Featured The Gospel of YOUR Salvation !

Preaching or Testifying the Gospel of God's Grace !



Acts 20:24

24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

In doing this, its no more than what is called today Testifying or preaching of the Doctrines of Grace or its called Tulip, which again is nothing but a nickname for the Gospel of God's Grace. The T known as total depravity is merely God setting the foundation as to why the other doctrines of Grace are imperative or indispensable, because Total depravity informs us of our condition by Natural Birth because of being born sinners, dead in trespasses and sins. This Truth of the Gospel is also called man's total inability, pointing out inability to do good [spiritually], and this is a difficult pill to swallow for the pride and vanity of us men, but nevertheless scripture does testify Rom 3:12

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good[spiritual good], no, not one. Through the fall, spiritually we are unable to do and are worthless, and yes God knew this when He told proud wicked cain this Gen 4:7

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

The problem though, is that man cannot do well enough to be accepted of God , a lesson the Young Rich Ruler had to find out.

However man's inability to do good [spiritually] is only but part of the problem for man, the other part is that man by nature is only energized to do evil while in Nature, so it is written even of the Elect Eph 2:2-3

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Thats all we could do, that is why freewill is a lie also ! We could not will ourselves out of this walk, even when we are very moral and religious by nature, this is still our walk. Religious Lust as in 2 Tim 4:3

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

You see, spiritual death by nature is not some stagnated state of being, but is an active living state of being, but it is like how Paul describes the you widow 1 Tim 5:6

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. Where dead here means spiritually dead !

It is a manner of life to be the walking dead by nature, without any ability or strength to do a shred of good Rom 5:6 to cause God to accept us. The plain fact is, that by nature men are always actively evil Gen 6:5

5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

And many of these people were moral and religious ! Its the same today on the brink of Christ's Second Coming see Matt 24:37-38, but yet Gen 6:5 applied !

And we are darkness itself Eph 5:8a

For ye were sometimes darkness This is why technically men by nature no more retain the Image of God, because God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all ! 1 Jn 1:5

The Problem is this, man by nature is spiritually dead, dead in sin, man is not merely sick, though sick he is, but he is dead, dead to the degree that he cannot even cooperate. Yes it is a state of hopelessness, as it regards man, and so Jesus aptly put it Matt 19:26

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Salvation, being Saved is only Possible by God's Ability ! Jesus is saying, that Salvation for men is impossible unless it is totally performed by God, for Jesus is alluding to the New Birth, being made a New Creation ! Now can man assist or cooperate in his Creation ? Other than that, we as men are utterly lost and ruined ! This is the Gospel of God's Grace !

 

More on Man's Depravity in the Gospel !



As stated already, that man not only does not do good by Divine Reckoning Rom 3:12

12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

But also by the same Reckoning, God says man cannot or lacks the ability to good, such is God's judgment here Jer 13:23

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

You see by Nature, evil doing comes natural , its a built in learning process that activates and develops naturally, as soon as we are from the womb Ps 58:3

3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.

Even though this verse is speaking about the reprobated, nevertheless, by nature even the Righteous have this same nature that causes the wicked this early practical estrangement from God manifest !

 

More on Man's Depravity in the Gospel !



Jesus makes the same Judgment call here Jn 6:44

44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Coming here actually is in regards to Faith or Believing in Christ, for man cannot even do that, even though many deceived souls believe they can, and by it they achieved their salvation , but believing on Christ is doing good, which man cannot do according to the sacred record.

Again,m what Jesus says here in Jn 6:44 is vitally important, because this is what has deceived millions upon millions, for we as men believe in our wicked and deceitful hearts, that this is the one good thing we can do, but that is believing a lie. A scripture that clearly states that men COULD NOT BELIEVE is here Jn 12:37-39

37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

Jesus could have done thousands more miracles in their eyes, but they still would not have the ability to Believe ! This is because of Spiritual Death and Alienation from the Life of God, the only remedy is a New Life Principle communicated, and then and only then, do men believe by Grace Acts 18:27

27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:

Yes, I believed, but not I, but the Grace of God in Me 1 Cor 15:10

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Paul did not take personal credit for any of His Spiritual actions !


Once again, Another scripture that teaches that man in nature cannot please God Rom 8:7-8

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

That word cannot is the greek two words #1 ou:


no, not;

And # 2 dynamai:


to be able, have power whether by virtue of one's own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom

2) to be able to do something

3) to be capable, strong and powerful

Basically what this teaches is that while we are unregenerate,m and in the flesh, we have no ability, power, resource to Please God !

And so why do people believe they, in the flesh, can exercise Faith, which Pleases God ? Does not Faith Please God according to the understanding of Heb 11:6

6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And since men reject New Birth before Faith, then the alternative is that they do please God with Faith while in the flesh ! What these people are doing, They are flat out calling God a liar to His Face.

All of us who believe that while in a unregenerate state, we pleased God by believing in Christ, and by that He saved us, You are calling God a Liar, but we really know who the liars are !

 

The Gospel declares or proclaims the good news of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ for our sins, but we must add as a clarification, lest we preach a false gospel, that His Death , burial, and Resurrection of 1 Cor 15:3-4 was for God's Elect Only Rom 8:33-34

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 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.

Or Christ's Sheep Jn 10:15

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

And He rose as the Great Shepherd of the sheep Heb 13:20

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again[or resurrection] from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

This must be made clear without any compromise. This Gospel message calls and produces Faith in God's Elect, and by this God gathers His Church ! Yes, just as True is the Death of Christ was strictly for the Church, that He Loved and gave Himself for Eph 5:25

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

The Church is God's World Jn 3:16

But to say or to slightly imply or fail to clarify who Christ died for, is a false gospel !

 

think

Yes, there is no Gospel if that point is not made clear, Crystal Clear !

 

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You sure have !

 

Faith is important in Salvation !



Faith is important in Salvation because its by Holy Spirit given Faith, and then the act of believing, that we come to Know experientially, that reconciliation and peace that Christ made with God for us by His Cross ! Col 1:20

And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Rom 5:10

For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Actually to be reconciled also means to be Justified, to make Right !

The english word reconcile means or has many synonyms:

rectify:

to make, put, or set right


in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct.

2.
in conformity with fact, reason, truth, or some standard or principle; correct: the right solution; the right answer.

Now, it is said in Rom 5:19 that by the obedience of One, many shall be made Righteous.

That word Righteous is the greek word dikaios and means:

righteous, observing divine laws

a) in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God

1) of those who seem to themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves in their virtues, whether real or imagined

2) innocent, faultless, guiltless

3) used of him whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God, and who therefore needs no rectification in the heart or life

approved of or acceptable of God

The word reconciled in Rom 5:10 is katallassō:


to change, exchange, as coins for others of equivalent value

a) to reconcile (those who are at variance)

b) return to favour with, be reconciled to one

c) to receive one into favour

To be accepted of God and in His favour are the same thing, So those Christ died for are reconciled, Justified, accepted , by Christ's Death even while being enemies, and so in due time, God will show us our favoured state by giving us faith to embrace it ! That is why Faith is extremely important in the matter of Salvation and or Justification, to receive the Good News of one's Justification !

 

Rom 5:1

Rom 5:1

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

This text, Rom 5:1 can be understood, without any harm to context, can very well be read by placing the comma after Justified, and hence Read Rom 5:1

Therefore being justified, by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

The phrase " Therefore being Justified" looking back to the word Justified or Justification in Rom 4:25

25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Since this Justification was and evidence[by Resurrection] of the accomplishment of the Death of Christ having satisfied God"s Law and Justice for the offences of the Elect !

Now by Faith we come to know of this established peace and Justification we have with God.

For the Apostles purpose throughout the context is to make known the Redemptive Blessings of Christ's Blood Rom 3:24-25

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 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;

For Justification before God is by Christ's Blood alone Rom 5:9 but our peace in believing is by Faith Rom 15:13

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Also the word therefore, means something to the proper sense of Rom 5:1, it calls for a looking back conclusively to what was stated just prior to, and that being the evidence of our Justification out from the Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Rom 4:25 !

 

This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.



That the Gospel is preached as a word of Salvation to those who are born again is seen here in 1 Pet 1:3,23,25

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

It was preached unto them who had been begotten again by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and of incorruptible seed !

It , the Gospel was preached or announced to them, those born of incorruptible seed, so it is those who are born of incorruptible seed, that receives the seed of the Word Preached !

 

This was Part of their Gospel of Salvation !

Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings !



Eph 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Blessed with all spiritual blessings [God's Best Blessings] in Christ. Now when did this blessing occur ? It occurred first of all, according to one's Election or being chosen in Him before the foundation, for it was then that Grace [which contains the all spiritual blessings] was given or bestowed on us in Him before the World began 2 Tim 1:9; Then it is later in time, and according to God's Purpose of Grace, those Blessings are bestowed or given us again, this time by an effectual call of Grace Gal 1:15

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

Note, though Paul was an Apostle, nevertheless he is called by Grace as an Member of the Body of Christ, the Church !

Called by the Gospel through the Working of the Spirit 2 Thess 2:13-14

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:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All the Grace given in time as per 1 Cor 1:4

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;

Is nothing but meeting the purpose of it being given us before time 2 Tim 1:9, and so Paul Thanks God for the grace given them in Christ Jesus, for it was now being manifested, for He knew it was first given them in Christ before the World began !

 

If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

1 Cor 15:17

And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

If Christ be not raised, ye are yet in your sins ! If Christ is raised, ye are not in your sins !

You see,[God given] Faith has embraced the Truth that Christ's Sacrifice hath taken away one's sins, Jn 1:29 but if Christ be not risen, then that means that God did not discharge the sins of those He had laid upon Him as Per Isa 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.

The Lord caused to fall upon Him the Iniquity of all for whom He died !

And in such a case, faith is useless or of no purpose !

Now the false teachers hath perverted the sense of this Truth and would have it mean that faith is the condition man meets in order for the discharge of one's sins, but that is only a cheat from the Work of Christ which alone discharges the sins of those He died in behalf of, and that being the case the resurrection of Christ from the dead is a solemn testimony of that fact ! And so it is whenever the Gospel is preached and forgiveness of sins proclaimed, based upon His Work, His Name, God given Faith embraces the Truth of it, and that one then receives into their consciousness the forgiveness or discharge of them as Per Acts 26:18

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

But if Christ be not risen, then faith is of no use to embrace such a Truth, and their discharge is a delusion !

When it is said that the risen Christ gives Repentance and Remission of sins to Israel as Per Acts 5:31, it means He gives them the Knowledge of it, the Knowledge of the fact their sins are forgiven ! Lk 1:77

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

 

Is Election part of the Gospel ?

Many people today ask this question, and the answer is absolutely yes, for if a preacher does not preach election, they handle the word of God either ignorantly or deceitfully or both ! 2 Cor 4:2

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

deceitfully means here to conceal a part of the Truth ! Thats why Paul said of His Preaching Acts 20:27

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

The very fact we have epistles that begin like Eph 1:1-4

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:

2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

1 Pet 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

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.


Titus 1:1

Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

That ensures us of that Truth [Election] having already been proclaimed to the recipients of those letters, for letters or epistles were primarily to establish in the Gospel Faith already delivered !

Acts 14:21-22

21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,

22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

When we say Election, by that we mean and understand, God's Eternal and Unconditional Choice of Particular Individuals in Christ Jesus, in order for them only to experience Salvation in time and eternity Eph 1:4

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

2 Thess 2:13

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 or Conversion through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

The scriptures are loaded with this blessed, God revealed Gospel Truth. Jesus also states it Matt 22:14

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The Apostle Paul again in a Epistle writes of the Election of Grace Rom 11:5

5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.[For Salvation or Conversion]

Peter writes also 2 Pet 1:10

10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling[by God] and election[by God] sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

Evidently indicating his readers had heard of the doctrine of Election previously in the Gospel preached to them 1 Pet 1:23-25

23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:

25 But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

 

In Preaching Election in the Gospel, it is to be made clear that it is personal, not a corporate election that there will be salvation in general, but the choosing of Individuals by Name, for in expounding expounding God's Purpose of Election Rom 9:11

11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth)

Paul points out that the individual Jacob was Chosen and Loved, but Esau an Individual, was hated and rejected, and this unconditionally, not on foreseen good or evil behaviour !

This must be made clear in the Gospel as Paul just did !