Archive for March, 2006
Salvation: How To Be Saved
Salvation comes only by faith in Jesus Christ.
“For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2: 8, 9).
“Grace” simply defined means God giving us what we need without us deserving it.
“Faith” involves believing the facts AND trusting the person, Jesus Christ.
“Gift” is something someone obtains for us and provides it for us without cost to us. That means there is nothing we do to earn, merit, or deserve God’s favor. His “grace” provides the “gift” of salvation; the forgiveness of our sins. Though it costs us nothing it cost Christ His life on Calvary. There He the just one died for us the unjust ones. He the holy one died for us the unholy ones. He the righteous one died for us the unrighteous ones. He assumed the guilt for our sins and took upon Himself our punishment.
Note especially this is by “faith” and “not of works.” The work was done and completed on Calvary by Jesus Christ. No person can “boast” of warranting salvation. It is through Christ’s merit not our own.
This wonderful gift becomes ours the moment we invest our faith in Him. Again, that involves accepting the facts AND trusting the person. The facts to be accepted are those just presented. The person to be trusted is Jesus Christ.
This illustrates the point. You might have appendicitis and be told by a fried of a great doctor. You might believe all the facts about him, such as, his age, address, degrees, success ratio, phone number, and name. Having believed these facts you are not healed. You must then trust the doctor’s diagnosis, grant his anesthetic and submit to his skillful hand. In doing so you have completely trusted the doctor about whom you believed the facts.
To trust Christ means to submit and commit to Him as the one who paid the price for the wonderful gift of salvation and willfully receive Him as Savior and Lord.
These verses from the Book of Romans afford a guideline to salvation.
“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Concede “all” means you. An aspect of trusting the Person is confessing you are a sinner and repenting of it. To repent means to agree with God about it and turn from it to Christ.
“For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6: 23a).
Here we are the actor. We do something. We “sin.” A “wage” is what we are paid for what we do. Our sin earns “death.” The death spoken of here is not merely physical death. It is a reference to spiritual death, separation from God. That is the wage of sin.
The picture brightens when we move to Romans 5: 8: “God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” That is, Christ died on our behalf; in our stead. On Calvary where He died physically He experienced separation from God, spiritual death, as indicated by His cry, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” There He was separated from the Father that we might be united with Him. In His resurrection He was reunited with the Father.
Now back to the last part of Romans 6: 23b: “…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Note above in the first half of this verse we act and earn something, spiritual death. Here Christ acts and provides a gift, eternal life. This gift was purchased by Him when He gave His sinless life for us; our sins.
“For whoever calls upon the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
To call upon the name of the Lord means to tell Him of your faith in Him as Savior and ask for the wonderful gift of salvation.
Once you have done so let it be known.
“With the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10: 10).
Become identified with Christ and His church by making known publicly you have trusted Him as your Savior.
The Role Of Women In The Church
In churches where the Word of God is the final authority for faith and practice, the answer to this issue needs to be sought in Scripture.
Today, as in the O.T. and N.T. era, the work of God on earth is highly dependent upon women. Miriam (Ex. 15;20, 21), Deborah (Judges 4:4), Hannah (I Sam. 1; 2:1-21), Huldah (II Kings 22:14-22), Anna (Luke 2:36-38), Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-41), Phoebe, Claudia (II Tim. 4:21), Dorcas (Acts 9:3-43), Lois (II Tim 1:5), Lydia (Acts 16:12-15), and the most honored woman of all, Mary, the mother of our Lord (Matt 1,2; Luke 1,2) are only a few of the many found in Scripture. The list is long in every church today.
The principle of ordination is based on the Greek word KATHISTEMI, which signifies formal introduction into office. It is used twice of church offices (acts 6:3; Titus 1:5). In ordaining the seven men in Acts 6, they laid hands on them. Of the process of laying on of hands, I Tim. 5:22 says, “Lay hands hastily on no man…” By this directive and Biblical example, the process involves the “man.”
The reason many churches do not ordain women is that the Scripture says the pastor is to be “the husband of one wife…” (I Tim 3;2). The word “husband” precludes a woman.” Of the deacons it says, “Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife…” (Vs. 12).
The Greek word rendered “deacon” is DIAKONOS. It can be rendered masculine or feminine. When applied to Phoebe and translated “deaconess,” it is used as an adjective, not a noun, and refers to a role of service, not an office.
In most progressive churches many important leadership roles are appropriately open and occupied by competent and committed women. Many outstanding women serve vital roles on church staffs today.
The issue isn’t equality. Galatians 3:28 says we are all one in Christ. This refers to salvation, not roles. The male who comes to Christ is still a male; the slave still a slave; and the racial Jew still a racial Jew. They are one, though diverse.
Rape And Incest And Abortion
98+% of abortions in America are performed for social reasons. 98+% are done for nonmedical reasons.
Sound studies from incest treatment programs suggest pregnancy is infrequent. Our pregnancy center has seen over 20,000 young women, 8,000 of those who were pregnant changed their minds and gave birth. Not one has regretted it. Of the thousands seen not one was pregnant as a result of rape or incest.
Nationally, studies show less than 1% of pregnancies result from rape or incest. The trauma of sexual assault is likely to prevent ovulation.
Such persons as Ethel Waters and Arthur Rubinstein were children or rape. How many other potentially contributing citizens have been aborted under the same circumstance. The child conceived in such a manner is not a sinner. Scripture notes, “There are six things which the Lord hates…hands that shed innocent blood…” (Proverbs 6: 16-19.) These children are innocent. A child conceived in such a way is in no way entitled to less compassion than any other child.
In an Old Testament passage dealing with Justice it is said, “…do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked” (Exodus 23:7).
It is a child involved in abortion not fetal material. Isn’t it interesting Scott Peterson is being tried for a double murder, his wife Lacey and her unborn child.
Studies show that carrying such a child is no less traumatic for the mother than an abortion. Emotional and emotional anguish from rape or incest is often compounded by taking the life of an innocent child. No innocent baby should be killed for the sin of the father. Abortion is not a treatment for incest. It does not solve the problem of abuse.
One does not become unraped by becoming unpregnant (via abortion). It does not solve the problem and often compounds it.
This is not just an academic topic for me. I have ministered to women who were raped and victims of incest. Some, very few, who became pregnant. Not one of them that carried the child to full term regretted it. Rather they had a sense of dignity and self-worth in doing so. Studies confirm my observation on this.
Women subject to rape or incest deserve the most compassionate and capable help in dealing with the situation. A number of very effective organizations are working in this area.
Consider this case. Would your friends suggest an abortion for reasons of health? The mother is pregnant with her fifth child. Her husband has syphilis and she tuberculosis. The first child was born blind. Their second child died. Their third child was born deaf. Their fourth child had tuberculosis. Should the fifth child be aborted? If the answer is “yes,” you just aborted Ludwig Van Beethoven.
You never know who is being aborted under any circumstance.
In the case of saving the life of the mother this is a difficult situation with options determined by the individual incident often at the last moment. It is a medical call to be made by those involved in light of what they know at the moment.
Predestination
In Ephesians 1:5 the Greek word translated “predestined” is PROORISAS. It means “designated,” “foreordained,” or literally “horizoned us off beforehand.”
It is in the Greek aorist tense and refers to an act in the past once and for all. It happened “before the foundation of the world.” What is referred to here happened in a pre-creation conference between the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The verb form for “predestined” is formed from a word meaning to “to survey” as in marking off a boundary.
PREDESTINED is the same as FOREORDAINED.
Before creation, by decree of the Trinity, a boundary was set. It was predetermined that all who came within that boundary would be saved. The boundary is defined as being “in Christ.” Those in Christ shall be saved.
God in His sovereign will DECREED “in Christ.”
Man in his free will DECIDES whether or nor to be “in Christ.” It is an option open to the “whosoever” of John 3:16.
For “Christ gave Himself a ransom for all” (I Timothy 2:6).
Jesus said, “No man comes to me, except the Father… draws him” (John 6:44).
He further stated, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32).
“As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become the child of God” (John 1:12).
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9)
“And whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation 22: 17).
Predestination is never used of unbelievers.
ELECTION (CHOSEN) EXELEXATO
From the Greek word often translated “chose” comes our word elect or election (Ephesians 1:4).
Election basically means God has taken the initiative in His purpose to save. It means He picked out for Himself all who are “in Christ.”
Election is not coercive, we many freely respond positively or negatively. However, if God had not chosen us we could not choose Him.
He did not chose us because of our good but in order that through us He might do good.
Apart from God’s initiative no one can be saved. However, it does not imply fatalism.
It does not imply God desires to save as few as possible but as many. It must be understood in light of John 3: 16 and Revelation 22: 17.
It always stems from a God who is loving and who relates to man who is morally responsible.
Jesus said, “No man can come to me except the Father draw him.” “Draw” is God’s initiative. “Come” is man’s response.
PREDESTINATION AND ELECTION
Predestination and election are basically the same thing.
Election expressed God’s will.
Predestination explains how He accomplishes it.
Election refers to people.
Predestination refers to purpose.
Election points backwards “before the foundation of the world.”
Predestination points forward, that we might be “acceptable.”
Prayer Restraints
Persons sometimes say, “It seems my prayers go no further that the ceiling.” That may be true. If it is the reason is on this end of the line. Make certain none of the following are hindering your prayer life.
1. FAILURE TO EXERCISE FAITH
“Whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” MATTHEW 21: 22
2. SELFISHNESS
“You ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasure” JAMES 4: 2,3
3. CARNALITY
“If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear” PSALM 66: 18
4. LACK OF COMPASSION
“Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard” PROVERBS 21: 13
5. LACK OF DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY
“Likewise you husbands, dwell with them with understanding, give honor to your wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” I PETER 3: 7C
6. PRIDE
“They cry out, but He does not answer, because of the pride of evil men” JOB 35: 12, 13
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” JAMES 4: 6
7. LACK OF OBEDIENCE
“Whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight” I JOHN 3: 22
8. FAILURE TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP
“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” EPHESIANS 6: 18
9. FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH GOD’S WILL
“If we ask anything according to His will He hears us” I JOHN 5: 14, 15
HOW TO BE CLEANSED IN ORDER TO HAVE AN EFFECTIVE PRAYER LIFE
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” I JOHN 1: 9