Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)

How sweetly does every believer remember our Lord’s life in the flesh. How happy we are that He has obtained the righteousness of God by His faithfulness and obedience to God as our representative.  How precious are our thoughts of His blood offering by which He has purged our sins and satisfied the justice of God on our behalf. (Romans 3:22; Hebrews 1:3)

But remember, believer, that this same Jesus who was sent of God to accomplish our salvation He has raised up for our justification.  Hold fast this truth of our text that God has exalted our Savior and set Him over all things in time and eternity.  Our Lord Jesus was surely crucified and He truly died on the tree as He bore our sins in His own body.  But our hope of His victory and accomplishment of salvation is that God has raised Him from the dead, and now He lives at the right hand of God to make intercession for us. (Romans 4:25; Acts 2:32-36)

This same Jesus who said “I lay down my life for the sheep” also said, “I have power to lay it down and I have power to raise it up.” (John 10:16)
Therefore, believer, fear not for thy redeemer liveth and to Him is given all power in heaven and earth. (Job 19:25; Matthew 28:18) He not only holds us in His strong arms from which none can pluck us out, but he also in sovereign power ordains and controls all those circumstances and foes who seem to be against us. (John 10:27-30; Romans 8:31) Therefore in truth all things are for you, believer. All things are working together for your good and for an expected end, which is eternal life and eternal joy in the presence of Christ our Savior and, our Risen Lord. (1 Corinthians 3:21-22; Romans 8:28)

-Fred Evans

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: (Colossians 2:6) 

How did we receive Christ?  The scripture has said that “as many as received Him to them  gave he the power/right to be called the sons of God.  But we did not receive Christ by our own power.  We were not made the sons of God by blood nor by the will of the flesh nor by the will of man, but by the Sovereign Free Will and grace of God.  We received Christ and believed on Him by the Work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth.  (John 1:12-13; 3:5-8)

We by nature could not and would not receive Christ as all our salvation. (1 Cor. 2:14; Rom. 8:7) We like most religious men supposed Jesus to be a help to God.  That He by His work of redemption, and by our decision or work of the flesh God would be pleased to accept us.  But this natural religion is an abomination to God. (Prov. 11:1; 15:8) The unholy mixture of works and grace is a refuge of lies that will not stand in the day of Christ’s Judgment.  (Isa. 28:14-20; Rom. 11:5-6))

But God, who is rich in mercy, surprised us by His Grace.  He came in power and exposed the vanity of our false refuge.  He in grace disannulled our covenants of works and caused us to bow at the feet of the Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ.  Therefore, we came to Christ as the man Full of leprosy.  We came confessing Christ to be God manifest in the flesh.  We came in humility saying “Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.”

Then in grace we found the Lord Jesus not only able to save those that come to God by him to the uttermost, but we found that he is a very willing savior. (Luke 5:12-14)

“All that the Father giveth to me, shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in NO WISE CAST OUT! ( John 6:37)

We who have been born again of the Spirit of God have received him even because He has cleansed us from all unrighteousness by His death.  We receive Him because he has obtained and clothed us in the righteousness of God.

Oh the joy of his touch and the sweetness of his voice to all that have received him: I will be thou clean!

So then, how have we received him?  Only by the Free Grace of God through faith in Christ.  Therefore let us so walk in  Christ continually by faith, rooted and grounded in the gospel that we have both heard and received.  Let us who are saved by grace be gracious. (Php. 1:27)

-F.E