If Christ Be Not Risen...

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen…”

It has been rightfully stated that every major doctrine of the Bible has a chapter devoted to it. As for the resurrection, I Corinthians 15 is the chapter given to this great subject. All Bible students, as well as the vast majority of atheists, agnostics, and skeptics, know for a fact of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Paul the apostle, in the aforementioned chapter, sets out, not to prove that Christ has risen from the dead; but rather to show to Christians and the rest of the world the awful circumstances that would be true had Christ not risen from the dead. Oh, how dreadful the picture if Jesus Christ is dead! How hopeless the estate of every reader! With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we who are saved have an endless hope; without it, we have a hopeless end! Let us look now at where we would be apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ be not risen, then

Our Preaching is Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.”

All preaching is vain if Christ is yet dead. Now, listen carefully. We who believe the Bible know for a fact that all of the Mormons’ preaching is vain. It is useless because it is a lie. There is no so-called “other testament” of Jesus Christ. The God of the Bible was not once a man who elevated to a state of deity. All who preach the message of the “Watchtower” are preaching lies. All of that preaching is vain, or useless.

But Paul is not speaking of the preaching of false prophets when says “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.” The preaching of false teachers is vain, useless, and worthless whether Christ is risen from the dead or not. Paul says, “If Christ be not risen, then is OUR preaching vain!” Paul considered his own preaching useless and worthless if Christ is yet dead. Paul preached justification by faith, which is right. We are declared righteous because Christ paid off the penalty of our sins when He died, and because He rose from the dead. The resurrection of Christ proves that our sins really are paid for, and that we do not have to die in our sins. Death occurs because of sin. Jesus did not die because of His sins, for He had no sins. Notice:

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 7:26 – “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

Christ could die for OUR sins because He had no sins of His own for which to die. Should Christ have had sins of His own, He would have died because of His own sins, because the wages of sin is death, according to Romans 6:23. But, since Christ had no sins of His own, He could rightfully pay the penalty of sin for you and me. In addition to paying the penalty of sin for us, death could not hold our Lord in the grave! It is impossible for One who is absolutely untainted by sin to remain in a grave and rot! This is why the Old Testament prophesied that God would not allow the flesh of Jesus Christ to see corruption. Christ could not remain in a grave because His flesh was not defiled by sin. By raising His Son from the dead, the Father shows the world that Christ in no way died for His own sins; He died for ours. And when the Father raised the Son from the dead, He show us all that Christ’s payment of the penalty of sin was accepted. Those who trust Christ’s work on the cross can be justified, or declared innocent, because Christ arose!

Romans 4:24, 25 – “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

“Justification by faith” is the message that Paul preached, and this message is completely false if Christ is dead. Paul readily admits that his message does not work if Christ’s body had rotted.

Your Faith is Also Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “…your faith is also vain.”

Paul first states that if Christ is dead, our preaching is vain. Then, he brings out the next point, which is somewhat obvious. If our preaching is vain, then, we have no message in which to place our faith! Faith is non-existent if there is nothing in which to place it! When a person is saved, he is saved by placing faith in the gospel message. Well, if our preaching is vain, then we have nothing in which to place our faith, making our faith vain also. In addition to this, if Christ be not risen, then

We are Found False Witnesses of God

I Corinthians 15:15 – “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.”

In the first part of this chapter, Paul lists several witnesses who claimed to see Jesus Christ alive AFTER His crucifixion. He names Peter and James. He states then Christ appeared to “the twelve,” meaning the whole group of apostles. He states that Christ was seen by more than five hundred eyewitnesses at one time, most of which were alive at the time of this writing. Finally, Paul states that he himself had seen the resurrection Christ with his own eyes. I stated in the previous post how that ALL of the apostles had suffered physically because they claimed that they had seen the resurrected Saviour. All of them, excepting John the beloved, gave their lives (according to history; not the Bible) for the gospel; that is, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In spite of this undeniable fact that the apostles of our Lord suffered because they preached that they had been eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ, Paul readily admits that if Christ is dead, then all of these witnesses, including himself, are liars. Here, Paul puts his own integrity at stake. If Christ is dead, Paul is a liar; John is a liar; Peter is a liar; and our Bible is therefore a lie. The witnesses of Christ’s resurrection are not liars, and have proven it with their own lives. They died for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, if Christ is dead, then

Ye Are Yet in Your Sins

I Corinthians 15:17 – “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

What an awful statement! There is no such thing as salvation if Christ did not rise from the dead! The fiery hell declared in holy Writ is the unalterable destination of every reader, if Christ is indeed in the grave! Paul has already told us that if Christ is dead, then our message is gone. He goes on to tell us that, if our message is gone, then our faith is consequently gone, for we have nothing in which to place our faith. Now, he continues that thought. If we have nothing in which to place our faith, we must be in our sins and on our way to hell, for salvation is by grace, THROUGH FAITH!

Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved, through faith…”

If Christ is dead, the very thought of salvation is a hoax. We are not saved; rather, we are in our sins if Christ has not risen from the dead. But that is not all. If Christ is yet dead, then

They Also which are Fallen Asleep in Christ are Perished

I Corinthians 15:18 – “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

Christ’s resurrection guarantees that everyone, saved or lost, will come out of their graves. But, if Christ is dead, then those who died as Christians will never live again. But Paul shows in the latter part of this chapter, how that those who belong to Christ will indeed rise again when Christ comes again. That precious saint of God whom we lowered into the ground will come out of that grave, with a body like Christ’s glorious body.

Philippians 3:21 – “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Finally, if Christ is yet in the tomb, then

We are of All Men Most Miserable

I Corinthians 15:19 – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Paul has already established that, if Christ is not risen from the dead, then those who died as Christians are dead forever. If that were the case, we would have hope “in this life only.” Now, Paul tells us that “if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable.” There is no better conclusion of our condition had Christ not risen from the dead – we are “most miserable.” We have no gospel in which to place our faith; we have no hope of seeing our loved ones who died as Christians; we have no assurance of any salvation whatsoever. If Christ were dead, then we are lost, on our way to hell, and helpless with no way to amend the situation.

But thanks be to God! I am not miserable! I am not in my sins! I am not in complete despair concerning my Christian brothers and sisters who have gone to be with Christ! My faith is neither useless nor worthless, for there is a valid gospel message in which I have placed it! Knowing that all these things are true, I have complete assurance that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is alive! He is risen from the dead!

Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!

Blessed morn of life and light;

Lo, the grave is rent asunder,

Death is conquered through His might.

Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

Gladness fills the world today;
From the tomb that could not hold Him,

See, the stone is rolled away.*

*Fanny J. Crosby

The Rich, Young Ruler

Christ, in the gospels, repeatedly states that eternal life is obtained by believing.  But in the isolated case of the rich, young ruler, Christ points the inquiring man to the commandments.  WHY?

Luke 18:18-23 – “And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”

To the careful student of the Bible, questions are aroused by the reading of the above passage. The vigilant Bible student notices the following observations:

1. The ruler refers to Christ as, “Good Master,” to which Christ answers, “Why callest thou me good? None is good, save one, that is, God.” This provokes the question, “Isn’t Jesus Christ God?” Why would Christ object to being called “good” if He indeed is God?
2. The ruler’s question is not at all unique to the New Testament, as many have asked the question regarding what they should do to obtain eternal, or everlasting life. The ruler’s question is, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
3. Christ’s answer, however, is extremely unique to both the New Testament and to Christ Himself. “Thou knowest the commandments.” This is the only place in the New Testament where commandments are mentioned with regard to the obtaining of eternal life.
4. The ruler’s response is that he had kept the commandments from the time of his youth until the present time.
5. Christ does not rebuke the ruler’s claim that he had kept the commandments.
6. Christ then adds simply one commandment, a commandment that the rich, young ruler was not willing to keep. After all, if the rich, young ruler had kept the Ten Commandments, one more would not be too hard for him to keep.
7. The rich, young ruler, in spite of any commandments he had kept, went away sorrowful, without salvation.

In examining this passage, the question I would like to address is this – “Why did Christ direct the rich, young ruler to the commandments in answer to his question regarding obtaining eternal life, when the New Testament explicitly and repeatedly states that salvation is not by the works of the law?”

Before we can begin to answer the question before us, it is worthy to note that Christ is the all-wise Saviour. While it is true that Solomon was the wisest man ever to have lived, it is also true that Christ rightfully proclaimed, “A greater than Solomon is here!” The book of Hebrews tells us that the word of God is quick and powerful, and is able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). It is not only the written word that can discern the thoughts; but the word Incarnate is well able to perform the same. John correctly speaks of Christ, “And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”

And Christ knew what was within this rich, young ruler. Evidently, Christ knew that the rich, young ruler did not believe that Jesus was God. Hence Christ’s question, “Why callest thou me good? There is none good save one, that is, God.” It is contradictory to call Christ good without calling Him God. It becomes clear at this point, that the rich, young ruler did not have a problem with the commandments; he had a problem with the Christ. You see, you may keep every commandment in the book (theoretically), but if you do not believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, God manifested in the flesh, then you are as hell-bound as you can be.

John 8:24 – “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

Every saved individual believes that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, Saviour of the world, God manifested in the flesh, Son of man without sin, and Son of God with power. When I say that a saved individual believes Christ to be Lord of all, please do not mistake what I am saying. Some adamantly oppose Lordship salvation. I oppose “Lordship salvation,” as long you define “Lordship salvation” correctly. If by “Lordship salvation,” you mean that we must perfectly submit to the Lordship of Christ by keeping every commandment without fail in order to obtain salvation, then yes, I will adamantly oppose that teaching. However, we must understand that no sinner would place his trust in Christ to save him unless he believes that Christ is Lord! If a sinner does not believe that Christ is Lord, and believes that Christ is merely an ordinary man, there is no incentive for that sinner to place his trust in Christ to save him from an eternal hell. The only reason a man would place his trust in Christ who was crucified is if the same man believes that Christ rose from the dead, proving His Lordship over death, hell, and the grave. No man would place his faith in Christ if he did not believe Christ is Lord of all.

The rich, young ruler had a problem calling Christ God, and Christ would therefore not allow him to call Him good. To obtain salvation, you must have the right concept of Christ. Christ dealt with this fallacy of the rich, young ruler first.

Now, let us examine our question. Why did Christ, when asked about obtaining eternal life, point the rich, young ruler to the commandments? This is striking for a number of reasons.

1. Luke’s account of the rich, young ruler is also found in Matthew and Mark, but is not found in the book of John.
2. The account of the rich, young ruler is the only instance in the gospels where Jesus pointed someone to the commandments when asked about obtaining eternal life.
3. Jesus taught explicitly how to obtain eternal life more in the gospel of John than in any other gospel.
4. In the book of John, Jesus never spoke anything of commandments in connection with eternal life.
5. In the book of John, Jesus never spoke anything of repentance in connection with eternal life. As a matter of fact, the words, “repent,” “repentance,” “repenteth,” and “repenting” are not found in the book of John at all.
6. In the book of John, Jesus always connected the act of believing on Christ with receiving eternal or everlasting life (1:12; 3:14-18, 36; 5:24; 6:28-29, 35, 40, 47; 7:38; 8:24; 11:25-26; 12:44-46; 20:31).
7. In the book of Acts, salvation is defined as believing on Christ (8:36-37; 10:43; 13:39; 16:30-31).
8. In the epistles, salvation is by grace, through faith, obtained by believing on Christ (Romans 1:16; Romans 3:21-22, 26; Romans 10:9-13; I Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 2:8-9; I Timothy 4:10; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 4:3; Hebrews 10:39; Hebrews 11:6; I John 3:23; I John 5:1, 4-5).

Clearly, the instance of the rich, young ruler is the only instance where the obtaining of eternal life is associated with commandments. Apart from this isolated incident, Christ never told anyone to keep commandments to obtain eternal life. The concept of keeping commandments to obtain everlasting life is completely foreign to New Testament teaching. This concept is not only foreign to New Testament teaching, but it is also contradictory to a number of New Testament passages.

The New Testament plainly teaches that salvation is not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5), that salvation is apart from works (Romans 4:5), and that salvation is not by faith initially and then by works (Romans 11:6). The New Testament is clear that no commandment is capable of giving life (Galatians 3:21), and that by the works of the law no flesh is justified in the sight of God (Galatians 2:16; Galatians 3:11).

With these undeniable truths in mind, why then did Christ, when questioned about obtaining eternal life, point the rich, young ruler to the commandments? And why is this the absolute ONLY instance where Christ mentions commandments in association with eternal life?

In answering this question, let us first look at the actual question of the rich, young ruler – “What must I DO to inherit eternal life?” Paul and Silas, in the Philippian jail, were asked precisely the same question by a jailer in Acts 16:30 – “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their answer did not contain the word “commandments.” Their answer was the same answer that Christ gave repeatedly throughout the gospel of John – “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” Now we must ask the question, “Did Paul and Silas give the right answer?” The answer must be a resounding, “Of course they did!” It was the same answer given repeatedly by Christ Himself. The context of Acts 16 shows us that Paul and Silas gave the correct answer – for the whole household of the jailer followed Paul and Silas’ reply, and was saved! So, the rich, young ruler of Luke 18 and the jailer of Acts 16 asked the same question, but got a different response! The jailer was told to believe for salvation (and we are told he received salvation); the rich, young ruler was pointed by Christ to the commandments (but did not receive salvation).

This brings me to an important point. The rich, young ruler, though pointed to the commandments as an answer to his question regarding obtaining eternal life, was NOT SAVED by keeping commandments. He confessed that he had kept the commandments from his youth. Christ did not rebuke his claim. Yet, he went away from Christ unsaved. So, if you point to the rich, young ruler to show that we must keep commandments to be saved, please note that the rich, young ruler was NOT SAVED! Luke 18 does not show that the rich, young ruler kept commandments and was thereby saved. Luke 18, on the other hand, shows that, in spite of any commandments kept, the rich, young ruler went away lost. There is only one reason for this – as Galatians 3:21 plainly teaches, the keeping commandments is unable to save anyone. The endeavor of keeping commandments has never saved anyone, never will save anyone, and did not save the rich, young ruler.

Although the rich, young ruler asked the same question that the jailer of Acts 16 asked, there was something different about the question of the rich, young ruler. When the jailer of Acts 16 asked Paul and Silas, “What must I do to be saved,” he was asking what condition he must meet in order to be saved. When the rich, young ruler, on the other hand, asked what he must do to inherit eternal life, he was not simply inquiring of what condition he must meet in order to be saved. The rich, young ruler was – a RULER! He was man who had authority. What type of ruler he was, we do not know. He could have been a soldier, a Roman governor, or a Jewish scribe. One thing is certain. He was a ruler, and all rulers in Biblical times were rulers because they had in some way merited it. They had earned their rank. This was indeed at the heart of the rich, young ruler’s question. He had met every requirement to attain his rank of leadership, and now he was ready to earn eternal life the same way. When the rich, young ruler asked the Lord about doing something to inherit eternal life, it was based on the premise that he could do something to earn it. So, the premise of the ruler’s question was a false premise. There was nothing he could DO by way of earning eternal life to inherit eternal life. Christ, then, was answering a fool according to his folly (Proverbs 26:5).

Then, Christ brought commandments into the equation. If you are going to do anything to earn eternal life, the only thing that could possibly earn it is the keeping of the commandments – perfectly and entirely. Is this not what the scriptures teach? The scriptures teach that if you are going to be righteous according to the law, you must then keep ALL the commandments (Leviticus 18:5). If you break one commandment, you have broken them all (James 2:10), and have earned nothing but death!

Upon hearing of the commandments, the rich, young ruler then made a claim that he had kept the commandments from his youth up. Christ did not rebuke him, although He certainly could have! All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). No one can say that they have kept the commandments in the days of their youth, as well as in the present, having never broken a commandment! The man who says thus is a liar! However, the Lord does not rebuke the rich, young ruler. Christ continues to deal with him as though his statements are correct.

Then, the rich, young ruler asks a striking question – “What lack I yet?” Look closely. The rich, young ruler first claims to have kept the commandments from the days of his youth. The Lord does not rebuke him. Then, the rich, young ruler, in spite of claiming to have kept the commandments, admits that something is lacking! “What lack I yet?” It is the testimony out of the ruler’s own mouth that he had kept the commandments, and yet something was still missing. The rich, young ruler has now admitted, that, in spite of keeping commandments, he has not inherited eternal life. Again, this passage does not show that keeping commandments saves from sin. Instead, it teaches us that there was a man who believed he had kept the commandments, and that same man admitted that something was still lacking. This isolated incident where Christ connects commandments with eternal life is the greatest illustrative proof that commandment-keeping does not produce eternal life.

Then the Lord gives the young, rich ruler one final commandment. This ruler, who claimed to have the commandments, then hears a commandment that he will not keep. “Sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come follow me.” Please note that the benevolence of selling all and distributing to the poor is not the plan of salvation. Jesus never told anyone else to sell all and give to the poor to inherit eternal life. So, why did He deal thus with the rich, young ruler? Even at this point in the conversation, the rich, young ruler still was holding to the false premise that eternal life could somehow be earned. I personally believe that, had this ruler simply admitted that there was nothing he could do to earn the inheritance of eternal life, and begged Christ for mercy, the Lord would have certainly showed him mercy and saved him that day.

Hymns and Sound Doctrine

Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26 – “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.”

Ephesians 5:19 – “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

Colossians 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

I Love Hymns!

Noah Webster defined “hymn” as “a short poem, composed for religious service, or a song of joy and praise to God.” Across the United States, churches are eliminating hymns from their services, replacing them with the more popular contemporary “Christian” music. In light of this fact, let me say that it is a tragedy that few churches are acquainted with the blessing of hymns. To put it plainly, the church where hymns are either endangered or extinct is a church that is incredibly deprived. I pity the church where the sound of the old familiar hymns is absent.

Some of my favorite hymns include Day by Day, My Saviour’s Love, Grace Greater Than Our Sin, Marching to Zion, Faith is the Victory, Moment by Moment, Christ Receiveth Sinful Men, Does Jesus Care, Once for All, Burdens are Lifted at Calvary, In Times Like These, All the Way my Saviour Leads Me, Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us, The Way of the Cross Leads Home, Blessed Redeemer, The Name of Jesus, and many, many others.

Hymns are Superior to Contemporary Christian Music

There are many reasons that explain why hymns are far superior to the contemporary Christian music of today.

First, the Spirit in the hymns is a different spirit than the spirit behind contemporary Christian music. The Bible teaches that there is a spirit in music. When King Saul was troubled with an evil spirit from the Lord, David played his harp, and the evil spirit departed from Saul.

I Samuel 16:23 – “And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”

Please note, that David did NOT sing; David only played. It was not LYRICS that drove the evil spirit from Saul; it was MUSIC that drove the evil spirit from Saul. I do not care what the lyrics are. If the music sounds just like the world, the music is worldly, entertaining the spirit of this present world.

Second, the hymn writers were by and large godly men and women. I have read biographies on the lives of Fanny Crosby, Philip P. Bliss, Daniel Whittle, Lina Sandell-Berg, and many, many others. While lovers of contemporary Christian music will insist that contemporary artists are godly, in reality, we know very little of the actual lives of those who write and compose contemporary music.

Third, the lyrics of the hymns are far superior to the lyrics of contemporary Christian music. The lyrics of the hymns contain much sound doctrine, while most contemporary music contains no doctrine at all. I think many churches avoid hymns because they do not understand them. The message of most hymns is over the heads of many modern church members. When they sing Rock of Ages, they do not understand the “double cure.” The lyrics of the hymns are to the sincere Christian often convicting. They speak often of devotion and consecration. Fanny Crosby wrote, “O the pure delight of a single hour that before Thy throne I spend.” The truth is that most church-goers do not spend an hour in prayer all week, let alone in a single sitting.

Fourth, the motive behind the writing of hymns is much different than the motive behind the writing of contemporary Christian music. Many hymn writers wrote their hymns, not as musical compositions, but rather as poetry. In many instances, the poetry was found after the hymn writer’s death, and was then put to music. In many instances, the words of our most beloved hymns were written as a devotion to Christ. In other words, hymn writers were not in the “music business.” Contemporary Christian music, on the other hand, is a completely different story. The vast majority of contemporary music written today is written because artists need a new album. This explains the worldly sound of contemporary Christian music – it is nothing but business, and they must compose what sells. The motive of the many faithful hymn writers was completely different, and far superior the money-making motives of modern “Christian” music.

Fifth, most hymns were written in a dark time in the writer’s life. Fanny Crosby was blind. She wrote many well-known and loved hymns, many of which speak of seeing Christ. Joseph Scriven lost his fiancé just before they were scheduled to be married. He then wrote the words, “What a friend we have in Jesus.” George Matheson was also engaged to be married. After going blind, however, his fiancé left him. He then penned the words, “O Love that will not let me go!” This is why the hymns relate to so many of us. They were written by troubled people who loved their Lord.

Righteousness Forever - Part 2

The Need for Righteousness

We have clearly understood from the scriptures that, first, man has no righteousness of his own; and second, that whatever may be referred to as the righteousness of man is actually filthy rags; and third, that however much of man’s righteousness we may possess, it is always insufficient.

These truths put us in a bind. The scriptures cannot be clearer than they are regarding the need for righteousness. If a man does not possess righteousness, he is as hell-bound as he can be. A man must possess righteousness, a specific righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees – the righteousness of God. There are many today who possess some type of righteousness – their own righteousness – a mere form of godliness – but they are as ignorant as can be regarding the righteousness of God.

Romans 10:3 – “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”

The need for righteousness is stated in so many ways in scripture. First, it is plainly taught that the UNRIGHTEOUS shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

I Corinthians 6:9-10 – “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”

We are further exhorted by the apostle John that nothing that defiles will enter into the holy city.

Revelation 21:27 – “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Even a casual reader can see the evident truth that only complete perfection is going to heaven. There is most definitely a need for righteousness. Without it, we are eternally and hopelessly lost.

How Do We Become Righteous?

This brings us to the all-important question. It is completely unprofitable to discuss righteousness in detail if we do not present the truth regarding HOW to become righteous. I would be a poor insurance agent if I told you everything about insurance except how to obtain it.

First, in examining how a person becomes righteous, let us at the very start admit that there are some ways in which we are NOT made righteous.

We are not made righteous by doing righteous deeds. This is a shock to some readers, but, however shocking, it is undeniable Bible truth. A man may “repent” as far as the word is taught by some Bible teachers, and still be unrighteous. A man may cease from his habits of smoking, drinking, and drug abuse, and yet be as lost and unrighteous as he can be. A man may reform his ways so that he ceases from profanity, adultery, and pornography, and yet be unrighteous.

So let me say it again. We are not made righteous by performing deeds of righteousness. While it is true that a person who is truly righteous will do righteous deeds (I John 3:7), it is not the righteous deeds that make a man righteous. The Bible is clear that conformation to any righteous law cannot make a person righteous.

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Galatians 3:21 – “Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.”

Since we are not made righteous by doing righteous deeds, or by keeping laws or commandments, then the question must be asked, how DO we become righteous?

One must understand that the reason that the performance of righteous deeds will not make us righteous is because the performance of sinful deeds did not make us sinful. You were not made a sinner the first time you sinned. When were you made a sinner? Let us let the scripture answer for us:

Romans 5:19 – “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.”

The Bible cannot be clearer. “By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” You became a sinner when Adam sinned. The parallel is then made. “So by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.” Just as the disobedience of Adam made us sinners, the obedience of Christ made us righteous. If you are sinner (the “if” is hypothetical; all have sinned), you are a sinner because Adam sinned. If you are righteous, you are righteous because Christ became obedient in dying upon the cross.

So, how do we become righteous? The blood of Jesus Christ makes us righteous! Until you are washed in the blood of Christ by placing your faith in Him, you are unrighteous, regardless of how much reformation you have sustained. Before we can do any righteous deeds that are truly righteous in the eyes of God, we must first be MADE righteous. This is where so many seem to err. Many well-meaning ministers place so much emphasis on DOING righteousness that they forget that one must first be MADE righteous! Until we are MADE righteous, all our performance of righteousness is really not righteousness at all – it is merely filthy rags. We must be made righteous by the blood that our Lord shed upon the cross of Calvary.

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be MADE the righteousness of God in him.”

Being Made Righteous Produces Righteous Living

I most certainly believe in righteous living. But I believe in living righteous as a RESULT of being made righteous, not as a REQUIREMENT to being made righteous. To get these truths out of order is to preach a gospel foreign to that of scripture.

In the last verse of Romans 5, Paul the apostle teaches that our righteousness comes solely by Jesus Christ. Look at what he wrote:

Romans 5:21 – “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“Righteousness unto eternal life,” Paul says, is “by Jesus Christ our Lord.” Some may object to this, stating that if righteousness is indeed gained because of Christ and Christ alone, then one may continue to live in sin while claiming grace. One may say that he is righteous because of Christ while persisting in a sinful lifestyle. Paul must have sensed this objection. Look at the very next verse, the first verse of the sixth chapter:

Romans 6:1-2 – “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

Paul then expounds upon the fact that he who is first made righteous solely by Christ then lives righteous. In the sixth chapter of Romans, Paul proceeds to expound upon HOW to live the overcoming life – the life that conquers sin.

You see, if you preach that we are MADE RIGHTEOUS by Christ, but do not emphasize the resulting holy life, your doctrine is incomplete. The same power that makes you righteous in God’s sight can make you righteous in man’s sight. The same blood that cleanses the inner man cleanses the outer man. The wicked religious generation of our day says “God looks on the heart.” While that is true, it is only a half truth. The same verse (I Samuel 16:7) that states that God looks upon the heart also states that “man looketh on the outward appearance.” We are not to let our light shine before God; we are called to let our light shine before MEN – and man most certainly sees the outward man. Man sees my deeds, my dress, my dedication, my devotion, my attitude, my words, my work ethic, my enthusiasm, my zeal, my teaching, my preaching, my business ethics, and my morals. Any so-called righteousness that cleanses in inner man, but does not touch these outward aspects of our life – this is not the righteousness of God!

Matthew 5:16 – “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Righteousness Forever - Part 1

Isaiah 51:8 – “For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.”

 

“My righteousness shall be for ever!” And now we come to another massive subject – one upon which I cannot fully expound in a single post. Therefore, as briefly as possible, I would like to give the reader just a few simple points regarding this great doctrine of righteousness.

 

The Righteousness in our Text is the Lord’s Righteousness

Look closely at our text as the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, “My righteousness shall be for ever.” My first point regarding righteousness is that the Lord, in our text, is speaking not of the righteousness of man, but of His own righteousness. “My righteousness,” He says.

 

To understand the Lord’s righteousness more clearly, it is helpful to contrast it with man’s righteousness. Allow me to make three points regarding man’s righteousness. In introducing my first point, let me say that there is much difficulty for me in writing the phrase “man’s righteousness” because there is no such a phenomenon. That brings me to my first point – whatever may be called “man’s righteousness” is actually something non-existent. Man has no righteousness whatsoever of his own. Listen to the words of scripture:

 

Psalm 14:1-3 – “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

 

Ecclesiastes 7:20 – “For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.”

 

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.”

 

Romans 3:10-12 – “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

 

I John 1:8 – “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

 

“None righteous” – that is the condition of mankind, evaluated by God Himself.

 

Secondly, whatever may be called man’s righteousness is actually filthy rags in the sight of a holy and just God. In spite of the clear teaching of scripture that there is none righteous, there are those religious souls who claim that they themselves are righteous. I have heard some claim to have been completely and sinlessly perfect for many years! When a man boasts of his own righteousness, you can be sure that man does not have God’s salvation. God’s salvation, unlike man’s salvation, leaves no room whatsoever for any man to boast.

 

Romans 3:27 – “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.”

 

Ephesians 2:8-9 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST.”

 

Man has nothing of which to boast. The works of which we boast, though they may be righteous in our own eyes, are but filthy rags in the sight of a holy and just God. To illustrate this point, allow me to use an illustration. Followers of my blog have read this illustration before. By using this illustration, I do not mean to be repetitive. However, with this analogy, the point is driven home.

 

Suppose I was called upon to stand before God at this very moment. Suppose that the Lord commanded me to present to Him first, my good works; then, my evil works. So I stand before God. “Tell me all the good works you have done,” the Lord says. With that order, I begin. I tell the Lord how I pray every day; how I study the Bible on a regular basis; how I accompany my dedication to Him with fasting; how I witness to people that are lost; how I attend church regularly; how I pay tithes and give offerings; how I am current on all my bills; how I am active in pastoral ministry; how I am good to my neighbors; how I keep a good, clean haircut; and on and on and on. Suppose I go on for several hours, explaining all the good deeds I have done. What do you think God would think of all those good works? We have a clear, concise, Bible answer! God would be absolutely sickened from what I would refer to as “good works” – and we have not even begun to discuss the evil works! Our good works sicken God Almighty, who is just and holy.

 

Isaiah 64:6 – “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

 

Our righteousnesses – our best works – are as filthy rags in the sight of God!

 

Thirdly, whatever you may wish to label as “man’s righteousness” is completely insufficient for salvation. Man’s best efforts to save himself are but completely insufficient and unable. Notice what Christ said:

 

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.”

 

Did you notice that? If your righteousness is not greater than the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will split hell wide open.

 

Now, let us discuss the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees. Look at how the scribes and Pharisees are described by our Lord:

 

1. They put burdens on their followers, but do nothing to lift those burdens (Matthew 23:4).
2. They perform their religious works to be seen (Matthew 23:5).
3. They love to occupy the best seats in the synagogues (Matthew 23:6).
4. They love to be addressed by titles (Matthew 23:7).
5. Instead of opening the way to the kingdom of heaven, they shut men out of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 23:13).
6. Instead of ministering to widows, they take advantage of widows (Matthew 23:14).
7. They make pretense out of their long prayers (Matthew 23:14).
8. They pay tithes of the smallest of their possessions, including mint, anise, and cummin, but they omit weightier matters, including judgment, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23).
9. They take care not to be defiled by little “gnats,” but they turn around and let big things choke them up (Matthew 23:24)!
10. They are outwardly clothed in long, clean clothing, but inwardly are filthy to the core (Matthew 23:25).
11. They killed the true prophets of God (Matthew 23:35).

 

Clearly, the scribes and Pharisees are strict; but they were not righteous! Here is a great principle that every reader should learn – being strict is not synonymous with being righteous! Do not confuse the two, as so many have done! Just as these Pharisees, there are hosts of others today who are very strict, but very lost! Clean on the outside, but no righteousness within!

 

Listen to me very carefully. As I have quoted, our Lord clearly stated that if our righteousness does not exceed the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, then we will in no case enter the kingdom of heaven. When Christ made this statement, He was not stating, as some erroneously believe, that we must be STRICTER than the Pharisees; He was, on the other hand, stating that we must be MORE RIGHTEOUS than the Pharisees. It is sad that so many preachers have stood behind their pulpits and proclaimed that, since the Pharisees were strict, and were not righteous enough, then we must be more strict than them if we expect to make heaven our home. How ignorant and foolish! The problem with the Pharisees is not that they were not STRICT ENOUGH; it is that they were not RIGHTEOUS ENOUGH. I pity the man who cannot tell the difference. I pity the preacher who confuses being strict with being righteous. Such a preacher is a novice with a minimal understanding of scripture, and he should not teach others until he learns the first principles of the oracles of God. The fact is simple – however we may adhere to laws, whether they are God’s laws or otherwise, and however strictly we adhere to those laws – our own righteousness will be insufficient to please God and will land us in a fiery hell.

 

TO BE CONTINUED…

Perfected Forever

Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

 

Our attention will be turned to the great subject of sanctification. There are two tragedies regarding this subject of sanctification. First, this subject is seldom preached, taught, or discussed; and second, in the few instances when this subject is considered, it is usually misunderstood or misrepresented.

 

Please understand that this is a massive subject. There are many scriptures that deal with this issue. There is no way to cover everything about sanctification in one post, or even in a few posts. The purpose of this post is to shine light on a few truths from the text presented, namely Hebrews 10:14.

 

Examination of the Text

The central word in our text is the word “perfected.” Let us use our text to answer a few questions regarding this word “perfected.” First, who or what in our text is perfected? The answer is clearly defined in the last four words of our verse of study – “them that are sanctified.” Second, who is doing the perfecting? The answer is clear and concise – “HE hath perfected.” The “he” that is doing the perfecting is God, as can be seen two verses earlier, in verse 12. Third, for how long are “them that are sanctified” perfected? Again, we have a concise answer – “…he hath perfected FOR EVER them that are sanctified.” Fourth, how are “them that are sanctified” perfected? This answer, like the others, is simple – “…by one offering,” namely, the offering of Christ upon the cross. It is because Christ offered his body upon the cross for a sacrifice that “them that are sanctified” can be perfected for ever. These truths are so clearly stated in our verse of study that it would it would be absurd for any sincere Bible student to attempt to refute any of these conclusions.

 

Who are the Sanctified?

Having seen that the blessing of being “perfected forever” belongs to “them that are sanctified,” it behooves us at this point to determine how a person becomes sanctified, and as a result, perfected forever.

 

Sanctification – Not an Eradication of the Sinful Nature

I understand that this is a sticky subject among many sincere believers. First, let me say that you need not see this subject of sanctification the same way as I see it in order for us to have fellowship, as far as I am concerned. Second, before I expound on the Biblical view of sanctification, let me expound to the reader what sanctification is not. Sanctification IS NOT a second definite work of grace, resulting in the eradication of the old sinful nature, as our Wesleyan friends teach. H.A. Ironside, in his book, Holiness, the False and the True, tells how he formerly was an advocate of the Wesleyan view of sanctification – that sanctification is a second definite work of grace, making holy that which is sinful. By “second definite work of grace,” it is meant that a person is first saved (or, justified); then, as a separate experience and usually at a later time, this person becomes sanctified.

 

Ironside states that, when he was of the Wesleyan persuasion, he defined sanctification this way –

 

“Justification, then, was supposed to be a work of grace by which sinners are made righteous and freed from their sinful habits when they come to Christ. But in the merely justified soul there remains a corrupt principle, an evil tree, or a ‘root of bitterness,’ which continually prompts to sin…The eradication of this sinful root is sanctification. It is therefore the cleansing of the nature from all inbred sin by the blood of Christ (applied through faith when a full consecration is made), and the refining fire of the Holy Spirit, who burns out all dross when all is laid upon the altar of sacrifice. This, and this only, is true sanctification – a distinct second work of grace, subsequent to justification” (Ironside, H.A. Holiness, the False and the True. Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., Bible Truth Depot. New York, NY).

 

While there is something of this definition that sounds pious, there is little of this definition that is correct. Defining sanctification in the Wesleyan school of thought – as a distinct work of grace that eradicates sin in the root – is extremely inconsistent with the Scriptures. Note some of the difficulties that this definition of sanctification creates:

 

1. In Exodus 40:10-11, inanimate objects in the tabernacle were to be sanctified. Would you conclude that the altar and the laver were eradicated of their sinful natures because they had consecrated themselves fully to the work of the Spirit? The very thought of such a thing is absurd.
2. In Exodus 19:23, Mount Zion was sanctified. Did that great mountain go through a change in its sinful root?
3. Individuals, by their own power and choice, have the ability to sanctify themselves. Consider the priests, who in Exodus 19:22, were commanded to “sanctify themselves.” Did these priests change their own natures, eradicating the very nature of sin within them?
4. In Exodus 13:2 and Exodus 19:10, Moses was commanded to sanctify the people of Israel. Clearly, one man can sanctify another. Does this mean that a mere man has the ability to eradicate the sinful nature of another man? It most certainly means this, if the Wesleyan definition of sanctification is correct.
5. Isaiah 66:17 actually speaks of people sanctifying themselves TO COMMIT INIQUITY! Surely no one will teach that these people were committing iniquity as a result of being set free from inbred sin!
6. In John 10:36, Christ Himself claimed to be sanctified of the Father! Was Christ cleansed from inbred sin as a result of sanctification? Any reader who answers yes to this question is in serious error.
7. In John 17:19, Christ sanctified Himself. Did He rid Himself of inbred sin?
8. Even unbelievers are sometimes said to be sanctified! Notice I Corinthians 7:14 – “For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.” Are unbelievers cleansed of the root of their inbred sin?
9. Carnal Christians are sanctified. Look out! Buckle up and hold on tight! In I Corinthians 1:2, Paul refers to the Corinthians as being sanctified – “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.” In I Corinthians 3:1-3, Paul refers to this same sanctified group as being carnal – “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” To the one who cannot perceive of a carnal individual being a Christian, I will have to agree with Paul the apostle. I think R.T. Kendall sums it up well when he says, “For if we cannot bear the thought that a carnal Christian is nonetheless saved, we border on betraying our own carnality.”
10. In I Peter 3:15, believers are commanded to sanctify God! Are believers being commanded to cleanse God from His sinful nature? It feels nearly blasphemous to ask that question, let alone to answer it!

 

You see, the individual who teaches sanctification as an eradication of the root of inbred sin is teaching a figment of his own imagination – no such definition of sanctification exists in the scripture!

 

Biblical Sanctification

Going back to our text, Hebrews 10:14, we see that it is “them that are sanctified” that are recipients of the blessing of being perfected forever. I would like to briefly bring out just two truths regarding Biblical sanctification. First, sanctification is neither a separate experience from, nor a subsequent experience to, salvation. To put it plainly, you are sanctified when you are saved. To make it plainer yet, if you’re not sanctified, you’re not saved. There is no such thing as being saved in January, but not being sanctified until May. If you were not sanctified until May, you were not saved until May. The Bible clearly states that salvation is THROUGH SANCTIFICATION. This means that one must go through sanctification to get to salvation, making it impossible to be saved, but not be sanctified.

 

II Thessalonians 2:13 – “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation THROUGH SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit and belief of the truth.”

 

I Peter 1:2 – “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, THROUGH SANCTIFICATION of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.”

 

The Bible is clear; you must go through sanctification in order to get to salvation! I did not say it; the Bible clearly states it! Believe it, fight it, love it, hate it, despise it, endorse it, promote it, scrap it, or do whatever else you wish – but the Bible truth is clear – you were not sanctified some time after salvation – if you’re saved, you’re sanctified!

 

Secondly, since the old Wesleyan definition of sanctification is does not hold up to scriptural application, then what is the true definition of the term, “sanctify”?

 

As for the ten instances of difficulty previously mentioned, each difficulty completely vanishes when we define the term “sanctify” correctly. In its most basic form, the word “sanctify” means simply, “to set apart.” This definition works whether you are talking about men being sanctified, God being sanctified, Christ being sanctified, inanimate objects being sanctified, or unbelievers being sanctified. Because of this clear truth, honest Bible students can only conclude that the definition of sanctification supplied by advocates of the “second definite work” is foreign to the Scriptures, and grossly contradicts them!

 

Let us turn again to our text. Hebrews 10:14 – “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” Having comprehended the truth that a believer is sanctified when he is saved, this business of being “perfected forever” is promised to every saved individual. The current chapter of our discussion, Hebrews 10, bears this out. Look at Hebrews 10:9-10, located just five verses prior to our text:

 

Hebrews 10:9-10 – “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

 

Notice the words – “We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” The “offering of the body of Jesus Christ” speaks of the time when Christ offered up Himself on the cross. So it is clear – we are sanctified by what Christ did on the cross. The blood sanctifies us! The same blood that saves us sanctifies us! Just as Romans 5:9 teaches that we are justified by His blood, Hebrews 10:10 teaches that we are sanctified by His blood! When I was saved, I put my faith in Jesus Christ completely, trusting only in His blood for salvation (Romans 3:25). At that moment, Christ’s blood not only saved me; but sanctified me!

 

Allow me to say here that when the blood of Christ sanctifies us, we are perfected forever, according to Hebrews 10:14. However, the blood is not the only sanctifying agent. We who saved are sanctified by the blood, but we are also sanctified by the Spirit, as well as by the Word of God. This means that there is a sense in which, the more that the Word is planted in my heart, the more sanctified I will be. Although the Bible teaches that we are sanctified by the blood that perfects us eternally, it is necessary to grow in this grace. Although sanctification is a definite experience that the believer receives at salvation, working out one’s salvation is a daily walk, and we must become more and more like Jesus the closer to heaven we get. There is much room for growth in our sanctification. This term “perfected forever” does not mean there is no room for growth. It means, rather, that I have been perfected judicially. It means that I have been declared NOT GUILTY – because my sins were laid upon Christ and He paid for them in full! This term “perfected forever” does not mean that from salvation to glorification I will never sin. It means that God sees me as perfect because of Christ.

 

I hear a lot of talk about perfection. I hear preachers preaching from Matthew 5:48, which states, “Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” These preachers, however, never bring Hebrews 10:14 into their sermons. They always preach the need for perfection, but they never preach the Biblical truth that the saved HAVE BEEN PERFECTED by Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross – and perfected forever!

 

Closing Thoughts

There is much more to say regarding sanctification. There is no need for the reader to email me to inform me that I have not “covered all the bases.” I understand this more than the reader. It is not possible to exhaust this subject in a single post.

 

Make no mistake about it – the Biblical doctrine of sanctification is a precious doctrine – it is the doctrine that teaches us how to become more and more like Christ. Is this not the ultimate goal of God for us – that we be conformed to the image of Christ? Should this not likewise be our ultimate goal? How grieved the Spirit must be when we fight about this precious doctrine. Perhaps the reader does not agree with everything I have written concerning this subject. It will not hinder my fellowship with you, as long as your view of sanctification makes you more like Christ. That is the goal, and we would be wise to never stray from it!

 

NOTE: To the reader who is interested in the subject of sanctification, I recommend the book from which I quoted in this post, Holiness, the False and the True by H.A. Ironside, published by Loizeaux Brothers. Please be reminded that when I recommend any book, I am not claiming to endorse every sentence in the book! H.A. Ironside, in this book, teaches sanctification in a biblically solid manner. I used a few of his points in this post. He goes into much more detail than I am able to do here. This book can be downloaded as a PDF file free of charge at WholesomeWords.org.

Preserved Forever

Psalms 37:28 – “For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.”

“Preserved” – a Definition

Noah Webster, in his 1828 Dictionary of American English, defines the transitive verb “preserve” this way – “To save from decay; to keep or defend from corruption.” As long as a fruit is preserved, it cannot perish, spoil, decay, or corrupt.

A Look at the Text

The above text, Psalms 37:28, is not the only instance in scripture where the saints are described as being “preserved,” but it is one of the plainest. As stated previously, the word, “preserve” is a transitive verb. It is an “action word,” and because it is transitive, it has an object. Whenever the word “preserve” is used, there are two parties involved. Someone has to be doing the preserving, and someone or something has to be preserved.

Looking at our text, let us begin by asking the question, “Who or what is being preserved?” The text plainly states, “THEY are preserved for ever.” The word “they” is a pronoun. Can we find in the text the antecedent to which the word “they” refers? Sure we can. The word “they” is clearly defined by looking at the two words immediately preceding it – “His saints.” His saints – that is, the people of God – are preserved forever! The saints are the ones being preserved.

Now, who is doing the preserving? The answer is found in the first part of the verse – “THE LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not His saints!” It is the Lord that loves judgment, forsakes not His saints, and preserves those saints forever! It would be a blessing to many Christians if they would realize that it is God who does the preserving of one’s soul. How often the most pious Christians forget that salvation is of the Lord!

Psalms 3:8 – “Salvation belongeth unto the Lord.”

Psalms 37:39 – “But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord.”

Jonah 2:9 – “Salvation is of the Lord.”

Salvation is the work of God! He does the saving; He does the keeping; He does the preserving! Dear reader, if you would realize that the God who is your salvation is also your keeper, then you would be able to rest in the promise of God. Peter calls upon us to commit the keeping of our souls to HIM (I Peter 4:19). Paul reminds us that whatever we commit to Him, He will most certainly keep it (II Timothy 1:12). Whether or not you believe it, it is true that if you have been kept saved, it has been God’s grip on your hand (not your grip on His) that has kept you. He is One that is doing the preserving; we are the ones being preserved.

Psalms 97:10 – “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”

As we continue to look at our text, Psalms 37:28, let us examine another question. How long will we, the saints of God, be preserved? The words of our text are plain. “They are preserved FOR EVER.” This may seem to contradict II Timothy 4:18:

II Timothy 4:18 – “And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me UNTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

When Paul speaks here of the “heavenly kingdom” in mind, he no doubt has the millennial kingdom in mind. Paul is speaking of the time when Christ comes the second time to set up His kingdom on this present earth. So, which is it? Are we, the saints of God, preserved until the heavenly kingdom (as stated in II Timothy 4:18), or are we preserved forever (as stated in Psalms 37:28)?

The truth is simple. There is no contradiction. BOTH STATEMENTS ARE TRUE. One statement is no more true than the other. You see, it is a matter of fact that, if the Lord tarries, we will all die. “It is appointed unto men once to die.” It matters not HOW I die, or where I am buried, or the manner of my burial. When Jesus comes for His church, I WILL BE RESURRECTED. My present body will be preserved until that time. At that time, I will receive a new, glorified body; a body like Christ’s. Once I receive my new body, there will be no need to preserve this body any longer. There will be no need to preserve my soul and spirit, as I will be delivered from the presence of sin. So, the body I presently have will be preserved UNTO HIS HEAVENLY KINGDOM, just as Paul stated.

When I receive my new body, it will not be capable of sin, death, decay, or corruption! It will be incorruptible.

I Corinthians 15:53 – “For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Because my new body will not be capable of corruption, it is by definition PRESERVED! Whatever is preserved is incapable of decay or corruption. How long will my new body be preserved? David answers the question clearly – “They are preserved FOR EVER!” So, it is clear. My body, soul, and spirit will be preserved until the coming of the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:23-24). Then, my new body will be preserved FOREVER, as it will be incorruptible (I Corinthians 15:53).

Pictures of Preservation

Concerning the saints, our text declares, “They are preserved for ever.” Having made a feeble attempt to define the word “preserved,” I wish I could paint a picture that illustrates this word. In the scriptures, we have several pictures given to us to describe this tremendous doctrine.

GOD’S WORD IS PRESERVED

Note carefully with me a passage in the book of Psalms, regarding the pure words of God:

Psalms 12:6-7 – “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Concerning the words of God, the Psalmist sings to the Lord, “Thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Every word of God is preserved. Heaven and earth will pass away, but not one word shall perish that proceeds from the mouth of God! Every word of God is for ever settled in heaven! You may refuse to believe it; you may shred its pages from its binding; you may fight its authenticity; you may hate its teaching; you may abhor its truths. But one thing is certain – you’ll never destroy one word of God’s precious book – those words are preserved by God Himself. You will meet the words of God in the Day of Judgment!

Governments have banned the Bible, burned the Bible, banished the Bible, and barred the Bible – but all to no avail. The words of God are not capable of perishing, decaying, or corrupting – “Every word of God is pure!”

Now, I must the reader a question. Do you believe that the words of God are preserved? Or do you believe that it is possible that perhaps God’s word will not last until the Day of Judgment? Do you believe that God Almighty has kept His word from decay or corruption? Yes or no, dear reader – Are God’s word preserved so that they are unable to perish, as Psalms 12:7 clearly states? Every sincere, born-again believer has no choice but to answer with an affirmative.

To every reader that has answered with a resounding “YES” – you should be informed that the Bible uses the same word – “preserved” – to describe those who have been saved by the grace of God. “They are preserved for ever!”

Furthermore, if you have been born again, then you have been born of an INCORRUPTIBLE SEED, according to I Peter 1:23. What is that incorruptible seed that is sown in the heart of every believer? It is none other than the word of God! Listen, dear reader. If you are saved by God’s grace, then you have been born again by a seed that is preserved; by a seed that is not capable of dying. Read it for yourself:

I Peter 1:23 – “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

What rejoicing there should be in the fact that we who are saved are preserved, just as the words of God are preserved. Those very words of God – those preserved words – are the very words that have been planted in our inner man, resulting in our new birth.

THE JEW

Have you ever read about a man named Goliath? Goliath was a Philistine. Who are Philistines? The Philistines, in the Old Testament, were enemies of Israel, God’s chosen people. Today, however, there is no Philistine nation. It is extinct. Gone. Vanished.

The Jews, on the other hand, suffered far more than the Philistines ever dreamed of suffering. Yet, the Jews cannot be destroyed. I’ve got news for Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – Israel will never be wiped off the map. Never. It is an absolute impossibility. How can I be so sure of this? The nation of Israel is preserved by God Almighty Himself:

Isaiah 31:5 – “As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it.”

There are three facts in this verse regarding Jerusalem – 1) God will defend it; 2) God will deliver it; and 3) God will preserve it. And there is no argument about the preservation of Israel! Israel has been preserved from the time God spoke to Abraham (about 2,700 years ago) until now! They have been the object of persecution, murder, genocide, imprisonment, and death many times over. But they cannot and will not be destroyed, for they are preserved!

Every Bible-believing reader believes that Jerusalem is preserved by God. The same word used to describe the scriptures and the nation of Israel – “preserved” – is the same word used to describe those of us who have been made holy by the blood of Christ – “They are preserved for ever!”

My soul is as “preserved” as the nation of Israel. I am as preserved as the incorruptible word of God. There is no question as to whether or not the Bible teaches this; the only question is whether or not you believe it.