Salvation Belongs to Yahweh

Welcome to this blog article. We are going to look at 2Thes. 2 from verse 13. This is a great scripture to show that God elected certain people for salvation. The Bible says in 2Thes. 2:13 and 14 LITV, But we ought to thank God always concerning you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation in sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, to which He called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we see here very clearly that Paul wrote, But we ought to thank God always concerning you, brothers, beloved by the Lord, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth, which He called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We see here very clearly that Paul wrote that God chooses people for salvation. God chose His people from the beginning to salvation, from the beginning, they were chosen, for Ephesians 1:4 tells us that God chose us, which means His people, in Him, which means Christ Jesus, before the world was. The Bible makes it very clear that God chose His people from the beginning, not God chose His people at the beginning, but God chose His people from the beginning to salvation, for His people were chosen in Christ before the world was.

Then Paul wrote, in sanctification of the Spirit. This is the work of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has been sent by the Father and the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is setting apart those who are the people of God, those whom God elected, those whom God choose to extend His saving grace to, by the good pleasure of His own will. When the Holy Spirit sanctifies, sets apart those whom God has chosen, the Holy Spirit regenerates them, takes out the heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh, and raises them to spiritual life, He changes their wills, and that person will come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Bible says, belief of the truth. This is seen here in this text, for Paul wrote, because God chose you from the beginning to salvation, in sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth go hand in hand, and cannot be separated. When one does not come to belief in the truth, it is because the Spirit did not set them apart, and they remained in their wilful rebellion against a Holy God.

Important to understand that the Holy Spirit is not trying to save everybody equally, and whereby some people say yes, and some people say no in an unregenerated state, but the Bible teaches that those whom the Holy Spirit sets apart, will come to believe in the truth. They will believe in Christ Jesus.

Paul continue to wrote, which He called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit and His gospel. The Holy Spirit works with His gospel, and when He does, they come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ, and receive the salvation which Christ accomplished for them when He came and laid down His life for  them.

We also see the Triune God here. God chose you, referring to the Father,  and then the sanctification of the Spirit, which refers to the Holy Spirit, and then belief of the truth, which He called you through our gospel, to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, referring to the Lord Jesus Christ. We see the three persons of the One true God, working together in the salvation of the people of God. We clearly see here that this is a work of God. The Father thought salvation, the Son bought salvation, and the Holy Spirit wrought salvation.

When we go to Romans 8:28, the word foreknew is a verb and not a noun. There are people who use this like a noun and not a verb, but the word ‘foreknew’ is a verb in the Greek. That is important. This is a verb, and God is the One doing the action of the verb. Why did God foreknow them who would come to Christ, because God choose them for salvation, and because He did, they will come to Christ, as we have seen in 2Thes. 2:13. 

This is seen clearly in v. 30 in Romans 8 LITV, for the Bible says, But whom He predestinated, (they are those whom He foreknow) which means He choose them, He predestinated them, these He also called. Remember what Paul wrote in 2Thes. 2:14, to which He called you through our gospel. It is the Spirit and the Gospel.

Now, this call here in Romans 8:30 is not referring to a general call, but an effectual call. We can see this here in v.30, for the Bible says, for whom He called, these He also justified. Who are justified? Those who have been saved. This is speaking about an effectual call because them whom God calls are justified, they are saved, just like we have seen in 2Thess, 2:13-14. All who God calls here, are justified. They receive salvation. It can not be referring to the general call to salvation, for many do not come to the Lord, and not receive salvation, which obviously means they are not justified. Amen. Then it continues to say in v.30, those whom He justified, these He also glorified. God, God, God all the way. So whom God foreknew, He predestinated, He called, He justified, and He glorified, God from the beginning to the end. Amen.

It is very clear in the Word of God, that whom God chooses to save, He will save, and they will spend an eternity with Him in Heaven. Praise the Lord that He does, for as Jonah said in Jonah 2:9 LITV, Salvation belongs to Jehovah (Yahweh). Amen.

Holding the Truth in Unrighteousness

Romans 1:18-20LITV

The Bible says, For God's wrath is revealed from Heaven on all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, holding the truth in unrighteousness, because the thing known of God is clearly known within them, for God revealed it to them. For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things made, both His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse.

The word truth here does not mean, or does not refer to the gospel, because not all men possess the knowledge of the gospel, but here it refers to general revelation, as seen in v. 19, 20, referring to creation and conscience. That is the reason a person who has never heard the gospel is without excuse, because if they lived up to the light he or she had, and earnestly seek to know the true God, then God will bring the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to them, to hear the good news, so they may be saved.

For example, we see this in the Bible, with the Ethiopian eunuch, in the book of Acts ch. 8. He had just been to Jerusalem, and he was seeking the true God, but yet he did not know Him, because he did not know Christ, and he needed to hear the gospel. What happened? God sent his messenger, Philip, to go to Gaza, the deserted place, to tell him about Christ. Philip joined him on his chariot, and the eunuch was reading from Isaiah 53, and from Isaiah 53, Philip preached the gospel to him, he preached Jesus. 

Look in v. 35 LITV, And opening his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, Philip announced the gospel to him, Jesus. Obviously, a person is not saved by just hearing the gospel, but hearing the gospel, and believing the gospel. Exactly what happened! The eunuch asked Philip, what prevents me from being baptized. Acts 8:38 LITV, And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 

What did Jesus command in Matthew 28:19 ESV, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Notice Jesus commanded to make disciples, disciples are believers, and to be baptized as a believer in Christ, which is seen here in Acts 8 with the eunuch. He was saved by the Lord Jesus in Gaza, the deserted place. God made him ready to hear the gospel, and to believe the gospel. 

It is also true, if a man who has never heard the gospel, does not live up to the light he has, knowing there is a God, and not seek after Him, the true and living God, to know Him, and does not come to the Lord Jesus Christ, they will die in their sin, and they will face the wrath of God, and will spend eternity in hell. There is only one way to God, and His Name is Jesus.

But understand also, a man who had been given more light, for example heard Bible teaching, heard the gospel, and refused Christ, they will receive a higher degree of punishment in hell, than those who did not hear the gospel, and refused Christ. Both will be in hell forever, no way out for either, but one will receive a higher degree of punishment in hell for all eternity, the other, a lesser degree of punishment in hell for all eternity. What did the Lord Jesus say about the people in Capernaum, Matthew 11:23 LITV, And you Capernaum, who "have been exalted to the heaven, you will be thrown down to Hades." For is the powerful acts happening in you had taken place in Sodom, it would remain until today. But I say to you, It will be more bearable for the land of Sodom in Judgment day than for you.

The people in Capernaum, they will receive a higher degree of punishment for eternity than even Sodom, because Jesus taught and preached in that city, and they received Him not. Both will go to hell forever, but one will receive the greater degree of punishment for eternity, the other a lesser degree of punishment for eternity. 

Now, look at the word, holding, in v.18. It is the Greek word, katecho, and literally means, to hold down or to quash. You notice this is in the present tense. This indicates that all ungodly people continually, wilfully, intentionally, to pin down and holding the truth in unrighteousness. 

In this same chapter in verse nineteen, the Bible teaches there is something in man that causes him or her to know there is a God. The word, truth, refers to that which is out in the open, not an open secret. One commentary says, unrighteous men continually put the truth in a box and sit on the lid and hold it down in unrighteousness. It speaks of people who hold down or quash his truth, and rather hold on to their wicked sins, and not the Lord. These are people who hold onto their sins but hold down the truth. They love their sin but hate God. They love their sin and hate God, so they suppress the truth, and seek to go even deeper into their sins, into their wickedness. The reason an atheist deceives themselves to believe there is no God is because to admit there is a God, means they are in trouble.

What does the Bible teach about a man who says there is no God or says no to the true God. The Bible says in Psalm 14:1 LITV, To the chief musician. A Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God! They acted corruptly; they did hatefully in deeds; there is none doing good. The Bible tells us in John 3:19 LITV, And this is judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than the Light, for their works were evil. Why do people love their darkness instead of the light of God,  because rebellious sinners want to live their way, and not the way of God. They have pleasure in sin. People are in open rebellion towards God. These people continually quash the truth of God, while persistently they are clinging onto their sins. 

It is like the boy who was told by his mum not to eat the cookies out of the cookie jar before dinner, but the boy was disobedient, and he put his hand into the cookie jar, and heard his mum coming back to the kitchen, and got his hand caught in the cookie jar while attempting to take his hand out, because he would not let go of the cookies in his hand, because he would not let go of his sin. 

It is not just they have rebelled against the truth of God, but they have rejected the truth of God. There is no excuse they will be able to use on the Day of Judgment, as Christ rejectors. There is something God has put in man to know there is a God, and a need for God, but when the ungodly who has pleasure in unrighteousness, and quash the truth, they are guilty of their denial of the truth of God, and are subject to the wrath of God, because ultimately, they reject the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the very same chapter of Romans, Paul makes noticeably clear, in v. 16, the one who genuinely believes in God, believes in Christ. To know God, you need to know Christ. Salvation is only found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul wrote, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone believing, both to the Jew first, and to the Greek. v. 17, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, even as it has been written, "But the just shall live by faith."

Let us not forget, as believers in Christ, we are to be continually be thankful to our God, for once we were going our own way, and rejecting the way of God, which is Christ, but God interrupted our lives, and saved us by His grace in His Son, and made us sons and daughters of God. Amen. By God's grace, we stopped rejecting the way of God, which is Christ, and received the way of God, which is our Lord Jesus Christ, by the gracious hand of God. Amen. 

For the Lord Jesus Christ paid our sin debt with His life, when He was crucified, and was buried, and rose again on the third day for our justification. He has satisfied the justice of God for His people. We serve a risen Lord, a victories Lord. Our God deserve all the praise and glory for our salvation. The Lord Jesus took the wrath of God for us. Let us give Him continual thanks and praise and honour, for He is worthy, but let us not just be thankful by the fruit of our lips, but let us be thankful in the way we live for Him according to His Word. Amen. We can lay our head at night, and know whatever happens, we will never go to hell, but be with Christ in heaven, all by the grace of God in Christ Jesus. Amen.

A Word to the saints of God

To the saints being in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 1:1b LITV

The Greek word for saint here is hagios, and refers to be set apart for a specific purpose. Paul is not referring to a specific Christian in Ephesus, but to all Christians who were in Ephesus. The Bible teaches that all true believers are saints of God.

For example, The Bible says in Romans 8:27 LITV, But the One searching the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He intercedes for the saints according to God. Paul says here about the Holy Spirit's work in the prayers of the saints. Who has the Holy Spirit? Well lets back up earlier in the chapter. Romans 8:9 LITV, But you are not in flesh, but in Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone has not the Spirit of Christ, this one is not His. Who has the Spirit? Every believer, because if we did not have the Spirit of Christ, we would not be His.

Romans 8:14 LITV, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. Who are the sons of God. Every believer. The Bible says in John 1:12 LITV, But as many as received Him, to them He gave authority to become children of God, to the ones believing into His Name. Ephesians 1:5 LITV, predestinating us to adoption through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

Romans 8:15 LITV, speaking of the same people, For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba! Father!, v. 16, The Spirit Himself witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God. And when you read on in its context, and come to v. 27, and the Bible says about the Holy Spirit, He intercedes for the saints according to God. The saints refer to every believer in the Lord. All believers are the saints of God. All true Christians have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit in the Lord Jesus Christ. Spurgeon said, We are not chosen because we are holy, but that we may be holy. Every believer in Jesus is a saint, set apart for God. God the Father chose us not because we are holy, but God chose us in Christ before creation, to be His holy saints, to be set apart unto Himself in Christ, and the Holy Spirit has come to lead the very same chosen ones to Christ, the One whom accomplished salvation for them.

God has declared us His saints, not because of what we have done, but because what Christ has done for us. You and I are saints. We have been sanctified by the Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ our Lord. We are God’s holy people. We have been set part in Christ for God, to serve Him, and serve not the world. The Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:31 LITV, Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. We serve God in all things.

Then Paul wrote, and faithful in Christ Jesus. When Paul wrote the words, saints and faithful, Paul is not writing about two different groups. They are the one and same group. The same people are referred to by both designations, which means, by both descriptions, or by both names, and this is seen clearly in the Greek. 

The Greek word for faithful is pistos, and is used the NT frequently, and here it means having faith in Christ. A believer in Christ. Simply, as one commentator said, No man, therefore, is a believer who is not also a saint; and, on the other hand, no man is a saint who is not a believer. The saints of God are believers in Christ. You cannot be a saint, if you are not a believer, and you cannot be believer and not be a saint.

Notice the final words in the verse, in Christ Jesus. Again, it is because we are in Christ Jesus. Every true Christian is a saint and faithful in Christ Jesus, not because of you and me, but because of the grace of God. It is because of our union with Christ, which God elected for us to have before the foundation of the world. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8 LITV, For by grace you are saved, through faith, and this not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, that anyone should boast. We are not saints and faithful in Christ Jesus because of what we have done, but because of what God has done in His Son, the Lord Jesus.

The Spirit of God called us, and sanctified us in Christ. A saint is a believer in the Lord Jesus, not something man has done, not what the church makes someone into. A saint is not a religious person who has been exalted by a church. A true believer is a true believer by the grace of God in Christ Jesus, and sets us apart in Christ, for His use, and not for the use of the world. We are saints because we have been set apart by God for Him in the Lord Jesus Christ, all by the grace of God.

Let that be an encouragement, knowing we are declared saints before God because of our new relationship with Jesus, set apart in the righteousness of Christ, as true believers, All by the grace of God, we are set apart for Him, so let that be a desire to live as the Bible says in 1Corinthians 10:31LITV, Then whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things to the glory of God. May we look to God to help us by His grace and strength in the Lord Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, as we serve Him day by day, according to the Word of God. 

The Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ

Jesus is God

Atheist and their denial

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Hebrews 9:27 KJV

An atheist has not faced up to the reality of death and deceive themselves to believe that once you die, that is it, and there is no judgment.

Every person who calls themselves an atheist knows there is a God, but convince themselves there is no God, to deceive themselves to not face up to the reality there is a God, a Holy God they are accountable to for the words they speak, the thoughts they think, and the deeds they work.

An atheist has pleasure in unrighteousness, and to admit they are accountable to God is abhorrent to them, because it means they are accountable to God by His standard (His Law) that opposes their lifestyle, and makes them guilty before their Creator, so they deny God, so they can set their own standard, a standard that allows them and says it is ok to have pleasure in sin, and no God to face in judgment.

But the truth of the matter is they are accountable to God, and simply convincing yourself there is no God, does not take away the reality of the judgment to come. Their atheism cannot and will not change the truth of God and His judgment.

Christian Debates

My favourite lecture when I was at Seminary was Systematic Theology. There were times when I would debate the lecturer on certain things, and other students would debate him, too. The lecturer enjoyed to debate when someone disagreed with him, and never discouraged students not to debate. If you have ever studied Systematic Theology at seminary, or will in the future you most probably have or will experience(d) that as well.  This is one subject where debates can begin because of the hot topics that will be addressed. 

But the important thing to remember when we do debate with other born again Christians, we need to debate in a Christ-like manner, to treat one and another according to scripture, otherwise it will not be done as a good witness for our Lord. Christians need to discuss or debate the scriptures in Christian love.

We should not be debating other fellow Christians just to get one over them, and insult them, and make them look like a fool, but we should debate them in Christian love, for the truth of God's Word, to edify, and for Christ to receive the glory.

The Labels that the World will give!

It is amazing what kind of labels people will give to others these days- Here are some examples:-

Against Islam - "Islamophobic or racists" ~ Against Homosexuality  "Homophobic" ~ Against same sex marriage "A bigot" ~ Against evil (what God calls evil) "A hateful person"

But if you are against Christianity, the world will not say you are a 'Christophobic' ~ Here are some other examples~

Against 'Heterosexuality only' - Never a "Heterophobic" ~ Against traditional marriage (biblical marriage) - "Never a bigot" ~ Against godliness (what God calls godliness) "Never a hateful person."

You notice this world calls evil 'good' and 'good' evil. The Bible talks about this in Isaiah 5:20.

1. The Bible is against all other religions (Galatians 1:8,9 & 2John 1:9,10 &  1John 5,10-12) because they go against the testimony of God about His Son, and teaches another god and another gospel, but the world will call you for example, an 'Islamophobic' if you are against Islam.

2. The Bible is against Homosexuality and is sinful in the eyes of God (Romans 1:24-27), but the world will call you a 'Homophobic' - The Bible is also against all sexual immorality, and only marriage (one man and one woman) is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled (Hebrews 13:4 & Romans 1:29)

3. The Bible is against same sex marriage. The Bible teaches one man and one woman (Genesis 2:22-25 & 1Corinthians 7:2 & Matthew 19:4-6 & Mark 10:6-9) , but the world will call you 'a bigot'

4. The Bible is against evil [what God calls evil] (Romans 1:28-32 & Revelation 21:8), but the world will call you 'an hateful person.'

It is clear that the world is calling Jesus all these labels mentioned above (a bigot, hateful person, Islamophobic, homophobic and so on)  The reason~  The Bible is His Word- When the Bible speaks about these issues, God speaks. The Bible is not God, but the Bible is the Word of God, and God and His Word (the Bible) are inseparable.