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  IMMENSE IS THE REWARD
  by Clement of Rome
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Summary: The sermon emphasizes the importance of following God's will
and striving to be found in the number of those who wait for Him in
order to share in His promised gifts.

Topics: "Faith And Obedience", "Repentance And Salvation"
Scripture References: Psalm 27:14, Psalm 50:16, Psalm 50:22, 1 Corinthians 2:9, Ephesians 5:10, 1 John 1:6

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DESCRIPTION
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Clement of Rome speaks about the blessed and wonderful gifts of God,
such as life in immortality, righteousness, truth, faith, and self-
control, which are within our understanding now. He urges believers to
earnestly wait for God to partake in His promised gifts, emphasizing the
importance of faith, seeking what pleases God, following His blameless
will, and walking in truth while rejecting unrighteousness and sinful
behaviors. Clement warns against engaging in wickedness, deceit,
slander, and hatred towards God, reminding that those who take pleasure
in such actions are also condemned. He highlights the need for
repentance and praises the sacrifice of praise that glorifies God and
leads to His salvation.

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CONTENT
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How blessed and wonderful, beloved, are the gifts of God! Life in
immortality, splendour in righteousness, truth in perfect confidence,
faith in assurance, self-control in holiness! And all these fall under
the cognizance of our understandings [now]; what then shall those things
be which are prepared for such as wait for Him?

The Creator and Father of all worlds, the Most Holy, alone knows their
amount and their beauty. Let us therefore earnestly strive to be found
in the number of those who wait for Him, in order that we may share in
His promised gifts. But how, beloved, shall this be done? If our
understanding be fixed by faith rewards God; if we earnestly seek the
things which are pleasing and acceptable to Him; if we do the things
which are in harmony with His blameless will; and if we follow the way
of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along
with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and
evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and
ambition. For they that do such things are hateful to God; and not only
they that do them, but also those who take pleasure in those who do
them. For the Scripture says, "But to the sinner God said, Why do you
declare my statutes, and take my covenant into your mouth, seeing you
hate instruction, and cast my words behind you?

When you saw a thief, you consented with him, and made your portion with
adulterers. Your mouth has abounded with wickedness, and your tongue
contrived deceit. You sit, and speak against your brother; you slander
your own mother's son. These things you have done, and I kept silence;
you thought, wicked one, that I should be like you. But I will reprove
you, and set yourself before you. Consider now these things, you who
forget God, lest He tear you in pieces, like a lion, and there be none
to deliver. The sacrifice of praise will glorify Me, and a way is there
by which I will show him the salvation of God."

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/clement-of-rome/immense-is-the-reward/
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