November 27, 2021
The
gospel DOES NOT save.
The
gospel is the good news that God HAS SAVED, i.e. He has accomplished eternal
salvation for His people by Jesus Christ, and has applied it by His Spirit to
individuals elect.
The
gospel INFORMS those that ARE SAVED the good news that God HAS SAVED them; it
is perceived by them as the message declaring the power of God in saving
them.
"For
the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us ARE
SAVED it is the power of God." It is perceived by those that ARE SAVED as
the good news declaring God's power in saving them.
The
gospel DOES save.
The
truth of what God has done to save His people will save them from falsehood and
lies, superstitions and imaginations; it teaches and instructs them unto
godliness and righteousness.
Titus
2
11
¶For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live
soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that
blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity,
and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
The
degree to which you have understood the distinction between how the gospel DOES NOT
save and how it DOES save is the degree you have understood salvation by grace.
A
biblical distinction is the essence of sound theology:
God saves, and the gospel saves; they save differently!
