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  REJOICED WITH YOU IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
  by St. Polycarp of Smyrna
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the enduring power of faith, its fruit of
rejoicing, and salvation by the will of God through Jesus Christ.

Topics: "Faith In Christ", "Salvation By Grace"
Scripture References: Romans 6:4, Ephesians 2:8, 1 Peter 1:8, 1 Peter 4:13

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DESCRIPTION
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St. Polycarp of Smyrna rejoices with the believers for following the
example of true love displayed by God, especially in caring for those in
chains. He commends their strong faith that endures and bears fruit for
Jesus Christ, who suffered for their sins and was raised from the dead
by God. Despite not seeing Jesus, they believe and rejoice with
unspeakable joy, understanding that salvation is by grace through faith
in Jesus Christ.

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CONTENT
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I have greatly rejoiced with you in our Lord Jesus Christ, because ye
have followed the example of true love [as displayed by God], and have
accompanied, as became you, those who were bound in chains, the fitting
ornaments of saints, and which are indeed the diadems of the true elect
of God and our Lord; and because the strong root of your faith, spoken
of in days long gone by, endureth even until now, and bringeth forth
fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ,

who for our sins suffered even unto death, [but] "whom God raised froth
the dead, having loosed the bands of the grave." "In whom, though now ye
see Him not, ye believe, and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and
full of glory; " into which joy many desire to enter, knowing that "by
grace ye are saved, not of works," but by the will of God through Jesus
Christ.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/st-polycarp-of-smyrna/rejoiced-with-you-in-our-lord-jesus-christ/
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