The Universal Scope

It is surprising that many men of gift and capability who, in their zeal to limit the scope of salvation procured, do not see the inconsistency of giving different interpretations to the same words in order to buttress their own view. One such individual actually claims that “often the Bible uses the word world and all in a restricted, limited sense” and goes on to say “it is clear that all is not all.” An old and wise saying runs directly contrary to this type of thinking, “If the Bible does not mean what it says then no one can say what it means!” When Paul writes in Romans that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” 3.23, or John writes “the whole world lieth in wickedness” 1 Jn.5.19, and it is universally accepted that no restriction should be placed upon the words used, why should it be deemed sound exposition to place limitations on the very same words used by the Lord Jesus Himself and some of the apostles? In a book written towards the end of the apostolic era and directed, apparently, to Gentile readers it makes no sense to record the words of the Lord, “For God so loved the world …” if the words do not mean exactly what they say. When Paul wrote, “Christ died for the ungodly” Rom.5.6, the background was that of the legal attestation “there is none righteous, no, not [even] one” and “all the world … guilty before God” Rom.3.10,19. Paul did not mean that Christ died for some of the ungodly! Further, when the Lord Jesus sent forth His disciples the mandate He gave was “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” Mk.16.15. It is inconceivable that the Lord would have given such a commission while aware of the fact that the benefits accruing from His death so recently accomplished were not available to all to whom the disciples were sent. These Scriptures, and many others, make it imperative to believe that the gospel, in all its mighty power, is offered to all and that without limit. The J.N.D. version makes this very clear: “But [shall] not the act of favour [be] as the offence? For if by the offence of one the many have died, much rather has the grace of God, and the free gift in grace, which [is] by the one man Jesus Christ, abounded unto the many … so then as [it was] by one offence towards all men to condemnation, so by one righteousness towards all men for justification of life” Rom.5.15, 18. While recognizing the fact that all will not be partakers of “so great salvation” it is to be insisted upon that salvation is offered as being within reach of every man without limit. It is the mind of God that “the death of Christ should provide salvation for all men and procure salvation for all who believe”. That rebellious unbelief is the reason many are left bereft of all the blessings salvation brings is encompassed by the unfailing omniscience of God. In keeping with that, not because of it, the Lord sees to it that some, ‘compelled’ by grace, shall come to partake of the great supper prepared, Lk.14.16-24. Thus “the purpose of God according to election” stands, Rom.9.11.

The Unconditional Terms

That good works are an essential part of the conditions for salvation is so widely held that, in many places, it is accepted without any question at all. It is claimed by some that this is what the Scriptures teach and so they say, “Eternal blessedness in heaven is the reward for good works performed on this earth”. To sustain such an erroneous belief, words from Scripture that have no bearing whatever on the initial work of salvation in the soul are often produced. Verses such as Phil.2.12, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” and Rom.2.6,7, “God … will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.” In view of the many other Scriptures which are specific in their denial that ‘works’ by themselves or in conjunction with creed or ritual, cannot merit salvation, to hold such a belief is to render the Bible a very inconsistent book. In the exact context were Paul insists that it is the grace of God which brings salvation to all men and that it is “Not by works of righteousness that we have done but according to His mercy He saved us,” he also stresses the fact that such ‘saved ones’ are “a peculiar [purchased] people, zealous of good works” see Titus 2.13-3.5. It is obvious that positing good works as a condition for salvation just will not bear scrutiny and that the proof texts offered must bear a different meaning, and they do. In the Philippian assembly problems, seemingly of a personal nature had arisen. The apostle, being absent from them at the time of writing encourages the believers to settle their differences, put things right and do so with fear and trembling. They as believers are called upon, not to attempt to merit salvation by working for it but to imitate the great example of their Lord and Saviour Who humbled Himself and was obedient unto the death of the cross. About the same time, when writing to Titus the background of his exhortation is that of the Cretans whose moral character left so much to be desired. Those on the island who have come to faith in Christ for salvation are reminded that a very noticeable change in behaviour is expected of them every one.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16.31: “Whosoever believeth in Him [Christ as the Son of God] should not perish but have eternal life” Jn.3.15. Dozens of Scriptures stating the same thing could be cited, showing without fear of contradiction that salvation comes simply, entirely and completely on one condition alone; that of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of sinners.

DETAILING THE OUTCOME

The Amazing Provision

Of all the interlinking themes related to ‘salvation’ the most basic are, repentance, the forgiveness of sins, reconciliation and justification. Acts 20.21 reveals how closely associated repentance is to faith; Paul’s testimony to both Jews and Greeks was “repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ”. Repentance, a complete change of mind with regard to God, self, sin and judgment, absolutely necessary to salvation, is an intrinsic part of “faith towards God”. In actuality there cannot be one without the other. The “forgiveness of sins” presents the accused and convicted sinner with a ‘writ of pardon’ while ‘justification’ gives him an entirely new status in the sight of God. In his great forensic epistle, the letter to the Romans, the apostle portrays man as having rebelled against the revelation God gave to him, whether in nature all about him or in the special communication contained in Holy Writ. This, of necessity, contains a rejection of the foremost of all Divine statements, “God manifest in flesh” 1 Tim.3.16, in the Person of His Son the Lord Jesus. In the same Roman letter he also exposes man as corrupt in thought, word and deed with the roots of such behaviour traced back to man’s first forebear, Adam. The inescapable verdict is recorded in 3.19 in words unmistakably plain and to which reference has previously been made, “Every mouth … stopped, and all the world … become (or declared) guilty before God”. It must be stressed here also that man’s guilt is such that only Divine forgiveness could clear the account. While this is so in the writings of the prophets the Lord has shown Himself as “a God ready to pardon” Neh.9.17 and Isa.55.7. The forgiveness of sins does not erase the actual crime. That is a matter of historical fact but it does expunge the record so that the accountability is no longer imputed to the sinner. ‘Another’ has stepped into the breach and has taken that liability as His own.
In like manner justification must also be considered as an indivisible part of salvation’s process. The opposite side of the same coin is the subject, “the forgiveness of sins”, just now examined. If, on the one hand, man is declared ‘not guilty’ on the other he is said to have a right standing before God that gives him acceptability with God as well. Justification in itself does not make the believer righteous but it reckons, or counts, him so to be. Leading up to his great declaration in Rom.5.1, “therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”, Paul uses the words “counted”, “reckoned” and “imputed” some ten or eleven times (see Rom.4.3-24). On each of these occasions the word could easily be translated ‘credited’. This fact emphasises what has already been stated. This view of salvation is a legal affirmation that the believing sinner has been acquitted of all charges and now stands declared absolutely righteous by the God of Holiness Himself. Because of the death of the Lord Jesus on behalf of the sinner God can eternally close the account of sin for the believer and, without any injustice whatsoever, pronounce His children, one and all, righteous before Him. This is the gracious and wondrous provision God has made for the sinner in the giving up of His Son to the death of the cross.

The Stringent Demands

Salvation is God’s free gift in grace but salvation is not free. It has its demands and they are not to be ignored. There is no such doctrine as continuing in sin that grace may abound, as seen in the rhetorical question and its answer in Rom.6.2. This can be rightly understood when it is remembered that salvation has three aspects; past, present and future. Scripture is ready at hand to support this well known belief. On at least three occasions in the Corinthian letters Paul speaks of those who are saved; “the preaching of the cross … unto us which are saved it is the power of God”: “the gospel … by which also ye are saved” 1 Cor.1.18; 15.2,3: “For we [the apostles] are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved” 2 Cor.2.15. In similar manner the present phase of salvation is spoken of even more frequently. An extremely relevant example is to be found in the letter to the Ephesians, a letter describing the spiritual wealth possessed by all believers in Christ. Linked to the riches bestowed by grace are the many references to the believer’s daily walk. Especially pertinent to this line of reasoning are the words of Eph.4.1,17: “I … beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called” and “I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk.” Nor are words concerning salvation in its future and perfect aspect lacking. Paul can stir up the Roman saints to recognise “that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” 13.11. In connection with rewards for the servants of God it is noted that unfaithfulness will bring about loss but the servant “himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” 2 Cor.3.15. Salvation itself is the free gift of God, the possession of which always produces a marked change in the life of any who profess to have received it. The demands of salvation are such that, where practical evidence is absent, such a profession is nothing less than an anomaly. We who belong to Christ by right of redemption are expected so to walk that the image of our Lord will be reflected in us. Salvation is not only from sin’s penalty but the believer is experiencing progressively deliverance from its power as well.

The Glorious Consummation

The work of salvation is so immensely glorious that it includes every redeeming undertaking by God to deliver men from their sinful and guilty estate and finally present them “faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” Jude 24. So, God is not finished with His people yet. A radiant Day of glory lies ahead. Presently these physical bodies of ours are much subject to sin’s invasive tactics and, sadly, such is our constitution by nature that we often succumb in weakness. The agèd John says that the reason for writing his first epistle was “that ye sin not” 2.1. Since, having been born anew with the Holy Spirit indwelling, the believer has no incentive to sin in any way, yet he can and does. We are reminded in this letter that we are maintained in fellowship with God the Father by the all cleansing blood of the Lord Jesus and by confession and forsaking of sin. We have an Advocate with the Father, our Lord Jesus Christ “And He is the propitiation for our sins” 2.1,2. This gives all the more reason for the believer to earnestly long for that time when he will be finished forever with sin in all its forms. The full complement of believers in that blessèd day will be brought to the full “knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” Eph.4.13. “We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who will change our vile body (the body of our humiliation) that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body (body of Glory)” Phil.3.20,21. At that time, the Lord Jesus “shall … appear the second time without sin unto salvation” Heb.9.28. Meanwhile, the whole creation groans, waiting to be delivered from the bondage of corruption brought about by sin. “And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body. For we are saved by hope” Rom.8.20-24. Then will be heard “a great voice of much people” thundering throughout the universe “saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God,” Rev.19.1.
We who are in the good of “so great salvation” add our voices to that chorus with the words of Muir’s hymn,
We love to sing of the Lord Who died,
And His wondrous love proclaim;
How there’s life and peace through the Crucified,
And salvation through His Name.

Salvation! Salvation!
Vast, full and free;
Through the precious blood,
Of the Son of God,
Who was slain on Calvary.

@ solite3 Good afternoon brother... How and when did you understand the Gospel of Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? How did the Lord do it for you? I'm curious to know, cos i remember you used to attack my messages back then.... Don't be offended though... I'm just curious... I thank God for ur life.

jiggaz:
@ solite3 Good afternoon brother... How and when did you understand the Gospel of Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? How did the Lord do it for you? I'm curious to know, cos i remember you used to attack my messages back then.... Don't be offended though... I'm just curious... I thank God for ur life.

Good afternoon brother it was the undeniable work of God, I can't say exactly what time but definitely after I countered one of your thread I was always acquitted with God's word but never fully understood grace! I came across books that promotes legalistic and man made righteousness, they raised questions in me and made me look at the gospel of grace critically from biblical perspective alone and I came to one conclusion Salvation in entirety must be by grace nothing like a little grace a little work or else as Paul said grace should not be grace should works be works and Christ promise eternal life here and now just by believing in him plus nothing he didn't say confess your sins, do restitution,give alms, work to better yourself ( nobody can ever be perfect enough for God), attend church services etc but just believe that was all.
Every other thing that comes after I believed in him were the work of God in man but people see these things as the cause of salvation rather than the product hence leaving table to serve chair.

solite3:
Good afternoon brother it was the undeniable work of God, I can't say exactly what time but definitely after I countered one of your thread I was always acquitted with God's word but never fully understood grace! I came across books that promotes legalistic and man made righteousness, they raised questions in me and made me look at the gospel of grace critically from biblical perspective alone and I came to one conclusion Salvation in entirety must be by grace nothing like a little grace a little work or else as Paul said grace should not be grace should works be works and Christ promise eternal life here and now just by believing in him plus nothing he didn't say confess your sins, do restitution,give alms, work to better yourself ( nobody can ever be perfect enough for God), attend church services etc but just believe that was all.
Every other thing that comes after I believed in him were the work of God in man but people see these things as the cause of salvation rather than the product hence leaving table to serve chair.

Wow my brother!! Am happy for you... Rightly said.. May God be praised.

jiggaz:
Wow my brother!! Am happy for you... Rightly said.. May God be praised.

Amen

One man brought sin into the world his name was Adam.