Category: God’s righteousness

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….

Reconciliation, Imputation, and Salvation #10

Wednesday, June 26, 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.

God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself; however, that does not mean that everyone will eventually go to heaven. Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 4:10:“For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” While salvation from sin and hell is being offered to everyone through Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork, the phrase “specially of those that believe” proves that the merits of Christ’s work at Calvary cannot profit each individual until he or she trusts it.

“Now to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith in counted [imputed] for righteousness. And therefore it was imputed to him [Abraham] for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:5,22-25). Imputation is conditional; the righteousness of Christ’s finished crosswork will not be applied to one’s account until one trusts it. Soul salvation is not automatic: it must be imputed by faith. There must be a believing heart in that finished crosswork to benefit a person.

God applies that forgiveness by faith when we trust the Gospel of Grace—that Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). God placed our sins on Jesus Christ (imputation to Jesus Christ’s account), but then He gives us salvation through that sacrifice when we believe it (imputation to our account). It was the greatest exchange of all time—Jesus Christ took our sins, and God gives us His righteousness. Now, to the doctrine of justification….

Why Do the Wicked Prosper? #7

Sunday, May 26, 2013

“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb” (Psalm 37:1,2 KJV).

“Why do the wicked prosper?” is an “age-old” question the Bible answered ages ago….

According to its context, today’s Scripture is actually referring to the end of Satan’s evil world system: “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (verses 9-11). Jesus Christ quoted this—“The meek shall inherit the earth”—in His “Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5:5), referring to believing Jews who will inherit His millennial earthly kingdom, when Satan is bound and his policy and its adherents are removed from earth and then ultimately confined to the lake of fire (Revelation 20:1-15)!

“The wicked plotteth against the just [believers], and gnasheth upon him with his teeth” (Psalm 37:12). Now, behold verse 13, “The LORD shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” Today’s Scripture amplifies that just as one would mow a lawn and cut down tall grass, so the Lord Jesus Christ, with a righteous sword, will sever the (haughty, prosperous) wicked from earth at His Second Coming! “For in one hour so great riches is come to nought” (Revelation 18:17a).

Return to Psalm 10, the thoughts of the believing Jews being persecuted for righteousness’ sake in the Tribulation. Note verses 12,15: “Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble…. Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.” This is Christ’s Second Coming, when He defeats Satan’s antichrist. Finally, verse 16: “The LORD is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.” There is the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ, and Satan’s evil world system and its followers are removed!

What’s the Bible Got to Do With Me? #6

Saturday, May 18, 2013

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever” (Isaiah 40:8 KJV).

One frequent charge the lost world levels against Christians preaching and teaching the Holy Bible is, “That ‘old’ book has nothing to do with me!” Is this a valid objection?

What is the greatest confirmation that the Holy Bible is relevant to the 21st century? When we Christians walk by faith in God’s Word to us—Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon—the doctrine will show itself to be the greatest life ever lived. The lost world will not like to see it, but it will literally be the life of Jesus Christ for all to see! They will see the Holy Scriptures manifested in your life, and they will be forced to admit the Bible is relevant… otherwise, it would not be on display in your life.

We have briefly analyzed the “‘old’ Bible is irrelevant” objection from four angles—the historical, the scientific, the literary, and the practical—and we briefly demonstrated that it is nothing more than the lame claim of the sinner easing his conscience and avoiding accountability to a holy, righteous God.

The Bible (1) is often used by secular works as a source of world history, (2) it is a wealth of scientific concepts and facts the mainstream scientific community has only discovered within the last few centuries, (3) its literary value (phraseology, rhythm, terminology, wisdom, majestic style) is unparalleled, seeing as to over 5500 manuscripts support its New Testament and thousands of manuscripts form the foundation for its Old Testament, and (4) its doctrine is used by millions of Christians as the basis for their worldview and lifestyle.

In closing this devotionals arc, and considering what we have discussed, the Bible rejecter is now left in an unenviable position—he can ignore the testimony of all these, thereby allowing himself to keep his anti-Bible worldview, or he can set aside his foolish pride and finally put his trust in that Book that literally takes an eternity to fully grasp…. After all, “the word of our God shall stand for ever.” 🙂

Good Riddance! #10

Thursday, April 18, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Originally, mankind had the spiritual light of God’s Word. Once he fell into sin in Genesis chapter 3, his heart was darkened. When God gave up the unthankful and willfully ignorant Gentile nations in Genesis chapter 11, in chapter 12, He created a new group of people, Israel, through Abraham, who would accomplish His will in the earth (Adam’s original purpose before sin entered). For 2,000 years, as we Gentiles groped in spiritual darkness (Acts 14:16; Acts 26:17,18; Ephesians 2:11,12; Ephesians 4:17-19), Israel had God’s Word and God’s light (Romans 3:1,2; Romans 9:4,5). Alas, Israel too rejected that wisdom!

And so, we come to today, the Dispensation of the Grace of God, which has been operating for nearly 2,000 years. While Israel is temporarily blinded (Romans 11:25), God is forming the Church the Body of Christ, an agency of people who will do in the heavenly places in eternity future, what Israel will do in the earth in eternity future—rule for Jesus Christ’s glory.

As people who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, we are members of the Church the Body of Christ. When we teach God’s Holy Word and the principles found therein, we are actually publishing the original laws and social structure that existed before sin entered. We are not “bigoted” for opposing the sins of the world; actually, they are presumptuous for defending and engaging in activity that never belonged in creation in the first place!

The lost world wishes we members of the Body of Christ were not here—they want to tell us “good riddance” for being hindrances to “progress.” One day, when the Lord Jesus catches us away to be with Him in the heavenly places, as we leave this earth, we can say, “Good riddance!” to this evil world system! 🙂

Good Riddance! #9

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Let us leap into the future and observe the world’s moral conditions during the Tribulation period: “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: neither repented they of their murders, not of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Revelation 9:20,21). Even as God’s wrath is being poured out on earth, mankind just defiantly and unapologetically continues its murdering, its stealing, its idolatry, its sexually-perverted activities, and its devil worship! (This will be the result of today’s “progress,” and believing Israel will confront such a depraved society during the Tribulation.)

As Jesus Christ Himself affirmed, the first person to die for having faith in the God of the Bible was Abel (Luke 11:50,51). Abel adamantly stood for the principles of the God of heaven and earth, and he died because of it. God commanded the blood sacrifice, and his brother Cain willfully ignored that instruction and brought his “alternate” belief and sacrifice. Even after Abel and he talked, Cain was still convinced that his religion was “just as good” as Abel’s, and that he would be right with God without doing it God’s way (sounds just like today’s “everyone will make it to heaven eventually” argument, huh?).

Cain hated God’s testimony that his brother the prophet Abel uttered. Just as lost people execute Christians and silence God’s messengers today (and they will do it in the Tribulation), it all goes back to the first brother of the human race who got rid of his godly sibling who stood up for God’s Word….

Good Riddance! #7

Monday, April 15, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

The unsaved, hell-bound world around us complains, “Jesus preached love! Why are you judging? You Christians need to stop trying to force your beliefs on others and just focus on the wonderful things Jesus did and said.” To these “defenses,” we reply to them, “Where is your love for Jesus, for His people, for His Word? Why do you hate Jesus’ people for repeating His wisdom?”

Of course, our questions to them are rhetorical—we know the answers (lost people hate Jesus Christ, they hate His people, for sinners and saints are from two very different families!). Their questions, on the other hand, are just desperate attempts to avoid accountability to a holy righteous God, to ease one’s conscience, to discredit the message, to ignore their sin problem, to blame shift, et cetera.

Beloved, this thoroughly confused, lost, and dying world still needs the forgiveness and soul salvation only found in the Lord Jesus Christ, and His death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for their sins. Like Cain, they use religion to cover up their sins (to no avail). They, like Cain, ignore God’s “words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Like Cain, they want to change the laws God has already established and replace them with “alternate” beliefs, and get rid of those who speak out against it. They, like Cain, live their lives the way they want, but without coming by faith in Jesus Christ, they will never come to know their Creator God. They can die in their sins and go to hellfire denying God’s Word forever and ever, but it will still be true. They can even hate and murder God’s people, the Christians, but the message the saints preach is authoritative, relevant, eternal, and true!

They know they cannot get rid of God’s Word, so they attempt to get rid of God’s people….

Good Riddance! #3

Thursday, April 11, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Our sinful world despises absolute standards concerning morals and ethics (it does demand them regarding finances). Christians preaching and teaching sound Bible doctrine are a dam that holds back Satan from having complete control over every person. While the devil has fooled much of the world with all sorts of carnal and religious errors, unfortunately for him, those Christians who are King James Pauline dispensational Bible students are not so easily persuaded. Satan can only rule over ignorant people. Thankfully, we are well aware of what is occurring in this world. Man thinks he is on the rise (in actuality, his thinking is upside-down!).

For nearly 20 centuries, both the professing church (Christendom) and (sadly) the genuine, Holy Spirit-indwelt Church the Body of Christ, have allowed the errors of the world to creep into their assemblies, desensitizing them to ungodliness. This is to be expected when sound Bible doctrine is willfully ignored. What is the hallmark of lukewarm Christianity? The member of the average “Christian” church is just as “godly” as the average heathen of the evil world system, resulting in “Christians” siding with and defending the heathen and his social preferences! The heathen and the phony Christian alike hate the true Christian (today’s Scripture)—he, his God the Lord Jesus Christ, and his Holy Bible, are threats to “progress.”

Indeed, we Christians are viewed as “hindrances to progress.” Young earth Bible creationism, monogamous heterosexual marriages, owning weapons for self-defense, having a job, and driving a fossil-fueling-burning vehicle are respective threats to foolish pagan philosophical evolutionary theory, sexually-perverted lifestyles, pacifism, slothfulness, and “mother earth.” In this world, it seems like every belief is to be “tolerated”—except anything from God’s Holy Bible! As the context of today’s Scripture will demonstrate, this was true in the past, and it will be true in the future….

Good Riddance! #2

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Beloved, detrimental cultural shifts are occurring, especially since the last few years. Even here in the “Christian” United States, the Bible’s principles are being increasingly ignored. Our world has always been sinful, but here is the problem: the generations who grew up hearing at least some of God’s Word, are passing off the scene, and generations who know even less—almost nothing (!)—from the Holy Bible, are being born and reaching adulthood. Today’s youth are frightfully ignorant of Scripture, but this is nothing new in Scripture.

“And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10). With Joshua’s generation (people of faith who saw God’s miracles in Egypt and the wilderness) now passed away, Israel’s new generation had only one way to go spiritually—south! The rest of the book of Judges documents their downward spiral into apostasy for the next 300 years: Israel just drifted further and further away from JEHOVAH, until His wrath finally fell upon them and they were deported out of the Promised Land via the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities.

Has our world learned nothing from Scripture?! God will not tolerate sin forever; the wrath that Israel felt, is not being poured out on us because we live in the Dispensation of Grace. Jesus Christ is so longsuffering, but He is also holy and righteous, and sin will be punished eventually—either at Calvary’s cross (for believers), or hell and the lake of fire (for lost people). The world hates Christians (today’s Scripture) because the world hates Jesus Christ! The lost world does not like the message we preach, for we stand in way of “progress”… this is why they want to bid us “good riddance…!”

Good Riddance! #1

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

“Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you” (1 John 3:13 KJV).

God’s people have never been welcome here in “this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4) because He has never been welcome here. In short, if lost people could utter two words to us Christians after we have been raptured out, it would be, “Good riddance!”

Our Lord Jesus Christ was certainly unpopular with the religious and political leaders of His day because they dared not submit to Him, the God of creation, and His righteousness. They hated His message, so they attempted to get rid of Him any chance they got. Ultimately, they were quite pleased to have Him hanging on Calvary’s cross and slowly dying, during which time they mocked Him, laughed at Him, and reviled Him!

Just hours before that crucifixion, Jesus reminded His Jewish followers: “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me” (John 16:1,2). Ironically, the Jews, only about half a day later, would kill Jesus because they believed He was an imposter, and they believed their JEHOVAH God would want Him to be put to death. Imagine their horror when He resurrected and started preaching again!

The Apostle Paul was called a “pestilent fellow” (Acts 24:5)—he was not just annoying to the hell-bound pagans to whom he preached, but he was also a “mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes.” Paul’s lost critics could not figure him out: he was a former Jewish religious leader who had hated Jesus Christ, and yet, for the past 25 years, he has constantly preached against Israel for killing her Messiah (Jesus), and unbelieving Israel had attempted to get rid of him for years! (For instance, read about the Jews fatally stoning Paul years earlier in Acts 14:19,20.) Regardless of who he was, he had to go, too!

We should not be surprised to experience the lost world treating us the same way….