Category: vicarious atonement of Christ

In Every Thing Give Thanks

Thursday, November 24, 2016

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV).

Dear saints, take a moment this Thanksgiving to learn a valuable lesson from the Holy Scriptures!

God wants “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). To be “saved” here means you have been rescued from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire), and that you have a home in heaven, because you have trusted the death, shed blood, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for your sins. To “come unto the knowledge of the truth” is when a person who has trusted Christ, begins to understand why God saved him or her, and how God will use him or her for His glory. Although soul salvation is instantaneous, spiritual maturity is a life-long process (that is especially true regarding handling difficulties, the grace way!).

It is human nature to avoid difficulties and stress, to flee them, rather than confront them. This self-preservation is advantageous, particularly in “life or death” situations. However, running from troubling circumstances is not the way God has designed our life in Christ to function. Today’s Scripture says, “In every thing give thanks,” not “For every thing give thanks.” We do not thank God for our troubles; we thank God while we are enduring those troubles. This is tough, I know, but it takes time for us to learn it. Even the Apostle Paul had to learn this.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Be thankful in every thing. God’s grace is sufficient for you, dear saint, in all of life’s circumstances. When you learn this, you are “[coming] unto the knowledge of the truth.”

*Excerpted from our Thanksgiving 2012 Bible study with the same name. That study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see, “What are our spiritual blessings in Christ?”

The Greatest Veteran

Friday, November 11, 2016

“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14,15 KJV).

Today is Veterans’ Day in the United States, so let us especially thank the “Greatest Veteran of All Time.”

We thank veterans, living and departed, the often-forgotten men and women who risked their lives to secure our freedom. Just as we remember flesh-and-blood veterans who fought for our physical liberty, we reserve our worship and utmost respect for the least esteemed Veteran, He who secured our spiritual liberty.

“But thanks be to God, which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). Through Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary, we have eternal victory over sin, death, hell, and Satan. Everything that God has planned for us is dependent upon Christ’s victory at Calvary.

Jesus Christ nailed the Mosaic Law to His cross (today’s Scripture). His sinless blood covered our failure to obey God’s laws; Jesus’ righteousness annulled our unrighteousness (sin). Christ not only liberated us from sin and its penalty (the everlasting lake of fire), but today’s Scripture affirms He also triumphed over Satan himself!

Christ has “spoiled [destroyed] principalities and powers [Satan’s power], he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it [His cross].” Jesus Christ destroyed Satan’s plans. Through Christ’s cross, God has “delivered us from the power of darkness” (Colossians 1:13), Satan’s evil system of Ephesians 2:1-3.

During a recent cemetery visit, I noticed American flags flying above deceased veterans’ headstones. These individuals can no longer hear or regard our thanks, but Jesus Christ’s body is not decaying in some tomb. If there ever was a Veteran most worthy of our gratitude, it is our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He died in battle, allowing Himself to be executed on a Roman cross of shame and scorn, He resurrected. He is alive and well today, alive forevermore!

Saints, eternity will ring with our thanks to the Veteran worth thanking, the Lord Jesus Christ.

*Adapted from our 2010 Bible study, “The Greatest Hero.” The Bible study video can be viewed here.

Borrowed Time—Little or Much

Sunday, October 16, 2016

“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not” (Job 14:1,2 KJV).

“Amen and Amen!”

My family just received news that a neighbor was severely injured in an out-of-town automobile accident. This young, single mother has two small children. She is now on a respirator, clinging to life. Tragically, she may not survive, and, to my knowledge, does not have a testimony of salvation in Christ.

Friends, let us give today’s Scripture some heavy thought. We do not know when death will come for us. It is a morose topic, and rarely discussed, since many people are “too busy” thinking about “life right now” than “life hereafter.” Some reply, “Oh, I believe in life before death, not life after death!” Well, we respond, “You have a right to your opinion. If you want to be wrong, you can. After death, you will certainly believe in life after death!”

Others may say, “Oh, I have plenty of time to trust Christ. Let me enjoy my life first, and have a good time in sin!” Friends, remember my neighbor’s predicament. People commonly die unexpectedly and young. You think you may have several decades left to live, when you may actually have just a few minutes! Thousands of people living in the world today will not see tomorrow. Some of us may be in that crowd. We had better not play around with eternal matters! Only God knows just how many people in history have procrastinated concerning trusting Christ. They waited too long, were dead before they realized it, and it is now too late for them!

If we have not done so, let us take a moment to trust the Gospel of the Grace of God: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). Christ Jesus died to pay for everything wrong with us. Now, we need to trust Him as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, so we can go to heaven when we leave this life. Friends, we are living on borrowed time. This life may be over more quickly than we think!

Saved, Saved, Saved #4

Friday, July 29, 2016

“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” (Ephesians 2:8,9 KJV).

The chorus of Jack P. Scholfield’s classic 1911 hymn, “Saved, Saved, Saved,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“Saved by His power divine,
Saved to new life sublime!
Life now is sweet and my joy is complete,
For I’m saved, saved, saved!”

As the songwriter knew, God’s power, not our power, saved us. Today’s Scripture plainly declares: “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.” Some Bible commentators, hating these verses, have said the following to keep their works-religion: “What these verses ‘really’ mean is we are not saved by works alone. We need Jesus too.” Alas, a lie! If Jesus is enough to save us into Heaven, and the Bible says He is, then we need not introduce our measly religious works!

Friend, the Bible versions issue is a most serious matter. Did you know that, where the King James Bible says five times “saved” (past tense), modern versions use “being saved” (as in “being saved” today but not necessarily tomorrow)? Check Acts 2:47, 1 Corinthians 1:18, and 2 Corinthians 2:15. The King James has “saved” while the NIV, Amplified Bible, NKJV, Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation, and New American (Roman Catholic) Bible agree, “those who are being saved.” Luke 13:23 in King James Bible—“Lord, are there few that be saved?”—is now in the NIV, NASB, and HCSB—“Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” The NRSV, NKJV, and Jehovah’s Witness New World Translation are unique with “are being saved” in 1 Corinthians 15:2 (“are saved” in KJV). It gets worse! They even pervert today’s Scripture—“are saved” is now “have been saved!”

Modern English versions are spiritually dangerous. They teach the erroneous idea that salvation unto eternal life is uncertain. (Remember the “mortal sin of presumption” in Roman Catholicism? See, such “scholarship” has dominated modern English manuscripts and versions!) However, our trusty Protestant Bible (King James) says we ARE “Saved, Saved, Saved!” (It is a done deal in Christ!) 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What does 2 Peter 3:8 mean?”

Saved, Saved, Saved #3

Thursday, July 28, 2016

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6 KJV).

The third verse of Jack P. Scholfield’s classic 1911 hymn, “Saved, Saved, Saved,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“When poor and needy and all alone,
In love He said to me,
‘Come unto Me and I’ll lead you home,
To live with Me eternally.’”

Religion has ingrained in people’s minds, from birth to death, the lie that they can do something religious so God can declare them righteous before Him. Lost people take Bible verses that apply only to Christians, and they try to follow those life principles hoping to “make Christians out of themselves.” Dear friends, we do not make ourselves Christians. No religious group makes us Christians, either. God’s intention in giving Christian living verses was not for everyone to follow in order to become Christians; He gave those verses for Christian people to follow. Without Christ inside the heart, one cannot have the Christian life. Lost people can imitate the Christian life at times, yes of course, but they fail. God is not the least bit fooled; He sees straight through artificial Christianity.

Without Jesus Christ, friends, we literally have nothing! The Lord Jesus Christ is the way to Father; without Him, we have nothing but a one-way path to hellfire! Jesus Christ is the truth; without Him, we have nothing but Satan’s lies! The Lord Jesus Christ is the life; without Him, we have nothing but death in our trespasses and sins! We do not come to Him for “help” in doing good or being good; we come to Him for everything!

Most assuredly, we are poor, needy, and all alone. So, God’s Son came to this wretched planet. We were not looking for Him; He was looking for us, to turn us back to Father God. Christ Jesus was obedient to His Heavenly Father, all the way to Calvary’s cruel tree. He reached out with a nail-scarred hand and offered to lead us to heaven, to enjoy forever the same fellowship that He had with His Father from eternity past. Friends, may we take His hand by faith and be “Saved, Saved, Saved!”

Saved, Saved, Saved #2

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

“The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me” (Psalm 116:6 KJV).

The second verse of Jack P. Scholfield’s classic 1911 hymn, “Saved, Saved, Saved,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“He saves me from every sin and harm,
Secures my soul each day;
I’m leaning strong on His mighty arm;
I know He’ll guide me all the way.”

While Scripture certainly does not teach sinless perfection in this life (called “complete sanctification” in strict religious circles), it does teach victorious Christian living. For example, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:11,12). As Christians, we can choose to let sin reign in us, or we can choose to deny sin’s access to our life. Our choice!

Christ Jesus died, and we died to sin with Him; He was raised again, and we were raised again to “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:1-5). “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin” (verses 6,7).

Romans chapter 6 is packed full of wonderful verses about our identity in Jesus Christ. We can have complete and total victory over sin on a daily basis. But, do we access that identity by faith in these Bible verses? Or, do we coast along in the energy of our flesh (the Law) and let sin get dominion over us? That is what happened to Paul in chapter 7. Chapter 8, the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, rescues us from the despair and defeat of chapter 7.

Brethren, whether or not we act like Christians, we are still the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26-28). It is His faithfulness that keeps us saved, for it is His faithfulness that purchased our redemption in the first place! What a glorious, exciting reality—we will never find anything like it in religion! The salvation we have from the penalty of sin (hell) allows us to have salvation from the power of sin (daily sins).

Saved, Saved, Saved #1

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

“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 KJV).

The first verse of Jack P. Scholfield’s classic 1911 hymn, “Saved, Saved, Saved,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“I’ve found a Friend, who is all to me,
His love is ever true;
I love to tell how He lifted me
And what His grace can do for you.”

In religious circles, “saved” is a very dirty word. When you utter it in a denominational setting, gasps can be heard. Parishioners may experience cardiac arrest! How dare you be so “arrogant” in declaring—let alone thinking!—there is reserved in heaven a place for you! Church members shudder as that word “saved” “defiles” their religious ears. They have no such assurance of “salvation.” Furthermore, they tremble to realize the precarious situation they have been in since birth—“If I am not ‘saved,’ I must be ‘lost!’”

According to Roman Catholic theology, the “mortal sin of presumption” is committed when one believes he or she will go to heaven without any time spent “suffering for sins” in “purgatory.” Of course, this is fiction and nonsense. Remember, as long as you do not know if you are saved, you will keep coming to church, keep giving, keep praying, keep keeping the sacraments, keep keeping the ordinances! To die in the “mortal sin” of “presumption” is to merit immediate hellfire, with no chance of ever entering purgatory… or heaven. Oh, but praise God, we know God’s truth in today’s Scripture! There is total redemption—complete deliverance and purging from sin—in and because of Jesus Christ!

There is a “Friend” of sinners and His name is Jesus Christ. His love spanned the gulf of sin between you and God, and it sent Him to Calvary’s cruel cross. “Grace” is not what you can do for God so He can offer you salvation; grace is what God can do for you through Calvary because you can do nothing for Him! ’Tis the only way to be “Saved, Saved, Saved!”

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Must I witness to be saved?”

The Greatest War Hero

Monday, May 30, 2016

“For God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV).

In the United States, today is Memorial Day, when we remember those who sacrificed their time and lives to provide our physical freedom. Likewise, as Christians, we have spiritual freedom, which was more costly. Someone had to die to give us the eternal life we now enjoy….

Scripture describes a spiritual warfare between good and evil, God’s truth program versus Satan’s lie program: “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [schemes] of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:11,12; see also verses 13-20).

Satan distracts mankind from God’s pure Word, the Bible, keeping unbelievers lost (dead in their sins), and preventing unbelievers and Christians from knowing God’s will. The devil draws them away (seduces them) from God’s Word by using religious tradition and human “wisdom” (1 Timothy 4:1-3; cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Galatians 3:1-3).

God loves us, so at Calvary’s cross, Christ fought for us sinners, died in battle (today’s Scripture), shed His divine sinless blood, and eternally rescued us from Satan and sin: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14,15).

Hebrews 9:12 says Jesus Christ has “obtained eternal redemption for us.”

If we have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son” (Colossians 1:13). Now, God can use us for His glory for all eternity.

Beloved, let us rejoice in our victory over sin, death, and hell that Jesus Christ secured for us by going to Calvary’s rugged cross! Jesus Christ is now alive forevermore—He is our Hero, the Greatest Hero!

*Adapted from a larger Bible study “The Greatest Hero,” which can be read here or watched here.

The Old Rugged Cross #4

Monday, April 11, 2016

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14 KJV).

The chorus of George Bennard’s classic 1913 hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.”

Fellow saints, considering where we were—dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1)—and where we are now—dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:11), we have every reason to cherish (value) the “old rugged cross.” Once dead in sin, we are now dead to sin; sin is not who we are anymore. We are a “new creature in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our translation from Satan’s domain into God’s kingdom was accomplished by Jesus Christ’s finished work on Calvary (cf. today’s Scripture).

Our new identity in Christ now qualifies us to participate in the greatest plan in the universe. We already started when we trusted Christ as our personal Saviour and it will span the endless ages of the future. But, until our Dispensation of Grace closes, the Body of Christ must remain on Earth. When it is time for God to return to Israel’s program, we (corporately) will be relocated to the Heavenly Places. We see a glimpse of this in the closing verses of Philippians chapter 3: “[20] For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: [21] Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

All of our “glory” (boasting, value) is in Christ and what He did, not in our measly “good works.” There is still so much more He must do in and through us on Earth before we get to Philippians 3:21, but Him working in and through us in the Heavenly Places (cf. Colossians 1:16-20) will also be made possible through the “old rugged cross!” 🙂

The Old Rugged Cross #3

Sunday, April 10, 2016

“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).

The third and final verse of George Bennard’s classic 1913 hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross,” highlights today’s Scripture.

“In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see;
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.”

“For he [God the Father] hath made him [His Son, Jesus Christ] to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (verse 21). The wood of Calvary’s cross was ordinary wood, but it was stained with extraordinary blood. It was “the innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4 KJV). Peter wrote, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just [righteous] for the unjust [unrighteous], that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18). “…[T]he Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28 KJV). Modern versions omit the correlation here, but our King James Bible says God’s own blood was shed at Calvary!

How could God have blood? Why, God became a Man, and as a Man, He had blood (Hebrews 2:8-18). Because it was God’s blood, it was sinless, divine, able to cover the sins. Had it been regular human blood, it would have been linked to Adam. Jesus was much more than a “good man;” He was the visible manifestation of the invisible God (Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3). Had He been anything less than fully God and fully man, He could not mediate between both parties!

Many people in history have died for their religion. But, Jesus Christ did not die as a “martyr.” He gave up His life, to “pardon and sanctify” those who would accept His payment for their sins. That blood was shed to impart spiritual life to those who would believe in it. It was shed to set apart a group of people whom Father God would use through the ages of eternity future to glorify His Son, the Person who died on the “old rugged cross.” 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What swallowed Jonah—a fish or a whale?”