SALVATION FROM SIN (ONE)
Jesus, at Gethsemane, indeed, is the Gladiator of the soteriology!
`1) Is it possible to come across any religion that teaches and assures of the soteriological facticity of the Bible as of the redeemed Christians? You cannot find it. No religion provides salvation from sin even while one is still living on earth, alive and kicking. Òrúnmílà, the Ifá oracle of the Yoruba religion, makes a crystal asseveration of “only heaven knows who’ll be saved” (which happens to be the literal meaning of that oracle). In the 46th chapter of the Qur’an, verse 9, Muhammad apparently did not know what awaited him in his afterlife. The verse reads,“Say: ‘I am no bringer of new-fangled doctrine among the messengers, nor do I know what will be done with me or with you.’ I follow but that which is revealed to me by inspiration; I am but a Warner open and clear” (underlined emphasis mine). Definitely, hundreds of Muslim adherents cannot say, categorically, that they have been saved from sin. Their one and only prophet of Allah did not know what Allah would choose to do with him and, consequently, the billions of Moslems, unfortunately.
This, however, and surely, is the spiritual positon of the redeemed Christians all over the world from ages past and that which is to come. It says in 1Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10) Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” This is the salvific enunciation from the lips of Jesus Christ, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Now, what is the original Greek word for ‘condemnation’? It is krisis (kriy’-sis): ‘1. decision (subjectively or objectively, for or against). 2. (by extension) a tribunal.3. (by implication) justice (especially, divine law).’
He was condemned so that believers will not enter into condemnation.
Let us look at some aspects of John 5:24, and we begin with: “He that:” explained in John 3:16 for the recipient subject is the “whosoever”. All it takes for ‘whosoever’ to partake in the amazing, saving grace is to ‘believe,’ the Greek of which is pisteuō (pist-yoo’-o): ‘to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), that is, credit; by implication to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ).’ This ‘belief’ in the finished work of the cross is not of whimsical obsequity on which sits the stance of sycophantic, fawning of an idiotic person. He must, from the inner core of his being, believe that Jesus is the Son of God – as the Bible teaches. He must believe that Jesus is the only Saviour of the world, from his heart. If these terms of conditions are not met, you cannot be born again; you have absolutely nothing in common with the saving grace of God, the Creator.
Who is this “He that?” He is captured in eternal life with Jesus in John 3:18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” At death or when raptured, the ones who truly believe, according to this Scripture, are transported straight to heaven: no condemnation whatsoever. But those who believe not, according to this Scripture, will immediately find themselves in hell! Who are the people affected by “He that? The Bible says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). To be saved from Adamic sinfulness, you must believe, coming to Jesus, the Author of eternality of life with God in heaven. This is the indubitable proof that Jesus is the Gladiator of our salvation. Repudiation of Jesus and His finished work of the Golgotha sanguineous cross leads to nowhere else but hell of God’s condemnation.
` John 6:40 “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” The word ‘seeth’ is theōreō (theh-o-reh’-o): ‘to be a spectator of, that is, discern, (literally, figuratively [experience] or intensively [acknowledge]).’ Unless the spiritual acknowledgement is pasted on the Person of Jesus, and that one genuinely receives Him as Lord and Saviour, Jesus has not been apprehended for due salvation. Now, what does Jesus intimate us with, in this verse? “And I will raise him up at the last day.” This is bodacious, pellucid and categorical. I have always maintained that Jesus is the Author of the soteriology and John 6:40 has come to prove me right. How can He be the One to raise people up on the last day? Does the idea of ‘last of days’ not ventilate finality and the note of hopelessness? Jesus, indeed, is the Gladiator of the soteriology! If in Christ there is no hopelessness, and divine facticity proves that Jesus has the power to raise all that come to Him to eternity of life, does that not substantiate the veridicality of Christ’s deity? How else can one give eternality of God’s zoē and not be the Author of that life? Can this One be the Author of life and not be very God of very God? Selah!
Jesus will give you rest only if you will receive His life. Get born again. Say this simple prayer:
“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”
(…to be continued…)
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