A Full Gospel without Full Salvation - Part 3

In exploring this full salvation, I have shown from the scriptures that full salvation is first, a complete salvation. It needs no work of any kind added to it. The only thing that “full salvation” needs to become actual in a man’s life is faith. Full salvation is the Lord’s work, and we just trust solely upon His complete finished work to be saved completely. Full salvation is not only a complete salvation; full salvation is secondly a deliverance salvation. It is not the repetition of a prayer. Included in the package of full salvation is deliverance from sin! Thirdly, I have shown in depth that full salvation is justification. We are, at the moment of salvation, declared “not guilty,” even before we have the chance to perform one single good work. As for those who claim to believe the “full gospel,” many of them are ignorant as of these great aspects of full salvation. The benefits of full salvation are not limited to the conditions mentioned thus far.

Full Salvation is a Sanctified Salvation

Sanctification is a blessed Bible doctrine. Though its principle is forsaken by many, and its practice is forsaken by many more, it is yet a Bible doctrine that needs to be preached in this unsanctified generation.

What is sanctification? Though the dictionary gives several definitions, those definitions can be narrowed down to two explanations. First, to sanctify means, “to cleanse.” Secondly, sanctify means, “to set apart.” Oh, how the sinner needs a cleansing! And we have a fountain opened for sin and uncleanness!

So many argue over the method by which one is sanctified that they miss the beauty of the great teaching.  Sanctification is the means by which we are made HOLY, like God is HOLY.  Sanctification is the means by which we are made LIKE JESUS CHRIST!  It is through sanctification that we are conformed into the image of Jesus Christ!  Oh, to be more like Him!  I do not spend all my time arguing over HOW it occurs; I wish to spend my time, rather, preaching its truths so it can occur! 

Now, there are basically two schools of thought regarding sanctification among our Full Gospel churches. The first school of thought teaches sanctification to be a second definite work of grace. A person who believes sanctification this way may claim to have been saved in January, but did not get sanctified until July. Those who believe that sanctification is a second definite work of grace believe that sanctification, like salvation, is a definite, instantaneous experience, separate from salvation. According to the adherents to this teaching, the results of such an experience are described often as deliverance from the lusts of the flesh, the pull of the world, the snares of the devil, and even temptation. The second school of thought regarding sanctification is called progressive sanctification. This means that sanctification is attained gradually. We grow in our sanctification.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH REGARDING SANCTIFICATION?

I will show, with the Bible, that neither of these schools of thought is correct entirely, although both schools of thought contain truth.

First, the Bible teaches that sanctification is a definite experience. Acts 20:32; Acts 26:18; I Corinthians 1:2; I Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 2:11; Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14; and Jude 1 all refer to people who “ARE SANCTIFIED.” That is the group in which I am. I am not “striving to be sanctified;” I am not “trying to live sanctified;” I am not becoming sanctified,” I am in the group of people that “ARE SANCTIFIED!”

Now, the next question then is “When was I sanctified?” The Bible gives a clear answer to this. I was sanctified the very moment I was saved. When a person says, “I was saved in January, but I wasn’t sanctified until June,” that person is in error. Friend, if you were not sanctified until June, you were not saved until June! Sanctification is a definite work, but not a SECOND definite work! You were not saved in one experience, then sanctified in another.

There are simple verses in scripture that show us that we are sanctified at the time of salvation.

I Peter 1:2 – “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit.”

This verse deals with the believer’s election to salvation. Without muddying the waters of election, let me say it as simply as possible. Election simply means, “chosen.” Every saved individual is saved because God chose you to be saved. How are we “elect,” or “chosen?” We are, according to this verse, elected first, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father; and second, through sanctification of the Spirit. Let me say it slower, so we will all get it. I am elected to salvation; that is, God chose me to be saved. How did He choose me? THROUGH SANCTIFICATION OF THE SPIRIT. If you are not sanctified by the Spirit, you have not been elected to salvation. Let us look at another verse.

II Thessalonians 2:13 – “…God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”

Here again, the subject is the act of God choosing us to salvation. How did He choose us to salvation? Through sanctification of the Spirit. What do these verses mean? To put it simply, when you believe on Jesus Christ to be saved, the Spirit of God, at that moment, sanctifies you. You are chosen to salvation THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit. You cannot get to salvation, except you come THROUGH sanctification of the Spirit. If you have not gone THROUGH sanctification, you have not attained salvation.

Now, I trust that the reader will stay with me. How is a person sanctified at the time of salvation? The Bible shines light upon this question as well. Earlier, we defined sanctification to mean two things. First, the one who is sanctified is “cleansed;” and second, the one who is sanctified is “set apart.” We just read two verses that state plainly that salvation is attained THROUGH sanctification OF THE SPIRIT. The Spirit of God sanctifies the believer the moment they trust Jesus Christ to save them. The Spirit of God, at the moment of salvation, CLEANSES the believer; and SETS THE BELIEVER APART from this world. How does He do this? In answering this, let us look first at a clear passage of scripture regarding salvation:

Romans 3:24, 25 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”

The subject of the passage is justification by faith. It is clearly a salvation passage. It is stated here that Christ is our redemption, and that through Him we have propitiation, which is simply an appeasement of God’s wrath. God is angry with the wicked every day. But when the wicked come to Christ, God’s wrath is appeased. His anger cools down – all because of what Jesus did upon the cross. How does a sinner appease the wrath of God? The answer is found in the above passage – “through faith IN HIS BLOOD.” A sinner is saved, and the wrath of God is appeased, when the sinner lets go of everything else, and places his faith IN HIS BLOOD! When a sinner places his faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, he is saved at that moment! Now, what does the blood of Christ do for that sinner? Look –

I John 1:7 – “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son CLEANSETH [sanctifies] us from ALL SIN!”

The very moment that the sinner places his faith in the blood of Christ, that blood sanctifies, or cleanses, him from every sin!

But that is not all! Sanctification is not only “cleansing,” but it is also a “setting apart.” The Spirit of God, at the moment of salvation, sets the penitent sinner apart from this world. How does this happen?

I Corinthians 12:13 – “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

This verse refers to the one body of which every saved individual is a member! When you are saved, you immediate become part of the body of Christ. You are immediately a member of the body of believers called “the church.” I do not mean that you are immediately a member of A CHURCH; I mean that you are a member of THE CHURCH. You are part of the redeemed; you are a member of the called-out ones! The word, “church,” means “called out.” When a person believes on Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God not only cleanses him from every sin and stain by the blood of Christ, but the Spirit also baptizes the believer into the body of Christ. The Spirit of God, at the moment of salvation, removes your citizenship from this world, and baptizes you into a place within the called-out ones! He sets you apart, making you a part of the true church, the church of Jesus Christ. At the moment of salvation, you are cleansed from every sin; and you are set apart from the world, baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ! Yes, I’ll say it again. If you did not get sanctified, you did not get saved!

Now, just because you have been sanctified by the Spirit of God at the moment of salvation does not indicate that you will never be tempted; nor does it mean that you will never sin. The same man who wrote I John 1:7, which states that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses, or sanctifies, from all sin, also wrote I John 2:1, where it states, “If any man sin…” Yes, sin is possible even after you are sanctified at salvation. This is why you must grow in your sanctification. There is growth. By growing in sanctification, you are not attaining sanctification gradually. Rather, you have been sanctified, and now you are growing in it. You are continually laying things aside so you can, in greater measure, set yourself apart to have fellowship with the Lord. The next question, then, is “How do you grow in sanctification?”

John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”

Here, Jesus is praying to the Father. He is praying for believers. And His prayer to the Father is that we will be sanctified by His word, the truth. Though we have been sanctified at the moment of salvation, we grow in our sanctification by continually studying the word of God, and obeying it! The word shows me what is right and what is wrong. Upon learning the truths of the word, I lay things aside that I might draw nigh to God. This is what I mean by “growing in my sanctification.”

Furthermore, Romans 15:16 deals with the Gentiles, being “sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” Yes, the Holy Ghost sanctifies us at salvation, but as we walk in the Spirit, He continues the cleansing, sanctifying work. The Bible teaches that, in the Christian walk, there will be a battle between our flesh and our spirit. Our spirit wants to please God; our flesh wants to please God. Even Jesus, the Son of the living God, battled this. Anyone who tells you that they are saved, and they do not have this battle, I wouldn’t believe anything else they say!

As we live in the word, the word continues to sanctify us. As we walk in the Spirit, the Spirit continues to sanctify us. As we confess our sins, the blood of Christ continues to cleanse us! Yes, full salvation is a sanctified salvation!

MORE COMING...

A Full Gospel without Full Salvation - Part 2

Continuing the previous thought, I am writing concerning those who boast of believing a “full gospel,” but have not grasped half of what they have in salvation. They claim to have passed the blessing of salvation long ago, but there is much concerning salvation they did not take. They claim to believe the “full gospel,” but do not possess “full salvation.” Now, I am not saying that they are not saved who have grasped but little of the salvation of Jesus Christ. Salvation is so vast a subject that there is no one who has fully comprehended it. As a matter of fact, I have yet to understand why God Almighty would even love filthy, ungodly, unrighteous, unholy sinners, but He does! A man asked a preacher this question – “Why did Jesus choose Judas, knowing that Judas would betray Him?” Simple was the preacher’s reply – “I have been dealing with a question much harder than that.”

“What question is that?” asked the inquirer.

“I have not been trying to understand why Jesus chose Judas; I have been trying to figure out why Jesus chose me!”

How true! When I speak of “full salvation,” I am not implying that we can understand it all; or even that we can begin to understand its fullness. However, we have much more in God’s great gift of salvation than so many of us realize. So many people today who are well-meaning Christians have such a discounted view of salvation. Their perception of salvation is far lower than its actuality.

Up to this point, I have been describing what is meant by the phrase, “full salvation.” In no way can I exhaust “full salvation,” but I do wish to give just a few points more regarding the nature of “full salvation.”

Full Salvation is Justification

So many within our ranks spend so much time arguing their view of sanctification that they have no concept whatsoever of justification. Justification is something to rejoice about! Justification is a legal term. It means that we have been to court. The evidence has been weighed. The jury has issued their decision. The judge has presided over the case, and that case is settled. Justification simply means, “Declared to be ‘not guilty.’” In our legal system, we do not use the term, “justification.” Rather, we use the term, “acquitted.” As for the sins which I have committed, the Judge of all the earth cannot find them. Satan, the infamous Prosecutor, cannot gather any evidence whatsoever against me! I have been justified by the blood of Jesus Christ!

How can one be justified, or declared “not guilty,” when indeed he has sinned? Make no mistake about it. The author of this post has sinned. I have committed deeds offensive to God Almighty. Yet, He has declared me to be “not guilty!” How did this happen? Did I successfully hide my sins from the all-seeing eye? Not a chance. Does God show favoritism to me? God forbid; for He is “no respecter of persons.” What He has done for me He is ready to do for you. So, how did this justification come about? How was I declared “not guilty” when I had sinned before God?

Two events occurred to bring about justification to my hopeless case. The first event took place about 2,000 years ago. The Father took my sins, and placed them upon Jesus. Look at the scripture:

Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Understand this – Jesus Christ was, while He was in the flesh, perfect in every sense of the word. He never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. But my sins were laid upon Him. He died like a criminal, crucified in the midst of thieves. Why was an innocent man crucified that dreadful day? He was dying, not for His own sins; for He had no sins for which to die. He was dying for my sin and yours. He took them upon Himself and paid the penalty of death for them! He died in my place.

Now, it is not enough for Christ to die. He died for every man, but every man will not be saved. One must trust completely Christ’s payment for our sins upon the cross. One must let go everything else, and trust solely in Christ’s work upon the cross to save him. This is called, “faith,” and at the moment of believing Christ’s work for salvation, a person is completely saved.

I stated that two events took place to bring about my justification. The first was my sins being placed upon Jesus Christ; the second took place in my life seventeen years ago. On March 13, 1994, I went down to an altar, and asked the Lord to save me, trusting Him and His work alone. At that moment, I not only trusted the Lord’s payment of my sins that were laid upon Him, but He immediately placed His robe of righteousness around me. The first event that resulted in my justification was when my sins were laid upon Christ; the second event is when Christ’s righteousness was laid upon me! Now, when the Father examines me in His court, He sees only the righteousness of Christ! He cannot find any sins against me, because Jesus Christ took them, and paid the penalty of death for them! He rose from the dead, proving that He died for my sins; not His own. Had He died for His own sins, the grave would have kept Him, for the wages of sin is death. But He resurrected from the dead, proving that the Father had accepted His payment of my sin and yours. Now, when we trust His payment for our sins, His righteousness is laid upon us, and the Father can rightfully declare us “NOT GUILTY!” Praise the Lord for this sublime truth!

As I previously stated, we do not use the word, “justification” in our present American legal system. We rather use the word, “acquittal.” Now, consider this. What is the opposite of justification? Knowing that we use the word “acquittal” rather than “justification,” let me ask it this way – “What is the opposite of being acquitted, the opposite of being found ‘not guilty’?” The opposite of being found “not guilty,” of course, is the act of being found “guilty!” In our legal system, we call this, “conviction.” If one is found guilty of a crime, he is “convicted.” The Bible term for “convicted” is “condemned.” The exact opposite of being justified is being condemned. To understand what a blessing it is to be justified, let us look and see what the Bible says about being condemned, which we Christians are not, since we have been justified.

John 3:18 – “He that believeth on him is NOT CONDEMNED: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

He that believeth on Him is NOT CONDEMNED! When I completely believe on, or trust, Jesus Christ, I am in no wise found guilty for any of my past sins! Believing on Christ erases them from the record!

That’s great news regarding my past sins, but what about presently? Am I justified presently, or was justification something regarding my past only? Let us see how the scriptures answer us:

Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore NOW no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Justification is my PRESENT condition before the court of the great Judge! What does the future hold for them who believe on Christ? What does the Bible say about our justification in the future?

John 5:24 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT COME INTO condemnation, but is passed from death unto life!”

There is no possible way for the man who is trusting Jesus Christ for FULL SALVATION to come into condemnation! There is no route from “faith in Christ” to “condemnation.”

Even though the scriptures are plain, that if I believe on, or trust Jesus Christ, I am justified rather than condemned, there are those who would try to condemn me. There are those who would tell me that I am condemned, even though I am trusting solely in Jesus Christ. They say I am condemned because I have not kept every commandment in the Bible. Others say I am condemned because I do not worship on Saturday. Others say I am condemned because the preacher who baptized me in water did not say the word, “Jesus” before he dunked me. Others say I am condemned because I do not perform sacraments. You may ask, “How do you answer these accusations of condemnation?” The Bible has a word for those who would try to condemn me, in spite of God’s justification. Notice:

Romans 8:33, 34 – “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

I learn two things from this passage. First, it is clear that if God Almighty says I’m justified, or declared to be “not guilty,” then no man has any power whatsoever to declare me guilty! No one, not even the devil himself, can condemn me when God says I’m justified! Second, I learn from this passage the blessed truth that is revealed to us here in the form of a question – “Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect?” From this passage, it is not only true that no man can condemn me when God justifies me; but it is equally true that no one can even lay anything to my charge! Not only can I not be condemned when God justifies me; you cannot even bring charges against me!

Romans 5:1 – “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

MORE TO COME…

A Full Gospel without Full Salvation

Being commonplace for churches today to claim to believe the FULL GOSPEL, it is therefore necessary to understand what is meant by that phrase. Sometimes, though not always, the one claiming to believe in the “full gospel” insinuates that others do not have as much gospel as they do. At times, those claiming to have the “full gospel” are exclusivists – that is, they believe that their group is, in its entirety, the body of Christ, and no other group is part of the true church. While this is not often the case, it is the case at times.

What is the “full gospel”? When one says that they believe in the “full gospel,” they believe that salvation is only the start; not the end. So many churches today preach salvation as an end, when in reality, salvation is the beginning – the beginning of a walk with God; the beginning of a relationship with Jesus Christ; the beginning of discipleship; the beginning of higher heights and deeper depths; the beginning of a life lived for Christ; the beginning of, in some cases, a ministry. Salvation is not the conclusion of one’s relationship with Christ; it is the start! Those who believe in the full gospel of Christ believe that the one who has received salvation should grow, learn, give, worship, and gain more from Christ. And rightly so. There is more to receive after one receives the blessed gift of salvation. However, while you may receive more FROM Christ, you’ll never receive more THAN Christ. At salvation, you receive Jesus Christ. While the Christ who lives within you has more to offer; you’ll get it all through Him. He is our all-in-all. He is all we need. I am filled with the Holy Ghost when Christ fills me; I am called to the ministry when Christ calls me; I am illuminated with the truths of scripture when the Holy Ghost, who is sent by Christ, reveals it to me! While one can never grow BEYOND Christ; one can grow IN Christ, and most certainly should do so!

So, those claiming to believe the “full gospel” claim to gain more from Christ than simply salvation. And this is certainly the correct mindset, as Christ has more to offer. However, I have made an observation to be shared with the reader. I have observed that some who do not align themselves with the “full gospel” crowd preach and believe in a FULL SALVATION. On the other hand, some who claim to believe the “full gospel” do not believe in a full salvation! Now, the question arises, “what is meant by FULL SALVATION?” Make no mistake about it – I believe in the FULL GOSPEL. While I understand that the Christ who lives within the believer has much more to offer than merely salvation, the reader must understand that I also believe strongly in a FULL SALVATION! Some say they believe in a full gospel, but they haven’t even gotten everything out of salvation that Christ intended them to have. Now, I will look at the question, “What is meant by ‘full salvation,’ and what does it include?”

Full Salvation is Complete Salvation

The salvation that Jesus Christ purchased upon the cross is a complete salvation – neither a deed nor creed can be added to it! It is complete! It needs no touching up! It needs nothing to sustain it! Look at what the wise preacher observed –

Ecclesiastes 3:14 – “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.”

Imagine this, if you can: Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, being mocked in the house of Annas and Caiaphas. He goes from there to Pilate, the Roman governor. Pilate examines Him thoroughly, declaring that He could find no fault whatsoever in Jesus Christ. Pilate, after hearing the mob mention Galilee, sends Christ to Herod, because Christ is a Galilean. Herod mocks the Messiah, but does nothing. He simply sends Christ back to Pilate. A second time, Pilate examines Jesus Christ, finding no fault concluding a second examination. Pilate has Jesus scourged, or whipped, until He was unrecognizable. The scriptures tell us that visage, or face, of Christ was marred more than any man. We are told that there is no beauty that we should desire Him. After Christ is publicly beaten, He is then forced to take up a cross and bear it to Calvary’s rugged hill. There, He is stretched out upon the cross. Nails are driven into His hands and feet – may I insert, that these are the hands and feet of a man who KNEW NO SIN whatsoever! He was not only innocent of the crime for which He is dying; He is entirely innocent of any wrongdoing, on any scale, judged by any man’s standard. If He is innocent, why is He dying? He is dying the death of a criminal because you and I are the criminals worthy of death – but alas! Here, Christ dies in our place, so that we might live eternally!

Can you imagine, for a single moment, Christ dying the horrendous death that He died to make salvation difficult? If you think that salvation is difficult (on man’s part), you need to read the blessed story of the crucifixion of our Saviour again. It has not taken root in your heart as it should. God the Father did not send His only begotten Son into the world to make it hard to be saved! He sent Christ to be the Saviour of the world! Let me say it this way: God the Father did not send Christ into the world to help us live perfect so we can save ourselves! God the Father sent Christ into the world to die for us, so that when we place our faith in Him, we are COMPLETELY SAVED! Man is in no way capable of saving Himself. Jesus did not die the cruel death of the cross in order to start a salvation that you and I could finish! He came to FINISH that glorious work of salvation!

John 17:4 – “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”

John 19:30 – “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.”

Praise the Lord! The work is finished! All that we must do is place our faith in His completed work on the cross. And, by doing so, we receive a salvation that is complete! I am saved by grace, through faith (Ephesians 2:8). I am kept saved by the power of God, through faith (I Peter 1:5). The same faith in Christ that gets me saved keeps me saved! Of course, genuine salvation produces good works; but the works do not keep me saved. Only faith in the blood of Christ alone is my complete salvation!

Full Salvation is a “Deliverance” Salvation

When a person receives Biblical salvation, that person is delivered. Notice with me, if you will, Romans the 10th chapter, that great salvation chapter:

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Here, Paul is quoting from the book of Joel. Let’s look at the verse Paul is quoting:

Joel 2:32 – “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered.”

In Joel, the prophet says, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be DELIVERED.” When Paul the apostle quotes this passage, he says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be SAVED.” Is this a contradiction? It is absolutely not a contradiction! Genuine, Biblical salvation that is from the Lord is a salvation that delivers! It is a salvation that sets free! Biblical salvation IS deliverance!

II Corinthians 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.”

While there are those who simply “say a prayer,” and experience no change, may I say frankly that an experience such as that one is not equivalent to the “full salvation” that the Bible offers! There is deliverance available to the captive! Thanks be to God for a gospel that sets free from drugs; a gospel that delivers from alcohol; a gospel that transforms the pill addict into a prayer warrior! I have seen this done over and over! I know people personally, who, did not merely say a prayer; but they received full salvation – a salvation that sets free!

Isaiah prophesied concerning the work of Christ. Look, he says, at what Christ came to do –

Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, and the OPENING OF THE PRISON to them that are bound.”

What a ministry! Yes, this is exactly what Jesus Christ came to do! He came to set men and women free from the bondage and prison-houses of sin! He came to deliver completely, and to set free. Many churches simply ask people to repeat a prayer. These churches often express no expectation of real deliverance. I do not blame them for not expecting true deliverance; many of these churches proclaim a sorry gospel that does not have power to deliver an individual from sin! But the gospel that I preach – the gospel of Jesus Christ – the message of the Bible, God’s holy Word, has shown the power of deliverance from bondage over and over. And when one places faith in the Christ that I preach, I expect a change, because the Christ I preach has the power to change them! Full salvation is deliverance!

TO BE CONINUED…

The Greatest Glory

The glory of God is known little to the church world of today. Many reading this do not even know what is meant by the phrase, “glory of God.” I want to discuss the glory of God, comparing what I will call "Old Testament glory" with “New Testament glory.” Our main text shall be found in II Corinthians 3:

II Corinthians 3:7-11 – “But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away: How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.”

There are a few points to bring out from this passage regarding the glory of God.

The Old Testament was a Glorious Covenant

Make no mistake about it! The Old Testament was glorious! There was a God-fearing glory associated with the Old Testament. Think about when Moses went into Mount Sinai to receive the law of God written upon tables of stone; written by the hand of God Almighty Himself. The atmosphere around that dreadful place roared with thunder! The earth itself shook at the awesome presence of a holy God! When Moses came off that mountain, his face shone, having to be covered with a veil. It wouldn’t hurt one thing if the church today would approach God Almighty will such reverence and godly fear. Our text reads this way – “If the ministration of death…was glorious…” Yes, the Old Testament Law of Moses was the ministration of death. It was the Law of Moses that defined sin, condemned sin, and punished sin. The Law of Moses provided no life, no deliverance, and no salvation. Theoretically, if one kept the entire Law of Moses, he could be saved, but in actuality, no man ever kept the whole Law! The Law of Moses was rightfully called the ministration of death. It could only condemn us to death, and it could do no more.

There is Something More Glorious Than Old Testament Glory

Look with me at a couple of passages to show how God’s glory was revealed in the Old Testament:

Exodus 40:34, 35 – “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.”

In this verse, at the completion of the building of the tabernacle, the glory of God filled the tabernacle to the extent that Moses, who had spoken to God face to face, could not enter the tabernacle! The word, “tabernacle” means literally, “dwelling place.” God’s presence would abide in the place that Moses had built! And when His divine presence moved in that place, the Spirit of God was so thick that no man could stand to go in that structure! It makes me think of the Great Day of Judgment. If God’s presence on Mount Sinai shook the mountain; if God’s presence filled the tabernacle in the above passage; how much more is the presence of God going to shake this world when lost men and women stand before the great Judge of the earth? If Moses, a man who lived so close to the Lord he could talk to the Lord face to face, could not enter the tabernacle while the presence of the living God was saturating that structure, how much more will the vile, wretched, unrepentant sinners tremble on that dreadful morning? Yes, the Old Testament is a glorious covenant.

Years after the tabernacle was built, when Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, we see the same glorious experience as Moses experienced.

I Kings 8:10, 11 – “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD, So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of the LORD.”

After the temple was built in Jerusalem, the priests – those who had been sanctified (set apart) solely for the work of the Lord – could not stand to minister in the Lord’s house! The ministers had to back away and let God’s presence saturate that place – and that is exactly what happened.

The Old Testament was glorious! God’s presence fills the pages of the Old Testament. Every God-fearing individual who reads the Old Testament understands that God is holy; God is righteousness; and holiness is demanded of Him. He still declares, “Be ye holy, for I am holy!” The glory of His holiness is clearly seen within the leaves of Old Testament scripture.

But – there is something more glorious than Old Testament glory! Not only is there an experience more glorious than Old Testament glory, but I have experienced it! I have heard so many ministers push for Old Testament glory. I have seen ministers try to work up an atmosphere to where everyone in the house of God was on their faces before God. While that kind of glory is fine, I wish ministers today would understand that there is something far better than a house full of people on their faces before God.

My original text not only states that the Old Testament was glorious, but it also says, “the ministration of the spirit shall be rather glorious.” He goes on to say, “MUCH MORE doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory!” Yes, Paul states that the Old Testament is glorious – but the Old Testament Law of Moses only condemned us. The New Testament – the gospel of Jesus Christ – is “MUCH MORE glorious” than the Old Testament glory of a house full of people on their faces before God!

Look with me at the gospel of John:

John 1:1, 14 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and WE BEHELD HIS GLORY, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

What is more glorious than the Old Testament glory of a holy God dwelling in a tabernacle or a temple constructed by the hands of man? While God’s presence dwelling within a tabernacle, temple, or church is glorious; it is far more glorious when the gospel of Jesus Christ is preached, and a person trusts Jesus Christ to save him from his sins, and at that very moment, the Spirit of the living God takes up residence in the heart of that individual! I like it when God’s Spirit visits man-made structures; but I like it much more when the gospel is received and God’s Spirit resides within a God-made structure, within the inner man of a new convert! I do not know if there was rejoicing in the presence of the angels when God’s Spirit visited the tabernacle of Moses or the temple of Solomon. But one thing I know for sure – “There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels over one sinner that repenteth!”

Suppose an angel came to me tonight, and said, “Bob, I am sent by the Father to give you something.”

“All right,” I reply. “What are you giving me?”

“Whatever you choose. You have two choices. You can either experience the glory of God like Moses and Solomon saw. That is, when you preach, people will sense the awesome presence of God, and His presence will fill the church every time you speak. Or…” the angel continues, “you can have the glory that the apostles had. They handled Jesus Christ, the glory of God; they saw Jesus Christ, the glory of God; they preached Jesus Christ, the glory of God; and, as a result, they saw many conversions. They saw, not the glory of God filling buildings; but they saw the glory of God – the Spirit of Jesus Christ Himself – filling human vessels. They saw individuals get changed by the power of God! Which do you choose?”

The choice would be easy. I would choose the greatest glory of all – Jesus Christ saving lost men and women, filling them with His glory. I would much rather see the Spirit of Christ enter into the heart of lost men and women than to see the Spirit of Christ enter a building.

Which do you prefer?

Shame and the Gospel

Two words, seemingly unrelated, are “shame” and “gospel.” Shame is defined by Noah Webster as “Reproach; ignominy; derision; contempt; dishonor; disgrace.” The gospel of Jesus Christ is defined by Paul the apostle in I Corinthians 15 as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – the message that brings salvation to a dying soul. The despicable, stomach-turning characteristic of shame should never be associated with a subject as glorious as the gospel of Jesus Christ. In spite of this, many have unapologetically mixed the precious elements of the gospel of Christ with their own shameful ideals. Allow me to expound upon this.

Some Are Ashamed OF the Gospel

Romans 1:16 – “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation; unto the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

By declaring that he was not ashamed of the gospel himself, Paul is also teaching us that it is possible for a person to be “ashamed of the gospel.” And it is clearly seen all around us that many professing Christians are ashamed of the gospel. The lack of soul-winning among Christians is evidence enough that professing Christians are ashamed of the gospel. The very souls who have been set free by the Bible message of salvation are ashamed to declare the very gospel that has made them free! One would think that deliverance from binding sins would in itself give courage and strength to the Christian to be a soul-winner. But, as I find often, many who have been delivered, are ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why are people who have set free by the gospel ashamed of the gospel? Some are ashamed of the gospel because its message is unpopular. In our society of pluralism, multi-culturalism, and tolerance, Jesus’ words are not in sync with such ideals. Words such as “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” rub the world the wrong way. Every Christian reader needs to understand this – the sick, perverted world in which we live will never accept your message. Those who are publicly against Christ and in alignment with this world absolutely HATE the gospel. Yes, they preach tolerance, and they themselves are the most hostile, intolerant people toward Christianity. They preach freedom of speech for perverts, cross-dressers, and those who are “transgender;” but they turn around and attempt to take away such freedoms from Christians. They want Christ removed from the public square; they want religion to stay within the four walls of the church; they want preaching that is against sin to be defined as a hate crime. Liberalism is, by definition, hypocrisy.

But Christians should not be surprised. Our Lord told us it would be this way, only promising that it would get worse! Look what He said:

John 15:18-20 – “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 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; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.”

John 16:2, 3 – “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.”

Jesus told us it would be this way! When you take your stand for Jesus, you will be hated by this world! You will be an outcast! You will be falsely accused, cast into prison for the sake of the gospel, and even killed for the gospel of Christ. But remember this – Christ was rejected for you! Christ stood alone for you and me. He died alone and forsaken of the Father on Golgotha’s rugged brow. Whatever the cost to follow Him will surely be worth it. While Christ suffered, separated from the Father, He promised us that we would never suffer alone, for He promised, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you!” So, dear Christian, stand for Jesus! Say with Paul the apostle, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ!” He was not ashamed to suffer for us; may we never be ashamed to suffer for Him.

Mark 8:38 – “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Luke 9:26 – “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.”

Some Are a Shame TO the Gospel

Volumes could be written concerning the truth that some live in a way as to shame the name of Jesus Christ. His name is holy, righteous, and pure, and if you are going to declare it, you should live a lifestyle that backs up your words. Look at this:

II Timothy 2:19 – “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.”

Plainly, the apostle states that if you name the name of Jesus Christ, then depart from iniquity! When a Christian sins openly before this world, he becomes a shame to the gospel with which he associates himself.

While it is true that the world will hate us, as we have already seen; while it is true that we will no doubt be falsely accused; DO NOT give the world a reason to accuse you! Professing Christians and ministers have brought much shame to the cause of Christ. I am told of ministers who contract debt and do not pay! I am told of Christians who borrow money and do not pay it back. I am told of Christians who, on the job, do not work their fair share. I know of professing Christians who will have their electricity to be shut off before they’ll get up off the couch and work for the money to pay the electric bill! All of these things bring shame to the name of Jesus Christ! I do not wish to be ashamed OF the gospel, but neither do I wish to be a shame TO the gospel!

Some Preach a ShameFUL Gospel

How glorious is the gospel of Jesus Christ! Dr. M.R. DeHaan said, “There are only two religions in the world – the DO religion and the DONE religion.” Man’s religion, or the DO religion, says that if you are to be saved, you must “do this,” “do that,” “perform sacraments,” “be baptized,” “keep laws,” “keep commandments,” “dress this way,” “dress that way,” and on, and on, and on. While I believe in living right (so that I am not a shame TO the gospel), “doing things” does not comprise salvation. “Doing things” to be saved is man’s false religion.

God’s religion, however, is the DONE religion. The final cry of our Saviour from the cross was “It is finished!” There is nothing left to perform for our salvation. There is nothing left for you and me to do. We must simply place all of our faith in what Christ has already completely done on Calvary’s hill. The songwriter put it this way:

It is finished; what a gospel!

Nothing has been left to do,

But to take with grateful gladness

What the Saviour did for you.

It is finished; Hallelujah! It is finished; Hallelujah!

Christ the work has fully done; Hallelujah!

All who will may have their pardon

Through the blood of God’s own Son.*

To preach anything less than salvation by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ is to preach a shameful gospel. There is a problem with preaching that salvation either attained or maintained by keeping laws and commandments. The problem is not that those who preach in such a way are too strict; the problem is rather that they are not strict enough! The act of keeping laws and commandments is not “going overboard;” it is actually “not going far enough!” Keeping laws and commandments, being baptized, performing sacraments, and all other efforts of mankind is not too much for salvation; it is not enough for salvation. Notice:

Matthew 5:20 – “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

The Pharisees, the religious leaders of Christ’s day who preached strict adherence to rules and regulations, had a problem. It was not that their rules went too far; it was that their rules DID NOT GO FAR ENOUGH! So many today have read the above verse and have preached that we need to be stricter than the Pharisees if we are going to be saved. But that is not what Jesus preached. The answer is not more rules, more strictness, more sacraments, and more works of man! These things were not sufficient for salvation to start with, and they’ll never be sufficient for salvation, no matter how much of them you have! The attempt to keep laws, commandments, baptisms, and sacraments is man’s DO religion. The righteousness that far exceeds the law-keeping of the Pharisees is the righteousness of Christ. Christ is all my righteousness. His work is absolutely complete, and brings full salvation with no work of man added to it whatsoever!

To preach any other salvation, one is preaching a shameful gospel. May every Christian declare with boldness the true gospel of Jesus Christ without shame, living a lifestyle that supports such a message, and testifying only the work of Jesus Christ for the salvation of this lost and dying world.

*M. Fraser