Why Should You Learn and Study About the Providence of God?

1. To reject the blasphemous statement that God is the author of evil.
2. To demonstrate that God’s eternal power to sustain is just as great as his power to create.
3. To deepen our convictions regarding the absolute autonomy of God and the ultimate subordination of creation to him. 

The purpose of the mission of the Son is itself grounded in the love of God the Father. This emphasizes and intensifies the love of God. It is God's conscious, free will to love. God's love displayed through the sending of his one and only Son is not based on the loveliness of the people nor their potential, but rather due to God's own character of love. These are the last words of the Lord Jesus with Nicodemus about the new birth and God's mission of redemption.

Good Friday is the day we reflect and, with deep gratitude, celebrate the once-for-all sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on the cross for our debt of sin. Elder David Payan takes us through a Biblical understanding of the meaning of 'propitiation', a word that sadly is missing from many churches' vocabulary today. Yet rich in meaning and essential in application, the propitiation done by Christ is central to the gospel.

Psalm 118 is a psalm of the Lord Jesus himself. He was surrounded by enemies, attacked by Satan, the spiritual leaders of his did not seek his wisdom or his divine power, rather they sought his death.

Yet, this death would mean the demise of this priest-prophet-king, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus would signal to the entire world that he was the Messiah and that the Father exalted the Lord Jesus to his right hand. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

The exaltation of the Son of Man draws men to the cross and then to the empty tomb.

The Father gives faith – the Son procures atonement and ransom; the Spirit unites the believer to Christ.

The union of believers with Christ furnishes the basis for the spiritual unity of all believers, and consequently for the communion of the saints. They are animated by the same spirit, filled with the same love, stand in the same faith, are engaged in the same warfare, and are bound for the same goal – [eternal life in the Kingdom of God] - Louis Berkof

7 Key Roles of the Holy Spirit

Regeneration and the New Birth (New Heart – New Mind) - The Spirit brings about the "new birth," giving spiritual life to those who are dead in sin.

Conviction and Conversion – [John 16: Sin, Righteousness, Judgement] - leading them to repentance and enabling them to trust in Christ. He enables individuals to confess that "Jesus is Lord".

Sanctification and Transformation [Adoption – higher than Justification – J.I. Packer - After conversion, the Spirit dwells within believers, progressively transforming them to be more like Jesus, enabling them to produce the "Fruit of the Spirit".

Union with Christ [next week – DV] - The Holy Spirit acts as the bond by which believers are united to Christ. He takes what belongs to Christ and makes it known to the believer.

Sealing and Guarantee - The Holy Spirit is the "seal" or "earnest" (deposit) on a believer's life, guaranteeing their final salvation and possession of all promised blessings.
Assurance - The Spirit bears witness with the spirits of believers that they are children of God. He also helps in times of weakness, interceding for believers in prayer.
Empowerment – Mission - The Spirit empowers Christians to bear witness to the gospel and provides spiritual gifts for the edification of the church.

1. New Life is a Liberated Life.
2. New Life is a Sanctified Life.
3. New Life is a Fruitful Life

Covenant Redeemer Baptist Church website - https://www.covenantredeemerbaptistchurch.org/
Covenant Redeemer Baptist Church YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CovenantRedeemer
New Antioch Institute website - https://newantiochinstitute.com/
Pastor Tim's email: [email protected]

So What?

• Christians need to grow in their faith - if you’re not firm in yoru faith, you will be lead astray by false teaching and get yourself into a heap of trouble and headaches.
• Discipleship in the Christian life is not optional - you need to strengthen your roots in the faith for your and future generations.
• The issue is not a matter of a lack of skill - rather it's a lack of will.

Then What?

• Get into reading your Bible
  • Bible Reading Plans
    • Whole Year vs Slow Read
  • No one’s asking you to memorize the entire Psalms by summer!
  • You will be amazed at how much you can connect by consistent reading and thinking.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you learn - after all He wrote it!
• Get a study Bible
  • Link to Matthew Everhard’s study Bible review - here - https://www.youtube.com/@MatthewEverhard 
• Take a class
  • NAI
• Find a free class online from a solid, reliable, Biblically-faithful institution

1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Titus 3:4–7 (ESV)

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.