Triplets of Faith: Gospel of Grace

 

Photo by Peter van der Sluijs 2016

Christ is risen, conquering sin and death! His death on the cross paid in full the penalty for all our sins. Because He arose, proving He is Son of God and God Himself, all who trust Him can live forever!
 
But when Jesus came in the flesh, most of the Jews failed to recognize Who He was. He and His disciples preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, namely that Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Jesus gradually revealed more and more to His disciples about His imminent betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:2,45; Luke 24:7),.

Yet the disciples were reluctant to believe it (Matthew 16:20-23; Mark 8:29-33), for they saw Him not as the Sacrifice for our sins, but as the Christ (Messiah) Who would deliver them from earthly oppression and the King Who would reign over them. Even after His condemnation by false witnesses, death by crucifixion, and burial, the disciples were slow to accept the significance of these events.

Had the disciples believed that He would rise again on the third day, as He had foretold, they would no doubt have been waiting by the tomb, instead of hiding at home for fear of the Jews (John 20:9-10,19). They would not have been mourning His death (Mark 16:10) but eagerly anticipating His reappearance.

When the women ran to tell the disciples of the empty tomb, the men still doubted their “idle tales” until Peter saw Jesus’ head cloth lying separately from the other grave clothes (John 20:6-8; Luke 24:10-12). Mary Magdalene told the disciples of her meeting with the risen Christ (Mark 16:9-10), as did those on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35).

Yet the apostles still did not believe until they themselves had seen the risen Christ in His glorified body (Mark 16:11-14; John 20:19-20; Luke 24:36-47), Thomas doubted what the other apostles said and did not accept that Christ had risen until he himself could see and feel the wounds in His hands and side (John 20:24-29).

Even after Christ ascended into Heaven, the focus’ of the disciples preaching was the Gospel of the Kingdom, that He was the Messiah Whom they rejected. Peter's sermon in Acts 2 to the Jews (v. 22) speaks of Jesus' resurrection (v. 24,27,31,32) as proof of His divinity and of being the promised Messiah. He speaks of His crucifixion to make his audience feel personally convicted of killing their Messiah (v.23,36,37).

But when the Jews, convicted in their hearts of having rejected Jesus, asked what they should do, Peter didn't say "you are saved by grace through faith," as Paul would later say (Ephesians 2: 8-9). Instead, Peter promised the Holy Ghost to those who repented and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (v. 38), which is the Gospel of the Kingdom first preached by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2,6,11).

Not until Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6) was the mystery of salvation for the Gentiles revealed – that Paul (Saul’s new name) would preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews (v. 15; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:12). Paul's message was the Gospel of Grace, that all are saved who place their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the perfect sacrifice to reconcile sinful man to Holy God, as the only Way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6).

Simply put, verbally declare that Jesus is Lord; believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This offer is open to anyone – “whosoever” -- will be saved (Romans 9:11-13). Salvation by grace is God’s freely given gift requiring only faith, not works, for there is nothing we can do to earn or merit it (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

The Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) is referred to by three different names; the Gospel of God (or of Christ, Who is equal with God; Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 10:14), the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15; Romans 10:15), and the Glorious Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:11). The Gospel of God was foretold by the prophets, that God would become flesh as His Son Jesus Christ, and that He would show His power and holiness by rising from the dead  (Romans 1:1-6). This Gospel of God reflects God’s love (John 3:16), manifested as Jesus Christ Who is the saving power of God for all who believe in Him (Romans 1:16).

The Gospel of Grace is also the Gospel of Peace because it reconciles sinful man to Holy God, appeases His wrath at our sin and gives peace to believers in their eternal security. Having our feet shod with this Gospel is part of our armor of God (Ephesians 6:15), and our feet will be beautiful if they carry us to places where we preach this Good News (Romans 10:15).

Finally, the Gospel of Grace is the Glorious Gospel because Christ has the glory (Hebrews 2:7-9); He brings believers to glory (Hebrews 2:10); and we are awaiting His glorious appearing (Titus 2:13). How radiant and brilliant is that light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God! He commanded that light to shine out of the darkness of our sin, to shine in believers’ hearts, and to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

Paul himself is perhaps the best example of the power of the Glorious Gospel! Before he was saved, he was the worst of sinners, persecuting and killing Christians, thinking he was doing great religious works in God’s name because of his pride and self-righteousness (1 Timothy 1:11-17). As Saul, he was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious (v. 13). But Jesus Christ Whom Paul persecuted appeared to him in a brilliant light, causing him to fall to the ground in temporary blindness before He revealed Paul’s unique mission.

God not only saved Saul but used him to spread the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile nations and to pen a large portion of the New Testament! Paul’s example proves that there is Good News for each of us, no matter how dismal our past or how wicked our sins were, thanks to God’s grace, love and mercy!   

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Too Sinful to be Saved?

Conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus

As we see the signs of the times all around us, evil is increasing exponentially as we near the Lord's return. Believers may sometimes wonder if some are beyond the point of redemption by the Lord's saving grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Jesus was able to forgive, cleanse, heal and raise up those who were sinful, unclean, diseased, and even dead (Luke 7,8; John 11) without in any way corrupting or defiling His own holiness and purity (Hebrews 4:15). Before Jesus drove out devils from the demon-possessed man (Luke 8:27-35; Matthew 8:24-32; Mark 5:1-20), this man was in a state of nakedness. In the Garden of Eden, this was first a sign of innocence (Genesis 2:25), but it then signified shame after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:7).

Man’s attempts to deal with his sin are woefully inadequate. His nakedness was not properly clothed until God covered him with animal skins (Genesis 3:21), which meant that animals had to be killed. There was no death until sin entered in by the fall (Romans 5:12). This first recorded death foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, that would not just cover our sins but remove them for all time (John 1:29).

The demon-possessed man was not only naked, but outcast from the city and from society, living among the tombs, which the Jews considered to be unclean. He was possessed by so many evil spirits that they called themselves Legion (Luke 8:30), referring to a Roman army division that consisted of about 6,000 warriors, and they were cast into a herd of about 2000 swine (Mark 5:13).

Interestingly, these evil spirits immediately recognized Jesus as the Holy Son of God (Luke 8:28) Who had power to cast them into hell (Luke 8:31, Revelation 20: 1-3, 2 Peter 2:4). This shows that salvation comes not solely by believing in God (James 2:19), but by repenting of sins (2 Corinthians 7:10) and trusting Christ in a personal relationship with Him as Lord and Savior in addition (John 3:16). In fact, once Jesus healed the formerly demon-possessed man, he was not only clothed and in his right mind, but sitting at the feet of Jesus (Luke 8:35).

Can someone be too sinful to be saved? The capture and execution of Osama Bin Laden in 2011 gave the civilized world cause to rejoice that he would no longer commit evil acts of cold-blooded murder and terrorism. Yet as Christians, we should be saddened, not necessarily by his physical death, but by the absence of any outward sign that he had repented of his sins and trusted Christ, which would have kept him from being doomed to hell.

Even Bin Laden or Hitler or Stalin were not beyond the all-cleansing, all-forgiving, gift of grace and eternal life so freely given by Jesus as He died on the cross to pay the sin debt, in full, of all sinners, past, present and future (Romans 5:8). Yet that gift must be accepted to be valid. Although only God knows the heart (Psalm 44:21), sadly, there is no evidence that any of these did so.

The apostle Paul, who was Saul before he trusted Christ, described himself as chief among sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) because he zealously persecuted, imprisoned and even executed Christians (Acts 22). Yet God used him to write a large part of the New Testament, to evangelize the Gentiles, and to plant many churches. Thank God that no one is beyond His saving grace (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13), and that no matter what our past before we repent and trust Jesus, He can use us for His glory. As in the case of the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears, dried them with her hair, and anointed them with costly ointment, the person who is forgiven much will love Christ all the more (Luke 7:38-50).

Even a man formerly ruled by 6,000 demons can be restored to his right mind, forgiven of his sins, and sitting humbly at Jesus’ feet in right fellowship to Him. When Christ changes us it should be obvious to everyone who knew us before. Praise God that by His grace through our faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) we can leave behind our spiritual nakedness and be clothed with His righteousness (Revelation 9:7-9; Isaiah 61:10).

Because Jesus paid our sin debt by suffering and dying on the cross and being separated from His Father, in our place, we can leave behind the nakedness of sin and shame and the filthy rags of our own righteousness, which do nothing to counteract our sin or the laws we have broken. When we come to the end of our own strength and realize that without Him we are nothing, we have nothing, and we can do nothing (John 15:5), He covers us with His salvation and His righteousness (Romans 5:6-21). 

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

The wickedness, evil and overt hatred in today's sin-corrupted world bring many to rage and despair. Yet once we have trusted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only Way to Heaven, our gratitude for His gift of eternal life should encourage us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. May we remember that each of us is created in His image, and that no one is too sinful to be saved by His mighty power! May the Holy Spirit empower us to forgive, love, and pray for our enemies to be saved, for then they will become our brothers and sisters in Christ!

Copyright 2011 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 

Triplets of Faith: Gospel of Grace

Photo by Peter van der Sluijs 2016

Christ is risen, conquering sin and death! His death on the cross paid in full the penalty for all our sins. Because He arose, proving He is Son of God and God Himself, all who trust Him can live forever!
 
But when Jesus came in the flesh, most of the Jews failed to recognize Who He was. He and His disciples preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, namely that Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Messiah. Jesus gradually revealed more and more to His disciples about His imminent betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection (Matthew 17:22-23; 20:18-19; 26:2,45; Luke 24:7),.

Yet the disciples were reluctant to believe it (Matthew 16:20-23; Mark 8:29-33), for they saw Him not as the Sacrifice for our sins, but as the Christ (Messiah) Who would deliver them from earthly oppression and the King Who would reign over them. Even after His condemnation by false witnesses, death by crucifixion, and burial, the disciples were slow to accept the significance of these events.

Had the disciples believed that He would rise again on the third day, as He had foretold, they would no doubt have been waiting by the tomb, instead of hiding at home for fear of the Jews (John 20:9-10,19). They would not have been mourning His death (Mark 16:10) but eagerly anticipating His reappearance.

When the women ran to tell the disciples of the empty tomb, the men still doubted their “idle tales” until Peter saw Jesus’ head cloth lying separately from the other grave clothes (John 20:6-8; Luke 24:10-12). Mary Magdalene told the disciples of her meeting with the risen Christ (Mark 16:9-10), as did those on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13; Luke 24:13-35).

Yet the apostles still did not believe until they themselves had seen the risen Christ in His glorified body (Mark 16:11-14; John 20:19-20; Luke 24:36-47), Thomas doubted what the other apostles said and did not accept that Christ had risen until he himself could see and feel the wounds in His hands and side (John 20:24-29).

Even after Christ ascended into Heaven, the focus’ of the disciples preaching was the Gospel of the Kingdom, that He was the Messiah Whom they rejected. Peter's sermon in Acts 2 to the Jews (v. 22) speaks of Jesus' resurrection (v. 24,27,31,32) as proof of His divinity and of being the promised Messiah. He speaks of His crucifixion to make his audience feel personally convicted of killing their Messiah (v.23,36,37).

But when the Jews, convicted in their hearts of having rejected Jesus, asked what they should do, Peter didn't say "you are saved by grace through faith," as Paul would later say (Ephesians 2: 8-9). Instead, Peter promised the Holy Ghost to those who repented and were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (v. 38), which is the Gospel of the Kingdom first preached by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2,6,11).

Not until Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:3-6) was the mystery of salvation for the Gentiles revealed – that Paul (Saul’s new name) would preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews (v. 15; Acts 20:21; Romans 10:12). Paul's message was the Gospel of Grace, that all are saved who place their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God, the perfect sacrifice to reconcile sinful man to Holy God, as the only Way to Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6).

Simply put, verbally declare that Jesus is Lord; believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved (Romans 10:9). This offer is open to anyone – “whosoever” -- will be saved (Romans 9:11-13). Salvation by grace is God’s freely given gift requiring only faith, not works, for there is nothing we can do to earn or merit it (Ephesians 2: 8-9).

The Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) is referred to by three different names; the Gospel of God (or of Christ, Who is equal with God; Romans 1:1; 2 Corinthians 10:14), the Gospel of Peace (Ephesians 6:15; Romans 10:15), and the Glorious Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Timothy 1:11). The Gospel of God was foretold by the prophets, that God would become flesh as His Son Jesus Christ, and that He would show His power and holiness by rising from the dead  (Romans 1:1-6). This Gospel of God reflects God’s love (John 3:16), manifested as Jesus Christ Who is the saving power of God for all who believe in Him (Romans 1:16).

The Gospel of Grace is also the Gospel of Peace because it reconciles sinful man to Holy God, appeases His wrath at our sin and gives peace to believers in their eternal security. Having our feet shod with this Gospel is part of our armor of God (Ephesians 6:15), and our feet will be beautiful if they carry us to places where we preach this Good News (Romans 10:15).

Finally, the Gospel of Grace is the Glorious Gospel because Christ has the glory (Hebrews 2:7-9); He brings believers to glory (Hebrews 2:10); and we are awaiting His glorious appearing (Titus 2:13). How radiant and brilliant is that light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God! He commanded that light to shine out of the darkness of our sin, to shine in believers’ hearts, and to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

Paul himself is perhaps the best example of the power of the Glorious Gospel! Before he was saved, he was the worst of sinners, persecuting and killing Christians, thinking he was doing great religious works in God’s name because of his pride and self-righteousness (1 Timothy 1:11-17). As Saul, he was a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious (v. 13). But Jesus Christ Whom Paul persecuted appeared to him in a brilliant light, causing him to fall to the ground in temporary blindness before He revealed Paul’s unique mission.

God not only saved Saul but used him to spread the Gospel of Grace to the Gentile nations and to pen a large portion of the New Testament! Paul’s example proves that there is Good News for each of us, no matter how dismal our past or how wicked our sins were, thanks to God’s grace, love and mercy!   

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives