There is no more perfect gift than the free gift of Salvation. If we have confessed our sins and turned to the One True God of Heaven. If we are rejuvenated in the inner man and are born again, having accepted the forgiveness provided freely for ALL humanity for ALL time on the Cross, we will send eternity in the Holy Presence of God the Father.
Another thing to think about this "Perfect Gift" is "Imputation". Romans 5:12-21 reminds us that we are born in the original sin of Adam and we have deserved judgment heavily in our debt column, which we cannot pay. The First Adam's sin is imputed to every single human who has lived since Creation and th Fall. But then comes the Cross of Christ, where the Savior of the Universe willingly gave up His Own Godly Life for you and I personally, and all mankind in general. This Cross is where the Second Adam took His pure and sinless righteousness and gave it to us for free to justify (make us right) in the Eyes of God, when we have become forgiven and born again.
We know from 2 Corinthians 5:21 that "He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. But it gets even better...and for the following, we must be SO ETERNALLY GRATEFUL! Several years ago, a man names Lewis Sperry Chafer wrote an amazing piece on the incredible gifts God gives to each of His children whom He calls to His side. These 39 things are worthy of yours and my study and eternal gratitude, for which we will continue to praise into Eternity and beyond. As we go through these 39 things, let us remain amazed for the rest of our life, at the Manner of Love and Grace which has been credited (and imputed) to our eternal account, when we did not deserve 1% of it! This should make us humble and cause us to fall to our faces before Holy God, as we sing His Praises:
1. The believer resides in the eternal plan of God. (He shares the destiny of Christ) We are:
c. Predestined: (Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:5; Eph 1:11; 1Pe 1:2)
d. Chosen: (Matt 22:14; 1Pe 2:4)
e. Called: (1Th 5:24)
2. The believer is reconciled (Removal of the barrier between man and God)
a. By God: (2Co 5:18-19; Col 1:20)
b. To God: (Rom 5:10; 2Co 5:20; Eph 2:14-17)
3. The believer is redeemed (Purchased from the slave market of sin): (Rom 3:24; Col 1:14; 1Pe 1:18)
4. The believer’s condemnation, (Eternal judgment in the Lake of fire) is removed: (John 3:18; John 5:24; Rom 8:1)
5. All sins are judged by the substitutionary Spiritual death of Christ on the cross: (Rom 4:25; Eph 1:7; 1Pe 2:24)
6. Every believer receives propitiation for sins (God satisfied with the work of His Son): (Rom 3:25-26; 1Jn 2:2; 1Jn 4:10)
7. The believer is dead to the old life, (The old sin nature) but alive to God (Retroactive positional Truth)
8. The believer is free from the Mosaic Law. He is
a. Dead: (Rom 7:4)
b. Delivered: (Rom 6:14; Rom 7:6; 2Co 3:6-11; Gal 3:25)
9. The believer is regenerated: (John 13:10; 1Co 6:11; Tit 3:5)
b. A child of God: (Gal 3:26)
10. The believer is adopted by God (Placed as adult sons because of positional Truth): (Rom 8:15; Rom 8:23; (Future) Eph 1:5).
c. Perfected forever: (Heb 10:14)
d. Qualified for inheritance: (Col 1:12)
12. The believer is justified (Declared righteous): (Rom 3:24; Rom 5:1;Rom 5:9; Rom 8:30; 1Co 6:11; Tit 3:7)
13. The believer receives the unique availability of Divine power: (2Pe 1:3)
14. The believer is guaranteed a heavenly citizenship based on reconciliation: (Luk 10:20; Eph 2:13; Eph 2:19; Php 3:20)
16. The believer is transferred into God’s kingdom: (Col 1:13)
18. Every believer is a gift from God the Father to Christ: (John 10:29; John 17:2; John 17:6; John 17:9; John 17:11-12; John 17:24)
20. Every believer is appointed a priest unto God. We are:
a. A holy priesthood: (1Pe 2:5)
21. The believer receives eternal security: (Rom 8:32; Rom 8:38-39; Gal 3:26; 2Ti 2:13)
22. The believer is given access to God: (Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; Heb 4:14; Heb 4:16; Heb 10:19-20)
23. Every believer is within the “much more” grace care of God: (Rom 5:9-10)
b. Objects of His grace (1) For salvation: Eph 2:8-9; (2) For keeping: (Rom 5:2; 1Pe 1:5) (3) For service: (John 17:18; Eph 4:7) (4) For instruction: (Tit 2:12)
e. Objects of His peace: (John 14:27)
f. Objects of His consolation: (2Th 2:16)
24. The believer is beneficiary of an inheritance as heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ: (Rom 8:17; Eph 1:14; Eph 1:18; Col 3:24; Heb 9:15; (1Pe 1:4)
25. Every believer has a new position in Christ: (Eph 2:6)
a. We are partners with Christ in life: (Col 3:4)
b. Partners with Christ in service: (1Co 1:9) (1) Workers together with God: (1Co 3:9; 2Co 6:1) (2) Ministers of the New Covenant: (2Co 3:6) (3) Ambassadors: (2Co 5:20) (4) Living epistles: (2Co 3:3) (5) Ministers of God: (2Co 6:4)
26. Believers are recipients of eternal life: (John 3:15; John 10:28;John 20:31; 1Jn 5:11-12)
27. The believer is created a new Spiritual species: (2Co 5:17)
29. The believer is united with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We are:
b. In Christ: (John 14:20; cf., “Christ in you,” Col 1:27) (1) A member in His Body: (1Co 12:13) (2) A branch in the Vine: (John 15:5) (3) A stone in the Building: (Eph 2:21-22; 1Pe 2:5) (4) A sheep in the Flock: (John 10:27-29) (5) A portion of His Bride: (Eph 5:25-27; Rev 19:6-8)
(6) A priest of the kingdom of priests: (1Pe 2:9) (7) A saint of the “new species:” (2Co 5:17) In the Holy Spirit: (Rom 8:9) “the Spirit in you.”
30. Every believer is the recipient of the ministries of the Holy Spirit. He is
a. Born of the Spirit: (John 3:36)
e. Given Spiritual gifts: (1Co 12:11; 1Co 12:27-31; 1Co 13:1-2)
31. The believer is glorified: (Rom 8:30)
32. The believer is complete in Christ: (Col 2:10)
33. The believer is possessor of every Spiritual blessing granted in eternity past: (Eph 1:3)
34. The believer receives a human spirit (The basis for Operation Z, along with the Holy Spirit): (Rom 8:16; 1Co 2:12; 2Co 7:13; 1Th 5:23)
36. The believer is the recipient of efficacious grace: (Eph 1:13)
37. The believer is guaranteed a resurrection body forever: (John 11:25)
38. The believer is the beneficiary of unlimited atonement: (2Co 5:14-15; (2Co 5:19; 1Ti 2:6; 1Ti 4:10; Tit 2:11; Heb 2:9; 2Pe 2:1; 1Jn 2:2)
39. The believer has equal privilege and equal opportunity under election and predestination.
BONUS....AND THIS IS A PERMANENT IRREVOCABLE GIFT:
40. The ten problem-solving devices are available to every believer. They are
a. Rebound: (1Jn 1:9)
b. Filling of the Holy Spirit: (Eph 5:18)
c. Faith-rest drill: (Heb 4:1; Heb 4:10-11)
d. Grace orientation: (Jas 4:6)
e. Doctrinal orientation: (Rom 12:2)
f. Personal sense of destiny: (Php 1:21)
h. Impersonal love for all mankind: (Jas 2:8)
1. Sharing the happiness of God, +H: (John 15:11)
j. Occupation with Christ: (Eph 3:19)
Compiled by Lewis Sperry Chafer Revised by R. B. Thieme, Jr.
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