The Power In Salvation

The Power in Salvation (ROM 5:6) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. I. Consider the scheme of the eternal salvation of sinners generally proffered by gospel preachers. A. Jesus Christ died for all sinners without exception. B. His atonement did not eternally save anyone but only made this salvation a possibility. C. The acquisition of this salvation is conditioned upon the sinner's belief of the gospel. D. Only the accepters end up in heaven. Others end up in hell. E. Christ died EQUALLY for the sinner who ends up in heaven and the one who ends up in hell. F. What makes the difference for the ones in heaven is NOT what Jesus Christ did since He did the same for the ones in hell. G. The conclusion is that one ends up in heaven because of what he (the sinner) did, NOT because of what Jesus Christ did. H. This makes sinful man the Savior, not Jesus Christ. The sinner is who procures salvation. The sinner can point to something that he has done which made the difference. II. All false systems hold that the power of eternal salvation resides in something other than the Lord Jesus Christ: the gospel, the preacher, the sinner, a church, a ritual, bloodline, etc. A. power: The ability to do or effect something or anything, or to act upon a person or thing. B. Such systems actually teach an arrogation of some of God's glory in eternal salvation. C. God is not inclined to share His glory. ISA 42:6-8 c/w ROM 4:2; 3:27 c/w 1CO 1:30-31. D. Jesus is the “...author of eternal salvation...” (HEB 5:9). 1. author: The person who originates or gives existence to anything. 2. Jesus can rightly charge any pretender to His unique power with plagiarism or copyright infringement. III. The sinner does not possess the power unto eternal salvation. The scriptures declare that the natural man (man under sin) is powerLESS and unable to save himself from his sinful condition. A. Men are by nature unclean before God. ISA 64:6. 1. No man can bring a clean thing from an unclean. JOB 14:4. 2. can: To be able; to have the power, ability or capacity. B. Men are by nature accustomed to do evil and as such CANNOT do good. JER 13:23. C. Carnal man CANNOT be subject to the law of God and CANNOT please God. ROM 8:7-8. D. The sinner CANNOT hear God's words. JOH 8:43. E. Natural man CANNOT know the things of the Spirit of God. 1CO 2:14. F. Sinners CANNOT redeem others by any means. PSA 49:7-8. G. Under sin they are without strength. ROM 5:6. H. Under sin they are dead, which is powerlessness defined. EPH 2:1. IV. The law does not possess the power of God unto eternal salvation. ROM 8:3. A. The law was AGAINST us. COL 2:14. B. The law COULD NOT justify. ROM 3:20. C. The law COULD NOT produce an inheritance. GAL 3:18. D. The law COULD NOT give life. GAL 3:21. E. The law COULD NOT make perfect. HEB 7:19. F. The law COULD NOT take away sins. HEB 10:4, 11. The Power in Salvation 4-8-18 Page 1 G. The law (old covenant) was a “do and live” proposition. ROM 10:5. 1. It required unbroken obedience. GAL 3:10. 2. Mind that the new covenant is not according to this. HEB 8:7-9. 3. How many preach that inheritance from the new covenant is still “do and live?” V. But some would say that the power of God unto eternal salvation is in the gospel, based on texts like ROM 1:16. A. But if the power is in the gospel, then all that would be needed to effect eternal salvation is to preach the gospel. The willingness of the hearer would be no more of a consideration than the “willingness” of a dead battery when jumped from a battery which has power. B. Further, belief in the gospel is an article of the Law. 1. The law required faith. MAT 23:23. 2. God judged Israel for disobeying His law with a charge of unbelief of the gospel! HEB 4:2. 3. The Old Testament is the gospel shrouded by the Law. a. The gospel was preached to Abraham. GAL 3:8. b. The righteousness which the gospel reveals (ROM 1:17) was witnessed in the law and the prophets. ROM 3:21. c. Believing the law and prophets meant believing the gospel! This is why the Jews did not believe on Christ---they did not believe the law and prophets! JOH 5:46-47. C. Therefore, making the gospel the MEANS or POWER of God unto eternal salvation is nothing but advocating law-works justification which Scripture denies (ROM 3:20). It is not grace. It is a FRUSTRATION of grace! GAL 2:21. D. Since the Law and the gospel are one, it stands to reason that the gospel cannot do what the Law could not do (ROM 8:3) as touching the procuring of eternal life. The gospel does not have that power even as the Law does not have that power! E. “Gospel” means “glad tidings” or “good news.” ISA 61:1 c/w LUK 4:18. 1. The gospel is not the actual power of God unto eternal salvation. 2. The gospel is the revealing of, or the good news of the power of God unto salvation. ROM 1:17 c/w 2TI 1:10. VI. Jesus Christ is the power of God unto eternal salvation. A. Witness His power. 1. Christ is the power of God. 1CO 1:23-24. 2. All power was given to Him to eternally save all those that the Father had given Him. JOH 17:2. 3. He is the mighty One upon Whom help is laid. PSA 89:19. 4. Jesus Christ is mighty to save. ISA 63:1 c/w REV 19:11-16. 5. Christ's own arm brought salvation (ISA 63:5). There was none to help. He saved BY HIMSELF! ROM 5:19; HEB 1:3. 6. He ALONE had power over death and the grave, by which His elect are saved. JOH 10:18 c/w ROM 4:25. 7. “Wherefore HE is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (HEB 7:25). B. Jesus Christ does what the law (or gospel) cannot do. 1. He is FOR us. ROM 8:31. 2. He justifies. ROM 5:9; ACT 13:39. 3. He secures our inheritance. HEB 9:15. The Power in Salvation 4-8-18 Page 2 4. 5. 6. 7. C. In He redeems us by His blood. REV 5:9. He gives life. JOH 10:27-28; 17:2. He makes perfect. HEB 10:14. He takes away sin. HEB 1:3. heaven, salvation is ascribed to God and the Lamb. REV 7:10. VII. The good believeth...” (ROM 1:16). c/w EPH 1:19-20. A. If one believes, the mighty power of God IS towards him. B. That power is the same quickening power that raised Christ from the dead: the Holy Spirit. 1PE 3:18 c/w ROM 8:11. C. One believes on Christ AS A RESULT of the working of this mighty power of God in Him which had quickened him from death to life. JOH 5:24. VIII. Who or what is getting the glory for eternal salvation in your system of belief or in your heart? A. Who makes the difference for you between hell and heaven: Jesus Christ or you? B. Has boasting been included or excluded from your soteriology? C. Be not guilty of copyright infringement or plagiarism, per HEB 5:9. news (gospel) is that Jesus Christ “...is the power of God unto salvation to every one that The Power in Salvation 4-8-18 Page 3