Now

Sermon or study outline

[To be a Christian is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also to be the recipient of the multi-faceted salvation which God planned in eternity and implemented through the death of his Son. The blessedness of this salvation is already ours now even though we still live in the presence of sin and suffering, and wait for the final consumation of salvation with the return of Christ in glory and in judgement.]

The New Testament teaches:

Romans 3:21 - NOW a righteousness from God apart from law has been made known

Romans 5:9 - being NOW justified by his blood we are saved from God's wrath through Christ

Romans 7:6 - NOW we have been released from the law so that we can serve in the new way of the Spirit

Romans 8:1 - there is therefore NOW no condemnation for those who are in Christ

Ephesians 5:8 - NOW we are light in the Lord, children of light

Colossians 1:21,21 - once we were alienated from God: NOW we are reconciled to him through Christ's death

1Peter 2:10 - once we were not a people: NOW we are the people of God

1Peter 2:10 - once we had not received mercy: NOW we have received mercy

1John 3:2 - NOW we are the children of God

This radical gospel and the radical change it has wrought in our standing before God, has a purpose:

Ephesians 3:10 - that NOW, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms.