Bob Cassell, Messenger
In spite of Adam’s disobedience and the subsequent rebellion of all men, God chose to condemn and then save man. But why? Obviously, God in his awesome omnipotence could have extinguished man and created another being to take his place. But He did not, and all of humanity learned that God was a God of forgiveness and grace. Man was left to observe that God had extended to man what he could never earn or deserve.
Notice the answer to this unusual why question. The first answer is found in a familiar verse in the scriptures.
For God so loved the world (that’s you and me) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).
It is here that God’s purpose is in consideration of mankind. God knows as no one else the consequence of an everlasting destruction from His presence and from the glory of His power which shall be the end of those who are not saved.
In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power (2 Thessalonians 1:8,9).
His great love was perfectly demonstrated by His son on the cross at Calvary. It is amazing that He calls and saves those who do not know Him from the damnation that is expressed in the above scripture.
The importance of being saved from perishing is so great that not many stop, look, and listen to the message of the gospel until it is too late.
Some misinformed students of the word of God have said that the free offer of salvation appears to be only a fire escape from hell. When this is said, just where are such individuals looking? Its personal importance to them is centered on their production or works in the present life. But they go further by making human behavior a requirement to assure or even maintain salvation by their good behavior to the end of life. It is true that God has an eternal plan for every believer who remains on this earth. And it is the purpose of God to bless and protect them so that they may execute His plan for their lives and grow in grace and in the knowledge of His word. The believer’s service in this life is designed to be gold, silver, and precious stone. This kind of production can only be generated as man serves under the controlling ministry of the Holy Spirit and not through the energy of his corrupt flesh. God’s purpose for the life of the believer is that all service will endure for eternity. Production of a believer’s service generated by the power of the Holy spirit will last. Service for the credit or glory of man will not endure. It is true that salvation is by grace and not of works, but it is also true that good works are to be produced by those who are saved. Good works from the believer are those things done while controlled by the Holy Spirit… they are classified as gold, silver, and precious stones. The same good works or any other performance accomplished while out of fellowship and under the control of the old sin nature will be counted as wood hay, and stubble. Good works of any kind will not save, but good works that are produced as a result of a person having been saved should be the normal outworking of a true believer.
Notice: For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
Be assured, God does not save anyone because of good works, but that it may be possible for them to do good works. Neither does God save a person and then deliver him out of this evil world to continue a life of sin and debauchery. While God’s ultimate purpose in salvation is eternal, the new nature given to the believer will be reflected in his present earthly existence by the power and controlling ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Paul declared, how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (Romans 6:20).
To Titus he said, I will that you affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works (Titus 3:8).
It was a constant affirmation by Titus that good works were to be maintained, but the affirmation is to those which have believed in God.
Certainly, God’s purpose for the life of every believer is that good and consistent works are to be performed.
Even His grace abounds toward the saved that they always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work (2 Corinthians 9:8).
With these things said about good works, it is important to recognize precisely what constitutes good works. First of all, there are only certain people who can perform good works that are acceptable before God. They are those who are created in Christ Jesus for his purposes. Only those who are saved can do works that God will accept as good.
Notice: not all works by believers are the works that are ordained by God. The good works of the redeemed were before prepared that we should walk in them.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).
That which has been prepared by God beforehand must be according to His sovereign will and purpose. Therefore, many apparent good works by believers are performed in the energy of the flesh and may be well intentioned but are not recognized under God’s definition of good works.
These God approved good works must be for the purpose of bringing glory to God and not the glory of man.
Whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him (Colossians 3:17).
To the surprise, and shame of some, much of the present social welfare work is prompted by deeply sympathetic feelings and motivation. Many of the works are carried out with great sacrifice and vigorous effort. However, humanistic works cannot be included in God’s good works because God is entirely shut out. Most of these works are not accomplished by saved people, and their works are not afore prepared by God and the objective is not to the glory of God.
It is accepted that many of these works have a positive value, but their value is temporal and has no relation to Gods’ work of salvation which required the perfect and finished work of God from beginning to the end.
Should the social work be accomplished as a means of bringing to the needy not only temporal help, but also spiritual clarity through the declaration of Christ’s finished work on the cross then it becomes good works according to God’s purpose in salvation.
Good works are good because they have a part in the execution of God’s entire program of salvation, but they are not in and of themselves the ultimate objective. They are, knowingly or unknowingly, a link in the chain of things that will finally culminate to the praise of the glory of His grace.
As a result of Adams fall, God’s work in salvation involved much more than a restoration to his original condition in the garden of Eden. God’s plan involved much more than the restoration of mankind to Adam’s original state. Therefore, there must be another and even far greater reason for God to save mankind. Yes indeed: and so there is…
It was the perfect love of God that caused Him to save man, and as such there is in salvation the truth that God found a way to express His love as in no other way. In His prayer to the Father, Jesus said…
The glory which you gave to me I have given to them; that they may be one, even as we are one… that the world may know that you have loved them as you have loved me (John 17: 22,23).
This amazing requisite in God’s work of salvation, wherein the glory of Christ is given to those who accept Him, is to be in demonstration of God’s love for them.
Notice the language in the book of Ephesians.
That in the ages to come HE might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:7).
Also, the saved, have been predestinated unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will. To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Ephesians 1:5-7).
Notice something the heavens do… The heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). This declared glory is the glory of His creative power.
When God’s work of salvation has been consummated, and those who are saved during this age have been brought into a perfect unity with Him then there will be praise, not only to the praise of the glory of His creative power, but to the praise and glory of His amazing grace. This dear member of his royal family is the highest pinnacle of Gods’ glory, and to accomplish this by means of his grace is the greatest reason why God, in this age, saves mankind.
In sinning so blatantly in the face of God, Lucifer refused to give Him his due glory. Also, Adam and the entire human race because of sin have not glorified God as the God he is and has always been. God, in saving humankind does so, not only to restore the lost glory due to Him as creator, but to gain a far greater glory, the glory of the Redeemer and Savior, THE IMPECCABLE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
If any human being could contribute the most miniscule effort to save self, to that same degree would the praise of the glory of the grace of God be reduced. God cannot be praised for what man contributes. The glory of His grace requires absoluteness, and it cannot be diminished.
Our infinite God cannot be infinite if His glory can be reduced to any degree whatsoever.
This is the reason all works from Humanity are excluded as a contributing factor in salvation. You may be sure:
God has set aside every human effort and offers his great salvation to mankind only as the free gift of God. There are no payments to be made, past, present or future; or else grace could no longer be Grace.
This is why no flesh shall glory in His presence and why salvation is by grace alone. That no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:29). Thank our amazing God…Salvation truly is by grace through faith.
More good news: God does not salvage something in man that makes him fit for heaven. God comes to the rescue of an utterly lost and condemned unbeliever and raises him up apart from any of his own merit and escalates him to God’s divine level and glory to the end that the glory of His grace may be praised.
Only as it is clearly seen that the purpose of God in salvation is to the praise of the glory of His grace, is it possible to understand the reason God does not destroy man who, in rebellion, attempted to make himself like God. Instead of eliminating all of humanity God actually did something man can never do… he looked at helpless man and provided salvation through the finished work of Christ on the cross. In so doing man was elevated by God to that exalted condition that he, in rebellion sought to gain. There can be no greater love, grace, and deliverance than this.
Absolutely nothing could call forth praise to the glory of God’s grace that exceeds this great provision by God on behalf of mankind. Also, within this amazing plan of grace is the reason God permitted man to sin.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor or who has first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again, for of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:33-36).
If any of this information is not clear. Do not worry. It is with spiritual eyes and heart that the word and work of His grace must be understood. Perhaps your present need is to say to God. Oh God, help me to understand your great plan of salvation, and incline my heart and eternal soul to believe in your eternal truths. I need you; I call on you, I am not depending on myself, but exclusively on your grace to give me clarity and understanding to believe on your Son as my only hope of Heaven.
In my father’s house are many mansions (John 14:2). Yes indeed, there is a mansion just waiting for you only because it is His righteousness that prepares you for these super surpassing graces.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved (Acts 16:31).
