"Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even THE GOD of our salvation. Selah. He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death." (Psalm 68:19-20)
Hundreds of years after the psalmist was moved upon to pen these words, God gave the following story concerning a certain man of Jerusalem.
"And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took He him up in his arms and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy Word: for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel." (Luke 2:25-32)
By comparing the above quotations, we find that "our GOD is the GOD of salvation." And that "the child Jesus" is declared to be the Lord's "salvation, ... prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of God's people Israel."
Oftentimes people think of salvation as something they can earn. Some even feel that they are worthy of salvation by virtue of their natural birth; but such is not true. The fallacy of such reasoning is clearly seen in the following Scriptures.
"For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; and being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:3-7).
There are also those who insist upon putting themselves under the Mosaic Law, and try to be saved by working themselves into favor with God. Again, we call attention to the testimony of the written Word.
"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped (closed), and all the world may become guilty before God.
Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are passed through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness that He might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law." (Rom. 3:19-28)
Dear reader, if you count yourself among those who are of the works of the law, the Word declares that you are under the curse.
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for the just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, the man that doeth them shall live in them." (Gal. 3:10-12)
You must see, and believe, that:
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, cursed is everyone that hangeth upon a tree: that the blessings of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. ... The scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe." (Gal. 3:13-14, 21).
But what must you believe? You must believe the Word of God. For "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17).
If you are an unbeliever, your soul is condemned; for in the Word it is written:
"He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18)
As an unbeliever, you are also now living under the wrath of God, because it is written again:
"He that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36)
If you are now walking in "a way" which seems right unto you, you are walking in "the ways of death:" for it is also written:
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death" (Prov. 14:12).
If, in the light of these divine statements of fact, you now see yourself condemned, and living under the wrath of God, and walking in the ways of death, then the Holy Spirit is using His Word to work a work of grace in your heart. Without doubt, the Holy Spirit is speaking through His Word of truth to your heart, saying, through Paul:
"I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15:3-4).
Yes, He died for Paul's sins; He died for my sins; He died for your sins, and for the sins of all the world.
It is true that God hath made His Son, His perfect, spotless, sinless Son, "to be sin for us ... that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). This was accomplished by Christ on the cross of Calvary.
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Pet. 2:24)
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust." (1 Pet. 3:18)
If you will now hear and believe the above quotations from the Word of God; then God will give you the faith of His Son, and you will rejoice to own Him as your Saviour. Having received Him, even by believing on His name, He will impart unto you His own eternal life, and you will find yourself rejoicing in Christ:
"For if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
Grace Bible Church
http://www.gracebiblechurch-fw.com/
Posted By – Cecil and Connie Spivey
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