The Wonderful Dispensation of Grace

[Bob Hill]

Remember the question we must keep in mind: do we ever thwart God’s intentional will?

In answer to this, we see that He wills all to be saved. 1 Tim 2:4 “who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

But, because man totally rebelled against God, in order to receive salvation, man must believe God and do what He says for salvation. Mat 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Mat 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.” Heb 10:36 “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”

For us in this dispensation of grace, His will is found in Acts 16:31, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”

I believed in Christ as my savior 55 years ago. What about you? Do you trust in Jesus Christ as your savior? I hope so.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

After we have really trusted in Christ – and by that, I mean that we really believe, we see His will is that we be holy. 1 Th 4:3-8 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. 7 For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. 8 Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” Do we thwart His will here?

I hope not.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Then, we find His will is that we function in the local body. 1 Co 12:18,20-27 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. But many are not obeying God in this way.

Further, we find His will is that we all know the mystery. Eph 3:8,9 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ. But most Christians do not know what the dispensation of the mystery is.

Col 1:27 “To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ among you, the hope of glory.” Again, do all Christians know “what is the dispensation of the mystery”?

Safe in Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Now, if you are saved, His will is that we teach the mystery that was hidden in God until it was revealed to Paul, and from him to others. 2 Ti 2:1-2 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Do we have many teaching the mystery?

Most Christians don’t even now what the mystery is.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Next, we see His will is that we work out our salvation. Phi 2:12-13 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

As we can clearly see by now, unbelievably, God’s will can be thwarted by us just as Israel thwarted His will for them as recorded in Psa 78:40,41 How often they [Israel] provoked Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert! 41 Yes, again and again they tempted God and limited the Holy One of Israel.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

And now, Eph 1:11-14 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Heb 6:17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath. God’s counsel is connected with His power. Isa 46:10-11 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’ 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

His counsel makes provision for the salvation of all whether they are in our Dispensation of Grace or the next one as Peter wrote in 2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not counseling any to perish but all to have room for repentance.

Along with this, we find that predestination means to determine beforehand. The BGD Greek Lexicon gives this definition (edited) decide upon beforehand, predestine, of God predestine someone. When we put our trust for our salvation into Christ and the fact that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again, then, the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. Because we are put into Christ by the Holy Spirit, we are put into a predestined program. [God had already predestined the body of Christ to be holy and blameless before Him in love: Eph 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as Sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

He also predestined us to be conformed to His Son’s image in Rom 8:29: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” This predestination is for our security once we trust Christ as our Savior.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

God’s ultimate or determinate will, or counsel cannot be thwarted. Lk 22:22 “And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

Acts 2:23 “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death.” Rom 9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?”

Most important, God’s counsel makes our salvation very secure. That’s because God performs everything that must be done for our benefit once we’re saved according to Eph 1:11,12: In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.”

The “all things” in verse 11, that is the body of Christ according to Eph 1:23: “which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all [according to the Greek, who fills the all things] in all.”

Therefore, we experience the security of predestination. Although it is one of the most disliked doctrines, it is really one of our greatest spiritual blessings. Predestination is not what some try to make it. God doesn’t make everything happen as they say.

Instead of pursuing the idea any further, I want to emphasize again that predestination pertains to our security, not our salvation. Our inheritance is predestined. God takes great pleasure in doing this for us. We become a new creation, we receive a new name, we have a new identity in Christ, and our inheritance is predestined. How spectacular, that God did all of these things for us. That’s why I see predestination as a triumph to His praise. Eph 1:6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. Paul rejoices in this spiritual blessing. Just think, we’re secure in Christ because it is God’s pleasure to make us secure. We should exult in this blessing too, because this grace of predestination is poured out on us. It is our grace, we are accepted because we are in Christ.

Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Our response to this wonderful spiritual blessing of security should be like Paul’s response.

He wrote in Eph 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all the generations, of the age of the ages. Amen.

What a wonderful blessing.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

Although I would like to stick around and talk with godrulz, I have to get to bed.

I hope I meet you again, soon.

Bob

 

[lightninboy]

Okay. Read the Wikipedia link; that's the one. Do you realize that Ruckman's theology has racist elements?

So Ruckman is "KJV only," but where is it said that he is racist?

 

[lightninboy]

Pastor Hill, do you make up your typical redundant posts that contribute little new to the discussion from scratch, or do you paste in stuff from old articles from your ministry?

 

[lightninboy]

God raised up the Apostle Paul and gave him a different gospel and dispensation from Peter and the eleven, who preached the gospel of the circumcision.

Paul was given a dispensation that was a mystery, never revealed before, the Dispensation of Grace.

Because of this separation by God, there are 2 spheres where believers go when they die. For the circumcision and proselytes, they go into the kingdom promised to David. Christ will be the king. For the body of Christ of this dispensation, we have a heavenly hope. Phi 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are extremely important, major differences between our dispensation of grace and the circumcision dispensation. Works for salvation and water baptism are two of the big differences between the circumcision gospel and the gospel that God gave to Paul.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

Pastor Hill, salvation has always been by grace through faith plus nothing, not circumcision or water baptism or works.


http://www.rbc.org/bible_study/answers_to_tough_questions/answers/30845.aspx


Since Old Testament people lived long before Christ's coming, how could they be saved?

People have always been saved by their faith in God rather than by merit earned through good works ( Hebrews 11:6 ).

The Bible is clear that Abraham, father of the Jewish people, was saved by faith. The Scriptures say, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" ( Romans 4:3 ). Although Abraham didn't know the exact way that God would one day provide a Savior, he made a profound statement about God's ability to provide a substitute as he prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac on Mount Moriah ( Genesis 22:8 ).

The principle of salvation by faith continued under the Mosaic law. Because no one could perfectly satisfy the law's demands, the law brought awareness of human sin and helplessness ( Romans 3:9-23; 7:7-14 ; Galatians 3:19-25 ). Its provisions for animal sacrifice were a further revelation of the seriousness and ugliness of sin. But the provision for sacrifice also pointed forward to Calvary and God's provision of grace. David, who lived under the law 1,000 years before Christ, clearly knew the power of God's grace, experiencing forgiveness and salvation through faith ( Psalm 32:1-5 ; Romans 4:6-8 ).

Faith in God always involved confidence that God would somehow provide for the forgiveness of sins. Faith always anticipated the coming of Christ and His sacrifice on our behalf. Old Testament believers offered sacrifices as an expression of their faith. By themselves, sacrificial offerings could never take away sin. When they were offered in faith, however, God accepted them because they pointed to Jesus Christ, the one sacrifice worthy to atone for all the sins of the world ( Hebrews 10:1-17 ).



Dan Vander Lugt

 

[Bob Hill]

lightninboy,

You really encourage me to respond to you.

You seem to be a brilliant man, but your ad hominem posts stifle any desire I have to respond to you,

Bob Hill

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/salvationot.htm

Another great lesson to be learned from the New Testament use of the Old is that the way of salvation has not changed. While this author believes in the seven basic dispensations as outlined in the Scofield Reference Bible, he does not believe that there are different ways to be saved within the various dispensations.

Paul quoted Genesis 15:6 ("And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.") in Rom. 4:3 and Gal. 3:6, to show that we are saved the same way as Abraham was before the law.

He quoted Hab. 2:4 ("the just shall live by his faith") in Rom. 1:17 and Psa. 32:1-2 ("Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.") in Rom. 4:6-8 to show the same about those during the dispensation of law.

Both Paul (Rom. 10:13) and Peter (Acts 2:21) quoted Joel 2:32 ("And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered"), which describes the tribulation period, to show that we must be saved now even as they will be then!

Paul told Timothy that the scriptures which he had known from childhood were able to make him wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, and these scriptures could only have been the Old Testament (2 Tim. 3:15).

The same glorious truth is taught in the following:

Rom. 4:23-24
Rom. 10:11, from Isa. 28:14
2 Cor. 6:2, from Isa. 49:8
Gal. 3:8, from Gen. 12:3
Gal. 3:10, from Deut. 27:26
Heb. 10:37-38, from Isa. 26:20 and Hab. 2:3-4

The requirement of sacrifices in Old Testament times was to teach them two great truths: (1) death by the shedding of blood is necessary for the forgiveness of sin; and (2) no perfect sacrifice had yet appeared. They were to be looking for Him whose heel would be bruised, and who would bruise the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).

The fact that the basis of salvation is the same in the Old Testament as well as the New does not mean there are no differences between the manner of salvation in the Old and the New. It means simply that salvation has always been by grace through faith and has always been based upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ, the lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). The Apostle Paul uses examples of men before the law and under the law to demonstrate that salvation is by grace through faith (Romans 4). Hebrews 4 teaches us that salvation rest was completed "from the foundation of the world" (verse 3) and has always been offered by God. That there are differences in the manner of salvation in the Old and the New is obvious. Old Testament saints were saved by faith, but what did Old Testament saints believe? That varied. They believed whatever God said to them at the time. What did Noah believe? He believed what God said about the flood. What did Abraham believe? He believed God's promises to him. What did Rahab the harlot believe? She believed that the God of Israel was the true and living God (Joshua 2:9-13). Old Testament saints believed God's revelation to them and their faith was accounted for righteousness, and from God's perspective it was always based upon the shed blood of Jesus Christ--though they might not have clearly understood that.

It is also true that many Old Testament saints understood a great deal about the Lord Jesus Christ. Luke 1:69-71 says God has been speaking to mankind about salvation "since the world began." Acts 3:21 says that the prophets of God have been speaking of the things of salvation and of the redemption of the creation and the establishment of the kingdom "since the world began." Abel was a prophet and doubtless understood something of the significance of the blood sacrifice he offered (Luke 11:50). Job, who probably wrote long before the establishment of the Jewish nation, understood that he would be resurrected bodily and see his Redeemer face to face (Job 19:25-27). Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day (John 8:56) and knew that God one day would provide "Himself a sacrifice" (Gen. 22:8). David foresaw the resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:29-31). The Prophets of Israel understood much about the coming Messiah and His work (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53).

The point of this article is simple: Old Testament saints were saved by grace through faith based on the blood of Christ. They were NOT saved by works, or by works plus faith. We believe the same is true for Tribulation age saints, as well. They will make their robes white in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 7:14), the only basis whereby any sinner can stand before a holy God.

http://www.wayoflife.org/fbns/salvationot2.htm

I. In my opinion your position is contrary to everything the New Testament PLAINLY says about salvation. Scripture must be interpreted in light of context--not only immediate context but the context of the entire Bible and all that the Bible teaches on that particular doctrine. To fail to do this is the same error that allows the SDA to say that certain verses teach soul sleep, or for the Assemblies of God to say that certain verses teach a born again child of God can lose his salvation, or for the Catholic church to find apostolic succession and the real presence in the Bible.

One teaching of the Bible which would not allow me to accept that Tribulation saints are saved by a combination of faith and works or blood and faithfulness is the doctrine that grace and works are mutually exclusive. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work" (Romans 11:6). That verse is not referring merely to salvation in this age. It points back to the Old Testament and points to the future to the salvation of Israel. That is the context. This is also the context of Romans 4, which plainly teaches that salvation is by grace WITHOUT WORKS. That passage points back to the Old Testament, both before the law (vv. 1-5) and during the law (vv. 6-8). Paul teaches us that Old Testament saint Abraham is the example of salvation for all ages (Romans 4:9-25). "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure TO ALL THE SEED; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16). I don't see how you can say this applies only to church-age saints.

You said, "I cannot force these verses into our church age salvation unless I jam them into a line of theology that states that salvation is exactly the same in any dispensation." That is precisely what I believe the Apostle does in Romans.

II. The verses you cited do not necessarily say that eternal salvation in the Tribulation is gained by some sort of works or holding out faithful. In my estimation, only two of the verses you cited even APPEAR to teach that salvation during the tribulation is by works. You say, "I believe that if any saint in the Tribulation takes the mark of the Beast that they will lose their salvation." I don't understand this because I don't see any verse which plainly says that. You cited three in Revelation, but none of them teach that.

All of these verses could just as easily teach what I believe they teach: that perseverance and works are the evidence of salvation. Many verses used by Arminians to teach salvation can be lost are actually teaching that perseverance is the evidence of salvation (Heb. 3:14; 6:9; 10:38,39, etc.). These verses are very similar in their teaching to the ones you cited. The only reason I can be certain that these verses DO NOT teach that a born again child of God can lose his salvation is the fact that multitudes of plain verses ELSEWHERE teach otherwise. This is interpreting individual passages of the Bible in the context of the whole Bible. This is precisely how I approach the verses you cited.

What about Revelation 14:11,12. I find no salvation by works here. One CAN read such doctrine into the passage, but the words themselves do not require it. The verses could just as easily mean that the keeping of the commandments of God and the patience of the saints is the evidence of true sainthood, of true faith. Many Bible passages teach this.

Revelation 20:4. Again, the verse does not say plainly that these saints gained their salvation in any sense by not worshipping the beast. The fact is stated that they did not worship the beast, but that is not the same as saying that such action aided in their salvation.

Revelation 22:14,15. Again, the passage does not say that the doing of the commandments is how these people gain the right to the tree of life. There is a connection, obviously, between doing commandments and partaking of the tree of life, but it is not necessarily direct. It could be evidential. And that conforms to the Apostolic doctrine of salvation in Romans.

Matthew 24:13. This verse does use the word salvation, but I don't believe it refers to salvation by works or by endurance. Why? That would contradict the Bible's plain teaching on the subject as already noted. In my estimation, it would throw everything into confusion. And it is not necessary to believe that this verse teaches some sort of salvation by endurance. The endurance could just as easily be the evidence of salvation. Many other verses teach this. John 10:27; 1 Cor. 15:2; Col. 1:22,23; Heb. 3:14; 6:9; 10:38,39; 1 John 3:3. Also, salvation in the Bible does not always refer to eternal salvation (1 Tim. 2:15; 4:16; Heb. 5:7; 11:7; Jam. 5:15; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5; Jude 1:5, etc.). The salvation referred to in Matthew 24:13 could refer to salvation in regard to the physical life during the Tribulation.

Matthew 25:31-46. Again, I believe the nations are judged on the basis of whether or not they had faith as evidenced by their attitude toward God's people.

I believe you are wrong, but I thank you for expressing your concern and also for the attitude in which you did it. I don't know why like-minded Bible believers can't be kind to one another.

 

[lightninboy]

http://gregscouch.homestead.com/files/otsalvation.htm

Salvation in the Old Testament

They weren’t saved by animal sacrifices...

They weren’t saved by works...

by Greg Johnson

Question: How were God’s people saved before the coming of Jesus Christ?

We need to start with the "big-picture" of salvation in the Old Testament. Then we’ll look at a few places—particularly in Romans—that speak directly to the question of salvation prior to Christ's coming. Once we do this, the popular but heretical answers that people were “saved by their works” or “saved by animal sacrifices” can be rejected. We’ll hopefully realize that there’s a lot more grace in the Old Testament than is usually realized!

1. BACKGROUND:

Of course, prior to the fall, the means by which people were "saved" was by perfect obedience to the law of God—though it's not really salvation, since there was not yet guilt or sin from which to be "saved". The standard was passing the test about not eating the forbidden fruit—a test that Adam failed.

In a sense, this same standard applies for all time. God never lowered his standard—only those who are blameless in his eyes can enter his presence. What he's done—rather than lowering his standard of perfection—is to fulfill that standard for us in the life and death of Jesus, our substitute. Through faith, we receive Christ's righteousness, just as he receives our guilt—which he is punished for (atones for) on the cross. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21).

2. Old Testament SALVATION—THE COVENANT

Salvation in the Old Testament isn't discussed primarily in terms of “going to heaven”— but in terms of belonging to God” as his people. This is true of the New Testament, too—heaven is mentioned, but union with Christ is mentioned almost 200 times just in Paul's letters.

We see this belonging to God—this covenant—beginning with Abraham. God called Abraham from the nations, making a covenant with him—a solemn oath or commitment—even passing between the dismembered halves of animals in a self-maledictory oath, God saying in essence, "If I ever leave you, may I myself be torn apart" (Gen 15:6-21).

God promised Abraham that he would make him into a great nation, bless him, and bless all the peoples of the earth through him (Gen 12:1-3). Also included in this promise was the land itself (Gen 15:18-21). It’s in this context that Scripture says, "Abram believed God, and he credited it to him as righteousness" (Gen 15:6). Abraham was justified by faith. God then gave him an outward sign of this covenant relationship in circumcision (Gen 17).

What's so striking about all of this is that God did it all—it's salvation by grace alone. Certainly Abram responded to this call—which was a major endeavor, leaving his people and traveling through the desert to a far-off land. But God made the choice. God gave the call. God made all the promises. Salvation was from the Lord.

When Abram believed, God saw his faith and credited righteousness to his account, even though Abraham continued to be a sinner (...doubting God's promise of a son, committing adultery with his servant, lying about his wife—almost causing her to end up in an adulterous relationship with a foreign king, etc). Though faith was required and outward signs were taken very seriously—remember how God came after Moses to kill him when Moses failed to circumcise his sons— still, salvation was by grace through faith, according to God's calling.

3. MOSAIC LAW

Centuries later, Abraham's descendants (later called Israel) received the Mosaic Law atop Sinai. The regulations God gave his people begin with the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 and continue on-and-off through Numbers—and were repeated to the Israelites before they entered the Promised Land (...hence Deuteronomy, literally the "second law").

But even this law was given in the context of an already-established covenantal relationship. God begins, "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt..." (Ex 20:2)—and THEN makes his demands. God didn't claim to belong to any other people on earth, but he had given himself to the family of Abraham, to be their God. The whole Mosaic code needs to be understood in this relational context of covenant grace. Though there were blessings for obedience and cursings for disobedience (what we call fatherly discipline), the commandments were not a means of earning salvation. It's interesting to compare Hebrews 12 and its discussion of God's loving discipline, which follows his discussion of Old Testament saints who lived by faith (chapter 11).

God established about five different sacrifices within the Mosaic administration of his covenant, including one for guilt and another for sin—as well as the "big" one annually on the Day of Atonement. In these sacrifices, the guilt of the sinner would symbolically be transferred to the animal (sometimes by the sinner's laying his hands onto the animal), which would then be "punished" (either slaughtered or driven out of the land) in place of the sinner (—it's where we get the term "scapegoat"). These sacrifices prefigure Christ.

Given the relational context and the righteousness (justification) by faith that were already a part of the covenant since Abraham's day, I doubt these sacrifices were meant to bring forgiveness in the sense of justification (righteous standing before God). I suspect they brought instead healing to a wounded relationship with God—in the same sense that Christians today are "forgiven" when we confess our sins (1 John 1:9). These deal with the quality of our fellowship with God, not with the establishment of a relationship with God.

4. ROMANS

Paul mentions in Romans 3 that Old Testament believers were forgiven "in the forbearance of God" (Rom 3:25). A forbearance is a postponement on a debt—like when a student graduates from college but doesn't have a good enough job to repay his student loans, the feds may say "We'll give you five years— but then you'll have to start paying." In the Old Testament, God gave his people a forbearance until Christ could come and pay their sin-debt for them. In this way they could avoid the punishment for their sins, even though Christ had not yet died for them.

When Paul introduces his doctrine of justification by faith alone in this same chapter, be backs it up with the Old Testament, saying it's a "righteousness from God apart from law," but one "to which the Law and the Prophets testify" (Rom 3:21). The "Law and the Prophets" is a technical term for the Hebrew Scriptures, our Old Testament Paul specifically backs up his teaching by citing Abraham's justification by faith from Genesis (Rom 4) and David's speaking of the forgiveness of sins in Psalm 32 (Rom 4:7-8).

Paul makes much this same argument in Galatians 3. By faith, we have been engrafted into God's covenant with Abraham—such that Paul can even refer to the New Testament church as "the Israel of God."

I realize this is a lot more grace than most Christians assume was in the Old Testament. Perhaps they see lots of laws in the Old Testament, and so assume that salvation was by works. But when I read the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) without the broader covenantal relationship that I know I have with God through faith in Jesus, I can easily assume that salvation is by works in the New Testament—though it isn't.

The same promise repeated throughout the Old Testament—that God will be our God and we will be his people—is also repeated in the New Testament At the end of the age, when Old Testament and New Testament believers alike stand before their Redeemer, we are told that "they will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God" (Revelation 21:3).

Even the promise of the land is fulfilled then. God's heaven comes down to earth (Rev 20:1-2)—it's an earthly eternity in covenant with God. It will be just like Jesus said—the meek will “inherit the land” (or, as it's often translated, “the earth”, Mt 5:5).

 

[lightninboy]

http://www.realtime.net/~wdoud/topics/salv-ot.html

Salvation in the Old Testament

Salvation is the adjustment a person makes to the Justice of God when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. The justice of God was satisfied when Christ bore our sins in His body on the cross. This makes is possible for God to reconcile the believer to Himself and to impute righteousness to the believer. Gen. 15:6

The Gospel is the information provided in the Bible to give us the facts about God's provision for us.

The death of Christ on the cross was predetermined by the decisions of the Divine Decrees so that, from the standpoint of the OT times, Jesus Christ's substitutionary atonement was certain to take place, even though the actual efficacious sacrifice had not yet occurred. The justice of God was satisfied.

OT believers received Jesus Christ as Saviour as He was revealed in OT times. Sometimes He was called Elohim, Jehovah-Elohim, or Jehovah plus a noun (God our Righteousness, etc.). Whenever there was positive volition at the point of God consciousness, God provided Gospel information to the individual.

The first statement of the Gospel is recorded in Genesis 3, at the time of original sin, Man's fall. When Adam and Eve fell, they only had one count against them - negative volition to the command regarding good and evil. Good and Evil is the plan of Satan; so knowledge of good and evil is knowledge of Satan's plan. Adam and Eve, in their innocence in the garden of Eden did not need to be introduced to Satan's plan or to be inculcated with it. Therefore, this one tree was forbidden.

Eve partook of the tree in innocence, Adam partook in cognizance. He had seen the first sinner, Eve, disobey God, but he took part anyway. Remember, there was no immorality involved here, because at the time they were neither moral or immoral. Their sin was merely rejection of what God had commanded. This brought instant spiritual death.

At this instant, man no longer ruled the world; Satan became the ruler of this kosmos. The coup d'etat was complete; and man was now subject to Satan as far as this world is concerned. Mankind immediately became marked with the "mark of Adam", the Sin Nature.

To the question "Which came first, personal sin or the Sin Nature?" the answer is that personal sin came first and caused the existence of the Sin Nature. The human spirit was cancelled out in the sense of spiritual death.

For the rest of the human race, the Sin Nature is inherited at birth, so the Sin Nature is present before there is any opportunity for personal sin. Also, Adam's sin is imputed to us, so that we are born with two strikes against us. "For as in Adam all die ..." Note : we are not called sinners because we sin; we are sinners because we are born, with a Sin Nature, and having Adam's sin imputed to us.

This is the reason that God, with His character of absolute Justice and Righteousness, is not free to enter into a relationship with us unless it can be done without compromising his integrity. And that is only possible if all the sins of the world are judged.

But the Lord has found a way to save mankind. Gen. 3:15, "I will put enmity (hostility) between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise (crush) thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

The "seed of the woman" is the title for the Lord Jesus Christ in virgin birth. The Sin Nature and Adam's imputed sin is passed down through the male; and Christ was not born of a male-female relationship. He was able to avoid that result of the curse. The Lamb of God had to be without spot or blemish.

At the Second Advent of Christ, the head of Satan will be crushed, and he will no long rule the world -- Christ will rule the world and Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years.

The pattern of salvation in the Old Testament is exactly the same as the pattern of New Testament salvation. Gen. 15:6, "Abraham believed God, and God imputed it to him for righteousness." Imputed righteousness means that God's Justice has been satisfied. This verse is found in the context of Rom. 4:1-4 (READ).

Comments:

1. There never was a time, and there never will be a time when God is not saving mankind. Rom. 10:13; 2 Pet. 3:9

2. The Gospel was clearly declared in Old Testament times. Rom. 1:1-4; I Cor. 15:3-4; Acts 3:18. The passage in Isa. 53:5,6 has exactly the same boundaries as are found in I Cor. 15:3. Dan. 12:2,3 has the boundary of the resurrection.

3. Regardless of age or dispensation, man is always saved in the same manner - positive volition to the Gospel expressed in a non-meritorious way, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 4:12; Gal. 3:6-8

4. Positive volition existed in Old Testament times, both at the point of God consciousness and the point of Gospel hearing. Ex. 33:7; Gen. 15:6

5. While revelation from God is progressive, reaching its peak with the New Testament scriptures, it has always been, nevertheless, sufficient for salvation of souls at all periods of time.

6. The object of faith in salvation is the Lord Jesus Christ, Gal. 3:26. However, the revelation concerning Christ varies in different ages.

7. Jesus Christ was first revealed as Saviour at the time of man's fall, Gen. 3:15. He is represented as the "seed of the woman".

8. Jesus Christ is usually revealed in the Old Testament by "shadows". For example, in the Tabernacle, in the feasts, in the modus operandi of the Levitical priests.

Another means of revealing Christ was through "inanimate revelation", that is, through things in nature like the burning bush, the Rock, the Shekinah Glory, or through the typology of the furniture in the Tabernacle (Num. 17:7). The Mercy Seat, the hilasterion, was the place of propitiation in the Holy of Holies.

The Levitical offerings were "witnessing by ritual". The burnt offerings taught propitiation, with emphasis on the word of Christ, the Lamb of God. The meal and fruit offerings revealed the Person of Christ on the cross. The peace offering taught about the barrier between God and man being removed.

The gospel was presented in the Old Testament directly in theological teaching. Isa. 53 was straight doctrinal teaching which showed that Christ carried our guilt as well as our sins.

9. Once the reality is come, we have the New Testament, which is historical Christology.

10. According to Isa. 55:6, salvation in the person of Jesus Christ, is always available. Acts. 4:12.

11. Many conversions are recorded in the Old Testament, including:

Noah was declared "just" in Gen. 6:8,9, and was said to have righteousness in Heb. 11:7. Heb. 11 shows the spiritual life of OT believers. The OT imputation of righteousness is seen in Psalm 24:5 and Isa. 61:10.

For Abraham, compare Gen. 15:6 with Rom. 4:1-4

Job gave perfect testimony to salvation in Gospel form -- death, burial, and resurrection. Job. 19:23-27.

Many Gentiles were saved in the Old Testament. The citizens of Nineveh responded to the Gospel when Jonah preached to them. Matt. 12:41; Luke 11:32. See also Rom. 9:24,25; 9:30-33. See Daniel regarding the salvation of Nebuchadnezzar.

 

[Bob Hill]

The Bible says that we are in the Dispensation of the Grace of God in Eph 3:2 if indeed you have heard of the Dispensation of the Grace of God which was given to me for you.

According to Eph 1:3, we see that God wants to pour out spiritual blessings on us Christians. For Christians, we see that these blessings are accomplished by the Father. Eph 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”

God chose us in Christ. Whether this corporation was foreknown as a corporation or as individuals, is debatable. Eph 1:4 “in as much as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.”

What does “chose,” mean? This Greek word can be translated a number of ways, but they all, still, mean I choose. So the first thing we should know, is Jesus Christ is the chosen one.

Jesus Christ was the one in and by whom the Father accomplished His blessings.

Isaiah 42:1 prophesied: “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.”

Jesus Christ was chosen by the Father to be the redeemer, not just for Israel, but also for Gentiles.

What is very interesting, is the fact that the body of Christ was a mystery, that God hid until He revealed it to the Apostle Paul. Eph 3:1-9 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles - 2 if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, 3 how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, 4 by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), 5 which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets: 6 that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, of the same body, and mutual partakers of His promise in Christ through the gospel, 7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power. 8 To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which has been hidden from the ages in God who created all things through Jesus Christ.

This message has been forgotten by most of Christianity. We need to be ministers of this Gospel of Grace.

In Christ,
Bob Hill

 

[Bob Hill]

lightninboy,

I'm glad I can agree with almost everything in your last post.

Bob

 

[lightninboy]

http://davidsonpress.com/salvation/salvation1.htm

We must conclude therefore that God’s holiness demands that salvation contain an imputed and imparted holiness for sinners regardless of the age in which they live. To say that salvation is different in each age is to say that God’s character changes. This is impossible for we are told in Mal. 3:6,

I, the LORD, do not change.

Therefore, salvation in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament must supply the needed holiness which will render sinners acceptable in the sight of a holy God.

The same can be said of God’s attribute of perfection. Man was created perfect. Through sin, he has lost this perfection. Now, through grace, salvation comes to re‑create man in the perfection of God. Thus we read in Matt. 5:48, “So be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Perfection must be a part of salvation regardless of what age in which the sinner lives. Thus glorification awaits all the people of God from every age (Rom. 8:28‑30). They will all be “made like unto Him” when He comes (I John 3:1‑2). At the resurrection of the just, all the people of God from every age will experience the entire sanctification of body, soul and spirit because no imperfect or unholy creature will be allowed into heaven (1 Thess. 5:23, 24; Rev. 21:27). The Old Testament saint must be given perfection as well as holiness if any salvation is to take place at all. The unchangeable character of God demands it.

Just these two Biblical examples are enough to establish the truth that the unchangeable character of God guarantees that salvation will be essentially one throughout all ages. Indeed, the necessity of holiness and perfection alone can supply us with sufficient reason to see the Old Testament saints regenerated, justified, sanctified, adopted, called, glorified, etc. The entire process of the application of redemption has as its goal, the recreating of man in the image of God. Whatever is needed today to make sinners acceptable in God’s sight, has always been and will always be needed.


The truth of the transcendent character of the historical work of Christ answers the question: How could Christ’s death nearly two thousand years ago save me today? The death of Christ is effectual to save today because God sees Christ dying right now. To Him, Christ’s death is present. Or to put it into other words, the effects of Christ death continue on throughout the ages. God applies today what Christ accomplished long ago because God is transcendent.

In the same way, Christ is said to have been “slaughtered from the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8).

The verb “slaughtered” is in the perfect passive tense and thus means that His death is viewed as an incident in the past, the results of which are continuing unto the present.

Since the death of Christ is a fact from all eternity because it is a fact of time, the redemptive effects of Christ’s work are applied to sinners before Christ came as well as after He came. It is just as easy for God to save an Old Testament saint two thousand years before Christ came as it is to save you or me two thousand years after He came.


The benefits of Christ’s death are equally applied before and after it was historically accomplished. The Old Testament saints experienced the same salvation as we do today, i.e. the salvation which flowed from the work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament saints were not saved by their works but by the work of Another. If salvation were possible through obedience to the Law, “Christ died in vain” according to the Apostle Paul in Gal. 2:21. The eternity of the cross guarantees the same salvation in all ages.

Foundational Principle 3: The Depravity of Man
It is Biblically accurate to say, “Man has not changed.” He is the same as he has always been. His needs are just the same as they were thousands of years ago. This is particularly true of man’s sinful nature and needs.

To say that salvation is not the same in all ages is to say that man’s nature and needs have changed from age to age. This is impossible.

Some dispensationalists have said that Old Testament saints were not regenerated or indwelled by the Holy Spirit. But we must say, did not man’s fallen nature require such works of grace? Could it be that they were not as depraved as we are? That they had inward power to live a godly life by the flesh which we know nothing of, seeing we are dependent upon the Spirit?

Stop and ask yourself, “What do I need to be saved and to live a godly life?” Whatever you need, the Old Testament saints needed as well. If you need the new birth, so did they. If you need the indwelling of the Spirit, so did they. The oneness of man’s fallen nature guarantees the oneness of salvation in all ages.

Foundation Principle 4: The Unity of the Testaments
We have already shown elsewhere that the Old Testament prefigured the coming of the New Testament. Given just the Old Testament, we are left with unexplained ceremonies, unfulfilled prophecies, unsatisfied longings and unfinished destiny. In the New Testament, the ceremonies are explained, the prophecies fulfilled, the longing satisfied and the destiny of God’s people completed.

The people of God are basically one throughout all the ages. Did not the Apostle Paul compare them to one tree in Rom. 11:17? Did he not call Abraham “the father of all them that believe” in Rom. 4:11? Are we not all “children of Abraham” by faith (Gal. 3:39)? Is it not the case the Christians are said to be the true “Jews” (Rom. 2:29), the real “circumcision” (Phil. 3:3) and “Israel” (Gal. 6:16)? Do we not constantly find the Church described by Old Testament terminology which was originally applied to Israel (Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:9, etc.)? Is it not true that the New Covenant was originally given to Israel in Jer. 31:31 but, in the New Testament, it is applied directly to the Church by our Lord (Matt. 26:28) and the Apostles (1 Cor. 11:25; Heb. 8:8‑13; 10:15‑25)? Are not Old Testament “Israel” passages applied to the church (Acts 2:16‑36; 15:15‑22)?

There is no way to dissolve the unity, continuity and harmony of the Old New Testaments. This unity guarantees the same salvation in all ages because it is always covenantal salvation from our covenant God.

 

[Bob Hill]

When we understand what that wonderful passage means in Eph 1:3-14, it causes me to stop and thank God for His blessings.

First, the whole passage.

Eph 1:3-14 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, 9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, 10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him. 11 In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”

When we look at this passage more closely, I believe the election of men is only in Christ.

When a person yields to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and believes that Christ died for him, then, he becomes a member of Christ’s body, the church.

According to the Bible, outside of Christ, there is no election of anyone. In Eph 1:4, God chose us in Christ. In verse 5, God gave the predestinated adoption to us. In verse 11, God definitely showed that we are inheritors in Christ. In verse 13, God sealed us in Christ. Therefore, we see love and blessings here, not fatalism.

Therefore, we are chosen and sealed because we believed in Christ. Eph 1:4,12,13 “just as He chose us in Him 12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise.”

In Christ, my Redeemer,
Bob Hill