We have much to be thankful for when it comes to our salvation.
God in his infinite wisdom and love for fallen man devised a plan of salvation that even the angels in heaven desired to know about, 1 Peter 1:12.
Isaiah said, "Who is going to believe our report?" Isaiah 53:1
My answer to Isaiah would be, not many Isaiah. Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14.
Only about 10% of professing Christians know and understand what God has accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. The rest seem to think that it is about them. The Gospel is not about us. We are the benefactors of the Gospel. The Gospel is about what took place between God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago.
The scripture says, "God was in Christ reconciling us and the world unto himself" 2 Corinthians 5:18,19. God sends his only begotten Son into the world to do for fallen man what fallen man cannot do for himself. God demands that fallen man fullfills his Holy Law and that he atones for his sins. Because man is a sinner he is not capable of offering to God what God demands. He is spiritually bankrupt.
The law demands perfection. Jesus said, "Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect". That is what the law demands. Jesus, in our name and on our behalf, offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience to his Holy Law. It was the life of Jesus that was lived for our justification, Romans 3:26.
That was not enough. Something had to be done about man's sins. Jesus in our name and on our behalf, while on the cross became sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21. Jesus takes our place on the cross and becomes sin for us. If that doesn't melt your cold stony heart, nothing will.
God now sees ALL THINGS in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus has fulfilled the law for us and has atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. We can now stand before God's holy court as justified, because of what Christ has accomplished for us. God now sees us as perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10.
This salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is ours by simple faith in the work and the person of Jesus Christ. Plus nothing. Salvation is by Jesus Christ and by Jesus Christ alone. There is no room in this Gospel for Calvinism, Catholicism or whatever. If you bring your religion into the judgment and present it to God you will perish, Matthew 7:21-23.
God in his infinite wisdom and love for fallen man devised a plan of salvation that even the angels in heaven desired to know about, 1 Peter 1:12.
Isaiah said, "Who is going to believe our report?" Isaiah 53:1
My answer to Isaiah would be, not many Isaiah. Jesus said, "Few there be that find it" Matthew 7:14.
Only about 10% of professing Christians know and understand what God has accomplished in his Son Jesus Christ. The rest seem to think that it is about them. The Gospel is not about us. We are the benefactors of the Gospel. The Gospel is about what took place between God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago.
The scripture says, "God was in Christ reconciling us and the world unto himself" 2 Corinthians 5:18,19. God sends his only begotten Son into the world to do for fallen man what fallen man cannot do for himself. God demands that fallen man fullfills his Holy Law and that he atones for his sins. Because man is a sinner he is not capable of offering to God what God demands. He is spiritually bankrupt.
The law demands perfection. Jesus said, "Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect". That is what the law demands. Jesus, in our name and on our behalf, offers to God the Father a life of perfect obedience to his Holy Law. It was the life of Jesus that was lived for our justification, Romans 3:26.
That was not enough. Something had to be done about man's sins. Jesus in our name and on our behalf, while on the cross became sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Corinthians 5:21. Jesus takes our place on the cross and becomes sin for us. If that doesn't melt your cold stony heart, nothing will.
God now sees ALL THINGS in his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus has fulfilled the law for us and has atoned for our sins and the sins of the whole world, 1 John 2:2. We can now stand before God's holy court as justified, because of what Christ has accomplished for us. God now sees us as perfect and complete "In Christ" Colossians 2:10.
This salvation that God has provided for us in Jesus Christ is ours by simple faith in the work and the person of Jesus Christ. Plus nothing. Salvation is by Jesus Christ and by Jesus Christ alone. There is no room in this Gospel for Calvinism, Catholicism or whatever. If you bring your religion into the judgment and present it to God you will perish, Matthew 7:21-23.