Jun 13
8
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Is Salvation By Doing or Believing?
It is amazing that when lost sinners first begin to think about being reconciled unto God, that they immediately begin thinking in terms of what they must do for God or give to God in order to gain His favor. This seems to be quite natural to the fallen, sinful sons and daughters of Adam, but it is totally contrary to and in opposition to the free grace of God in Christ Jesus.
Sinners are reconciled unto God, not by works but by grace, not by doing but by believing, not by giving but by receiving. Sinners are reconciled unto God by believing the testimony of God concerning His Son, the Lord Jesus (I John 5:9-13). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Maurice Montgomery
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CALLED AND SEPARATED
Romans 1: 1, 6-7
The saints of God in this world are described as “called and separated.” The apostle Paul describes himself and those saints at Rome as such. When we see how Paul was called separated we see how all God’s saints are called and separated.
Who Called and Separated Us
In the eternal purpose of God, by divine election all who shall be saved by God were chosen of God in Christ and shall be called through the gospel of Christ in time. (Gal 1: 15-16 ;Jer 1: 5) Just as the Father and Son called and separated Paul, so too, the Holy Ghost called and separated Paul to the work for which he had called him. (Acts 13: 1-4) Saints are called and separated by God the Father, by Jesus Christ the Son, and by the Holy Spirit. It is by divine election, by blood atonement and by the internal work which always gets the job done.
From What Are We Called and Separated
We are called and separated from our sin and vain righteousness. Paul had been a Pharisee, “a separate one.” He had separated himself by confidence in his flesh (Phil 3: 4-6), through much study (Acts 22: 3), and by his religious zeal in works religion. (Gal 1: 13-14) But Paul had not truly separated himself at all. (Is 59: 2; Jude 19) Paul was like all of God’s elect before God saves us. We were lost in the darkness of our own depraved hearts, some in a form of religion we called the worship of Christ even as Paul thought he was worshipping God, but we were all ignorant of God, of his providence, of ourselves, our sin, of the scriptures, of the gospel, of Christ, of righteousness, of salvation and ignorant of our own ignorance. This is what Paul had to be called and separated from and all God’s elect are called and separated from our self-righteousnesses.
Unto What Are We Called and Separated
One, Paul was called and separated unto the gospel of God. Paul was separated to preach the gospel, but like Paul, God separates all his elect unto the message of the gospel, Christ himself (Ro 1: 2-4; Ro 1: 16-17) We are called to bear witness of Christ, that salvation is of the Lord. God chose whom he would, Christ redeemed us, and the Holy Spirit regenerates us and keeps us unto that day.
Two, Christ calls and separates his elect from darkness into Light. (1 Pet 2:9) Just as Christ our Light appeared in this earth, abolished death and brought immortality to light, in like manner, Christ appears in our hearts, makes us see our death and brings light and immortality to light within us through the gospel. (2 Ti 1:9-11; 2 Cor 4: 6; Pro 28:5; 1 Cor 2:15-16; 1 Jn 2:20; Jn 10: 4-5)
Also, God separates his elect out of bondage into liberty. (2 Cor 3: 17; Gal 5:13) We were by nature children of wrath, even as others. Now, in Christ, we are freed from the curse and condemnation of God’s holy law. We were slaves to sin. Now, in Christ, we are the servants of righteousness. We were under the bondage of the prince of the power of the air. Now we are Christ’s free men. We were driven by the law of works. Now we are led by the Spirit, walking in the law of faith which works by love. (Gal 5: 1)
Finally, God’s elect are separated out of this world unto the fellowship. (1 Cor 1:9) At no time has God ever called his people, told them to be joined with this world and the religion of this world. God separates his children from falsehood, effectually commanding us to no longer join with it. (Deut 7: 2-6; 26; Rev 18:4) Paul was in works religion but he was not saved by it or left in it. God saved him by Christ himself calling him out of it and separating him to Jesus Christ in Mt Zion, heavenly Jerusalem. We now have access and communion with our triune God at his throne of grace! We have fellowship with His saints on earth and in heaven. (Heb 12:22-23; Eph 2: 19;2 Cor 6:14-17; 7: 1)
One last question, shall those he has called and separated ever be separated from him again? No way! (Ro 8: 35-39) Clay Curtis.