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 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

A Full Gospel without Full Salvation - Part 4B

This post is “part 4B,” because it is not only a continuation of the series as a whole; it is a continuation of part 4. In this post, I will discuss further the fact that full salvation is a secure salvation.

Full Salvation is a Secure Salvation – Continued

The full salvation that we receive from the hand of Christ is a secure salvation. Many are afraid of the word “security.” A good number of “full gospel” advocates have little or no security in regards to their salvation. Our security rests on a foundation of several truths. The first truth that I looked at is the Biblical fact that…

“FULL SALVATION” NEVER EXPIRES – CONTINUED

The last point I made concerning this truth was that, in the book of John, at least six times, Jesus associates the act of believing with “everlasting” or “eternal” life. I pointed out that the word EVERLASTING literally means “LASTING for EVER.”

I will continue my thoughts here. The phrases “eternal life” and “everlasting life” occur in the book of John alone thirteen times. When Jesus used these phrases, showing how to possess eternal, or everlasting life, He always spoke in the present tense. Christ always taught that if we believe on Him, we HAVE everlasting life. He presently gives us everlasting life RIGHT NOW. Some are trying to be faithful so they can obtain everlasting life after they die. This is not the everlasting life that Christ gives.

John 5:24 – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, HATH [present tense] everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”

I John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye HAVE [present tense] eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

In these two verses, one speaks of “everlasting life;” the other speaks of “eternal life.” Both speak of possessing this life presently. Other verses that show this clearly are John 3:15; John 3:16; John 3:36; John 6:40; John 6:47; and John 6:54. Full salvation is not probation. It is complete justification, as we saw clearly in part 2 of this series.

“FULL SALVATION” CANNOT BE SNATCHED BY THE DEVIL

At this time, I want to look at some clear verses of scripture from John’s Gospel, the tenth chapter.

John 10:10 – “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

It is understood that the thief, in the above verse, is the devil. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy. Although this is his express purpose, I want to make it clear that the devil cannot kill the child of God by taking away everlasting life. Jesus makes this truth very clear in the same chapter. Notice:

John 10:27, 28 – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

Now, what did Jesus mean when He said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish”? What He meant was, “I give unto them eternal life; and THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH!” The phrase “never perish” means that the devil cannot kill me spiritually. He cannot take away my everlasting life. Yes, the thief comes to steal. And he is doing just that. He is stealing even from Christians. He steals their joy. He steals their peace. The thief comes to kill. And he is doing just that. He is killing those who serve him. Those who give their lives to the service of the devil end up on the deathbed, gasping for their final breath. They are there oftentimes because of the hard lives they have lived for Satan. The devil rewards those who serve him – with death. He kills his own! Then, he destroys them in an eternal, burning hell.

But as for the Christian, the devil has no authority to kill or destroy him! The Christian is in the fold of the Good Shepherd. He has no authority to take eternal life from one sheep that belongs to the Good Shepherd. THEY SHALL NEVER PERISH! When you receive full salvation, you receive life that all the devils in hell cannot touch!

“FULL SALVATION” CANNOT BE DIMINISHED BY MAN!

Not only can the devil do nothing about my salvation, but mankind is helpless is destroying my salvation.

John 10:28, 29 – “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and NO MAN IS ABLE to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

What a great truth! A man who believes on Christ is safe from the hand of man. In the United States, we do not appreciate this truth as they do in other countries. There are nations in the world where it is dangerous to be a Christian. Richard Wurmbrand suffered for fourteen years in a Romanian prison, simply for preaching the gospel. The guards beat his body, but they could not touch his soul! His body was deprived, but his soul was secure! The Romanian government was able to confine Richard Wurmbrand to a prison cell; they were able to deny him the simple pleasures of life; they were able to sever him from the ties of his family. But there is one thing they did not do, because they were not able to do it – “NO MAN IS ABLE to pluck them out of my Father’s hand!” These merciless guards could not snatch his salvation from him! It was untouchable! The devil can’t kill me spiritually (or physically, for that matter); man cannot cause me to be lost!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

A good closing passage for this series is found in Romans 8. Look with me:

Romans 8:35-39 – “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In Full Gospel circles, the songs written by Adger M. Pace are frequently sung. He wrote He’s my King; Victory Today is Mine; and Heaven’s Jubilee. A lesser known song of his is the song entitled Deeper than the Stain Has Gone –

When with holy choirs we’re standing in the presence of the great King,

And our souls are lost in wonder as the white-robed choirs sing.

Then we’ll praise the name of Jesus with the millions ‘round the throne.

Praise Him for the power that reaches deeper than the stain has gone.

Praise the Lord for FULL SALVATION!

God still reigns upon His throne.

And I know the blood still reaches

Deeper than the stain has gone.

A Full Gospel without Full Salvation - Part 4A

Having noticed that some believe in the “full gospel,” I have noticed that many who adhere to such a gospel do not even believe in “full salvation.” I have, in recent previous posts, been expounding upon the meaning of “full salvation.” Philip Paul Bliss caught a glimpse of full salvation when he wrote:

‘Tis the promise of God,

Full salvation to give

Unto him who on Jesus,

His Son will believe.

Hallelujah, ‘tis done!

I believe on the Son;

I am saved by the blood

Of the crucified One!

Philip Bliss’ writings concerning full salvation are not limited to the above lines. It was Philip Bliss who also wrote:

Come, sing the gospel’s joyful sound,

Salvation full and free;

Proclaim to all the world around,

The year of jubilee!

Salvation, salvation,

The grace of God doth bring;

Salvation, salvation,

Thro’ Christ our Lord and King.

Full salvation is a complete salvation, a justified salvation, and a sanctified salvation. But, there is yet more.

Full Salvation is a Secure Salvation

A good percentage of professing Christians today have a shaky salvation, ready to topple at the commission of one evil work, or at the omission of one good work. I would say, based upon my travels throughout this country, that in the United States, there are very few people who know positively, absolutely, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that they are saved by the grace of God with a secure salvation that hinges solely upon Jesus Christ and His finished work upon the cross. Many well-meaning church members are “striving to make heaven their home.” This phrase, “striving to make heaven my home,” is not found in the Bible anywhere. Yet, so many are attempting to perform this unattainable, unscriptural task. Long ago, I ceased to work for heaven. When the Lord saved me by His marvellous grace, I entered into His rest. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” How do you know if you have entered into rest? The apostle gives us the answer:

Hebrews 4:10 – “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His.”

The evidence that you have entered into rest is that you have ceased to work! Now, I understand that the man who is genuinely saved will work for God. There is no denying that. However, when you enter into rest, you are resting solely upon Christ’s work for your salvation, and consequently, you cease from your own works in attempt to gain salvation. Furthermore, resting in Christ gives a full salvation, consisting of security. Yes, I said, “security.” I’m amazed at how many promoters of the “full gospel” preach little or no security for the one who is saved by the grace of God.

“FULL SALVATION” NEVER EXPIRES

In my previous post, I wrote extensively concerning our sanctification. I explained, using the Word of God, how a person is sanctified the moment he trusts Christ to save Him. If you have not read my previous post, it would benefit the reader to do so before continuing this post.

The Bible clearly teaches that we obtain salvation “through sanctification of the Spirit.” This means simply that you cannot be saved without being sanctified. It is the saving, atoning blood of Jesus Christ that sanctifies the moment we trust Christ to save us. Notice:

Hebrews 10:10 – “By the which will [the will of God, see verse 9] we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Plainly, the scripture reads this way – “...we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.” “The offering of the body of Jesus Christ” refers to the act of Jesus Christ offering His own body upon the altar that we call “the cross.” The Old Testament lambs were OFFERED, being slain upon the Old Testament altars. But Christ was OFFERED, upon the old, rugged cross. The split second we trust Christ to save us, the same blood that saves us also sanctifies us! We are NOT sanctified through “giving up things.” We “give up things” because He sanctified us by His blood. We are NOT sanctified by “changing the way we live.” We “change the way we live” because He sanctified us by His blood. Let’s get it straight – we are sanctified BY HIS BLOOD – the offering of Christ’s body upon the cross – and we receive it the moment we are saved by the grace of God. We will certainly grow in our sanctification; but we receive it when we receive Christ. The sanctification we receive instantly at the time of salvation will GRADUALLY conform us to the image of Christ – no doubt about that. But we are partakers of this sanctification upon receiving Christ.

Why am I saying all of this? I showed you Hebrews 10:10, which states clearly that we are sanctified through Christ’s offering of His body upon the cross. Now, let us look at verse 14 of the same chapter:

Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering He hath perfected FOR EVER them that are sanctified.”

This verse needs no explanation to honest students of the Bible. The context is the “offering of the body of Jesus Christ,” that is, Christ’s death upon the cross. In verse 10, the writer states that we are sanctified by Christ’s ONE OFFERING, and that offering would be offered ONCE FOR ALL. Then, in verse 14, the writer goes on to say what Christ does for them who have been sanctified by Christ’s blood – “…He hath perfected FOR EVER” them that are sanctified! I hear a lot of the “full gospel” advocates quoting Matthew 5:48 – “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” They’ll use this verse to preach that our works must be absolutely perfect to obtain salvation. Listen carefully, friend. No one’s works ever made anyone perfect! There’s only one way for sinful men to become perfect. You must be born again! When you place your faith in the blood of Jesus Christ to save and cleanse you (Romans 3:25), He immediately sanctifies you by that blood (Hebrews 10:10), and perfects you FOR EVER (Hebrews 10:14)! We are perfect because Christ paid off our sins completely – all of them! Then, Christ places His righteousness upon us. The moment we are saved, the Father only sees Christ when He looks at me! That’s the only way sinners can be made perfect!

Our salvation is secure because it is an eternal, never expiring work. I didn’t write it, but look with me at the fifth chapter of Hebrews, which speaks of Christ:

Hebrews 5:9 – “And being made perfect, he became the author of ETERNAL SALVATION unto all them that obey him.”

When a man obeys Jesus Christ, he receives eternal salvation. Now, some interpret this to mean that you must obey every commandment in the Bible. At the end of your life, if you have obeyed every law and commandment in the Bible, then you will receive eternal salvation at that time. NOT SO! Laws and commandments do not give life of any kind, let alone eternal life!

Galatians 3:21 – “…if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Laws do not give life of any kind, my friend. Which command of Christ must we obey to obtain salvation?

I Thessalonians 1:8 – “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I Peter 4:17 – “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL of God?”

The above verses make it clear – judgment is coming to those who OBEY NOT THE GOSPEL! Hebrews 5:9 makes it clear that Jesus is the author of eternal salvation unto all them that OBEY Him. And the commandment in which we are to obey is – the gospel!

How do you obey the gospel? The gospel, according to I Corinthians 15, is the message of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. How do you obey that message? You do not obey the gospel by keeping laws and commandments; you do not obey the gospel by sacraments and baptism. There’s only one way to obey the gospel. You obey the gospel by BELIEVING THE GOSPEL. That’s the command of Christ that brings salvation.

Mark 1:15 – “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and BELIEVE THE GOSPEL.”

At least six times in the book of John, Jesus associates the act of believing with everlasting, or eternal life. Let me ask you a question. How long does everlasting life last? The word, “everlasting” means “LASTING for EVER.” Some claim to believe the “full gospel,” and their salvation lasts only until the next time they sin. What they need to catch a glimpse of full salvation!

STILL NOT DONE…

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…

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

The Rock and the Hammer

Matthew 16:18 – “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Imagine a massive rock, more immense than Gibraltar. Imagine that it is more mountainous than the Himalayas, higher than Everest, more defined than Rushmore, covers more area than the Appalachians, and has within it more power than Mount Saint Helens. There is such a Rock, and it is the Rock upon which the church of Jesus Christ is built. It is the foundation of Jesus Christ Himself. At this point, it is necessary to distinguish between nominal Christianity and the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are those who are Christians nominally, but do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. There are those who claim to be born again, but have shown no change in their hearts or lives. To them it is written in I John 2:4 – “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.” It is those who claim a faith where there is no change in the life who provoke James to write, “Faith without works is dead.”

While there are those who shame the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are others who prove that there is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ to change lives, transforming them from bondage to liberty; from sin to sanctification; from wickedness to holiness.

Suppose you are witnessing this Rock of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As you are beholding this great Rock, you notice that a man approaches it. In his hand is a hammer. Though the hammer is small, almost non-existent in comparison to the Rock, the man begins swinging. He angrily swings the hammer, trying to destroy the Rock. After only a few short minutes, beads of sweat roll down his face. He takes a short break, and then proceeds to destroy the Rock. After only one hour, the man, worn out from his vain attempts to destroy the great Rock, swings the last swing from that feeble hammer, the hammer breaks. All that is left in the man’s hand is the handle. After just one hour, he resigns his ambitions and departs. The hammer is destroyed; the Rock remains.

The next day, as you continue to witness, another man comes. He has a different hammer, slightly bigger. He is a somewhat bigger man than the man who was there the day prior. He begins swinging with his hammer at the great Rock. After a few swings, the man is exhausted. Only one hour passes, and the man’s hammer is worn beyond any further use. The hammer is destroyed; the Rock remains.

If you really saw a mountain greater than Everest and a man trying to destroy it with a hammer, you would laugh your way into a padded cell. But the story is true. This very story has been witnessed for centuries. Man has used his efforts, which are no greater than a hammer compared to a mountain, to destroy Christianity. One by one, scoffers have had their turn. Now, more than two thousand years of attacks against the Bible, Christianity, Jesus Christ, the church of the living God, the Holy Ghost, the blood of Jesus, the message of the cross, and all the other tenets of the faith, Christianity still stands strong, while hammer after hammer is broken, never to be used again.

I do not have time to describe every feeble hammer that has whacked away at this great Rock. But I will mention a few. Governments have had their swings at Christianity. At the time of the birth of the church, the Roman empire tried its best to destroy it. The Colosseum was constructed for the murder of Christians in the first century. Christians were fed to the lions for the amusement of the blood-thirsty crowd. In Nero’s day, Christians were used as human torches. Christians died cruel deaths, simply for being Christians. But this did not destroy the great Rock. As a matter of fact, the church grew rapidly during this time of persecution, as it does during all times of persecution. It was a feeble hammer, and after five centuries, the Roman Empire collapsed. The hammer is broken, and the man who swung it is dead. The Roman Empire is gone, but the church of Jesus Christ goes on triumphantly after two millenniums.

Other governments have had their hour of swinging. Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and other communist governments have tried to kill the church of Jesus Christ. But these men are gone. They killed themselves swinging the hammer. The mountain remains, but those who swung hammer are gone. Communist China persecutes Christians at this very day. But the church of Jesus Christ that exists in China is strong. The true church there is the underground church. Attending an underground church, if caught, means prison, at best. But even if it means prison or death, those valiant Christians would rather serve the Christ who died for them than to live as a coward in a palace. In spite of the great persecution there, the church is strong. The government is swinging, but the damage done to the church by the hammer in China is not even noticeable!

Philosophers have had their hour swinging at the great Rock. Atheists have had their day, but have resigned. I have talked to people about Voltaire. I ask ordinary people, “Do you know who Voltaire was?” More than once, the answer has been, “No, who was he?” He died fighting the Bible and God Almighty. But, the sorry hammer of atheism is in shambles. After his death, the Geneva Bible Society used Voltaire’s house for the printing and distribution of Bibles!

Madeline Murray O’Hare made her mark in American History. She exhausted herself swinging the hammer to destroy the church of Jesus Christ in the United States. However, Madeline Murray O’ Hare was a tremendous failure. She was an idiot in her thinking, wicked in her living, vile in her conversation, and most of her debate tactics consisted of angry yelling, because she had a sorry argument. But she swung. Maybe her little hammer could bring down the church in America.

But she proved to be a failure. You say, “Wait a minute! Her efforts ended prayer and Bible reading in public schools.” No, it did not. You who think that her efforts ended prayer and Bible reading in public schools are dead wrong. I attended public school until I graduated high school in 2001. Before I was converted, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Pile, prayed every single day over our lunch. Madeline Murray O’ Hare was a failure. From the time I was saved in 1994 until the time I graduated in 2001, there was prayer in public school EVERY DAY without exception. In my high school, Christian students met from time to time for Bible reading and prayer – IN A CLASSROOM. I could not be found on the grounds of a public school without my Bible. Every chance I got to write for an assignment, I wrote about the things of God and the Bible. And, I am not bragging on myself. By far, I am not the only student who carried my Bible in public school. There were students with whom I attended school that I regard as dedicated Christians. And I do not doubt that there are students today who stand in the public school system for Jesus Christ. Madeline Murray O’ Hare swung the hammer as long as she could. But now, her hammer dwindled. She is in existence somewhere, and one thing is certain – she is no atheist now. She is a firm believer. Her atheism was only temporary. It lasted only a short time – an hour, if you will. But the church of Jesus Christ goes on.

There have been many others who have had their swings at the church of Jesus Christ. But the gospel that I preach is built on a solid foundation – the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ. We have an infallible copy of the eternal Word of God, which has outlived every attack against it. Within the church resides the eternal Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, who knows no boundaries. He has gone to the hearts of the bitterest unbelievers, and saved many them by the grace of God. We have a message that has been mocked, but it has and will outlive every message contrary to it. We have the solution for every problem in the world. If the entire world would come to Jesus Christ, there would be no AIDS; there would be no war; there would be no slavery; there would be no crimes; there would be no terrorism from them who worship false idols; and there would be nothing but peace. Some will still fight against Jesus Christ – but their fighting will cease, and the whole world will know – “Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!”

Last eve I paused beside the blacksmith’s door
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor
Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one,” said he; and with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

“And so,” I thought, “the anvil of God’s Word
For ages skeptic blows have beaten upon;
Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The Anvil is unharmed, the hammers – GONE!”*

*John Clifford

Do Labels Intimidate You?

Part of living as a Christian includes taking a stand for the right and against the wrong. In the Bible, we have examples of God’s people taking a stand for truth, even when their lives were at stake. In our day, when one takes a stand for truth, opponents of this individual will label him. The purpose of labels is to silence the one taking a stand. Many times, sad to say, it works. But let me clear. You can call me whatever name you wish. You can attach whatever label upon me that suits your fancy. But after you attach the label, truth will still be truth, and lies will still be lies. I will look at a few labels used by opponents of truth.

The “Intolerant” and “Judgmental” Labels
The first labels I will mention are used primarily by the unsaved. Often, they are aimed at conservatives. These labels are pulled out often in a conversation between a liberal and a conservative. At some point, the liberal in the conversation will refer to the conservative as being “intolerant,” or “judgmental.”

In looking at the “intolerant” label, let me say that this label, used by liberals, is laughable. I have a Facebook account. I had a few friends that are liberal. I visited their pages only to find out I was no longer their Facebook friend! I never booted them off of my friend list; but rather the “tolerant” liberals booted me off theirs! Another point worth discussing here is that when I mention my beliefs to “tolerant” liberals, they are intolerant! That’s right; those who pull out the “intolerant” label are extremely intolerant to those who disagree with them! Make no mistake about it; liberals absolutely HATE us! They accuse conservatives of being filled with hate, but they abhor us! The bottom line is this – I am resolved to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, revealing to this world the errors of their sinful ways. I preach the Bible, and make known to the sinner his sins that are offensive to God Almighty. If this makes me “intolerant,” then go tell the world that I am intolerant. Go ahead. Tell them. It will not silence me.

What about the “judgmental” label? The ironic element concerning this hypocritical label is stated simply – those who call me judgmental…are judging me! Furthermore, I do not deny being judgmental. Let me make this clear – I judge! I make judgments. For every Bible verse that you find that forbids judging, I can show you ten that command judging! Everyone who is wise makes judgments. A counsellor is good when when he shows good judgment. A good parent is judgmental; teaching their kids what is right, as well as what is wrong. An idiotic parent is one who refuses to correct their children, lest they show some kind of judgment. When your teenager is in a relationship that may result in marriage, you will hope that you taught them principles of making sound JUDGMENTS!

The same Bible that says, “Judge not” says “Judge righteous judgment.” It says, “Try [or, put on trial] the spirits.” It says, “He that is spiritual judgeth all things.” It says further, “Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” So, there are times when we are not to make judgments; but there are far more times when we are commanded to make judgments. Therefore, I am unashamedly judgmental. I preach what is right and point my finger at what is wrong. If that makes me judgmental, then mark me down as being judgmental. It does not scare or intimidate me.

The “Easy-Believism” Label
At this time, we will discuss a label used by some within the church. As I have written in several blog posts, I am convinced that salvation is by grace, through faith. I preach that one must “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ” to be saved. I do not believe in being saved or kept by works. Because I believe this, some label me as believing in “easy-believism.” Since the term “easy-believism” is not in the Bible, you must define it before I determine whether I believe it or not. If you define “easy-believism” as “believing in the existence of God to be saved,” then I do NOT believe in “easy-believism.” The devils have sense enough to believe in God’s existence, but they are not saved. If you define the term as meaning, “believing that Jesus died on the cross in order to be saved,” then I do NOT believe in “easy-believism.”

However, if you define “easy-believism” as meaning “getting saved by believing [trusting, depending, relying upon] Jesus Christ and His work on Calvary, and by nothing else,” then YES, I believe in “easy-believism.” Notice, I do not use the term, “easy-believism” because it is not a Biblical term. The truth is, what you are calling “easy-believism” is not easy. It is simple enough to depend solely on the finished work of Christ for salvation, but man has something in him that wants to be religious. Man desires to keep rules, regulations, or standards to be saved. It is easier for most people to put some form of works, standards, sacraments, or something else with their faith in Jesus Christ to be saved. But none of those things save anyone. It is depending solely on Jesus Christ. He alone is the Saviour and the Keeper of our souls. If you think that applying the “easy-believism” label to me will cause me to back down from the Bible truth that salvation is not by works, you are dead wrong! I will preach Bible salvation! If you desire to do so, go tell the world that I believe in “easy-believism.”

The “Legalism” and “Lordship Salvation” Labels
Let me discuss this “legalism” label first. I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ, that man need not die because of his sins. But, the first step in preaching the gospel is not declaring the good news; it is rather revealing the bad news, the news that mankind is sinful and needs a Saviour. The book of Romans, the great discourse on salvation, gives the clearest presentation of salvation. In Romans 10, Paul tells explicitly how to be saved. However, in the first three chapters of the epistle, Paul defines sin in detail. Paul declares in chapter one that the heathen are guilty of sin; in chapter two that the hypocrite is guilty of sin; and in chapter three that the Hebrew is guilty of sin. The conclusion of these three chapters is summed up in Romans 3:23, stating, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The truth is, we must get them lost before we can get them saved!

As a result of this need of showing people their lost estate, I preach against their sin. When I do so, someone always seem to label me as a “legalist.” Again, since the word, “legalism” is not a Biblical term, you will need to define it before I acknowledge whether or not I fit the label. If you define the term “legalism” as meaning “the teaching that keeping laws or commandments is necessary to be saved,” then I have made it very clear that I do not believe in such a teaching. However, if you define the term “legalism” as “teaching that there is a right or wrong way to live,” then yes, I am a legalist. The fact of the matter is that I am not a legalist, as I understand the actual definition of the word. However, when I preach against sin, you can label me a legalist, but it will change nothing. Sin will still be sin, and I will still declare it!

As for the “Lordship salvation” label, some attach this to me when I preach that genuine salvation results in a change of heart, mind, and life. I preach that if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. I preach that a man’s mind is renewed at the time of conversion, having the laws of God written in his heart and mind. A saved person has a desire to please his Lord. According to Romans 6, if you are genuinely saved, you are the servant of God, obeying God to live a life of righteousness. If you have a genuine salvation experience, you are dead to the law. This makes you free from sin, servants to God; you have your fruit unto holiness and everlasting life, as Romans 6:22 states. I do not preach that Lordship leads to salvation; but I do preach that salvation leads to Lordship. So, do I believe in “Lordship salvation?” Again, that would depend on how you define the term, since it is not a Biblical term. If “Lordship salvation” means that a person obeys the commandments of the Bible in order to be saved, or “stay saved,” then I am absolutely opposed to “Lordship salvation.” If “Lordship salvation” means that a person who has been saved by the grace of God lives his life as a servant to his Lord, then yes, I believe in “Lordship salvation.” I am not going to cease to preach that God’s people live a holy, pure, clean life just because someone labels me as believing in “Lordship Salvation.” Label me whatever you choose. Salvation is by grace through faith. Just as true is the fact that salvation results in being dead to the law that we might live unto God. The Christian who has truly been regenerated lives to please and glorify God.

We must resolve to present the truth of the gospel to this lost and dying world. When they label us, remember that their purpose is to silence us. We must not be silent. Call me intolerant or judgmental, and I will still preach that right is right and wrong is wrong. Accuse me of believing in “easy-believism” and I will continue to preach that salvation is by trusting His work, and is attained or maintained by no work of ours. Accuse me of being a legalist or believing in “Lordship salvation,” and I will still preach that salvation that is by the grace of God results in a holy life. Labels do not intimidate or silence me. Take those labels somewhere else; they’ll not work with me!

No Wonder We Call it the Gospel!

Romans 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."

The gospel of Jesus Christ is, by far, the most relevant; the most accurate; and the most tried, tested, and proven plan ever executed. It works every time it has been tried. It produces life-changing results. It removes the guilt of sin that tramples upon mankind. Upon receiving it, a man can stand and say, "That filthy, ungodly wretch is who I was; but now, I am a new creature!"

Paul begins the above verse by proclaiming, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." I will note here the definition of the word, "gospel." I will let the Bible define it for us. Note the following:

Luke 4:18 - "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor..."

In this verse, Jesus is quoting from the Old Testament, namely

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..."

In Luke 4:18, the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew text, Isaiah 61:1, shows that Christ would be anointed to preach the gospel, or "good tidings," to the poor. The gospel is "good tidings." The word, "tidings" means literally, "news." Luke 2:10 refers to the gospel as "good tidings of great joy." Luke 8:1, Acts 13:32, and Romans 10:15 refer to "glad tidings." The word, "glad" literally means, "happy or joyful." The gospel is good news! It is the clear, concise answer that God Almighty has provided in Jesus Christ for man's problem of sin and separation from God. It is medicine to the sick, administered by the Great Physician Himself. It is the remedy for the downcast. It is hope for those who have fallen into deep, incurable despair. It is the act of the Saviour taking our lives, equivalent to LESS THAN the two fishes and five loaves given to Jesus, and distributing our lives in a far greater dimension than we ever thought possible. It is life given to the dead, to those who were dead in trespasses and sins. It is the work of God in us. Understanding the definition of the gospel, all I can say is, "No wonder we call it the Gospel!"

Paul's wording in our text is, "I am not ashamed of the gospel." And really, WHY WOULD HE BE? It is the absolute only hope for this world. It will work for any man who obeys it by believing it. The only person who can be disqualified from receiving the gospel is the man who is not a sinner, for Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, Mark 2:17, and Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." If you are a sinner, plagued with "big sins" or "little sins," you are a perfect candidate for the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a gift from the Father, wrapped by Joseph of Arimathaea, with your name on it!

Paul states, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION." The gospel is power. I gave you the definition of the gospel; but now I give you the demonstration of the gospel. Jesus, in His earthly ministry, defined the gospel as good news, but upon the old, rugged cross, He demonstrated the gospel. Notice the following:

I Corinthians 15:1 - "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;"

Here, Paul begins to declare the gospel. In the verses following, he declares the gospel, the good news.

I Corinthians 15:3, 4 - "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

Yes, the gospel is glad tidings of great joy. It is good news for fallen man. Christ did not merely declare the gospel; He demonstrated it to us!

Romans 5:8 - "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

What a gospel! Jesus took up a cross and died for those of us who deserved it the least, along with the rest! The scriptures call on us to "obey the gospel" in II Thessalonians 1:8 and I Peter 4:17. But how do you "obey the gospel?" If the gospel is defined as good news and was demonstrated by Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, how do we "obey the gospel?" There's only one way to obey the gospel. We find the answer in Mark 1:15, spoken by Jesus Christ Himself. "And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." There must be a repentance from our trusting of any works other than Christ's; and we must solely believe, trust, rest, rely, and depend on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ! This is the only way to obey the gospel - The gospel must be believed!

No wonder we call it the Gospel!