One thing is sure, and all would do well to recognize it. Time can never change nor interfere with the plan of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is exactly the same today that it was in the beginning. A man is saved today on exactly the same terms he was in the days of the Apostles. Men change, customs change, churches change, very greatly, both as to their faith and practice, but the Gospel of Christ and God’s plan of salvation remain exactly as they were in the beginning.
If Jesus Christ ever was the Redeemer of mankind He is such today. If man ever needed redemption he needs it today. If repentance and faith were necessary in the days of the Apostles they are necessary today. Not in even one place in the New Testament is it ever taught that there is any other way of salvation except through Jesus Christ. Over and over again it is declared that there is no other way, no name except His great name that has salvation in it.
God’s Word makes it plain that when God saves a man He cleanses him. A saved man is saved no matter what the theorists say. He is saved from sin, death, and hell, is a real child of God, possesses eternal life, does not need another work of grace, but needs to abide in Christ, receive and walk in the Spirit, hold fast the faith, grow in grace and in the knowledge of God and of Christ.
The simple truth is that a sinner is identified with Adam. A believer is identified with Jesus Christ. No man is identified with Adam the first and Adam the second at the same time.
A sinner is in Adam and Adam is in a sinner. A believer is in Christ and Christ is in a believer.
A sinner is condemned in Adam. A believer is free from condemnation in Christ.
A sinner has condemnation and a believer has peace.
A man is not in Adam and Christ at the same time. Christ and Adam are not in a man at the same time. When Adam fell the old creation was dragged down with him. When Christ arose from the dead, the new creation came up with Him.
A sinner is in the kingdom of darkness and sin. A believer is in the kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Before conversion a man is in nature’s darkness. In conversion he is translated out of nature’s darkness into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. It is in conversion that a man receives Jesus Christ, the glorious Son of God, and is made a new creature in Him, and old things pass away and all things become new.
As these glorious truths grip our souls they put real strength in us, and we become established in our Blessed Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. These are the real truths of the Gospel. The Spirit witnesses to them when they are preached. The signs follow when this Gospel is preached.
I have to laugh when I hear of denominations where there are groundswell movements, campaigning, and lobbying for changes in their commandments. This underscores the transiency of man’s commandments and their inability to reach the level of God’s permanent and righteous judgement. By replacing God’s standards with rules and policies and doctrines that fall short they loose the results of the word of God. But with the holy spirit as our indwelling source of righteousness, we live on a higher level than what could possibly be achieved by our own accomplishments. Thank God he gave us his righteousness in Christ and got us off the see-saw of self-righteousness and condemnation. There is therefore now no condemnation in Christ. He is where we live, he is our relationship to God, he is our relationship to ourselves, our relationship to health and prosperity, and our relationship to the world!
Thank you Peter for publishing this great article for 100 years ago – the truth of the new creation. I have just started reading a book by DL Moody called Secret Power. This has been republished from many years ago. I was thinking, “Wow. This is amazing stuff – if only more of the church understood this today”. It was written perhaps 150 years ago! It seems the church hasn’t really got a hold of basic doctrine. Believers remain untaught. People stay immature. People are defeated and confused. Kenyon felt this Why the church has failed. We feel it.
Yes, David, “believers remain untaught”. God said to Israel, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and [the truth that you know] will set you free!”