Salvation by Grace and Not of Works

 

 

 Salvation by Grace and Not of Works

 

Ephesians 2: 8-9

 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

 

“For by grace are ye saved through faith”. Faith is not the cause of salvation. The statement of scripture is not, by faith are ye saved. Faith is an integral part of salvation but the saints of God are not saved because they believe the gospel. The saints of God believe the gospel because God has saved them. Faith is the means by which God lets His saints know that He has saved them. The saints of God are those who were set apart in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world. The Saints are “sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” (Jude 1:1). The saints are sanctified persons, that is, persons who were set apart in eternity past according to the will of God the Father unto salvation, and they are preserved in Jesus Christ. Their preservation in Jesus Christ is because the Father’s favor toward them, which is His grace. The grace of God is God’s favor toward those who He has chosen in Jesus Christ regardless of their works, as it is written: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:3-5). God the Father has favored His chosen people, as it is written: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us” (Romans 8:28-31).

 

“If God be for us” then He has graced us. If God has favored us in His love for us, who can be against us in any prevailing manner? This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the foundation of the world, as it is written: “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:8-9). The statement of scripture is “By grace are ye saved through faith” it is by the free favor of God that His people are saved through faith. Faith is the experiential effect of salvation. The saints of God are given the Spirit of truth (John14:17; Ezekiel 36:27) who witnesses the truth to those in whom God the Father has put Him. The Spirit of truth witnesses the truth to the children of God, and teaches the truth by the word of truth, so that the children of God know and walk in truth (III John 1:3-4), and they know the Father through the Spirit as Christ Jesus reveals the Father in His own Person, word, and finished work (II Corinthians 4:6; John 17:4).

 

“And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” Faith is the supernatural gift of God, it is not of this world, nor is it according to the natural reasoning of men. It is given to the children of God to believe on Jesus Christ, as it is written: “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29). “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (I Corinthians 12:3). “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

 

Although faith is supernatural and not of this world, God uses means which involve natural men in the gift of that rare and wonderful, heavenly gift. As it is written: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:13-17). God usually gives His gifts of grace to those who honor His ordinary means of grace by their personal involvement in them and their personal use of them, such as attending the preaching of the gospel, prayer, and the study of His word. God is under no obligation to give His gifts of grace to any particular person, except those whose names He has from eternity posted in the Lamb’s book of life (Revelation 21:27; Hebrews 12:23).

 

“Not of works, lest any man should boast” All the works of men are polluted works because they come forth from sinners. They bear the taint of pollution, filthiness, guilt, and rebellion. The only way that the work of men is accepted of God is that the work be washed in the intercession, and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ. All that can be expected from an open fountain of corruption is more corruption. Unless our works and our worship be cleansed by the intercession of Christ they must be rejected as polluted and works of iniquity. Even the iniquity of our prayers, worship services, witness to the truth, and our thoughts must be cleansed by the blood Christ and accepted in Christ as we ourselves are accepted in Christ (Exodus 28:38; Ephesians 1:6). As it is written: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). Any person who is not fully trusting in the blood of Christ Jesus alone as his only ground of acceptance before a Thrice Holy God is not in the way of truth. The preachers of Matthew Seven were doing things they thought were right, but having rejected the truth of salvation by grace in Christ alone they were relying on their works, as it is written: “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:22-23).

 

It seems that many in our day are of the opinion that the grace of God in Christ Jesus alone is not enough to bring salvation. They insist that persons must exhibit good works as the final step in salvation of the saints in order to be accepted of God. This was the error of the false teachers who had invaded Galatia in the days of the apostle Paul. These false preaches were attempting to bind the consciences of the Galatian saints under the bondage of law works by denying the sufficiency of salvation by the grace of God in Christ Jesus alone, as it is written: “And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved” (Acts 15:1). The history of the event continues in this manner: “But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses. And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they” (Acts 15:5-11).

 

Salvation is without the law, because justification is without the law, for the righteousness of God in without the law, as it is written: “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24). Believers are eternally justified freely by the grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Each and every member of Christ has fulfilled the law in Jesus Christ the Head of the church with whom they have union. And in fulfilling the law in Christ Jesus their Head, they have the fulfilled the righteousness of the God in Christ. And are made the righteousness of God in Christ, as it is written: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21).

 

The salvation of God is “not of works, lest any man should boast”. It is not of the works of men because it is and must forever be the free gift of God springing from the eternal, immutable and infinite love of God. God’s salvation for men is without the law because God saves by grace alone, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). His grace is an extension of His goodness and the “good pleasure of His goodness” (II Thessalonians 1:11). The cause of salvation is the love, purpose, and grace of God in and through Jesus Christ and not by the law works of men. The salvation of God for men is not by their keeping the law, as it is written: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19-20).

 

The grace of God is in Christ without the works of the law that is, it is not by our personal keeping the law. Christ Jesus with whom the church is one, has fulfilled the law to its jot and tittle ( Matthew 5:17-18). The saints of God rest in His finished work, they do not seek to add to that finished work for it is perfect according to the will of God the Father. And they are perfected through that work which was once accomplished forever and finished by God manifest in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16), as it is written: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once (translators additions omitted: writer) And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

 

But someone may protest, saying: “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:20-26). And again it is written: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works” (Revelation 20:12-13). By the expression “by works was faith made perfect?” is meant that Abraham’s work demonstrated His faith to be justifying faith, that is, the faith of God’s elect, true faith the gift of God.

 

Judgment according to the presence of works discovers or reveals whether the faith which prompts the work is real God given faith, or whether it is simply hypocritical, and founded on something other than a true belief of the doctrine of the gospel. Faith must be tried, as it is written: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:7). And again: “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3). True faith worketh by love, as it is written: “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Galatians 5:6). Justifying faith works by love, Justifying faith does not work for justification, nor for sanctification, nor reconciliation, nor redemption, nor salvation. Justifying faith works from a principle of love of God and a desire to do His will. Those who believe the gospel from the heart do no works to obtain justification. The possessor of justifying faith knows by the word of God that he is justified by the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ having been chosen in Him before the foundation of the world. Therefore the possessor of justifying faith walks in those works which were ordained by the Father who created him in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:10). Christians are justified by faith, and faith is judged by the work it produces through love. True faith will endure because God is the author of it. Spurious faith will stumble at something and fall in this life (Matthew 13:18-23) or it will be revealed at the judgment (Matthew 7:21-23).

 

AJ Ison

 

 See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Predestinated to the Adoption of Children

 

                                    Predestinated to the Adoption of Children

 

Ephesians 1:5

 

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will

 

Having predestinated us: according to Strong’s Greek Dictionary the word predestinated is defined as: “to limit in advance, predetermine: - determine before, ordain, predestinate”. God has predetermined in eternity past that those who are referred to as “us” in our subject verse shall be adopted into the family of God as dear children (Ephesians 3:15; 5:1). And our God has said : “For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6). And in the Scriptures it is written: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good” (Numbers 23:19). And: “The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand” (Isaiah 14:24). And again: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:10). And the Prophet Daniel has written: “And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou” (Daniel 4:34-35).

 

God has determined the end of all things from the beginning and it shall be as God has determined. Before the universe was spoken into existence, God had determined the outcome of all things, persons, and places. God has determined and fixed the events of the ages according to His own will and the will of God is affected by nothing outside Himself. In every generation He brings the counsel of His will to pass, as it is written: “He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations. Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac; and confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant” (Psalm 105:8-10). “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9).

God’s decree is not of yesterday because  His decree is from everlasting. The things that God has determined in eternity cannot be altered in time, for God brings His will to pass by His providential administration of all things. Men may swear but God has decreed, men may endeavor but God has determined the things that shall come to pass.

 

In every generation as many as are ordained to eternal life believe the gospel, as it is written: “And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth. And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:44-48).

 

Those the apostle calls “us” are those to whom the gift of eternal life has been given and that life is made manifest by faith. The spiritually dead do not believe. Faith is the gift of God and it comes with spiritual life, as it is written: “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36) and again it is written: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Again it is written: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).

 

Eternal life and faith are inseparable. Those who believe God are born of God or it may be said they are born from above. Faith is a property of eternal life. Faith may be strong as in the apostle Paul or it may be weak as in Thomas called Didymus (John 20:27) but eternal life is the same life whether faith is strong or weak (I John 5:11; Colossians 3:4). The word “us” as it is used in this verse is defined by the first verse of the epistle, as it is written: “to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 1:1). The Bible is written to the family of God, it is written to the faithful in Christ Jesus wheresoever they may be. The Bible is not written to the world, as it is written: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (I John 2:15-17). Our Lord Jesus refused to pray for the world in His Great High Priestly Prayer, as it is written: “I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine” (John 17:6-9).

 

The prayer of our Great High Priest is not for the apostles alone (John 17:20) but it is for all the children of God who are scattered throughout time and the world and who are predestinated to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and to the adoption of children, as it is written: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:28-31).

 

“Having predestinated us to the adoption of children” God the Father, is the God and Father of all the family of God. The Father has one “only begotten Son” as it is written: “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him” (John 1:18) and again “ In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (I John 4:9). While God has one begotten Son, He also has many Sons by adoption, as it is written: “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7). God has many sons by creation, as it is written: “When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7). These that shouted for joy are angels, the servants of God, who are ministering spirits who are sent forth to minister to the heirs of salvation who are the adopted sons of God, as it is written: “And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire” (Hebrews 1:7) and again “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” (Hebrews 1: 13-14).

 

The sovereign purpose of God which He accomplishes by adoption is to put the elect among the children of God. This principle is typically set forth in God’s dealings with Israel, as it is written: “But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me” (Jeremiah 3:19). National adoption and spiritual adoption do not have the same boundaries. The persons involved in national adoption are all the seed of Abraham both the natural and spiritual seed. The persons involved in spiritual adoption are the remnant according to the election of grace, who are dispersed among the natural seed of Abraham, as it is written: “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace” (Romans 11:5) for it is written: “Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel” (Romans 9:6). The “Israel of God” (Galatians 16:6) which is the church of the living God, is made up of both Jews and Gentiles who were chosen to eternal life in Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world, as it is written: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Ephesians 1:3-5). The adopted children of God are the spiritual seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:6,7,29; Hebrews 2:16) and they are scattered abroad through time and through many nations, as it is written: “And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad” (John 11:52).

 

God puts His Spirit in the children of the covenant (Ezekiel 36:27)and to them the Spirit is the Spirit of adoption” as it is written: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:14-17). The Spirit of adoption is to the recipient of Him the Spirit of sonship, as it is written: “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6). It is the nature of sons not only to believe their Father but to love and obey Him as well. Although it is true that the flesh is still a hinderance to the Spirit (Galatians 5:17) and Satan is not dead but is still at his work of deception, and temptation. The adopted sons of God overcome Satan “by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony” as it is written: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11).

 

“By Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of his will” The children of the covenant are members of the natural family of men who are under the curse of the law because of their relationship to Adam, as it is written: “ Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come” (Romans 5:12-14). Mankind fell under the curse of death because of sin imputed to each of the members of the race through their natural father Adam whose sin was imputed to all the individuals of the race. The law and justice of God require satisfaction from those who have transgressed the law. The satisfaction that the law and justice of God require is death, as it is written: “ Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). The law and justice of God may be satisfied by the death of the transgressor of by the death of one who is Surety for the transgressor and it is written: “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament” (Hebrews 7:22).

 

Our Lord Jesus Christ carried in His veins and arteries the blood of the everlasting covenant, which is the blood of the New Testament, as it is written: “For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). And again it is written: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20). The blood of Jesus Christ ratified the everlasting covenant and the direct effect of that transaction is that the children of the covenant are justified from all sin, as it is written: “And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts 13:39) and again it is written: “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Romans 5:9). And once again it is written: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:24-25). Jesus Christ has redeemed us from the cruse of the law, as it is written: “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3;13). Christ Jesus has redeemed the elect of God from the curse of the law being made sin for us, as it is written: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:21). In Christ Jesus the elected, predestinated, adopted, and regenerated children of God are “made the righteousness of God in him”.

 

“To himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” The God of this universe is immutable and eternal. As such His will is never altered and from the beginning He has chosen a certain number of individuals from among all nations to eternal life in Jesus Christ (Revelation 5:9; 14:4), as it is written: “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (II Thessalonians 2:13). God set these apart to everlasting life without beginning or from everlasting, as it is written: “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” (Jude 1:1). These sanctified ones are justified and made white by the blood of the Lamb, as it is written: “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them” (Revelation 7:14-15).

 

The blood of the Old Testament sacrifices was not of sufficient merit to justify from sin,  “Wherefore when he (our Lord Jesus: writer) cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:5-7). Our Lord Jesus acted according to the will of Him that sent Him, as it is written: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). And again; “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:34). It was the will of God that brought our Lord Jesus Christ to the cross, as it is written: “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand” (Isaiah 53:10). The blood of the Son of God is the only cure for sin. That blood is of sufficient merit, worth, purity, and value to put away sin forever. His death in the room of sinners is that which frees them from all sin, condemnation, and the curse of the law of God. It is the will of God the Father that Christ Jesus should free His many adopted sons from the curse of the law, from sin, and from death, as it is written: “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:10-14).

 

AJ Ison

 

See the writer’s blog at www.hebrews915.blogspot.com hear the true gospel preached at www.13thstbaptist.org webcasting live at listed service times.