Things New and Old

Ancient truths revealed in the Scriptures are often forgotten, disbelieved or distorted, and therefore lost in the passage of time. Such ancient truths when rediscovered and relearned are 'new' additions to the treasury of ancient truths.

Christ showed many new things to the disciples, things prophesied by the prophets of old but hijacked and perverted by the elders and their traditions, but which Christ reclaimed and returned to His people.

Many things taught by the Apostles of Christ have been perverted or substituted over the centuries. Such fundamental doctrines like salvation by grace and justification have been hijacked and perverted and repudiated by sincere Christians. These doctrines need to be reclaimed and restored to God's people.

There are things both new and old here. "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things" 2Ti 2:7.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Salvation by God's free grace alone. Really?

Does the grace that saved you come from the flea market?
Is it infested with some conditions?

Salvation by FREE grace - nearly every Christian mumbles that. However, is the FREE grace by which you are saved conditioned on anything - perhaps someone's preaching, zealous activities, or your own faith, etc?

Is your salvation really FREE on your part? Is it really by God's GRACE, GRACE pure and free? Beware of prostituted grace ...that has conditions attached!

Woolliness is all too common today! Shibboleths abound.

I readily confess that I TOO am saved by God's grace alone - i.e. PURE, and FREE grace.
And this is what I meant. You are invited to share yours.

My name was written in the Book of Life before the foundation of the world... without me meeting any condition. 

I was chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition.

I was foreknown ... intimately loved with electing love... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition.

I was predestinated... my eternal destiny was predetermined by God, to that of eternal glory, not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition.

All the above were done by the Triune God when I didn't even have my being yet...  I existed only as a legal entity in the eternal mind and good purpose of the Triune God.

The eternal Word was made flesh - "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, lived the perfect sinless life that I ought to have lived and He died the death I deserved to die - all without me meeting any condition. He freely bore the wrath of God that I deserved; by His righteousness and blood alone, He has redeemed me to the uttermost; ALL THESE when I did not yet exist. 

At God's appointed and approved time, I was FREELY and effectually called ... out of my native state of sin and death - which I was in by nature; I was conceived and born in sin - to that of grace and life, by God's free grace... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition. When I was dead in trespasses and sins, I simply couldn't meet any condition.  In fact, being dead in trespasses and sins, I was positively hostile and in enmity against God.

I was FREELY justified ... by God's grace while I was in the native state condemnation of death; He freely forgave all my sins and declared me not guilty but righteous by APPLYING the righteousness of Christ to me PERSONALLY [Christ's righteousness was legally imputed to the elect when He died on the cross]... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition.

Is your justification before God conditioned on your faith? How could you, in your unjustified state (i.e condemned, spiritually dead and alienated state) ever meet that condition? How?

I was FREELY regenerated... with eternal life from my spiritual deadness in trespasses and sins... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition, of course. A piece of stone stands a better chance to be regenerated if some conditions have to be met. By nature, I was in hostile enmity against God. How could I meet any condition in that state?

I was FREELY adopted... into the family of God... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition. Whom God regenerates, he adopts!

I was FREELY blessed... with the gift of the Spirit of adoption dwelling in my heart ... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition. Whom He adopts, He gives the Spirit of adoption as an earnest.

The indwelling Spirit of God FREELY works all the saving graces in me, including the saving grace of faith... which ENABLES me to believe the word of truth concerning my salvation by God's free and sovereign activities.

So, I was foreknown, chosen and bestowed with eternal salvation... not for anything in me, and without me meeting any condition. By His grace alone, I am sanctified once and for all, that is, immutably set apart from the state of sin and death to that of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus, and made entirely and perfect fit for eternal glory. All of God's free and sovereign activities are IMMUTABLE... once executed, remains unalterably done forever - which is why the redeemed remained or PERSEVERE in the state of grace and salvation they have been called thereunto.

Having been informed, instructed, and believed in the above glorious gospel truth of my eternal salvation by God's free grace through the gospel ministry, I with great joy receive and rest in Jesus Christ, my glorious Saviour. I believe them because they are already true to me... God has done it. Otherwise, those glorious truths would be utter foolishness to me!

No, my faith did not justify me before God the Judge. Rather my faith in Jesus Christ EVIDENCES my justified state by God's free grace! Faith is the product and effect of my justified state. 'The just shall live by faith' plainly declares that it is the JUSTIFIED ONES alone who are able to live by faith in Christ.

Now, knowing that I have been blessed with eternal salvation so FREELY and GRACIOUSLY, and as a child of God, I know my responsibility as a child of God to work out my own temporal salvation with fear and trembling... to be obedient to my Lord and God... to daily go through the strait gate, and walk the narrow way to save myself from destruction, the temporal (timely) consequences of sins in this life.

Christ Jesus, the only begotten Son of the eternal God, is the author of my ETERNAL salvation. I have nothing to do with it whatsoever... He ALONE is the author, the SOLE and COMPLETE author, of my ETERNAL salvation.

God alone purposed it, FREELY by His grace alone.
Christ alone accomplished it, FREELY by His life and death alone.
And the Spirit alone applied it to me personally, FREELY by His sovereign power when I was dead in trespasses and sins.

And the indwelling Spirit of adoption works in me to will and to do the good pleasures of God. This enables me to believe the gospel truth brought to me... evidencing the FREE GIFT of eternal life by God's free... and do the works of righteousness. That will save and deliver me from this PRESENT perverse and godless generation.

Living soberly, godly and righteously will save me from the temporal consequences of sin in the life here and now; they secure temporal salvation, and deliverance pertaining to the life here and now. They bring me into the enjoyment of the many temporal blessings God has promised to His children in this life.

All glory and praise to God ALONE for saving me FREELY by His grace... i.e. unconditionally.

Are you saved by God's free grace in the same sense?
I know it SOUNDS the same. What about the SENSE? 
Are you saved by God's free and sovereign grace also... or there was something you did?
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