‘God’s Way unto Salvation
INTRODUCTION
The previous message distinguished the ways of God from mankind, showing that God’s ways cannot be understood by carnal mind. God is a Spirit and his ways are set in divine purposes, seasons and time; and are accomplished by his word and “spiritual strategy”. Access previous messages at <https://childrenofgraceministries.international>
This message, ‘God’s Way unto Salvation’, shows the way that God has prepared for his salvation through Jesus Christ, according to his word, his divine purpose and spiritual strategy. Faith than Carnal mind, is required to receive God’s salvation.
- GOD’S DIVINE PURPOSE FOR SALVATION
The need for God’s salvation came after Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s word and ate of the fruit of “the tree of good and evil” in the Eden Garden. They went against God’s warning that if the eat of the fruit they shall “surely die”. (Genesis: 2:8-9 &15-17).
Adam and Eve ate of the fruit and were rendered sinful and their godly spirit died. They fell under Satan’s dominion of evil and a “disobedient spirit”, and became prone to unbridled fleshy lusts. Thence, from Adam to Moses, sin and death ruled mankind in the flesh, and even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression. (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:11; Ephesians 2:2-3; 1 Peter 5:8; Galatians 5:19-21)
- REDEMPTIVE GRACE & MERCY
God’s salvation is to purge the sin of disobedience, and redeem mankind from spiritual and physical death occasioned by Adam’s sin. The divine purpose is that the world through Jesus, might receive God’s way of salvation, that whoever believes in Jesus “should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:15-17).
God desires to redeem mankind from destruction because He knows we are mortals and the wages of sin is death. Therefore, He has prepared mercy and righteousness that sustains throughout generations, for those that fear him. (Romans 6:23; Psalm 86:12-17).
- GOD’S SPIRITUAL STRATEGY FOR SALVATION
Brethren, God uses spiritual strategy to accomplish his purpose for salvation. Accordingly, he predestined that salvation may be obtained by the spirit of faith in His own power and works, and for his glory; not that of men. So, God ordained the Law of Moses, as a means to test Israel’s obedience to his word; to bring out their inability to do the law perfectly; and to cultivate hope in his mercy and his fear. (Isaiah 53:6; Galatians 3:15-29). Moses admonished Israel saying: “thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee …in the wilderness “to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandment or no”. (Deuteronomy 8:2).
- THE LAW AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
The Law was not to secure redemption but as a means to reflect God’s glory to draw all the nations to worship the one, true God, when he will crucify Christ for our sins at the appointed time. (see Isaiah 53). But many of God’s people, although having “a zeal for God” they miss God’s Spiritual purpose and strategy for the law. “…They being ignorant of God’s righteousness [go] about to establish their own righteousness “. (Romans 9:31-32; 10:2-3).
Yet salvation is not based on man’s ability under the law, but by the righteousness of God. (Psalm 23:3; Ephesians 2:8-9). “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness”. (Romans 4:3).
- LIMITATIONS UNDER THE LAW
Brethren, “if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, [that God’s way of Salvation], the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe”. Galatians 3:19.21-22. “The Law was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made…”. (Galatians 3:19;1 Timothy 1:8-9).
Note that sin was in the world before Moses obtained the Law, but sin is not imputed when there is no Law (Romans 5:13; Psalm 32:1-2). Abraham, Isaac and Jacob lived not by Law, but by faith in God’s word. Abraham was sealed as the father of many nations that salvation might extend to all his seed – those under law and those which are of the faith. (Genesis 17:4-6; Romans 4:14-17).
- THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH
Brethren,” the Just shall live by faith!” But the law is not of faith: the man that doeth them shall live in them. (Galatians 3:12). “…The law is good, if a man use it lawfully…”. It is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless, disobedient, sinners, the ungodly etc. A man is therefore not justified by the deeds of the law, but is justified by faith without the works of the law. (Romans 3:20, 27; 4:5; Galatians 2:15-16; 3:12).
- THE LAW EMBEDS A CURSE
Brethren a limitation of the Law is that it embeds a curse: so, it can save no one. The scripture states: “…Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.” (Galatians 3:10; Deuteronomy 27:26; Jeremiah 11:3). And “whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Evidently, by this standard, “no man can be justified by the law in the sight of God”. (Galatians 3:11; Matthew 19:25-26; Deuteronomy. 30:1–10; Malachi. 2:10–12).
- JESUS IS GOD’S WAY TO SALVATION
Jesus Christ is God’s “hidden wisdom”, ordained before the world” in a strategic mystery for the salvation of mankind. None of “the princes of this world” including Satan, knew of it”. (I Corinthians 2:7-8).
According to the prophets, God promises to take away the “stony heart out of the flesh”, and give his people “a new heart”, and put “a new spirit” within them; and will “write his law in their hearts” and will “cause them to walk in His law and keep his judgements and do them”. (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Hebrew 10:16). Jesus is the way God accomplishes this spiritual surgery by making his word into flesh.
- GOD’S WORD IS MADE FLESH
God fulfilled his Word through Jesus Christ coming in the flesh – The divine nature. How did he do this? Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary of the conception saying:” … behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest… and of his kingdom there shall be no end…” He explained further that: ”The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”. (Luke 1: 28-35). Believing, Mary said, “… be it unto me according to thy word “. (Luke 1:38)
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth”. (John 1:14 Isaiah 55:11). Jesus Christ is the identity of the Spirit of God in Flesh – i.e. human form (John 14:7-9). He is in the father and the father is in him; so that if one believes in the son, you do also believe in the Father; and if you know Jesus, you have known the Father. (John 14:1,7 &11; 5:24; 12:44; and 1 John 2:23).
- JESUS IS THE LIKENESS OF SINFUL FLESH
Brethren, by God’s spiritual strategy for salvation, Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, to condemned sin in the flesh, that mankind may live not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:3 & 14). Let us observe God’s strategic divine symbolisms of Christ’s likeness as sinful flesh:
a) Christ is the lamb which takes away the sins of the world. Being fully human and fully God’s Spirit, God offered Himself (in Spirit) by the (physical) blood of Jesus, for the atonement of the sins of the world, to give “eternal life” to those who would believe. (John 10:30; 3:16; Romans 1:24-25; Hebrews 9:14; Leviticus 22:20)
b) Also, as by one man’s disobedience, Adam, sin entered the world, and death passed upon all mankind, so too, through one man Jesus, many shall be made righteous unto eternal life. God caused him to die and raised him again “that he might be Lord both of the dead and living”. (John 1:29; Romans 5:19-21, 14:9).
c) Further, Jesus reveals the spiritual personality of God to believers, and reconcile them with his Holy Father, that they may also acquire His spiritual personality as “sons of God”. (Hebrew 1:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:18-19; John 1:13). Christ says of believers: “I in them, and thou [God] in me, that they may be made perfect in one…” (John 17:23). It is this spiritual perfection (the Spirit of God in Jesus, and the Spirit of Jesus in believers) that reconciles believers to God, and affords them the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome evil, sin and death.
d) Moreover, Christ, being made a curse for us, hath redeemed mankind from the curse of the law, that salvation blessing might also come on the Gentiles through him. (Galatians 3:13-14).
e) Jesus is the way to know the true God. He declares, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me”. (John 6 &10:9). Brethren, only Jesus has God’s words of eternal life: – i.e. the knowledge of the one true God; that Jesus surely came from God; and that God sent him; and people should believe that God sent him. (John 6:68; 17:8). But note also that no man can come to Jesus except father God leads them to him. (John 6:44 & 65).
People of God, the lack of understanding of this mystical knowledge of God’s spiritual plan, strategy and purpose is perhaps the main stumbling block to people receiving God’s way of salvation by faith.
- BELIEF IN JESUS FOR SALVATION IS SPIRITUAL
God’s way to Salvation “is the gift of God, not of works!” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). It requires one to “believe in Jesus from the heart”, and to confess that God hath raised him from the dead. (Romans 10:8-10; John 17:8; Deuteronomy 30:14). There is no salvation in any other: “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Yet, belief in Jesus for salvation is a spiritual matter that cannot be understood by carnal reasoning.
Brethren, since no man can know the things of God but the “Spirit of God”, so also, no man can confess that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3; 2:10-11 &14). Note that the same way that God’s word came to Mary and she believed, and “the word became flesh” in her womb; in the same way, when one hears the gospel of Jesus and believes, the word (which is Spirit) quickens their sinful flesh, purifies their heart and lives in them. Christ lives in them, and the life they live in the flesh they live by the faith of Jesus (Galatians 2:20).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Brethren, no one can know God and his ways, unless you believe in His son Jesus Christ whom he has sanctified with His Holy “Eternal Spirit” and has sent, to give believers eternal life, that we may serve God in truth (John 10:36). In other words, God poured His infinite spirit into one like us, to cause us to know Him and walk in His way.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, we give thanks and praise for Your word.
“God, in Heaven, I thank you for the life of thy children, and for the way unto salvation and eternal life, through Jesus Christ, your son.
Holy Father, remove pride and ‘stony hearts’ from thy people and cause them to repent of their sins. Make them to believe that Jesus died for their sins; and that You raised him from the dead.
Gracious Lord, replace their will with yours, and let the Holy Spirit, guide their walk with you. Thank you, Lord, for saving them.
I make this prayer in JESUS Name.
Have a blessed week and a fruitful month.
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG) 06/10/2024.
