Things New and Old: The gift of eternal salvation...

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.

Saturday, February 3, 2018

The gift of eternal salvation...

I read the statement, captured above from Facebook and it stirred my drowsy mind.

"Christ’s Crucifixion, burial, and Resurrection is the only means by which people can be forgiven of their sins and our only hope for eternal life."

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The life of perfect obedience (thus securing righteousness for His people) and the atoning death (thus bearing the curse of the sins in the stead of His people) of Christ Jesus are the only GROUND by which God saves His elect, bestowing them eternal life. The life and death of Christ ALONE SECURED the eternal redemption of His people, those whom God had given to Him before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4)

The eternal redemption secured by Christ is FREELY and sovereignly applied, (NOT OFFERED as imagined by many) by God to each elect (who is in his native state of sin and condemnation and death) at His appointed and accepted time. In applying the eternal redemption to each elect freely and sovereignly God deals with the issues of sin, condemnation and spiritual deadness of man; He applies Christ's righteousness to him, and declares him righteous and forgiving all his sins, and regenerates him; and He gives His Spirit of adoption to dwell in the elect whom He has born again by His Spirit and adopted into His family.

That's the ONLY MEANS a man is saved from his NATIVE state of sin and condemnation and death. There are no other means.

Those whom God has thus saved are called upon by the gospel ministry to believe the gospel, the truth of their eternal redemption in Christ Jesus, applied to them freely and sovereignly by God.

They are called to believe what is already true; they are not called to believe in order that something may become true. Faith in Jesus Christ manifests that Jesus Christ is already their the Lord and Saviour.

Believing the gospel of Christ saves a child of God from lies, fables, superstitions; the gospel of grace teaches him to deny ungodliness and unrighteousness, to live soberly, godly and righteously, enabling him to experience the manifold blessings of God in this present and brief life.

Just some drowsy thoughts.