Reconciliation, Imputation, and Salvation #12

Friday, June 28, 2013

“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19 KJV).

Soul salvation from everlasting hellfire is the Holy Bible’s most important doctrine, so let us be particularly careful with today’s Scripture.

“The righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference” (Romans 3:22). God’s righteousness is available “unto all,” but it is only “upon [imputed to] all them that believe.” “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26). Jesus Christ died to save all, but only those who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork at Calvary, are “the children of God”—justified, “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The ascended and glorified Lord Jesus Christ first committed unto the Apostle Paul—and now to us Christians—this Gospel of Grace. When the ascended Lord Jesus Christ saved wicked Saul (Acts chapter 9), He declared: “Delivering thee from the people [Israel], and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:17,18).

Jesus Christ first entrusted the “word of reconciliation” (today’s Scripture) to Paul. Acts 26:18 affirms Paul had to preach to the Gentiles so they could receive forgiveness—they did not receive forgiveness until they believed the Gospel of the Grace of God that Paul preached. Forgiveness must be imputed by faith: every verse in which Paul mentioned forgiveness, it involved God forgiving Christians, or Christians forgiving Christians—“the world” is absent from Romans 4:7; 2 Corinthians 2:7,10; 2 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 1:14; Colossians 2:13; and Colossians 3:13.

Beware! “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (today’s Scripture) and forgiveness IN Christ are indeed separate issues: the heretical dogma of universalism—that all will make it to heaven eventually—is obviously unscriptural.

Now, let us begin to summarize soul salvation….