Some Negative Considerations
IT IS often taught that once a person has entered into the life of salvation, nothing can remove him or her from that life. However, the evidence of Scripture contradicts this. We remain secure in our salvation as long as we live the yes-life of faith, but whenever we reject our faith relationship with Christ, we thereby reject salvation and abort ourselves from the life of Christ. The faith relationship to which we are called is not merely a moment of faith but a life of faith. It is the life of faith that leads to eternal fulfillment. In his parable of the seed and the sower (Matt. 13:1–23; Mark 4:1–20), Jesus makes a critical distinction between momentary faith on the one hand, and persistent, growing faith on the other. In some cases, Satan destroys the seed of the gospel even before the moment of faith. In others, the glad moment of faith is experienced but it is only a moment. Mark 4:17 describes this situation: “They have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.” And then he describes another category of believers who allow “the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things” (v. 19) to abort the new life of faith. Lastly, Jesus describes those who continue to live the life of faith. They hear the gospel, accept it, and bear fruit. Luke 8:15 says that upon hearing the gospel, they “hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.”
The tragedy of aborting oneself from the life of salvation is described by the writer of Hebrews who refers in 6:4–5 to the apostasy of believers “who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come.” Verse 6 says that these one-time believers “crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” Again in chapter 10, the same issue is dealt with. Verse 29 speaks of those who spurn the Son of God, profane the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outrage the Spirit of grace. The writer proceeds in verse 36 to point out the “need for endurance.” Verse 38 refers to those who do not endure as those who shrink back and who consequently suffer the displeasure of God. Verse 39 reads: “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls.”
Also, 2 Peter 2:21 and James 5:19–20 refer to some who were once believers but who have rejected the faith and have consequently aborted themselves from the saving life of Christ.
John 15:1–11
This passage speaks of the terrible possibility of being cut off from the life of Christ, and also of the glorious possibility of our continuing life in him. Jesus uses the analogy of a vine to refer to his saving life. We would do well to look at several important matters which are emphasized here:
First, in verse 1, Jesus says, “I am the true vine.” The nation of Israel had been called a vine by the prophet Jeremiah in 2:21: “Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?” This scripture helps us to understand why Jesus said that he was the true vine. He was comparing himself to the degenerate and wild vine. Whereas Israel was that kind of vine, the life of Christ will never become degenerate, nor will it ever become a wild vine. He is the eternal vine who will always be true to the purposes of God. He is indeed the true vine, that is, the true life of God.
Second, in verse 5, Jesus says. “I am the vine, you are the branches.” The branches are believers. Beginning with John 13 and continuing through chapter 16, Jesus is addressing his disciples. In 15:3 he refers to them as being spiritually cleansed when he says: “You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.” Since it is clear that he is addressing believers in verse 3, we can be sure that he continues to do so in verse 4 when he says, “Abide in me, and I in you” and in verse 5 when he says “I am the vine, you are the branches.”
Third, according to verse 4, believers are instructed to abide in Christ. If their abiding in him had absolutely nothing to do with their continuing, desirous willingness to do so, there would have been no rationale for his instructing them to do it. He does not tell them that they are permanent abiders in his life regardless of their willing process. Rather he is appealing to the exercise of their will when he tells them to abide in him. The Greek word which is translated “to abide” can also be translated “remain” or “stay.” To stay in Christ means to continue being a believing and trusting participant in his life. Believers are not free to wander away from the saving life of Christ without suffering the consequences of spiritual death.
Fourth, according to verse 5, those who continue to abide in the saving life of Christ will bear the fruit of Christ: “He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” Verse 8 says that bearing the fruit of Christ is the proof of discipleship. In fact, according to verse 16, believers are appointed as fruit bearers, and God prunes them so that they may bear more fruit (v. 2).
What fruit does the believer bear? John 13:35 says it very clearly: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Fifth, what happens to the believer who ceases to abide in Christ? In John 15:2, Jesus says, “Every branch of mine that bears no fruit he [God] takes away.” Verse 6 says: “If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.”
To be cut off from the vine is to be cut off from the saving life of Christ. Just as God's eternal decree is that only believers may enter into the life of Christ, even so, his eternal decree is that only those who abide may remain in his life of salvation.
Comfort and Assurance
But does all of this mean that believers have to worry about their salvation? Definitely not! For those who believe and abide in Christ, there is eternal security. Insecurity is the result of rejecting the gospel, but security is the result of believing and abiding trust in the saving life of Christ.
First John is a treatise for the comfort of abiding believers. There are many reassuring statements, eight of which are particularly pertinent to the topic under consideration:
Reassuring Statement Number 1: “If we walk in the light, as he [Jesus Christ] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1:7).
It is comforting to know that as long as we are walking in the spiritual light of Jesus Christ, as long as our hearts remain in a yes-position to him, we can experience the cleansing blood of Jesus. This does not mean that we have a license for sin. To assume that we have such a license is in and of itself to cease walking in the spiritual light of Christ. Rather, it means that whenever the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, whether of bad attitudes or impulsive desires or wrong actions, we can experience the forgiveness of Christ merely because the Holy Spirit convicts us of a bad attitude, an impulsive desire, a wrong action, or whatever. That which expels us is our ceasing to walk in the light of Christ which shows us our displeasing attitudes, desires, and actions. That which expels us is our repellency to the light, our resistance to the Holy Spirit, our persistence in the wrong which is revealed. But as long as we are walking in the light and are tender toward the Holy Spirit, we can know the joy of the cleansing blood of Christ.
Reassuring Statement Number 2: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1:9). In my pastoral experience I have counseled with many believers who, having fallen into sin and being convicted by the Holy Spirit, asked God to forgive them. Sometimes such persons say, “I asked God to forgive me but I'm not sure that he has.”
What they have to be shown is that God through Christ has already forgiven them, and that at the moment they confess their sin to Jesus, his forgiveness is applied to them personally.
Reassuring Statement Number 3: “I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (2:1). An advocate is one who does something on our behalf; he comes to our aid.
Since believers continue living in the world and are still in the flesh, the possibility of falling into sin exists. However, the comforting news is that the believer knows the advocate. This does not mean that our Lord winks at the sin which we take lightly, but that he deals forgivingly with the sin which we despise thoroughly.
Reassuring Statement Number 4: “Abide in him [Christ], so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming” (2:28).
The believer who is abiding in Christ does not have to fear the coming of the Lord at the end of the age. He or she has confidence in the perfect work of Christ's redemptive work and knows the security of eternal salvation because of who it is who has given the provisions for it. The attitude of believers in the New Testament is one of joyous anticipation of the Lord's return. The idea of fearful waiting to find out whether one has made it is foreign to the attitude which we find in the New Testament. The emphasis there is always on the perfect, triumphant, and eternal work of Christ and on our confident, believing, and abiding trust in that work.
Reassuring Statement Number 5: “No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God” (3:9). The Greek verb translated as “born” refers to a past action with results continuing into the present, whereas “commits sin” and “cannot sin” are in the present tense implying a habitual happening. The New International Version translates this verse, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.” The New American Standard Bible translates the first phrase like this: “No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him ….”
The idea is that since we have entered into the life of salvation, the time for the life of sin is past. We are no longer habitual sinners. To sin is foreign to the new life. We are dead to it. Sin is no longer a way of life for us. As long as we are abiding in Christ, the longing to live the life of sin is nonexistent. It is only when we decide to cease abiding in Christ, that the “dog returns to its own vomit,” and the “sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:22, NAS).
Reassuring Statement Number 6: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (4:4).
Do believers need to worry about demons taking possession of them? Absolutely not! A believer can never be touched by a demon of any kind because no demon is greater than he who is in us. As long as we abide in Christ and Christ abides in us, we have nothing at all to fear. Paul in Romans 8:38–39 emphasizes the same truth: “For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Reassuring Statement Number 7: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (4:18).
Fear is the result of excessive concern about ourselves. I fear lions, for instance, because of what they might do to hurt me. Some persons fear getting up in front of a group because of the threat of public embarrassment. Fear grows out of a preoccupation with oneself. But love overcomes such self-preoccupation by becoming more concerned with someone or something else than we are with ourselves.
That is the way it is in the life of salvation. When we are preoccupied with whether our salvation is secure, we are living in a fearful relationship with our Lord. But when we begin loving him because he first loved us and begin concerning ourselves with his concerns and his redemptive mission in the world, that is when fear is overcome. Our delight in the Lord and his great salvation casts out worry about whether our salvation is secure.
Reassuring Statement Number 8: “He [Christ] who was born of God keeps him [the believer], and the evil one does not touch him” (5:18).
That is not my word, but God's. That is the essence of the Christian's assurance in the keeping power of the Lord. As long as we abide in Christ we are protected from the enemy of our souls, and our salvation is assured.
Jude 24 refers to “him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing.” Our Lord is able to keep us from falling and he will keep us from falling as long as we abide in the saving life of Christ. Outside of him there is no salvation. Outside of him there is no keeping power. God has elected to save us and to keep us safe in Christ.
And so, for the believer who is abiding in Christ, there is no cause for worry about the security of one's salvation. Rather than to worry, the believer who is safely abiding in Christ has every cause for enjoyment, rejoicing, and gladness.
A Personal Experience
During one period of my college years, I was excessively worried about the security of my salvation. I made continual use of the prayer room on the third floor of Anderson College's “Old Main.” Several times a day I would go to that small room and seek assurance of my salvation. Each time I would pray through and then leave with a sense of security. However, before long I would again feel convicted about a fleeting thought, an attitude, or an action. Immediately I would feel that I had lost my salvation and would return to the prayer room to be converted all over again.
I was in spiritual and emotional turmoil because I was operating on the wrong assumption that the security of my salvation rested in the perfection of my thought processes, emotional urges, and deeds. I was in bondage and needed release.
What a glorious discovery it was to learn that the security of our salvation rests in the perfection of God's work in Christ and in his keeping power, and that what God requires of us is to stay in the yes-position of faith. In the course of time I learned to trust in him and to abide in him, knowing that as I did so my salvation was absolutely secure. I learned that I was not cast out of the saving life of Christ every time my thought processes were not perfect, or every time my emotional urges were troublesome, or every time my actions left something to be desired. Of course, the Holy Spirit continued convicting me of that which was not pleasing to God, and when he did I repented and experienced his forgiveness. That meant that I was learning how to live the life of salvation. Instead of feeling cast out each time I was convicted, I knew that I was abiding securely within the life of him who was my perfect redemption. From that time forward I have had a sense of confidence in the perfect work of Christ. I no longer trust in me but in him. I no longer abide in my inadequate concepts but in his perfect life.
For Discussion
In the section “Comfort and Assurance” eight reassuring statements from 1 John are given. Which one is most helpful to you as a believer at this particular period in your life of faith?
Chapter 11
The Consummation of the Work of Salvation
THE WORK of salvation will be brought to completion when our Lord returns. First Thessalonians 4:13–18 is an excellent summary of that event which is to take place at the end of world history:
But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.
As we look at this as well as at other passages having to do with the return of our Lord, we discover that there will be many dimensions to that event. They can be listed like this:
1. According to Revelation 1:7, “every eye will see him.” The Lord's return will be a time of universal revelation when no one will be able to question whether Jesus is really who he claims to be. Saint and sinner alike will know that Jesus is Lord. Philippians 2:10 says, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,” and verse 11 refers to every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. On that day, everyone who has been blinded by lack of faith will have his or her eyes opened. The believer's faith will become joyous sight whereas the unbeliever's lack of faith will become sorrowful sight, but all will see him. For some it will be a time of sweet rejoicing, but for others it will be a time of bitter anguish.
2. The return of the Lord will be a time of judgment. Those who have faith in Jesus Christ will be separated from those who do not. (See 2 Thess. 1:5–10.) On that great day of the Lord, God's judgment upon the whole of humanity will take place. None shall escape it. The judgment of those without faith in Christ will be a judgment unto damnation, whereas the judgment of those who do have faith will be a judgment unto salvation.
According to 1 Corinthians 3:12–15, the works of the faithful will also be judged but it will not be a judgment to determine whether they should be granted eternal fellowship with God, since that already will have been decided by their life of faith. None who are faithful to Christ have cause for worry. They do not have to wait for the final judgment day in order to find out whether they will be granted eternal fellowship with God. They can know here and now whether they have faith in Christ as Lord and Savior, and if so, they are assured of his eternal fellowship. Nevertheless, the works of believers will be judged as to whether they are imperishable or perishable. Verse 15 says, “If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.” We are saved by faith and not by works, but our works will be judged. The Jerusalem Bible translates verses 13–15 very helpfully: “That day will begin with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If his structure stands up to it, he will get his wages: if it is burned down, he will be the loser, and though he is saved himself, it will be as one who has gone through fire.”
Perhaps one of the most dramatic passages regarding that final day is found in Matthew 25:31–46 which says that the final judgment has to do with whether one feeds the hungry, gives drink to the thirsty, welcomes strangers, clothes the naked, visits the sick, and ministers to the imprisoned. One might get the idea from this passage that we are judged by works rather than faith. However, we need to keep in mind that from the perspective of the whole Bible, faith is never faith without works. (See James 2:17.) Matthew 25 is referring to the judgment of our faith as it is shown through good works. Our works are a testimony to our faith, but not faith itself. Not only do our works show our faith to others and to ourselves, but according to this passage of Scripture, they also show our faith to God. We are not saved because we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and minister to the imprisoned. Instead, we do all of these things because we have faith and are therefore right with God. We do not do these things in order to be placed at the right hand of God's acceptance on the judgment day; on the contrary, it is because we are already placed at his right hand by faith in Jesus Christ that we do these good works. If we are not doing them we can know even now that we are not yet at the right hand of God's acceptance. The separation that will take place on the last day will be the same separation that exists now.
3. The return of the Lord will be a time of rejoicing for those who are saved. Second Timothy 4:8 says, “There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (emphasis mine). For those who have faith in Christ, the return of the Lord will be a time of joyous reunion. One of the major themes in the Book of Revelation is the happiness of those who are saved. We notice this especially in Revelation 19 which speaks of the great joy of the redeemed. Verse 7 says, “Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.”
4. The return of the Lord will bring to completion all of God's work of creation and re-creation. Romans 8:21 speaks about the creation itself being set free from its bondage and obtaining the glorious liberty of the children of God; 1 Corinthians 15:28 refers to God being everything to everyone; and Revelation 21:4–5 tells about every tear being wiped away from the eyes of God's people, death being no more, all mourning, crying, and pain existing no longer, and all things being made new. At the return of the Lord, the reconciling work of God through Christ will be brought to completion. Creation itself will be free from the bondage of Satan; all persons who have ever lived will know beyond any shadow of doubt that God is God; the people of God will be at complete peace with their creator, with each other, and with all reality; all things will be made new. The work of creation and salvation will be completed.
5. At the Lord's return, the people of God will receive their resurrection bodies. First Corinthians 15:42–44 says that they will be imperishable, glorious, powerful, and spiritual, thus enabling them to live in perfect relationship with God and his people forever.
Even though existence in our resurrection bodies is beyond our understanding, we do know that it will be an existence of divine glory. Second Corinthians 4:17 speaks of our being prepared for eternal glory, and l Peter 5:1 refers to our being partakers “in the glory that is to be revealed.” In Jesus Christ we have beheld the glory of God. (See 2 Cor. 4:4–6 and John 1:14.) The Christian life is one of beholding God's glory in the person of Christ. Second Corinthians 3:18 tells us that as we behold his glory, we ourselves “are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another.” That process will continue throughout the span of earthly life until the second coming of Jesus Christ. At that time, according to Colossians 3:4, we will “appear with him in glory.” In fact, 2 Thessalonians 2:14 says that it is the will of God for us to “obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As long as we live in this life we never completely obtain his glory. That will take place only when our Lord returns to bring everything to completion.
Between the Believer's Death and Resurrection
The time between our death in Christ and our resurrection upon the Lord's return is described by Paul in Philippians 1:23 as a time of being with Christ. In 2 Corinthians 5:8, he also refers to it as being “at home with the Lord.” When we die in Christ, we go to be with him and are “at home” until the time of our resurrection, which will take place when he returns. (See 2 Cor. 4:13–18.) We know that this being with Christ is better than our present life here on earth, since in Philippians 1:23, Paul says, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Even so, he does not allow that desire to take away from his ability to serve Christ while still living in the flesh, for he says in verse 24, “But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”
What more does the Bible say about this existence between the time of our physical death as believers in Christ and the general resurrection? First, we know that it is an existence of consciousness. In the story about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), we find Abraham talking (v. 25), thus leading us to the conclusion that the dead in Christ are conscious.
Second, we find that it is an existence in which we have fellowship with the faithful. In verse 23, Lazarus is said to be in the “bosom” of Abraham, the father of the faithful. He, along with all the dead in Christ, is in the fellowship of the faithful people of God from all ages and places.
Third, to be with Christ between death and resurrection is to be in paradise. In Luke 23:43, Jesus says to the repentant thief, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” To be with Jesus is to be in this place of blessedness.
Fourth, this is an existence of divine rest. In Revelation 6:9–11, we find the souls of martyrs resting under the altar of God, and in verse 11 they are told to rest a little longer.
Fifth, we know that in this intermediary state, believers continue to be the object of God's love. Romans 8:38–39 tells us that, “death … will [not] be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
And so with confidence we can say that life for believers between death and the general resurrection is one of consciousness, fellowship with the faithful of all ages, being with Christ in a paradise of blessedness, rest, and enjoyment of God's love. In that intermediate state, the dead in Christ wait for the resurrection of the body upon the Lord's return, and their consequent, eternal glorification.
For Discussion
After reviewing all the commentaries available to you on I Corinthians 3:12–15, what do you understand the central meaning of this passage to be?
Chapter 12
The Life of Salvation—The Kingdom of God
PAUL in Romans 14:17 says, “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” That is precisely what the life of salvation is. Whenever the Bible refers to the kingdom of God it is referring to the life of salvation.
The purpose of this chapter is to trace the idea of the kingdom of God through the Bible in order to see our salvation through Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.
The Idea of the Kingdom in the Old Testament
The idea of the kingdom of God is closely related to the establishment of the throne of King David in Jerusalem. Second Samuel 5:1–5 tells us about his rise to power. According to verse 2, God said to David, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel,” and verse 3 says that the leaders of the emerging nation “anointed David king over Israel.” Following David, Solomon, his son, came to the throne. After his magnificent reign ended, the kingdom of David and Solomon fell apart. The ten northern tribes became a nation with Jeroboam as their king while the two southern tribes were ruled by Rehoboam. But the worst was yet to come. In 721 B.C., the capital city of the north was captured by the Assyrians and the people were carried away into captivity. Later, in 586 B.C., Jerusalem, the capital of the south was captured by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.
Why was all of this tragedy taking place? The answer is that God had made his promises with the understanding that the people would be obedient to his law. If they were obedient, the promises would be fulfilled, but if they were not, the promises would not be fulfilled.
Although Israel as a nation lost hope that the promise of the perfect kingdom would be fulfilled, the prophets of Israel kept it alive. They looked forward to the time when a new kind of King David would rule in love and with justice. When Israel was threatened by foreign armies, the prophets looked forward to the kingdom of peace which God had promised. When Israel was away in captivity, they looked forward to the time when God would take his people back home, and establish a new kind of Jerusalem.
The prophet Micah looked forward to a new kind of King David when he spoke of Bethlehem the hometown of David: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathan, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from old, from ancient days” (Mic. 5:2).
The prophet Isaiah says more about this new kind of king: “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse” (Isa. 11:1). The stump referred to is a reminder that the family tree of Jesse (David's father) had been cut down. However, a new shoot “shall come forth from the stump of Jesse.” Verses 2–3 describe the new David more completely: “And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear.”
Also, the prophet Jeremiah looked forward to a new David when he said in 23:5–6, “ ‘Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” ’ ”
Daniel was another prophet in the Old Testament who looked forward to a new king. In Daniel 7 we find his vision of the fall of four great earthly nations, after which he speaks in verses 13 and 14 of the kingdom of God. He refers to the coming of one “like a son of man,” and “to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” By using the phrase “son of man” Daniel means that a divine king from heaven will come in human form.
All of these Old Testament prophets looked forward to the coming of the king and the establishment of the divine kingdom. But the reason they did not see the promise fulfilled in their own time was due to the fact that the nation of Israel had not upheld its part of the covenant. Instead of Israel being the keeper of the covenant, she had become the breaker of the covenant. The really sad part was that Israel could not have kept the covenant even if she had wanted to, because she was so severely afflicted with the sin problem. Israel needed a new heart.
That is precisely what the prophets Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah declare. Jeremiah 31:33 says, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts.” Ezekiel 36:26 says, “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” According to Isaiah 53 this new kind of Israelite would be a person with a new heart of perfect obedience to God: he would bear the grief and sorrows of other people (v. 4); suffer for others in order to bring them healing (v. 5); be humble and obedient to the purposes of God (v. 7); not be a man of violence nor of any wrongdoing (v. 9); and he would bear the sin of many, and make “intercession for the transgressors” (v. 12). Israel needed both, a new kind of king and a new kind of citizen, in order for the promise of the kingdom to be fulfilled.
Jesus Christ
In Jesus Christ both happened. He was the new kind of King David and the new kind of Israelite with a heart of obedience. In Jesus Christ, the new, obedient Israelite was placed in the midst of Israel. The people could now have a new heart of obedience if they would enter by faith into the perfect life of Jesus Christ. But beyond this, he was also the new king of the kingdom. He was in one single person, both the perfectly obedient Israelite and the new King David. Heavenly king and obedient citizen were one and the same.
The Gospel of Matthew tells us about the new King David. Even though chapter 1 lists some of the ancestors of Mary's husband, Joseph, Jesus was not conceived of Joseph, but of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18 says, “When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit.” Why then does Matthew 1:1 refer to Jesus as the son of David, if Joseph, David's descendant, was not the natural father of Jesus? The reason is that this genealogical listing has one purpose only, and that is to show that Jesus is God's fulfillment of the hopes and dreams of the nation of Israel. He was the divine fulfillment of David's royal line. For Mary to have conceived by Joseph would have meant that Jesus would have been just another inferior human being, but since she conceived of the Holy Spirit, Jesus was divinely human. That is what Israel needed: a divinely human person as its savior king. Jesus was the long awaited, royal descendant of David through divine appointment.
Two special designations for Jesus are Christ and Emmanuel. The first means “the anointed one.” God anointed Jesus as the king of the kingdom. According to the Old Testament, when a person became king, he was anointed with oil (1 Samuel 9:16 and 10:1; 2 Samuel 2:4 and 5:3). But since Jesus was the divinely anointed one he was anointed not with oil but with the Holy Spirit. The other designation, Emmanuel, means “God with us.” Through Jesus, God himself was in the midst of Israel.
Life in the Kingdom
The only way to enter into the kingdom is by entering into the life of Jesus Christ, which is possible only as one is truly repentant of sin, childlike in trust, and obedient unto death. By entering into the perfect life of Jesus Christ, we are transformed as citizens of the kingdom. Matthew gives us at least ten characteristics regarding people of the kingdom:
1. They are willing to suffer for the sake of righteousness (5:10).
2. They are ruled by the law of God alone (5:19–20).
3. They find God's remedy for anxiety by fixing their minds on the fact that God is in control (6:33).
4. They are committed to the doing of the will of God (7:21).
5. They live in this present world alongside those not of the kingdom (13:24–30).
6. Even though people of the kingdom are at first unimpressive in the eyes of the world, in the course of time they influence the whole world (13:31–33).
7. They know that the rule of God is so precious that it is worth the loss of all worldly possessions (13:44–46).
8. They are characterized by forgiveness (18:23–35).
9. They are servants of love (25:40).
10. They stay awake spiritually in expectation of the final appearance of Jesus Christ (25:1–13).
The Kingdom and the Church
Wherever we read the words “kingdom of God” or “kingdom of heaven” in the New Testament, we can substitute the words “the new life of God” or “the new life from heaven” or “the life of salvation.” Whereas the kingdom of God is the life of salvation, the church of God is the community of salvation. A community is a group of persons who share the same things, and in the case of the church that which is shared is the divine life of Jesus Christ. The church is the one, universal fellowship of those who have entered into the life of Christ, that is, the kingdom of God.
Salvation Not a Private Matter
We have the wrong idea about salvation if we think that it is merely an individualistic matter between God and us. Indeed, salvation does involve a personal relationship between the individual and God. Nevertheless, that personal relationship is never thought of in the New Testament as a merely private matter. Salvation in the New Testament always involves participation in the community of faith. The personal life of faith is seen as part of the communal life of faith.
In reference to people who were entering into the life of salvation, Acts 2:47 says that “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” New Testament Christianity is communal Christianity. To be saved is to be added to the community of restored relationships.
1. The church is a community of people who have become friends with God through faith in Jesus Christ. That is what 2 Corinthians 5:18 means when it says that God through Christ has reconciled us to himself. To be reconciled to God means that we have become his friends.
2. The church is a community of people whose relationships have been restored with each other. It is a community of Christian love. Throughout the New Testament we read about believers being called and urged to love not only God but also each other.
One of the blessings of the church is that it has available to it the divine power that is able to restore relationships between people. Acts 2:46–47 gives us a beautiful picture of the earliest church: “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Their common faith in Jesus Christ had made them friends of God and friends of each other. We find several references in the New Testament to the holy kiss (Rom. 16:16, 1 Cor. 16:20, 2 Cor. 13:12, 1 Thess. 5:26, and 1 Pet. 5:14). These references remind us that these people loved each other as the family of God. The holy kiss signified that through Christ their relationships between each other had been restored.
In 1 Peter 1:22 the church is told to love one another “earnestly from the heart.” Their love was to involve more than a friendly handshake on Sunday morning. Instead, it involved caring about other people, praying for them and helping them. According to 1 Corinthians 13 nothing is more important than this divine love. Verse 13 says, “So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” And, in 1 Corinthians 14:1, Paul says, “Make love your aim.”
3. Our relationship to the world is restored because we have something to share with it. We have the good news of Christ's salvation. In Mark 16:15, Jesus says, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.” The church is not called upon to be an enemy to the people of the world. It is true that we are in the world but not of it, but we must never forget that God so loved the world that he gave Jesus Christ. He had good news to share with it. Through Christ, God shared himself. There is no possible way to think of God as the enemy of the world when we think of what he did through Christ. Through him, God was the best friend that the world has ever known. We as the church are called upon to be the friend of the world in the same sense that God befriended it by giving Jesus Christ. We befriend the world by sharing the gospel of Christ.
The church is a community of people whose relationships are restored with God, with each other, and with the world. It is the community of those who are living the life of the kingdom, that is, the life of salvation.
For Discussion
1. The kingdom is the life of divine righteousness. What will you do so that your local congregation may be the community of divine righteousness?
2. The kingdom is the life of Christly peace. What will you do so that your local congregation may be the community of Christly peace?
3. The kingdom is the life of joy in the Holy Spirit. What will you do so that your local congregation may be the community of joy in the Holy Spirit?
Chapter 13
The Good News for You
1. You are created in the image of God.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
—Genesis 1:27
2. Even though you were born with the sin problem, God has acted through Jesus Christ to deal with that problem.
For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus
—Romans 3:22–24
3. God has shown his love for you through Jesus Christ, and you can have his gift of eternal life by trusting Christ as your Savior and Lord.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
—John 3:16
4. If you have not already accepted God's gift of salvation, you can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at this very moment seeking to bring you to faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation from sin.
And when he [the Holy Spirit] comes, he will convince the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me [Jesus Christ]; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world [Satan] is judged.
—John 16:8–11
5. The way to experience God's gift of salvation is simple and yet profound. It involves belief in what the Bible says about Christ, repentance for your sins, and a willingness to give your whole self to Christ.
If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
—Romans 10:9
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
—Acts 2:38
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God—not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
—Ephesians 2:8–10
6. Even though the experience of salvation begins internally, it is expressed outwardly by confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, in water baptism, through good works, and at the Lord's Supper.
Confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord.
—Romans 10:9
Be baptized every one of you.
—Acts 2:38
I by my works will show you my faith.
—James 2:18
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
—1 Corinthians 11:26
7. If you will respond in faith to God's grace your sins will be forgiven.
In him [Jesus Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us.
—Ephesians 1:7–8
Through this man [Jesus Christ] forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.
—Acts 13:38
8. If you will respond in faith to God's grace, you will be righteous before him.
For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him [Jesus Christ] we might become the righteousness of God.
—2 Corinthians 5:21
9. If you will respond in faith to God's grace, you will be reconciled to him.
Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself.
—2 Corinthians 5:17–18
10. Even though you are indeed guilty of sin, because God has dealt with sin by grace working through your faith in Jesus Christ, you are now able to stand justified before God.
He [God] justifies him who has faith in Jesus.
—Romans 3:26
They are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.
—Romans 3:24
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
—Romans 5:1
11. God has provided the power for all believers to live purified lives set apart for his mission in the world, that is, the life of sanctification.
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses.
—Acts 1:8
12. This work of the Holy Spirit is for every believer now. No waiting is necessary.
Receive the Holy Spirit.
—John 20:22
Be filled with the Spirit.
—Ephesians 5:18
13. The Holy Spirit at work in your life will transform it into one of melodious praise and thanksgiving.
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
—Ephesians 5:18–20
14. The Holy Spirit at work in your life will produce divine fruit.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
16. The Holy Spirit at work in your life will make you bold to witness for Christ.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.
17. The Holy Spirit at work in your life will guide and teach you.
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit … will teach you all things.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
19. If you do fall into sin, Jesus Christ continues to be faithful in his forgiving and cleansing work.
If we confess our sins, he [Jesus Christ] is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the expiation for our sins.
20. Jesus Christ is able to keep you from falling into the life of sin if you will continue abiding in him.
Abide in me [Jesus Christ], and I in you … I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing … be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority.
21. The purpose of God for your life is to transform you into the glorious image of Jesus Christ.
And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another.
22. Through abiding faith in Christ, you shall rejoice when he comes back to bring world history to a conclusion.
I [Paul] have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.
23. As a believer who abides in Christ to the very end, you shall have a glorious body at the time of the general resurrection of the dead.
Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
We shall all be changed, in a moment … at the last trumpet … For this perishable nature must put on the imperishable and this mortal nature must put on immortality.
24. As a believer, you shall dwell with the Lord Jesus Christ forever.
And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive … shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so we shall always be with the Lord.
For Discussion
Which of these twenty-four statements of good news is a particular blessing to you at this point in your spiritual pilgrimage?
Dedicated
The January 1978 Seminary class at Anderson School of theology which worked through this material chapter by chapter and gave many helpful recommendations which have influenced the final product.
All Scripture passages are from the Revised Standard Version
—1 Corinthians 12:12–13
—Acts 4:31
—1 Thessalonians 5:23
—1 Corinthians 6:19–20
—1 John 1:9
—1 John 2:1–2
—John 15:4–7
—Jude 24–25
—2 Corinthians 3:18
—2 Timothy 4:7–8
—1 Corinthians 15:49
—1 Corinthians 15:51–53
—1 Thessalonians 4:16–17
Back to Chapters 5 thru 9