Radio Broadcast Tuesday 07/12/2022

Classic Christianity – A Closer Look at Your Identity in Christ P53 (07-12-22)

Everyone in Christ Jesus He Calls Us His Brothers and Sisters!

We are continuing in our study of a Closer Look at Your Identity in Christ. Bob continues the teaching in sharing a key part of the understanding that not only did we receive a full inheritance as a child of God in Christ Jesus, but that Jesus also inherited us. Now, that is just amazing, the Love that God has for us, to call us sons and daughters of God. We who are in Christ Jesus, are the brothers and sisters of Jesus himself. We are part of His family, and He inherited us!

Hebrews 2:11
¹¹ Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Listen in to today’s lesson, from the Bible study booklet, A Closer Look at Your Identity in Christ, available for purchase from our online Bob George Ministries ecommerce store.

Just as a person’s physical growth is based on proper diet and exercise, so is the Christians’s spiritual growth dependent on regular feeding upon the word of God and application of its principles. With more false teaching, shifting opinions and general confusion in the world than ever before, Christians need a solid foundation upon which to base their beliefs and build their lives. The word of God declares that Jesus Christ is that foundation of truth. With that in mind, let’s now take A Closer Look at Your Identity in Christ.

Bob George 0:44
We’re going to be picking up as you mentioned, on page 53 of our book, on our identity in Christ Jesus, one of the most exciting studies, I think of all the Bible studies that we do, we’ve been talking about a number of things that are involved in our inheritance in Christ Jesus, I think of the prayer that the apostle Paul was praying. And in chapter one of the book of Ephesians, beginning in verse 15, he said, For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and of your love for all of the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you remembering you in my prayers. Boy, Bob, no wonder if I ever heard about somebody having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, not in what I’m doing for him, but in what he’s doing to us, and loving one another, I’d be joyful and praying for him too. Because I can’t think of anything that would enlighten your heart any more than that, and cause you to rejoice in the LORD than realizing that your children are loving each other. Now, he said, I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. So what do we need the Spirit of revelation for? So that we get to know Him. Right. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, and the riches, and here’s an interesting, here’s an interesting observation here, the riches of HIS glorious inheritance in the saints. Now we know of our inheritance, but we didn’t realize that we were also a part of His inheritance, a little bit different slant than what you normally get. And it says of the incomparable uncomfortably great power. For us who believe the power is like the working of His mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at the right hand, in the heavenly realms far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in this present age, but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under His feet. And He appointed Him to be head of everything, for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him, who feels everything, in every way. And when we talk about the power of God, of course, that is explained more thoroughly over in the third chapter, when it’s dealing with the power that is necessary, from God to enable us to know the height and depth and breadth and width of the love of God. And then to know this love that surpasses knowledge. And the result of that is that we might be filled to the major with all of the fullness of God.

Bob George 3:33
So as we talk about our inheritance in Christ Jesus, you’re talking about how God wants us to know his inheritance. What good would it be if I was a father or a husband, and I left an inheritance to my children, but I instructed the attorney, don’t tell them what it is? I’m leaving all this money to my kids, but I won’t know anything about it. You see, as an attorney, his job would be to inform the children after my death because I certainly couldn’t inform them. So I’m going to inform them of this will that went into effect after I died. Not before I died. That’s why I can’t inform my kids. I can inform them what I’m going to put my will but they don’t knows for sure that’s true until the will’s read and they’re not going to hear they will read until I die. But how cruel would it be if the attorney didn’t tell them what was in the will? The kids could never take advantage of what had been given to them. And so the same thing is true in regard to our inheritance. Christ Jesus told us about what He was going to leave us but never in its fullness when he was here on earth. But when we found out about it was after His death, because as it says in Hebrews, that a will does not go into effect until the one who made it dies, never goes into effect by the one who made it is living. So what we’re studying in this series is in essence, our inheritance what it means to be as a child of God with the inheritance from God given to us freely and abundantly, and what he’s saying, I’m going to spend the rest of my life teaching you what that inheritance is. So you can enjoy it, you’re walking the newness of life, as a child of God should be walking. And also like this passage to let you know that my inheritance was you. In other words, I, you gave me something, and that’s yourself. And so I inherited you, I went, it’s like going into an orphanage. And so I’m going to, I’m going to adopt that person, I’m going to inherit them, I inherited you, and you inherited me. So it’s a wonderful thing to realize that this unbelievable relationship that we have with the Lord Jesus Christ, and, and and how many times having this marvelous relationship as the, the we as Christians just take either take it for granted or never have a clue what it is. And so if you take it for granted, you really can’t enjoy it, because you’re not grateful. And if you don’t know it’s there, how are you going to enjoy it, you don’t know it’s there. And so began, as we’ve talked about before, I think one of the reasons that God called this ministry into existence, and quite frankly, keeps it in existence, is because of the burning sensation that has been in my heart a conviction, to let people know who they have become in Christ Jesus, and to know of his unbelievable love.

Bob George 6:29
We have in our study here, we’ve studied about what it is to be a brand new creation in Christ Jesus, if any man be in Christ he is something brand new. And what enabled him to be brand new was entering into the new covenant in which God had prepared for everyone who would believe. That He had a foreknowledge of doing that, to the Hebrews and to the Gentiles, so that no one was excluded. And He put that into effect again on the day of His death. So by every man and woman, boy and girl on the face of this earth, and on this earth, would be able to come to Christ by faith in what He did for us at the cross, and His offer of life to us through His resurrection. So to anyone who receives that offer to receive that gift, who acknowledges that sees our own need for it and accepts it, we’re made into a new creation. Now, in that new creation, enveloped in this circle called the new Covenant, we have forgiveness. I don’t get it anymore. I have it. We’re as righteous as the one who made us righteous, so I don’t get righteous, nor do I get more righteous, nor do I get less righteous, I am as righteous as the One who made me that way. I didn’t deserve an ounce of this. I was reconciled, which is the same as being forgiven, that brought about a reconciliation. I don’t get more reconciliation, I don’t get less reconciliation. I am a reconciled, forgiven person. I am sanctified. And that’s what we’re going to be talking about today. We’ve been justified, been sanctified. Now. What does that mean? Well, it means you’ve been set apart, you’ve been made holy.

Bob George 8:12
And now why are these things important to know that these are every one of these deals are not these little dangling things out in space? But they’ve all been encircled under this thing called the New Covenant, which is Christ Jesus, and His provision for us. And why is that important for us to know and to understand those things? Well, because if we don’t know that it’s something that I already have, then I’m going to be spending the rest of my life instead of enjoying what I have, out trying to earn in order to get. So I’m going to be spending time out mowing the lawn of the bank, desperately painting it on the outside, in hopes of getting some of the money that’s in there in my bank account. And I’m going to be working to get instead of walking up and cashing a check, because it’s already there. And you can see why that would be somewhat important to grasp in regard to your lifestyle. Now, you could go down and say, Oh, look at that honorable person hard working dude out there. Look at him how hard he works and paints, what an honorable person. He had say, Well, yeah, it is good to work, but it’s pretty stupid doing what he’s doing for the purpose of earning money that’s already there. Now if because the money is already there, he’s just so grateful that it’s there. And he kind of likes the bank president. He says, You know what? I’m a good painter, and we’ll paint your building for you. Well, how come? Well, because one to. Well can I pay you. No, if you could pay me it wouldn’t be a gift. It’s just because I want to I’m just very grateful for what’s taking place in my life and how I have received all his money in your bank didn’t deserve it didn’t earn it. It’s just there. So I want to give something back. Well, then you’d look at the person and say, Man that really is an honorable guy. Now, from an outsider, both of them are working, both of them are painting, but for two entirely different motivations. And so from an outside observer, from our standpoint, looking at that activity, we really can’t judge why a person’s doing something. And it’s very difficult to judge why a Christian is doing something. But that person knows why he’s doing something. And so is the bank president know why he’s doing something. And it’s the same thing in our life. When I’m out working for God, I know why I’m working. And God knows why I’m working. But you don’t know for sure why I’m working. And you don’t need to know. And I don’t need to know why you are either that’s between you and God. But when you and I enter into a rest, called a Sabbath rest, where we rest from our works as He rested from His, it doesn’t mean that resting from your work means that you lay around in bed all day, lay on the top of the hill and gaze at the stars, become a kept person. That is not what that’s talking about. It means that you’re resting from your works in order to bring about something. And that means acceptance in the sight of God, I’m going to work to be accepted, I’m going to work to get this inheritance that he talked about, I’m going to work to get forgiveness. So in some cases, I’m going to crawl up steps on my knees until they bleed to try to get forgiveness. Martin Luther said he was constantly in prayer constantly trying to get his sins forgiven, until he understood the Bible. It’s amazing how that Bible will shed light on those commentaries and on tradition. And he finally went to the Bible to the source, not to someone’s interpretation, but to the source, which is the word of God and read there that you’re justified by faith. Said, What am I doing? And so his life changed as a result of that. You can look at that, as a person say, that’s a noble thing to do. Said, No wasn’t noble at all, it wasn’t being holy. He was the very opposite of being holy, being holy, is walking by faith in what you know to be true. And so God has said, I’ve set you apart. So how could I be being holy? If I’m trying to set myself apart? You’re not being holy, you’re being stupid, quite frankly.

Bob George 12:21
That’s what we’re talking about this thing of sanctification and holiness, which is being set apart. You cannot work at that, folks. Now, let me give you an example that, when God when you were born again, you were set apart from your lostness. Can you work at that? Can you work that? You were set apart from your death. I mean, could you look down at an old cadaver and a corpse and say, Boy, that guy worked his way back into life? No, you can’t. You can’t work for those things. It’s something that has to come from without. And so in Christ Jesus, set us apart, He set us apart from a world that is spiritually dead. By making us alive. Now I can’t work at that I didn’t earn that or deserve it. He set me apart when I came to Him by faith to do that. So the very moment that I stepped out of Adam into Christ, Christ stepped out of heaven into me, I was set apart from those who have not come to Christ by faith, and are therefore still dead as a hammer in their sins and the uncircumcision of their sinful nature. He set me apart.

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Bob George 13:53
Now it says, As a person who has been set apart, He called us, He saved us and called us to a set apart live a holy life. Now, I can’t work at that either. Now, let me give you an example of that again, let’s say that you and I grew up in an unbelievable, liberal political persuasion. And I tell you, we we made we made some of these liberal politicians, I mean, we just made him look like a conservative and compared to us, we’ve just very liberal. And let’s say that we started looking at life and we started seeing things from God’s perspective and seeing that man is sinful, and all have sinned and all have fallen short of the glory of God. Their hearts, without regeneration are wicked and deceitful above all things and who can know them? And you look at that type of thing. And suddenly you began saying, you know, this really doesn’t make a lot of sense with what the Scripture says about man because if man is truly sinful, How are they going to be improving themselves over time? And it seems like we’ve had enough time to show that doesn’t work. It seems like that just the advent in our country in the very short couple of 100 years, so that we’ve been around, has been Revolutionary Wars. It’s been Mexican American wars, it’s been civil wars. It’s been World War One, it’s been World War Two, it’s been Korea. It’s been Viet Nam. And now over in the Far East, it seems like people would get a glimpse that maybe there’s something wrong with human nature. And so I cannot adopt that philosophy, that political philosophy anymore, because it’s being replaced with something. And I began to really be drawn to more of a conservative mindset, as a result of my understanding of the word of God. Now, am I working the set myself? And let’s say you don’t go, you don’t go with that, man, you’re just still in the same old mindset? Am I gonna be being separated from you? In thought? Absolutely. Am I trying? No, I’m not trying. It’s just a byproduct of what I believe is going to separate me from what you and I both used to believe. Right. And so now, how much sense does it make for me to go out and say, I’m going to really work at trying to be separated from oh Bob, I’m going to really work at being separated from this evil world out there? You don’t need to work at that. It’s something that is a byproduct of your thinking, because it’s as man thinks in his heart, so is he. And so instead of trying, as many people are doing, trying to separate themselves from the world, by driving in a buggy instead of a car, wearing a certain sort of clothes, that instead of another kind of clothes, absolutely just adamant toward anything that would smell of alcohol, or, and again, I’m not advocating these things, folks. So don’t call in or write in on that one. I’m just saying, I’m going to separate myself by being this good person over here. Well, folks, if you’re really a good person, you don’t have to try to separate yourself from the world, you’re already separated, believe me in every way, shape, or form. You’re also deceived, because there aren’t any good people, according to Jesus. So what I’m getting at on this Bob, is we’re studying this thing of sanctification and holiness, because they’re all the same root. It is not a work that we do. It is a byproduct of who we are in Christ. So if I, if I have come to grips with, as we talked about, let’s just take some of these elements of forgiveness. If indeed, I understand that if I am in Christ, and I am in a new Covenant in that new Covenant, that states that my sins and lawless acts he will remember no more. And where these have been forgiven, there’s no longer any sacrifice for sins. And without the shedding of blood, which is a sacrifice, which there isn’t any more, there is no forgiveness. So if there is no more sacrifice, then that means there’s no more death. And therefore, there’s no more forgiveness to be executed, then I have to come to grips, do I not with the fact am I a new creation in Christ in the new Covenant, or aren’t I? And if I am, do I get forgiven? Or am I forgiven being?

Bob George 18:32
And I better think that through because the answer to that is going to determine whether I’m going to spend my life running to somebody for forgiveness of my sins, not because I’ve offended you, but get somebody out there as an intermediary to forget to get forgiveness, whether I’m going to be spending all my life like Martin Luther on his knees trying to get forgiveness, or whether I’m going to realize that by faith, I’ve been justified by faith. And God did that. And I am a forgiven person. I’m the way I believe is determined on how I’m going to live. So if I had been set apart from from God and from the world, and I am a forgiven person, what does it say? Live like that. Now isn’t that difficult?

Bob George 19:15
We’re studying 2nd Timothy 1:9, talking about Christ who has saved us and called us to a holy life. Again, he has made you holy. Hebrews 10:14 We studied that’s the next question by that will this new Covenant this new will and testament that we are under today, we have been made that’s not will be have been made holy, through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once and for all. In other words, it has happened, it’s done. It’s finished. Now what do you do 2nd Timothy 1:9 walk in it. He he did that, by that one offering He made you wholly through the sacrifice of His Body of Christ, you’re set apart. So he said, go ahead and be one of those. In other words, don’t work at it. Just be who you are, you know, in other words, being holy, is quit work and edit and just be who you are. Now at the very moment that I believed in Jesus, I was set apart from the world. And it says not because of anything we’ve done, but because of His own purpose and grace. So He set us apart, anyone coming to Christ, by faith was set apart for God’s purpose of grace to be able to, once again be God in His creation, to once again be able to, to, to live in His creation, and to express Himself, Himself to the world through His creation, so that a person looking at His creation could get a glimpse of the Creator, who is Spirit and cannot be seen. So He came to us and did what He did, so that the Creator who is Spirit and cannot be seen, can be seen and experience through His created beings. And so it was all for His purpose and grace, this grace was given to us in Christ Jesus it says before the beginning of time.

Bob George 21:05
Now we just talked about, Hebrews 10:14, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus, once and for all. Now, let’s go to the next question on page 53, which is Hebrews 2:11. It says in there, that both the one who makes men holy, now who’s that? God, He’s the one who made us that way. And those who are made holy, that’s us, are of the same family. Now if that doesn’t blow your mind, you don’t have one. Okay. Yeah. So in other words, who made me holy? God, He made me that way. And who did He make holy? Me. So the one who made me, and me are the same family. So what did he do? Well, it’s back to that inheritance. It’s back to that thing of, we became His inheritance, and we received His inheritance. So we got each other, the mystery to be is what He wanted with us. But He said I did. Your my creation. And I love, you were born into this world, and Adam, dead, without hope. And that’s where we see the mercy of God, of God looking down on His creation, and seeing, There’s no way that those people, in that fallen state, can ever come into contact, and to know and experience a living God living in them, which is what I created them for. No way in the world that those people can ever walk free from condemnation. No way to do that, because they’re guilty. So how are you going to live free of condemnation? There’s no way for them to ever live. Like my, like Jesus came to live because he did not come born in Adam. That’s why his virgin birth is not up for grabs. They see the beauty of that life. They see the desirability of that life. I believe, deep down and each and every one of us, we would really like to be a good person. I remember, as a kid, I wanted to be good. I’d like to be able to be generous, I’d like to be able to be helping people in need, all of those things are desires of our hearts, but we can’t pull it off. And so we just give up. So he said, These people are in a desperate condition. And because of His mercy, and His kindness and his love toward us, he came down and entered into our humanity with us so that we can enter into His deity with Him. And so the one who was able to make me a new creature, set me apart, and the one who He sets apart, are of the same family. And that’s why I can walk into His presence calling Him Daddy Father. And it says, so Jesus is not ashamed to call them what? Brothers. So when you, when you stop to think of this whole transaction that has taken place, is how Jesus said, I don’t call you my servants anymore, I call you, my friends. You’re a part of my family now.

Bob George 24:18
I Jesus am the first born from among the dead. Now what in the world does that mean? Well, how are we all born dead? Who was the first born alive from among the dead? Jesus. Adam was the first man ever created alive. Jesus is the only man ever born alive spiritually, the first born from among the dead. So in as much as He was the first born from among the dead, when we are born again from the dead, we’re now brothers with the one who made us alive.

Bob George 24:59
Now, let’s go to 1st Corinthians 1:2. It says to the, to the Church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Jesus Christ, set apart and called to be holy, to call to be set apart, together with all of those everywhere who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, their God and ours. So this is an extremely interesting statement in as much as you go into the book of Corinthians, and there after that statement, you will begin to see in the second chapter even in the first chapter is talking about people that feuding and fighting and fussing with each other, people demanding miraculous signs that don’t know the Lord at all. In the second chapter, talking about cockiness and arrogance on the part of people. In third chapter talking about divisions in the church, talking about ignoring the apostolic authority that was so obvious in the Apostle Paul and the others, talking about people literally having incest in the church and being then and and says, being proud about it. Lawsuits among believers, all kinds of sexual immorality, divorce talked about in there, it sounds like good old day in Dallas, and all of these things taking place. And what does he call these people who are doing all of those things? But he called them Saints, people who were sanctified in Jesus, called to be holy, but we’re certainly not living according to their calling. But still call them what? Saints. Were they less set apart? No, you were set apart. As we talked about, as we talked about before, you were you were set apart for His own purpose and grace, and obviously engaging in those things, you’re not carrying out his purpose in grace at all.

Thank you so much for tuning in to Classic Christianity, with Bob George. We hope you’ve enjoyed today’s program. We truly hope that today’s message has inspired you to walk a life of faith in the Lord, find more information online at shop.BobGeorge.net. There you’ll also find available CDs, DVDs, and bible studies available for purchase. It’s through your help that we are able to spread the good word of Jesus Christ. Until next time, walk in faith, be good to one another and praise the Lord. Amen.