"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 unto all the laws of God (thus securing righteousness
for His people) and the atoning death (thus bearing the curse of the sins and
the wrath of God in the stead of His people) of Christ Jesus are the only
GROUND by which God saves His elect. The life and death of Christ ALONE SECURED
the eternal redemption of His people, those whom God had given to Him.
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
regenerates him; and He gives His Spirit to dwell in the elect whom He has born
again by His Spirit.
That's
the ONLY MEANS through which a man is saved from his NATIVE state of sin and
condemnation and death. There is 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 Lord and Saviour.
Believing
in the gospel of Christ enables a child of God to experience the manifold
blessings in this present and brief life.
