SNT-0446-Degrees of Grace (Cummins)
Format: Mp3
Publication Date: 04-05-1970
Walter J. Cummins graduated from the Power for Abundant Class in 1962.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Ohio State University in 1968 and his Master of Education degree in Secondary School Administration in 1978 from Wright State University.
He was ordained to the Christian by The Way International in 1968. He has studied at The Way International under Victor Paul Wierwille and K.C.Pillai. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he was director of the Research department of the Way International and served as assistant to the president.
SNT-446DegreesofGrace(Cummins) DRAFT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: grace, Pentecost, favor, divine favor, rewards, receive, sufficiency, justified
Greetings on this wonderful Sunday evening is too bad it can't be filled up like last Sunday, as Peter mentioned earlier, I guess Easter sometimes the only time some people come out, I don't know, I didn't think that was true around the way. But nevertheless, I'm so glad to see all of you wonderful people here. You love God, love his word wasn't quite as strong on that last day. I think of the foundational class, and what this foundational class does for people, the answers that it gives them to what they need in life, people are looking for something right? They're looking for answers. This is why they say why not go to dope? You know, I mean, some groups, they look, they're looking for answers. So they go to dope, or narcotics, whatever you have. Others are looking for answers in other ways. They go to this church and that church and another church, they're looking for answers, right? Other people are looking answers and for answers in different places. You name it, people are looking for answers. And God's word has the answers. And the foundational class class gives answers to people, right? For those of you that have been through it, you know that it does. For example, it gives you increased prosperity gives you the answers to this right?
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Not too sure about it? Well, it did when I took it, I'll tell you.
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How about health? Sure, because of the word. It's the word of God that's taught in this class, right? It's the word that makes no nice things to you, it tells you what's available, tells you how to receive it, and what to do with it after you've got it. Right. Okay, you want health? The foundational class tells you how to get it doesn't. You want money? That foundational class tells you how to get it. You want other needs met? You want to be able to separate truth from error. The foundational class does this doesn't. You want to be able to explain Bible contradictions? This is what the foundational class does, it tells you how it gives you the keys to unlocking this. It gives you answers. It's a class on keys, it's a class on answers. Because it teaches God's word. You know, in this administration, which we're in right now, the administration of grace, you all made it by grace, right? If it hadn't been for grace, I doubt if some of you have made it I wouldn't have. And I don't think many of you would, of course, I can't speak for you, I'll speak for myself. I know I wouldn't. But because of God's grace, and because of God's mercy, he loved me enough to save me. And then I make it. And I'd like to go into you just a little bit with this word, grace tonight. In the Greek the word is chorus, CH AR is CH AR is chorus. Chorus is translated grace. It's translated thank this translated pleasure and a couple other ways. But its basic meaning is grace. And Grace is the vine favor, divine favor. There was always favor in God's sight from the beginning of the world. God showed favor to people. People found favor in the eyes of God. But they never found favor, to the degree and to the extent that they did after the day of Pentecost. After the day of Pentecost, man, it was really grace. It was real divine favor, before that they had favor with God. But after Pentecost, man they really had. And this is the thing I'd like to go into you tonight with is this word chorus which is translated grace, which means divine favor. Chorus is used 11 times in the gospels 11 times in the gospels is used 153 times after Pentecost or after the gospel period. Which again, shows you what I said that it there was fear Before Pentecost, but not to the degree that they had it after Pentecost. It's used 153 times after that period and acts were the day of Pentecost came in Acts chapter two. Let's look at John chapter one, the Gospel of John.
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Very familiar verses scripture and John, the Gospel of John chapter one, verse 14. It says, And the Word was made flesh. And of course, you know from the foundational class that the word, what the words was made, is the words to become, the Word became flesh, the Word became flesh. Prior to this, we had the word, the written word, didn't we? We had God as the word the Lagace. But when Jesus was born, it says, The Word became what? Flesh, right? The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, fall of grace and truth. Now, notice, you have a parentheses in here, right? You have a parentheses, read it without the parentheses because a parentheses is a figure of speech, which adds something to it, in the middle of it, right. And you can read around that parentheses without detracting from the meaning look at it. It says the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. Now what was the word when had dwelt among us? Jesus Christ, right. And it says, He was full of what? grapes and fall of true fall of grace and truth. Okay, Jesus Christ was full of grace and truth. John bear witness of him and cried, saying, This was he of whom I speak, he that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fullness, have all we received, and grace for grace? For the Law was given by whom Moses, the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Okay, when did grace and truth come? What it says there, read it again. Make sure grace and truth came by whom the law came by who? Is there a difference between the law and the grace? Right? Sure, law came with Moses, but grace and truth came with Jesus Christ. Now, before Jesus Christ came, they had favor with God. There was grace, through a degree, it was favor. God had favor upon people, certain groups of people. But after Jesus Christ made it available on the day of Pentecost, look what you have by grace, by divine favor. It says, We're what? saved by grace, right. And it's freely given. freely given. It's by grace since the day of Pentecost, since Jesus made it available. And remember, you can't have something unless it's what available, right? It says, grace and truth came by whom? by Jesus Christ. Well, let's look at Luke chapter six.
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Go from John to Luke chapter six. Now, after looking, when did Grace come? I mean, real Grace says grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Now exactly what is grace? Or exactly what does it mean when I say divine favor? You know what favorites if you have favorites on For someone how many of you have favorites? You know people who prefer one above another?
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Like you think your kids are better than the neighbors that favor Oh, I don't know. Well, let's check it out and Luke here. What is real grace or real favor? Luke chapter six
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verse 32
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Pour if he loved them, which love you What? Thank heavy guess what the word thank is Grace Yes. Chorus. Grace. What grace heavy for sinners also love them. Love those that love them. Look it by love you because you're going to love me. That's the natural thing to do, right? That's not grace. Because sinners also do the same thing. Sure. know a lot of people NOT BORN AGAIN of God's Spirit, who love people and they get love back nothing. So if you love some someone, expecting them to love you. That's not grace. That's just a natural thing to do. My wife and I do it all the time. You love expecting love and that's not grace. Grace is when you love not necessarily expecting love in return. That's great. That's divine love showing real favorite of someone. You can love somebody not expecting that individual love you back. Since knowledge Wise, who wouldn't love you back anyway? That's grace. That's favorite. That's divine thing. Look at 33 and if you do good to them, which do good to you? What grace heavy, what divine favors that. For sinners also do even the same? Sure they do good for someone else got to do good for them. Sure, Honor among Thieves. If one thief didn't trust another thief, they couldn't follow a job right? Try it? Well, don't try it. If one thief doesn't trust another thief, they can't pull off that job. That's right. He has to trust the other guy that when they go into that bank, and he's gonna sick the bank and the tellers knows not in his, they got to work together. They trust each other. Sure they do good to one another. Well, that's right. That's a natural thing to do. But that's not great. Grace is when you do good to someone, not necessarily expecting someone to do good back to you. Least from that source. When you do good to someone else, not expecting that person to do good back. That's great. That's faith. That's divine thing. And if you lend to them, of who knew hope to receive what grace have you, for sinners also lend to sinners to receive as much again? Sure. Can I borrow $5? Sure, when you're going to pay me back. That's what you go to the loan company and want to know when you're going to pay him back, right? Sure. You lend to someone expecting to receive in return, that's not grace. But when you give to someone not expecting it back from that source, that's grace. That's showing divine favor. Think of these three things. When you love expecting love in return or do good expecting good in return, or land expecting to receive from someone. That's the natural thing to do. That's not great. But when you love someone, when you do good to someone, when you learn or give to someone not expecting to receive from that individual. That's great. That's divine favor. You want to know why grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Where were the people when he was loving them on the cross? You think he loved you when he was on the cross? Where were the people and weren't there where they were in a place to be found? They were hiding Peter to you know when Jesus was on the cross Was he doing good to people?
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Are you sure?
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You Bet Your Life. If he wasn't doing good, why, man, you might as well walk out the back door and go home. We don't have anything to offer. That's right. But because of what he did. We've got something right. He was doing good. But where were the people when he was doing good for him? They weren't to be found. When Jesus was on the cross, was he giving or making something available to people? Uh huh. Sure. And you speak in tongues? You have to prove, don't you? Okay, he was doing good. The people wasn't Jesus. He was giving or making something available to these people. Where were the people? They weren't to be found. They were gone. Jesus when He was on the cross, in His ministry here upon earth, he loved people. He did good. The people did nothing but good the people. And he gave or made available things for people. And not just some things, he made available. Everything that's good. He loved them, he did good for them. And he made available that which is good for them. And when he was loving these people doing good for these people, giving to people, the people were not to be found. He loved them. But he wasn't getting anything back directly from them. Look at that last verse again. 34 says if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, you lend to those or give to those of whom you expect to receive back again, that's not grace. That's not favor. That's just giving it are expected to come right back. I know somebody who will lend you $5 any day of the week, the next day is on the phone trying to call you back to get it back from you. That's not grace. But grace is when you give it to somebody lovingly, not expecting to receive it back from that individual assume that there's a key involved here. Says, lend to those of whom you hope to receive what grace heavy for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much not more, you know, interest again. But he says, Love your enemies. Love your enemies, and do good. And lend, hoping for nothing again, and what your what your reward shall be, what great, shall be what? Great, your reward shall be great. When you learn or give or do good. Not expecting from that individual back again. In other words, you don't have strings attached to it. You're not giving a gift and say, Look, I want to write back within five days again, or you do something to that individual, that's good. And say, Well, now I expect you to pat my back every night this week, you know for but when you do good something to someone not expecting to receive back. They're still going to come something else in from someplace else. It says it's your rewards and your rewards are going to be what? Great. You know, like Tony the Tiger. They're going to be great. Sure. They're going to be great. Your rewards. But what happens? I lend to Eddie here. I say Eddie, here's $5. I want it back tomorrow. Okay, what am I gonna get back tomorrow? $5 That's right. All right. I give Eddie $5. No strings attached. It's by grace. What's going to come in? Who knows? The rewards will be what? Great. That's right. You better believe now. That's great. And no man ever showed any greater grace than the man Jesus Christ. Because he loved people when he was on that cross. He was doing good for them and he was making something available to give to the people when he was on the cross when nobody else loved him or did good for him or was giving him anything right now that is great. That is divine favor. Think about. That's great. That's divine favor, John. Not great now wonderful.
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Think of what he did for you. I think a year grace doesn't compare with his does it still We can do it. You know, our walk, but we're sure thankful that God in Christ made this available to us. And it's by His grace. If it was not by grace, we'd have to work for it. We'd have to do it ourselves. If he didn't love us, and do all these things for us, even though what he wouldn't have, if if he went the natural way, right, because people would want when people were when Jesus Christ was ready to go to that cross, if he'd looked at things since knowledge wise he to set Father Look, there's not a soul around here anymore who gives a hoot about your your word or nothing. He says, according to the natural way to do things. Let's just forget about him father knew and I don't have a good time. I tell you something, he loved us. He loved people. He loved the world. He loved. He did good and he gave to them when nobody else cared about him at all. Now that's grace. That's divine favor. Look at Luke chapter one. When did when did Grace come with Jesus Christ? Luke chapter one, verse 30. Where Mary, the angel comes, visit Mary. When she conceived, so far. And down here in verse 30. It says, in the angel said unto her, marry, or not marry, for thou has found what favor with God was their favorite before Pentecost? Sure, she had found favor with God for one, but not to the degree and to the extent that people found grace after the day of Pentecost, because grace and truth came with Jesus Christ after Pentecost. What Jesus did for you and me on the cross doesn't compare with what he did for Israel or what God did for Israel in the Old Testament or the Gospels. It just doesn't compare well you know, that tell you about that. But it just doesn't compare at all. But Mary did find favor with God, didn't she? Look at Genesis chapter six. Genesis sex verse eight, but no have found what? Grace favor in the eyes of the Lord. Noah had a destiny, he found it were in the eyes of the Lord. Look at chapter 39 of Genesis.
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Verse to me, the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian Joseph was with his master the Egyptian. And his master, saw that the Lord was with Joseph, and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in Joseph's hand. And Joseph found favor in his sight, in the sight of his master the Egyptian and he served him he the master serve Joseph, and he the master made him Joseph, overseer over his house, and all that he had, he put into his hand. I here's a man showing favor to another man. In in the Old Testament, they had favor didn't they? They found favor with God, they found favor with men. But not again to the degree that they found it in Jesus Christ. Okay, Exodus 33. Verse 12, Exodus 3312 And Moses said unto the Lord, See the offseason to me? Bring up this people, and thou has not let me know whom thou shalt sin with me. Yet thou I said, I know the by name, and thou has also found what? Grace in my sight. Yeah, God told Moses that he had found grace. And here's one site. Sure, he found favor. Moses found favor in God's sight. That all Moses had to walk didn't. He had to walk with God, he was a servant, to God. So was Noah. These men were servants of God, and they had to walk the line. They couldn't deviate. They couldn't be on one day and often left field the next day and still be heaven bound, right? They had to walk the line. But Moses and Noah and many others throughout the Old Testament and read of them found favor in God's sight. They still found favor, but not to the degree that they found it after the day of Pentecost. Because before Pentecost, they were saved by what works after Pentecost are saved by what great works are not great. They had to walk according to the law law came with whom grace and truth came with whom. Okay, look at Jeremiah 31.
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Jeremiah 31 If no the books of the Bible tonight verse 131, one at the same time, says the Lord, will I be the God of all the families of Israel and they shall be my people about Israel army. Thus saith the Lord the people verse to the people, which were left of the sword found what? grace or favor in the wilderness even Israel when I went to cause him to rest Sure, Israel found favor in the sight of God when they were in the wilderness. They found favor, but they had to do what wha they had to toe the line. Again they did not find grace like they found it after Pentecost after Jesus Christ made it available Look at Proverbs three go back a couple of books. Psalms proverbs proverbs three okay, this is addressed to the church right. Address to whom?
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Islam Jews.
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Church wasn't available yet was it? Okay. Verse 33, Proverbs 333 The Curse of the Lord is in the house of whom? The wicked. The Curse of the Lord is in the house of the wicked. But he blessed the habitation of the just look, you've got two groups of people. He got the wicked you got the just the curse is over here in the wicked. That just is over here and they are the blessing is over here in the house of adjust. See that? If they walked, they were blessed if they didn't walk. They were cursed. Right. Okay, verse 34. Surely he's scoring of the scorners those that scoring him he scorns but he gave Grace favor to him. Under the law, yes.
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If they walked, he's gone. Or he gave him grace. He found they found favorites. And if they didn't, they didn't find favor. Say that. Before Penny costs. That was a much favor to favor Sure, not a dog food.
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I don't know what favor
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before Pentecost, there wasn't much favor to favor, our grace. They, when they walked they found favor right? When they didn't walk what happened? I was in after Penny cons after Pentecost, the church to which we belong. When you're saved, you're saved by what? Grace? What? What does that mean? Grace? And when did Grace come with Jesus Christ? Grace came with Jesus Christ. So after Pentecost when grace when he made it available, you're saved by grace because of what he did say not because one day you toe the line you find favor with God the next day, you're off the ball and you don't find favor with him. But you have found favor. It's divine favor. This is why it's can't be of your works. Because he did good when nobody else did good to him. He did it. He did it for you see, it's great. That's why it's great. See the greatness of that word, Grace, divine favor, man, it's just out of sight. Fabulous. Look at the New Testament Acts chapter four. After the day of Pentecost, before Pentecost, if they told the line they found favor with God, if they didn't toe the line, no favor.
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x four. Here we are after the day of Pentacles chapter four, verse 33. Now let's go back. Verse 31, after this prayer, the apostles prayed. And in verse 31, it says, And when they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they the apostles were assembled together, and they were all filled with Holy Spirit. And they spake with our speak the word of God, with reluctance Nope. with boldness, and the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul. Neither said any of them that all of the things which he possessed was his own. But they had all things common, and with great power, gave the apartment apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace.
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That's like, Good grief. You know, only this is great grace was upon them all. There is great grace, not just a smidgen, not just, you know, a little bit a sprinkle like they had before Pentecost. They did good. God do good back. He showed favor? No, it was not at all. They had great grace. Did the apostles always walk? No. You have records of him getting off the ball once in a while. But there was not only the apostles, all the people here, there was great grace, divine favor upon them all. Why? Because of what Jesus Christ had done for them. If it hadn't been for that. They did just fold it up about at that point. But because of what Jesus Christ had done, there was great grace upon them all. That's why they had this power. say otherwise, since knowledge wise, one minute, you're on the ball the next minute, you're off many times. I mean, this is the way Christians many times well, they shouldn't. You know, but if we have sin, it says if we're faithful and just forgive us, or if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sin. And He cleanses us from all unrighteousness right? Sure. But this is a walk of a believer. You start walking, okay, you stumble, you fall down, but because of God's grace, His divine favor His mercy. You can confess your sin get up and start walking again. Right. Well Praise God. Great. Look at chapter 20.
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Remember this, Paul was off the ball. Verse 24. Remember they said by the Holy Spirit that you're not to go up to Jerusalem. Paul says in verse 24, none of these things move me. Just because they tell me here's a man of God tells me I shouldn't go tells me by the Holy Spirit. None of these things move me, neither account I my life dear unto myself. So I had I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received the Lord Jesus to testify the gospel of the grace of God, it was the gospel of what? The grace of God yes, the grace of God. And Paul was lucky it was.
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So were you don't laugh Look at Romans chapter three. chapter three, verse 24. Being what? Justified how? By as what? Justify, what are you just write the word justify, remember means justify didn't soon remember that?
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I didn't say it. Peter said, Dr. Wade. Justified never sin. Well, that's true, isn't it? If you're justified, it's just as if you Adam sin. Not true. Well, quick to laugh. It says we're justified, how freely freely it cost you anything? No, because of whom? Jesus Christ Jesus Christ. That's right. Because of what he did, not because of what any man did, or because of what you did, but because of what the man Jesus Christ did. what God did in him, you are justified freely by His divine favor His grace. And remember, we just went over what Jesus did for you. He did good for you. He made it available for you. He loved you, when nobody else loved him. You think his rewards were great? Sure, where whereas in Philippians? I think it is. Where it says that he humbled himself even unto Yeah, in chapter to Philippians, verse eight, being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given him a name, which is above every name, whereas rewards great. Sure, when you have when you do good to people, when you lend to them, or give to them, love them, not expecting in return, like Jesus did when he was on the cross. It says, Your reward shall be great. His rewards were great when God said him above. Give them a name, which is above every name, which has been set him at his own right hand. I'd say that's the reward. There's much more involved too. That's just some of it. Where are we Romans three, Being justified freely by his grace, were justified freely, didn't cost us the thing. We're pretty justified freely by his grace, because of what he did for us. First Corinthians one, verse four
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I think my God always on your behalf, For the grace of God, which is given you by Jesus Christ. How did you get by Jesus Christ because of what he did because he loved you, when nobody else loved him. Look at Second Corinthians chapter nine.
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We're just sort of thumbing through some of these real quick but aren't they great? Man, they're fabulous. When you stop to think of what he did for and without it. It'd be nothing. You know this This ministry which God has given us, we've got the word we've got, like Peter said earlier, we've got a knowledge of God's word like nobody has had since the first century, there's a greater knowledge of the word here than in any other place in the world. Because we've applied the keys, the principles to unlocking that word without putting our own private interpretation into it. Where people are hungry, they're going to get what? Answers. That's right. And once you have those answers, you're saved by grace, all hell can't stop you from going to heaven, you know that? I want to tell you something, because of what Jesus Christ did for you. It maybe you could break down and do a little bit now yourself. Sure. Don't you think you could do a little bit and return? I mean, you don't have to, I know that. That's what the word says You're saved by grace. That's fine. If you want to stop there. That's your responsibility. But I want to tell you something. I put a lot of time in this ministry. I mean, I have a secular job full time. And I put a lot of time in this ministry in the evening. And if I didn't think this ministry was worth it, because of what Jesus Christ did for me, I could find a lot better things to do with my time, my spare time.
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But I'll tell you something, because of what he did for me. I sometimes wonder if I'm putting enough time in an evening.
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Because he made it available freely. I've got it. There's no way I can lose it. But I know this. That to the end, that I started applying the principles in my life that I start walking upon the work, my rewards are going to be well.
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Great. And yours too. How about certain putting a little bit into it? Most a lot of you are in some of the rest of you can put a little morning.
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He did it. So why not do a little more. So where are we second Corinthians chapter nine verse eight, you're able to make what? Oh, great. Oh, not part of it. Oh, great. of Baron Porter view, that he always having all sufficiency in all three may have found a better power for abundant living, that he may have bound to every good work. That's right. Because he is able to make all grace the baton towards you.
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You have all sufficiency.
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That means you're proficient in all things right. All things you have sufficiency everything you do you got sufficiency, because he is able to make all this mountain towards you, that you having all sufficiency and all things, made a batter on to every good word of faith with faith because of what he did for us. Now we start walking upon that word, we start sharing that word with other people. We want other people to have the same abundance that we have in Christ Jesus right. And are we sufficient to do it? That's what it says that we may have bound in every work good work, every goodness fabulous versus good. All good.
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All the creatures have bound in all ever good way chapter one verse seven talking about Jesus Christ, in whom we have redemption through a good blood that produced according the remission of sins according to the present environment that has done that so at any rate when stopped really think about it. I don't think many people are wrote this great dividing paper talks about what he described
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it is unacceptable, the things that he did when nobody else did it and nobody loves him, but everybody else has respected him for taking him back when he was doing good the people that he loves people that wanted them according to the rest of his great, great, great book, it's chapter two
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God put them together quite by grace by Grace, God, by grace. Enough, not together and together in the heavens, in front of me,
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That in the ages to come, you might have a...