Category: Salvation
Subject: Salvation
The Call To God’s Eternal Glory
A study of 1 Peter 5:10, noting that you must step out of self, into Christ, and through to Judgment to enjoy the eternal glory of God.
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His Glorious Body
Here we write of things for which we have little information or knowledge. Paul promised in Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” There are a few things this reveals, and many things we will one day know when we meet Jesus in the end.
First, our change is according to the working of our Lord. Jesus will exhibit at that time a power which is the same power He will use to put “all enemies under his feet” (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:25).
Second, the change He will render in us is a transformation. Our bodies will be changed. We will not be as we are now. Think of a tadpole’s difference from a frog, or a caterpillar from a butterfly.
Third, our new body will glorious, as Jesus’ body is now. It will be suited to a new existence with Jesus in heaven. Can I describe it? No. But, there is no need for me to explain it away, because Paul revealed it to be so! In 1 Corinthians 15, he said, “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” (44). He wrote, “And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man” (49). Hallelujah for His promises!
Sermon: One Long Sentence (Ephesians 1:3-6)
An exegesis of Ephesians 1:3-5, which the apostle Paul, in one long sentence teaches three important points about God’s plan for redeeming man.
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Continuing in Sin
It is sad that a statement by Paul “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that race may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2), should need explanation and defense. And yet, because of error and the current cultural climate, it certainly does.
Paul taught salvation by grace, which just about every religious person believes. He taught that sin precludes any individual being saved by perfect obedience, which just about every religious person accepts as a true statement. Here he taught that continuing to sin after being saved by grace was unacceptable. This truth, which is clearly stated, can’t be accepted by individuals who believe the Calvinistic precept of the Perseverance of the Saints, colloquially known as “Once saved always saved.” Continue reading “Continuing in Sin”
Sermon: “In Isaac Your Seed Shall Be Called”
A discussion of Romans 9:1-8, showing that ultimately, salvation for both the Jew and the Gentile is found in the promise of the Messiah, fulfilled through Isaac.
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Sermon Minute: Today is the Day!
Today is the day that God wants us to embrace Him. It is unwise to delay!
Mining the Scriptures: 1 Timothy 1:12-15
Here Paul established the basis of his standing before God. It was not his merit. His salvation came despite his condition as a sinner. He described his pre-conversion life and person by writing he was a blasphemer, persecutor, insolent, and ignorant. In fact, he wrote, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (vs 15).
Despite Paul’s shortcomings and sin, Jesus Christ chose him to be an apostle. It is understandable that Paul would state that the grace of the Lord (freely given gift) was “exceedingly abundant” toward him.
The phrase, “because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.” Does indicate the good conscience of Paul (cf. Acts 23:1), but good intentions do not equal acceptance. Paul had to do what everyone has to do to receive that grace from God. (We can read from Acts 9 and Acts 22 to see what that was).
God grants second chances (and more) to the penitent and honest individuals who want to change and serve him. If he did it for Paul (chief among sinners), he will do it for anyone.
One of the Chosen
Saul of Tarsus was chosen by God. Ananias told him, “The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth. For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard” (Acts 22:14-15). This choosing was for Saul’s apostleship. This was a point of emphasis for Saul throughout his life and ministry as an apostle of Jesus Christ. It headed almost every letter he wrote. For example, “Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead)…” (Galatians 1:1).
In truth, God has chosen all who are Christians. Before the world began, God determined to select all and only those who answered the call of the gospel of Jesus Christ. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Paul wrote of this to the Thessalonians, giving thanks to God for the them, “…because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14).
Do you want to be one of the chosen? The group has an open membership. “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).
Sermon: The Sinner’s Prayer
The Bible indeed teaches that we must receive the gift of God’s grace to be saved. How do we receive it? Scripture reveals that it IS NOT by saying a “Sinner’s Prayer.”
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Sermon: Why Keep Jesus Waiting?
Though Jesus is at the door of our heart, knocking, and desiring entrance to save men, there are numerous reasons why men refuse to answer His invitation. The lesson deals with four such reasons.
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Why Stop the Chariot?
I recently came across a sermon starter (skeleton outline) from a Facebook group, written by Mark Posey. When I come across such items and borrow the material, I always try to give credit, but also typically change the title to something else. I couldn’t do it this time as the title best expresses the concept to be examined in the article.
The reference is, of course, to the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, covered in Acts 8:26-40. To summarize, an angel of the Lord sent Philip the evangelist to a road between Jerusalem and Gaza. There Philip met a eunuch of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He had come to Jerusalem to worship (indicating he was a proselyte), and was returning to Gaza in a chariot. He was reading from Isaiah 59, and Philip used the reading as a beginning point of their conversation. Continue reading “Why Stop the Chariot?”
Sons and Heirs
In Galatians 3:26 Paul wrote, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” The familial relationship we enjoy is not exactly the same as Jesus Himself. The Pharisees understood when Jesus called Himself the Son of God, that He was making Himself God’s equal (cf. John 5:18). The only reason He was not guilty of blasphemy is because the claim was true! Jesus is the “only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). The Apostle John wrote this with clarity and beauty when he recorded, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God” (John 1:1-2). Continue reading “Sons and Heirs”
Mining the Scriptures: 1 Peter 1:10-12
Peter in previous verses had established the end of the faithful. An “inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you” (1:4).
This salvation was not fully revealed in times past. The prophets of old had questions about it as they spoke of the promise of it in words supplied by God. They did not fully comprehend the nature, or the time when redemption would come.
Now we have all revealed. We can look to the New Testament and read from it all that Jesus had to suffer to secure our redemption. We know of His resurrection, His ascension, and His reign in heaven at God’s right hand. We are so blessed with this knowledge, and that we live in the “last days.”
As our redemption is secured through our belief and obedience to the good news of Christ, we have reason to rejoice. We have had revealed to us things that even angels could not fully comprehend before Jesus came. We know, we can read. We are blessed by God!
Salvation by Grace Through Faith
An important discussion of the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians is summarized in Ephesians 2:8-9. This passage is familiar to all:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
So often Christians have to discuss what the text is not saying, so as to protect against the doctrine of “Salvation by Faith Only.” This is laudable, and not to be criticized. But, it is good to simply express the truths that are established by this passage. Continue reading “Salvation by Grace Through Faith”
