Doctrinal Summary regarding Salvation
Jesus Christ is the Son of Living God (Matthew 16:16). Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man (John 10:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). He paid the penalty of sin by dying on the cross for my and your sin. (Ephesians 1:7). Paul wrote, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins” (Ephesians 1:7, NLT). Jesus Christ purchased our freedom by dying on the cross for our sins. Other verses that confirm this truth is Mark 10:45 and 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.
There are several very important terms to discuss in regards to the doctrine of Salvation. These terms are Propitiation, Redemption, Atonement, Substitution, Reconciliation, Justification, Sanctification, and Sacrifice.
The first key term in the doctrine of Salvation is propitiation. He, referring to Jesus Christ, fully satisfied the punishment of sin, which satisfies the wrath/justice of God. He fully satisfied the punishment of sin (propitiation,1 John 2:2). 1 John 2:2 (NLT) states, “He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” English Standard Version also has an excellent translation of 1 John 2:2. 1 John 2:2 (ESV) states, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” New Living Translation changed “propitiation” to be translated as “the sacrifice that atones.” Jesus Christ death is the perfect sacrifice that perfectly atones for all the sins of the world. All the world has to do is believe in this wonderfully power of the blood of the Lamb. He was the perfect being to take the place of our sin (Isaiah 54:7-9).
Another key term in the doctrine of salvation is redemption. We were bought with a price (Ephesians 1:7). Ephesians 1:7 (ESV) states, “In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” Redemption, in a nutshell, means that Jesus Christ took our place for our sins and bought us with the shedding of his blood. Through this shedding of Jesus’s Blood, we are forgiven of our trespasses. The NLT paraphrases this verse. Ephesians 1:7, in the New Living Translation, states, “He is so rich in kindness and grace that He purchased our freedom with the Blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Basically, in this verse, New Living Translation team replaced the word “Redemption” with the words “purchased our freedom.” By the shedding of Jesus Christ’s Blood (Hebrews 9:22), we are freed from the bondage and burden of our sins (more specifically, our slavery to sin).[1] This what redemption is. God sacrificing his son to pay “the ransom of many” (Mark 10:45). Dr. Cragoe, in his Core Concept Sheet, defines Redemption as “The Blood of Christ paid the price demanded by a holy God for deliverance (setting us free) from the bondage and burden of sin (1 Pet. 1:18-20)”[2] Dr. Cragoe provided an excellent definition of redemption. The Shedding of Jesus’s precious paid the price of God which enables the sinners to be free from the bondage and burden of sin.
Charles (Chuck) Swindoll, the Pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas and serves as the chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary, published a New Testament Community that highlights the important insights on the New Testament. In Swindoll’s Living Insight New Testament Commentary Vol. 8: Galatians and Ephesians, Swindoll reports on the subject of Redemption. Chuck Swindoll defines Redemption as the following;
“The act of purchasing from bondage by paying a price. The Old Testament term, geullah [H1353], refers to ransom paid to set a person free from his or her obligation of servitude (Lev. 25-47-54). Apolytrosis [629], the Greek equivalent used in Ephesians 1:7, has a similar meaning: purchasing from bondage in order to release one from his or her former compulsions. Paul’s use of this term points to the fact that God has redeemed believers, setting them free from the shackles of sin. In order to do so, however, a price had to be paid. How did He do it? Not with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of His own Son, Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:18-19).”[3]
Therefore, Paul has penal substitution view of atonement that God purchased our freedom by the shedding of the precious blood of his son. This precious blood of Jesus Christ enables God to purchase our freedom from the bondage of sin and the burden of sin (Ephesians 1:7; cf. Mark 10:45). God released us from the bondage of sin (Ephesians 1:7).
After redemption, follows reconciliation. Reconciliation means a restored relationship with God through Christ Jesus. A Great passage that talks about the concept of Reconciliation is Ephesians 4:14-16. Ephesians 4:14-16 (NLT) states,
“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.”
According to this verse, not only did Christ death reconciled us with God, but it also restored our relationships with each other. Christ death tore down the wall of hostility (sin) that separated us from God. Dr. Cragoe made this assessment on Reconciliation. He stated, “Reconciliation focuses on the separation (distance) caused by sin and the restoration (making right) of that relationship.”[4] Christ tore down the wall that separated us from God. Thereby, restoring our friendship with God. Romans 5:9 also demonstrates that reconciliation indicates a restored friendship with God through the shedding of Jesus’s precious blood. Romans 5:9-11 (NLT) states:
“And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son. So now, we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.”
In another translation, ESV, Romans 5:9-11 (ESV) states,
“Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:10 has the key concept of reconciliation. Reconciliation is God restoring our relationship with Him through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thereby, we are friends with God (Romans 5:10, NLT).
Another key verse that talks about reconciliation is 2 Cor. 5:17-21. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 talks about the message of reconciliation and the task of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 (ESV) states:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors of Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 gives the Gospel of reconciliation clearly. Jesus Christ became sin for us on the cross so that God can restore our relationship with Him.
Romans 5:18 describes reconciliation excellently. Romans 5:18 (NLT), states, “Yes, Adam’s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ’s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone.” Because, Christ died on the cross, making us right with God, we can have a right relationship with God. Therefore, reconciliation means a restored relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Reconciliation is closely related to Justification, but not the same. Reconciliation is the restoration of our friendship with God through Jesus Christ.
Another key term in the doctrine of Salvation is Justification. Justification is the act of God declaring us righteous and acquitting our punishment of sin through the shedding of Jesus’s precious blood (Hebrews 9:22; cf. Romans 3:24-26, Romans 3:23). Justification has two primary aspects. These two primary aspects are the following. First, we are acquitted of the condemnation due to sin. Second, we are declared righteous (Romans 3:22). Romans 3:22 (NLT) states, “We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.” Romans 3:22 (ESV) states, “The Righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction.” In this verse in both translations, it indicates that God declares us righteous through Jesus Christ. Everyone, who believes in Jesus Christ’s atonement, can accept this wonderful promise according to Paul. Paul goes on in Romans 3:24-26 (NLT) stating,
“Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sin. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past. For he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus Christ.”
Romans 3:24-26 is a great passage that describes Justification. We are made right in God’s eyes by Jesus’s Sacrifice on the Cross. Like Paul said, “People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” Jesus had to sacrifice his life to pay the penalty of sin. Thereby, God declares us righteous when we believe that Jesus sacrificed his life for our sins. According to Dr. Cragoe, Justification is “A judicial term that denotes the fact that God declares us righteous. Like a judge who says, ‘not guilty,’ the verdict declares the person’s condition, it does not make him ‘not guilty.’ In justification, our Lord declares our condition to be ‘not guilty,’ because of our standing by faith in the gospel.”[5] Dr. Cragoe used an excellent analogy with the Judge analogy. God is the Judge. When we are sin, He declares us guilty. But however, someone took that punishment of death for us. This someone is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ bore the God’s punishment because he is the perfect sacrifice. Jesus Christ took our punishment that God might declare us righteous in His eyes. Another key passage of Justification is Romans 4:24-25. Romans 4:24-25 (NLT) states, “For our benefit, too, assuring us that God will also count us as righteous if we believe in him, the one who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God.” Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection are both imperative to the topic of justification. The Biblical definition of Justification is that God declared us righteous through Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice and acquitted us from the condemnation of God through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-26, 4:24-25, 5:8-9, 5:18-21, 6:20-23).
Another key term is substitution. The key passages that deal with Substitutionary atonement is 1 Peter 3:18, Mark 10:45, Hebrews 10:1-18 (NLT), Hebrews 9:22, and Hebrews 9:26-28 (NLT). God substituted his own son to pay the ransom of many (1 Peter 3:18). 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT) states, “Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered a physical death, but he was raised to life in the spirit.” Jesus Christ paid the ransom of sin by dying a perfect physical death on the cross (Mark 10:45). Mark 10:45 (NLT) states, “For even the son of man came not to be served but to serve others and give his life as ransom for many.” His death paid the penalty for our punishment of sin. Hebrews 10:1-18 states:
“The Old system under the law of Moses was only a shadow, a dim preview of the good things to come, not the good things themselves. The sacrifices under that system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But instead, those sacrifices actually reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God—as is written about me in scriptures.’ First, Christ said, ‘You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them’ (though they are required by the Law of Moses). Then he said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. For under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says, ‘This is the new covenant I will make with my people on that day, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.’ Then he says, ‘I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.’ And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.”
Hebrews 10:1-18 is an excellent passage that denotes several key elements in the key substitution atonement. First, Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, God’s provision by which sin might be covered and the liability of divine wrath by the shedding blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:22), nulls the Old Testament sacrifice system as mentioned in Hebrews 10:1-18. However, by Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice on the cross, He “forever made perfect those who are being made holy.” Jesus Christ’s sacrifice is a single sacrifice for sins. It will never happen again because Jesus Christ died once for all who believe in His atonement. Hebrews 9:26-28 (NLT) states,
“If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgement, so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but bring salvation to those who are eagerly waiting for him.”
Therefore, Christ came to fulfill the law by dying a perfect death to atone the sins of the whole world. He is the perfect sacrifice to take away sin because he never sinned once (2 Cor. 5:21). This Salvation is offered to the world, but those who believe in the Jesus’s atonement will get the benefits of that salvation.
What is Atonement? Why is it important to the topic of Salvation? Atonement, according to Dr. Thomas Cragoe, is defined as “Christ dealt with the sins of humanity by His death and shedding of His blood.” Sacrifice is the key concept of atonement. Atonement is basically the idea that Christ died for the sins of mankind by His death and shedding of His blood (Hebrews 9:22). He conquered death by raising on the third day (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Thereby, atoning of our sins and paying the penalty of sin (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Sacrifice is defined as “a divinely instituted provision whereby sin might be covered and the liability to divine wrath removed by the shed blood.” [6] Sacrifice is a very important subject to discuss because one sacrifice wiped away our sins. In the Old Testament Sacrificial System, It was customary to sacrifice a spotless lamb without blemish to take our sins away. However, this is not the case anymore. According to the writer of Hebrews, which is most likely Apollos or Paul, the blood animals cannot take away sins (Hebrews 10:4). Hebrews 10:4 (NLT) states, “For it is not possible for the blood of bulls to take away sins.” However, Apollos or Paul, in the next verse of Hebrews 10, gives the solution to how our sins are taken away. Hebrews 10:5a “That is why, when Christ came into the world.” He further on down states, “But our High Priest [Jesus Christ] offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time” (Hebrews 10:12). Christ took our place for our sins satisfying the wrath of God (1 John 2:2). This is the meaning of sacrifice: that our guilt of sins is taken away through Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross for our sins. Thereby, restoring our relationship with God.
The works of the Holy Spirit are quite intriguing. The Holy Spirit also leads us in the Truth. The Holy Spirit aids us as we getting sanctified in the Truth (John 17:17). The Bible is God’s Word and God’s Word is True (Proverbs 30:5-6). In God’s Word, In John 16, it talks about how one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to lead us in truth. The Holy Spirit job is to lead us on a path of Christlikeness and demonstrate the Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The Works of the Holy Spirit include convicting believers, regenerating believers, and renewing the Believers minds. These 3 works the Holy Spirit does are very crucial to the spirituality of the believer. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment. The Holy Spirit also leads us in the Truth. The Holy Spirit aids us as we getting sanctified in the Truth (John 17:17). The Bible is God’s Word and God’s Word is True (Proverbs 30:5-6). In God’s Word, In John 16, it talks about how one of the work of the Holy Spirit is to lead us in Truth.
Dr. Thomas Cragoe defines regeneration as “new birth from God through the Spirit (John 3:3-7).” He continues on to say that regeneration “denotes the cleansing of the believer from the guilt and defilement of sin. (Titus 3:4-7).” Titus 3:4-7 (NLT) states, “But—When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he made us right in his sight and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.” Regeneration means that we are given a new spiritual birth because he washed away our sins. This is what it means to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
We are repurposed by the Holy Spirit through his convicting ministry found in John 16:5-11. John 16:5-11 (NLT) states,
“But now I am going away to the one who sent me, and not one of you is asking where I am going. Instead, you grieve because of what I’ve told you. But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in me. Righteousness is available because I go to the father, and you will see me no more. Judgement will come because the ruler of the world has already been judged.”
According to this verse, The Holy Spirit will repurpose the mankind to God’s glory through convicting the world of sin, of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgement. Mankind, through the convicting ministry of Holy Spirit, will be convinced that they are guilty of their sin and they are in a state of sin because they refused to believe in the Savior and accept His pardon. The Holy Spirit proves the righteousness of God because Christ rose from the dead and returned to the Father. The Spirit will persuade people that the same judgement that overtook Satan will come on them if they persist in rejecting Christ.[7] Believers, through the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit will come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Dr. Cragoe defines Faith as “simply trusting response to the gospel message.”[8] Repentance, according to Dr. Cragoe, means “a change of mind and attitude towards God and the things of which the gospel speaks; a person humbles himself before God and repudiates his sins.” So therefore, through the convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit, Believers are repurposed to know, love, and serve Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit enables the Mind of the Believer to be Renewed. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) states,
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
This is a good paraphrase of Romans 12:1-2. Romans 12:1-2 in English Standard Version states,
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
This passage presents a question: “How can we renew our minds?” We can renew our minds by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps renew our minds and demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV) states, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, against such things there is no law.” When we accept the Gospel, the Holy Spirit will instanteously invade our souls and help us demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. This is how we are renewed. Dr. Thomas Cragoe defines renewal as “the Spirit imparts a new nature which finds expression in an entirely new manner of life.” Dr. Cragoe is correct. 2 Cor. 5:17 (ESV) states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new Creation. The old has passed away, behold the new has come.” In this verse, it indicates how once we accept Jesus Christ, we instanteously receive a new nature in Christ which is through the ministry and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
What do you think it means to be sealed by the Holy Spirit? What does “Sealed” mean? Is being Sealed by the Holy Spirit important to your eternal security? To answer these questions, we first need to dive to the main passage which is Ephesians 1:13-14. Ephesians 1:13-14 (NLT) states,
“And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance that he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.”
According to this verse, written by Paul, Ephesians 1:13-14 infers how God gave us the Holy Spirit has a seal for what is coming. What is coming is fellowship with God in Heaven. To remind us of this promise, God sent the Holy Spirit to descend on us so that we might be blameless and pure before God. This also fulfills how Jesus said that no one can snatch us out of God’s hand (John 10:26-30). The Sealing of the Holy Spirit has to do with eternal security. God had the Holy Spirit indwell in us that we might remember God’s promise of having us in his Kingdom which is located in Heaven.
Indwelled by the Holy Spirit is an interesting concept. Dr. Cragoe defines “Indwelling by the Holy Spirit” to be mean “The work of the Holy Spirit whereby He comes upon and abides within the believer. (John 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Tim 1:14).”[9] In this section, we will be analyzing John 14:16-17, 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Timothy 1:14. John 14:16-17 (NLT) states,
“And I will ask the father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into all truth. The Word cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.”
This verse is talking about when Jesus ascends into heaven, the Holy Spirit will descend on the disciples. The Holy Spirit is going to dwell in the believer’s life to help guide them in all truth. The Holy Sprit imparts new life into the believer and then dwells inside to help them perform Christlikeness.
The Next passage that deals with the “Indwelling of the Holy Spirit” is 1 Cor. 6:19. 1 Cor. 6:19 indicates how our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. So, we should be respecting and caring for our bodies. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 (NLT) states, “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, For God brought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” Since we are God’s Temple for the Holy Spirit, we should treat our bodies correctly because the Holy Spirit indwells inside of us.
The last passage that deals with the “Indwelling of the Holy Spirit” is 2 Tim. 1:14. 2 Tim. 1:14 (NLT) states, “Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” In this verse, it indicates how the Holy Spirit helps us memorize God’s Word and guards the truth that is in God’s word.
These are three passages that deal with the “Indwelling of the Holy Spirit.” Now that we have covered the Works of the Holy Spirit, it is time to give a summary of the Gospel Message.
In order to be adopted in the Great family of God, you have to believe that you are sinner (Romans 3:23) and have a broken relationship with God (Romans 6:23). Everyone has a broken sin nature. It is in our nature. Our heart is desperately sick with Sin (Jer. 17:9). Sin is anything you think, say, or do that displeases God or makes God sad. Sin is anything contrary to the nature of God. Sin is anything contrary to the Image of God. Anything that does not glorify God is sin. This sin nature separates us from God and the punishment is eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23a).
However, that is not the end of the story, thankfully. God loved you, so much, that he sent his one and only son to pay the penalty of sin (John 3:16; cf. Mark 10:45). All you have to do is trust that Jesus died fully paying your sin and bore your sin and rose on the third day in accordance with the Scripture (Romans 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3-4). Also, works do not precede your faith. Works are the outflow of your Christian faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Once you believe in this promise, you are adopted in God’s family (1 John 5:1-7; Romans 8:14; John 1:12-13). Once you were not God’s people, now you are God’s people (1 Peter 2:9). Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the only way into Heaven.
There are several applications in regards to the doctrine of Salvation. These applications include the following. First, Works do not get you into Heaven (Ephesians 2;8-9). Second, Salvation is universal, however the people who believe in the Jesus’s sacrificial atonement will get the benefits of Salvation (1 Peter 1:18-20; cf. Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 3:18; Acts 16:31). Third, once you believe in the Salvation message, you cannot lose your salvation (John 10:26-30). Fourth, once you believe in Jesus’s sacrificial atonement, you will receive your inheritance of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:11-14; cf. John 16:8-10). Fifth, once you believe in the Jesus’s sacrificial atonement, you will be called children of God (John 1:12-13; cf. Romans 8:11-17;1 John 2:1-3; 1 John 5:1-5). However, the one that stands out to me the most is how Works do not get you into Heaven. In this paper will discuss the first application and then subsequent papers after detail the rest of the applications of the doctrine of Salvation.
Contrary to many religions, works do not save you. It is by Sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ that saves you (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 10:1-18). Dr. Thomas Constable, who wrote notes on Ephesians, states, “‘Good Works’ are not the roots from which salvation grows, but the fruit that God intends it to bear. God has not saved us because of our works (vv. 8-9), but He has saved us to do good works.”[10] Dr. Thomas Constable is correct. Works do not merit salvation. Only the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ can merit salvation. However, Dr. Thomas Cragoe notes, “Faith is the instrumental cause (that through which), not the efficient cause (that by which); faith does not merit salvation. Faith is the reliance on the promise (Word) of God; it receives a gift that the person believing does not deserve.”[11] In Dr. Cragoe’s note on salvation, Faith is the reliance on Jesus Christ to save us from our sin. We are supposed to call on Jesus Christ to save us from the bondage and burden of sin (redemption) through his sacrifice on the cross to take our place for our sin and rose on the third day conquering death (1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 John 2:2). We are more reliant on God, then Faith meriting salvation. It is the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ that we are relying on to save us. Therefore, Works do not merit salvation, it is the sacrificial atonement of Jesus Christ that we are relying on to save us from the bondage and burden of sin. Dr. Thomas Constable further wrote,
“The basis of our salvation is God’s ‘Grace’ (unmerited favor and divine enablement; cf. Rom. 3:22, 25; Gal. 2:16; 1 Pet. 1:5). The instrument by which we receive salvation is ‘faith’ (i.e., trust in Christ). Faith is not an act or work that earns merit with God, which he rewards with salvation. When a person puts out his hand to take a gift that someone else offers, he or she is doing nothing to merit that gift. The giver gets credit for the gift, not the receiver. Likewise, faith is not a meritorious work.”[12]
This is so true. Faith is the instrument by which we accept Jesus Christ’s sacrificial atonement to take our place on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day in accordance with the scripture (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
The primary religions that hold to works saving you are the Mormons, Catholics, and other denominations. However, they take the James out of context when they use the phrase “Faith without works is dead.” This is not the case. Jesus Christ is the only person that can save us from the penalty of sin (John 14;6; 1 John 2:2). Charles Swindoll, in Swindoll’s Living Insight New Testament Commentary Vol. 8, made a comment on how Works do not get you into Heaven. He states, “Grace is the basis for everything God has done for us. Grace motivated the Father to choose us in Christ before the foundation of the world (1:4-6). Grace provided the one-time payment for eternal redemption—the blood of Christ, who came to earth and died for the forgiveness of our sins (1:7). And by grace alone, we receive this forgiveness and salvation—grace apart from any merit of our own (2:8-9).”[13] This is so true. It is God’s grace that we are saved. It is none of our own doing. It is truly God who saves us. Swindoll further wrote, “Paul excludes even a trace that could merit or contribute in any way to our salvation.”[14] It is so important to remember that we did not choose God, God chose us in Him to give us perfect fellowship with him. The concept of works do not save me is an impactful application to my life.
Predestination is a complex topic. The definition of Predestination is two-fold. First, by divine foreknowledge and divine sovereignty, God wills for everyone to come to repentance and belief in Jesus Christ through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11). It is up to God to soften their hearts and liberate their stubborn wills through the convicting power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:16; 1 John 1:9; Ephesians 2:1-10). Also the God’s witness of Creation and Conscience can also help soften their hearts and liberate their stubborn will. The Holy Spirit enables them to recognize they are sinners and in need of a savior (John 16:8-11). Sinners, who reject God and defiantly continue in their sin will harden their hearts to a point of no return (e.g., Pharoah hardening his heart and then God hardened his heart even more). The point of no return is eternal separation from God (Romans 6:23). God elects those who respond in faith to the Gospel.
The Concept of Predestination is to reassure the believers, those who are chosen, are adopted and set apart for God’s glorious promise. God softens their heart by using believers to plant the seed of salvation in the unbeliever’s heart so that they will come to repentance through Jesus Christ by the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
It is up to the humans to choose their destiny. Do they want to follow God or reject God? Rejecting God leads down a dangerous road. Belief in Jesus Christ guarantees Eternal Life and gives us right to become children of God (Ephesians 1:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14). The Holy Spirit indwelling in the believers is the down payment for accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior (Ephesians 1:15).
Believers are the mere seed planters and God makes the seed blossom and bloom. Let’s unpack this a little bit more using the grammatical-literal-historical approach to the Bible
By God’s Foreknowledge and God’s sovereignty, God wills for everyone to come to repentance and believe in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:1-7). All the believers have to do is to answer the call of salvation (Romans 10:13). It is up to God to soften their hearts through the means of the Holy Spirit to liberate their stubborn wills so that they can come to repentance to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4-14).
We have looked out the different terms of the doctrine of Salvation. These included propitiation, redemption, reconciliation, justification, substitution, atonement, and sacrifice. We also looked at one of the applications on how works do not saved you basis on Ephesians 2:8-9. Works are the outflow of your personal walk with God. We are supposed to demonstrate Christlikeness and move towards Christlikeness once we are saved. We also looked at the summary of the Gospel Message. We also looked at the Works of the Holy Spirit which involves regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. We saw that in order to be part of Christ’s family, one has to believe that Jesus took our place on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day in accordance to the Bible (1 Cor. 15:3-4). If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, please trust in Jesus Christ that he took your place on the cross for your sins and rose on the third day in accordance to the Bible. Do you believe this?
Charles Swindoll. Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Vol. 8: Galatians and Ephesians. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 2015), 191.
Dr. Thomas Constable. (2021 Edition). “Dr. Constable’s Notes on Ephesians.” Plano Bible Chapel. Sonic Light. Date Accessed June 24, 2021, 49.
Dr. Thomas Cragoe. “Session #7 Notes: The Atonement—its Accomplishments and Application.” Calvary University. Date accessed June 24, 2021, 1.
Dr. Thomas Cragoe (2021). “Core Concept Sheet.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 22, 2021, 2.
End Notes
[1] Dr. Thomas Cragoe (June 22nd, 2021). “Edits to my paper.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 22, 2021. [2] Dr. Thomas Cragoe (2021). “Core Concept Sheet.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 22, 2021, 2. [3] Charles Swindoll. Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Vol. 8: Galatians and Ephesians. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 2015), 169. [4] Dr. Thomas Cragoe. (2021). “Edits to my paper.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 24, 2021. [5] Dr. Cragoe. (June 22, 2021). “Edits to my paper.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 22, 2021. [6] Dr. Thomas Cragoe. “Session #7 Notes: The Atonement—its Accomplishments and Application.” Calvary University. Date accessed June 24, 2021, 1. [7] Dr. Cragoe. (2021). “Session #7 Notes.” Calvary University. Date accessed June 25, 2021, 4. [8] Ibid., 4. [9] Dr. Cragoe. (2021). “Session #7 Notes: The Atonement—Its Accomplishments and Application.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 28, 2021, 5. [10] Dr. Thomas Constable. (2021 Edition). “Dr. Constable’s Notes on Ephesians.” Plano Bible Chapel. Sonic Light. Date Accessed June 24, 2021, 51. [11] Dr. Thomas Cragoe. (June 24, 2021). “Session #7 Notes.” Calvary University. Date Accessed June 24, 2021. [12] Dr. Thomas Constable. (2021 Edition). “Dr. Constable’s Notes on Ephesians.” Plano Bible Chapel. Sonic Light. Date Accessed June 24, 2021, 49. [13] Charles Swindoll. Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary Vol. 8: Galatians and Ephesians. (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 2015), 191. [14]Ibid., 191.
Recent Posts
See AllThe Democrats are blaming Biden's late exit that contributed to 2024 Presidential Candidate Harris astounding defeat to Former President...
Have you ever wondered why we get so stressed over who the next president is? Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican or an Independent...
Have you ever prayed so fervently that you questioned whether God would respond to your prayer? Upon completing my studies in Ministry...
Comments