Security of Salvation: Part 2

 

Welcome back to my blog! 

 

Christians have entered the gateway to a relationship with God by faith in Christ’s forgiveness for our sins by His death on the cross. Through His gracious sacrifice, God sees us without fault and is completely accepted by Him (Ephesians 2:7-9; Romans 3:21-25; Romans 10:9).

 

What is the next step? After salvation, it is vital to realize that as Christians, we are SECURE in our relationship with God. Eternal security asserts that once a person genuinely accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, they are eternally secure in their salvation. Their salvation cannot be lost or forfeited, regardless of subsequent actions or behavior. Why is this critical? We cannot grow in our faith and serve others well if we lack confidence that God accepts us.

 

We are starting a discussion today over the assurances of salvation. These guarantees are critical to understand so we have a complete knowledge of our salvation and confidence before God. 

 

This week let us describe justification: 

 

Justification (we are declared innocent) 

 

This is the wonderful result of Christ’s sacrificial death. Let’s examine the details of the meaning of this great promise.

 

• Meaning of the Greek New Testament word – Importantly, the complete meaning in Greek of the word “justification” (δικαιος, dikaios) is not fully conveyed in English. The word dikaios carried a legal sense that still exists today in modern Greek. In the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, the term signified that someone who was found innocent in a court of law of all charges against them, just like now, there was no double jeopardy (1). This important legal concept means that once you have been found innocent, you cannot be charged again for the same crime.

 

• Christ’s work in justification – The Bible teaches that each of us has sinned and “fallen short” of what God requires of us (Romans 3:23). Because God is just, He demands punishment for our misdeeds. However, because He is loving, He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take the punishment in our place (Romans 3:24-26).

 

• We were pronounced “innocent” before God when we trusted Christ for forgiveness of our sins. We do this only once, and our sins are forgiven for all time. Since Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient for all our sins for all time, nobody can charge us again (Romans 8:31-34). Again, there is no double jeopardy!

 

• No other work is required – Importantly, Christ is a sufficient sacrifice for our sins as He Himself is perfect, holy, and without sin (Romans 3:25; Hebrews 7:26; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore, Christ satisfied God’s righteous demand for judgment. Accordingly, He died once for all sin, for all time, and He does not need to do this again as did the Old Testament priests (Hebrews 6:1-14, and 10:10-18). This is signified when he sat down at the right hand of God the Father; His work to provide salvation was finished (Ephesians 1:20).

 

• For example, it’s as though Christ acted as a courtroom judge, found us guilty of our sins, sentenced us to death, but afterwards, stood up, removed His judicial robe, came around in front of the judge’s bench and took the punishment for us, for our past, present and future sins!

What a fantastic promise, given out of love and wisdom, from our gracious God who considers us sinless based on the sacrifice of His precious Son who makes it to us out of his love and wisdom. Thanks be to God who has provided us such a gracious salvation as a free gift through faith in Christ.

Join me next time as we continue this amazing discussion of the results of salvation and the wonderful security that we have in our relationship with God.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

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Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

Security of Salvation: Part 1

 Welcome back to my blog, and thank you for visiting. Few topics are as important as the knowledge of our eternal security. An unconditional relationship with God is characterized by boundless love, acceptance, and forgiveness. It’s understanding that God’s love for us is not contingent upon our actions or worthiness. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, not by doing good things or being “good.” Jesus died for sinners, and God declared the ungodly to be righteous. So, we don’t need to become “good” first; we are saved through faith. God has given us such great promises. Read and enjoy! 

 

The Foundation of Our Faith

 

Born again Christians have entered the gateway to a relationship with God by faith in Christ’s forgiveness for our sins by His death and resurrection. Through Christ’s gracious sacrifice, God sees us without fault and completely accepted by Him (Ephesians 2:7-9; Romans 3:21-25; Romans 10:9).

 

Our Relationship with God is Secure!

 

What is the next step after salvation? It is vital to realize that as Christians, we are SECURE in our relationship with God. Why is this critical? We cannot grow in our faith and serve others well if we lack confidence that God accepts us. Otherwise, we will be distracted from serving God and others by wondering if God will reject us for some sin.

 

The Bible makes a great example in Ephesians 5:20-33. In this wonderful passage, the Apostle Paul likens the relationship between Christ and the church (individual believers) to marriage. In the same way, a married couple will find it difficult to grow in their love, intimacy, and confidence in each other if they fear their partner will reject them, so a Christian will find it nearly impossible to grow in the love of God if they fear His repudiation.

 

Likewise, our loving God, who made and understands us, knows we cannot grow in His love without the confidence that He will not reject us. Wow, what a great promise!

 

So then, how can we know from scripture that we are secure?

 

Direct statements - God states directly that we are secure (1 Peter 1:3-5; John 10:27-31; Romans 8:28-39).

 

Assurances - After we become a Christian by faith alone, we are not simply called a Christian; there is so much more. Our precious salvation provides wonderful, irreversible morphologic and legal assurances to our standing before God. No scripture indicates these assurances of salvation can ever be reversed, returning us to our original corrupt and sinful selves. These assurances are linked to the security of our salvation, which is discussed in another summary in the Teleios ‘Know the Bible’ section (under ‘Our great salvation’). Below is a short summary of our standing before God after we come to salvation by faith.

 

o   Legally innocent – We are declared ‘not guilty’; as in a court of law, this cannot be overturned (Romans 3:21-25)!

 

o   In God’s family – We are adopted as God’s children (Ephesians 1:5).

 

o   Possession – We are sealed by the Holy Spirit to salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:5).

 

o   Spiritual baptism – We are baptized a new person by the Holy Spirit, being made like Christ in His death and resurrection (Romans 6:2-9)!

 

o   Perseverance – God Himself causes us to persevere through our life unto salvation, not by our own works and resources (2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 5:23).

 

o   Chosen – God chose us for salvation before the world began (Ephesians 1:4-5; Romans 8:28-20).

 

Wow, God is gracious to us! Because of our faith in Christ, we are a new person who cannot be unmade, with legally unchangeable promises that guarantee our salvation. This comfort and confidence allow us to invest ourselves in knowing and serving God. We should not be burdened with guilt and worry over the status of God’s acceptance of us.

 

The certainty of our salvation is one of the great comforting promises of Scripture. It is our hope! 

 

Thank you for joining me today. In the following blogs we will look at more detail of these assurances of salvation so you can gain a complete and joyful understanding of what God has done for us by grace. I look forward to seeing you then.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

The Return of Christ – Eschatology: Part 3

 

Welcome to my blog. Thank you for visiting.   

  

Christ’s return is our great hope of salvation and a glorious eternity with God. Consequently, the study of eschatology (end times) is critical to understanding our salvation and is a great blessing (Revelation 1:3). Although the exact nature of the second coming of Christ is often a controversial topic among theologians, it is important to base our beliefs in scripture.  

  

Let us return to discussing the exciting events leading to the second coming of Christ following the time of tribulation. The Second Coming of Christ will occur after a series of world-shaking events. It will involve Jesus returning with the hosts of heaven and the Church to establish the Messianic Kingdom on earth, which will last for a thousand years. During this momentous event, the Antichrist will be cast into the Lake of Fire, and Satan will be bound for a thousand years.

 

Return of Christ (Revelation 22:17; Zechariah 14:1-11)

Our Savior will return, in glory, to establish His rule upon the earth (see below, please). His return will:   

o   Occur at the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 19)   

o   Happen rapidly like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10)   

o   Be accompanied by celestial signs (2 Peter 3:10-12; Matthew 24:29)   

o   Bring Christ to the earth (as opposed to the rapture, which will be in the clouds)   

o   Be glorious (Revelation 19)   

o   Gather His elect (Colossians 3:4, Matthew 24:31)   

o   Provide salvation to those whose names are in the Book of Life. Those whose names are not found will not live during Christ's reign.   

  

Kingdom of Christ - 1000-year reign (Revelation 20:1-7; Jeremiah 23,31-33; Ezekiel 36-38; Isaiah 59-66) 

This period is also known as the kingdom of God or heaven, eternal Kingdom, or thousand-year reign. The kingdom will have the following characteristics:   

o   1,000 years when Christ will rule over the earth as King from Jerusalem   

o   A time of peace and prosperity upon the earth   

o   Satan is bound (Revelation 20:2,5)   

o   Christ will rule justly all nations   

o   Fulfill the promise of the Kingdom to the Jews and their eternal rest   

o   Include both Jews and Gentiles.   

  

Eternity (Revelation 20-21) 

This is the period after the 1,000-year reign when Satan, the antichrist, and unbelievers will be freed to rebel again, only to be defeated. God will judge unbelievers after this battle. Satan and the antichrist will be bound forever in hell. Then , a new glorious heaven and new Jerusalem will come down from above. Believers will live eternally with God, fulfilling their great hope and His promise.   

All praise, honor, and glory are due God and our Savior Jesus Christ for the great salvation we have received as a free gift through our faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection.   

  

Join me next time as we continue discussing major themes of scripture.  

  

Further reading   

1.   Ryrie CC. Basic theology: A popular systematic guide to understanding biblical truth. Moody Publishers, 1999.   

2.    Chafer LS. Systematic Theology. Abridged Volume II. Kregel Publications, 1947.   

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

 

The Return of Christ – Eschatology: Part 2

 

Welcome to my blog. Thank you for visiting. 

 

Christ’s return is our great hope of salvation and a glorious eternity with God. Consequently, the study of eschatology (end times) is critical to understanding our salvation and is a great blessing (Revelation 1:3). Although the exact nature of Christ's return is a controversial topic among both theologians, it is important to base our beliefs on scripture.

 

Let us return to discussing the exciting events leading to the second coming of Christ. Following the rapture, which we discussed in the last blog, begins the time of the tribulation. The tribulation is a future period of intense suffering and divine judgment prophesied in Christian eschatology. 

The tribulation (2 Thessalonians 1:5-2:12; Revelation chapters 4-18: Matthew 24:4-28; Daniel 9:27; Isaiah 24) 

 

This is a seven-year period of God’s wrath upon the world to bring final judgment before the second coming of Christ, which occurs at the end of tribulation. It is a time of terrible suffering not yet experienced prior to that time (Matthew 24:21). Yet God will graciously allow the gospel to go forward to the world during this time, still giving unbelievers an opportunity to repent (Matthew 24:14). 

 

The tribulation is covered in several important Bible passages but can be challenging to interpret because each contains different important events that can be difficult to summarize in one timeline. However, these passages have different emphases, which are important to recognize. Consequently, we will mention each separately: 
 

o   Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25) – This is the instruction about the end times Christ gave to the disciples just before His death. It includes worldwide events but has a particularly Jewish slant. 

 

§  First half (Matthew 24:4-14) – The seven-year tribulation begins with the first 3½ years marked by war, rumors of war, hatred, persecution, horrifying natural events, and false prophets. We know from other scripture that the tribulation begins with the rapture of church-age believers. However, this event is not mentioned in the Olivet Discourse, probably because the church was not yet known when our Savior gave this instruction. 

 

§  Abomination of desolation (Matthew 24:15-31) – The abomination of desolation occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation (thus beginning the 2^nd 3½ year period) when the antichrist stops the temple worship leaving the altar desolate as predicted in the Old Testament (Daniel 9:27). Importantly, at this time Christ states those in Jerusalem should immediately flee to the mountains, as well as look and be prepared for His return after an additional 3½ years. 

 

o   Revelation 5-18 -The tribulation described in the Book of Revelation provides generally a more detailed worldwide explanation regarding the nations than the Olivet Discourse. Several themes appear to run concurrently in the revelation and are chronological, but how they relate to each other exactly in time can be difficult to determine: 

 

§  Worldwide judgments (chapters 5-16) – These are the seal, bowl, and trumpet judgments that appear to occur sequentially throughout the tribulation but with unknown timing. There are seven judgments under each. They generally describe natural disasters, war, and plagues as a judgment upon the earth. 

 

§  Sealing of the 144,000 (chapter 7) – These are Jewish believers from the 12 tribes of Israel who are sealed by God during the tribulation. They will go forth to the whole world to testify of God, and most or all will be martyred. 

 

§  The two witnesses (chapter 11) – These are two witnesses who preach to the world during the tribulation. They are martyred in Jerusalem and are resurrected after 3 days to the consternation of the world. 

Ø  Killing the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7) – The antichrist is first mentioned in the revelation as ascending out of the pit and destroying the two witnesses, causing great joy on the (unbelieving) earth. 

 

§  The spiritual war (chapter 12) – This passage details the efforts of Satan to destroy the Christ child and Israel to prevent salvation and his own destruction. 

 

§  The antichrist (Revelation 13; The Beast (Man of lawlessness or sin, son of perdition) – His program will be empowered by Satan and include: 

 

Ø  Personal worship (chapter 13) – He will display miracles causing people to follow and worship him. A part of this program will be the abomination of desolation in the Jewish temple at the midpoint of the tribulation (2 Thessalonians 2:4; Matthew 24:15; Daniel 9:27). 

 

Ø  Control commerce (chapter 13) – He will do this in part by the ‘mark of the beast’ which will not allow people to participate in commerce unless they have submitted to him. 

 

§  Attempted world domination – His effort to control the world will help lead to the battle of Armageddon (chapter 16). 

 

·       Babylon (chapter 17 and 18) – The organized world system, which originated from the Tower of Babel, will be destroyed. This includes commercial interests and may include a religious component as well. Babylon’s downfall represents the end of the long battle between God and the principles of the kingdom of the world, as represented by ancient Babylon. 

 

Thanks be to God and our Savior Jesus Christ for such a great salvation given as a free gift through our faith in Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection.  

 

Thanks for visiting my blog. Join me next time as we discuss our blessed hope, the return of Christ, and eternity. 

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.