THE RESULTS OF SALVATION
By John Baker
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3-7
Upon belief of the gospel, we are saved from condemnation and assured of eternal life in heaven. However, there is much more that a believer has upon salvation. Just as salvation is given by God's grace, so the accompanying blessings are bestowed by God's grace. He has indeed "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1 :3b).
In the next few articles we will look at what the Scriptures state that a believer is:
1. A part of God's eternal purpose+ The moment we are saved we are made a member of the church, which is the Body of Christ, "that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2-7).
2. Reconciled to God-- As far as God is concerned all barriers have been eliminated. We have been drawn nigh to God because the Lord Jesus has taken away the obstacle between man and God. That obstacle was sin (See n Corinthians 5:18-21).
3 Forgiven+ All sins, past, present, and future have been forever forgiven. "And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath He quickened together with Him, having forgiven all your trespasses" (Colossians 2:13).
4. No longer condemned-- The unbeliever is condemned already. (John 3:18) However, the believer has all condemnation removed. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8.1).
Scripture Reading: Romans 5: 1
As a result of being saved, the believer is:
5. Justified-- To be justified is to be declared righteous in God's sight. The moment we believe we are justified before God. We have been "justified by faith" (Romans 5:1). This justification was procured by the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. We have been "justified by His blood" (Romans 5:9). All of this was made possible by God's amazing grace. We have been "justified freely by His grace" (Romans 3:24).
6. Sanctified-- We have been permanently set apart unto God in our Lord Jesus Christ. He purchased us and we belong to Him (I Corinthians 1:30).
7. Made fit for heaven+ In ourselves we are totally unfit for heaven. Only God could make us fit for heaven. He has "made us meet (fit) to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Colossians 1:12b)
8. Made accepted-- Our own righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6) and is not acceptable to God. But by His grace we are made acceptable in the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6).
9. Made the righteousness of God-- "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" (II Corinthians 5:21).
10. Sons ofGod-- We have been made the sons of God with all its privileges through our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).
Scripture Reading: Romans 7:6
Upon believing we are:
11. Delivered from the law=.The law condemns sin and the sinner. In Christ Jesus we are "delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held" (Romans 7:6a).
12. Delivered from the power of darkness= The power (authority) of darkness is Satan. We have been delivered from Satan and his authority over us (Colossians 1:13).
13. Translated into the kingdom of His Son-- Not only were we delivered from Satan and his authority, but we were translated (transferred) into the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and under His authority (Colossians 1:13).
14. Complete in Him-- In this world the unbeliever is incomplete. That is why he is ever searching for pleasures and thrills to fill this void. The believer is complete (made full) in Christ (Colossians 2:9-10).
15. His inheritance-- As trophies of His grace the believer becomes a part of God's inheritance (Ephesians 1:18).
16. Partakers of His inheritance-- As members of the Body of Christ, the believer becomes joint-heirs with Christ and partakers of His promise (Ephesians 3:6, Romans 8:17).
17. Seated in the heavenlies-- The believer has a position of honor and privilege at the right hand of God. He has "raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace ... " (Ephesians 2:6b,7a).
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:7
As a result of receiving the free gift of salvation the believer is:
18. A citizen of heaven-- The believer is a foreigner in this world. That is the reason we are called upon to be ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ (II Corinthians 5:20). "For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3.20).
19. Redeemed-- The Lord Jesus came with sufficient price for our sins, His own precious blood, and purchased out of the slave market of sin, in order that He might set us free (Ephesians 1:7).
20. Indwelt by the Holy Spirit-- "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Romans 5:5b). "But we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you" (Romans 8:9a).
These are just a few of the blessings God has given to the believer. All these blessings are bestowed instantaneously upon the believer by God's grace. There is not one thing we can do to earn them nor is there any way we could repay God. For more examples see "Systematic Theology," Vol. III by Lewis Sperry Chafer and "Grace" by the same author.
We need to look at some of these terms in more detail.
Les Feldick Ministries
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Kinta, OK 74552
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