In religion, the two factors to consider are God and man. Most would agree that God should be the center, the focal point of religion. However, because of the fall, man became self-centered, egocentric, and has an almost overpowering inclination to place himself on center stage and to nudge God off to the side … just a little.
God took on human flesh and came to this earth to save man. What did man do? Man killed God!
What man was it that killed God? Was it the wild man from Borneo? Was it the savage man from darkest Africa or the Amazon Jungle? Was it the atheistic man, the agnostic man?
No! It was the religious man. The one to whom had been revealed more truth from Heaven than to any other man on the face of the earth.
"He came unto His own and His own received Him not", John 1:11.
Sin is rebellion against God. Sin is wanting to be God, to take center stage. The serpent said, "… your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods…", Genesis 3:5.
"All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God", Romans 3:23. It has affected all of us.
Why are you a sinner? Was it something you did? No, it was something Adam did. An event in which you had no part. It was not something done in you but rather something done outside of you.
How do you become righteous - acceptable in God's sight? Is it something done in you? No, it is something done in Christ, the new Adam.
"When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned", Romans 5:12, and "The sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over us, but all who receive God's wonderful, gracious gift of righteousness will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ. Yes, Adam's one sin brought condemnation upon everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness makes all people right in God's sight and gives them life. Because one person disobeyed God, many people became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many people will be made right in God's sight", Romans 5: 17-19 NIV.
Just as we were lost by something Adam did, we are saved by something Jesus did.
Salvation is not something that takes place in us, but rather something that HAS taken place in Jesus Christ.
"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus", Romans 3:24-26.
Our redemption is IN Jesus! Not in us.
Our justification is IN Jesus! Not in us.
Our righteousness is IN Jesus! Not in us.
By the doing and dying of Jesus Christ, humanity has been made acceptable to God. And when He is lifted up, all are drawn to Him, and when we do not resist the drawing but accept that we have been made acceptable in the Beloved, a work of grace is performed in us.
"Therefore being justified by faith (the first work) we have peace … and the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts …" (the second work), Romans 5:1, 5; John 6:44; 12:32.
What
is done IN Christ is the means of our salvation.
What is done IN us is the result of our salvation.
What
is done IN Christ is the cause of our salvation.
What is done IN us is the effect of our salvation.
What
is done IN Christ is the root of our salvation.
What is done IN us is the fruit of our salvation.
The work of the Spirit done in us is the result, the effect, and the fruit of our salvation which was the work of God's grace in the Person of His dear Son, Jesus Christ, 2000 years ago.
Ephesians 1:14 declares the work of the Spirit in the human heart to be:
· the earnest (money) of our inheritance (KJV)
· the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (NIV)
·
the guarantee of our inheritance, the first fruit, the pledge and foretaste,
the
down-payment (Amplified Version)
· the advance installment of our inheritance (American Translation)
·
God's guarantee that He really will give us all that He has promised
(New Living Testament)
· the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption (NRSV)
· the pledge that we shall enter upon our heritage (The New English Bible)
·
the Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised
(Good News for Modern Man)
· the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it (RSV)
In His mercy, God has worked out our salvation IN Jesus Christ. The work of the Spirit on the believer's heart is the down payment, the earnest money, guaranteeing that God will give the believer what He has promised. See II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5 in the various translations which confirms what is said in Ephesians 1:14.
Salvation does not take place IN us. It has taken place in Him.
The phrase, "in Christ", is mentioned eleven times in Ephesians, Chapter 1, and refers to:
· all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ;
· chosen in Christ;
· accepted in Christ;
· redemption in Christ;
· forgiveness of sins in Christ;
· mystery made known in Christ;
· all things in Christ;
· our inheritance in Christ; and
· greatness of God's power in Christ;
Beloved, seeing that we have all these things IN Christ, where should our affections, our attention, and our concentration be?
It should be on Christ. And where is He? If our treasure is in Heaven, should not our hearts be there also? If we are in Christ, where should we be? He "… hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus", Ephesians 2:6.
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right and of God. Set your affection on things above, not on the things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God", Colossians 3:1-3.
Our affection, our hearts, our concentration, our focus should not be on the things on the earth, but rather on those things which we have in Christ who is in heaven. Our redemption, our justification, our righteousness is in Him. Our righteousness is just where we need it, before the judgment bar of God.
Now, back to man who, because of sin, is inclined toward evil. Whose spiritual vision has been dimmed by sin. Who is inclined to confuse the truth of God.
The last great light from Heaven came to the children of Israel - God's visible church on earth - through Malachi in 397BC. Add to this the 33 years of Christ's life and you have 430 years. Compare with Galatians 3:17. God gave the promise to Abraham but 430 years later his people were in Egypt in confusion. Moses had to lead them out.
The Jews were looking for the Messiah. One who would restore the Kingdom to Israel, make their enemies His footstool, rule the nations with an iron rod, and bring peace to His people, all of which were based on scripture.
Unfortunately, they were looking for the Second Advent at the time of the First Advent. They were confused.
Those Jews who did accept Jesus as the Messiah had to give up things they had learned growing up; things they had learned from the rabbi; things they had learned in God's visible church on earth.
If the Chosen People were confused at the First Advent, could it be possible that Christianity, God's visible church on earth today, is confused at the time of the Second Advent?
Is it possible that today's Christian s will need to give up things that we have believed all our lives; things we learned from our parents; things we learned in Sunday school; things we learned from priests, preachers, teachers, and seminary professors? Would we be willing to do this?
If God could wink at the ignorance of pagan intellectuals at Athens (Acts 17:29, 30), surely He can wink at some error we or our spiritual forbearers have had in the past.
The scripture is clear that, "… the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day", Proverbs 4:16. So if we are confronted with truth, as it is in Jesus, which exposes some past belief as erroneous, then we must accept the new and give up the old.
Are you willing to do this?
If not, you should stop reading now. A serious and grievous mistake is being made by conservative Christian churches in this country. We all grew up in this atmosphere, which is sometimes referred to as American Revivalism. It will be most difficult to believe that the heart of our message is a confused gospel. It will take time, prayer, and the enlightening of God's Holy Spirit to discern between what we have always believed and preached, and what we should believe and preach. God help us to know the difference.
There is enough error within the Christian church for everyone to have some. No doubt there are true believers on each side of each issue.
In 1054, there was a division between East and West in the church over the issue of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome and the use of graven images. One side is right while one side is wrong.
In Europe in the 1500's, the Protestants split from the Western church over justification by faith. One is right and one is wrong.
Some believe that in the Communion Service, the bread and wine are actually transformed into the body and blood of Christ, while others believe the bread and wine are symbolic.
Some hold that those baptized as children should be rebaptized when they reach maturity.
Then there are differences on the mode of baptism. John Calvin taught predestination. Jacob Arminius favored free will. Reformed churches, Presbyterian and Baptist, lean toward Calvin, while Anglican, Methodists, Nazarene, and Holiness Churches lean toward Arminius.
And so on and so on. Without being harsh, critical or condemning, one must acknowledge that within Christianity itself, there is a lot of confusion. A lot of confusion. A lot of confusion.
But these are issues that will not be addressed here.
Let's go back to man. Fallen, finite, fallible man, who sees through a glass darkly, very darkly, whose self-centered, egocentric nature causes him to seek the spotlight, to place himself on center stage, whose history is one who over and over has confused the truth of God. Sin is bad. That bad.
How many sermons have been preached on John, Chapter 3, "Ye must be born again"? Surely it is some astronomical figure. Yet the chances are they were only half sermons. That's right, half sermons. Are you listening?
When it was evident that Nicodemus did not understand the new birth, Jesus said in verse 9, "If I have told you earthly things …".
Jesus, Himself, said the new birth was an EARTHLY thing.
The new birth is an EARTHLY thing, according to John, according to the Bible, according to Jesus, Himself.
The new birth is an EARTHLY thing.
Yes, ye must be born again, but here is the second half of the lesson which is seldom preached.
Jesus said, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things"?
The new birth is an earthly thing. What are these heavenly things about which Jesus is speaking?
In verse 14, He says, "… as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED UP".
Jesus says, "… If, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me", John 12:32.
The heavenly thing is Christ and Him crucified, lifted up fro the earth.
Lifted up from the earth!
Christ is to be lifted up from the earth. Christ who is our redemption is to be lifted up from the earth. Christ who is our justification is to be lifted up from the earth. Christ who is our righteousness is to be lifted up from the earth.
Yet what do we do in American Revivalism? We mention Christ, and then lift up an earthly thing, the new birth.
The Creator of Heaven and earth humbles Himself and takes on humanity, a nature lower than the angels. This is front page news, but what do we do? We lift up an earthly thing, the new birth.
The God-man lives a perfect life, revealing the true nature of our Heavenly Father, saying, if you have seen me, you have seen the Father. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart.
This is prime time stuff, but what do we do? We lift up an earthly thing, the new birth.
The new head of the human race, the second Adam, our elder brother, is condemned by the religious man, the very religious man, and the religious head of His own chosen people. The sins of a guilty world are laid on Him. He is forsaken of God. He dies the second death, the penalty for the sins of His brethren.
Here is the greatest story ever told, and we lift up the new birth, an earthly thing, although we have been told, "Set your affections on things above, not on the things on the earth", Colossians 3:2.
Yes, Christ and Him crucified is mentioned in sermons but it is just to get to the punch line: Ye must be born again!
Self-centered man is taking what is perceived to be his part in salvation, and using it to nudge Christ off center sage … a little. The emphasis most of the time in preaching and teaching is on man, and what is taking place in man's heart.
Man is saved by God's work of grace in Jesus. Man is made acceptable to God by the atonement, which has taken place in Jesus Christ.
When man accepts his acceptance, man is given a new nature, a new birth, which is only the results of the Father's work of grace in His Son, and never the basis of man's acceptance before the Throne.
While there is a time and place for the believer to testify how God has changed his life, man is not saved by a changed life but rather that perfect life and atoning death of God's dear Son.
"Set your affection … not on things on the earth".
Salvation does not take place IN man. Salvation HAS taken place IN Christ. Confused man thinks it is something that takes place in his heart. Not true. This is a hard pill to swallow but look carefully at the example Jesus gives: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness …".
When the children of Israel complained about the vegetarian diet God was furnishing them in the wilderness, fiery serpents bit them and many were dying. The people asked Moses to intercede which he did. He was instructed to make a brazen serpent, lift it up on a pole, and when those who had been bitten (by sin, and that is all of us) looked up to it, they were healed, Numbers 21:5-9.
The poison was in them. Man's way to save them would be to do something in their bodies. God's remedy for the venom of sin is to look away from ourselves to Christ who is lifted up from the earth. Our salvation is IN Him, not IN us. Man's ways are not God's ways and God's ways are not man's ways.
When the seventy which Christ sent out returned, marveling over how the devils were subject unto them, He said, "… rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven", Luke 10:20.
"… seek those things which are above … set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth", Colossians 3:1, 2.
But man's affection is on himself and what is taking place in him, with him, and through him. Our concern is ourselves and earthly things such as the new birth.
How could the thriving, prosperous Christian Community in America be so wrong, you ask? How could this have happened? Mankind has a long and sad history of confusing the truth of God.
The greatest Christian revival since Apostolic times was the Protestant Reformation. It changed the church and the course of history.
Somehow during the darkness of the Dark Ages, the established church confused the way a sinner is justified - made acceptable - before God. It taught that, by the grace of God, the Holy Spirit comes into a sinner's heart, makes him more kind, more loving and, on this basis, the believer is made acceptable to God. Justification became something that took place in man's heart. Justified by the new birth, an EARTHLY thing!
Martin Luther, a loyal son of the church, looked within his own heart and could not find enough grace, enough righteousness, which would allow him to feel accepted of God. But then Luther discovered that the just - those that are justified - should live by faith, Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38. Faith that the righteousness IN Christ makes the believer acceptable to God.
"… and this is the name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS", Jeremiah 23:6.
Yes, Jesus was righteous. Yes, the Father accepted the Son. And now, by faith, Luther could see that the Father had accepted Jesus and His righteousness … FOR US.
This was the very heart of the controversy of the Reformation. All the Reformers were in agreement that we are saved by God's work of grace FOR US, while the established church held that salvation comes by God's work of grace IN US.
The focus of the attention of one group is on their righteousness which is in Christ who is in Heaven, while the attention of the other group is on the righteousness, worked out by God's grace, in their own hearts, which is an EARTHLY thing.
The issue is simple. So simple it is difficult for those of us who grew up under the credo of "ye must be born again" to understand. Why did we grow up under such thinking? Noted theologian Paul Tillich says that when he came to America from Germany, the theology of the Reformation was almost unknown at Union Theological Seminary in New York.
The Reformer's view of justification failed to cross the Atlantic fully intact. Few in this country clearly understand the differences on justification. The tractarian or Oxford Movement in England in the 1800's served to weaken caution concerning Catholic teaching there and also in the United States.
Although many in this country will acknowledge that we are justified by God's work of grace IN Jesus Christ, their preaching, teaching, and emphasis on the new birth, on man's decision for Christ, are a denial of it. The focus on man and what takes place in man's heart is placing man on center stage. In doing so, American Protestantism is forming an image to the Roman Catholic Church.
Man has nothing whatsoever to do with his salvation. He cannot do one thing to bring this about. Jesus plainly said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him …", John 6:44.
"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth (earthly things) will draw all men unto me", John 12:32.
All will be drawn to Jesus. All will be saved … unless they resist the drawing. It is what man does - resisting - that causes him to be lost. Faith and repentance are gifts of God, Romans 12:3; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 5:31; 11:18.
Salvation is God's work from beginning to end. Man has no part. Salvation has taken place in Christ and to teach otherwise is robbing Him of His glory.
American Protestants are aware of the wrongful practices of the Medieval Church such as the Inquisition, where dissenters were tortured and executed for refusing the Catholic faith. For this and other wrongs, the Pope has apologized. The Roman Church is a different church today. Many good Catholics have their names written on the Lamb's Book of Life.
It is so tragic that the darkness of the Dark Ages still prevails today in the teaching that man is saved by the new birth, an Earthly thing.
Request the following articles for further study:
· Justification: Catholic versus Protestant (Article # 30); and
· Three Reasons Why Christianity, As A Corporate Body, May Fail (Article # 34).