SAVED BY GRACE
APPENDIX
NOT UNDER THE LAW (Romans 6:14)
"The Law which exacts obedience, without giving POWER to obey;
that condemns every transgression and every unholy thought
without providing for the expiration of evil or the pardon of
sin. But under grace . You are under the merciful and beneficent
dispensation of the Gospel, that although it requires the
strictest conformity to the will of God, affords sufficient power
to be thus conformed; and, in the death of Christ, has provided
PARDON for all that is past and GRACE to help in every time need"
(Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary - emphasis his).
"To be 'under the Law' in St.Paul's language, means to avoid sin
from fear of penalties attached to sin by the Law. This principle
of fear is not strong enough to keep men in the path of duty.
Union with Christ can alone give man the mastery over sin"
(The Life and Epistles of Paul, by Conybeare and Howson ).
"Those in Christ are not under the regime of the Mosaic Law as
the MEANS of attaining salvation. We are under the grace of God
and of Christ. The whole of the OT - the Law, the Prophets, and
the Writings (e.g., Psalms) - certainly brings the knowledge of
sin (Rom.3:20;5:20)..........
When we are under grace, we have a new owner. This fact changes
all of the believer's conduct. Our status under grace is like
that of a woman married to another man after the death of her
husband. It involves a whole new manner of life. Thus, by
analogy, Paul shows why being under grace NEVER ALLOWS a believer
to be INDIFFERENT to SIN" (Wycliffe Bible Commentary - page 1201
- emphasis ours).
"....not under the Law of sin and death, but under the Law of the
Spirit of life, which is in Christ Jesus: we are actuated by
other principles than we have been ....... Or, not under the
covenant of works, which requires brick, and gives no straw,
which condemns upon the least failure.... but under the covenant
of grace ....... which requires nothing but what it promises
strength to perform...... that every transgression in the
covenant does not put us out of the covenant ...... grace which
accepts the willing mind, which is not extreme to mark what we do
amiss, which leaves room for REPENTANCE, which promises PARDON
upon repentance: and what can be to an ingenuous mind a stronger
motive than this to have nothing to do with sin? Shall we SIN
against so much GOODNESS, abuse such LOVE ?...... to SPIT in the
face of such love, is that which, between man and man, all the
world would cry out shame on" (Matthew Henry's Bible Comm. Vol.3,
page 955 - emphasis ours).
"We who are Christians are not subject to that Law where sin is
excited, and where it rages unsubdued. But it may be asked here,
what is meant by this declaration? DOES IT MEAN THAT CHRISTIANS
ARE ABSOLVED FROM ALL THE OBLIGATIONS OF THE LAW? I answer, (1)
The apostle does not affirm that Christians are not bound to obey
the moral Law. The whole scope of his reasonings show that he
maintains that they ARE. The whole structure of Christianity
supposes the same thing. Comp. Matt. 5:17-19. (2) The apostle
means to say that Christians are not under the Law as legalists,
or as attempting to be justified by it .
They seek a different plan of justification altogether; and they
do not attempt to be justified by their own obedience, The Jews
did; they do not ...... BUT UNDER GRACE. Under a scheme of
MERCY, the DESIGN and tendency of which is to subdue sin, and
destroy it. In what way the system of grace removes and destroys
sin, the apostle states in the following verses" ( Albert Barnes'
Notes on the New Testament, page 593 - emphasis ours
and his).
A CONCISE SUMMARY FROM HALLEY'S BIBLE HANDBOOK (New Revised Edition)
"If we are no longer under the Law, and Christ Forgives our Sins,
then why not continue to sin? Keep on Sinning, and Christ keep on
Forgiving. Paul answers that such a thing is unthinkable. Christ
died to Save us from our Sins. His forgiveness is for the purpose
of making us Hate our Sins. We cannot be servants of Sin, and
servants of Christ. We must choose one or the other. It is
not possible to please Christ, and continue at the same time TO
LIVE IN SIN.
This does not mean we can entirely overcome All our Sins,and
place ourselves beyond the need of His Mercy. But it does mean
that there are two essentially different Ways of Life; The WAY of
CHRIST and the WAY of SIN. In heart we belong to one or the
other, but not to both.
Christ, the perfect embodiment of the Law of God, furnishes us
with the MOTIVE, and supplies us with the POWER, to struggle on
unto the attainment for ourselves of that Perfect Holiness which,
by His Grace, ultimately shall be ours" ( page 587 - emphasis
ours and his).
THE BIBLE DEFINITION AS TO WHAT IS SIN
"......Sin is the transgression of the Law" (1 John 3:4).
"......I had not known Sin, but by the Law: for I had not known
lust except the Law had said, You shall not covet" ( Romans 7:7).
"......for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin" ( Romans 3:20).
"All unrighteousness is Sin......." (1 John 5:17).
"......for whatsoever is not of faith is Sin" ( Romans 14:23 ).
"Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and does not do it, to
him it is Sin" (James 4:17).
THE DOCTRINE OF SIN
In the book All the Doctrines of the Bible , Dr. Herbert
Lockyer has a very illuminating chapter called 'The Doctrine of
Sin'. He explains the meaning of the many Hebrew words that
are used in the OT to give us a clearer picture of the many sides
and different shades that make up, what the Bible calls sin
I will but quote a few of his last paragraphs here:
"..... The Bible describes so many sins for our enlightenment and
warning. There are little sins (Song of Solomon 2:15); big sins
(Ps.25:11 - a strange plea for mercy); tall sins (Rev.18:5 -
colored iniquity); secret sins (Ez.8:7, 12 - a darkened gallery);
open sins (1 Sam. 2:23 - talk of the town); youthful sins (Job
20:11 - malignant germs); middle life sins (Ps.91: 6 - prayer
book version); old age sins (2 Chron.16:12 - gouty troubles);
ignorant sins (Lev.4:1,35 - a merciful provision); sins against
the light (John 15:22 - a cloakless evil); sins against God
(Ps.51:4 -a royal penitent's wail); sins against man (1 Cor.8:13
- abuse of Christian liberty) and sins against the Holy Spirit
(Matt.12:32). Is it not blessed to know that the blood of Jesus
Christ is able to cleanse us from ALL sin?....
Sin is unrighteousness. When a man sins he ceases to be right. He
becomes crooked and has perverted thoughts of God and His
ways...... Sin is the absolute denial of divine righteousness,
a breaking away from the divine standard and the divine right to
command......
Christ, then, has made a full provision for the guilt and
government of sin. Through His atoning work, He is able to save
from the PENALTY of sin. Alive for evermore, He is able
through the Spirit, daily to save us from the POWER of sin. When
He returns the second time without sin unto salvation, He will
deliver His saved ones from the PRESENCE of sin WITHIN and
AROUND. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
.......Christ came into the world to save sinners. He died for
our sins, according to the scripture....... At Calvery, the guilt
of sin was dealt with and forever cancelled by the merit of
Christ's atoning work. Upon the cross, He became a curse for us
(Gal.3:13). Willingly He became the propitiation for our sins (1
John 2:2)....... Dealing, then, with our transgressions,
Christ takes up His abode within us and KEEPS us right with God.
He it is who STRENGTHENS us to do all things right, ENABLING us
to stand perfect and complete in all the WILL of God. IMPELLED by
the Spirit, we keep within the boundary of every divine
command....... Thereafter, walking in the Spirit, the healed one
fulfils the lusts of the flesh no more......
Sin is DECEIT, producing all that is fictitious and FALSE ......
Jesus came as the Lamb, innocent, harmless, CLEAR and
transparent...... To all those deluded by sin, He comes, as He
did to the demoniac of old, to clothe them in a right mind......
Jesus offers the bankrupt sinner the unsearchable RICHES of His
GRACE...... " (pages 157, 158. emphasis ours).
BUT with all the talk of "sins" the author never gets around to tell you
the sins mentioned in the Bible, or the Bible definition of sin, which I
gave you above, and brought out in my studies on "Simple Salvation."
A NOTE ON PAUL AND THE LAW (Romans 7)
From the one volume ABINGDOM BIBLE COMMENTARY, page 1151 we read:
"Paul has been accused of glaring inconsistency in his language
about the Law and in his practical relation to it. On the one
hand he asserts its divine origin and character, its high
ethical quality, as in v.12...... On the other hand he appears to
reckon the Law among the spiritual foes of man; it is something
to which Christians have to die as they die unto Sin.....THE
INCONSISTENCY IS, HOWEVER, MORE APPARENT THAN REAL.
It disappears when we recognize the distinction which was clearly
present to the apostle's mind. That is the distinction between
the Law as a system whereby the Jews had learned to expect that
they could establish a CLAIM upon God's favor, could EARN his
forgiveness and secure a righteousness of their OWN, and the Law
as the expression of the moral ideals of God set before his
people....... It was the Law....... as a system in which men
trusted to establish a righteousness of their own, that Paul
dreaded, criticized and proclaimed to have come to an end in
Christ. Yet he saw it as something which had been perverted from
its original purpose, though something which had not lost its
original character....... he continued to regard the moral ideals
of the Law as valid....... The Jew thought that if he kept the
law he would be saved. Paul taught that man must be saved in
order to keep the Law." (emphasis ours).
ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED?
Amongst some evangelical circles is promulgated the teaching that
once an individual has been converted or saved, it is not
possible for him/her to fall away from grace. This doctrine
is called "once saved always saved." After many years of reading
the Bible commentators, I must confess I find it difficult to
understand how this teaching entered Christendom, as none of the
old commentators I have perused ever hinted that the Bible taught
such a view.
Likewise, among more recent commentaries, I have found total
silence on this hypothesis.
Perhaps, someone could find a commentator somewhere at some time
who has written upholding this theory. Be that as it may - it
would not alter the plain fact that the Bible itself, especially
the NT, teaches no such thing as that it is not possible to fall
away once a person has been truly converted.
I ask the reader to look at and meditate upon the following
Scriptures, which clearly disprove the "once saved always saved"
teaching. These verses show that anyone, after being saved,
can, through different circumstances, pressures, and human
weaknesses - if not relying on and yielding to the Spirit of God
- fall from grace, slip back into the old man and again be
entangled in sin and death, for a short, or long, or permanent
length of time.
MAT. 10:16-22; 13:18-23; 24:11-13; 25:1-13, 14-30; LUKE.
15:11-32; 21:29-36; ROM.2:6,7; 8:12,13; 11:17-23; 14:13-21; 1
COR.3: 16,17; 5;8; 9:42-27;10:6-12; 2 COR. 6:1; 11:1-3; 12:20,21;
13:5; GAL. 1:2-6; 5:1; 4:8,9; 6:1; PHIL. 2:12-16;4:1; COL.
1:21-23; 2:1-8; 1 TIM. 1:18-20; HEB. 2:1-3; 6:4-6; 10:35-39;
12:1-3,15; JAMES.5:19,20; 1 JN. 2:24. There are indeed more
verses I could yet give - but surely the truth has sufficiently
been shown.
THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE
It may be asked, WHY, with all the Scriptural evidence to the
contrary, is this peculiar doctrine of "once saved always saved"
taught?
Possibly it was contrived to try and give ASSURANCE to those
individuals, who were still UNsure whether their sins had been
forgiven, what repentance meant, what salvation was really all
about, and unsure about their present daily sins and acceptance
with God the Father. Because the NT teaches that it is NOT
impossible to fall away from the grace and saving work of Christ,
this does not mean a Christian can have no assurance or
confidence. To the CONTRARY, a true child of God can have great
confidence, for it is written, "And this is the record, that God
HAS GIVEN TO US ETERNAL LIFE, and this life is in His Son. He
that has the Son HAS LIFE...... " (1 John 5:11,12).
Those who have truly come to understand what REAL repentance is,
what Salvation is, what conditions the Lord lays down to be saved
by His grace ( if you are still in doubt, please read again my
articles "Real Repentance" and "Saved by Grace" ), those who have
accepted Jesus as their PERSONAL saviour, have surrendered to the
guiding work of the Holy Spirit in their daily lives - those
individuals can come before the throne of grace BOLDLY
(Heb.4:16) and have ASSURANCE that they are a son or daughter of
the Father. The apostle John was further inspired to instruct us
HOW we can KNOW that we KNOW, "These THINGS HAVE I
WRITTEN unto you (that believe on the name of the Son of God)
THAT YOU MAY KNOW that you have eternal life...." (1 John 5:13 ).
The things that John wrote in his epistles are, if we are doing them, our
assurance, confidence that eternal life dwells within us through
Christ (chap.3:24; 4:4; 5:11-12). The writings of John especially
give us the ACID test - we can test our assurance by the things
that John wrote.
IF we are walking in the LIGHT (ch.1:6-7); IF we are of a
constant REPENTANT mind (verses 8-10); IF we are, with the faith
OF Jesus - He IN us (Gal.2:20), endeavouring to KEEP His
Commandments, His word, willing to walk and live as He did
(ch.2:3-6); IF we have NO HATE for anyone (v.9-11); IF we do not
love the LUSTS of the world (v.15-17); IF we are not denying
Jesus (v.21-23; Titus 1:16); IF we are not PRACTICING (as a way
of life) SIN, but practicing RIGHTEOUSNESS (ch.3:6-10); IF we
LOVE the brethren and serve them (verses 14-19); IF we LOVE God,
which is manifested by keeping His COMMANDMENTS (ch.3:24; 4:8,
16; 5:3); THEN YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE ABIDING IN YOU (ch.3:24; 5:13).
Friend, are you willing to EXAMINE yourself to see if you are in
the faith, as Paul instructed us to do (2 Cor. 13:5)? Are you
willing to PROVE yourself against the acid test of the
epistles of John, that you may KNOW that you KNOW that eternal
life dwells in you? And therein KNOW that you are of the truth,
and ASSURE your heart before God (ch.3:19)? That assurance can
be yours. It is all summed up in four passages, chapters 1:8-10;
3:24; 4:16; and 5:3.
Is there a sin, a commandment of God that you are breaking,
something you are practicing that is contrary to the will of the
Father - something that is separating you from God, that keeps
you from full assurance?
Maybe you have some IDOL, such as wealth, a job, a loved one, a
friend, an ambition, or something else that is keeping you from
fully surrendering to Jesus?
Maybe you have not yet given your TONGUE over to the control of
God's Spirit and you are still practicing slander, gossip,
swearing, cursing, or profanity?
Possibly you have trouble loving and communicating with your
parents. Do you despise or hate someone - not able to forgive
others the wrongs they have done to you? Maybe you
have yet to stop practicing sexual immorality of one sort or
another. Are you still not willing to surrender all to the
heavenly Father and start keeping His Sabbath days holy?
Possibly COVETING, lusting and greed for material goods or fame,
is still a part of your daily life. How about self-conceit and
vanity, or a quick temper, what about mental and physical
laziness, do these still dominate your life?
Whatever may be keeping you from having assurance in your heart
that you are in Christ and Christ in you, then you need to cry
out to the Lord in deep heart-felt repentance, ask Him to
help you with His Spirit of power to cast away what needs to be
cast away. Ask for HELP to SURRENDER ALL to Him!
Do not deceive yourself, do not allow others to deceive you into
just turning a blind eye to what John in his epistles has written
for us, to KNOW how we can KNOW that we are of God. Do not be
UNSURE - do not be deceived by the false teachings that it makes
no difference what you do after you have been saved, or that the
Law of the Eternal is "done away." or "once saved always saved."
YOUR ETERNAL LIFE IS AT STAKE!!
Listen to what John was inspired to tell us:
"Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard from the
beginning. IF that which you have heard from the beginning shall
REMAIN in you, you also shall CONTINUE in the Son, and in the
Father......And we know that the Son of God is come, and has
given us an UNDERSTANDING, that we may KNOW Him that is
true.......And this is the promise that He has promised us, even
ETERNAL LIFE" (1 John 2:24, 25; 5:20).
Again:
"But be on your GUARD, my dear children, against every false god"
(1 John 5:21 Phillips Translation).
As shocking as it may sound to many, ASSURANCE is not found in
feelings! To just "feel" with your emotions that you have
Salvation, that you have been "saved," that you are a child
of God, DOES NOT BY ITSELF MAKE IT SO!!
NOW PLEASE READ WHAT HERBERT LOCHYER HAS TO SAY
ON THE DOCTRINE OF ASSURANCE:
"As assurance is the spiritual birthright of every believer, it
is their privilege and duty to experience and enjoy such an inner
possession......it is amazing to discover that the Bible
maintains a propound silence on feelings. The Concordance shows
that the word is used only twice in the Word. and in either case
it is employed in connection with our salvation......The word
'feel' is found in six places, but in no instance is it related
to a true Christian experience. Our salvation rests, not upon
fluctuating and fitful feelings, but upon the UNASSAILABLE FACTS
the Scriptures present......There can be no assurance within
unless there is the acceptance of the direct testimony of the
WORD of God......Assurance is no vocal or audible voice or
revelation of an angel, but of a condition of being secure, the
willingness to take God at His word.......when with confidence we
can say with the apostle Paul: 'I know whom I have BELIEVED,
and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day' (2 Tim.1:12), all doubt is excluded.
ASSURANCE IS A BIRTHRIGHT WE MUST PRESERVE and
never forfeit. We must 'hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the
hope firm unto the end' (Heb.3:6, 14). Such confidence must never
be 'cast away' (Heb.10:35). When Peter took his eyes of Christ and
looked at the waves, he began to sink.
TRUE ASSURANCE IS BUILT UPON A SCRIPTURAL FOUNDATION.........
assurance is the completeness of Christ's atoning work...... Full
assurance also rests upon the intercessory work of Christ, who is
'able to succor' and also able to 'save to the uttermost'
(Heb.2:18; 7:25). God's own nature, imparted to the believer is
our assurance. Christ becomes 'our life' (Col.3:4). By faith,
through grace, we become partakers of a divine nature (2 Pet.
1:4; 1 Pet. 1:23).
Further, assurance springs from righteousness, not our own, but
THE LORD'S (Isa. 32:17).
Many are confident that all is well because of their OWN
morality. But their assurance is FALSE, seeing all their
righteousness is as filthy rags in God's sight. Only DIVINE
righteousness can avail on our behalf, and when clothed with it,
a blessed assurance becomes ours....... Assurance of an eternal
salvation is based on UNDERSTANDING (John 20:31; Col.2:2; 1 John
5:13,20). Assurance is an INTELLECTUAL PROCESS whereby the mind
is enabled by the Spirit to accept revealed truth, resulting in
an emotional state, or a deep soul satisfaction........
Unconfessed, UNFORSAKEN sin can rob a man of full assurance......
We must exercise ourselves unto all godliness (1 Tim.4:7).
HOLINESS is the SAP helping to produce the fruit of
assurance......The devil rocks men in the cradle of a false peace
(Isa. 57:21)...... True peace is the sister of assurance, and
springs from our union with Christ and CONSTANT SUBMISSION
to Him.......
No man has the jewel of assurance who abhors the works of
the flesh. Assurance is associated with true humility, while
presumption is the other face of pride. Presumption estranges God
from the soul ...... Assurance can be cultivated by believing all
God says (1 John 2:23; 5:2; 5:14), by Bible study, by prayer, and
by desiring all the things of the Spirit. Lack of love for the
Word and ignorance of the indwelling presence of the Spirit
hinders assurance........ No one can know if they are saved,
unless they are prepared to be FULLY SAVED. Others lack
assurance simply because they are unwilling to carry out the
KNOWN WILL of God. OBEDIENCE TO ALL HE REVEALS results in an
assurance nothing can disturb......... " (All the Doctrines of
the Bible, pages 204 - 207). ( emphasis ours and his ).
Now that my friends, are some true words indeed from the above
book by Lockyer. Many need to read them again and slowly with
meditation, for it is what the whole context of the Bible teaches.
THE 3 STAGES OF THE PROCESS OF SALVATION
THE NEW SCOFIELD REFERENCE BIBLE says, "Salvation is
in three tenses: (1) The Christian has been saved from the guilt and
penalty of sin. (2) The Christian is being saved from the habit
and dominion of sin. And (3) the Christian will be saved at the
Lord's return.
The GREEK of the NT makes this 3 stage process of Salvation very
clear - some more modern translations of the Bible have corrected
the KJV version and given the correct tense.
"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according
to His mercy He SAVED US (Gr. Aorist Ind. - 'has saved us' ),
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour"
(Titus 3:5).
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish (Gr.
Present tense - 'are perishing' ) foolishness; but unto us
which ARE SAVED (Gr. Present tense - 'are being saved' ) it is
the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18).
"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same SHALL BE SAVED"
(Gr. Future tense - 'shall be' ) (Matthew 24:13).
WE AGAIN QUOTE FROM DR. HERBERT LOCKYER.
God's perfect salvation covers the PAST, includes the
PRESENT and embraces the FUTURE, as Paul so clearly
reveals in his Roman epistle.
1. A Past Salvation
Salvation is a gift we receive the moment we accept Christ as our
Saviour. In the moment of our surrender to His claim, we
experience His Gospel to be the power of God unto salvation
(Romans 1:16). No matter how sinful we were in the past, in a
moment of time the red blood of Jesus makes the black heart
whiter than the snow.... Under the curse and condition of sin
we came to know what it was to be saved from the guilt and
penalty of our sin, (Luke 7:50; 1 Cor.1:18; 2 Tim.1:9).
2. A Present Salvation
Too many who have been saved are ignorant of the fact that their
salvation covers the journey between their conversion and death
or the return of Christ. Because He continues His ministry
in glory, Christ's salvation is unfailing (Heb.7:24,25). Paul had
this aspect of salvation in mind when he wrote - 'For if, when
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His
Son, much more being reconciled, we SHALL BE saved by His life'
(Rom.5:10).
Here we have a DOUBLE salvation - one by the DEATH of Christ,
and the other by His LIFE. 'Reconciled to God by the death of
His Son' - this is PAST salvation. But Paul said 'much more':
Is there something more than being saved? The apostle says there
is - 'being reconciled, we SHALL be saved by His life.'
The reference to 'his life' does not apply to the earthly life
of Christ ....... Paul then, had in mind the present life of
Christ. His risen, glorified throne life. He ever liveth to keep
us saved, to provide us with a day by day salvation from the
POWER of sin, as well as its PENALTY: from sin's government as
well as its guilt. This is the grade of salvation we are to
exhibit (Ps.96:2), and represents salvation from the HABIT and
DOMINATION of sin (Rom.6:14; Phil.2:12,13; 2 Cor.3:18).
The question of paramount importance is, ARE WE BEING SAVED? Have
we daily victory over the flesh? Do we reign in life by Christ
Jesus? Are we more than conquerors? Is ours the OVERCOMING life?
Or can it be that, although we can look back and think of the day
we were saved from our guilty past, we are miserably defeated in
the PRESENT?.......
3. A Prospective Salvation
Paul must have had the FUTURE in mind when he gave us the third
aspect or tense of salvation. 'Now is our salvation nearer than
when we believed' (Rom.13:11). This is also the grace of
salvation of which Peter speaks, as being 'ready to be revealed
in the last time' (1 Pet. 1:5).
........Did we not receive salvation when we believed? Yes! Do we
not receive salvation as we keep on believing? Yes! Then what
brand of salvation did Paul refer to when he said it is 'nearer'
than it was in the initial hour of faith? It is a salvation from
the PRESENCE of sin, just as the past salvation delivered us from
the PENALTY of sin, and a present salvation delivers us from the
POWER of sin. We need salvation from the presence of sin within,
and from the presence of sin around us in the world. When will
this salvation take place? Why, when Jesus comes.......Returning,
He will save us from sin within, giving us an un-sinning nature
like unto His own....... (1 John 3:1,2)....... we shall be saved
to sin no more. With the redemption of the body ( Rom.8:23; 1
Cor. 15:51-54 ), the seat, source and seductiveness of sin will
be removed....... The Church will be saved to sin no more " (The
Doctrine of Salvation, pages 161-163. emphasis ours and his).
THE DOCTRINE OF GRACE
I will take the space to again quote some passages from
Mr.Lockyer's book on this most important subject.
"The importance of a right understanding of this further basic
Christian doctrine can be judged by the fact that 'grace' and its
cognates, 'gracious' and 'graciously' occur almost 200 times in
Scripture...... Salvation from commencement to consummation,
service from start to finish, sanctification from beginning to
end are all associated with the grace of God.
From the first reference to grace in Gen.6:8, 'Noah found grace
in the eyes of the Lord,' until the last reference in Rev.22:21,
'The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you,' this glorious
.......theme dominates the Word......None of the other
fundamentals of the Gospel can be rightly understood, if the
Biblical unfolding of divine grace is not fully grasped.
PERVERTED views of grace mean perversion in all areas of divine
truth.
Grace has been described as...... 'Unmerited, undeserved favor';
'A comprehensive word of boundless reach as it carries an
infinite depth of significance signifying unlimited favor to the
undeserving...'
.......In Greek terminology CHARIS implies a favor freely
done...... When used by the Greeks themselves, CHARIS expressed
favor shown to a friend. When the word is applied to Christ
dying for sinners (Rom.5:8-10), it takes a leap forward for He
expressed His favor toward His enemies. Divine grace is therefore
more commendable than human grace (1 John 3:1)
.......Grace is unmerited favor manifested toward sinners and
indicates that the demands of divine justice have been met,
seeing that the PENALTY was placed upon Christ. Grace introduces
us into a new realm. Through it we are taken out of the sphere of
DEATH into LIFE (Rom.5:2; Gal. 1:6). By grace we are fully and
freely justified. The Law said, 'Pay me what you owe, even to the
uttermost farthing.' Grace says, 'You have nothing to pay your
debt with. I freely forgive all.' The Law...... evicts, as a
landlord evicts a tenant who cannot or will not pay rent - GRACE
steps in, cancels the bond and relieves the debtor. The LAW
reveals a sinful condition and CONDEMNS the sinner to DEATH -
GRACE provides a righteousness the sinner could never attain
(John 1:17; Rom.6:14).......
Grace comes to us from God. He is its Rise and Spring (Ps.84:11;
1 Pet. 5:10; James 4:6).
Grace flows from the glorious and transcendent nature of God. It
is one of His infinite ATTRIBUTES....... Grace is an ACT, not
only a favor, a gift revealing the divine character. Grace
reveals what God IS as well as what He DOES .........
Those who come to know what it is to be saved by grace are not
long in discovering that they cannot remain static . Grace is
found to be related to Christian growth (2 Cor.1:12; Eph.4:29).
We can not grow INTO grace but once grace becomes a possession by
faith, we grow IN it. Once we are made the sharers of divine
grace, then it becomes a progressive force in life (2 Pet.3:18).
There is grace upon grace (John 1:16). We pass from one degree
of grace to another degree (Ps.84:7; Phil.1:9; Rom. 1:17). Grace
is not a seed in the heart that cannot grow, but a blade, an ear,
then the full corn in the ear. Once we are made the recipients of
grace we are not like Hezekiah's sun dial that went backward, or
Joshuah's sun that stood still, but are ever increasing in
holiness. There is a continuous unfelt progression as we journey
on from the first measure of grace to the riches of grace. As the
roots spread, the tree grows (Col.2:7). Growth in grace is the
best evidence of its possession. If we are not growing in grace,
then there is something lacking in one's faith (1 Thes.3:10).
Loss of spiritual appetite is a sure sign of spiritual decline.......
How can we grow in grace? By using all the available means for
such a growth. We must exercise ourselves unto godliness (1
Tim.4:7)....... Growing in grace we grow less in our own
eyes. Growing Christians are HUMBLE Christians (1 Pet.5:5,6).
Through grace we grow out of all selfconceit (Ps.22:6). Grace
subdues self (1 Cor. 15:10).......
As we grow in grace, the growth of corruption is hindered. The
flowers of grace prevent the weeds of sin from spreading. When
grace rules within the whole being is brought into subjection to
Christ, and the Spirit transforms us into His holiness.......
Growth in grace means a more spiritual frame of heart, and a
desire to become more spiritual in activities as well as in
affections. While it is possible for a believer to fall FROM
grace (Gal.5:1), he can never fall OUT of grace....... "
(All the Doctrines of the Bible - pages 163 - 168, emphasis our
and his).
A SHORT STUDY ON FAITH (excerpts taken from the book God's
Plan for Man by Finis Dake).
1. The Definition of Faith
The word FAITH is found only twice in the OT, but 245 times in
the NT.
The word BELIEVE with its various endings occurs 45 times in the
OT and 268 times in the NT. The word TRUST is the other OT word
for FAITH and BELIEVE. It is used with its various endings 154
times in the OT and 35 times in the NT.
These words simply mean to CONFIDE IN, so as to be secure without
fear; to flee for refuge to or to take shelter in; to put faith
in; to stay or rest on; to rely on; to believe or to take one
at his word; to rely upon the promise of another; and to put
absolute trust in a person without any questioning or doubts as
to his faithfulness.
The Bible definition of faith is, 'The substance of things hoped
for, the evidence of things not seen' ( Heb.11:1 )...... 'Now
faith is a well-grounded assurance of that for which we hope, and
a conviction of the reality of things which we do not see '
( Weymouth )
Faith is a union of assurance and conviction .......
2. What Faith is Not
The average person who seeks to exercise faith depends upon what
he can see, hear, or feel.
Testimonies concerning faith are usually expressed in connection
with feelings and emotions, or the various senses...... All who
take this road as the basis of faith will sooner or later be
deceived. Faith should be based upon the Word of God regardless
of any sense-knowledge, or feeling-evidences.......
Faith has not the slightest relationship with feelings and
sense-evidences...... The Word of God should have first
place...... instead of senses......True faith is not trusting in
the goodness and in the faith of another man. It must be personal
faith in God and His Word.......
The right program is not talking about faith, or the need of it,
but the actual exercise of it.
Simple faith in the Word regardless of feelings and circumstances
is never possible to the man who lives only in the realm of his
senses, for he believes only what he can see, feel, hear, or
understand to be possible.This was the kind of faith Thomas had
when he declared that he would not believe until he had
seen......
The individual must come to LIFE and ACTION before he will
realize the benefits of active, living faith that refuses to know
defeat and failure......
3. Kinds of Faith
There are several kinds of faith mentioned in the Scriptures, of
which the following list will be helpful in arriving at the kind
of faith one should have:
*Common Faith ( Titus 1:4). It is called 'mutual faith' (Rom.1:12 ).
This is the faith that is common to all men who claim
to be Christians......
*Weak Faith (Rom.4:19; 14:1-23; 15:1-4; 1 Cor.8:1-13)...... There
are literally thousands of people who spend much of their time
arguing and condemning each other over small details of life that
are not essential enough to mention in particular in Scripture...
In the above-cited Scriptures it is clear that the Kingdom of God
does not consist of meat, drink, and personal details of life
that are not specifically forbidden in Scripture, but that it is
'righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit'
(Rom.14:17)....... The Law of Scripture concerning anything that
is not definitely for-bidden by God......is '...... Whatsoever is
not of faith is sin' (Rom.14:23 )........
'but it is evil for that man who eats with offence. It is good
neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby
your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak...... We
then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak,
and not to please ourselves. Let everyone of us please our
neighbor for his good to edification' (Rom.14:19-22; 15:1-2).
*Strong Faith (Rom.4:20 ).......Abraham had this kind of faith:
'Who against hope believed in hope, that he should be the father
of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall
your seed be. And being not WEAK IN FAITH, he considered not his
own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither
yet the deadness of Sarah's womb (who was about ninety years
old): He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief;
but was STRONG IN FAITH, giving glory to God; and BEING FULLY
PERSUADED that, what he had promised, he was able to perform. And
it was counted to him for righteousness' (Rom.4:18-22).
* Little Faith (Matt.6:30; 8:26; 14:31: Lk.12:28)....... is the
wavering kind (Heb.10:23; James 1:5-8).
*Great Faith (Matt.8:10; 15:28). This is the true, unwavering
faith... (Heb. 11:6).
*Unfeigned Faith (1 Tim.1:5; 2 Tim.1:5 )...... It is simply
genuine, and real and sincere in its every aspect...... is the
kind that all honest, pure, and sincere men have. It is the
unselfish, holy, and godly kind that naturally increases in the
life of every true child of God, as he grows in grace and
knowledge (2 Pet.1:4-9; 3:18 ).
*Temporary Faith (Luke 8:13). This is the kind of faith that
believes for a while and springs up like a mushroom, but because
of shallowness, lack of root it fails in time of temptation
and test...... They receive the Word of God with great joy, and
it seems that they are going to outstrip everybody else in faith,
but after a few days or weeks they are not heard of again ......
They never fully come clean with God or make the full surrender
of their lives except for the moment. They do not prepare the
soil so that the seed can take root and produce fruit.
Some teach that this can not happen, but it does inspite of the
so-called impossibility of falling away from the faith and being
renewed in repentance again. Some teach that one cannot fall from
the faith, but Jesus certainly said that some would ' receive
the word with joy, and these have no root, WHICH FOR A WHILE
BELIEVE, and in time of temptation FALL AWAY ' (Mat. 13:20-21;
Luke 8:13 ). Paul speaks of these as those who 'concerning
faith have made shipwreck ' (1 Tim. 1:19), as 'having cast off
their first love' by going 'aside after Satan' (1 Tim.5:12-15 ),
and as having 'erred concerning the faith ' (1 Tim. 6:21 ).
Many Scriptures say that men can depart from and
fall from the faith (Acts 14:22; 1 Tim.2:15; 4:1; 5:8-15;
6:10,21; 2 Tim. 2:18; Heb.3:6;12-14; 6:11-12; 10:22-28). Men are
repeatedly told to continue in the faith (Acts 14:22; Col.1:23;
2:6-7). Anybody with common intelligence knows that he can
disbelieve anything that he chooses to lose faith in, especially
in things that are not seen.
*Historical Faith (1 John 5:10-13). This is faith in the history
or the record of God concerning the past and concerning His own
work for men. One can believe the record of God to the letter and
still not be saved. It is simply believing in the record of
anything of the past. No consecration to God is necessary to
believe history.
*Mental Faith (James 2:14-26). Mental faith is similar to
historical faith in that it believes history but goes further and
believes every part of the Bible, past, present, and future, as
well as all the truths of the blessings of God, but it does not
ACT upon the Word of God. Faith without works is dead, being
alone. It is passive faith or mere mental assent to truth.
Thousands of sinners have mental faith in God, the Bible, but
they keep neglecting the definite ACTION of obeying truth.
*Active Faith (James 2:14-26; Heb.10:19-38). This is the kind
that ACTS upon the Word of God as it is made clear. James put it
this way: 'shew me your faith without your works, and I will
shew you my faith by my works'...... As long as faith is mental
and passive no action will be taken to obey the truth. Men must
get beyond the stage of hearing and into the act of DOING what
God says before they get results. ACTIVE, LIVING faith moves to
OBEY every truth of God to the letter...... You are commanded to
be a DOER of the Word You are not to be merely a hearer. You
are not deceiving yourself when you act upon the Word. It will be
confirmed for it is the truth. It must be a living, active faith,
not a mere mental passive something that all sinners can
have.......
*Wavering Faith (James 1:5-8). This is a faith doubting God
and refusing to believe. Truly to believe and to have faith is to
act on the Word....... Doubting is to refuse to act on
the Word. Unbelief is either refusing to act according to the
knowledge that you have, or it is a manifestation of ignorance of
the word of God. If you do not know, you cannot act because
you do not understand. If you do not understand you are afraid to
act because you do not know how to act. The cure for all unbelief
is a thorough knowledge of the Word and consecration to obey
it...... regardless of how impossible it may seem at the moment.
* Unwavering Faith (Heb.10:23; 11:6)...... We are told to 'Hold
fast the profession of our faith without wavering ( for he is
faithful that promised)' (Heb.10:23). Again, 'But without
faith it is impossible to please him; for he that comes to God
must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that
diligently seek him' (Heb.11:6)...... It laughs at impossibilities
and goes on in utmost confidence that what God has promised
He is able to perform.......
*Human Faith (Mark 11:22-24). This is simply the exercise of
human faculties in having confidence and conviction that he can
believe God, and that God is true to all that He has promised.
All men are capable of faith in themselves and faith in anyone
else that makes any statement of promise to them.......
*Divine Faith (Heb.11:3; Gal.2:20; 1 Cor.13:14). Faith is not
only a natural attribute of man. It is an attribute of God.......
The last passage mentioned above speaks of 'faith ' abiding
along with hope and love, which means that these three qualities
are eternal as attributes of God....... Thus it is clear that
God has faith...... and men must have faith in order to please
God (Heb . 11:6)..............
4. The Importance of Faith
The Bible definitely declares that faith is all-important: ' But
without faith it is impossible to please him...' (Heb.11:6)
...... 'Now the just shall LIVE BY FAITH: but if any man draw
back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him' (Heb.10:35-39)....
Jesus commanded men to ' Have faith in God,' and such is
possible, or it would not be mandatory......."
(The above was taken from the book - "God's Plan for Man" by
Finis Dake pages 503 - 510, emphasis ours and Dake's).
FROM FAITH TO FAITH
Every person who is brought to real repentance must exercise
HUMAN faith in believing God - that sins will be forgiven, that
justification can be obtained through grace by the sacrifice
and death, the shed blood of Jesus Christ. We must have
assurance, confidence, FAITH in this promise of God the Father.
Upon our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal saviour -
our baptism in water - the Father has promised to give us HIS
HOLY SPIRIT - HIS NATURE (Acts 2:38; 1 Pet.1:4). In so doing
BOTH the Father and Christ come to live WITHIN the believer
(John 14:23). One of the fruits of God's Spirit is FAITH
(Gal.5:22), which means a Christian does not live by HUMAN
faith but by the very DIVINE FAITH - the same faith that was in
Jesus when He was flesh and blood, is now IN those that are in
Christ, for it is written, "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ LIVES IN ME: and the
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith OF the Son
of God ....... " (Gal.2:20).
God's Spirit is also His LOVE flowing into us (Romans 5:5).
God's love is manifested through His COMMANDMENTS (1 John 5:3).
We need help to keep and stay in that right attitude of wanting
to obey the Fathers' commandments - of and by ourselves we cannot
do it, our own righteousness is as filthy rags to God - our help
comes through Christ IN us. His FAITH in us, not our human faith
but faith from Him imparted to us via the Holy Spirit (Romans
7:14 - 25). We do the Father's WILL, we OBEY Him, fulfil His
commandments, keep His LOVE not on our own steam, with our faith,
but with the faith that HE GIVES US. We do not keep the Law in
order to be saved - we are saved by grace through faith in order
to keep the Law, by means of that FAITH which is given to us -
DIVINE faith - the faith OF Jesus Christ.
Truly it is CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLOR ! And so we can also
truly say with Paul, "Do we then make void the Law through
faith? God forbid: No! We establish the Law" ( Romans 3:31).
THE DOCTRINE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
I will again use the comments of Dr. Lockyer for our
understanding of this subject.
".... Doctrinal and practical righteousness meet us on almost
every page. Such an important truth has been treated as if it is
most difficult. Theologians may have made it so, but the Word of
God is simple and clear in its teaching on this doctrine of
grace. Is it not tragic that a theme so beautifully and blessedly
simple has been muddled, confused, tortured, twisted and
disputed over through centuries of wrangle and strife.....
The simple idea resident within the word is that of 'doing what
is right.' While there may be shades of meaning associated with
the word, the root idea wherever it is used is a state of
RIGHTNESS whether towards God or man.......
It may make for clarity if we summarize this theme of tremendous
importance in the following ways:
1. God is righteous, and as such, demands righteousness, for
without it there can be no possible fellowship between the
Creator and His creatures.
The consistent testimony of Scripture is that two cannot walk
together except they be agreed. Righteousness cannot have
fellowship with unrighteousness (Deut.25:16; Ps.1:5,6; 2
Cor.6:14; Rom.1:18; 2:8-9).
But what do we mean by 'the righteous act of God'? This phrase,
peculiar to and characteristic of Paul's epistles, signifies
God's consistency (with His own nature and character) in freely
and perfectly JUSTIFYING a sinner believing on Jesus. It is the
revelation of the righteous ground on which God can and does
freely justify a guilty sinner.......
2. Man has no righteousness of his own with which he may meet the
righteous and inexorable demands of God.
It cuts clean across our fancied greatness and goodness to be
told that all our righteousness is but as filthy rags in God's
sight. All we pride ourselves upon is rejected by God. Ignorant
of divine righteousness, we try to establish our own ( Rom.10:3;
Ecc.7:20; Isa.64:6 ).
How futile is our effort to work out, even under the Law, a
character which God can approve! The human heart is corrupt,
deceitful above all things, and ['can be' - as it should read - Keith Hunt]
desperately wicked ( Jer.17:9), and cannot therefore out of rottenness
produce righteousness acceptable to God. If personal and vicarious
righteousness by] Law-keeping or obedience in life could be ours,
justification by blood is a nullity..... By human righteousness no man can be
justified (Ps.143:2; Rom.1:17; 3:20). The mind of the flesh,
even good flesh, is enmity against God (Rom.8:7)....... If the
sinner is to have a righteousness acceptable to God, it must be
divinely provided. His eyes must turn away from his own ruin and
self-righteousness to Christ..
3. The sinner, through believing, is constituted the
righteousness of God in Christ, the sinless, righteous One.
Christ, on the CROSS, was made sin for us, Now on the THRONE He
is the righteousness of God, that is, the perfect expression of
it. The phrase, 'the righteousness of Christ' is not to
be found in Scripture. The substitution of this for 'the
righteousness of God' has created much misunderstanding.......
The kernel of the Gospel is that Christ died for our sins and was
raised again, manifesting thereby God's work in love and
righteousness for sinners Rom.4:25; 1 Cor. 15:3,4 ).......
Our righteousness, then, is not something but SOMEONE, even Him
who possessed Lordship( Mark 12:36,37; John 13:13).
At this juncture it might be well to consider the whole matter of
IMPUTATION with which Paul deals in his epistle to the Romans. To
IMPUTE means to reckon or count to one something which he,
himself, is destitute of....... With God, imputation is His
gracious act whereby He accounts righteousness to the believer in
Christ, who has borne the believer's sins in vindication of the
Law....... 'Imputed righteousness' is not Biblical Language,
for divine righteousness is not imputable, neither is the
law-keeping of Jesus....... righteousness imputed or reckoned is
what the Word teaches.......
As a sinner has no righteousness of his own, he must have a
righteousness without works.
Thus the only righteousness for him is the imputed one of God's
in Christ. God alone is able to justify a guilty sinner, and He
alone can impute righteousness to one who is destitute of it.
BUT this divine action is not the placing of a quantity of
righteousness IN man. It is simply holding, or regarding as
righteous or just, one who is not so either in nature or
practice, as Romans 4 clearly shows. Righteousness imputed
supposes that one is destitute of it....... Pardon accompanies
justification before God's bar.......
The sinner, however, pardoned before, and by God, is always
justified also...... Christ bore the judgment of God upon our
offenses, but was raised again for our justification (Rom.4:25 ).
In this great chapter, 'righteousness' occurs eight times, but
the words 'of God' are not added. 'The righteousness of God'
is nowhere said to be imputed or reckoned unto us, but
'righteousness' that is, all Christ accomplished in our stead
and behalf is put to our account through acceptance of Him as
Saviour.
4. Divine righteousness can only become ours by faith.
.......Righteousness must be accepted as a divine gift ( Rom.4:5;
9:30-32; 10:4 ). Paul cast to the dogs the righteousness of which
he was once so proud. Those things he counted gain were
willingly reckoned loss that he might be found clothed in his
Lord's righteousness (Rom.1:16,17; Gal.2:16; Phil.3:6-9 )......
This is that which is called 'the righteousness of God by faith'
(Rom.3:26; 4:6; 2 Cor.5:21 ).
5. It is essential to exhibit practical righteousness in everyday
life.
We deceive ourselves if we deem ourselves righteous yet fail to
manifest righteousness in life. 'Doing' righteousness is the
sure fruit and proof of 'being' righteous, that is, of having
the only principle of true righteousness within and the only
means of justification, namely, faith(Rom.4:3-8; Eph.2:5,8-10).
Noah, the preacher of righteousness, was just or righteous
in life (Gen.6:9) ....... Right with God, we shall live right
before men ....... When John urged the saints to do righteousness
(1 John 3:7), he meant them to live that righteous life ever
resulting from salvation....... To be righteous is simply to BE
right and to DO right toward God and man .......
How can God supply us with MOTIVE and POWER to act rightly in all
things, at all times and in all relations? In these matters, as
in all others, we must turn to Scripture for satisfactory
answers....... we are always directed to Christ as the grand and
constraining MOTIVE. How righteous He was in all His ways. As to
the POWER by which practical righteousness can be effected, we
know that the Holy Spirit alone can transform position into
PRACTICE.
Satan, the enemy of the Righteous ONE and of righteousness, is
determined and wily and an ever-watchful foe (Eph.6:14). He
knows that if practical righteousness is lacking in a saint,
he is exposed to satanic attacks. Lack of consistency in any
realm of life leaves one weak, powerless and unfruitful in
service. PRACTICAL righteousness is the keynote of the Sermon
on the Mount (Mat.5:6). It is ever the ground of our appeal in
prayer (Ps. 23)....... One must have the determination to
'follow righteousness' (2 Tim.2:22), in all things, in all
places, in all relationships.......
6. The manifold blessings resulting from the acceptance of a
divinely provided righteousness.
The righteous are blessed with PROSPERITY
( Isa.3:10).
The righteous are surrounded with divine FAVOR
( Ps.5:12 ).
The righteous enjoy peace, quietness and ASSURANCE
(Isa.32:17).
The righteous experience deliverance from affliction
( Ps.34:19).
The righteous have enlightened minds and glad hearts
( Ps. 97:11 ).
The righteous are NEVER FORGOTTEN
(Ps.112:6; 1 Pet.3:12)
THE ULTIMATE BLESSING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH IS ETERNITY WITH HIM WHO IS OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.................. "
(From the book "All the Doctrines of the Bible" by Dr.H.Lockyer
- emphasis ours and his).
The Father and Christ IN us [John 14: 23], the MIND of Christ IN us [Phil. 2:5], the FAITH of Christ IN us [Gal.2: 20], the Holy Spirit - God's divine nature IN us [2 Pet. 1:4], gives us the WILL, the POWER [2 Pet. 1:3] to LIVE according to the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God [which is keeping His commandments - Ps. 119: 172].
Our ability to do as Jesus said in Mat.4: 4--- living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, is NOT through our own ability, but through the POWER of the DIVINE NATURE IN US. As some have said, we are not saved by the law, we are saved to fulfil and set our minds to obey the law, and the power and strength to do that also comes from God, as both the Father and Son live in us.
THE CHRISTIAN'S DESTINY
THE HOLY SPIRIT - A PERSON ?
Growing up in a Church of England school called "The Holy
Trinity School" I was well aware of such language as "God the
Holy Ghost" - "Three in One" etc. Though subjected to such
terminology on a daily basis I also read my Bible very
frequently. Through those young years of my life I could never
understand what these adults meant by "God the Father,
God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit" and no one ever sat me
down to clearly explain this phrase to me. I had seen from my own
Bible reading that God the Father was described by Jesus as like
Himself - a person then with form and shape as like a man - I had
seen where the book of Revelation showed Jesus to be sitting in
heaven on the Father's right hand. I had read that there was
indeed a Holy Spirit, but it could be IN all Christians, poured
out, look like a dove, be divided up and appear as tongues of
fire as on the day of Pentecost. It never entered my young mind
that the Holy Spirit was a PERSON with body and shape as to look
like a man. I was 19 when first plainly told that the Spirit was
a bodily person - the third member of a three person Godhead. I
was somewhat shocked to hear this as my previous personal Bible
reading had never led me to this conclusion.
Since that time, over many years now, I have read numerous
writings by various Theologians (including Finis Dake and Herbert
Lockyer) giving what they consider the proofs as to why the Holy
Spirit is a person. None of them have convinced me to change my
boyhood understanding.
This is not the place to answer these men and their so-called
proofs. We have a 15 page article that does that called "The Holy
Spirit - Is it a Person?"
TO BE A SON OF GOD - OR AN ANGEL?
A critic has written:
"This idea of BEING God strikes a responsive chord in many who
like the thought of somehow being equated with God ....... Such a
teaching is entirely contrary to the Scriptures.
It is true that in this coming Kingdom, Christ will be seated
HIGH ABOVE THE ANGELS.
The author of Hebrews was most specific on this point. He wrote:
'When he (Christ) had made purification for sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as MUCH
SUPERIOR TO ANGELS as the name he has obtained is more excellent
than theirs' (Heb. 1:3-4 RSV).
This, then, is Christ's exalted place in the kingdom. What,
according to the Bible, will be ours? Will we....... also be
superior to the angels and have a place above them? No. Christ
Himself explained our place in His reply to the Sadducees as they
questioned Him sharply on the subject of marriage in the kingdom
age. He said, 'The sons of this age marry and are given in
marriage; but those who are accounted worthy to attain to that
age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are
given in marriage, for they can not die anymore, because they are
EQUAL TO ANGELS and are sons of God ...... ' (Lk.20:34-36
RSV)....... Christians therefore will not be HIGH ABOVE the
angels, but their EQUAL......." ( emphasis his ).
My reply is:
FIRST.
(a) What GLORY will Christians inherit, that of angels or that
of Christ? The answer is found in 1 John 3:1-3. (b) Will
Christians inherit equal or more AUTHORITY than angels?
Christians will inherit MORE authority because they shall JUDGE
angels (1 Cor.6:3). (c) Who will judge the world? Angels -
Angels and Christians together as equals - Jesus only ? The
answer is found in John 5:22; Acts 17:31; 1 Cor.6:2; Heb.2:5.
SECOND.
Two other gospel writers recorded the same incident as Luke,
notice how Mark wrote it, "For when they shall rise from the
dead, they neither marry, nor are they given in marriage -
but are AS the angels which are in heaven" (chap. 12, verse 25
KJV or "but are LIKE angels in heaven"(RSV). Matthew wrote,
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in
marriage but are LIKE angels in heaven" (chap. 22:30 RSV).
Now what is the CONTEXT - what is being DISCUSSED - what was the
specific question Jesus was answering? Was it a question of how
much authority angels had over the saints in the Kingdom - which
class of beings would have more glory, power or authority than
the other? Were they discussing the LEVEL of existence Christians
would have when they inherited the Kingdom? NO! Jesus was
answering the Sadducees trick question on MARRIAGE in the Kingdom
(please read verses 27-38) and if there would BE a resurrection
(the Pharisees taught there would be - the Sadducees taught
otherwise).
Concerning a woman who had had 7 husbands in this physical life,
the Sadducees said, "Now this is our question - Whose wife will
she be in the resurrection? For all of them were married to her."
Jesus went on to answer THAT specific question.
The writer of the LIVING BIBLE translates Luke 20:34,35 as,
"Jesus replied, Marriage is for people here on earth, but.......
those who are counted worthy of being raised from the dead
do NOT MARRY. And they never die again - in THESE RESPECTS they
are LIKE angels" (emphasis ours).
The angels in heaven do not DIE, and they do not MARRY! The
children of the resurrection will not MARRY or DIE - in these
areas of eternal existence they will be AS, LIKE, EQUAL, similar
to the angels. The Sadducees well understood that angels do not
die or marry. Jesus was giving them an easily understood figure
to show them that their question was invalid, as children of God,
like angels, they will not marry in the resurrection. In this
respect, not marrying, (in the human sense) BOTH groups are
equal. Both the angelic beings and the resurrected children of
the Father DO NOT MARRY, neither do they die.
THIRD.
Luke makes it quite clear what Jesus CALLED those who would be
worthy to attain the resurrection. Christ did not call them,
"children of angels" - "beings of the angelic realm" -
"a new form of angel" or any such language. It would have been
very simple to have used such terminology IF Christians were to
become a type of angel. Jesus called the children of
the resurrection - SONS of GOD!
As I have shown in other writings of mine, there is a VAST
difference between being a type of angel and a SON (or daughter)
of God.
Oh, how slow is the heart of man to believe ALL that is written
in the Scriptures, all that the Eternal Father has prepared for
them that LOVE Him and will DO His will. How many today
call themselves a son or daughter of God, and they do not
UNDERSTAND what it MEANS .
The Pharisees well understood what it meant to call yourself a
SON of God (John 5:18). And they accused Jesus of blasphemy and
tried to kill Him.
"But Jesus answered them, My Father works and I work. Therefore
the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he....... said also
that God was his FATHER, making himself EQUAL with God." ( John
5:18 ).
I have shown you in other articles what being "equal with God"
means.
What a shame that the phrase "I am a child of God" has become
so easy and common place for so many to use today, that very few
fully realize what those words mean or imply for those who will
indeed become a born child in the Kingdom of God.
"For in Him we live, and move, and have our being....... For we
are also His OFFSPRING. Forasmuch then as we are the offspring
of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold,
or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device" ( Acts 17:28,29).
"He that overcometh shall inherit all things - and I will be his
God, and he shall be MY SON" (Rev.21:7).
EPILOG
ARE THERE FEW THAT BE SAVED ?
It has become popular in the last forty years, for many
fundamental preachers and churches to proclaim very vociferously
to the unconverted the scripture of Acts 16:31 "BELIEVE on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall BE SAVED." This is a very true
statement. But it would seem in many cases, because the
unconverted are shown no other verses, that too large a
group of new Christians have come to understand this as only
having to believe the fact that Jesus did become human - that He
did die for sinners and that He is alive today.
It should be obvious to anyone who has spent any time at all
reading the NT, that the apostle James showed that having a
belief on Jesus that was ONLY based upon certain facts of who
He is, what He became and what He did, CANNOT SAVE ANYONE!
"You BELIEVE that there is one God; you do well: the demons also
BELIEVE, and TREMBLE. But will you know, 0 vain man, that FAITH
(belief) without works is dead!" (James 2:19,20).
Yes, the demons believe the FACTS that Jesus is the Christ, that
He became human, that He died to save sinners, that He arose and
lives forever - BUT they still TREMBLE - they are NOT SAVED !
The BELIEF that the NT and the whole Bible proclaims, is a belief
that leads to ACTION - a belief that leads to a CHANGE of life. A
belief that not only believes certain FACTS about Jesus, but a
believing on what Jesus SAID and TAUGHT - a LIVING, a DOING
belief.
"What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith
(belief), and has not works (actions), can (this kind of
belief) faith save him?....... For as the body without the
spirit (breath) is dead, so faith (belief) without works is
dead also" (James 2:14, 26, amplification ours).
Factual knowledge is a PART of belief, and it must be the RIGHT
facts, as we shall see. The other part of belief is ACTING on
those facts.
"Not EVERY ONE that says to me, Lord, Lord (calling themselves
Christians and believing Jesus is the Christ), shall enter into
the Kingdom of heaven - but he that DOES (action) the will of
my Father which is in heaven. Many (not a few) will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied (spoken and
preached) in your name (believing Christ to be the Messiah),
and in your name have cast out demons, and in your name done many
wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW
YOU - depart from me, you that WORK (whose actions are) iniquity
(Lawlessness - practicing sin as a way of life). Therefore he
that hears these sayings of mine and DOES them, I will liken him
unto a wise man, that built his house upon a ROCK....... And
every one that hears these saying of mine, and does not DO them,
shall be like the man who foolishly built his house upon the
SAND. And the rain descended, and the floods came.... and great
was the fall of it" (Mat.7:21-27 amplification ours).
Is Salvation - being SAVED, as easy as "falling off a log"?
Will it be the MAJORITY of those who call themselves "Christian"
that will be in the FIRST resurrection (Rev.20:1-4)? Or will
it be only the FEW ?
Let Jesus answer! Will you believe Him ?
"Then someone asked Him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And
He said to them, 'STRIVE( Gr.means, to agonize, to contend; to
strive as in a contest for a prize; to put forth every effort)
to enter in at the STRAIGHT (Gr. means, narrow) gate: for many, I
say to you, will SEEK to enter in, and shall not be able. When
the master of the house has risen, and has shut the door, and you
begin to stand outside and knock at the door saying, Lord, Lord,
open to us, he shall answer and say, I do not know where you are
from, I do not recognize you as one of mine. Then shall you say,
We have eaten and drunk where you were being talked about, and we
heard you being preached and read your words. But he shall say, I
know you not as one of my followers, go away from me all of you
who WORK (practice as a way of life) INIQUITY (Gr. means,
unrighteousness, lawlessness)" (Luke 13:23 - 27, paraphrased and
amplification ours).
Here are some individuals who are seeking to enter in - they
would call themselves Christian, they have "gone to church " and
heard Jesus being taught on the Radio, T.V. or in local Revivals.
Here are people that have some TRUE facts, but obviously some
FALSE facts that they have lived by or facts they have chosen to
ignore, and in doing so were guilty of practicing things contrary
to the will of God.
Jesus says to them, "...... depart from me, all you workers of
UN-righteousness" They never fully had the BELIEF that lead
them to.... righteousness - to DO the sayings of Jesus and the
commandments of the Father.
"Not every one that says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the
Kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which
is in heaven" (Mat.7:21).
"And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly
and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:18).
For those who have truly come to the factual knowledge that Jesus
Christ was God in the flesh, that He is SAVIOUR, that He is alive
in heaven making intercession for the saints. For those who have
truly come to understand what SIN is, what REAL repentance is,
what GRACE is, what having the FAITH of Jesus is, and what having
and following RIGHTEOUSNESS is - those who have surrendered all
to God as a humble LIVING sacrifice - to those who have true
factual belief coupled with true action belief, making a complete
belief - SALVATION is simple and assured!
"BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND YOU SHALL BE
SAVED!"
NOW YOU KNOW WHAT KIND OF BELIEF IS REQUIRED TO BE SAVED!
...................
This Appendix to the article SAVED BY GRACE was compiled in 1985
All Articles and Studies by Keith Hunt may be reproduced, copied,
published, e-mailed etc. as the Spirit of the Lord leads. Mr.
Hunt trusts nothing will be changed without his consent.
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