Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Even though it might be difficult at times for us to remember all the 27 doctrines of our church, there are a few fundamental pillars of truth which should be forever lodged in our consciences so as to render us immovable and unshakeable in our relationship with Christ.
These pillars of truth should often be dwelt upon or rehearsed in our minds, so that they would not slip away with the passage of time, for whenever, and wherever they have sunken deep into our minds, it will become extremely difficult to uproot those who are thereby exercised.
One of the very core foundational truths for us all to grasp is that we are saved by grace through faith. It is what Christ has done for us, that gives the newly born babes in Christ, as well as the battle-hardened Pauls, Jobs, and Daniels an abundant entrance into God’s kingdom of glory.
We should and we must cooperate with God in the work of salvation in our hearts, and day by day we should be ascending the steps on Jacob’s ladder as we seek the renewal of God’s image in us. But in all of our doings and achievements and victories, we’re to never lose sight of this one fact, that we’re saved by God’s grace alone.
Building on this very core foundation are additional truths, that are closely associated by extension, one of them being that it is Christ’s death, just as much as His life that has guaranteed our salvation. We are more than conquerors over the grave, because of His death, but Jesus’s life of righteousness is just as important, for both accomplishments factor in to make our salvation certain and permanent.
If Christ had slipped up just once in His incarnation, His death would have been rendered useless in the restoration of man to the first dominion, and thus, it is His own righteousness that is bequeathed to us as a spotless garment, that makes us fit to be called the sons and daughters of God.
Whenever these aforementioned pillars of truth are understood, believed and appropriated to ourselves it becomes very difficult to shake our relationship in Christ. The floods may come and many winds may blow, and in the heat of the moment we may not be able to remember all of the twenty-seven doctrines of the church, but if we never lose sight of Christ, it is near impossible to shake our foundation.
It was in the context of these foundational truths of our relationship with Christ, that Jesus, on different occasions would speak as if it’s a done deal with any person who believes in Him, and who grasps these very important truths.
When conversing with the woman at the well, Jesus did not dwell very much on the matters of the law; instead, we see Him driving home that all important point, that if a person is grounded in Him, that person becomes a well of water, springing up into everlasting life.
And it is because of these core tenets of truth which we observed earlier, why at times, Jesus and Paul in their sayings, might appear to make our salvation so simple and guaranteed. It has to do with folks never losing sight of Christ, whatever else one may or may not do.
Here are some examples of what is being referred to as it pertains to the simplicity and the assurance of the gospel, as it is in Christ. Let’s read:
Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Acts 16: 27 And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
29 Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
It is worthy of note that their answer to the jailor’s question did not include matters pertaining to the law, even though those matters are important. First and foremost is one’s belief that Jesus Christ is the one and only way to salvation; and then obedience, love and willing service would follow as the natural outflow of that very fact.
However, there were times when the answer to such a question, as was asked by the jailor, would require a mentioning of the law, depending on the person who is asking the question. That’s because the appropriate answer is not monolithic.
For instance, when Jesus was asked the same basic question by the rich young ruler, Jesus replied to him “Keep the commandments”. That’s because a very different response might be needed to address the needs of different persons.
But as a general rule, if a person were to ask us that important question: “What must I do to be saved?” the answer should be short, concise, and simple, so as to make the pertinent issues plain and leaving no doubt in the person’s mind as to what is required as may be observed in the following verses. Let’s read:
John 11: 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Acts 8:30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, do you understand what you are reading?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If you believe with all of thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
What Philip did, and what the Eunuch requested as per baptism is very important for us to note; but it is also interesting to observe what The Holy Ghost did to Philip, after he was done preaching that one sermon. Let’s read:
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
At this point we must say that there is now a great concern, that the simplicity of the gospel may have become caught up in a maze of doctrinal morass, so that inquiring persons may experience difficulty in understanding Christ as their only hope of salvation.
Here it is again, with Christ speaking of those who are rooted and grounded in Him, not merely from a doctrinal perspective, but from a relational position. Jesus speaks in the affirmative, as if there is scarcely any possibility of a different outcome. Let’s read:
John 10:24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.
25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Now, it is true that in our day, Christianity has for the most part accepted Jesus, but has left His laws behind, and it is for this reason, that the everlasting gospel in Revelation chapter 14, focuses so heavily on the keeping of God’s commandments. While this is important, we must also never lose sight of Jesus, as the hope of salvation, for it is The Person of Christ, not the law that is to grant redemption and salvation.
Therefore, before we begin our study today, there is a statement coming from the servant of The Lord, which we implore you to not only observe carefully, but if you can, put it to memory, for it will serve as a stabilizer to all our efforts in cooperating with God. Let’s read:
[Selected Messages BK. 2 pp 382] When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service. “And He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit”
Question: What are these deficiencies she is speaking of? And what does it mean when she says that God accepts the disposition and effort to serve Him, as being man’s best effort?
To answer these questions, we will have to observe the assessments of God, regarding persons who are disposed to serving and obeying Him, and their efforts at doing so, even if at times those efforts may reveal “Deficiencies” Let’s read:
Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
In an age of political correctness, and where persons are walking on pins and needles as it were, we must issue a disclaimer up front, to assure you that the commentary which would be given on Abraham’s efforts, are strictly for the purposes of making plain, the statements of the servant of The Lord as it pertains to deficiencies, and as a result, our very dire need for Christ to make up all such deficiencies with His own Divine merits. Let’s read:
Genesis 12: 11 And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold, now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon.
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.
13 Say, I pray thee, you are my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.
Even though God can never approve, or countenance falsehood of any kind, yet, in our frail humanity, we can understand why Abraham and Sarah went that route. They were now entering a foreign country, Sarah was very good looking, and as a stranger, Abraham might become a victim of the malice of the Egyptians.
This reasoning is along strictly logical modes of thought and premonition, which often squishes faith into playing second fiddle.
Yet, Abraham may be given a pass in this circumstance, because of anticipated or associated risk. However, if it was a one-time occurrence only, some may blink, but if this pattern of behavior emerges over and over again, it cannot be reckoned as an aberration; it will have to be considered as collusion with intent, as observed in the following verses. Let’s read:
Genesis 20:1 And Abraham journeyed from thence toward the south country, and dwelled between Kadesh and Shur, and sojourned in Gerar.
2 And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man's wife.
4 But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, Lord, wilt thou slay also a righteous nation?
5 Said he not unto me, She is my sister? and she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this.
9 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him, What hast thou done unto us? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be done.
10 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What sawest thou, that thou hast done this thing?
11 And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife's sake.
The reason Abraham gives to Abimelech does not in any way justify his course of action, but when confronted by the king, instead of bowing out, he digs in his heels even deeper, and continues to affirm that Sarah is his sister, which, by the way, is partly true, but a half truth is a full-blown lie in God’s sight. Let’s read:
Genesis 20:12 And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.
13 And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said unto her, This is thy kindness which thou shalt shew unto me; at every place whither we shall come, say of me, He is my brother.
And the dissembling goes on and on and on. However, in the greater scheme of things, Abraham and Sarah have a disposition to obey God, and in many other instances, it is to be observed that they do make genuine efforts to do so. Yet, their obedience is riddled with deficiencies, which must be addressed with the perfection of Christ, for God cannot accept any wrinkles as it will pertain to righteousness.
Here is where the life of Christ comes in. Abraham and Sarah will come forth from their graves because Christ has conquered the grave, but the perfect righteousness of Christ is what they need in the here and now, to cover their oft mistakes, whether inadvertent or intentional, as we have previously observed.
The perfection of Christ covers the imperfections of His servants, and it is by virtue of this gift of Christ and His righteousness, given to Abraham and Sarah, why God can state that Abraham kept His laws, His commandments and His statues. Thus, for purposes of riveting this point in the hearts and minds of the hearers, let’s read again, so that we will be forever certain of what we believe:
Genesis 26:4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Selected Messages BK. 2 pp 382] When it is in the heart to obey God, when efforts are put forth to this end, Jesus accepts this disposition and effort as man's best service. “And He makes up for the deficiency with His own divine merit”
Every member of the human family, without exception, has had their share of deficiencies which Christ has had to make up with His own Divine merit. With Noah, it was the use of alcohol, with Abraham and Sarah it was lying, with David and Solomon it was porn and adultery, with Isaiah it was unclean lips, with all that it entails.
With James and John, it was a violent temper, and the list goes on and on. Not a single person has ever been born without deficiencies of some sort. Hence the reason why God sent not His Son into the world to condemn us, but that we might be saved through His life and death. The servant of The Lord, in addressing our inevitable failures puts it this way. Let’s read:
[The Desire of Ages. Pp 295] All the disciples had serious faults when Jesus called them to His service. Even John, who came into closest association with the meek and lowly One, was not himself naturally meek and yielding. He and his brother were called “the sons of thunder.” While they were with Jesus, any slight shown to Him aroused their indignation and combativeness. Evil temper, revenge, the spirit of criticism, were all in the beloved disciple.
He was proud, and ambitious to be first in the kingdom of God. But day by day, in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. He opened his heart to the divine influence, and became not only a hearer but a doer of the Savior's words. Self was hid in Christ. He learned to wear the yoke of Christ and to bear His burden.
Now, we’re not stating these things for us to take shelter in the shadow their failures, we are just highlighting the raw facts in the matter, showing the reasons why Paul is saying that we are saved by God’s grace. Now, it is true that the last generation of Christians are required by God to perfect characters in preparation for translation.
But here again, it is the grace of God which enables them to do so, and even when they have reached the summit of righteousness, they still would not be able to enter the pearly gates without the perfect righteousness of Christ, and His death for us on Calvary. That’s because each of us have had a sinful history in our past lives which would preclude us from ever being accepted by God, in and of ourselves.
In other words, as far as righteousness is concerned, God can only accept perfection, and that perfection is to be found in Christ alone for any other form of righteousness comes tainted, one way or another.
Paul encountered the problem of persons trying in vain to work themselves into God’s favor. Heavy emphasis was being put on the works of the law, while persons were losing sight of Christ as God’s perfect gift to us, and he was moved to address the issue in most note-worthy fashion. Let’s read:
Galatians 3:1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
That word: “Bewitched” is pretty strong for it is only used in two other instances in the Bible. And even though the Greek renditions of the words may vary somewhat, the fact remains that persons had been bewitched. Let’s read:
Acts 8: 9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before-time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
Bewitch in English: 1. To place under one's power by magic; to cast a spell over.
2. To captivate completely; fascinate.
And the apostle Paul continues:
Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.
14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Paul was here trying to refocus the attention of the folks in Galatia, on the Gift God has given to us. Yes, it is true that obedience is a must, but obedience is a natural by-product of abiding in Christ, and therefore, the emphasis for the Galatians and ourselves too, is to never lose sight of Christ, as the ways and means of salvation.
In our day, very great emphasis is placed on the Gift of God to us in Christ, whereas the obedience factor of the relationship is conspicuously absent. This has created an imbalance of faith without accompanying works, and it is this problem that John the revelator addresses in those three angel’s messages where the pendulum swings back to obedience of God’s law.
Yet, it is important that we never lose sight of Christ, for at the end of the day, when the dust has settled in the judgement, it will be those who have accepted the Gift of God in Christ, who would then have their sins blotted out forever. Let us therefore be found rooted and grounded in Christ, for He alone is our hope of eternal salvation.
We will end with a passage of scripture which reminds us of this all-important truth, and we hope that it will never ever fade from the forefront of our consciences. Let’s read:
1st John 5: 11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
God Bless!