last days is the complete work of saving mankind. Through judgment and chastisement, pruning and dealing, and trials and refinement, Almighty God is resolving the issue of mankind’s corruption so that they can thoroughly cast off the bonds and constraints of Satan’s influence, and become people who obey and worship God because they truly know Him. The facts are enough to demonstrate that the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption was just paving the way for God to completely save mankind in the last days, and only by accepting His work in the last days can people achieve complete salvation. This is an utterly indisputable fact.
It was all to have people be able to enjoy all the grace and blessings bestowed upon them by God after turning toward Him, to recognize that He is a God of mercy and love, to frequently pray to Him, worship Him to live in the grace and blessings bestowed by Him. It was all to have people spread the gospel and bear witness to God’s salvation after recognizing that Jesus Christ is the Savior, and be able to take on Jesus’ promise and know how to prepare to gain salvation of the last days. That is enough to make people see that what the Lord Jesus did in the Age of Grace was entirely the work of redeeming mankind. The Lord Jesus being nailed to the cross and becoming a sin offering is closely linked to God’s work in the Age of Law. In the Age of Law, the Israelites knew God’s leadership and knew how to follow His laws and commandments, but because of humanity’s corruption, they still frequently violated the laws and commandments, sinning against and offending God. This made people realize what a sin is, and what committing a sin is, know what sins people commit and how to make a sacrifice to obtain God’s forgiveness after having sinned. From this, we can see that the primary outcome achieved from God’s laws and commandments was having people know what a sin is, and how they should make sacrifices after having sinned so that they can be forgiven by God. That is why the Lord Jesus came in the Age of Grace to complete the work of atonement for mankind. This really is very meaningful. In the Age of Law, offering sacrifices, burnt offerings, and peace offerings only resolved a single sin, and provided one pardon, but in the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus was an eternal, thorough sin offering, and at one time forgave mankind’s sins for all of eternity. This allowed people to see how great God’s love for mankind is, and that His disposition not only includes righteousness, majesty, and wrath, but it also includes mercy and love, and in particular that the grace He bestows upon man is vast and plentiful. Once people’s sins have been forgiven, they can enjoy all of His grace as before. It can be seen that His love for mankind is true and His grace is truly great and immeasurable. Not only was the Lord Jesus a sin offering for corrupt humanity and with that one act He eternally forgave mankind’s sins, but He taught people many truths of the Age of Grace to have them love each other, have tolerance for each other, to forgive others seventy times seven times, as well as to forgive others for eternity and to pray for their enemies, and to love others as themselves. Not only did He not abolish the laws and commandments, but He perfected the work of the Age of Law, so that all those who accepted the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption could properly assemble and pray to God, worship God, spread the gospel and bear witness to God—that is bearing witness. It is clear that God’s work in the Age of Grace was entirely built on the foundation of His work in the Age of Law. The Lord Jesus truly became a sin offering and achieved the work of redeeming mankind, and in one action eternally forgave all of corrupt mankind’s sins of resisting God, qualifying them to come in front of God, pray to Him, and worship Him. However, the Lord Jesus being a sin offering is not the same as completely saving mankind and completing God’s management plan. There are many people in the Christian religion who believe that the Lord Jesus saying “It is finished” on the cross meant that He had already completed God’s work of saving mankind. This is incorrect—it is nothing more than a human notion and imagination which shows that people don’t have an iota of understanding of God’s work. If Jesus’ work of redemption had already completely saved mankind, then religious people today would not be constantly praying and admitting their sins, and the major denominations would not be as depressed and desolate as they currently are. The Lord Jesus also certainly would not say “I come quickly.” Only the return of the Lord Jesus, Almighty God’s work of judgment and chastisement in the last days is the complete work of saving mankind. Through judgment and chastisement, pruning and dealing, and trials and refinement, Almighty God is resolving the issue of mankind’s corruption so that they can thoroughly cast off the bonds and constraints of Satan’s influence, and become people who obey and worship God because they truly know Him. The facts are enough to demonstrate that the Lord Jesus’ work of redemption was just paving the way for God to completely save mankind in the last days, and only by accepting His work in the last days can people achieve complete salvation. This is an utterly indisputable fact.
The Lord Jesus’ work of redemption rapidly expanded the scope of God’s work in Israel, and extended it completely to the Gentiles’ world and to the ends of the earth. This is how God’s work expanded from Israel to the entire world in the Age of Grace, and many people in every country and every region came in front of God, prayed to Him, and worshiped Him. His name has spread to every country and every region. It is clear from this that God’s management plan to save mankind had already been halfway completed while also paving the way for God’s work in the last days.
If the substantive significance of God’s work in the Age of Grace is to be summed up in one sentence, it will be that God incarnate made Himself a sin offering for corrupt humanity in order to redeem mankind. The substantive significance of the work of the Age of Grace that is most prominent is that of “redemption.”
from “Only God’s Three Stages of Work Are His Complete Work for Saving Mankind” in Collection of Sermons—Supply for Life
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