|
Hoyte Nelson's Poems/ Reflections & Biblical Essays
|
| Home |
Essay The Doctrine (or relationship) of Salvation, and Sanctification I.
Salvation: Before
I discuss the doctrine of Salvation, I would make it clear that the people of
faith, including children, who may not have a full understanding of this
doctrine, are saved by simple faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 3: 16)
Because the doctrine of salvation has been such a blessing to me in my
studies, I would like to share some truths in this regard. First
of all, it is most helpful in understanding the doctrine of “Salvation.” if
we first understand that “Sanctification” has to do with the Person and work
of the Holy Spirit in our Christian life here on this earth. Whereas, salvation
has to do with the Person and work of Christ, now complete at the right hand of
the Father. Jesus said, “No on come to Me except the Father who sent me draw
him, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6: 43). The
Apostle Paul, in addressing the Christians in the Colossian Church, makes this
essential statement: “because of
the hope laid up for you
in heaven…the word of truth, the
gospel of your salvation” (Colossians
1: 5). Again: “If you have been raised up with Christ, [by faith in His resurrection], seek the
things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on
the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died, (that
is, ‘in Christ’), and you life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ,
who is our life is revealed (that is, when He comes again), Then you also will
be revealed with Him in glory’”
(Colossians 3:1-4). The
focus of this article could be stated thusly: Our salvation, is now complete in
Christ Jesus our Lord as He now sits at the right hand of our heavenly Father;
waiting His return, and our Sanctification is a work of grace in progress. What is THIS salvation all about?
(1)
His virgin birth:
Remember when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the Star, the angels, the
glory, and then when He was eight
days old, He was carried to the Temple to the Old Priest, Simeon. Simeon, who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would
not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Christ was waiting, and when he was
handed the baby Jesus, this is what he said: “Now let me die in peace, for
mine eyes have seen “Thy salvation…”
Therefore, the person-of-Jesus is our “Salvation.” (2)
His sinless life: One of the things we so often fail to see is that in
His life He fulfilled all the demands of God’s holy law in our stead. He said,
I did not come to destroy the law or the prophets, I came not to destroy, but to
fulfill. Every promise given through the prophets, and every demand, commanded
by the Law, has now, in Christ Jesus, been satisfied. (3)
His
death on the Cross:
The “Law, the Cross, and the Resurrection, what is the meaning of it
all. The meaning of it all is this: Jesus paid the penalty for our sin that was
caused by a nature that we inherited from our father Adam. This lost condition
is a reality in every person on this earth. We died (positionally): That is our
state of being) in Adam, and as a result, we are guilty, “For all have
sinned.” (Romans 3: 23). This is why Jesus came to this earth. That old sinful
“nature” that has led every man into bondage has now been rectified. Jesus
took our place; in His life He fulfilled the Law for us; in His death He paid
the penalty for us, and in His resurrection, conquered the grave for us. The
Bible says, “He became sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made
the righteousness of God in Him. This righteousness is “imputed, reckoned, or
accounted to us by faith. (Romans 4: 22-24) (4)
His Ascension: This
is where he ascended back to the Father’s right hand, having completed that
for which he had come to this earth. Paul
said, “Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, set your minds on things
above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 1: 5; and 3: 2). For our
Salvation is now secure in Heaven with Jesus, our Redeemer. When Jesus sent out
the seventy, they rejoiced that the demons were subject to them, and Jesus said,
“do not rejoice that the spirits are subject unto you, but rejoice that your
name is written in heaven” Luke 10: 20
Conclusion: Our Salvation is complete in Jesus. We cannot add one single
thing to it, or take one thing from it. All the good deeds of all the saints of
past ages, if they were credited to my account, and that’s all I had to offer
God when I stand before Him, I would not make it. “Jesus paid it all, all to
Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain; He washed it white as snow. For nothing
good have I, whereby Thy grace to claim. I’ll wash my garment white, in the
blood of Calvary’s Lamb. (Hymn] Have you trusted in Jesus and Him only for you
salvation. Any works on your part makes void his grace. (Ephesians 2: 8,9) II.
Sanctification: (to set-apart) Sanctification, unlike Salvation, which is
complete in Christ Jesus, has to do with the work of the Holy Spirit in the
believer’s life. For example, Jesus said to His own disciples, who were
already saved, “I will not leave
you comfortless (speaking of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost), “I
will come to you.” When the scriptures recorded these words, “Let the Spirit
of Christ rule in your hearts” Colossians 3: 15a, and “be filled with the
Spirit” (Ephesians 5: 18b), He is speaking to Christians; saved by His grace! For
emphasis: Salvation for the believer is secured in heaven in Christ; whereas,
Sanctification is the will of God in our lives, being worked out daily by the
Holy Spirit. We often struggle within our fleshly bodies; nevertheless, Jesus
said, “…Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33) It
might be helpful if we discuss the basic background for these truths: When
our fore-parents sinned in the Garden of Eden, they (Adam and Eve) paid an awful
price for that sin. The consequence of their sin of rebellion extended to all
their posterity. It is a fact that this rebellious spirit included us today,
“for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But
God did not leave them without hope. (Genesis 3:15) This hope first promised to
Adam was renewed with Abraham and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. It
is interesting how God dwelt with His people under the Old Covenant: In the time
of the Old Covenant, God gave to His people the Law of Moses, not for their
salvation, (which was forever in the Promise given to Abraham, fulfilled in
Jesus), but for their guidance, discipline, and worship, etc. This covenant was
imperfect, not because the Law was imperfect, but because the people were
imperfect. (Read Hebrews 8: 7-13) Today
we possess that which was only a promise to the people of the Old Covenant. That
is “A new heart.” (Ezekiel 11: 19; 36:26. 18: 31. 47: 12, and Jeremiah also
repeated this promise). This promise was fulfilled at Pentecost. [See my article
on the subject: “The ‘sign’ of Tongues]”. (1 Corinthians 14: 21) This
was the day when the wall of partition between the Jew and the Gentile came
down, signified by the many languages spoken at Pentecost. Today, The message
today is: “Whosoever will, let him come.” Act 2: 21. |