Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– A.W. Pink
Rescued
The Apostle Paul says to those who have rejected the righteousness of God, that in “your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (Rom 2:5), and “He will render to each one according to his works” (Rom 2:6), but for those who have trusted in Christ, God has placed our sins upon Him Who “knew no sin, so that we might become the righteousness of Christ” (2nd Cor 5:21)…and rescued from the wrath of God. That’s a great reason to rejoice.
Regenerated
When the Holy Spirit comes into a person’s heart, He convicts them of their sin, just as the Apostle John quoted Jesus as saying, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:18). This is where regeneration begins, where God gives us a new heart and new desires with that new heart (Ezk 36:26). It will be a regenerated heart that will seek to obey God. Rejoice that you have a new heart, and a heart that seeks to please God.
Redeemed
The Apostle Peter wrote that God saved you and me, but “not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot” (1st Pet 1:18b-19). Like Boaz was Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, Jesus is our Redeemer, Who redeemed our soul from the pit of hell. Rejoice about that!
Ransomed
Jesus was trying to teach His disciples about servanthood and that the greatest isn’t the one who has the most servants, but the one who serves the most. He said, “whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark 10:44), which is why He says, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). God redeemed you by the Son of God giving His life as a ransom for you, so you were bought with a very high price, and you do not belong to you but to Him (1st Cor 6:19). Rejoice that you have been redeemed.
Remember
It is not only a privilege to rejoice before the Lord, it is our Christian duty. Can we not stop and remember that “neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1st Cor 6:9-10), but we must not look down on those still trapped in their sin, because “such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1st Cor 6:11).
Conclusion
A.W. Pink is spot on in saying, “It is both his privilege and duty to rejoice in the Lord.” For one thing, we were rescued from the coming wrath of God; we were regenerated by God’s Holy Spirit; we were ransomed by Jesus giving His own life; and so remember that we too had the wrath of God abiding on us, but “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1st Cor 6:11). Rejoice in that my friend; again I say, rejoice!
