Except a man be Born Again, he Cannot see the Kingdom of God

 

• Which is Born of the Flesh is flesh – All men are spiritually dead in their natural state because of man’s rebellion and God’s curse upon the whole human race in the Garden of Eden. The Bible differentiates between the “spirit” and the “flesh”. To be “in the flesh” or being “carnal minded” or having a “stony heart” is not merely defining one’s physical existence, but is a statement of one’s spiritual condition – to be unsaved. In Rom 8:13 we find these words, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die”. Mat 26:41 adds, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”. This is the accurately painful description that Eph 2:3 paints: “Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others”. The word “conversation” means “lifestyle”. Gal 5:19–21 itemizes the works of the flesh. Even if a person were to refrain from committing these particular sins outwardly, they would still remain guilty for having committed these in their minds. All sin carries with it the punishment of eternal death, as we see from Jam 1:14–15: “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death”. Rom 8:7 explains the warfare that exists between the unsaved person and God, and it underscores man’s inherent inability to be under, or obedient to, God’s Word prior to salvation: “Because the carnal mind is enmity [or hatred] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”. A “stony heart” is also a vivid description of man’s spiritual deadness. The Bible also makes reference to a dead heart as a “hard (or unbelieving) heart”, or a “hardened heart”. And the thrust of these words has to do with rebellion or stubbornness against God and His Word, the Bible. Rom 2:5 teaches, “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God”. Gal 6:7–8 enunciates an exceedingly vital principle: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”.

Gal 5:19–21 “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Rom 8:5–8 “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

• Which is Born of the Spirit is spirit – On the other hand, to be “in the spirit” or “spiritually minded” refers to someone who has become saved by the will and Word of God. This distinction is evident in the following examples: John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. If one has not been born “of the Spirit”, they are, by biblical definition still “of the flesh”, and hence they are not saved. Rom 8:13 declares, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live”. Thus, we are introduced to the principle of sowing and reaping. This principle is inherently active in the life of any person. They will either be sowing and reaping “to the flesh”, or they will be doing the same “to the spirit”. The outcome is also spelled out in Gal 6:8, “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”. Now, what did Jesus mean by this statement in John 11:25, “… he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”? He is speaking about the fact that all men are spiritually dead in trespasses and sins before God “quickens” some of them (the elect) by giving them eternal life, as we read in Eph 2:56. We read this in Col 2:13: “And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses”. We see that these parallel verses are tied together with the Greek words for being spiritually quickened (that is, made alive) together with Christ and for being spiritually raised from the dead (or resurrected) together with Christ. These terms both refer to God’s work of resurrecting and energizing the souls of the elect with the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit. John 6:63 states, “It is the spirit that quickeneth [or makes alive]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life”. He uses the power of His Word to “quicken” His people, which means to “make alive” or “give life”. Also, God must “raise up” His people together with Christ in order to restore them from spiritual deadness unto a right standing with Himself. If we have a dead, or “stony”, heart by nature, how can we obey? The only way is that God has to do it for us as Eze 36:26 affirms, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh”. One cannot help but notice the numerous references to God’s use of the personal pronoun “I” in the above verse in describing His initiative in one’s salvation. A “heart of flesh” means a living heart. This is also corroborated by the language found in Deu 30:6, “And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live”. Using the analogy of spiritual circumcision, “Spiritual Jews” are thusly defined by Rom 2:28–29: “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God”.

John 11:23–26 “Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

Eph 2:56 “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened [make alive] us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved) 6And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:”

Rom 8:9–10 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

• Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye Must be Born Again – A term that is similar to “True Gospel” by its redundancy is “born–again Christian”. Actually, the only people who are true Christians are those who have become “born again”, or spiritually regenerated (Tit 3:5), by the power of God. In John 3:3–6 we are confronted with the late night conversation between Jesus and a Pharisee named Nicodemus on the subject of the New Birth: “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. John 3:7 says, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again”. When Jesus referred to being “born again”, the Greek word translated as “again” is anothen (G509), which literally means “from above” – that is, “from heaven” or “from God”. For instance, we find it used in Jam 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above [anothen], and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning”. We need to keep in mind that the gift of salvation, which comes “down” from God Himself, is entirely undeserved and is only by God’s grace. It is no accident that Jesus pointed out in Mark 10:26–27: “And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible”. The reason it is impossible by human achievement is due to the fact that man is spiritually dead by nature, as Eph 2:1–3 maintains. Remember, the Scriptures state that man cannot save himself. God has to give him salvation (or faith) as a gift, as Eph 2:8–9 declares, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast”. Rom 6:23 further notes, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. John 1:12–13 points out the fact that salvation is not dependent on anything that man does, and specifies Who the author of salvation is in verse 13: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”. When a person is “born of God” he becomes a “new creature” in Christ through the miraculous creative power of God, as 2 Cor 5:17 explains: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. Nothing short of birth “from above” will suffice for someone to “see” the Kingdom of God. As we have seen above, God uses the power of His Word to “quicken” His people as also seen in 1 Pet 1:23, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”. Jesus often called Himself the “Son of Man” because as the “Last Adam” (or the “Second Man”) He represented the human beings He came to save and endured the equivalent of eternal damnation for them in the Atonement at the Cross, as we read in 1 Cor 15:45–47: “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [Christ] was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man [Christ] is the Lord from heaven”.

Eze 36:26–28 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Heb 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

1 Pet 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again [born again] unto a lively [living] hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

Php 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

• Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall Not fulfil the lust of the Flesh – 2 Cor 5:17 describes a born–again believers new nature: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. At this point in our discussion, I think it would be helpful to remind ourselves of each believer’s dual nature. Quite possibly the tendency to emphasize one aspect more than the other can shape how we look at ourselves in terms of possessing or lacking assurance of salvation. Let us consider each “side” of a Christian’s whole personality. Even after a person is redeemed he struggles with sin because his body still remains unsaved, even though in his soul he has received eternal life. This is clearly seen in a number of verses like Rom 7:20, “Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me”. The apostle Paul, under divine inspiration, reveals in Rom 7:25 the Scriptural assessment that a child of God must constantly keep in mind, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin”. But Gal 5:16–18 and verses 24–25 further add: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh [our bodies]… And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. This internal dualism is the true Christian’s greatest spiritual struggle, bar none, as Rom 7:24 pinpoints, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The deliverance that Paul refers to is found in the words of 2 Cor 5:1–4, which expresses the believer’s yearning to be forever clothed with his glorified spiritual body. 1 John 3:1–3 highlights this as well, adding the dimension of hope with regard to glorification, which is the final stage of salvation.

Rom 7:21–25 “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22For I delight in the law of God after the inward man [or the soul]: 23But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members [or my body]. 24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin… ”

Gal 5:16–18, 24–25 “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh [our bodies]. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law… And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”

Rom 8:1–2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

The Power of the Potter over the Clay

• Creation, Fall and Re-Creation - In our lesson today we want to discuss the power of the Potter over the clay as found in Jer 18:1-6: “... as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand ...”. The picture of God as the “Potter” is quite understandable because He is the Creator. The Hebrew word for “potter” (yaw-tsar' H:03335) is also rendered as “to form”, “to fashion”, or “to make”. Just as that potter formed a vessel on the wheel, so God created Man in His image as we discover in Gen 2:7, “And the LORD God formed [yaw-tsar' H:03335] man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul”. At the end of His six days of creation (Gen 1:31), God surveyed all that He had made, and proclaimed it “very good”. In this passage in the Jer 18:1-6, we see the extent of God’s sovereign power to do whatever brings glory and honor to Him. What is the spiritual meaning of the vessel’s becoming “marred”? we see in verse 4: “... the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it ...”. The same Hebrew word for “marred” (shaw-khath' H:07843) is found in Psa 14:1 and is translated as “corrupt”: “… The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt [shaw-khath' H:07843], they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good”. Where did this corruption first begin? The whole human race, represented by Adam and Eve, became “marred”, or “corrupted”, in the Garden of Eden. Rom 5:12 records the sad condition we brought upon ourselves: “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned …”. The Bible reiterates the same gruesome picture many times. Consider, for instance, what happened immediately after the exodus from Egypt that God orchestrated in Exo 32:7, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted [shaw-khath' H:07843] themselves”. They were worshipping the golden calves, which were Egyptian gods – they had left Egypt, but Egypt had not left them! Lest we be too critical of them, we need to heed the warning for us in Heb 3:12-13,19 and 4:1-2: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin … ”. We must never forget the instruction of Psa 94:9, “He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed [yaw-tsar' H:03335] the eye, shall he not see?” and Job 10:9: “Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again”. Let’s recapitulate: God created man from the ground; man sinned against his Maker; the creation became corrupted; and now God will create anew. Rom 9:11-22 depicts the miracle of salvation, by the sovereign grace and power of God, to redeem man from God’s wrath that he certainly deserves.

Gen 3:17-19 “... and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: ... In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”

Jer 18:1-6: “The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.”

Rom 9:19-21 “... For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest [disputes] against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”

• I will have Mercy on Whom I will have Mercy - Despite the fact that all men are sinners, God extends His “great mercy” to all mankind in many different ways as we live out our lives on earth, as we read in Psa 145:8-9, “The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works”. All life is in God’s hands, and we are dependent upon His general mercy for every breath and heartbeat. We read about this as God spoke by the Apostle Paul to the people of Athens (and us) in Acts 17:24-28: “... For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring”. We also read in Mat 5:45 that God in His great mercy “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust”. Although God is merciful to all people in a general way by providing for their physical needs and restraining sin, many people confuse that kind of mercy with salvation itself. However, God only bestows His special gift of mercy – eternal life – specifically upon those whom He chose to save. God extends mercy specifically to the Elect by salvation. Mercy is God’s sovereign prerogative because nobody deserves It. Of course, God does not have to bestow His salvation mercy upon anyone because we all deserve eternal damnation for our sins. However, God has the sovereign right to save whomever He so desires without giving any reason to anyone for His actions, as He declares in Rom 9:15-16: “For he [God] saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy”. Indeed, the whole Bible declares God’s sovereign power in the affairs of mankind and His salvation mercy upon His people. For those who would object to God’s right to choose some people for salvation for His glory and honor, God dispels all of man’s arguments in Rom 9:20-21: “… O man, who art thou that repliest [disputes] against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?”. The good news of the Gospel is that the Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners from eternal damnation in Hell and that God allows sinners to humbly petition Him for mercy through prayer like the publican of old in Luke 18:13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner”.

Rom 9:18-24 “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest [disputes] against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath [unbelievers] fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy [believers], which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?”

• The Purpose of God According to Election might stand - One of the most informative passages in the Bible concerning election is found in Rom 9. There we read in verses 10-23: “And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated ...”. Rom 9:24-27 further explains: “... I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God ...”. In Rom 9 God emphasizes the fact that absolutely no human effort is required or possible in His salvation program because man is spiritually dead and utterly incapable of any kind of performance, as Tit 3:3-7 boldly proclaims: “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life”.

Rom 9:10-23: “And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared [before the world began] unto glory”

John 12:37-41 “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias [Isaiah] the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.”

Rom 9:24-27 “As he saith also in Osee [Hosea], I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.”

2 Tim 1:9 “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”

• Chosen in Christ, according to the Good Pleasure of His Will - Rom 2:5 describes man’s awful spiritual condition: “But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;” Isa 64:6-8 further pinpoints unsaved man’s spiritual bankruptcy: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand”. Considering that man is born spiritually dead as a result of sin and is under the just wrath of God, it is staggering to think that God would save anybody – but He does. He first included them in His will, which is also known as the Lamb’s Book of Life! As the testator of the Will, God sovereignly chose those who will be the heirs of salvation, and He wrote their names in the Lamb’s Book of Life before Creation. We read about this in Heb 9:15-17: “And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth”. 2 The 2:13 declares, “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”. When we think about God as the Creator and Sustainer of this marvelous universe, we struggle to imagine how many infinite possibilities, or options, that God has at His disposal. Let’s consider some examples of whom God has already chosen: 1) He chose Abram (and renamed him Abraham) (Neh 9:7). 2) He chose the nation of Israel (Deu 7:7). 3) He chose the tribe of Judah (Psa 78:67-68). 4) He chose David (1 Kin 8:16). 5) He chose the twelve Apostles (Luke 6:13). 6) He chose Judas as well (John 17:12). 7) He chose Paul (Acts 9:15). 8) He chose His people (the elect) for salvation (Eph 1:3-6).

Neh 9:7 “Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham.”

Deu 7:7 “The LORD did not set his love upon you [the nation of Israel], nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:”

Psa 78:67-68 “Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.”

1 Kin 8:16 “Since the day that I brought forth my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.”

Luke 6:13 “And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;”

John 17:12 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition [Judas]; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

Acts 9:15 “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he [Apostle Paul] is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel”

Eph 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us [the elect] with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us [the elect] in him before the foundation of the world, that we [the elect] should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us [the elect] unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us [the elect] accepted in the beloved.”

• Chosen in Christ, to the Praise of the Glory of His Grace - Rom 9:18-28 unveils God’s blueprint to redeem His Bride – His Eternal Church. The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is totally by God’s sovereign grace, love and mercy; and those three elements – along with everything else associated with salvation – are unearned gifts from God to His people. Thus, we can say that the nature of God’s mercy is revealed to us through the salvation work of the Lord Jesus Christ, according to Psa 85:7, “Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation”. Only God can give a person eternal life. God must draw the elect to Himself and grant them repentance, spiritual understanding, faith to trust Him, and a capacity to love and obey Him. Only God can create a new eternal soul, or “heart”, and make a “new creature” of a person, as we read in Eze 36:26-27: “A new heart also will I [God] give you, and a new spirit will I [God] put within you: and I [God] will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I [God] will give you an heart of flesh. And I [God] will put my [God’s] spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them”. We also read this in 2 Cor 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature [creation]: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new”. Man’s pride is the source of all sin, and his sinful arrogance would extend even into the arena of salvation unless God had prevented that from happening as seen in Gen 3:22-24: “... lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life... So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”. Man’s innate self-confidence continues to the present day as he vainly relies attempts on his own capacity to participate in his own salvation thereby ignoring the Bible’s clear statement of his inability to do so in Gal 2:16: “... by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified”. In Acts 13:41 God refers this message from Hab 1:5 to those who refuse to acknowledge that He does ALL the work of salvation: “Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I [God] work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man [Jesus Christ] declare it unto you”. God also makes it clear in Isa 43:25 that salvation is primarily for His honor and glory – not man’s benefit: “I, even I [God], am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins”. We read in Rom 11:36, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen”. Isa 42:8 further proclaims: “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another …”. The question that needs to be asked is: “What gives God glory?” We get a clue in John 11:4: “When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby”. What happened in John 11 to bring glory to God the Father and to glorify God the Son? This entire chapter deals with the raising of Lazarus from physical death – a dramatic portrait of the spiritual resurrection of the soul unto salvation. The first part of John 12 continues to drive home the point that only God has the power to raise the dead – both physically and spiritually. This is why the Lord Jesus declares in John 11:25, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”. In essence, we learn from this historical parable that mankind is a spiritual corpse that is “dead in trespasses and sins” and subject to Hell. Only the voice of God – the Bible – has the power to raise a person from spiritual death to spiritual life. Rom 1:16 agrees, by citing the role of the Gospel – which is the whole the Bible – in salvation: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek”. There are no conditions, or requirements, that an individual must meet to be chosen by God for salvation. The entire salvation process depends entirely on the sovereign grace of God completely separate from any human effort or collaboration as Rom 11:6 so clearly explains: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”. The words of 1 Cor 1:26-28 help us see how every aspect of salvation is a gift of God – including His “calling”. And Eph 2:9 realistically tells us why: “Not of works, lest any man should boast”. This same reason is also summed up in the eight words of 1 Cor 1:29, “That no flesh should glory in his presence”. Salvation of man is for God’s glory alone.

Gen 3:22-24 “And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life”

Eph 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Gal 2:16 “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

1 Cor 1:26-28 “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

God Resisteth the Proud, but Giveth Grace unto the Humble

• Pride vs. Humility - One of the main themes in the Bible is the pride of Satan and man, which underlies all sin. Moreover, 1 John 3:4 maintains that sin is “… the transgression of the law …”, and the “Law” that is being disobeyed is God’s Word, the Bible. Pride is the root of all sin, and the one that God especially despises. Pro 8:13 teaches, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate”. Pro 6:16-19 adds: “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren”. 1 John 2:16 also asserts, “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world”. On the other hand, the trait of humility, which the Savior so perfectly demonstrated, is also found among His people as they reflect His character of being “… meek and lowly in heart …”. The contrast between pride and humility is found throughout the pages of Scripture; and one such example is the historical parable of the Pharisee and the publican, or tax-collector, found in Luke 18:9-16. Notice in verse 16 that the Lord pinpoints “little children”, who in their naiveté represent those who have become “children of God”. We see the same Greek word as “little children” in Mat 18:3: “And [Jesus] said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven”. We live in a universe of cause and effect that God has established by His Word. Not only is that true in a physical sense, its spiritual ramifications are devastating, as Mat 23:12 warns, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted”. Pro 3:34 adds, “Surely he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace unto the lowly”.

Luke 18:9-16 “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified [or saved] rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 15And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer [Allow] little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

• God Resisteth the Proud - Pride and arrogance are dangerous. It highlights the essence of someone who is not a true child of God. Man foolishly thinks that God is somehow unconcerned about what mankind does, but nothing could be further from the truth. Jam 4:6 echoes: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. Pride starts in the heart, and then travels to the mouth, and eventually, manifests itself in the life. Psa 44:21 reminds us, “Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart”. Furthermore, Pro 21:2 proclaims, “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts”. Pro 24:12 answers man’s puny alibis: “If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?”. Gal 6:7-8 enunciates an exceedingly vital principle: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting”. Jer 44:10 relates to the rebellion of Judah and Jerusalem in the historical setting, but figuratively it explains what is transpiring in our day in the institutional churches and denominations: “They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers”. How does God resist the proud? By abasing them, which ultimately has to do with being cast into Hell , as Pro 29:23 intimates, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit”. Rev 20:12-13 depicts the divine appointment that all who do not have a Savior must keep: “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works”.

Psa 138:6 “Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.”

Psa 50:16-22 “But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee. When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes. Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.”

• I [God] am Meek and Lowly in Heart - The gift of humility is what the Savior bestows upon His elect people. This gift is a wonderful reminder of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who said in Mat 11:29, where we find a two-fold description of the Savior, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”. We must bear in mind that when the Lord speaks of Himself as “meek” and “lowly”, we are talking about eternal God the Creator, His Eternal Majesty, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords! Psa 113:6 states, “Who [Jehovah God] humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!”. In Isa 57:15 we learn: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”. In Php 2:5-11 we see to what extent Christ had to empty Himself of His divine glory as He humbled Himself by taking on a human nature. In order to be the only Savior for sinners the Lord Jesus had to first take on a human nature. Secondly, he had to become sin, as 2 Cor 5:21 so emphatically announces, “For he [God the Father] hath made him [God the Son] to be sin for us [the elect], who [that is Christ] knew no sin; that we [the elect] might be made the righteousness of God in him [or in Christ]”. Thirdly, the Savior not only epitomizes the very essence of humility in His life but in His death as well as He suffered the equivalent of eternal damnation in the “lake of fire” for each of His elect people. In Acts 8:30-35 we are faced with the account of the Ethiopian eunuch who asks Phillip to explain a passage in Isa 53: “ ... He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away ...”. These passages substantiate the infinite degradation that the Lord Jesus subjected Himself to in experiencing the shame of sin and the “lowest Hell”. May God give us an even greater appreciation for the thrust of Php 2:8, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. Also Mat 21:5 that declares, “Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.” The two donkeys pictured here represent the true believers who have been made “meek” or “saved” by their King. He sits upon them as He rides triumphantly into Jerusalem, typifying the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev 21:2-4). To “sit” is figuratively associated with “ruling”, or “reigning”, as Christ most certainly does over His eternal church.

Php 2:5-11 “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

• God Giveth Grace unto the Humble - The Hebrew word for “meek” (‘anav:H6035) is generally translated as “meek”, “humble”, “poor”, and “lowly”. Num 12:3 affirms: “Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth”. We should remember that Moses is a great “type”, or representation, of the Lord Jesus. In Isa 57:15 we learned: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”. The Lord Jesus indeed manifested a “… contrite and humble spirit …”. In turn, those whom God has elected to salvation will be “humbled” and will be “made contrite” as God gives them a new resurrected soul and saves them by His grace and for His glory. The trait of humility, which the Savior so perfectly demonstrated, is also found among His people, as the indwelling Holy Spirit produces the fruit of meekness (Gal 5:22-23), and they reflect His character of being meek and lowly in heart. Thus, the “humble” are God’s elect. Before salvation God has to “break us down” spiritually, and humble us because by nature we are so proud and arrogant as we disdain God and His Word, the Bible. How does God “revives”, or “makes alive”, “… the spirit of the humble, and… the heart of the contrite ones”?: 1) God has to “incline” our ears, or give us spiritual understanding, in order for us to “hear” the Gospel. 2) He will give the true Christian the “sure” (or faithful) mercies of King David, who typifies the Lord Jesus. 3) Those whom God has elected to salvation will “come to Him”. Psa 34:18 teaches, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit”. In Psa 149:4 we read this beautiful declaration regarding true spiritual beauty: “For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation”. The meek are those who have been “made beautiful” (or clothed) with salvation. Psa 132:16 similarly states, “I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy”. Additionally, 1 Pet 5:5-7 speaks of each Christian as being “clothed with humility”. For each child of God, humility is not an option but a way of life. Eph 4:2 and Col 3:12-23 admonishes believers, to pattern their life after their Master. Jam 4:6 affirms, “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. God associates “humility” with the “fear of the LORD” in Pro 15:33 and Pro 22:4 that details the wonderful blessings of the kingdom of God: “… riches, honour, and life …”: “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility”, “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life”. May God give us the grace to walk more humbly and more obediently before Him.

2 Chr 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

Psa 10:17 “LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:”

Eph 4:2 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”

Col 3:12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye”

1 Pet 5:5-7 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

How Can I KNOW If God Has Saved Me? - Part 7

• Examine Yourselves, Prove Your Own Selves - This is a very important question that we should all seriously consider, “How Can I KNOW If God Has Saved Me?”. This question gets to the essence of what life is all about. God tells us everything we need to know with regard to His salvation plan for mankind in His Book, the Bible, and God explains that assurance of our salvation is indeed possible as 1 John 5:11-13 explains. We must realize that God does ALL the work of salvation. The Bible teaches that we cannot save ourselves. No church, no religious ritual, no person, and no human effort can save us. Only the work done by the Lord Jesus Christ at the cross and by the Holy Spirit in our hearts can save us. Believing, or having “faith”, in the Lord Jesus Christ is the result of salvation – not the cause of it. Rom 5:10 declares that if God has saved you, your spiritual war with God has ended: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life”. In other words: If God has saved you from Hell, the Lord Jesus Christ paid for ALL of your sins with His life so that you now have eternal life, and you made no contribution to your salvation in any way, as Tit 3:4-7 declares. However, if God does not save you before you die or the Lord Jesus Christ returns in judgment, you will face eternal damnation in Hell under the wrath of God as a payment for your own sins. If God has already saved you from eternal damnation, He has put His Spirit within you and resurrected your soul (that is, you became a new creature in Christ); as God stated in the verses Eze 36:26-27 and 2 Cor 5:17. In 2 Cor 13:5 and 2 Pet 1:10, God commands us to evaluate our spiritual condition to determine if we truly have received the gift of eternal life based on what the Bible teaches about salvation. In this seventh part of the study we will ask ourselves several questions based on the biblical evidences of salvation to help us “examine” the state of our souls. May God cause each of us to seriously examine our self in the light of His Word to discover whether we are indeed a child of God or not. If we are not (or are not sure), wonderfully today is still the day of salvation; and we can cry out to God for mercy, read His Word, and wait (trusting altogether) on Him.

1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

Tit 3:4-7 “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Eze 36:26-27 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

2 Cor 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

2 Pet 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”

• Are you becoming more comfortable with the True Gospel of Salvation (based on the Sovereign Grace of God) so that it is neither foolish nor offensive to you? – Do you fully understand that God does ALL the work of salvation and are you willing to give Him ALL the praise and glory for His precious gift of eternal life? The common denominator of all the man-made religions and false gospels of the world is man’s “works”. It is the belief that man must do something, somehow participate in his salvation, to obtain a right standing with God. That idea is perfectly “logical” from a human perspective because we are self-centered beings. God, however, has stated very clearly that salvation is by His grace through the faith of Christ and not by man’s “works” (efforts) in any way, shape, or form (Eph 2:8-10). The Bible clearly teaches that salvation is totally by God’s sovereign grace, love and mercy; and those three elements – along with everything else associated with salvation – are unearned gifts from God to His people. Only God can give a person eternal life. God must draw the elect to Himself and grant them repentance, spiritual understanding, faith to trust Him, and a capacity to love and obey Him. Only God can create a new eternal soul, or “heart”, and make a “new creature” of a person, as we read in Eze 36:26-27. There are no conditions, or requirements, that an individual must meet to be chosen by God for salvation. The entire salvation process depends entirely on the sovereign grace of God completely separate from any human effort or collaboration as Rom 11:6 so clearly explains: “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work”. And Eph 2:9 realistically tells us why: “Not of works, lest any man should boast”. Unsaved man hates the doctrines of God’s Sovereign Grace. His natural, sinful pride causes him to reject the notion that God is totally in charge of His own salvation program. Salvation of man is for God’s glory alone. God also makes it clear in Isa 43:25 that salvation is primarily for His honor and glory – not man’s benefit: “I, even I [God], am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins”. Rom 9:11-12; 15-22 depicts the miracle of salvation, by the sovereign grace and power of God, to redeem man from God’s wrath that he certainly deserves.

1 Cor 2:14 “But the natural man [unsaved] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

1 Cor 3:18-20 “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise [in the Word of God rightly dividing Truth comparing Scripture with Scripture]. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

John 6:37, 44-45, 65 “37All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. 44No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me 65And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.”

Rom 9:11-12, 15-22 “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth… For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest [disputes] against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory …”

Eph 1:3-6 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

Eph 2:8-10 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

• As you grow in grace, do you have a greater Desire to be a Witness for Jesus Christ? – If God has shown mercy on you through salvation, are you showing mercy to others by telling them about the miraculous work that Jesus Christ has done for you? God commands all of His saints to “go ye into all the world” and to “shew mercy” to the lost by being “ambassadors for Christ” and proclaiming the “Gospel of Christ”. We also read this in 2 Cor 5:20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God”. God’s “saints” (true believers) shall praise and bless the Lord for His grace, love, and mercy upon them and shall tell others about His glorious salvation, as Psa 145:10-12 declares: “All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom”. In Rom 10:13-17, God gives us some insight as to how He executes His salvation program. This passage describes a circular process with three key elements – “God’s Word”, “hearing” and “faith”. Then we (believers) are suppliers of the Gospel, as we declare the Gospel to others and God draws more of His elect to Himself. As believers bring the Gospel they are a “sweet savour of Christ” to the people of the world, as stated in 2 Cor 2:15-16: “For we [believers] are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, ...”. The Gospel is a two-edged sword that cuts one way to eternal life and the other way to eternal damnation, and God uses it to accomplish His purposes in the lives of those who come in contact with it. Why does God use imperfect men – clay pots – to evangelize the world? It is to show His power to save, so that He gets ALL the honor and glory, as 2 Cor 4:7 states: “But we have this treasure [Gospel] in earthen vessels [men], that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us”. Speaking truth is a necessity while proclaiming Gospel. Acts 4:20 is an excellent reminder for those of us who claim to be the Lord’s servants: “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard”. Note carefully that the apostles (and all believers) also “declared” to others the true message of the Gospel. This is certainly applicable to all who have been born from above and is the chief task for those of us who are ambassadros of Christ. 2 Cor 11:2-4 reveals Paul’s concern for some in the Corinthian church who were being exposed to false doctrines. In our day when apostasy abounds and false gospels are legion, we would do well to keep in mind the admonition of Gal 1:6-9: “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed”. Could it be that if God has redeemed us by His grace, we would be obedient to Eph 4:15, which states, “But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. Without a doubt, one of the most difficult arenas in which to be a witness is among our own family members. It is indeed a proving ground without parallel, and we face all kinds of tests daily. How are we going to react? Are we going to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh? Thus, family life according to God’s Word becomes the forge, hammer, and anvil that shape our Christian living and growth.

Mark 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Rom 10:13-17 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Gal 1:6-9 “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed (or damned) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed (or damned).”

2 Cor 11:2-4 “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

2 Cor 2:15-17 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”

• Are you ready to Suffer for Jesus sake and Gospel sake? – It seems that in our day one hears little about the trials and persecutions that believers have historically faced (Mat 5:11-12). Rather many are touting the harmful idea that the Bible promises physical well-being, financial prosperity, and political freedom as the unquestioned rights of each Christian. Nothing could be further from the truth! Indeed, Christians are called upon to suffer for righteousness’ sake, and never for evil-doing, as we read in 1 Pet 4:12-16: “... let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf”. 2 Tim 3:12 adds, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” and Php 1:29 “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake”. After all, we are to pattern our lives after the Master whom we follow. Jesus said in John 15:20, “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you …”. The believer’s task to live for Christ and for the proclamation of the Gospel will not be without problems, challenges, and trials. During those times we do well to remember the words of comfort He also proclaimed in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”. Furthermore, Rom 8:17b reminds us: “… if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together”. This is a divine pattern established by the Lord Jesus that the Apostle Paul wanted to emulate, as we read in Php 3:10: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death”. God used Paul as an outstanding example of “suffering” as he typifies His Master in this respect. God lays out to Ananias what Paul could expect throughout his future ministry: “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). Paul, as a picture of Christ Himself, suffered greatly throughout his lifetime, and yet it was through these very sufferings that he came to understand more fully that his strength came – when he was weakest – from his faithful God as 2 Cor 12:9-10 affirms. 1 The 3:3-4 further teaches: “That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know”. These exhortations give evidence of the serious commitment to the task of sending forth the True Gospel that all Christians are to reflect. In 2 Tim 2:9-12, Paul is making the point that in spite of the troubles that he had experienced as a “messenger” of the True Gospel, the “message” of the Gospel can never be thwarted or hindered in any way at all. A Christian must demonstrate the love of God by patiently bearing, or enduring, adversity for the cause of the Gospel of Christ as seen in 1 Cor 9:11-12.

Mat 5:11-12 “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad : for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

1 Pet 4:12-16 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

Rom 8:16-17 “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

1 Cor 9:11-12 “If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer [to endure patiently] all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.”

2 Tim 2:9-12 “Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”

Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

2 Cor 12:9-10 “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

• Do you Yearn for the day when you will Meet your Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, face to face? – 1 Pet 1:3-9 outlines the glorious future that awaits every believer: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God ...”. The resurrection of the dead will occur on the Last Day, or Judgment Day, which coincides with the end of this world, the end of time, and the ushering in of eternity for both the saved and the unsaved. When a true believer dies before Lord returns, his physical body is buried, but his soul, or spirit essence, goes immediately to be with the Lord in Heaven as 2 Cor 5:8 says, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord”. Nearing the end of his life, Paul, under divine inspiration, utters these words in 2 Tim 4:6-8: “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing”. It should be noted that a “crown of righteousness” is not an additional reward of some sort; but it is a reference to the precious gift of eternal life. It is God Himself, Who is both a believer’s hope and reward. In Tit 2:13 we read: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”. Php 1:6 explains that the believer’s confidence is rooted in the fact that the work of saving grace which the Lord Jesus has initiated in his life will be brought to completion one day : “Being confident of this very thing, that he [God] which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”. Think of it: The Almighty Triune God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, His Eternal Majesty is at work to finish what He has started in the infinitesimal lives of His people! Could it be that God might so work in each of us that we might affirm along with the Apostle Paul the words of 2 Tim 4:7, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

1 Pet 1:3-9 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls”

1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”

2 Cor 5:1-2, 6-9 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven … Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.”

Rom 14:8 “For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”