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Ten Unique Points in the Message of
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1. Christ's sacrifice is not merely provisional but is effective for the whole world. The only reason anybody will be lost is that he has chosen to resist the saving grace of God. Salvation is by faith; condemnation comes by unbelief (or non-faith, which is really rebellion against God). 2. Christ's sacrifice legally justified the entire human race (Romans 5:18; 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15; Titus 2:11; 1 Timothy 4:10), and has literally saved the world from premature destruction. When a sinner hears and believes the pure gospel, he is justified by faith (Ephesians 2:8 -9; Romans 3:20 -22). Those sinners who will be eternally lost will have deliberately negated the justification Christ has already effected for them as "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8; cf. Genesis 3:15). 3. True justification by faith changes the heart which was once hardened in sin and rebellion against God. It is, therefore, much more than a legal declaration of acquittal. It brings the believer into willing obedience to all the commandments of God (Romans 12:1,2; Revelation 14:12). 4. This marvelous work is accomplished through the ministry of the new covenant wherein the Lord actually writes His law in the heart of the believer (Jeremiah 31:31-33; Hebrews 8:9-12). This new motivation transcends fear of being lost or hope of reward in being saved. For example: Abraham's faith enabled him to live under the new covenant, while multitudes of Christians today live under the old covenant because their motivation is self-centered concern. The old covenant was the promise of the people to be faithful (Exodus 19:3-8). Under the new covenant, salvation comes by believing God's promise to enable us to obey, not by our making promises to Him. 5. God's love is active, not passive. As the Good Shepherd, Christ is seeking His lost sheep. Salvation does not depend on the lost sheep seeking the Shepherd, or the lost coin seeking its owner, but on our believing that He is seeking us and by our yielding to Him (see the three parables in Luke chapter 15). 6. It is difficult to be lost and it is easy to be saved if one understands and believes how good the Good News really is. A constant resisting of God's grace is sin. Since Christ has already paid the penalty for every man's sin (Hebrews 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:14), the only reason anyone can be condemned at last is his continued resistance and unbelief. Non-faith is a refusal to appreciate the redemption achieved by Christ on His cross. The true Gospel unveils this unbelief and leads to an effective redemption that prepares the believer for the second coming of Christ in His clouds of glory. 7. In seeking lost mankind, Christ came all the way down to where we are (see Philippians 2:5-8), taking upon Himself and assuming the fallen, sinful nature of man. This He did that he might save us, and that He might "be tempted in all points like as we are" (Hebrews 4:15), and yet demonstrate perfect righteousness "in the likeness of sinful flesh" (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14-18). 8. Our Saviour "condemned sin in the flesh" of fallen mankind. This means that He has outlawed sin. In the light of the cross, the devil cannot force anyone to sin (Romans 6:12-14). To be truly "human" is to be Christ-like in character, for He was truly human as well as truly divine. Grace is stronger than your sin (Romans 6:17-23; Galatians 5:16-17). Freedom FROM sin is yours to have; believe it with a true heart response to the cross of Christ, and it will change your life! 9. The only element God's people need in order to prepare for Christ's return is genuine faith which works by love (Agape). Righteousness is by faith (Romans 3:22; Ephesians 2:8,9). Because true faith works by love (Galatians 5:6), it is impossible to have faith and not demonstrate righteousness in the life (James 2:18). Moral and spiritual failures are the fruit of perpetuating Israel's ancient sin of unbelief through the confusion of a false righteousness by faith, which does not lead to overcoming sin in this life. 10. Righteousness by faith since 1844 is "the third angel's message in verity." Thus it is greater than what the Protestant Reformers taught and what the popular evangelical churches understand today. It is a message of much more abounding grace (Romans 5:17-21) consistent with the unique understanding of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary (Daniel 8:13-14; 9:24). It is a work contingent upon the full cleansing of the hearts of God's people on earth, which the High Priest will accomplish for all who let Him do so. |
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