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Order of Salvation Part 4: Justification

Sometimes as Christians, we can have a very lop-sided view of God, for we equate His mercy and compassion with His love, and pretty much cast out His holiness and wrath as something that no longer applies. This is completely in error, for our God is love, and is just and perfect in all His ways, which includes His righteousness, holiness and wrath. The God we serve and worship today as New Testament believers, is exactly the same God who made Himself manifest to the Old Testament believers too!

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 1:8

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

As mentioned previously, everyone who comes to salvation in Christ comes in the same likeness, and that is as a guilty sinner condemned to the wrath of God against sin. This is not the opinion of any man, but of God, for He gave His Law that everyone should stand guilty before Him, leading all who believe to the saving grace of Christ crucified (Rom 3:19 , Gal 3:24).

What is more, as guilty sinners before a Holy, Righteous and Unchanging God, we must be totally aware of His attitude towards man in His fallen, wicked and unrepentantly sinful state.

God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psalms 7:11

For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
Psalms 5:4-6

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

These references to Scripture are not intended to beat up sinners with, nor is the descriptive list in the verse above an exhaustive one, intended to point self righteous fingers at some particular sin or another. Rather these passages have been included to show that, regardless of how righteous we may be in our own eyes, we are sinners before God, and have no right to enter His presence and Kingdom whatsoever. If we are to do so at all, it is solely by His hand, by His choice, and by His provision. For He is a Just and Righteous Judge who cannot overlook our sinfulness, for to do so would be to deny the very Justice He promises.

He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.

From this place of accepting the true character of God Almighty revealed through His Word, and understanding that He is not the One who is ever going to change, the whole Gospel message begins to make sense. For it is only when we begin to understand these things, that we can begin to see the reason God had to do something to save us, rather than just change His mind towards us, which in itself would mean that He is no longer unchanging, which in turn would bring His Eternal Perfection into question.

The amazing thing about the Gospel is that through Jesus Christ the Messiah, we have revealed to us Almighty God who so loved those He has created, He sent His own Son directly into creation to bridge the gap between the perfection of God and sinful man. By His own will, and through His own blood, Jesus Christ paid the price acceptable by God, that would clear the penalty of sin for all who would choose to accept this sacrifice, and put their trust in Him.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:16-18

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:23-26

Therefore through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the Cross, a divinely planned exchange takes place, wherby the penalty for sin that is rightfully ours is placed upon the shoulders of Christ instead, and the Righteousness of Christ is imparted to us as if it were our own. This is the miracle of the Gospel message, and is found absolutely nowhere else!

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

To even begin to understand our salvation in Christ then, we must come to terms with the true nature and character of the Unchanging One we dare to call Father. For we cannot truly claim to come into an intimate and personal relationship with God the Father without recognising Who He actually is. Nor can we claim to stand in His presence without acknowledging the enormous price that was paid upon the Cross by His own Son, in order to cleanse us from our sin and declare us to be justified before God in the first place.

God’s Measure of Success – David Wilkerson

[This is an excellent article I blogged from David Wilkerson's website.]

Success in God’s eyes is being totally fulfilled in ministering to him. Such servants aren’t striving to “make it” or seeking earthly security. They only want to know their Lord and to minister to Him.

Think about the 100 prophets hidden by Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4). They lived an isolated existence in caves for at least three to four years, during a severe famine. These men had no outside ministry. They were completely out of the public’s view, forgotten by most people. They couldn’t even share in Elijah’s victory on Mount Carmel. No doubt, the world would call them failures, insignificant men who hadn’t accomplished anything.

Yet God had given these devoted servants the precious gift of time. They had days, weeks, even years to pray, study, grow and minister to the Lord. You see, God was preparing them for the day when he would release them to minister to his people. Indeed, these same men would shepherd those who returned to God under Elijah’s ministry.

Years ago, the Lord blessed me with this gift of time. Before I ever pastored a church, I went into the woods and preached to the birds and trees. I had no plans, no agenda, no dreams. I only wanted to get to know God’s heart. So I prayed daily, seeking the Lord and ministering to him. And I marked my Bible from cover to cover. I was hidden, not seen by anyone. But God knew my address all along.

My advice is, “Quit looking for ministry. Spend your time seeking God instead. He knows where to find you. He’ll summon you when he sees you are ready. Forget what others are doing. Strive to be a success at God’s throne. If you’re ministering to the Lord and praying for others, you are already a success in his eyes!”

Originally posted 2009-08-22 13:14:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Order of Salvation Part 3: Conversion (Repentance & Faith)

As pointed out in the first two parts of this series of articles, the work of salvation is completely out of our hands, and entirely in the hands of God. Through the call of the Gospel, and His act of choosing us and making us alive to believe and receive the Gospel (regeneration), we are graciously brought to the point of believing what Christ has done on our behalf, and trusting our very lives to His completed work at Calvary. However our salvation does not end here, for us to idly sit back, embrace the ways of the world, and wait for Christ to return for us. Rather it is the very beginning of our walk with the Lord, and it is a path that we should tread reverently with all fear and trembling, remembering full well it is really a path we have no right in walking, save alone for the grace and mercy of God Himself.

For those who would consider themselves to be a Christian, and yet display very little fear of God in their lives, and do not acknowledge what He is able and willing to do to those who mock Him, I suggest you listen to these words very carefully:

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”  ———

——But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.

(Romans 11:5-8 & Romans 11:17-22)

So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace. What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

(Romans 11:5-8)

The sorrow of the worldly is directed in a selfish manner, usually producing an attitude of self pity that tends to blame others for the predicament that our own sinful desires place us. However Godly sorrow is of an entirely different nature. The believer is convicted of their own sinfulness and selfish ways, and made completely aware how this attitude has grieved the Lord and Saviour they so love and desire to follow. It is from this place of harsh realisation, that the true believer will desire to put away all that offends the Lord, and instead seek to replace their own ways with His ways, by the power of His Spirit. This attitude of repentance and faith towards the Lord is both the beginning of conversion, and the process by which the believer is transformed from glory to glory into the likeness of Christ Himself.

Who is really being legalistic?

I’m sure that I’m not on my own in recognising this,  there seems to be a growing number who are quick to turn away from the truth declared in the Bible, and are even quicker to condemn those who choose to cling to that which the Bible declares as the truth, as being legalistic. Through the rank and file of the emergent church, this sentiment is always boldly on display. There is always an attitude of wanting to attempt to twist the Scriptures with human intelligence, in order to justify a love of sin within us, which is usually recognised by an unwillingness to condemn sin for what it is. As a result, we are left with a growing band of self professing Christians, who denying the right of God to be true and every man a liar, choose rather to use their own knowledge of good and evil, and their own ability to discern between the two elements, to trump that which God has chosen to reveal to us through His Word. My own concern is that this “emergent church” is not really confined to a denomination or movement in its own right, but seems to be a cancer that is riddled right the way throughout Christendom, from the most traditional to the most progressive of church fellowships.

Ironically what those who cling to this mentality seem to miss, is the very thing they seem to be searching for! In a well meant desire to tell everyone of the love and freedom to be found in God, they display their own ignorance of God and His ways, by attempting to find a more effective, relevant and convenient way to share the good news of salvation. In choosing to ignore the truth of God’s demand for holiness, and the sheer magnificence of His Righteousness, and the utter dreadedness and certainty of His Wrath one day being poured out upon the ungodly of this world; a warped gospel is presented to the lost, that in reality, is no gospel at all.

The true Gospel of Christ will have a magnificent and saving effect on those who hear and believe, for it will drive the proud to their knees before the Cross of Christ, causing them to experience the reality of their own sinfulness and wretchedness. At the same time, it will take those who are already broken and willingly casting themselves upon His mercy, and lift up their heads that they may cast their eyes upon the One who is their Deliverer. Through a legal application of God’s Law, and a liberal measure of the Grace and Mercy of God, all who will believe are brought to the place of justification through His blood. This will go on to a transformed life, being lived out for His glory alone, and will lead to an ongoing sanctification of the believer, as they are conformed day by day into the image of their Saviour. The truth is, this is the place of freedom, for it is the place, and the only place, where we experience death and rebirth in a real and tangible way. We are as far removed from the struggle of self justification under a harsh and unmerciful law, as a dead man is removed from his duties on this earth.

In contrast, the modern or emergent church, leads those who listen to its message, not into freedom and liberty of justification in Christ, but simply a place of ignorance. The place they are led to may well seem different, even refreshing, but it is not salvation in Christ. Rather it is a place where the Law of God is willingly ignored, and the ungodly mass together in defiance of God’s truth, but feeling strength in numbers they preach messages that scratch one anothers ears, and put their consciences back to sleep.

For those who profess Christ as Saviour I urge you to consider something. Whilst we live and breath the air of this world, we await a city to come, and whilst we do so, we share in the reproach of our Saviour until He returns and receives us eternally unto Himself. Although we share the blessedness of knowing Him, and though spiritually we are perfect in Him, in the flesh we are as evil and wretched as we always were. The instrument that connects our spiritual nature to that of our flesh is our mind, and that is now where the spiritual battle between good and evil rages. When we are in a position of understanding this truth, we will begin to take every thought captive to Christ and submit it to His Word. We will be so aware that our mind can be used for both the glory of Christ, and the wickedness of our own sinful flesh, we will eagerly and willingly surrender it back to the Lord at every point we can.

The proud, lofty and self righteous will always attempt to take the moral high ground in order to impose their proud and legalistic thoughts upon others, even to the extent of trying to impose them upon God Himself if that were possible. Whereas those who have looked upon the perfect Law of God full in the face, and felt the stab of pain as their wretchedness is exposed for what it is, the reality of God’s grace and mercy toward them is beyond measure. As a result, instead of attempting to take any high ground at all, instead you will find their lives laid down at the feet of their Saviour in total and utter submission to all that He is, and all that He has said and done on their behalf. This is the true place of freedom in Christ, and where the fullness of His love is expressed, for it is a place of complete death to oneself, and being made alive in Him as a new creature. What’s more, it is a place that will never be found when one follows the path of the false gospel preached by those who deny the truth of His Word in even the smallest part.

Originally posted 2009-11-13 21:17:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Only One Way of Salvation

Is there more than one road to Heaven? Is there more than one way in which the soul of man can be saved? This is the question which I propose to consider in this paper, and I shall begin the consideration by quoting a text of Scripture: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

These words are striking in themselves; but they are much more striking if we observe when and by whom they were spoken. They were spoken by a poor and friendless Christian, in the midst of a persecuting Jewish Council. It was a grand confession of Christ.

They were spoken by the lips of the Apostle Peter. This is the man who, a few weeks before, forsook Jesus and fled: this is the very man who three times over denied his Lord. There is another spirit in him now! He stands up boldly before priests and Sadducees, and tells them the truth to their face: “This is the stone that was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

First, let me explain the doctrine laid down by St. Peter Continue reading ‘Only One Way of Salvation’

Originally posted 2009-11-20 12:09:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Popular Heresies: Gnosticism

Marcion

In my opinion, Gnosticism is like a huge cancerous growth that, although is often labelled as a branch of Christianity, is anything but. It is a form of religion that draws from a whole range of religious traditions, including the occult, eastern mysticism, astrology, magic, esoteric Judaism, pseudo-Christianity, and various forms of Greek philosphy, amongst numerous other things pertaining to hidden knowledge. The name itself is derived from the Greek word “ginosko” (meaning: to know).

This heresy has directly affected the Body of Christ since it’s formation, and possibly the earliest person recorded to be a part of this heretical movement was Simon Magnus. This was the man who was strongly involved with the occult, and then attempted to purchase the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 8:9-24. He is said to have shortly afterwards gone to Rome and set up a Gnostic sect.

Gnosticism flourished between the second and third centuries A.D., at the leadership of people such as; Basilides, Valentinus, Marcion, Ptolemaeus, Cerinthus, Menander, and Saturninus, to name but a few. Then in the third century, a man by the name of Mani led the whole movement to that of a worldwide religion named Manichaeism, which drew strongly from the writings of Buddha and Zoroaster. One of the most significant converts from Manichaeism was a man by the name of Augustine of Hippo, who is now recognised as one of the church fathers, and did much to develop such doctrines as original sin.

Gnosticism became less and less popular after the third century, as many of the Gnostic writings were buried in the desert around those times. However in 1945, in an Egyptian place called Nag Hammadi, a discovery was made of a number of Gnostic writings, now known as the Gnostic Gospels, which has led to a rise in popularity of the movement again. To Gnostics, the codices found at Nag Hammadi are considered to be of equal if not greater worth than the Bible itself, which is a direct contradiction of the canon of Scripture which has long been closed, and claims to be completely sufficient for life and Godliness (2Tim 3:16-17).

It is not difficult to find Gnostic teachings on the internet, and I have no desire to expand on them in this article, except to say that they promote an extremely warped view of God Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit, and all that He has created. Also they relegate the position of God’s Word to the same level as man made books, philosophies, and imaginations, in their ultimate pursuit of knowledge.

Although Gnosticism may come under a different guise today, usually under the label of New Age, it is very much alive and kicking. Many times in popular ministries, there are those who claim to have some sort of secret knowledge or experience from the Lord, which often cannot be backed up by Scripture at best, or even completely contradicts Scripture at worst. Regardless of how popular or successful these ministries may be, and no matter how “Christian” they may appear, if what they teach and preach conflicts with the teaching of the Bible, we must reject them out of hand. And even if that which they teach simply seems to have no foundation upon the truth of the Bible, we must remain completely diligent and on our highest guard.

We are commanded from Scripture to seek after His Kingdom and Righteousness Matthew 6:33, and we also have the promise of God that those who diligently seek after His wisdom shall find it Proverbs 8:4-17, and it shall be more valuable than silver and gold. However what we must earnestly consider is that to find the true wisdom of God, we can only find it in the places He has designated, and not in every nook and cranny as with the Gnostics. In no uncertain terms we can know that there is only one way to eternal life, and that is through Christ and His sacrificial blood John 14:6. We can know that Scripture alone is that which is guaranteed authentically given to us by God Himself, and is sufficient for all our understanding, and for every good work 2 Timothy 3:16-17. And we can know that, through the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit within us, we shall know all things 1 John 2:20-21.

The Providence of God

Providence is a word that I’ve often heard over my years as a Christian, but other than meaning the way in which God provides for us, it is something I’ve not really paid much attention to. However in recent weeks, the Lord has brought it to my attention how it is a critical doctrine that needs to be explored and understood, if ever I am going to truly mature in Him.

At the very heart of this doctrine is the sovreign nature of God, and the understanding that not only is He the Creator of all, but the Sustainer of all too. Nothing is hidden from His sight, nothing dies without His knowledge, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, and nothing exists that He is ignorant of.

I have just come across an article written by Bob DeWaay entitled Providence and Promise which I strongly urge you to take the time to read. It is a wonderful piece of work, and has completely illuminated to me, just how encompassing this subject actually is. Even to the point of how the doctrine is an issue that lies at the heart of many emergents rejecting the Word as Truth.

Anyway, I’ll leave this post for now, in order that Bob’s fine article can speak for itself. However I am sure that much of what I write and study in the forseeable future, especially with regard to Townhill Christian Fellowship, will be devoted to this subject.

God bless and enjoy the article by clicking here.

Originally posted 2009-09-10 21:18:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Parable of the Virgins: Being Ready.

These are the notes from a message spoken on Sunday 30th November, 2009. The parable of the foolish and wise virgins was explored to reveal the true state of the church today, and the part believers have to play, both individually and corporately, to defend and contend for the Truth of God’s Word, and the authenticity of His indwelling Holy Spirit in our lives.

Matthew 25:1-13
1  “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
2  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
4  but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6  “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’
7  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8  And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
9  But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
11  “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’
12  But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
13  “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Who are the virgins?
The virgins represent the church. They were all supposedly awaiting the return of the Bridegroom. It may or may not mean anything specifically, but it’s worthwhile noting that half of those waiting for Him were counted as foolish.

Who had the lamps, and what did they represent?
Note that all the virgins had lamps, both wise and foolish. The lamps represent the Word of God, which is a lamp unto our feet Psalm 119:105. Just as in the church, all have access to the revealed Word of God in the Bible.

What was the difference between the wise and the foolish?
The difference was that the wise took sufficient oil to burn now, but also to continue to burn if He should be delayed. But the foolish just had sufficient to burn here and now, but nothing prepared should there be any delay. This can be a typical reflection of the attitudes of those in the church; some (foolish) just look to here and now, and to immediate answers. Whereas others (wise), look further beyond, knowing that their hope is beyond here and now.

What does the oil represent?
Firstly the oil represents a knowledge of the Word. As Jesus says:

John 8:31-32
31  Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
32  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

It is not just the Word that makes you free, but an abiding knowledge of it. The foolish had only a superficial knowledge of the Word, and as a result had only enough oil to last for a short time. Whereas the wise had an intimate knowledge of the Word, knowing their life depended upon it (abiding/living in it), and as a result had sufficient oil to last the course of time needed.

Secondly, and more importantly, it represents the Holy Spirit abiding within us. The foolish had only a limited amount of oil to burn, because they were relying on their own knowledge and understanding. However the wise not only abode in His Word, but He in them too. It is His presence within us that burns brightly without fail, and never fades. And it is His Spirit abiding within us that produces much fruit in our lives, not us. That is why He could say in Matthew 25:12 above “assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Because He did not abide within them.

John 15:4-5
4  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5  “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Who are those who sell the oil?
If the lamp represents the Word of God, and the oil is the knowledge of His Truth and His Spirit, then it stands to reason that the oil sellers are those who claim to have a hold on both. Without it being necessary to go into detail, a simple glance at the visible church will reveal such people and ministries. Those who claim to belong to the Lord, and claim to offer His truth, but in reality all that is offered is counterfeit. The ONLY source of the Truth of God revealed to us, belongs in the Holy Bible, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit to minister His truth through our lives.

Conclusion:
If we wish to be considered amongst the wise and not the foolish, we must heed carefully what the Word of God has to say about His return, and turn away from idle chatter, personal opinions, and the traditions of men. We must be eager to abide in His Word, knowing that our lives depend on it, and knowing that it contains all that we need to lead us safely home. Also we must be constantly willing and ready to examine ourselves closely to ensure the Holy Spirit does actually dwell within us, and we are not allowing ourselves to be deceived.

2 Corinthians 13:5-6
5  Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.
6  But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Also we must seriously consider the peril that faces those who have already been taken in by those who sell counterfeit oil. We must not be afraid to confront other Christians with the truth, even when this leads to division, for we are commanded not to ignore the works of darkness, but expose them by His Light.

Read together to finish:

Ephesians 5:8-21
8  For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
9  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),
10  finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.
11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
12  For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.
13  But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.
14  Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”
15  See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,
16  redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
17  Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
19  speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,
20  giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
21  submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Sourced from: Townhill Christian Fellowship Blog

Originally posted 2009-11-30 00:45:57. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Order of Salvation Part 2: Regeneration (Effectual Calling)

Talking from personal experience, one of the largest contributing factors that have caused me to lose assurance of salvation, has been the ignorance of the way in which God saves sinners from start to finish, and without any aid from those being saved whatsoever. I had somehow mistakenly assumed that my salvation was without doubt in the hands of God, but I was also co-partner in that salvation. After all, I had chosen to follow Christ hadn’t I?

What I have since realised through Scripture, is that far from me deciding to walk the path of Christ of my own accord, it was He who first chose me, and it was He who gave me the gift of faith to believe in Christ for the salvation of my soul. This is what is known as the doctrine of regeneration, or otherwise known as effectual calling. This is a sovereign work of God Almighty, whereby he does a supernatural work in the heart of those He has chosen, that they are able to respond in faith to the call of the Gospel, as detailed in the previous article, and is completely detached from anything done by the believer independently.

Contrary to the popular notion of “making a decision for Jesus” as popularised in the modern churches, we are no more able to do this of our own volition, than a dead man is able to get up off his bed and run around the room.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

(Ephesians 2:4-9)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

(John 1:12-13)

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

(John 3:6-8)

Order of Salvation Part 1: The call of the Gospel

For many years I have been largely ignorant of reformed theology due to a lack of doctrinally sound teaching throughout much of the charismatic church, which has been my background for most of my Christian life. Since the Lord woke me up to this fact however, I have been utterly fascinated and amazed how much the Bible clearly teaches us concerning the mysterious ways of the Lord, as He works in the lives of believers for their salvation. Whereas once I groped around in the dark to figure out the mysteries of God, as though this were some noble act of faith. Instead now I have the Light of His Word, and can see clearly, and without being strongly affected by my own personal opinions, what God declares to be the truth on such matters regarding our eternal salvation.

One of the key weaknesses I can personally testify that exists within the charismatic type churches, is an abundant lack of assurance of salvation amongst the congregation. This would rarely be admitted to be so, but I am sure I am not alone in feeling this to be true. Probably one of the greatest things that cements this in my mind, is the utter ignorance, and mostly willing ignorance, with regards to the wrath of God against sin.

It is not my desire to enter into argument concerning the merits of charismatic doctrine here, but rather to highlight clearly what the Bible has to say about the salvation of sinners by the grace of God. For the true nature of salvation is far removed from the idea of salvation spoken to me when I first came to the Lord, and that which I have heard spoken to others during the years since. In general, the thing that has been glossed over in the majority of my Christian life, is that rather than being a simple one off point in history, true salvation is a life long process, that is initiated and completed by the Lord, and the Lord alone. The part of the believer being a total and willing submission to His will and purpose, every part of their life being willingly transferred to the ownership of Christ, and for His glory alone.

In this first article I would like to begin to highlight this process for anyone who is willing to earnestly consider this for themselves, and in so doing, reap the true assurance of faith that comes through total submission to the truth proclaimed in Scripture.

Part One – The Call of the Gospel:

Continue reading ‘Order of Salvation Part 1: The call of the Gospel’