Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God.”—John 3:3 (KJV) He also told him,
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit.”—John 3:6 (KJV) What was Jesus
really saying?
In this publication, our aim is to add dimension to the marks and
the motions of true redemption, giving a perspective from the interior
view. Many people, when they hear Scripture, do not know what it actually
means from an inside point of view. Our goal is to bring understanding
to what takes place on the human side of things as the Word is applied
to an individual walking through the motions of redemption. This will
not be an exhaustive treatment of this subject, but is meant to be a
working sketch, to give light to new and/or struggling Christians who
want to know more about true, biblical salvation.
In a day when surveys show that about 80% of all Americans say they
have had a born-again experience, what can this possibly mean in the
light of an amoral society? Our society today more closely represents
the devil than the self-denying life of “Christ in us, the hope
of glory!” The questions may well be asked, “What is a Biblical
Christian? How does redemption take place?”
Romans 4:13-5:11* states, “It is clear, then, that God’s
promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and to his descendants was
not based on obedience to God’s law, but on the new relationship
with God that comes by faith. So if you claim that God’s promise
is for those who obey God’s law and think they are ‘good
enough’ in God’s sight, then you are saying that faith is
useless. And in that case, the promise is also meaningless. But the
law brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to
avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!)
So that’s why faith is the key! God’s promise is given
to us as a free gift. And we are certain to receive it, whether or not
we follow Jewish customs, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For
Abraham is the father of all who believe. That is what the Scriptures
mean when God told him, ‘I have made you the father of many nations.’
This happened because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead
back to life and who brings into existence what didn’t exist before.
When God promised Abraham that he would become the father of many
nations, Abraham believed Him. God had also said, ‘Your descendants
will be as numerous as the stars,’ even though such a promise
seemed utterly impossible! And Abraham’s faith did not weaken,
even though he knew he was too old to be a father at the age of one
hundred and that Sarah, his wife, had never been able to have children.
Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his
faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was absolutely
convinced that God was able to do anything He promised. And because
of Abraham’s faith, God declared him to be righteous.
Now this wonderful truth—that God declared him to be righteous—wasn’t
just for Abraham’s benefit. It was for us, too, assuring us that
God will also declare us to be righteous if we believe in God, who brought
Jesus our Lord back from the dead. He was handed over to die because
of our sins, and He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith,
we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done
for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place
of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully
look forward to sharing God’s glory.
We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we
know they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance
develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our
confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint
us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given to us
the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time
and died for us sinners … But God showed His great love for us
by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since
we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ,
He will certainly save us from God’s judgment. For since we were
restored to friendship with God by the death of His Son while we were
still His enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment
by His life. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship
with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for
us in making us friends of God.”
Praise His name! This is what justification is all about. He did it
all in spite of us, while we were still sinners. We cannot add to it
or take away from it.
2 Corinthians 5:17-6:12, “What this means is that those who
become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore,
for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!
All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to Himself
through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling
people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself,
no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful
message He has given us to tell others. We are Christ’s ambassadors
and God is using us to speak to you. We urge you, as though Christ Himself
were here pleading with you, ‘Be reconciled to God!’ For
God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so
that we could be made right with God through Christ.
As God’s partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message
of God’s great kindness. For God says,
‘At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you.’
Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation.
We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding
the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry.
In everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God.
We patiently endure troubles and hardship and calamities of every kind.
We have been beaten, been put in jail, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion,
endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We have proved ourselves
by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere
love, and the power of the Holy Spirit. We have faithfully preached
the truth. God’s power has been working in us. We have righteousness
as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. We serve God
whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise
us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are well known, but
we are treated as unknown. We live close to death, but here we are,
still alive. We have been beaten within an inch of our lives. Our hearts
ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches
to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
Oh, dear [American] friends! We have spoken honestly with you. Our
hearts are open to you. If there is a problem between us, it is not
because of a lack of love on our part, but because you have withheld
your love from us.”
One might ask, “How does all of this actually work out in redemption?
I have heard those Scriptures, I know those Scriptures, but what do
they mean to someone who is not familiar with the Scriptures? What does
it look like from the inside? What are the very practical things that
take place in redemption?” Well, let us suggest some practical
footprints to follow.
Stirrings
At the beginning, we may experience “stirrings” from time
to time. These stirrings help us begin to understand what sin is. When
this happens, we may experience a disquietude in our hearts and a dissatisfaction
in our lives.
Awakenings
As time goes by there are “awakenings” or clear points
of contact with truth. We may begin to desire the things of God, but
we are fighting a battle within our hearts. Spiritual reality and awareness
come in at this point, and we begin to realize that our personal decisions
and actions have real consequences. If we are true seekers, these awakenings
can eventually lead us to a point we call …
Conviction
Association with God’s word helps us to understand where and
how we are wrong. If we are willing to be honest with this truth, we
will come under deep conviction. This is when we will actually experience
the guilt of sin. Finding ourselves guilty can lead us into a godly
sorrow. As we begin to mourn over the sin in our lives, we will confess
our sin because we understand that it has hurt God, others and ourselves.
We want to turn away from it. This desire to deal with our guilt and
to forsake all evil leads us to repentance. This is the point where
we realize our need for a Savior.
As we identify with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection we
are then fully justified before God—we are not “guilty”
anymore. This is not something that anyone can merit. It is a free gift
based upon the work of Jesus Christ alone. This is our “salvation”
from the “wages of sin”. (Rom. 6:23)
Conversion
Having been brought to Christ through repentance, we are then converted,
or, transformed, and we will begin to pursue a holy, sanctified life.
Every true conversion is accompanied by an obedient spirit—one
that will heed the grand injunction in John 14:21, “Those who
obey My commandments are the ones who love Me.” In verse 23, Jesus
goes on to say that He will come and build His house with those who
keep His commandments: “All those who love Me will do what I say.
My Father will love them, and We will come to them and live with them.”
Conversion to holy living is the biblical view of what it means to
be a “Christian”. The result of true, biblical salvation
is freedom from the penalty for sin, freedom from any bondage to sin,
and, in the life to come, freedom from even the presence of sin. (Rom.
6:22) There is no other “salvation”. True salvation will
result in walking in “newness of life. For if we have been planted
together in the likeness of His death [death to sin], we shall be also
in the likeness of His resurrection.”—Rom. 6:4-5 (KJV)
Being “in Christ”
One way of knowing you are truly “in Christ” is that there
is an obedient spirit within you. You will be obeying the Word of God.
You will not feel good doing your own thing anymore. You can no longer
find any satisfaction in doing anything that does not please God. Having
put away the selfish, independent spirit of the old man, a born-again
believer will now walk in what Paul, the apostle, calls “the obedience
of faith.” Indeed, he frames the entire book of Romans with that
phrase. (Rom. 1:5, 16:26 KJV)
We must note carefully that biblical redemption is not merely an experience
of being brought to Christ; nor is it merely an intellectual assent
or mental comprehension. It is not a matter of tradition. Jesus Christ
became a substitutionary sacrifice for mankind’s sin, thereby
making atonement available to each one of us. True salvation is an actualization
of this work of Christ as each convert comes to acknowledge their critical
need of His atoning work. This also includes the acknowledging of Christ’s
merit and fulfillment of the Law. (Matt. 5:17) He was the only one who
could complete the Law in human form. His merit is put to our account
as we individually come to trust in His great work. This is true redemption!
By our faith we trust in the fact that Jesus can put His merit to our
account. We then evidence it by living a “resurrected life”—a
transformed, holy life.
Professors
Now let us consider: How is it that there are so many that profess
Christ but do not evidence a tangible, traceable life of obedience to
Christ? In Romans 6:4 Paul, the apostle, tells us: “For we died
and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised
from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live
new lives.”
Where then is the changed life in these professors? Where is the “new
man” in operation? The simple fact is that most people, in a literal
sense, have only received the “baptism of John.” What do
we mean by the “baptism of John?” When you are under the
baptism of John you have no power. There is no authority in your life.
There is no bright witness of the Holy Spirit occupying your life. And
more importantly, there is no strength to overcome sin. Biblical faith
is not evident. Those who have only the “baptism of John”
have come to a place of wanting to repent; they have come to a place
of needing a Redeemer, but they have never gone through to receive His
good work. They had stirrings, awakenings, convictions, and godly sorrow.
They repented and were brought to a point of recognizing their need
for Jesus Christ, but they have not yet employed the obedience of faith.
They still want to do things by the law—“good works”—or
live under the traditions that have been taught to them or into which
they have been born. But everyone, including Abraham, had to learn to
believe that God could do something before it could ever be seen. That
is faith!
God told Abraham that he would make him the father of nations. This
was a bold proclamation to give Abraham at 100 years old, while his
wife Sarah was 90 years old and had no children! But he believed. This
is the kind of faith the Bible tells us we must have if we are going
to receive the finished work of Christ. It cannot be taught to us; we
must receive it. We can be taught all kind of things, but only by faith
can we receive truth. (Rom. 10:17)
Let us give an example. Our flesh loves offense. It draws right up
to the table, opens up the napkin, takes up the fork and the knife,
and says, “Let’s party! Let’s get ready to gorge on
this one. Here it comes.” Then there will be blame-shifting, resentments,
and offenses of all kinds. Defense mechanisms just seem to pour out.
Now, brethren, that reflects an unbiblical or improper response of a
“new man” who is supposed to be raised up in Christ. Let
us note very carefully that taking up offenses, retaliation, and bitterness
are never Christian options. They are never available to a Christian.
When we choose these, it is a problem! It is to resist the promises
of God, and it is a denial of the grace and the mercy for which Jesus
Christ died.
Saints in Christ, this is sin! Oh, that we might learn to live above
sin today, especially if we are those who have the grace to live godly
in Christ. We already know we will suffer persecution. This is as basic
as the beatitudes, written to us in the Sermon on the Mount, the beginning
of Jesus’ own teaching. How is it then that true, born-again saints
can deny the activity of the Holy Spirit upon their hearts and the grace
to be obedient in the faith of Christ? Is faith truly in operation when
we can deny the promises of Christ and resist His grace and mercy? Is
faith truly in operation if the flesh of the “old man” is
still reigning over the professing Christian? It is our understanding
that biblical faith is not in operation in a case like this.
True Faith
When there is true faith within the heart, a believer is committed
beyond his own means. In other words, a true Christian has committed
himself even beyond what he is capable of. He has made that kind of
commitment to God because he knows his victory is in the strength of
Christ! It is a strength not his own.
By faith, we can expect what our senses cannot certify, just like
Abraham. He could not see how he could possibly be the father of many
nations, but he believed by faith in the promise that God had given
him.
Our faith is based upon the Lord’s promises. Faith depends daily
upon the fresh supply of the Lord’s grace and mercy. There is
no other way. True faith is motivated by a desire to bring glory to
God. It is confident in God’s integrity and faithfulness.
Walking by Faith / Walking in Holiness
“As ye have
therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”—Col.
2:6 (KJV)
“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you
must continue to live in obedience to Him.”—Col 2:6
After an individual hears the royal proclamation of John 14:21-23—“Those
who obey My commandments are the ones who love Me … All those
who love Me will do what I say …”—that person is faced
with the choice to obey or to not obey. With all the grace that has
been supplied, he now has the choice to be activated by faith or by
doubt. Faith is the response of a living trust that the promises of
God are true. Faith trusts that “… all the promises of God
in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God ...”—2
Cor. 1:20 (KJV). If a person does not believe in His promises, neither
do they believe that He is omnipotent—all-powerful. This de-glorifies
the Lord. It dismisses and removes the glory of God, showing that there
is no true knowledge of Him, either in spirit or in truth.
Having engaged redemption’s grace and mercy by faith, the individual
is now to walk before the Lord and be holy. One of the first things
Abraham heard from the Lord was, “I am the Almighty God, walk
before Me, and be thou holy … I am your shield. I am your exceeding
great reward.”—Gen. 17:1, 15:1 (KJV). God was saying, ‘I’ll
be your protection. I’ll do My part, Abraham; you just believe
that I can do it!’ This is the age-old call to faith: Walk before
the Lord and be holy. It is a demonstration that one actually believes
that God is true to His word.
The Assurance of Faith and The Indwelling of the Holy Spirit
We will call this next mark of true redemption ‘the assurance
of faith’. This is most important to the true saint! It is missing
in much of Christianity today. The two marks of redemption—the
assurance of faith and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—are what
mere professors lack, what the “baptism of John” lacks.
The ‘baptism of John’ brings believers to need Christ and
to repentance but no further. The gift of the Holy Spirit comes with
the baptism of Christ. (Matt. 3:11) The Holy Spirit then leads us into
all the truth. (John 16:13) He lets us know when we are right, and when
we are wrong, He will let us know if remaining pockets of flesh still
exist. The Holy Spirit helps us to understand the truth about who God
is and the truth about who we are in the light of God. This is walking
in newness of life—the very risen life of Christ! (Romans 6:4)
Having laid hold of the promises of Christ through the work of Christ,
having pushed through to the cross, the new believer has now received
the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. When does this happen? After we have
exercised “Abrahamic faith” in our own lives. First we believe,
and then we will see! Having first believed and trusted, it is then
that saints see the power working in their lives. They have the confidence
of the Lord’s presence, and they begin to see the fruit of having
put their trust in Him.
There is a “holy tension” in walking before the Lord,
making improvements and adjustments as we go, knowing that the Lord,
with His omnipresent eyes, is watching us. Why is He watching us? So
that we might be like Him. It is like a father watching his son or his
daughter as they are growing up. He wants us to be righteous. Christ
Jesus, the Constant Supplier of our redemption through His grace and
mercy, continually mediates for us. It is not just a one-time experience.
As saints turn away from self to Christ’s sinless life and ways,
they will “live out” His purposes and experience His promises.
They now have written in their hearts the commandments and beatitudes
and kingdom parables. All this Christ Jesus has provided for and requires
in the life of all His kingdom citizens.
What About ‘Stumbling’?
The question may well be asked, “Can an individual stumble after
walking in an assurance of faith?” Yes, but he hates it. He hates
sin! He cannot enjoy any sin after he is in a state of assurance before
God. He finds no pleasure in rebellion, whether he is young or old.
That stain of impurity and guilt must be wiped away! A troubled, tender
conscience and interrupted fellowship with Christ our Lord becomes too
much to bear for the true saint. He runs to the throne of grace to get
right and to be re-established in the righteousness of Christ! For,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”—1
John 1:9 (KJV) Oh, praise God that “… we have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”—1 Jn. 2:1
(KJV)
Three Marks of True Redemption
John, the apostle, goes on to say that when we live with Christ in
His power, we live by an obedient faith. (1 Jn. 2:3-6) This is the first
mark or evidence that we have true redemption.
Secondly, John teaches that true saints will do righteousness. (1
Jn. 3:7-10) They will not simply think it; they will not simply learn
it; they will not simply teach it. They will actually be doing it. The
concept of faith in righteousness must be put into action. There must
be visible evidences of a continuing life with Christ, not just a one-time
experience of some kind. We must demonstrate faith in action. Faith,
without works that follow, is dead faith! Faith will have visible footprints!
All will be able to see observable steps of faith being taken every
day.
A third evidence John gives us of true faith is that it will result
in a demonstration of true, godly love one for another. (1 Jn. 3:10-11,
14-18)
These three evidences: an obedient faith, doing righteousness, and
loving the brethren is to have a “conversation {conduct} as it
becometh the gospel of Christ … ” (Phil. 1:27 - KJV), and
is true in redemptive salvation. This, then, is the outworking of the
righteous ways of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives.
1. An Obedient Faith
Let us now look at some of the Scriptures that help our understanding
of these evidences of the motions and the marks of genuine redemption.
First, what is an obedient faith?
1 John 1:5-7 says, “This is the message He has given us to announce
to you: God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. So we are
lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual
darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the
light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship
with each other and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from every
sin.”
1 Jn. 2:3-6, “And how can we be sure that we belong to Him?
By obeying His commandments. If someone says, ‘I belong to God,’
but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar
and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God’s word
really do love Him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in
Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ
did.”
1 Jn. 3:1-3, “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us,
for He allows us to be called His children, and we really are! But the
people who belong to this world don’t know God, so they don’t
understand that we are His children. Yes, dear friends, we are already
God’s children and we can’t even imagine what we will be
like when Christ returns. But we do know that when He comes we will
be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. And all who believe
this will keep themselves pure, just as Christ is pure.”
These verses describe an “obedient faith.”
2. Doing Righteousness
Secondly, what about doing righteousness?
1 John 2:28-29 says, “And now, dear children, continue to live
in fellowship with Christ so that when He returns, you will be full
of courage and not shrink back from Him in shame. Since we know that
God is always right, we also know that all who do righteousness are
His children.”
1 Jn. 3:7-10, “Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive
you about this: When people do what is right [when they do righteousness],
it is because they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when
people keep on sinning, it shows they belong to the devil, who has been
sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy these
works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family
do not sin, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t
keep on sinning, because they have been born of God. So now we can tell
who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who
does not obey God’s commands and does not love other Christians
does not belong to God.”
Jesus said that a tree is known by its fruit. Which nature is present
within a person? It is easy to see. We do not even need a verbal answer.
We can just look at the fruit.
3. Loving One Another
It is at this point that we confess to you a great burden for the
many deceived ‘professors’ of our day who are still stuck
in the baptism of John. There is much evidence that they have little
or no godly (agape) love in operation without it being forced and provoked.
1 John 2:9, “If anyone says, ‘I’m living in the
light,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is
still living in darkness.”
1 Jn. 2:15-17, “Stop loving this evil world and all that it
offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you do not have
the love of the Father in you. For the world offers you only the lust
for physical pleasure, the lust for everything we see, and the pride
in our possessions. These are not from the Father. They are from this
evil world. And this world is fading away, along with everything it
craves. But if you do the will of God, you will live forever.”
1 Jn. 3:14-16, “If we love our Christian brothers and sisters,
it proves that we have passed from death to eternal life.” That
is good news, brethren! If we are busy loving each other as Christ loved
us, we are giving evidence that we have passed from death to life! “But
a person who has no love is still dead. Anyone who hates another Christian
is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t
have eternal life within them. We know what real love is because Christ
gave up His life for us. And so we also ought to give up our lives for
our Christian brothers and sisters.”
1 Jn. 3:18-24, “Dear children, let us stop just saying we love
each other; let us really show it by our actions. It is by our actions
that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when
we stand before the Lord, even if our hearts condemn us. For God is
greater than our hearts, and He knows everything.
Dear friends, if our conscience is clear, we can come to God with
bold confidence. And we will receive whatever we request because we
obey Him and do the things that please Him. And this is His commandment:
we must believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another,
just as He commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments live
in fellowship with Him, and He with them.”
How do we live in fellowship with God? We do it through obedience
and by acting according to His ways. He gives us grace to do it, and
He has given the Holy Spirit to help us. “And we know He lives
in us because the Holy Spirit lives in us.”
1 Jn 4:6-8, “But we belong to God; that is why those who know
God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to
us. That is how we know if someone has the spirit of truth or the spirit
of deception.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes
from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone
who does not love, does not know God—for God is love.”
The love of God comes from Him, and when we are loving each other,
it shows that we are in communion with God. His love is like an electrical
current and will continually flow through us. This is evidence that
we are in touch with God and receiving His love.
1 Jn. 4:9-5:8, “God showed how much He loved us by sending His
only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.
This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love
each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God
lives in us, and His love has been brought to full expression through
us.
And God has given us His Spirit as proof that we live in Him and He
in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that
the Father sent His Son to be the Savior of the world. All who proclaim
that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live
in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in
Him.
God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in
them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will
not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence
because we are like Christ here in this world.
Such love has no fear because perfect love expels all fear. If we
are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love
has not been perfected in us. We love each other as a result of His
loving us first.
If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother
or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people
we can see, how can we love God, whom we have not seen? And God Himself
has commanded that we must love not only Him but our Christian brother
and sisters, too.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God.
And everyone who loves the Father, loves His children, too. We know
we love God’s children if we love God and obey His commandments.
Loving God means keeping His commandments, and really that is not difficult.
For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to
give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world
are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by His baptism in
water and by shedding His blood on the cross—not by water only,
but by water and blood. And the Spirit also gives us the testimony that
this is true. So we have these three witnesses—the Spirit, the
water, and the blood—and all three agree.”
Romans 8:11-32, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the
dead, lives in you. And just as He raised Christ from the dead, He will
give life to your mortal body by this same Spirit living in you.
So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to
do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following
it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you
turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led
by the Spirit of God are children of God.
So you should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave
instead like God’s very own children, adopted into His family—calling
Him “Father, dear Father.” For His Holy Spirit speaks to
us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.
And since we are His children, we will share His treasures—for
everything God gives to His Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are
to share His glory, we must also share His suffering.
Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give
us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when
God will reveal who His children really are. Against its will, everything
on earth was subjected to God’s curse. All creation anticipates
the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from
death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as
in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we
Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste
of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering.
We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full
rights as His children, including the new bodies He has promised us.
Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For
if you already have something, you don’t need to hope for it.
But if we look forward to something we don’t have yet, we must
wait patiently and confidently.
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don’t even
know what we should pray for, or how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit
prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the
Father who knows all hearts, knows what the Spirit is saying, for the
Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.
And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good
of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them
… What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God
is for us, who can ever be against us? Since God did not spare even
His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us
Christ, also give us everything else?”
Brethren, do we actualize this kind of faith in the redemption that
Jesus Christ offers? The grace of God is available for all saints to
live in holy uprightness before God in this present, ungodly age. (Titus
2:11-12) This grace is available now. Jesus Himself announced the fact
that the kingdom of God has already come in power and authority. Therefore,
we can be steadfast in the faith and be strong, confident “soldiers”
of God. And we can do all things in His agape love! This is the victory
that we have in Christ as He, Himself, mediates His kingdom life to
and through us. We are called to that, brethren! May we all get a grasp
on these truths! Some are now participating in that kingdom life; some
are merely spectators, or professors, who are just being entertained
by those who are actually entering into Christ and His life. But truly
redeemed saints are living the life. The kingdom of God is come!
In Summary …
The motions and marks of true redemption begin with stirrings and
awakenings, leading to convictions. This will result in a godly sorrow,
leading to repentance. This then will bring one right up to the point
of needing a Savior, Jesus Christ. This is as far as the “baptism
of John” can take a person. The individual must hear of the ways
and the works of redemption in Christ and through obedience, bring them
into lively demonstration and exercises of faith. This means putting
one’s belief system into observable actions. It is by this grace,
through individual faith and trust in the work of Jesus, that a person
comes through the cross and stands with Jesus! This is a saving faith—a
saving knowledge of the truth! It is to believe that it is all true
and then walking it out with Jesus Christ! This is what it means to
lay hold of eternal life.
It is after this demonstration of faith that a saint begins to recognize
that the Holy Spirit has already moved in and is leading him into all
the truth. This results in sanctification and holiness in his life.
For it is this that gives true saints the assurance of faith that they
are in Christ! Having found freedom, they become concerned for the rest
of Adam’s ruined race. In godly love they begin to demonstrate
and advance the kingdom of God to the unsaved, realizing and remembering
how lost we all once were.
In Closing …
There are three evidences of the risen life in Christ, accompanied
with much assurance of faith.
First, there will be a regenerated life. A truly regenerated person
will not be the same. It is impossible. “What this means is that
those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same
anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!”—2
Cor. 5:17
This is not a person who is just barely hanging on, slipping in and
out of salvation! This is a victorious, triumphant, overcoming, abounding
in love, saint of Jesus Christ!
Secondly, the word of God will be in the saint’s mouth. Strangely
missing today is Scripture rightly spoken. A word fitly spoken is worth
much gold, the Bible says. (Prov. 25:11?)
In John 15:7 we read, “But if you stay joined to Me and My words
remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted!
My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great glory to My
Father.”
The Lord is communicating His life-giving juices to each branch of
the vine. And when His words are in a person’s mouth, it produces
much fruit and brings great glory to His Father. In this way, a person
is participating with Christ Jesus Himself in communicating the gospel
to a lost world.
Also, in Mark 8:38, the Bible says, “If a person is ashamed
of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, I, the
Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in the glory
of My Father with the holy angels.”
Thirdly, there will be continued growth in holiness in the true saint’s
life.
Phil. 3:12-14 (NAS) reads this way, “I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but
this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward
to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the
upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
The true saint is not perfect yet, but still pressing! This is the
attitude of the Apostle Paul.
Also, note 2 Cor. 7:1 (KJV), “Having therefore these promises,
dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
And then 2 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV), “… His divine power hath
given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through
the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby
are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: we might participate
in His divine nature, having escaped the pollutions of the world.”
We leave you with these two Scriptures:
1 Thess. 1:6, “So you received the message with joy from the
Holy Spirit in spite of the severe sufferings it brought you. In this
way you imitated both us and the Lord.”
Col. 1:21-23, “This includes you who were once so far away from
God. You were His enemies, separated from Him by your evil thoughts
and actions, yet now He has brought you back as His friends. He has
done this through His death on the cross in His own human body. As a
result, He has brought you into the very presence of God, and you are
holy and blameless as you stand before Him without a single fault. (Aren’t
you glad this is the way GOD sees you if you are under the blood of
the Lamb?—just doing His ways, doing righteousness.) But you must
continue to believe this truth and stand in it firmly! Don’t drift
away from the assurance that you received when you heard the Good News.”
WORSHIP
W you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you
serve. Matt. 4:10
O O come let us worship and bow down. Ps. 95:6
R in reverence and godly fear. Heb. 12:28
S in spirit and in truth. Jn. 4:24
H he that hath clean hands and a pure heart. Ps. 24:4
I in the beauty of holiness. Ps. 29:2
P the sacrifice of praise. Heb. 13:15
