The Privileges of the Good News
So far in our study of the first seven verses of Romans chapter one we have looked at the Preacher of the Good News, Paul (1), the Promise (2), the Person (3-4), the Provision (5a), and the Proclamation (5b-6). This morning we will be exploring the Privileges (7) of the Good News of God.
No matter how much we think about it we will never be able to fully understand or appreciate completely the love, grace and mercy God has bestowed upon us. Oh, to think that we could never deserve all God has done for us.
When we get to heaven, there will be no contest to see who was the most deserving of God’s grace because no one deserves it.
There will only be one contest in heaven. When we look back and see what we were before, when we see the pit from which he rescued us, when we recall how confused we were, when we remember how God reached out and hired us into His family, and how he held us in his hand, and when we see Jesus who loved us and gave himself for us, the only contest will be to see which of us will sing the loudest:
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” (Brian Bill in "The Scandal of Grace")
Among the countless, gracious privileges we have because of the Gospel, one which may excite the most emotion is the fact that we are called the “Beloved of God”
I. We are Called the Beloved of God
A. We are all the Beloved of God as believers
1. God has no favorites
a). He doesn’t love pastors more than parishioners, deacons more than new disciples, mature saints more than struggling new believers, or those who grew up in church and saved as children more than those with a checkered past.
A little girl was asked, "Who does your mommy love most?" The little girl replied without thinking, "She loves Johnny most because he’s the oldest...and she loves Billy most because he’s the youngest...and she loves me most because I’m the only girl."
B. God loves those who belong to Him.
1. OT - (Ps. 25:6; 36:7; Isaiah 63:7; through Jeremiah the Lord told His people: Jer. 31:3)
2. NT – Paul declares: (Eph. 2:4-5) John writes: (1 John 3:1)
C. Every believer has been made acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (Eph. 1:6)
II. We are Called of God
A. Throughout time God has been calling people to Himself.
1. OT – Isaiah 45:22; 55:6; Ezek. 33:11;
2. NT – Matt. 11:28; Jn. 7:37;
B. All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:13)
III. We are Called Saints
A. Saints – Gk. Hagios – has basic meaning of being “set-apart”
B. OT – Many things were divinely set apart by God for His own purposes.
1. The tabernacle & the Temple
2. The ark of the covenant
3. Holy of Holies
4. Tribe of Levi for priesthood
5. Nation of Israel for His people
C. NT – Tabernacle, Temple, ark no longer exist. God’s only truly holy things on earth today are His people, those whom He has graciously set apart through J.C. The new temple of God and priesthood are His church. (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:5,9)
In a beautiful benediction to his introductory remarks, Paul says, “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. The only people who can receive the marvelous blessings of grace and peace are those who are the beloved, the called, and the holy ones of God. Only they can truly call God their Father, because only they have been adopted into His divine family through His true Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have been blessed with the privilege of being loved by God. A.W. Tozer has said: “The love of God is one of the great realities of the universe, a pillar upon which the hope of the world rests. But it is a personal, intimate thing too. God does not love populations, He loves people. He loves not masses, but men.”
