I’ve been pitiful at committing time to write (or to finish things I’ve begun to write) this year. Yet, redeemably, I have spent a copious amount of time reading and I hope to bring my learning and thoughts to fruition here in the coming days.
I briefly write to you now because in the material I’ve been mulling over in the past few months I’ve found profound encouragement and edification. In the lives and teachings of faithful saints gone before I’ve found myself sweetly reminded of the wonderful simplicity of the gospel––that God, in Christ, justifies the ungodly and offers reconciliation to all. I’ve highlighted one such example in the lines to follow.
In The Glory of Christ John Owen wrote of a wonderful truth made possible by Christ’s atoning work. He said,
“The glory of Christ is also seen in the stability and security that is given to the whole new creation. The first creation was glorious. But everything depended on God under a covenant of obedience. Everything was brought down by the sin of angels and men. But now everything that belongs to this new creation, including every believer in the world, as well as the angels in heaven, being gathered together under this one head (Jesus), are all infallibly kept from ever being ruined by sin again. In this new head all is ‘established, strengthened and settled’, and that is for ever (1 Peter 5:10)”.1
Truly Owen reminds us of something remarkable. Death has come to all men by the sin of Adam and no one is righteous, no one keeps God’s law, no one is justified by his own merit, and no one is obedient (Romans 3:10, 5:12). But because of Christ’s perfect righteousness and sacrifice those who embrace Christ by faith are forgiven and made children of God.
What wonderful news it is that upon our death or the Lord’s return we will be glorified (now only being sanctified and still at battle with sin) and made like Christ, kept for all eternity in this perfect, sinless state. In the new creation, nothing will ever be ruined by sin again because Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith––he brought it about and will forever see it through (Hebrews 12:12). Owen was indeed writing under a fitting and beautiful heading––the Glory of Christ.
1Owen, J. (2020). The Glory of Christ in Restoring All Things. In The Glory of Christ (pp. 100-101). Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth.
Corduroy Kid 
What a blessing to know that when I join Jesus in death or if He returns before then, I will not sin. Halleujah, Praise the Lord for what He did for all of us who believe.
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