Now look what Paul says here in Titus.
Titus 2:11
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared (past tense) to all men."
We look at the people down in the jungles of South America, in Africa and elsewhere whom we feel have never heard the Gospel and in the light of these verses, are they responsible? Yes, they are! They're going to come before the Great White Throne as lost as lost can be, and without a word of excuse, and yet God is going to be absolutely fair and just in His judgment, and He's going to say, "You could and should have known!" And the only reason they didn't know is they didn't choose to know. It's just one of those things in Scripture that is hard to comprehend. For as John said in his little gospel account of Jesus, that a great light has come into the world through Jesus and Paul then ties this package shut when he says, "that salvation has appeared to all men." I must stress this "all men" because there are a few who will tell us that only the predestined will be allowed into God's realm. Which this shows just is not so, it's our choice and even this they deny, our choice. But as stated above all of creation speaks of the Lord, yes, everything sings of His Glory even though we don't have ears to hear for even the stars cry out. For somewhere it is so stated. The job of a proclaimer is to aid people with the Holy Spirit to help them come to this understanding as they have passed through what has been called the dark night. Wherein man looses the taste for the sweetness of all that is not of God. Just here I must say this I would recommend that all how read this blog find the books written by St. John of the Cross and download them and then with care slowly read them as they help shed light on what was just said herein. Now back to Ephesians chapter 1.
Ephesians 1:13a
"In whom ye also trusted, (or believed and as stated we then receive) after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation:..."
Many people are still confused about this Gospel. It's amazing that right here in the Bible belt, we've had untold numbers of people tell us they have never before heard this Gospel. Oh! They've heard a gospel but not one in this way or style because only those who have the ontological essence of Christ restored to them know Him in this fashion. And therefore they know the Bible differently than the average preacher out there who has gone to a Bible College or school to get a degree of some sort. This degree is only a device of mans creation and liking, NOT God's. God's school is of His own design and management through the Holy Spirit who has the assignment of our training as a possible heir of His. For this is what Paul is telling us in 2Timothy 2:15 where to study means to sit under God in patience and solitude listening, not with piles of reference books either. Then there are those who have followed say in their fathers or grandfathers footsteps and copied them in their style of preaching of the “Old Time Religion” but remain in blackness because it is only that old time religion. This is born out by many early writers of God's revelation of Christ such as St. John of the Cross, Watchman Nee, William Law, Jacob Behmen and others.
Well what's this Gospel that they've never heard? It's in I Corinthians chapter 15:1-4 coupled with Romans chapters 8 and 10:8-10 which also includes I Corinthians 4:1-2 and we tell people constantly. “Just read those four verses in I Corinthians to start and if you can believe that in your heart, then you've got it made.” We mean that's it, it's that simple. We know that we've said it before that there is no simpler place in all of Scripture where this Gospel is presented than these 4 verses. This is so simple that a child can understand it, and yet it's as much as you need.
I Corinthians 15:1-4
"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel (not a Gospel, but this Gospel as it takes us a little farther into Christ than the four synoptic gospels) which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand: By which also ye are saved, (made righteous) if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. (you have to know what you've believed.) For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, (Paul received this as part of the mysteries) how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, (it was all part of that predetermined counsel that we read about in Acts chapter 2) And that he was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
Now that's the Gospel. That's why in Romans 10:8-10 Paul tells us -
Romans 10:8-10
"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; 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. For with the heart man believeth unto (receives) righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
The action of acknowledgment of understanding of the mystery of holiness, godliness, righteousness, sanctification and justification but not all at the same time. So what is that we're believing here? The same Gospel we find in I Corinthians 15:1-4. If we believe with all our heart that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again, then God saves us. And the reason is in verse 10, as we believe that with the heart. Now let's look at another one in that same light in which Paul is always bringing up this faith in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation. You see when we believe the four synoptic gospels we with our whole heart not with mental intellect of understanding we may receive redemption but again I must caution it is but a beginning. For God only gives us the right to become a son of God which means we're far from being a son. Let's turn to I Thessalonians chapter 4 verse 13 are we?
I Thessalonians 4:13
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, (or have died) that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."
In other words if we have a loved one that has passed on, we don't have to worry because we're going to see them again. And here's the reason in the next verse.
I Thessalonians 4:14
"For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." (So here we also have this same Gospel that saves us.)
So as we've been coming through these first 12 verses of Ephesians, this is what Paul has been showing. As a result of our entering into this glorious salvation by faith, and faith alone, God has not only placed us into the Body of Christ, but He has also positioned us in the heavenlies. Our oldest son Michael once asked, "Well how do we know that's where we are?" Well it's by faith, because we don't have a diploma on the wall, or anything we can put our hands on, but rather we go by what the Word says. And the Word tells us that this is where we are and its all through Christ. So by faith we understand our position is now in the heavenlies, and we're just pilgrims passing through as missionaries and emissaries of God's living Word. As the song writer once wrote, "This world is not my home, we're just passing through." Paul tells us in Philippians -
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