Now you know, there are people that try to teach that everybody will make it sooner or later because of all this. No, no. Because God has demanded that we accept all this by trusting His Faithfulness - plus nothing. With no works attached. With nothing, except recognizing that yes, I’m a fallen creature. I’m a sinner because I’m a son of Adam. But, I receive this teaching and through it believe wholeheartedly that Christ in me has done everything in dying for me, and being raised from the dead! That God saw me as being in Him through His sufferings even His ascension and now we're seated within Him and hid in God. So when we do that, then God in Grace reaches down and does everything that needs to be done to bring about His Salvation in me. This Salvation is the working of His Divine LOVE within my heart first to receive and then to return or give of it freely both to God and then those around me. For this is the purpose and the meaning of learning of Christ as He lived in God's Divine Love and showed it to those of His creation about Him.
I guess I’ve been putting it All, He is the All in all, the things that God did the moment we believe. Oh, He Redeemed us, He justified us, He sanctified us, He glorified, and forgave us. He placed us into the Body, and He gave us the indwelling Holy Spirit. He secured us forever, He made us alive, and He translated us into the kingdom of Love and Eternal Life without which one will see God. I think I had probably 15 or 20 things that God did the moment we were saved when we believed. It’s done! That’s what Hebrews means, "He saved us to the uttermost." He didn’t do just part of it and say, "Well, if you measure up, I’ll finish it." No, He did it all. And that’s the whole idea of Salvation. But we have to receive this Truth by way of personal illumination of revelation within us before it can have its perfect work accomplished for us. And this is the reason and purpose of God's placing of us within the first estate wherein Israel wondered for 1500 to 2000 years but remained behind the veil of flesh wherein is found sin and death.
Alright now then, let’s move on just a little bit further in chapter 3, down to verse 26, I’m going to skip verse 25 because that big word ‘propitiation’ might scare somebody. When it means: "used of the cover of the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holiest, which was sprinkled with the blood of the expiatory victim on the annual day of atonement (this rite signifying that the life of the people, the loss of which they had merited by their sins, was offered to God in the blood as the life of the victim, and that God by this ceremony was appeased and their sins expiated); hence the lid of expiation, the propitiatory." But unlike this alter they have no right to the alter that we share which is the cross of sacrifice. Where we with Him in His blood (the fruit of the vine) which was shed and as said, God sees us in this blood and flesh (bread, divine manna, this Gospel illuminated within man's heart) through the water and the blood, which flowed from His side.
Romans 3:26
"To declare, I say, at this time his (not ours) righteousness; that he (God) might be just, (which means exactly what it says. He’s not cutting corners. He’s not making a deal. He is totally just) and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (I Corinthians 11:23-32; 15:1-4, Romans 10:9-10)
Now we might remove the word "in" and when we do we find that is says this: "To declare, at this time that His righteousness; that God is just and is the justifier of him which believe Jesus."
It’s so simple. Yet I don’t want to oversimplify. When I say, we believe it, I mean we TOTALLY TRUST IN IT. You remember in Hebrews chapter 6 and I made it so clear that a lot of people make a fly-by at it. They’re enlightened; they have a taste. But it never takes and they go right back into their old lifestyle. The lower way and thereby never step up into the Life of Christ which is afforded them. But for the true believer who totally, totally relies on this finished work of the Cross to save them, then God has guaranteed that we are His forever. As long as He lives!
Alright, now back up a page to Romans chapter 1, and here we have another tremendous salvation verse that I think that we’ve used over and over. Romans 1 verse 16.
Romans 1:16a
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it (this Gospel) is the power of God unto salvation (and again) to every one that (what?) believeth;…"
Did it say works for it? NO! It says "believes" or take God at His word.Oh! There is one thing we all must do and that is to give the Holy Spirit first place or room within us or freedom to do as He is directed By God to do. But sadly many didn't, they instead substitute religion or the teachings of man for the Holy Spirit's training and teaching before all else. They fail to seek God and His righteousness or to learn of Christ and His determination to the higher life by the denial of all self-will and the easier road of the flesh, mans gratification of himself.
Is there a Plus? No! To everyone that believes. There are so many of these, especially in Romans, but let’s go on a little further. I’m going to go ahead to I Corinthians chapter 1, and my what a statement! Now this is God’s Word, this isn’t me. Like I said a moment ago this isn’t from some denominational book of doctrines, this is from the Book. And Paul, writing to a Gentile congregation down in wicked Corinth says:
1Corinthians 1:17
"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect." To-day we can say "this Gospel" because Paul has already laid its foundation, in Christ.
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