Bob Cassell, Messenger
Where do you stand? What’s your condition? More importantly, what’s your position… are you highly exalted and secure in Christ or blind, naked, and condemned? Are you saved or Lost? Are you the object of the love or God or the wrath of God? In salvation there is no middle ground. Those who are lost are called the children of wrath.
“Among whom also we all had our manner of life in times past in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Eph. 2:3).
Sadly, being the object of wrath constitutes being lost.
“He that believes on the son has everlasting life; and he that believes not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him (John 3:36).
On the other hand, to be saved is to be an object of God’s love. “Having loved his own, He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1).
Those “who are the children of God by faith in Christ” (Gal. 3:26) are loved with an everlasting love. “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, with lovingkindness have I drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3).
All of the redeemed were “Chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world so they should be holy and before Him in love” throughout all eternity (Eph. 1:4).
These gracious provisions are a part of the purpose of God, in order to bring praise to the glory of His grace (Eph. 1:5,6).
If it were possible for a child of God to revert into the state of being a child of wrath then God can be foiled in his purpose and plan to redeem those whom he has chosen. This is not possible. If a single saved person can become lost, God has failed and has not accomplished that which he has determined to do. To say that anyone who has been saved can be lost is to deny that God has power to do what he has determined to do. The full validity of God’s own statements must be accepted or rejected. There is no room for compromise. Notice these clear and powerful words from the Apostle Paul.
“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Eph. 1:5).
If these words are accepted at face value, how could anyone dare say that a believer can be separated from God and become lost? That impossible result would clearly be interference with the exercise of God’s will and a direct denial of God’s own word. Let’s read the clear statement in Romans wherein it is clearly declared that He shall conform those who are saved into the image of His own Son.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8:29).
To ever be “uncomformed” is to come to the impossible realization that God has lost the power to do what He has stated he will do.
When God declares that He shall conform those who are saved into the image of His own Son, there is only one thing to do. That is to believe it!
This statement must either be accepted or denied. Any other mindset is a rejection of this great truth.
God calls to save and instantly conforms the believer to obtain glory that is to be directed to the only savior, Jesus Christ. Notice these beautiful and faithful words.
“Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 2:4).
This calling is according to His own purpose and does not depend to any degree, upon the believers works. As stated by Timothy…
“Who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9).
The purpose of this calling is “to make known the riches of His glory, through those called, who are “vessels of mercy which He had before prepared unto glory” (Rom. 9:23,24).
This holy calling is to carry out God’s own purposes independent of the believers works. It is to make known “the riches of His glory through the vessels of mercy.” Jesus Christ, and no one else, is the power of all that are called. The calling is based upon God’s faithfulness and is not altered by a changing and vacillating human. All who are saved are called (1 Tim. 1:9).
God not only calls; He also Justifies. This is an act of God wherein God imputes (counts) perfect righteousness to the individual who believes in Jesus Christ as the exclusive One who was made sin for us …
“That we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).
The righteousness of God here is not a reference to an attribute of God and is certainly not a reference to the changed character of a believer, but it is mercifully, Christ Himself. The believer in Christ is by means of the grace of God enveloped and shrouded in such a complete and blessed robe of righteousness that the Law and no legalistic demand can find fault or diminish this perfect righteousness. This gracious act of God is entirely apart from any merit on the part of human beings, so that boasting might be excluded (Rom. 3:27).
This wonderment from God is not a process that is being perfected as long as the believer continues to believe, but is a single act from God that is performed the instant an individual exercises believing faith in Jesus Christ. (Read this statement over and over again)
This masterful undertaking is repeatedly spoken of as finished (Romans 5:21, 8:30, 1 Cor. 6:11, Titus 3:7). May I ask you a pertinent question?
How can all mouths be stopped if a power that gives us any ability whatsoever is left in us?
The believers justification is through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24). How is this gracious act accomplished? It is because Christ was set forth as a propitiation for sin that God is able to justify the individual that believes in Christ and still remain just and the Justifier of him who believes in Jesus (Rom. 3:25,26).
“Therefore, we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” or by any of the works of mankind (Romans 3:28).
You may be assured that none are forgiven that are not Justified and none are justified that are not forgiven.
“But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David described the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works” (Romans 4:5,6).
Let me ask you a question… how are you justified? Do you want the answer from me, or would you prefer an answer from the God of the scriptures? Let’s listen and learn what God has to say, once and for all, about Justification… I hope you will listen and learn well!
Therefore, being (or having been) justified by faith, (in Christ) we have peace with God through our LORD JESUS CHRIST: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope (confidence of the glory of God (Rom. 5:1,2).
There is no peace for your troubled soul until you have believed totally in the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, the only Savior who can and will save your eternal soul. So, what are you to do?
Look silently within and see that without Christ there is no fullness, peace, or true purpose in this quickly passing life. Then, look outside of yourself and know by faith that he will hear before you can call.
“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3).
Your requirement is to call… His responsibility is to answer, and He will! Trust Him, trust Him, do not fear or delay for He will hear you! Read and think about this verse until it never leaves your mind.
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
You can be saved if you respond to his call… here it is… Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).
God says this to you in all His love and mercy… “For He says, I have heard you in a time of acceptance, and in the day of salvation I have succoured you (to help, or aid), now is the accepted time: now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). D
Do not harden your heart or neglect this so great salvation! This offer of forgiveness and eternal life is extended to you as a free gift and is without cost, works or human effort… the effort and the finished accomplishment is in the Savior who saves… The Lord Jesus Christ.
