head>
"CONSIDER IT DONE"
MICHAEL F BLUME
OCTOBER 31, 1999 pm
Roma 6:3-11 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
To say, "Consider it done," is to use a form of expression.
- One can be counted on to such an extent that anyone wishing one to do a thing might as well consider it already done.
- But to speak about some of the things of God, it is not merely a form of expression.
- It is actually done.
We have been learning and speaking a lot about the death, burial and resurrection of the believer with Christ. - Paul spoke of this in the text we read tonight.
- We have been baptized into Jesus' death, so we must consider it done, as far as being dead goes.
- All mankind must die due to sin.
- The Old Testament stated that the soul that sinneth shall die.
- Death is the penalty for sin.
- And it does not matter if you committed SINS or not, this is about SIN and not SINS.
- SINS are actions people commit as opposed to the PRINCIPLE OF SIN that works in a person.
- Without having committed any SINS, we are still born in SIN.
- And for that we must die.
- Adam made us all sinners.
Like a looming monster at the end of earth's journey, death stands ahead of mankind. - Every single person will confront death.
- What a dread!
- What a gloomy future!
Hebr 9:27 ...it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Not only do we have to deal with DEATH, but we read that all people must also be JUDGED. Thank God that He chose to do something about this.
- He was not going to leave humanity in a state of having to die and be judged.
- Jesus came to deal with this problem.
Hebr 9:27-28 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Because it was appointed for all men to die and then be judged, Jesus came. - And Jesus did something about that by offering himself once to bear the sins of many people.
- Do you realize that accepting Jesus' death as your own death is actually having that death count as your own death?
- The death that every person is due to experience is actually accomplished already for those who accept the Gospel and obey it.
- You can say that you already died if you believed, because you were baptized into Jesus' death.
- His death became your death.
- You were united to Him.
- It is so complete a union that God counts you dead already.
- You have no need to die a second death, because it is appointed to men ONCE TO DIE.
- You fulfilled your appointment already!
- CONSIDER IT DONE!
Furthermore, you were already judged, too.
- The Law of God first given to man by Moses has dominion over a man so long as he lives.
- And that law was a strict law.
Roma 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?
Under Law, you had to work your way to righteousness. - You had to earn your escape from sin.
- Law has dominion over you so long as you live.
- But read this...
Roma 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
How can it be said that we are not under Law, if Law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? - Well, we DIED with Jesus if we believe the Gospel and live for God.
- So law lost it s dominion over us.
- Those who never accept Jesus Christ, though, are those who have law over them, demanding them to be good.
Satan planned his scheme ingeniously. - He knew how holy God was.
- He knew that if man sinned, God would throw a law upon man that man could never keep, because if sin is instilled within a person, no matter how sincere that person is, that one will never be able to keep a holy law.
- He lured mankind into a lie, and saw God put man under law.
- Satan felt he had man trapped forever.
- But Satan was stunned when God made a way for man to be able to say that he died, freeing him from law, and left alive to be able to live on earth and enjoy life.
God made a way for you to die and yet live. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
We were already judged, too! - The judgment of our sins fell upon Jesus Christ, and He even descended into Hell as us.
Isai 53:4-6 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
He was judged for us. Those who reject Jesus are those who feel they can face life on their own, and most do not even believe they will face judgment in the end.
- But there will be no unbelievers on judgment day.
Reve 20:11-15 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Notice that these people at this judgment are judged according to their works. - The New Testament is not a message of salvation by works.
- It is not of works lest any man should boast.
- Does that negate the Law and make the Law wrong when it said we must work for salvation?
- No.
- Jesus lived a perfect life.
- He fulfilled the Law perfectly.
- And when we are united to Him, we are then made recipients of the reputation that we lived a perfect life to satisfy the law, also.
- We shared His death and His sinless life.
Those who rejected Jesus and thought they could run their own lives successfully, will have to face God and be judged by their works for they are still under law. - Only those who died are freed from law.
- We died with Jesus Christ and were already judged with HIm on the cross.
- But the rest of the human race will stand for themselves on judgment day.
- And none of them will pass that test.
We already learned that we cannot save ourselves, and we accepted Jesus' sacrifice. - So we will not even be judged at this white throne!
So far as judgment is concerned, CONSIDER IT DONE. SO we are already dead, buried, resurrected and judged.
- BUT THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS WE CAN CONSIDER AS DONE, ALSO.
1Pet 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Read that last clause carefully! - YE WERE HEALED.
- Not "GOING TO BE HEALED."
The death I had to face in the future became something I can CONSIDER AS DONE since I united to Jesus. - Same with the judgment that was facing me in the future.
But that is not all that we can consider as done. - The same blood that washed my sins away when I was saved, that was taken to be MY BLOOD, in the sense that I can say I DIED with Jesus, is also the BLOOD THAT HEALS ME.
- And since the blood that saves and heals was shed all at the one time on the cross, I CAN SAY THAT I AM ALREADY HEALED.
Sound stranger? - It might at first.
- But think of the death you had to experience in the future.
- You had that removed into the past, when Jesus history became your history when you were baptized into His death.
- So something from the future became your past.
- You do not have to die now.
- Same with healing.
- Before you are even sick, as far as healing is concerned, CONSIDER IT DONE.
- God took care of your death and judgment on the cross.
- But He also took care of your diseases and sicknesses.
- YOU WERE HEALED before you even got sick!
- For that matter, BEFORE YOU WERE EVEN BORN!!!
We have been exerting faith and believing we already died, were buried and resurrected. - But now let us go a bit further with our faith and start believing God that we were already healed, by the same principle of faith.
Want healing? - Throw it from the future into the past to the cross of Jesus, claim that death for yourself, and know you were already healed.
- THAT IS THE KIND OF FAITH WE NEED TO EXERT.
It is not so strange, because we exerted that so far as believing we died with Jesus. That is the reason Peter said WE WERE HEALED, past tense.
BUT THAT IS NOT ALL WE CAN CONSIDER AS BEING DONE.
1Joh 4:1-4 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
After speaking about antichrists we shall face in this world, John said, WE HAVE OVERCOME THEM.
- Before we even face them, we HAVE OVERCOME THEM already.
- How?
- The same way that we already DIED, were JUDGED and were HEALED, we already OVERCAME the enemies of our soul.
If Stan reminds you of your past life of in, you turn around and remind him of your past, too. - Sound strange?
- It really isn't.
- Your TRUE PAST IS THAT YOU DIED TO SIN AND WERE BURIED AND RESURRECTED INTO NEWNESS OF LIFE.
- Remind the devil of that.
- He knows about it, but he is hoping you don't!!!
You are linked to Jesus. - When you were baptized into His death, you took His history as your own.
- He overcame death, hell and the grave.
- And since you're linked to HIm, you already overcame before you face any threat today!!!
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
HOw can we be of good cheer upon hearing of tribulations we shall suffer, just because Jesus overcame the world? - THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY.
- WE ARE UNITED TO JESUS.
Reve 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
We are not GOING TO OVERCOME. "Through Christ" means that His experience has been made my own to such an extent that I can say I DIED ON THE CROSS. That is what prayer "IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST" is all about.
- We SHOULD be thinking that we have a right to our needs that we pray for, when we pray in Jesus' name, because THROUGH HIM, and THROUGH OUR UNION TO HIM, they are our's.
Worried about DEATH TO COME? - CONSIDER IT DONE.
- What about saints who die?
- They are ASLEEP.
- Christians are termed to be those who SLEEP when they die..
- They already DIED long ago, but they simply lay down their worn out bodies and await to rise from the grave and continue in the ETERNAL LIFE THAT GOD GAVE THEM WHEN HE FIRST SAVED THEM.
- WE ARE NOT GOING TO GET ETERNAL LIFE, WE HAVE IT SINCE WE WERE SAVED..
Worried about judgment? Worried about sickness Worried about overcoming?