God's Approval Of Great Salvation

I. EXORDIUM:

Do you have GOD's Approval? Yes or no? If yes or either no, pls. explain.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To prove GOD's approval to us by: (1) HIMSELF, (2) His signs, wonders and miracles, (3) Gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT.

IV. TEXT:

Hebrews 2:4 (Amplified Bible)

2:4 [Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will.

V. THESIS:

We are approved by GOD.

Colossians 1:12 (Amplified Bible)

1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has QUALIFIED and MADE US FIT to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.

VI. TITLE:

GOD's approval of Great Salvation

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Date of writing: Before AD. 70

B. Style of writing: Best Greek style

C. Authorship: Not specific, but generally attributed to Apostle Paul. Can be also ascribed to Barnabas, Luke, Apollos

D. Audience: Hebrew Christians

E. Theme: Christ is superior to the prophets; Christ is superior to angels—J. Vernon McGee's Thru The Bible

F. Purpose: The chief doctrinal purpose of the writer was to show the transcendent glory of the Christian dispensation, as compared with that of the Old Testament.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

G. Keyword: better

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Established and plainly endorsed by GOD

"[Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God,"

Ephesians 1:5 (The Message)

1:5 Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)

Our Great Salvation is an Adoption where we are, in Jewish culture, are very equal with the real son.

Ephesians 1:9 (Amplified Bible)

1:9 Making known to us the mystery (secret) of His will (of His plan, of His purpose). [And it is this:] In accordance with His good pleasure (His merciful intention) which He had previously purposed and set forth in Him,

B. By Signs, wonders and miracles

"Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power"

Mark 16:20 (Amplified Bible)

16:20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).

Example of Paul and Barnabas:

Part of Paul and Barnabas: preach GOD's Words

Part of GOD: confirm the WORD with signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 14:3 (Amplified Bible)

14:3 So [Paul and Barnabas] stayed on there for a long time, speaking freely and fearlessly and boldly in the Lord, Who continued to bear testimony to the Word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be performed by their hands.

Romans 15:18-19 (Amplified Bible)

15:18 For [of course] I will not venture (presume) to speak thus of any work except what Christ has actually done through me [as an instrument in His hands] to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed,

15:19 [Even as my preaching has been accompanied] with the power of signs and wonders, [and all of it] by the power of the Holy Spirit. [The result is] that starting from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyricum, I have fully preached the Gospel [faithfully executing, accomplishing, carrying out to the full the good news] of Christ (the Messiah) in its entirety.

This was before the New Testament of Grace where we are being established by Grace, Love and Righteousness of GOD, before in the Old Testament, they were motivated by signs, wonders and miracles as proof, now that we believe, we rely on faith.

Hebrews 11:6 (The Message)

11:6 It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him.

1 Corinthians 14:22 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

14:22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.

C. By the gifts of the HOLY SPIRIT

"and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will"

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (New Living Translation, Second Edition)

12:4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.

12:5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

12:6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

12:7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.