The Cursed Gospel:3

NEWNESS IN CHRIST

Christianity is all about God making us into a new creature.

 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Galatians 6:15).

Salvation is not of man but is for man. Salvation is not working for ourselves but resting in the work of God. Salvation is not striving to be perfect but being made perfect. Salvation does not give us a license to sin but a freedom to follow after God.

God does accept us the way we with all our flaws, but He doesn't leaves us that way. Nor does He intend for us to stay in our old sinful ways. He calls on all men to repent.

“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent” Acts 17:30.

To repent God's way, you have to first be saved by grace. Repentance does not save us. It is the work of God that saves. However, it is required by God to turn from our old sinful ways in order to become useful and be able to serve Him.

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:6).

Repentance is a lot like faith. It is spiritual in nature. Without the Spirit of God we could not repent.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).

The true accomplishment of repentance is not of man trying to reform himself but God changing us from within. Repentance is accomplished by God's grace of forgiveness, cleansing, and renewal.

The remorseful sinner has been purified by the blood of Christ, apart from his works. He is now a new man made perfect in spirit, sinless by blood, and sheltered in the Holy Spirit. The new man is ready to take on any sinful behavior.

“For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14).

It is not man's cleansing himself that perfects his soul and merits salvation. Salvation is totally the work of grace.

Even though the work of God is finished, it has yet to be fully implemented. We are still waiting for the redemption of our body.

“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Romans 8:23).

The child of God has already obtained salvation and right standing before God, but he does not yet possess a perfect body. The believer is waiting for the perfect state when his new body will unite to a perfect soul. Until that day comes, he must daily submit himself to God for empowerment over the works of the devil. He does so in order to be useful to God in doing good works.

Let me clarify to you that the saint of God does not repent in order to obtain or keep his salvation; He repents in order to honor God and be made ready for the master's use.

“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work” (2 Timothy 2:19-21).

We thank God that even in our imperfect attempts to serve God, we are made accepted in Christ,

“To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6).

Salvation is finished, but He is not yet finished with us. At the resurrection He is going to change us.

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15: 50-54).

All the works that men do to become perfect in the flesh are all in vain. What men cannot do for himself, in attaining perfection, God does in a twinkling of an eye.