Sunday: The Salvation Covenant
The death of Christ on Calvary made salvation possible for every person who has ever lived or who will ever live. Unlike the promise of the seasons, salvation is not unilateral — it is not given to everyone, regardless of what they do. The belief that everyone will be saved is called “universalism.”
Instead, Jesus clearly taught that, though He died for all humanity, many people travel the broad way to destruction and eternal death (Matthew 7:13-14).
What do the following texts have to say about how people receive the gift of salvation in Jesus?
Image © Pacific Press from GoodSalt.com
Paul understood the bilateral nature of the salvation covenant. Knowing that he was soon to be executed, and in spite of the fact that many of his companions had forsaken him, Paul confidently told his dear friend Timothy that he had upheld his end of the bargain. “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).
Paul says, “I am ready [because] I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Paul, though, was always very clear that salvation is by faith alone, not the deeds of the law, and so here he is not somehow looking at his works or achievements as earning him merit with God. The “crown of righteousness” awaiting him is the righteousness of Jesus, which Paul, by faith, has claimed for himself and has held on to until the end of his life.
| Though salvation is an unmerited gift, what’s the difference between those who accept the gift and those who don’t? What does accepting this gift require that we do? |
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“The “crown of righteousness” awaiting him is the righteousness of Jesus, which Paul, by faith, has claimed for himself and has held on to until the end of his life.”
James, similar to Paul, says that by his believing God, it was counted for him as righteousness. As we remember, Abraham had such faith in God that he took God's instructions to heart and uprooted, moving to Canaan. That is why James said a man is justified by his works, not by faith alone. Am I saved by the blood of Christ alone? Absolutely! I am nevertheless justified by my works, because since I have been saved, through faith, as I have been born again, I by my choice turn to Him, who even gives me the desire to do His will, do good works, which is His will.
James 2:23-24. NKJV.
Philippians 2:13. NLT.
Why is salvation inherently a bilateral and not a unilateral phenomenon? Because the reality of abundant life is inherently a bilateral and not a unilateral phenomenon. And why is that? Because God is 100% committed to preservation of freewill as the basis of all His created beings. Why is that? Because the most pure and perfect form is love can exist on no other basis than pure freedom - love given because one freely desires to give love when they are equally free to not do so. Hence agape love is inherently freedom-based love.
Jesus's reference to the "broad way" makes me think of the wide street called Broadway in Manhattan, New York City.
One site describes it this way: Broadway runs the full length of Manhattan, including Times Square...It became one of the first streets in the U.S. to be lit with electric lights. Millions of lights on theater marquees and billboard advertisements help brighten the night sky. The Theater District is home to 40 large professional theaters. Each of these theaters seats 500 or more people. They host a constantly changing variety of productions, including plays and musicals. Broadway shows are one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City. In 2010, shows sold more than $1 billion in tickets! As you can see, many of the shows are popular and quite profitable.
Another site says, A Broadway show offers you real in-person entertainment. You could be feet or inches away from actors as they take you on a journey full of heart, high-energy, and even suspense."
What draws many people? Human nature is often drawn into places that seem exciting and full of high-energy suspense, brightly lit, easy to find, famous, accepting of all world views, and filling a desire to please and entertain oneself. On this metaphorical Broadway, most are ignoring that Christ says that He is The Way and no one goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). As we are in times like Noah before the Flood, I know the Holy Spirit is going to be drawing us more and more away from self-gratifying entertainment and more and more towards completing the work He has asked us to do. God does not want us to be tranquilized into sleepy Laodicean behavior because of our prosperity. Instead, our daily goal will be looking for His precious souls to minister to, because of the love for God and man He has put into our hearts. While having resources is not wrong and all things including the Arts can be used for God's glory, Jesus Himself had no where to lay his head because His priority was on walking this narrow way.
Another thing about the narrow way is that because there are fewer traveling upon it, we even more are encouraged to get to know each other and bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2). Some may be weaker and behind. Some may be stronger and ahead on this journey led by Jesus. Those who are stronger don't pass by the weak. Everyone helps to shoulder one another's burdens. Or even carry the weak on one's own shoulders! The narrow road is a call to action. It is not a passive spectator sport, free entertainment where we stand or sit around watching the show. We are not leaning on the gate or fence, waiting for the ball to drop on a new year. Instead, God calls us to enter the narrow gate and actively participate in His Kingdom goals by helping one another.
>> The narrow road is a call to action
Or should we say, the narrow road is where love is on the move. ♥‿♥
I love it! Wonderful, brother Antonio! The Good Samaritan was on the move! The priest and Levite saw and passed by the needy man on the road. The Christlike person was a "love athlete"...bandaged the needy's wounds, poured on oil and wine, lifted him onto his own donkey, carried him into an inn, took care of him overnight, in the morning promised to return later to reimburse the innkeeper for any extra expense. (Luke 10:30-37)
The first sentence of today’s lesson points out that the death of Christ made our salvation possible. May I point out that ‘how He lived His life’ is included in making our salvation possible as well.
May I offer for consideration an alternative wording for the opening sentence: ‘By His whole life, including death and resurrection, He made salvation possible for every person who has ever lived or who will ever live.’
When considering that His whole life, including His death and resurrection, expresses what man was given to prove the power of our God’s covenant promises, it becomes the blue-print of 'how to live'.
All that which is given to us for observation to learn from and walk by, is our Savior’s testimony to prove - see for ourselves - the wisdom and truthfulness of God’s plan of the salvation of mankind. John14:6; Psalm 34:7-9
The picture of His agony evokes in me a sense of guilt and shame about the cruelty of man. I think it fitting to also remember to be thankful for His life’s ministry, for all He did for us.
All of God's previous Covenants pointed out how man ought to live rightly in order to receive God's blessings; Jesus' experience of His life was written about even before He was born. His demonstration of how to live ‘the Way of righteous living based on the Word of God by faith' has become our blue-print for the live we live now. 1 John 5:13
All those who believe in the Son declaring the Father's Way of Truth and Light, see their life changed from ‘being dead in trespasses and sins’, to ‘having true life and this more abundantly’. John 10:10; Rom.12:2
Living His whole life by faith, Jesus demonstrated the efficacy of the Father’s Salvation Covenant with man. He reveals to us the life-giving wisdom of the Father’s Will and Way leading unto eternal life. By accepting His Son, we accept the Father's Covenant to live by faith according to His Will - 2 Peter 1:9-11
If you mean that our works are the result "fruit" of salvation and not a necessary precursor to our salvation, then I agree with you Brigitte.