Chico Alliance Church
September 9, 2001
Pastor David Welch
“Saved, Saved, Saved”
Romans 5:9-10
Review
Paul introduced his theme of righteousness in chapter one, announcing not only the revelation of the means to becoming right before God but also the revelation of the righteous wrath of God upon all those who suppress the truth in ungodliness and unrighteousness. For the next three chapters Paul demonstrates the total inadequacy and inability of man to measure up to God’s standard incurring the just penalty for rebellion – death. Paul announces a most wonderful gift of God to all those who will embrace Christ.
God promises to justify every sinner who comes to Him in faith.
Biblical Justification goes beyond a declaration of innocence.
Justification credits perfect character, namely the character of Jesus to every believer.
Having had our moral account purged of our inadequate attempts to live up to God’s absolute standard and replaced with Christ’s perfect, eternal conformity to God’s standard...
Enjoy peace with God
Exult in hope of reflecting the glory of God in the future.
Exult in present tribulations that produce future character
Realize your salvation from the coming wrath
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24
Past justification guarantees future release from God’s wrath. God’s wrath no longer abides on those who believe in the Son because He died for us. Deliverance from the final expression of God’s wrath is only part of the wonderful story.
We will also be saved by his life. Present reconciliation guarantees future salvation.
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life
Salvation is a broad term applied to the whole process of transformation enacted by God on the basis of one’s trust in Christ. The word “salvation” has to do with rescuing or saving from peril.
To save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss or destruction.
The word came to indicate saving, keeping, benefiting, preserving the inner being and saving from eternal destruction to eternal life. Jesus clearly offered this new dimension of living to his disciples.
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26
Escape from God’s wrath is great but even more wonderful is the gift of eternal life, the very life of Christ.
Salvation was a subject dear to the heart of prophets and angels alike.
As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:10-12
We have the privilege us greater revealed truth and a clear picture than any before us.
Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written,
"THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 1 Cor. 2:6-10
The need for Salvation
Many fail to fully appreciate God’s salvation plan because they fail to realize their desperate condition. Some insist that it is wrong to tell people they are hopelessly lost and in need of rescue. You might damage their self-esteem. Without recognition of human depravity there can be no divine deliverance. The beginning point of reconciliation with God is recognition of our helplessness and hopelessness without radical intervention by God. Scripture says that Jesus came to save sinners not straitened circumstances. There are not enough terms to describe man’s condition apart from Christ.
The word colors employed on the portrait of man’s condition do accurately portray the dilemma.
Lost sheep
Dead
Afar off
Citizens of the kingdom of darkness
Children of wrath Treacherous
Sons of the devil
Sinners
Enemies
Helpless
Without strength
Condemned
Ungodly
Unrighteous
Adulterous
Stiff-necked
Arrogant
Sons of disobedience
Without life
In bondage
All those born in Adam All men enter this world missing a dimension of life that only comes from identification with Christ. Man’s need runs much deeper than an need for a divine word of encouragement. He needs total transformation.
Until we recognize that the wonder of God’s gift of salvation remains unappreciated. You can’t fully appreciate salvation until you realize the seriousness of the condition from which God saved us. Three strikes you’re out!!!
Imputed sin means that every descendent of Adam comes into the world with sin imputed or credited into their account. (Rom 5)
Inherited sin means that each of us comes into the world predisposed to follow the sins of our forefathers.
Intentional sin means that all of us sin personally because we were born sinners.
We were born on death row awaiting just punishment for crimes against the King. Stripped of all privileges originally granted by our Creator we were in bondage. Salvation is a common theme throughout the whole Bible. From Genesis to Revelation God unfolds His perfect plan for man’s rescue from the brink of disaster and misery. Salvation is only one of the terms employed to explain a most striking transformation and shift in terms used to described man’s new condition.
Saved or found
Alive in Christ, regenerated
Brought near
Citizens of the kingdom of light
Sons of love
Selfless
Sons of the Father
Saints
Friends
Empowered
Forgiven and justified
Godly
Righteous
Faithful
Obedient
Humble
Obey from the heart
Free
Full of life
We need salvation from condemnation and the sentence of death. We also need salvation to a new life full of privilege and potential. When you think of salvation and sing of our great salvation, remember that it is salvation FROM something as well as salvation TO something. It is salvation from the kingdom of darkness and transfer into the kingdom of light.
The plan for salvation
God planned salvation before the foundation of the world. Scripture introduces such issues such “before creation” activities such as Divine Decree, Foreknowledge, Election, Predestination or Foreordination.
“Divine Decree” refers to the attempt by men to assign some logic or order to God’s plan for salvation. We know that whatever God did it happened before anything was even created and it was the best of all possible plans.
“Foreknowledge” refers to some selective special knowledge of individuals which makes one an object of love rather than the mere awareness of a choice or person before hand.
God chose or elected us according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. 1 Peter 1:2 also Acts 2:22-24; Ro0m 8:29-30; Rom 11:2
“Election” refers to the fact that God chose certain people from the foundation of the world for salvation while leaving others to experience the condemnation that all men deserve.
"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. John 15:16
just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Ephes. 1:4-5
“Predestination or foreordination” is a term that simply means that God determined a destiny beforehand. The particular destiny chosen for those chosen is that all would become conformed to the image of Christ.
The promise of salvation
From the moment sin penetrated history through Adam’s sin and fall, God promised salvation (Genesis 3:15). The Bible records the unfolding of God’s eternal salvation plan in time and space.
The picture of salvation
God not only communicated in words but also provided a kaleidoscope of images outlining his glorious plan of salvation over and over again throughout the Old Testament.
The provision of salvation in Christ
At the right time, God brought all the promises and pictures into focus in Christ.
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:6
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5
The work of Christ on the cross is the basis of our salvation as well as the staring point for all the other benefits that accompany salvation. In this regard, we encounter such words as “Atonement”, “Redemption”, “Propitiation”.
“Atonement” is a word used to describe the necessary action to restore relationship between sinful man and a Holy God. The base meaning is the “satisfactory reparation for an offense or injury. Jesus “atoned” for our sins by the voluntary sacrifice of Himself.
“Redemption” is a word sometimes used synonymously with salvation. It communicates two basic ideas. First, the idea of purchase for possession or in order to have. Second to set free or release from bondage by the payment of a price. The Galatians passage above speaks of our redemption.
The cost of our redemption is clear – the blood of Christ.
knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19
The result of redemption is that God is now free to relate to individuals and can call and draw them to Himself and ascribe the righteousness of Christ to them without compromising His own holy nature. We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
“Propitiation” relates to the satisfaction of the righteous character of God
God establishes Jesus Christ as the only means for Salvation. The offender cannot generally dictate the terms of reparation or reconciliation to the offended. God has laid out the only means of reconciliation with God. Christ is the only means of salvation.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. John 3:16-17
"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9
"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
Acts 4:12
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Hebrews 5:9-10
The possession of Salvation by man
Initial Work (Past)
Because God operates outside of time, any attempt to present the work of salvation in some kind of exact chronological sequence is just that, only an attempt. My best effort follows. Flowing out of the eternal heart of God from eternity past comes the application of His marvelous plan of salvation to individuals living in time and space. You and me!
1. God calls or draws individuals to Himself (addresses spiritual blindness & depravity)
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:30
See also John 6 regarding God’s drawing activity.
2. Individuals respond to the call with repentance and faith (addresses pride)
Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
Repentance is one side of the response coin that has to do with a change of thinking, a change of heart toward God, a change in direction. Our response to God’s call must be more than just a turning away from what we trusted previously but also involves a deliberate turning to God and decision to put our trust in Him. Salvation is not something we can earn or receive by trusting in anything we have done but in what God promises and Christ performed.
For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7
But what does it say? "THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." Romans 10:8-13
3. God saves and justifies on the basis of faith (addresses guilt)
God not only sets the penalty for our sin aside but also applies the righteousness of Christ to our account. (See Romans 3-4)
4. God regenerates by His Holy Spirit (addresses death)
Once sin is out of the way, God can do what it takes to reestablish fellowship with us.
First is the need to bring those who were dead in sin back to life.
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephes. 2:4-7
The Titus passage above talks about us being saved by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
5. God reconciles us to Himself (addresses enmity)
Once being enemies we now become sons, friends, and fellow heirs with Christ.
Relationship with God has been wonderfully restored.
6. God adopts and indwells (addresses alienation)
We become united with Christ and one with God. We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.
7. God sanctifies (addresses sin)
God sets us apart and makes us unique vessels. We are now called “saints” because of this special cleansing through Christ. Presents us before the Father holy and blameless without reproach.
8. God seals with his Holy Spirit (addresses weakness)
God’s stamp and protective seal is placed on us. Eph 1:13-14. God gives us the gift of His Spirit as the guarantee of the completion of the work.
9. God gifts us for a unique contribution to the kingdom (addresses selfishness)
Every believer at the moment of regeneration and indwelling by the Spirit is gifted to uniquely function in the body of Christ. (Eph 4; I Cor 12; Rom 12; 1 Pet 4)
Did you notice who does all this work? What is man’s part to this point? Believe and work out what God worked in.
Continuing Work (Present)
God activates a significant amount of details concerning our salvation at the moment of faith. God draws! Man surrenders! God saves and keeps on saving. The initial work of God centers on the things necessary to renew our once dead spiritual dimension, the very spiritual core of our being. If any person be in Christ they are a new creature old things passed away behold all things have become new. Yet it is painfully obvious to all, that the initial conversion of our spirit is only the beginning. There is much left to do outside of a renewed core. God continues to transform our personality, our soul and eventually even our physical aspects. The salvation plan moves from the regeneration of the spirit to the transformation of the soul to the final glorification of our bodies. Man’s part in this process continues to be faith or trust. Paul urged the Romans in chapter 12 to be transformed by the renewing of their thinking.
This is a work called “continual sanctification.” There is a sanctification that occurs in the core of our being at the spirit level when we believe, but there is still a renewing process and purification process necessary within the realm of the soul and body.
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Cor. 3:18
In this sense we are still being saved. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth.
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Cor. 1:1
Peter urge continual interaction with the truth of Scripture so that they might experience growth in regard to their salvation.1 peter 2:1-2
Paul advised the Philippians to “work out your salvation.”
So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philip. 2:12-13
Paul will continue to address the principles of the soul transformation process throughout the rest of His letter.
Ultimate Realization (Future)
There are aspects to our salvation that God plans to do that we have not yet experienced.
Peter appeal to us to fix our eyes on the grace to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Peter opened his first letter with a soul-stirring glimpse of what is yet in store for every believer.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5
Paul urged us to exult in hope of the glory of God early. There is yet a future aspect of our salvation. Every stage, every dimension of this wonderful salvation plan is filed with hope. Paul urged the Romans (13:11) to make every moment count for kingdom knowing that every day “salvation (ultimate) is nearer than when we believed.”
Jesus spoke of this day.
"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."
John 6:39-40 "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44 "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:54
Paul exhorted the Philippians to focus on that day.
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philip. 3:20-21
Paul focuses on our future hope of completed salvation in Romans 8:18-25
Keep in mind the divine priority. Salvation of the spirit Salvation of the soul Salvation of the body
So much emphasis is put on the body and physical healing from this or that. Jesus told the disciples to get their priorities straight.
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28
Restored relationship with God is of primarily importance. Everything else follows that. I believe that priority holds true in the amount of time and resources we expend in life.
But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Tim. 4:7-8
Remember! God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1Thess 5:8-9) God will finish what he started.
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philip. 1:6
All three stages are implied here in this one verse. Began the work. Perfect the work at the day of Christ Jesus. Perfect until the day of Christ Jesus What a day that will be!
Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. Rev. 12:10
After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; Rev. 19:1
Conclusion
Have you embraced Christ?
Have you responded to the call of God with trust and surrender to Him?
Are you working out what God has worked in?
Are you bearing fruit in keeping with the root of salvation?
Are you sharing the good news of salvation with those who are truly lost?
