Category: Salvation

God is Love

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

“…God is love… God is love… We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:8b,16b,19 KJV).

The word “love” is used very flippantly in today’s world. Of the many who speak about “love,” few know what it is. On this Valentine’s Day, we offer sound doctrine from God’s Word to correct the misunderstandings of what love really is. What is love, according to God’s Word?

Today’s Scripture says that “God is love”—God does not simply love, but His very nature is love. What does that mean? In 1 John 3:16, we read: “Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:” Our Apostle Paul put it this way: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s nature is love—selfless, self-sacrificing!

God’s Word defines love and charity in 2 Corinthians 12:15: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” Love is seeking the best interest of others, even if it costs you something (time, energy, resources, et cetera). Charity is love in deed (demonstrated, manifested in action). God loved us, so He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It cost God the Father His Son, and it cost God the Son His life. What a selfless act!

Our nature in Adam is selfish, but our nature in Christ is not. Paul declares, “the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). We who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, our Christian lives are driven and motivated by Christ’s love for us, not our love for Him. It is this unselfish love of Christ working in us that causes us to look on the things of others, to seek their edification and their benefit, not ours (Romans 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:1-11). This will result in charity, our selfless actions reflecting that love of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:15).

As the lost world observes our Christian service, they will see, “God is love.”

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

Our Gospel Hid #4

Monday, February 13, 2012

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 KJV).

God’s will is “to have all men saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). That is, God wants every lost person saved from hell, and He wants every Christian saved from religious tradition. The goal of Satan’s policy of evil is the opposite: to keep lost people unsaved (lost) and to keep Christians unaware (spiritually immature) of God’s doctrine for them (Paul’s epistles). Satan accomplishes this using over 4,200 world religions, 38,000-plus “Christian” denominations, in excess of 200 (corrupt) modern English Bibles, and various false gospels (some even mention “Christ!”). This is how Satan “blinds the minds of them which believe not.”

To Satan’s dismay…

  1. By the grace of God, we are “saved!” We who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ alone as Saviour can rejoice today that “the light of the glorious gospel of Christ” shone unto us despite Satan’s attempts to keep us lost (today’s Scripture)!
  2. By the grace of God, we have “come unto the knowledge of the truth!” We who use the King James Bible can rejoice that we found God’s preserved and inerrant Word for us English-speaking Christians! By the grace of God, we who understand the “revelation of the mystery” (Paul’s special ministry) are no longer deceived by vain church tradition.

As King James Bible believers and Pauline dispensationalists who have trusted in Christ Jesus alone for salvation, we praise the Lord. Despite all the deception out there, we sought truth, and God made sure we found it!

How we are eternally grateful to God our Father to have found our Saviour (the Lord Jesus Christ), to have found God’s Word (the King James Bible), to have found our apostle (Paul), and to have found our place in God’s program (the Church the Body of Christ).

Our Gospel Hid #3

Sunday, February 12, 2012

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 KJV).

Satan’s modus operandi is to multiply the counterfeits so you never discover God’s will for you. Over 4,200 world religions keep lost people from finding Christ. Religious tradition of 38,000-plus “Christian” denominations hinders Christians from discovering sound doctrine and spiritual growth. Over 200 (perverted) modern English Bibles keep Christians and lost people from even finding God’s pure Word in the first place! People “handling the word of God deceitfully” is how Satan “blinds the minds of them which believe not.”

Recently, I spoke with a family member about salvation. I asked her, “What is the gospel of your salvation?” Her reply was, “I believe in Jesus and I do the best I can!” This is the false gospel that God condemned in Galatians 1:6-9. It sounds good, deceptively mentioning “Jesus,” but this is “another Jesus,” what Satan’s men preach to send lost people to hell, and to confuse believers and ruin their Christian lives (2 Corinthians 11:3,4; Galatians 5:1-5)! This gospel mixes faith in Christ and man’s works, and God will NOT tolerate it—with lost people and with Christians (Romans 4:1-8; Galatians 2:16-21; Galatians 3:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9; et al.).

Sinful men cooperate with Satan’s policy of evil by fabricating religious systems to mimic God’s work. But, they have also polluted Christianity (resulting in “Christendom,” the paganized version of Christianity). There are some people who have genuinely trusted in Christ alone. They are totally secure in the salvation in Christ Jesus, but they are “taken captive by [the devil] at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).  They are told they need to work to make God happy, never being told that God has permanently accepted them in Christ (Ephesians 1:6)!

Paul’s Gospel—Christ crucified for our sins, buried, and raised again (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)—is the only way to heaven. NO WORKS FOR SALVATION! NONE!

Our Gospel Hid #2

Saturday, February 11, 2012

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 KJV).

The prostitutes, drug lords, atheists, and prison inmates all know that they need to be made right with God. But not those in religion! They have been brainwashed into thinking that they are “good enough” for God as long as they stay busy with their denomination’s rites and rituals. Beloved, according to the Bible, this is how Satan “blinds the minds of them which believe not!”

Satan sidetracks lost people using the 4,200-plus counterfeit world religions, making salvation in Jesus Christ nearly impossible to find. Perchance someone does find the Bible, and does trust Christ as Saviour—what then? Well, Satan now threatens his or her Christian walk by subsequently confusing the Christian using Christendom’s 38,000-plus denominations. Each group claims to “follow Jesus,” but this new Christian may never learn proper Bible study or sound doctrine. Additionally, the new Christian faces another discouragement: selecting one of the 200-plus modern English Bibles.

Disturbingly, many preach “Christ” today, but they are not preaching the Jesus Christ who Paul preached! Paul warns of “another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4). These individuals use Bible terms, but they are certainly not serving God. They preach false gospels, sometimes even quoting Scripture like Acts 2:38 or 1 John 1:9 (making you believe God was speaking to you, when the context says this is Israel’s salvation). Paul called this “handling the word of God deceitfully.” Yes, they use the Bible to lead people to hell!

Surely, Satan would never use someone who declares “Jesus is Lord,” would he? Satan would never work in a church where the Bible is taught, would he? YES! YES! Christendom today is thoroughly confused. “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Hence, we conclude that God is not working in Christendom today. Who is? Satan… hiding our gospel!

Our Gospel Hid #1

Friday, February 10, 2012

“But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:3,4 KJV).

How does Satan, “the god of this world,” keep our gospel hidden from lost people? Does he use drugs, alcohol, fornication, and the occult? According to the context of today’s Scripture, he uses something far subtler, what you would least expect.

God’s Word exposes the heart of Satan’s policy of evil. Previously, the Apostle Paul stated that he has “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully” (verse 2). Where was this “dishonesty” and “craftiness?” Paul explains, “nor handling the word of God deceitfully.” It was in religion! Before Paul’s salvation, he, as a Pharisee (Jewish religious leader) and participant in Satan’s religious system, had used God’s Word (of all things!) to send people to hell (Galatians 1:13,14; Philippians 3:3-7). Thankfully, Paul claimed, “Now that I am saved, I have given up that foolishness!” Sadly, today, preachers still use the Bible to guide over 100,000 people to hell every day! How?

Satan hides the Gospel of God’s Grace (what God has done for you at Calvary) by having you focus on religion (what you can do for God at church). These “ministers” (!) of Satan (2 Corinthians 11:13-15) tell you that Christ died for you, but that you need to work for salvation (Acts 15:1-5). How deceptive! They mention Christ (sounding godly), but they are totally anti-God because they exalt man’s efforts to please God (thereby ignoring the sufficiency of Christ’s finished crosswork). God warned against this “false gospel” in Galatians 1:6-9. God’s attitude toward one who preaches this heretical gospel: “Let him be accursed [removed from fellowship]!!!”

The Gospel of the Grace of God says you can do nothing, nothing, nothing to merit salvation.

Friends, either Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection are sufficient for our salvation, or He is dead for nothing (Galatians 2:16,21)!

I Will Be Their God

Sunday, February 5, 2012

“And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God” (Genesis 17:8 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is part of the Abrahamic Covenant, the basis for God creating the nation Israel. The LORD promised Abraham in Genesis chapter 12 that he would have a son Isaac, who would give birth to the Jewish race. God would also give a geographic area to Abraham and his “seed:” this is the “Promised Land” or Palestine (“all the land of Canaan”).

God formed Israel in order to use her as the vessel to restore His authority in the earth. Israel was to be a “kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:5,6), but before Israel could bring God to the Gentiles, God first had to be her God. The LORD repeatedly says in the Old Testament: “Israel will be my people, and I will be their God” (Exodus 29:45; Jeremiah 24:7; Jeremiah 31:33; Jeremiah 32:38; Ezekiel 11:20; Ezekiel 34:24; Ezekiel 37:23, 27; Zechariah 8:8).

But, Israel rejected and crucified her King Jesus, and refused to bring salvation to the Gentiles. Thus, Israel’s kingdom is currently and temporarily postponed. Salvation is coming to us Gentiles through Paul’s Gospel, the Gospel of Grace of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, without Israel’s kingdom (Romans 11:11-13). Israel is not God’s people today (Hosea 1:9; Romans 10:1-3); who is? WE ARE, the Church the Body of Christ!

Paul quotes the Old Testament when God spoke to Israel, and writes about us members of the Body of Christ: “…For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (2 Corinthians 6:16).

Today, Israel is spiritually blinded and lost (Romans 11:7,25), but at Christ’s Second Coming, Israel will finally be saved and forgiven (verses 26-29). In that day, God will establish the New Covenant, and our God will be Israel’s God too (note Hebrews 8:10 cf. Hosea 1:10).

Saints, never forget—God has not forgotten Israel.

Saved for a Purpose

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

“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; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7 KJV).

Verse 3 explains that we once walked in foolishness and disobedience, fulfilling the sins of the flesh (cf. Ephesians 2:2,3). Today’s Scripture explains that now God’s love and kindness have been shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour. If we have trusted alone in Christ Jesus, by God’s grace, we are “justified” (made right, declared right) in God’s eyes. Grace is everything that God can do for us through Christ Jesus’ dying for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection for our justification.

Did God save us because of something we did? NO! Today’s Scripture says that God saved us “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” The only works we did were those things that offended God (Romans 7:5; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 2:3; Colossians 3:5-10; et al.). God saved us simply “according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God” (Romans 4:2). We cannot brag because our salvation had nothing to do with our good works—the best of our “good” works was “dung!”  We “glory” (rejoice) in Christ’s righteousness, not in our “goodness” (Galatians 6:14).

So why did God save us? “[God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6,7). God wants to show us how good and great He is. He saved us so He can eventually install us in the government of heaven to rule for His glory forever.

Holy, Holy, Holy!

Sunday, January 29, 2012

“And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory” (Isaiah 6:3 KJV).

In the context of today’s Scripture, the prophet Isaiah receives a vision from the LORD. Isaiah saw and heard seraphim (spirit beings in the angelic world) praising God, singing: “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts.” Four beasts (cherubim, other spirit beings in the angelic world) are also singing to God in Revelation 4:8: “Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.” Why is “holy” thrice exclaimed to God on these two occasions?

One of the most difficult Bible doctrines to understand is the Trinity, that God exists in three coequal and coeternal Persons—Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Although we cannot fully comprehend this doctrine, we believe it because the Bible gives ample proof that God is three Persons (Genesis 1:27; Genesis 11:7,8; Psalm 2:3; Isaiah 9:6; John 10:29,30; Acts 5:3,4; Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 3:18; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3,8; 1 Peter 1:11; 1 John 5:7; et al.). Today’s Scripture is one such example: one “holy” applies to each Person of the Godhead. But, how can God be thrice holy? Because He is three Persons, and each of the three Persons of the Godhead is holy!

The word “holy” simply means “set apart.” For example, Jesus Christ is “holy… separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). In Psalm 22:3, the Messiah (Jesus Christ), from Calvary’s cross, says to God His Father: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” Finally, the Holy Ghost is “holy” (He is separate from all other spirits).

God the Father is holy, God the Son (Jesus Christ) is holy, and God the Holy Spirit is holy. They are unique when compared to creation: they were not created, they do not sin, and they exist independent of everything else. These three Persons of the Godhead live in harmony with each other in full fellowship with and love for one another. Amazingly, They want us to participate in that fellowship, and saints, through Christ’s finished crosswork, we will fellowship with all three for all eternity!

Final Flight

Saturday, January 28, 2012

“Go to now, ye that say, To-day or to-morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away” (James 4:13,14 KJV).

Gregory Jarvis, a Hughes Aircraft specialist and engineer, was scheduled to fly the Space Shuttle Columbia on January 12, 1986. His task was to accompany a communications satellite into space and ensure its launch. However, before launch, a politician replaced him, and Jarvis was bumped down to the next space shuttle launch, Challenger’s January 22 launch. When Challenger finally took flight six days later—some 26 years ago today—it exploded over 18 miles above earth, killing all seven crewmembers, including Jarvis. What tragic irony!

Life is uncertain in almost every which way. Friendships and marriages come not with a lifelong guarantee. Accidents and sudden illnesses can render you immobile, temporarily, or for life. House fires can consume all that you own. Thus, 1 Timothy 6:17 reminds us not to “trust in uncertain riches.” What you have today may very well be gone tomorrow. This is particularly true of your earthly life (today’s Scripture)… and especially your soul!

Gregory Jarvis knew not the future. Mission 51L, the 25th space shuttle mission, was supposed to have been another successful mission. Unfortunately, it would be Challenger’s last mission, and Jarvis’ too. Consider the ill-fated February 1, 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, whose ninth anniversary we approach. Its seven-member crew had no idea they were taking their final flight either. Were any of these astronauts and payload specialists ready to meet their Maker? Most probably were not.

“…NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Not tomorrow—NOW—for tomorrow you have not been guaranteed. Why not trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone as your personal Saviour today? Why not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for your sins today? Then, when your final flight comes—especially if it comes tomorrow—you will be prepared.

The Crux of God’s Eternal Purpose

Friday, January 27, 2012

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20 KJV).

God the Father has one grand purpose for creation—to make His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the governments of heaven and earth (Ephesians 1:9,10). But, the Bible teaches that an angelic rebellion, led by Lucifer (Satan), sought to usurp Jesus Christ’s headship in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18). Once Satan enticed mankind to sin and cooperate with his policy of evil, that rebellion then infiltrated earth (Genesis 3:1-24).

Today, the governments that God created in heaven and earth are in rebellion. Satan has spoiled what was created “by” and “for” the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:16,17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3,4; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12). How will God reconcile unto Himself the governments of heaven and earth? How will Jesus Christ eternally subvert Satan’s strongholds in those two realms? Today’s Scripture provides the answer.

Using Christ’s shed blood, God is currently forming a heavenly people for His name, the Church the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:14). In eternity future, He will use this entity—us!—to restore His authority in the heavens. At Christ’s Second Coming, God will restore His earthly people, the nation Israel, forgive them of their sins through Christ’s shed blood (Acts 3:18; Hebrews 9:11-15; 1 Peter 1:18,19), and use redeemed Israel to reclaim His authority in the earth.

Indeed, the very thing at which Satan thought he defeated God—Calvary’s cross—is that which God will use to permanently conquer Satan’s policy of evil. Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary is the crux of God’s plans for eternity future: everything that God will accomplish in the ages to come hinges on Jesus Christ’s shed blood. In order to destabilize Satan’s power in heaven and earth, God must deal first with the sin issue in both realms, and Christ’s blood does just that in both realms. Behold the wisdom of our God!

Oh, by the way, interestingly, crux is Latin for cross….