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Heavens Light 3-22-09 The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ – Justification By Faith – The Heart of the Gospel – The Protestant Reformation Part 1

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

Justification by Faith – The Heart of the Gospel

 

1 Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time. NASB

 

The Protestant Reformation – What was the protest?

Surely the most profound and tumultuous time in Church History was the period of the Protestant Reformation. After centuries of the rule of the Roman Church over Christianity, the cries of petition against the abuses of the Church broke loose into a full scale rebellion against the Roman Church. During the Pre-reformation period, 1215-1515 A.D., many foundational activities culminated in the actual Protestant Reformation. These foundational things that took place were mainly surrounding the efforts of certain men like and John Wycliffe, Jon Hus and others who protested certain activities of the Papacy and Church. John Wycliffe, and later William Tyndale sought to translate the Bible into the language of the common people. During the Dark Ages, (the period between the fall of Rome in the 5th century and the Renaissance, 1415 A.D.), a time when the Bible was locked up in Latin by the Roman Church, there were very few literate people among the commons, and the only knowledge of Scripture that the common people held, was that which was learned from the priesthood in the Church. As the protest of these people grew stronger over time, it gave rise to several key events which eventually created a huge schism among Christians and spawned the Protestant Reformation, 1516-1563 A.D. Here is a brief timeline;

 

 

During this time several key men made public protests against the Pope and the Church which culminated in the spawning of several branches of Christianity such as the Lutheran, Anglican, Anabaptist and Reformed churches. These “branches” of Christianity were very focused on the biblical reform of Christianity and zealous to pattern the church after biblical directives such as a proper ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, Church Government, and the great doctrine of Justification by Faith. In summary, there were several different “branches” of Christianity that happened in several different places, led by several different men. However, these were all identified by the Roman Church as “Protestantism.” In the mind of the Roman Church, they were the rebels and protestors united against Papal control and Roman Church tradition. Here is a basic chart of the first “Protestant” branches of Christianity. 

 

 

Because of this protest many of them were persecuted and killed by the influence of the Roman Church and many other governmental powers of the day. Of course after all these profound happenings, the face of Christianity would never be the same. There were now Bibles being printed in the common language and many people coming to a personal knowledge of the Word of God, and the Gospel was being preached in all European languages and being sent out into the remotest regions of the world. The Word of God had broken free from the tight Latin grip of the Roman Church, and a new liberty was unleashed upon the nations of mankind like never before! But in all of this controversy and struggle, what was at the heart of the protest was an error of  essential nature to Historic Christian doctrine, and this could no longer be tolerated. The Gospel had been redefined over many years under Roman rule and the Reformers were not going to let it be undermined any longer. At the heart of many of the controversies that were being held out against the Church by the Reformers was a focus on the sufficiency of the atonement and the doctrine of Justification. And of course these are the essentials of the Gospel message.

 

The Gospel and the Roman Church

Over many years, even centuries, Roman Christianity had morphed and become something very different that its earlier origins of the Early Church. The institution of several new and unbiblical rituals, traditions and practices almost completely redefined the Church. These church traditions became the focus of the church as she turned eyes away from the simplicity of the person and work of Christ, to the Ivory Tower of the Roman Church. Gradually over time these began to severely undermine the sufficiency of the atonement and the doctrine of Justification by grace through faith in Christ. When all of these were added together, it made for a completely different form of Christianity than Jesus and the Apostles had taught. The focus had turned from the glorious good news of the person and work of Christ to the veneration of Popes and Saints, and the Church had become the richest institution on the earth off the back of the poor common people who were now to work their way to heaven through their own merit, or worse yet to purchase it through the sale of Indulgences.

 

 

 

 This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/01-11-2009_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 2-27-09 The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ – The Lordship of Christ Part 3

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

The Lordship of Christ – Jesus is Lord

James 2:14

What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith,

but he has no works? Can that faith save him? NASB

 

What about James chapter 2:14-26?

In this passage James is discussing the fact that not just everyone who gives “mental assent” or agreement with Christ possesses the KIND of faith that SAVES, but only those whose faith is proved genuine by how that faith manifests itself, namely good works. Here he says “faith without works is dead”, meaning that the KIND of faith that has no living proof that it is real, is really not the genuine KIND of faith that SAVES. Therefore if someone says he believes in Christ, but does not live in a consistent manner with Christ’s teaching, he is no better off than a demon destined for hell (verse 19).

James 2:14-26 – 14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, “You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works, and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. NASB

Here James is laboring to show the nature of true faith, much like Jesus and Paul and John. James points out very clearly that the KIND of faith that SAVES, in contrast to the KIND of faith that mere professors or demons have, is “justified” (proved positive) by what it does. This thought is carried on by James from the verses in chapter 1 calling us to be “doers of the Word.”

James 1:22-25 – 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. NASB

Justified in the context of James 2:14-26, is speaking not in legal terms of the judgment bar of God, but rather is the sense of proving real, or proving righteous the existence of true faith. Paul spoke in a similar manner in Acts 26 when testifying before King Agrippa.

Acts 26:20-21 – 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. NASB

Therefore he is NOT saying that the works somehow justify us before God, but that they are proof positive that the KIND of faith we have is the REAL thing. He surely does NOT mean that the works justify us in the sight of God in some kind of meritorious way. This would contradict the clear teaching of Scripture that justification before God is a “gift by His grace” and is “apart from works” and received by faith alone in Christ alone.

Romans 3:22, 24 – 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; …. 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; NASB

Romans 3:28 – 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. NASB

Romans 4:5-6 – 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, NASB

Galatians 2:16 – 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. NASB

Ephesians 2:8-9 – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NASB

Philippians 3:9-10 – 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  NASB

James cannot be teaching that justification before God as a legal declaration, such as Paul discusses in Romans 3:19-28, happens by good works. If this were true it would call into question the sufficiency of the atonement to justify us before God. We saw this very clearly in pages 68-75 of our lesson, that we are saved by the grace(unmerited favor) of God through faith(apart from works) in Jesus Christ ONLY.

Titus 3:4-7 – 4 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that being justified by His grace we might be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. NASB

Good works cannot justify before God because although they could be seen as meritorious before God in the future, they have no value to propitiate the wrath of God for sins already committed in the past, neither can they propitiate sins committed in the future. Further, they cannot absolve of guilt or expiate previous or future sins. Good works have no positive value in atoning for or covering over sins. They merely show the reality of the existence of faith before men. As James clearly points out, the good works “justify” our faith or prove positive our faith and show it to be real and genuine. God has no need to see good works to know if faith is genuine because He is the One who foreknows, predestines, calls, justifies and glorifies (Rom 8:29-30). He knows our hearts and minds better than we do! More than this, He is the One who gives faith in the act of regeneration (Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:4-7) and therefore knows the persons to whom He gives it. Justification is a “gift by His grace” which is based on the merits of Christ alone! 

Romans 3:23-24 – 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; NASB

In summary, James is simply and clearly teaching that true believers are not mere professors but have the positive qualities of good works that prove their faith true and genuine. Albert Barnes comments on this passage… “The ground of justification in the case is faith, and that only; the evidence of it, the carrying it out, the proof of the existence of the faith, is good works; and thus men are justified and saved not by mere abstract and cold faith, but by a faith necessarily connected with good works, and where good works perform an important part.” James is pointing out that faith is not just mental assent or agreement with the Gospel but a life response which produces a changed life. Wayne Grudem comments on this passage and makes this point clear….  “James is concerned to show that mere intellectual agreement with the gospel is a “faith” that is really no faith at all. He is concerned to argue against those who say they have faith but show no change in their lives. He says, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith” (James 2:18). “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead” (James 2:26). James is simply saying here that “faith” that has no results or “works” is not real faith at all; it is “dead” faith…….. James is saying that a person is “shown to be righteous by his works, and not by his faith alone.” This is something with which Paul also would certainly agree (2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 5:19–24).”

James tells us we cannot be hypocrites who say we have faith but have no proof that true faith exists. Rather, he tells us that we must not be hearers only but doers of the word if we have true faith. The KIND of faith that SAVES is a living faith that proves itself positive and genuine because “faith without works is dead.”

James 2:14-26 – 14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

 

 

 

 This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/01-04-2009_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 2-19-09 The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ – The Lordship of Christ Part 3

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

The Lordship of Christ – Jesus is Lord

Luke 13:24

“Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you,

will seek to enter and will not be able. NASB

 

True Conversion or Mere Professors?

In the New Testament, the writers are continually laboring to show the nature of true faith and also the nature of false faith. The believer is called to self examination again and again to test the reality of their faith. This was a theme in the teaching of Jesus when He would present His parables to teach about the nature of the Kingdom and of saving faith.

Luke 8:14-15 – 14 “And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 “And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. NASB

Luke 18:22-26 – 22 And when Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess, and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”  23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad; for he was extremely rich. 24 And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! 25 “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” NASB

Luke 12:16-21 – 16 And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a certain rich man was very productive. 17 “And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 “And he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 ‘And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ 21 “So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” NASB

Matthew 13:47-50 – 47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels shall come forth, and take out the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. NASB

This theme in the teaching of Jesus, shows that true faith produces good works consistent with that faith. In fact, those who do not submit to Christ as Lord, or reject Him by disobedience, are condemned as not possessing salvation. A man’s good deeds are proof of his true repentance and a man’s evil deeds prove him to be a child of the devil.

Matthew 7:21 – 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. NASB

Luke 13:24-27 – 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26 “Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; 27 and He will say,’ I tell you, I do not know where you are from; depart from Me, all you evildoers.’ NASB

This was also carried on by the Apostles as they explained the Gospel and the kingdom of God.

Titus 1:16 – 6 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed. NASB

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – 3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. NASB

James 1:22 – 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. NASB

2 Corinthians 13:5 – 5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you —  unless indeed you fail the test? NASB

We are commanded again and again to repent and stop sinning. This is a fundamental part of Christian life, that is, that we submit to the Lordship of Christ and obey His commandments. It is clear from Scripture that those who go on in unrepentant sin will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Romans 6:12-13 – 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. NASB

Romans 8:12-14 – 12 So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh —  13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NASB

Ephesians 5:3-5 – 3 But do not let immorality or any impurity or greed even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. NASB

A proper understanding of salvation issues from the book of first John alone, and shines light as clear as a sunbeam on these issues. A true Christian has been “born of God”, because God has decided to give Him life, and that life is eternal by nature. When we have been “born again”, we have become new creations with an eternal destiny. You cannot turn from genuine faith, because you are kept by Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Bible never teaches that someone who is genuinely saved, can reject or disengage themselves from Christ. Someone who apostatizes must have had at one time an orthodox and essential profession, but not a genuine new birth. But as John explains of the apostates or antichrists;

1 John 2:18-19 – 18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen; from this we know that it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us. NASB

If one were “born of God” he could not continue to sin. The idea here is that true converts do not live in continual patterns of sin (the word for “sins” here means “ongoing continual practice of sin”), and that further if one is living in an ongoing continual pattern of sin he/she is only a mere professor and not a true believer.

1 John 3:6-10 – 6 No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. 7 Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; 8 the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. NASB

These contrasts are meant to speak to the true believer of how to discern false teaching from true teaching about the faith. When an apostate continues in his sin, he shows the reality of his eternal state and divine calling. When one continues in righteousness and truth, their works are the proof positive of saving faith.

1 John 2:29 – 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him. NASB 

When an apostate breaks fellowship with Christians, and begins to live in continual patterns of sin, they show themselves to be children of the devil.

1 John 3:9-10 – 9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. NASB

John makes it crystal clear that the distinguishing mark of true faith is the fruit or product that comes from it. When the product of one’s life is a continual pattern of sin, they manifest that the true nature of their faith is only mere profession and not the fruit of being “born of God.”

1 John 4:7-9 – 7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. NASB

Those who have been born of the divine will, (John 1:13), persevere. Not because they persist in their own spiritual fervor, but because Christ the good Shepherd knows His sheep, and He will lose none that the Father has given Him, but will raise them up at the last day (John 6:39).

1 John 5:18-19 – 18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him. NASB

It is obvious then that there is a so called faith, a mere profession, which is really no faith at all. If someone claims to have faith, but does not live a life consistent with the teaching of Christ, his/her faith is useless. True saving faith is that which produces the fruit of God’s Spirit in the life of a Christian. Faith in Christ is not just mental agreement with the gospel message, but it is a life response to the gospel, which produces actions consistent with the children of God. The demons believe the Gospel message and know that it is true, but they have not conformed their lives to it. Many people are just like them, they have believed that the message is true, but that have not submitted their life to Christ to obey Him.

James 2:14-19 – 14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? 15 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.

Faith is the reality and proof that our hearts have been cleansed and we have been reconciled to God. Faith has substance, and that substance is a transformed life. Remember how Jesus defined of faith.

Luke 9:23 – 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. NASB

You see He is calling for the transformation of one’s life. It is a willingness to deny oneself and go where He goes and do what He does. It is not our good behavior that earns favor with God, but our good behavior is the product of the kind of faith that saves. If we realize that Christ had to die for our sins, how can we walk in them any longer! Eternal life is the free gift of God given to those who repent and have faith in Christ. It is by grace through faith in Christ alone that we are saved, not by our works. But this faith produces a life surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and is a testimony of Christ’s power over sin. This is why we are exhorted toward good works.

Ephesians 2:8-10 – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. NASB

Therefore true saving faith is seen in contrast to mere profession by a submission to the Lordship of Christ which produces a life of good works and obedience to God’s commandments.

 

 This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/12-28-2008_SundaySchool.mp3 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 2-06-09 The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ – The Lordship of Christ Part 2

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

The Lordship of Christ – Jesus is Lord

 

Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. NASB

 

The Nature of Saving Faith

The nature of true “saving faith” is a major them in the teaching of both Jesus and the Apostles. They are frequently laboring to be sure that we are aware of the nature of “saving faith” so that we can be sure we posses it and not some mere profession or apostate form of faith. This can be seen in many different allegories and forms of expression in the New Testament. Here are a few clear examples of these forms of the nature of true faith;

·         Jesus calls us to a Master and slave relationship of lifelong perseverance and service

·         Jesus calls us to be “born again” and to be recreated by God through faith

·         Jesus calls us to bear fruit and produce the marks of true faith

·         Jesus calls us to humility, brokenness and to deny self reliance

·         Jesus calls us to lose our life to follow Him

·         Jesus calls us to love Him supremely above all other things and worship Him

When Jesus and the Apostles teach us about the faith, they frequently use the allegory of a master and slave. Jesus tells us parables of how true faith is demonstrated by the faithful obedience of a good slave. Paul tells us that we are slaves of righteousness.

Matthew 20:26-28 – 26 “It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. NASB

Luke 12:37, 42-43 – 37 “Blessed are those slaves whom the master shall find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them….. 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time? 43 “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. NASB

Romans 6:17-18 – 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. NASB

They teach that true “saving faith” is brought about by the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and call us to be born again.

John 3:3 – 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” NASB

2 Corinthians 5:17 – 17 Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. NASB

This regeneration is a fundamental change in the nature of man and is a work that only God can do. Because salvation is the work of God in regeneration, and the believer has been given a new nature and is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, the believer therefore desires to please God and to keep His commandments. It is the chief goal of one who worships and esteems God to live a life which imitates God and conforms to His character. This is reverberated throughout the Scripture with exhortations and commands which continually call us to become like Christ in our character and behavior.

Ephesians 5:1-2 – 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. NASB

1 Peter 1:15-16 – 15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”  NASB

This is also shown in the allegory of a fruit bearing vine or tree. This expression of true saving faith is frequently shown by Jesus and the Apostles. When this is shown, there is a contrast given between those “true believers” who do bear fruit and by it prove the reality of faith, and those “mere professors” who do not and are destroyed. In these examples of fruit bearing, Jesus and the Apostles are laboring to show the “marks” or “evidence” of true “saving faith” so that we can discern the difference between “saving faith” and “mere profession.”

John 15:5-7 – 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. 6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you. NASB

Matthew 7:16-21 – 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits. NASB

Another analogy employed by Jesus and the Apostles to show true faith is that of self denial, humility and brokenness. We are to mourn and weep over our sin and self-reliance, for no one has the power in and of themselves to please God. This is only accomplished by the power of the Spirit through faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb 11:6). When we come to Christ by repentance and faith, we denounce ourselves in brokenness over our sin, and we humble ourselves before God confessing our sins and our profound offenses against the God of Heaven and in faith we cast ourselves at His mercy through trusting what Christ has done for us, not in any way how we have merited God’s favor. True faith relies solely on the merits of Christ, embracing our own weakness and inability to earn God’s favor. Therefore the Gospel calls us to abandon self reliance and trust in Christ ALONE for justification and reconciliation to God.

Luke 9:23 – 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. NASB

Matthew 18:2-4 – 2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, 3 and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. NASB

James 4:6-10 – 6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. NASB

In fact, the Gospel call of self-denial is so great, that Christ calls us to lose our own life to follow Him. In this He means to say that His Lordship and purpose and plan for our life supersedes our own purposes and plans. He means for our life to take a whole new direction and for our plans to definitively change from our own sinful, self reliant direction of self fulfillment to and life of servant-hood to Him as our Master and King. We no longer live for ourselves but instead for Christ. Our lives no longer belong to us but rather to Christ our Redeemer King who bought and paid our ransom from death and delivered us into eternal life!

Luke 9:23-25 – 23 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 “For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. 25 “For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? NASB

2 Corinthians 5:14-15 – 14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. NASB

Romans 14:7-9 – 7 For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; 8 for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. NASB

1 Corinthians 6:17-20 – 17 But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. NASB

This price of losing our life can occasionally cost us everything. Indeed throughout history many saints have given their life at the hands of violent persecutors. The Gospel calls us to this kind of commitment of self abandonment to follow Christ, even unto death!

Matthew 10:32-33 – 32 “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. NASB

2 Timothy 2:11-13 – 11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us; 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. NASB

Revelation 2:10-11 – 10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.‘ NASB

In fact, the Gospel calls us to give up everything we have in order to love Christ supremely above all other things and worship Him first.

Luke 14:26-27 – 26 “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. 27 “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. NASB

Luke 14:33 – 33 “So therefore, no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions. NASB

Philippians 3:7-8 – 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, NASB

Throughout the Bible God makes it clear that He is the most valuable and supremely worthy being of all. We are continually called to hold Him in higher esteem than all other things.

Matthew 22:36-40 – 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him,  “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’  38 “This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 “The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” NASB

In fact, this is the nature of sin itself, it is to value ourselves and our own will above God and His will. The pride of self exaltation is the very first sin portrayed in Satan’s rebellion in the angelic conflict and mankind has followed his devious temptation and because of it plunged all of creation into death and bondage to decay. Therefore the Gospel calls us to willing submission to Christ in order to reverse this great treason against God. In short, the very thing we refused to do in the garden at the fall, the Gospel calls us to do now. That is to deny our own self reliance and self will and to embrace Christ as our all sufficient resource for life and fellowship with God. What man could not do in his own strength in the garden, he can now do with the strength that God provides through the regeneration and indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.  

Philippians 4:13 -13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. NASB

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 – 4 And such confidence we have through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God NASB

Now in the Scripture, true love for God and Christ is seen and made evident by how we behave. In other words, the Bible points out the kind of behavior that shows itself as loving God, and in contrast points out a false kind of love which is not really true love for God, because it lacks obedience. It is clear from scripture that love for God produces obedience to His commandments. This obedience is the result of regeneration in the life of the believer. This obedience is produced by a willing submission to the Lordship of Christ.

1 John 5:3 –  3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. NASB

John 14:15,21 – 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. 21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.” NASB

1 John 4:20-21 – 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also. NASB

 

 

 This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/12-14-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 1-26-09 The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ – The Lordship of Christ Part 1

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

The Lordship of Christ – Jesus is Lord

Romans 14:9

For to this end Christ died and lived again,

that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. NASB

 

The Lordship Controversy

In discussing the Gospel it is important to recognize the recent controversy that has taken place in Evangelical Christianity in the 20th Century. Certain so called “Evangelicals” sought to uphold the form of the Gospel which emphasizes faith in Christ apart from works, but in so doing redefined the role of works in salvation to a degree which was very unhealthy and led to a corrupted form of the Gospel. This “watered down” version of the Gospel has come to be known as “easy-believism.” It emphasizes the fact that all one must do to be saved is to “believe” upon the person and work of Christ, acknowledging the facts about Him and His Gospel. Although this is a true part of the Gospel, when it is overemphasized to the exclusion of the teaching that true “saving faith” is a faith that repents of sin and pursues love for Christ and God by obedience to their commandments, it corrupts the Gospel and turns it into a kind of “fire insurance” for people wanting the benefits of eternal life, but who are unwilling to turn from sin and obey God’s commandments. This is a serious error, one that has no doubt led thousands of people astray from the true Gospel and saving faith. The teaching of Jesus and the Apostles is crystal clear on this topic. They taught that when one truly believes upon Christ, they have done this by the power and work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, and that the fruit of the Spirit which flows from this true belief produces a life of repentance, faith and ongoing pattern of obedience to Christ for the rest of one’s life. They affirmed that people were deceived if they thought they knew Christ but did not obey Him.

Matt 7:21 – 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. NASB

Titus 1:15-16 – 15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed. NASB

James 1:22 – 22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. NASB

This controversy was really well defended by John MacArthur in his book “The Gospel According to Jesus.” In this book He focuses on the Gospel which Jesus proclaimed and evaluated this doctrine in light of clear biblical texts. He was primarily refuting certain Evangelical teachers who were teaching this “watered down” version of the Gospel at Dallas Theological Seminary. The primary teachers he was refuting were Lewis Sperry Chafer, Zane Hodges, and Charles Ryrie (although there were others). These teachers were responsible for training many thousands of Evangelical pastors and church leaders in the 20th Century. In his book, MacArthur documents these teachings and refutes them with clear biblical teaching. This corrupting of the true biblical Gospel has indeed led to a serious state of affairs in the modern Evangelical Church and needs to be corrected for each successive generation. The true biblical Gospel needs to be proclaimed and upheld in each generation so that we do not lose sight of the fundamental message of Christianity, that is, the person and work of Jesus Christ and how one is saved by repentance and faith in Him. I mention this controversy in order to bring into focus a very important matter in defining the Gospel. This has come to be known as the “Lordship of Christ” and explains the relation of the believer to Jesus as their Master and King. Obedience to Christ is a Gospel mandate and a major theme in the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles.

Luke 6:46 – 46 “And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? NASB

John 3:36 – 6 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” NASB

 

Jesus is Lord

As the Scriptures speak of Jesus Christ there is no mistaking the clear portrait of His person. He is Lord! Without apology He is lifted up and proclaimed as the Lord of all. (Matt 28:18, Acts 10:36)

Romans 14:9 – 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. NASB

The word “Lord” implies His Deity and authority. Being God very God, Jesus is the supreme authority. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is described as the Creator of everything, the very God of Providence and sustainer of all that is, the reigning King of History, as well as the Judge of the living and the dead. If that were not enough to convince us of His authority to rule us, we are blind at the very least.

Colossians 1:16-17 – 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities —  all things have been created by Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. NASB

Ephesians 1:19-22 – 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might 20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, NASB

Acts 10:42 – 42 “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. NASB

2 Timothy 4:1-2 – 4:1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: NASB

The fact of the matter is, Jesus is Lord whether one recognizes it or not. Just because one has not submitted their life to Him, does not mean that one is not accountable to Him. For He will come to judge every person for the deeds done in the body, as the Gospel declares. And He alone possesses the authority to determine one’s eternal destiny. Ultimately every person that has ever lived will bow their knee before Jesus Christ and acknowledge Him as the Lord.

Philippians 2:9-11 – 9 Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NASB

Jesus is not only Lord, but His Gospel calls us to willing submission to His Lordship. More than this, the Bible clearly teaches that obedience to Christ cannot be separated from “saving faith” and that love for God and repentance from sin are equated with “saving faith.” Jesus is frequently heard asserting His right to rule us and calling people to obedience to Himself.

John 13:13-17 – 13 “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. NASB

Matthew 10:24 – 24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become as his teacher, and the slave as his master. NASB

2 Timothy 2:19-21 – 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.” 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. NASB

James 2:14 – 14 What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? NASB

When Jesus asserts Himself as Lord, He makes it clear that those who reject His claim on them, are destined to perish because of it! 

Matthew 7:21-25 – 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. NASB

Matthew 24:48-51 – 48 “But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ 49 and shall begin to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; 50 the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, 51 and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth. NASB

And so Jesus is Lord and in His Gospel He calls us to willing submission and obedience to His commands. The New Testament speaks of this calling in many ways in order to express the nature of a right response to Him. This response is a major theme in the Gospel because people’s eternal destiny is at stake in it, as it shows the true nature of our faith, whether or not we have been truly called and chosen of God for salvation.

 

The summons to repentance is a call to obedience

Jesus is often heard calling people to repentance from sin and warning them of the consequences of sin. At the same time His message called people to “believe” or to trust in or rely upon Him in order to be right with God.

Mark 1:14-15 -14 And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” NASB

Luke 13:3-5 – 3 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?  5 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” NASB

John 5:14-15 – 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse may befall you.” NASB

In this repentance He was calling people to turn away from sin and to obedience to God’s commandments. This is what repentance is. It is to stop sinning and start doing what is right. Repentance is not ONLY feeling sorry for sin, but doing what is right from the heart with positive and active steps as Paul taught us, to “perform deeds appropriate to repentance.”  Repentance is proven real when the deeds show it to be real.

Acts 26:20-21 – 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. NASB

Repentance is not a one time act but life long obedience. The New Testament explains this nature of repentance over and over again.

Luke 3:8-14 – 8 “Therefore bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance, ……. 10 And the multitudes were questioning him, saying, “Then what shall we do?” 11 And he would answer and say to them, “Let the man who has two tunics share with him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise.” 12 And some tax-gatherers also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than what you have been ordered to.” 14 And some soldiers were questioning him, saying, “And what about us, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages.” NASB

Ephesians 4:20-24 – 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. NASB

Titus 2:11-14 – 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. NASB

This lifelong obedience or “perseverance” is spoken of by Jesus and the Apostles as a mark of those who will be saved. Perseverance cannot be separated from true repentance because it proves repentance to be real.

Matthew 24:12-14 – 12 “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved. NASB

Hebrews 3:13-15 – 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; 15 while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.” NASB

 

 

 This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/11-23-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and  enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 1-10-09 The Gospel – The MESSAGE of Jesus Christ – Thy Kingdom Come Part 2

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The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

Thy Kingdom Come – More than Personal Salvation

 

Revelation 1:7

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. Even so. Amen. NASB

 

The Second Coming of Christ

An essential element of the Gospel is that we preach Christ Jesus as Lord and King. We warn mankind to come voluntarily under His authority and rule before it is too late and they die in their rebellion against Him and face Him in judgment, or He returns to establish His Kingdom and they are found in their rebellion against Him and then face Him in judgment. We call mankind to repentance from sin and faith in our Lord Jesus in order to flee from the coming wrath. (Eph 5:6, Col 3:6, 1 Thes 1:10, Rev 6:16-17, 11:18) When Christ returns there will be several tasks at hand that He will accomplish. I have put them into (4) categories here for the sake of brevity. The warning that we give in the Gospel embodies these inevitable and unavoidable events to come upon the entire world.

·         Rescue and Resurrection

·         Destruction of Evil Authorities

·         Establishment of Earthly Kingdom

·         Consummation of the Ages

Below we will briefly describe these events for the reader’s education of general categories of “end time” events of which they are warning people will soon take place.

1. Rescue and Resurrection

In the course of this Gospel age, there will come a time of terrible tribulation on the earth unlike any other time before it. Christ will “cut short” the time of tribulation on the earth in order to rescue His people from the greatest persecution ever to come upon them by the hands of Antichrist (Dan 7:21-27, 12:1-2, Rev 13:4-10).

Matthew 24:21-23 – 21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. 22 “And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.  NASB

When this rescue takes place, the dead in Christ shall be raised first, and the Church will be caught up in the air to meet Christ and to stand with Him in glory as He puts all of His enemies under His feet and establish His reign as King. This is the first resurrection (Rev 20:4-6).

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 – 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, and remain until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. NASB

Matthew 24:29-31 – 29 “But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken,  30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 “And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. NASB

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 – 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. NASB

2. Destruction of Evil Authorities

When Christ returns to rescue and resurrect His people, He will then swiftly destroy the Antichrist and arrest every earthly authority (Rev 19:11-21).

Revelation 19:19-21 – 9 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies, assembled to make war against Him[Christ] who sat upon the horse, and against His army. 20 And the beast[antichrist] was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat upon the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. NASB

Daniel 7:25-27 – 25 ‘And he[antichrist] will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 ‘But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ NASB

Evil will be brought under control on the face of the earth at the hand of Jesus the King, and be brought under the rule of the Kingdom of God.

Isaiah 2:2-4 –  Now it will come about that In the last days, The mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills; And all the nations will stream to it. 3 And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. 4 And He will judge between the nations, And will render decisions for many peoples; And they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, And never again will they learn war. NASB

Even Satan himself will be bound and have no influence on the earth for 1000 years.

Revelation 20:1-3 – And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he should not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. NASB

3. Establishment of Earthly Kingdom

At this time Christ will establish His rule upon the earth. His long awaited government will be established. His rule will be Sovereign and will never be destroyed. It will be everlasting!

Daniel 2:44 – 44 “And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. NASB

Daniel 7:13-14 – 13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. NASB

He and His saints (the church of all time), will rule over the nations, there will be no war, and the world will enjoy a time of great peace (Rev 20:4-6).

Psalm 22:27-28 – 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations will worship before Thee. 28 For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. NASB

Zechariah 14:16-20 – 16 Then it will come about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 17 And it will be that whichever of the families of the earth does not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up or enter, then no rain will fall on them; it will be the plague with which the Lord smites the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. 19 This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations who do not go up to celebrate the Feast of Booths. NASB

Daniel 7:27 – 27 ‘Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’ NASB

Revelation 5:10 – 10 “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” NASB

This time period of 1000 years is commonly called the Millennium. There is much controversy concerning the nature and circumstances of this time.

Consummation of the Ages

Toward the end of the Millennium, there will be a final rebellion against Christ by the nations of mankind, at which time He will destroy them forever, along with Satan. This will be the final doom of Satan and all the wicked, and the reign of sin and death upon the earth will be brought to a close by God’s power.

Revelation 20:7-10 – 7 And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. NASB

Death will be destroyed, and Satan with it as they are forever cast into the lake of fire. At this time, God will resurrect all the dead from all ages and they will stand before God in judgment. If anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, He is forever cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:11-15 – 11 And I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. NASB

Now after the wicked and Satan and death are destroyed, the Eternal State will be ushered in. In the Eternal State, sin will be banished from the Kingdom of God forever and God will create a “New Heavens and Earth.” In this renewed creation, sin will never destroy again and the creation will perpetually live in peace and utter fulfillment forever and ever, world without end. According to Scripture, there will “no longer be any death, …or mourning, or crying, or pain.”

Revelation 21:1-6 – 21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them, 4 and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” NASB

In this Eternal State, God’s people will lie down in peace, never again to know any curse or pain. God will dwell among His people forever and ever, and the will forever enjoy the happiness and satisfaction they were created for in its fullest capacity.

Revelation 22:3-5 – 3 And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him; 4 and they shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever. NASB

The coming ages will hold out one glorious revelation of the kindness of God after another, and all our capacities to appreciate and worship God is all of His Glory will be utterly fulfilled. The Gospel promise of eternal life will be fulfilled in a perpetual state of experiencing the lavish blessings of the Eternal God, forever and ever!

Ephesians 2:5-9 – 5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NASB

 
 
 

This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/11-16-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and  enter into eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 12-29-08 The Gospel – The MESSAGE of Jesus Christ – Thy Kingdom Come

14 Comments

The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

Thy Kingdom Come – More than Personal Salvation

 

Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world

for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. NASB

 

The Gospel proclaims a King and a Kingdom

Christianity expresses its hope in terms of the Kingdom of God. It looks to the King to bring His rule to the earth and restore all things to a never ending world of peace and righteousness. Toward this Kingdom, the Old Testament prophets looked forward and told of days that would be very much unlike the current days of warfare and hatred, disease and death, along with drought and famine and pestilence. It would be a day of peace and prosperity where all the world’s problems would be resolved as God would bring His rule to bear upon the earth and drastically renew and recreate the world. Of this Kingdom, George Ladd writes…..

“Then came Jesus of Nazareth with the announcement, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 4:17). This theme of the coming kingdom of God was central in His mission. His teaching was designed to show mankind how they might enter the kingdom of God (Matt 5:20, 7:21). His mighty works were intended to prove that the kingdom of God had come upon them (Matt 12:28). His parables illustrated to His disciples the truth about the kingdom of God (Matt 13:11). And when He taught His followers to pray, at the heart of their petition were the words, “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10). On the eve of His death He assured His disciples that He would yet share with them the happiness and the fellowship of the Kingdom (Luke22:22-30). And He promised that He would appear again on earth in glory to bring the blessedness of the Kingdom to those for whom it was prepared (Matt 25:31,34).”

This Kingdom then is a major theme of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is a proclamation that God’s Kingdom has arrived in the person of the King, the Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus first began His ministry he announced “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

Matthew 4:17 – 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” NASB

With this announcement of the Kingdom, comes a summons to repentance from sin. This is because the nature of God’s Kingdom is primarily about His sovereign authority and rule as the King. The holy God will not always strive with sin in His presence, but has now proclaimed that His rule has come and He has issued warning that “all men every should repent.”

Acts 17:30-31 – 30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” NASB

Now that God has long “overlooked the times of ignorance” He is “now declaring” that men must repent of sins because He has “fixed a day” of judgment. This summons to repentance was also one essential element of the Gospel that was preached by the apostles as well.

Mark 6:7-12 – 7 And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs;…..12 And they went out and preached that men should repent. NASB

Acts 3:19-20 – 19 “Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; NASB

Acts 20:20-21 – 20 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, 21 solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. NASB

Acts 26:20-21 – 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. NASB

In this sense then the Gospel is a warning. Because Christ is now bringing His authority as King to bear upon all mankind, He is commanding that all rebels who sin against His holy Law, should stop sinning and surrender to His Lordship or be judged and banished from His Kingdom forever. Moreover, they shall perish and die forever under the wrath of Almighty God.

Luke 13:3 – “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. NASB

John 3:36 – 6 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” NASB

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 – 7 and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, NASB

Therefore the great King has now warned of the arrival of His Kingdom and has mercifully invited men to repent from sins and be saved from this awful wrath which is to come. He has graciously given rebel sinners an opportunity to freely surrender or else suffer the consequences. However, along with the warning of the consequences of continued rebellion comes all the promises of God as expressed in the hope of the coming Kingdom of God. Accordingly, those who respond to the Gospel with repentance and faith receive and enter the Kingdom of God, the realm of His rule, and forever live in the fullness of its blessing. The experience of this blessing is glorious and fulfilling beyond what words can express.

 

Three Expressions of the Kingdom in the New Testament

The language of the New Testament speaks about the Kingdom of God in various ways. Primarily, there are three different ways in which the Kingdom of God is expressed.

1.      The Kingdom is God’s reign, His Authority, His sovereign rule as King. – In almost every case of the usage of the term Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven the Scripture is speaking of God’s rule, His dominion and sovereign authority as King. So when this term is applied we speak of the realm of His authority and the blessing and power of it.

Psalm 145:11-13 – 11 They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, And talk of Thy power;

12 To make known to the sons of men Thy mighty acts, And the glory of the majesty of Thy kingdom. 13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Thy dominion endures throughout all generations. NASB

Psalm 103:19 – 19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all. NASB

We are told to “seek first His Kingdom” so the Kingdom is something we seek.

Matthew 6:33 – 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. NASB

Or we are told that they were “preaching the Kingdom” so that they were telling people of

the reign and rule of God and warning men to come and surrender and receive its blessing.

Acts 28:30-31 – 30 And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters, and was welcoming all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered. NASB

Or we are told of its nature as it exists now in the church.  

Romans 14:17 – 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. NASB

Also it can be expressed in terms of the fact that we suffer for the Kingdom.

2 Thessalonians 1:5 – 5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. NASB

2.      The Kingdom the present realm into which we may now enter to experience the blessings of His reign. – When Jesus came preaching the Kingdom he told us it was now at hand.

Matthew 4:17 – 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” NASB

Luke 17:20-21 – 20 Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say,’ Look, here it is!’ or,’ There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst. ” NASB

As He taught, He described the Kingdom as something we could now enter or not enter

based on certain conditions.

John 3:5 – 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. NASB

Luke 18:17 – 17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.” NASB

He described it as something that had now come and that He was its chief representative. 

because the Kingdom had now arrived.

Matthew 12:28 –  28 “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. NASB

It is also expressed in terms of our present state having been delivered from the “domain of

darkness” and transferred to the Kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:13 – 13 For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, NASB

3.      The Kingdom is a future realm which will come only with the return of our Lord Jesus Christ into which we will then enter and experience the fullness of His reign.  – The Kingdom of God is also expressed in terms of its future fulfillment and the fact that it is yet to come. As Jesus taught of the Kingdom He would speak of it not only in terms of its present reality, but also in terms of it being yet future.

Matthew 25:34 – 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. NASB

Luke 22:17-18 – 17 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; 18 for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes. ” NASB

Or the Apostles would speak of it as something yet to be “inherited” in the future or

something yet to be entered into to.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 – 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  NASB

2 Timothy 4:18 – 18 The Lord will deliver me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. NASB

Furthermore, the Kingdom has different stages of its fulfillment as it reaches its climax in

History. Of this fact the Bible has much to say. There are many prophecies in the Bible

describing these different stages of fulfillment and events that yet shall be in the future as we

see the Kingdom of God unfold in the course of world History.

1 Corinthians 15:23-24 – 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. NASB

Matthew 24:14 – 14 “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come. NASB

And so the Kingdom is described in these three ways. It is the realm of God’s authority which has now broken into time and space in a certain spiritual way, but has not yet reached its climax.  Jesus reigns as KING from the right hand of God, and has established the Gospel of the Kingdom as a way for mankind to be reconciled to God and surrender freely and receive amnesty from His fierce wrath. However, this period of God’s patient forbearance with evil in the world will soon end and Christ will return in Glory with all of His angels to take His rightful place as King. This is typically referred to as the Second Coming of Christ.

 

This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/11-09-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 12-16-08 The Gospel – The MESSAGE of Jesus Christ – Two Great Benefits – The Death and Life of Christ

17 Comments
The Gospel – The Message of Jesus Christ

Two Great Benefits – The Death and Life of Christ

 

Romans 4:5-6

But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly,

his faith is reckoned as righteousness, NASB

 

Two Terrors of the Law

Mankind is guilty of treason against the highest authority that exists, God Himself. The Bible describes this treason as sin. Sin was first committed by our father Adam and subsequently passed to all his succeeding generations (Romans 5:12-21), having become part of our nature.

Here is a brief and helpful definition of sin from Nelson’s Bible Dictionary….

SIN – Lawlessness (1 John 3:4) or transgression of God’s will, either by omitting to do what God’s law requires or by doing what it forbids. The transgression can occur in thought (1 John 3:15), word (Matt 5:22), or deed (Rom 1:32)…… Sin is not represented in the Bible as the absence of good, or as an illusion that stems from our human limitations. Sin is portrayed as a real and positive evil. Sin is more than unwise, inexpedient, calamitous behavior that produces sorrow and distress. It is rebellion against God’s law-the standard of righteousness (Ps 119:160)…… Since God demands righteousness, sin must be defined in terms of mankind’s relation to God. Sin is thus the faithless rebellion of the creature against the just authority of his Creator. For this reason, breaking God’s law at any point involves transgression at every point (James 2:10). (from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

Now in regard to how we have sinned against God by transgressing His holy Law, there are basically two categories of sin that we are guilty of. There are sins of omission, where we fail to do what God has required of us and sins of commission, where we do something God has forbidden us to do. This is because God’s Law has both preceptive requirements and penal sanctions.

 

 

Judicially speaking therefore, we are in guilty in both aspects of transgression against the Law, and we have need to be justified before God on both accounts. Even if our sin debt was paid in regard to the penal sanctions, we still would not have fulfilled what God has required of us and therefore our righteousness before God is found lacking. For this great treason against God then, the whole world is accountable to God, having sinned and fallen short of His glory.

Romans 3:19-20, 23 – 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin…. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, NASB

We have transgressed God’s holy Law in every point so that we are subject to the wrath of God (Eph 2:1-3) and the curses of the Law, and the ultimate penalty for sin which is death. It is in this dreadful state that all mankind abide naturally, and this explains the great need for salvation. Mankind needs to be saved from sin and death. It is from this state of sin and death that Jesus Christ saves, to all who call upon Him for salvation, and this salvation is the good news held out in the Gospel.

Romans 6:23 – 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. NASB

When someone places faith in Christ, they enter into a state of “justification” before God, which is wholly complete in both aspects of the Law. Through faith in Christ people can be declared just or righteous in the sight of God.

 

Substitutionary Atonement and Imputed Righteousness

Now this is the great good news that is the substance of the Gospel in its most basic form. That is, that all who believe in Christ, can be justified before God, not by any merit of their own (or works of the Law), but by faith in Jesus Christ ONLY.

Galatians 2:16 – 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. NASB

This is called “justification by faith.” This “justification” is a declarative act on God’s part toward us on the basis of what Jesus Christ has accomplished in His life and death. When we trust in Christ, we are declared righteous by God because of Christ’s merit. Christ’s merit is wholly complete before God because He paid the penal sanctions of the Law in His death, and He fulfilled the preceptive requirements of the Law in His life, having perfectly carried out all of God’s precepts in His lifetime. He never omitted to do what God had required and He never did anything that was forbidden by God. Therefore, on this basis, God’s Law has been fulfilled in Christ, and God offers this “justification” to all who have faith in Christ.

Romans 3:21-24 – 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; NASB

Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sins by dying as a sacrifice in our place. This is called “substitutionary atonement,” as discussed earlier in our lesson pages 39-50.  This atonement was pictured in the Old Testament “sacrifice.” Therefore, Christ is our “sacrifice,” our Passover lamb that died “vicariously” (for us) and as a “substitute” (in our place), ref pg 45. Therefore Christ died as a “substitute,” a “sacrifice” to pay the debt of death which was owing to God because of our sins. God reckons Christ’s payment of death to us through faith and on this basis cancels the debt we owed because of the Law’s penal sanctions.

Colossians 2:13-14 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB

Colossians 1:21-22 –  22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-

In the same way, God reckons to us the perfectly righteous life of Christ through faith, so that in Christ God sees us as having fulfilled all the preceptive requirements of the Law as well. This is called “imputation.” Christ’s perfect life is credited to those who have faith in Him.

Philippians 3:9-10 – 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,  NASB

Romans 4:5-6 – 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, NASB

These then are the two great benefits of the Gospel. Both the life and the death of Christ are reckoned to us by faith, fulfilling God’s righteousness wholly and completely for us!  In the Gospel therefore we not only proclaim that Christ died for us, but that He also lived for us!

 

This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/11-02-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 12-04-08 The Gospel – The MESSAGE of Jesus Christ – The Gospel – Romans 3:19-28 An Exposition Part 2

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Romans 3:19-28

An Exposition – The Righteousness of God in the Gospel  – Part 2

 

Romans 3:28

For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

 

Romans 3:25 – 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; NASB

A. whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. –

 

Paul now points to the redemption price which was paid by Christ Jesus. The “whom” speaks of Christ. But notice here that it was “God” who “displayed publically” Christ. It was “God” reconciling us to Himself by “a propitiation in His blood.” Here “propitiation” speaks of an atoning sacrifice which was placed on an altar. This atoning sacrifice propitiates God’s holy wrath towards sin, which means it satisfies or appeases God’s holy anger because of sin. To state this another way, God sacrificed Christ publically, to appease His own holy wrath. Here again notice these two important elements of the Gospel, it is THEOLOGICAL because it has been wrought by God and it is CHRISTOLOGICAL because it has been purchased by Christ.

 

The terms “in His blood” speak of Christ being a blood sacrifice that appeases the holy God to provide the justification that is received by faith.  God is “He who requires blood” (Psalm 9:12) because the wages of sin is death and without the death of someone, sin cannot be atoned for, because without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness or remission of sins (Heb 9:22).

 

Notice again Paul’s emphasis on faith. This “propitiation” is provided “through faith.” Faith is the vehicle “through” which the “propitiation” is applied. God’s wrath is appeased and satisfied for every individual who receives the satisfaction “through faith.” No one can merit this appeasement of wrath without becoming the appeasement themselves. This is why salvation is NOT of works, but rather “through faith” in Christ who worked it for us.

 

B. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; –

 

Now this blood sacrifice was God making a “demonstration of His righteousness.” This is the “manifested righteousness of God” (v-21). Consider here, God has something to demonstrate, His righteousness. How did He do that? He sacrificed Christ Jesus publically to “demonstrate His righteousness.” Here Paul gives us the reason why God needed to demonstrate His righteousness. “Because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed.” Here Paul simply means that God needed to demonstrate His righteousness because He had not burst forth in wrath against all sin in all the previous ages on mankind to destroy them, but rather “in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins” that were “previously committed.” Here learn also that justification for sinners in previous ages was completed by Christ.

 

Romans 3:26 – 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. NASB

A. 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, –

 

Here Paul describes that Christ’s death was a demonstration of God’s righteousness “at the present time” to explain that it is now fulfilled at the advent of Christ. This is the “fullness of time” when God has once for all time (Heb 10:10-14) demonstrated His righteousness through the sacrifice (propitiation) of Christ.

Galatians 4:4-5 – 4 But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5 in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. NASB

 

B. that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. –

 

Here Paul states that God is “just” in this act of propitiation and that He is the “justifier” as well. God is the One who justifies (Rom 8:33), and He justifies “the one who has faith in Jesus.” See then in this glorious verse, justification is by faith, and in this God has demonstrated His justice.

 

Romans 3:27-28 – 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. NASB

A. 27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. –

 

Here Paul points to mankind and asked how we can boast before God somehow of our own merit. Here he plainly states that “boasting is excluded.” In other words, we have no place to boast of our justification before God because it was completely unmerited and gratuitous, not being earned by us but rather freely given and earned by Christ. Further that this justification comes now “by a law of faith,” and NOT “of works.” The idea of justification “apart from works” in this context is emphatic and repeated several times for Paul states just a few verses later…..

Romans 4:5 – 5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness, NASB

 

Notice how many times in this short context this idea of justification by faith apart from works has been mentioned.

  1. v-21 (But now apart from the Law)
  2. v-22 (even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe;)
  3. v-24 (being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption)
  4. v-2 (as a propitiation in His blood through faith.)
  5. v-26 (the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.)
  6. v-27 (Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.)
  7. v-28 (For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.)

 

B. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. –

 

Here Paul summarizes the main point of this passage in very certain terms. This statement emphatically sets forth the idea that justification happens “by faith” and is “apart from works of the Law.” This is the heart of the Gospel that could not be stated in any clearer terms than are given here. This is a major theme in Paul’s doctrine of salvation.

Romans 5:1-2 – 1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.NASB

Galatians 2:16 – 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. NASB

Philippians 3:9 – 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, NASB

 

Justification before God is by God’s Grace ONLY, and received by faith ONLY, because of what Christ ONLY has done.

 
 

This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/10-19-2008_SundaySchool.mp3 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/10-26-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life

 
 
 
 
 

Heavens Light 11-21-08 The Gospel – The MESSAGE of Jesus Christ – The Gospel – Romans 3:19-28 An Exposition

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Romans 3:19-28

An Exposition – The Righteousness of God in the Gospel

 

Brief Outline Romans Chapters 1-5

I.          Introduction                                                                1:1-17

II.        Condemnation: The Need for God’s                          1:18—3:20

Righteousness

            A. Guilt of the Gentile                                    1:18-32

            B. Guilt of the Jew                                         2:1—3:8

            C. Conclusion: All Are Guilty before God     3:9-20

III.       Justification: God’s Righteousness                             3:21—5:21

            A. Description of Righteousness                    3:21-31

            B. Illustration of Righteousness                     4

            C. Benefits of Righteousness                                     5:1-11

            D. Contrast of Righteousness and                  5:12-21

     Condemnation

 

The book of Romans is comprehensive and technical discourse on Salvation by grace through faith in Christ, and on the Gospel message. In the above outline we get a picture of the foundation Paul has been building in order to deliver the Gospel message to us. In chapter one he tells us that “the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation” (v-16) and he then tells us that it reveals the “righteousness of God” (v-17). He begins to establish the case of why God’s righteousness is important and necessary explaining that both Gentile and Jew are under the condemnation of God and in desperate need to be justified. In chapter 3:19-28, he explains this “righteousness of God” which is revealed in the Gospel in very certain terms. The following is an exposition of this text.

 

Romans 3:19-20 – 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. NASB

A. 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become accountable to God; –

 

Paul, having made his case that both the Gentile (1:18-32) and the Jew (2:1-3:8) are guilty before God, this is his final concluding remark stating that they are all liable and “accountable to God.” In establishing the extent of this accountability, he states that “every mouth may be closed and the whole world may become accountable.” By this he surely means that they have no defense or excuse to speak of the guilt of their sin, but that both their conscience (2:12-16) and God’s Law (here) testify against them.

 

B. 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. –

 

In regard to being “justified” in God’s sight, Paul again established the guilt of the entire world with the reference “no flesh,” that is, no human being. These he says, cannot be “justified” by obedience to the Law, rather that their failure to keep it establishes what sin is, transgression of His Law. Mankind has failed not only at violating what the Law forbids (penal sanctions), but also at fulfilling what it commands (perceptive requirements). The Law, with all of its high and Holy commands, has indeed caused the sin of mankind to be seen with utmost clarity and it condemns us all as guilty before God’s judgment bar. It has given us a measuring line that reveals our treason and rebellious refusal to submit to our Creator in His commands to love Him and our neighbor. Here Paul establishes two very important elements in the Gospel:

1) The UNIVERSALity of the guilt of mankind before God (Jew and Gentile).

2) The inability for anyone to be justified before God by good works or obedience to the Law of God because of their utter failure to fulfill it. It is PERSONAL.

This is consistent with Paul’s Gospel in other sections of Scripture as well.

(Rom 2:13, 7:7-9, Gal 2:19, 3:10-13, Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5-7)

Galatians 2:16 – 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified. NASB

 

Romans 3:21 – 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, NASB

 

A. 21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, –

 

Paul had explained in chapter 1:16-17 that the Gospel revealed “the righteousness of God” and that this was the “power of God for salvation for everyone who believes.” Here he tells us that this “righteousness of God has been manifested,” and this “apart from the Law.” When Paul speaks of the righteousness of God here, he does not speak of that righteousness which God requires only, but a righteousness which of itself comes from God and is an objective reality that has now been “revealed” (v-1:17) or “manifested.” This was Martin Luther’s great discovery, that is, that the righteousness of God was a foreign righteousness apart from our own works and apart from the very Law of God itself. Now this is THE essential part of the Gospel, and of the Christian Faith, the principle of sola fide, that is, that the righteousness of God is an objective foreign reality provided by God and received by faith, not merited of our own works.

 

Here see also, that God’s righteousness “has been manifested.” It is an historical reality that we observe from outside, that is, the life and death of the great God and Savior Jesus Christ! The life and death of Jesus Himself, is the “manifested” righteousness of God. Jesus is our righteousness. This righteousness “has been manifested” in Jesus! It is Historical.

1 Corinthians 1:30 – 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,

See also, that it is the righteousness of God, that is, it is theological. It is that righteousness that God BOTH requires and provides. Here Paul establishes two more very important elements in the Gospel: It is HISTORICAL and THEOLOGICAL.  

 

B. being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, –

 

Here he establishes that the entire Old Testament is a witness to this “righteousness of God, apart from the Law.” That both the Law and Prophets (a reference to the entire Old Testament, that being the Pentateuch and the historical, wisdom, and prophetic literature) have testified that rightstanding with God is obtained by faith and not by works. Here he is saying that the entire Old Testament witnesses and testifies that the righteousness of God “has been manifested apart from the Law!” See then another important element in the Gospel, it is BIBLICAL.

 

Romans 3:22 – 22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; NASB

A.    22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ –

 

Having established two very important points;

1) That the entire world, all mankind, is guilty before the tribunal of God’s judgment because of the failure to fulfill the Law of God.

2) That God’s righteousness now “has been manifested apart from the Law”

Paul delivers the sweetest, most glorious and soul freeing words which can be spoken to a guilty sinner who is under the threat and condemnation of God’s fierce wrath. That is, that God has provided the righteousness that He requires in Jesus Christ, and that we can posses it through faith alone in Christ alone! This is THE GOSPEL in a verse, and it is GOOD NEWS! Make no mistake, here the sinner is told explicitly how he/she can be made right with God, “through faith in Jesus Christ.” Here is another element then, the GOSPEL is CHRISTOLOGICAL. Jesus Christ is the center of the Gospel, it is Christocentric.

 

B. for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; –

 

Here we see a great paradox in the Gospel. It is both, all inclusive and very exclusive! It makes “no distinction” between Jew and Gentile, but “all” mankind can be included in being “justified” before God. However, this righteousness of God is very exclusive because it is provided only for those who “believe.” See then that God’s righteousness is UNIVERSAL in its scope, but given exclusively to those who believe (have faith) in Jesus Christ! And so, in the words of DA Carson, the Gospel is “received in authentic persevering faith.”

 

Romans 3:23-24 – 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; NASB

A. 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, –

 

Here Paul repeats the point he had earlier established that “all have sinned” and “fall short” of “God’s glory,” that is, of His glorious perfection which He requires in His Law. Notice the terms “glory of God” are used to speak of God’s nature which is equivalent to His holy Law. Learn here that when we sin we “fall short of the glory of God,” yes, we fail to glorify God. Sin is a defamation of the “glory of God” and an offense to His holy perfection.

 

B. 24 being justified as a gift by His grace –

 

Here is Paul’s explanation of the gratuitous and unmerited nature of God’s FREE grace. Now he elaborates on the GOOD NEWS that “all” can be “justified as a gift by His grace!” Here is the GOSPEL, that in spite of the fact that “all” mankind have “sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” they can be “justified” by God as a FREE “gift.” By FREE we mean FREE to the one who receives it, but very costly to the One who gives it! Now this is what we mean when we speak about “grace!” GRACE is unmerited (not earned) and gratuitous (freely given).  No one can earn the “justification” or “righteousness of God,” because, “all” have forfeited it by sinning against God and offending His Glory, rebelling against His holy commands and spurning His threats to punish. Therefore, justification is provided as a gift by grace ONLY and NOT by any form of merit. This is why we say that salvation is by Grace ALONE. It is unmerited by the recipient, but rather freely given. The “Solas” of the reformation express the exclusive role of each one of the elements of salvation.

·         Sola Gratia – GRACE ALONE – not merited by works, but freely given

·         Sola Fide – FAITH ALONE – received only by belief and trust, apart from works

·         Sola Christus – CHRIST ALONE – the righteousness provided by His merit ONLY

Grace has its emphasis on God’s part of salvation being the originator and the giver of salvation. This is why the doctrine of election is also inseparably tied to grace. But faith has its emphasis on the recipient of grace, the sinner who receives the gift by faith. Faith is the conduit or vehicle by which grace is received.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast. NASB

 

C. through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; –

 

See now where the merit lies. It is in “the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” Here, the “being justified as a gift by His grace,” is merited by the “redemption.” Of course here the term “redemption” speaks of a price paid for the debt. It is a monetary term. Therefore the “being justified as a gift by His grace” is provided by the price which was paid by Christ Jesus. Consider here also the word “through.” The object of this adverb is the clause, “being justified as a gift by His grace.” Therefore justification is a “gift” provided “through” Christ’s “redemption.” See here again therefore that justification is NOT merited by any form of good works or obedience to the Law, but is “through faith” (v-22) and received as “a gift by His grace” and provided “through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus”(v-24).

 
 
 

This teaching is a part of a 18 month series called “The Savior, The Cross, and The Gospel” ….

 

See the Outline here….. http://www.abqhcf.com/lessons/08-09/handouts/abc/Brochure-08-09.pdf

 

This teaching can be heard on audio here: 

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/08-09/abc/10-19-2008_SundaySchool.mp3

 

 

 If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here to find out how….. 

 

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/2425

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org

 
If you would like to be added or add someone to this email list, just reply with “sign me up” and the address you want it sent to. May the Lord bless you and keep you!
 
 
Shaan Sloan
Heritage Christian Fellowship – ABQ
505-348–5092
The Lord is the Strength of My Life