Question: Can we resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51)?
Answer: Yes, apparently we can. The example you cite comes in Stephen’s stinging condemnation of the Jewish leaders of his day. He says:
“You stiffnecked [stubborn] and uncircumcised [acting like the heathen] in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers” (Acts 7:51-52).
The Bible in Basic English has, “You whose hearts are hard and whose ears are shut to me; you are ever working against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.” The word “resist” (antipipto, in Greek) means to oppose, or strive against. In particular, in the context, Stephen seems to be referring to their habitual and continuing rejection of the Spirit-inspired Word of God (notice the reference to ears, and the prophets).
The stubborn disobedience of the Israelites to God’s commands is seen many times in the Old Testament (Exod. 33:3; Deut. 9:13; Isa. 63:9-10; Jer. 6:10, etc.). Now, the Jewish leaders are guilty of rejecting Christ, and rejecting God’s message about Him. The old pattern is repeating itself (cf. Matt. 23:34).
Commentator Albert Barnes (1798-1870) puts it this way: “You [i.e. those to whom Stephen spoke] oppose the message which is brought to you by the authority of God, and the inspiration of His Spirit. The message brought by Moses, by the prophets, by the Saviour, and by the apostles–all by the infallible direction of the Holy Ghost” (Barnes’ Notes, p. 427).
Warren Wiersbe says, “Their ears did not hear the truth, their hearts did not receive the truth, and their necks did not bow [in submission] to the truth” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. I, p. 432).
I’m not entirely clear on what you’re asking. Are you wondering whether God can be resisted at all, since He’s omnipotent and sovereign? Yes, “He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth no one can restrain His hand” (Dan. 4:35). It’s quite true that nothing can alter the sovereign will of God. It will be fulfilled certainly and completely. However, that’s not the only aspect of God’s will to be considered.
God also has a moral will (a standard expressed in His Word) that is violated again and again. And He has heart desires that aren’t always fulfilled. “The Lord…is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (II Pet. 3:9). Yet we know that many will be lost, because they’ve rejected Christ. Somehow, within God’s sovereign will, He leaves room for personal choices and decisions. Otherwise, human beings would be mere puppets, or robots, unable to have a real, personal and loving relationship with Him.
So, yes, it is possible to “resist” the ministry of the Spirit of God, as He speaks through the Word of God. And the Bible uses two other terms that are related.
It’s possible to “grieve” the Spirit (Eph. 4:30), and “quench” the Spirit (I Thess. 5:19). We grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin, when we disobey God’s Word. The imagery behind “quenching” Him has to do with putting out a fire. In spiritual terms, we do that when we stifle the Spirit’s promptings, coming to us through the Word. To put it simply: we grieve the Spirit by doing what we shouldn’t be doing, and quench the Spirit by not doing what we should be doing!
Instead of these things, we should be daily walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25). “Walking” refers to a life of consistent faith and obedience, faith and obedience, step by step, day by day. The Amplified Bible puts it this way: “Walk and live habitually in the (Holy) Spirit–responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh–of human nature without God” (Gal. 5:16).
That is the path of blessing. And when we fail, as we sometimes do, we’re to confess our sins (I Jn. 1:9), thanking God for His forgiveness and cleansing, then take up our walk in the Spirit once again.
As one’s independent history begins with being born into the world (a physical birth), so the Christian life must begin with a new birth–a spiritual birth (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:3, 14-18, 36). Salvation through personal faith in Christ is the starting point of new life. But important as this is, it is not our final destination, but the beginning of a journey. Ahead lies the path of discipleship.
Discipling people for (and to) Christ is a fundamental task given to the church. We are to “teach [or, more literally, make disciples] of all the nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). Those are the marching orders the Lord left us at His ascension, a task to be continued “to the end of the age.” The logical corollary of the need to make disciples is that discipleship is a basic aspect or function of Christian living.
It should be noted here that salvation is a matter of both position and condition (or, standing and state). Our standing concerns what God credits to us when we put our faith in Christ. It has to do with the eternal record of heaven. According to God’s Word, we are eternally justified, sons of God, joint-heirs with Christ, citizens of heaven, and so on. We are “in Christ,” positionally, and we are “complete in Him” (Col. 2:10). We need to understand the richness of our position, but for the most part that is not the aspect of being a Christian that is addressed here.
The seven principles relate to our condition or our state in daily experience. As opposed to my legal standing “in Christ,” they have to do with the revelation of “Christ…in me” (Gal. 2:20), and the growth of the believer through the process of discipleship. Unlike our position, which is constant and changeless–because God views us in Christ who never changes–our condition can vary. It will depend on the consistency of our daily walk in the Spirit whether Christ is seen in us or not (Gal. 5:25).
The Greek word for disciple (mathetes) describes one who is a learner. And it is evident that learning from Christ will ultimately lead to the likeness of Christ being reproduced in us. In that regard, He is presented to us as the master Servant (Mk. 10:45; Phil. 2:7). Being a disciple, then, will involve being both a learner and a servant. (In the principles which follow, the term learner-servant will be used as a descriptive synonym for the word “disciple.”) Fruitful ministry for God is an inseparable aspect of discipleship. “I have given you an example,” says Jesus, “that you should do as I have done to you” (Jn. 13:15; cf. vs. 3-5, 14, 35). “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (Jn. 15:8).
The summons to discipleship is a call to personal discipline and self denial (Lk. 9:23); 14:27). (Our English word mathematics comes from a form of the Greek mathetes. Thus the term connotes a structured life governed by specific rules.) Discipline marks out the path of learning, while self denial is at the heart of servanthood. Both put limitations upon us. Discipline excludes those things that hinder learning and growth, while self denial says “No” to those things that would divert our service. By its very nature, therefore, discipleship cannot simply be an add-on. It calls for a significant and broadly influential place in our motivations (Rom. 15:3).
Principle #1. The Concept of the Learner-Servant: To learn and serve.
The life responsibilities of the child of God involve two intersecting dimensions. By the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit he is to be a learner, growing in grace,1 and a faithful servant of the Lord.2 A learner from God through His Word, and a servant for God among both believers and unbelievers. Though these two functions can be defined and discussed separately, they are fundamentally linked. There is a real sense in which we learn in order to serve (see II Tim. 2:2, 15; 3:14-17). In teaching us, God entrusts us with a stewardship to be used for Him.
1 Matt. 11:29; Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:11; 11:1; Eph. 5:1; I Pet. 2:21; II Pet. 3:18. 2 Rom. 6:22; 12:11; 14:17-19; I Cor. 4:1-2; Gal. 5:13; 6:2; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 3:23-24; I Thess. 1:9; I Pet. 2:15-17; 4:10.
Principle #2. The Purpose of the Learner-Servant: To glorify God.
The Lord has made everything that exists for His own pleasure3 and His own glory.4 The Westminster Assembly said it centuries ago: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” The Lord’s design for the learner-servant is a part of that great all-inclusive purpose: he is to glorify God. We are to “do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:310), and that “all” we “do” can be broadly defined as our service for the Lord.5
3 The opposite of what we might call being a God-pleaser is to be a self-pleaser–which includes pleasing others for the sake of selfish advantage (Lk. 12:19; Rom. 15:2-3; Col. 3:22-24). 4 Ps. 104:24, 31; Rom. 11:36; Phil. 4:20; I Tim. 1:17; Jude 1:25; Rev. 5:13; 7:12. 5 Matt. 5:16; Jn. 15:8; Rom. 15:5-6; I Cor. 6:19-20; Eph. 3:21; II Tim. 4:18; I Pet. 4:11; II Pet. 3:18; Rev. 1:6.
Principle #3. The Priority of the Learner-Servant: To be a disciple.
Being a disciple of Jesus Christ is not merely one of many different facets of life. It is to become the central core and motivation of all we do. For example, a man is not a father, a salesman, and a learner-servant. He is a learner-servant in the home and on the job–and everywhere else.6 That being so, the development of learner-servants must also be fundamental to the purpose of any form of Christian training. Whether or not this translates itself into a measure of time (most hours spent), it will definitely be a dominating perspective. We will see all we do as having a bearing on the discipleship process in ourselves and others.7
6 Ecc. 12:1l 13-14; Mic. 6:8; Matt. 16:24-26; Lk. 14:26, 33; Rom. 8:28-30 (and compare Gen. 1:27-28 with Ps. 8:6; Rev. 22:3). 7 Deut. 6:4-7; Ps. 78:5-8; Matt. 28:18-20; Eph. 4:11-16; 6:6; Phil. 3:7-16; Col. 1″28-29; II Tim. 2:1-2, 24-26; III Jn. 1:4.
Principle #4. The Outlook of the Learner-Servant: To test everything by the Scriptures.
No quality, idea or action can be accurately assessed until it is seen from God’s perspective (Matt. 4:4; Col. 2:4, 8; 3:10, 16). Humanism is built upon the lie of Satan that man does not need God–that he can, in fact, be his own god (Gen. 3:5; Isa. 14:12-15; Rom. 1:25; II Thess. 2:3-12; cf. Prov. 14:12). The Christian faith is founded on an entirely opposite premise: that all “truth” must be subjected to what God says in His Word. It is “by faith we understand” (Heb. 11:3; cf. Prov. 9:10; 28:5). Our goal must be to see life consistently from God’s point of view.
With the truth of God’s revelation as his final authority, the learner-servant evaluates everything according to three biblical tests or parameters. If you like, he sees everything through three biblical lenses: the purpose of God,8 the authority of God,9 and the power of God.10
8 Matt. 6:10, 19-20, 33; Eph. 2:4-7, 10; Ps. 16:11 (and see Principle #2.). God’s purpose is the basis for our values and priorities. 9 Exod. 15:18; Ps. 24:1; Dan. 4:34-35; Matt. 8:27; Mk. 1:27; Acts 5:29. God’s authority is the basis for our standard of conduct; righteous living requires obedience to Him. 10 Ps. 27:1, 14; Acts 17:25b, 28; I Cor. 15:10; Phil. 4:13, 19. God’s power is the basis for our potential to live and act in a way that pleases Him.
Principle #5. The Character of the Learner-Servant: To be like Jesus.
We were made in the image of God in the beginning, and it is His desire that we reflect a likeness to His Son (Gen. 1:26-27; Rom. 8:29; Gal. 4:19; Eph. 4:13). Being fashioned into the likeness of Christ, through the discipleship process, will mean the character of the learner-servant will be display increasingly four key qualities: faith in11 and obedience toward12 God, godly wisdom,13 and Christian love.14
11 The Christian faith is founded upon the truth of God revealed in His infallible Word (Matt. 24:35; Jn. 5:46; 17:17; Rom. 4:21; 10:17; Heb. 11:6. The Bible provides a solid foundation on which faith can build (cf. Lk. 6:46-49). 12 In recognition of God’s ownership and sovereign authority over him, the learner-servant accepts and adheres to His standard of conduct (Ps. 24:1; Jas. 4:13-15; I Jn. 2:15-17; see also Principle #4, Note 2). Submission to God’s authority by obedience to His Word becomes the basis for our moral standard. 13 God’s Word helps us to establish an eternal value system which comprehends His purpose and design (Rom. 8:28-29; Eph. 2:6-7, 10; Prov. 9:10; and see Principle #4, Note 1). An appreciation for God’s purpose forms the basis for our values and priorities in life. When that understanding is applied to daily experience, the result is a display of godly wisdom. 14 Love can be defined as the sacrificial giving of one’s self for the good and blessing of another (I Cor. 13:4-8; cf. Jn. 3:16). It is made possible by God’s gracious enablement (I Chron. 29:11-14; Matt. 22:37-40; Jn. 8:42; Rom. 5:5; 13:8-9; II Cor. 5:14; Eph. 4:15-16; 5:2; Col. 3:14; and see Principle #4, Note 3). God’s power is the ultimate source and resource of our potential to love. His gracious gifts of time, talents and treasures fulfil the purpose for which they were given when they flow through us, back to the Lord and out to others. That is the essence of love (cf. Jn. 13:34-35; 14:15, 21, 23; Gal. 6:2, 9-10; I Jn. 2:5; 3:14-18; 4:20-21).
The Bible also describes what happens when man tries to become his own god, and his own source of truth, determining his own values and standards, and relying on his own human potential (Prov. 14:12; cf. Isa. 53:6a; Jn. 5:39-44). These areas in fact correspond to the basic categories of sin: unbelief and self rule, materialism and sensuality. They are evident in the very first sin in Genesis 3:6: “Good for food” (to satisfy the cravings of the flesh), “pleasant to the eyes” (a materialistic outlook), “desirable to make one wise” (self rule). And all of this is rooted in a rejection of God’s revealed truth (vs. 1, 4).
Or see the three categories in First John 2: 15-17: “the lust of the flesh” (sensuality, an abuse of potential), “the lust of the eyes” (materialism–what I see is what I want, a distortion of values), “and the pride of life” (self rule that sets its own standard). Or see Hebrews 12:15-16: “any root of bitterness” (coming from self rule and a perceived violation of “my rights”), “any fornicator” (an immoral person–sensuality), “or profane person” (one who devalues things of superior worth as Esau did–materialism).
A word sometimes used in Christian education is integration. It comes from the Latin word integratus, meaning to make whole or complete. The development and growth that takes place as we learn from God’s Word (I Pet. 2:2) puts all the pieces together in their proper relationship and balance. And life can only be integrated fully and properly within a biblical framework (Deut. 8:3). To put it another way, no one can be truly whole and completely fulfilled until he has adjusted his life to God’s purpose, authority and power.
To see how much the Bible has to say about the integrated life, consider that this is quite often the meaning and intent of the word “perfect” in the King James Version. God has His perfect will for us (Rom. 12:2), which brings all life’s tangled strands together to form a tapestry of great beauty. The application of His Word to life produces “perfected” people (II Tim. 3:16-17), where the word is used not in the sense of sinless perfection, but of maturity and completeness. Since Christ is the supreme example of such integration in character and conduct, we can summarize the ideal with the word Christlikeness.
Principle #6. The Sphere of the Learner-Servant: To live and serve where God puts you.
The learner-servant lives in several sometimes overlapping spheres, within which he has God-given responsibilities. The four most common “spheres” are: the home (Col. 3:18-20), the local church (Col. 3:12-16), the workplace (Col. 3:22–4:1), and the community–which by extension becomes the nation and the world (Col. 4:5-6). (First Peter 2:4–3:7 covers the same four areas.) Since we sometimes relate to the same people in more than one sphere, there will be some overlap. But the important thing is to live for the Lord consistently where we are (cf. the parable of The Good Samaritan, Lk. 10:25-37).
As well as living within several overlapping spheres, the learner-servant will also function as part of a chain of command and a circle of love. The chain of command describes those people above us to whom we are responsible, and those below us for whom we are responsible. The circle of love is composed of those individuals within a particular sphere to whom we have the opportunity to demonstrate Christ-like love.
Because of the overlap, the chain of command is not always simple and direct. Further, it will be seen that those in our chain of command also become a part of our circle of love. The two thus do not define two exclusive and separate groups, but rather two ways of relating to people. Both aspects can be seen in many Scriptures (e.g. Jn. 13:34-35; 14:15; Rom. 13:1-4, 8-10; I Thess. 5:12-13; I Jn. 3:23).
If we lived in a theocracy, with all of society operating consistently on biblical principles, submission within the chain of command in any sphere would present no threat of compromise. However, we do not yet live in an ideal world. There may be times when obeying a superior would involve us in direct disobedience to God. On such occasions, a courteous appeal to the one in authority may reveal some flexibility–a willingness to accept a creative alternative to reach a legitimate goal. However, if this is not possible, we must in humility obey God, accepting the consequences (Acts 5:28-29, 40-42).
Principle #7. The Function of the Learner-Servant: To praise, build up, and witness.
Each Learner-Servant has been uniquely gifted by the Lord to fulfil three primary functions: the exaltation of God (worship), the evangelizing of the lost, and the edification (building up) of believers, and in some ways of unbelievers as well. (It will be seen immediately that these three not only define the functioning of the learner-servant individually, but summarize the work of the local church.)
An all-wise Creator has given to each learner-servant a one-of-a-kind complex of gifts, preparing him to make a unique contribution in the world (Gen. 1:26-27; Ps. 139:13-16; Rom. 12:4-8; I Cor. 12:14-27). Perceiving life from a biblical perspective he is to interact with the world around him (and above him) in three primary ways.
By word and deed the learner-servant is to bring praise and glory to God (Ps. 29:2; 45:11b; and see Principle #2). “The Father is seeking such to worship Him” (Jn. 4:23-24). And God is glorified not only by our doing, but by our very being. He is glorified in us as we, His image-bearers, reflect the beauty of His character. He is glorified in us when we fulfil the design and purpose for which we were made, because we thus demonstrate His infinite wisdom and goodness in making us as we are.
As well, the learner-servant is to use whatever gifts and opportunities God has given to win the lost to Christ and support the proclamation of the gospel (Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20; II Cor. 5:19-20; I Pet. 3:15; cf. Prov. 11:30).
The learner-servant is also to strengthen and help his brothers and sisters in Christ (Rom. 14:19; I Cor. 12:25-27; Eph. 4:11-12, 29; Col. 3:16; Heb. 10:24-25). There is a dimension of this edifying work that is only possible with the regenerate. But a ministration of kindness and Christian love can be extended to all (Matt. 5:16; Rom. 15:2; Gal. 6:10). The greatest kindness we can show them, of course, is to point them to Christ.
When the life of the disciple of Christ is defined in this way we can only say with Paul, “Who is sufficient for these things?” (II Cor. 2:16). The answer is that we must depend upon the Spirit of God who indwells each born again believer (II Cor. 3:5). Many passages assure us of the total adequacy of the Holy Spirit to provide what is needed (Acts 1:8; I Cor. 2:12-13; 3:5-10; 15:10; II Cor. 3:18; Gal. 5:22-23; Col. 1:28-29; I Jn. 4:4). In this regard, the Bible speaks of being filled with the Spirit, and walking in the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Spirit.” It is a command, and the verb tense suggests a continuing responsibility–literally it is: be being filled, keep on being filled. It is helpful to know that the Greek word for “filled” can also mean fulfilled. As the Spirit’s power becomes operative in us and “fills” every area of our lives unhindered by self and sin, He fulfills in us the purpose for which God has made us. This filling and fulfilling takes place as we walk in the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 says, “Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.” Walking is the Bible’s common picture word for a life of step by step faith and obedience toward God. That defines how the Spirit’s filling is appropriated and maintained. Filling is what God does; walking is what we do. As we walk, He fills. As He fills, we walk.
The two aspects relate to the main axes of the learner-servant diagram. The Holy Spirit fills us to accomplish God’s purpose by His power. The believer walks by faith in the revelation in God’s Word and obedience to His sovereign authority. As Philippians puts it, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (2:12). Work out, by walking in the Spirit, what God is doing within. “For it is God who works in you [by His power] both to will and to do for His good pleasure [accomplishing His purpose]” (2:13). The latter is the essence of His filling ministry.
The relationship between the filling and the walking is also revealed by the fact that Ephesian 5:18 and Colossians 3:16 are parallel passages–as seen by the context of each. “Be being filling”–that is God’s part. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly [let it find a home in your heart]”–that is our part, accomplished through our ongoing walk of faith and obedience (cf. Col. 2:5-7). “He who heeds the Word will find good, and whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he” (Prov. 16:20).
A final word. I have found, over the years, that the diagrams shared above provide a useful way to understand and analyze the Scriptures. These patterns are repeated over and again. If you make use of them and find them helpful, why not pass the material on to others?
Question: I have heard many in my church say that the Old Testament does not apply to us today. Is this the case, or does it apply to our lives as Christians?
Answer:Thanks for your question Tim. It’s an important one. I realize there are churches today where the Old Testament is rarely preached on, or studied. How sad!
Perhaps they feel that since Pentecost, and the birth of the church, we’re in a new era (or dispensation). True enough, I agree. But then a conclusion is drawn from that which is not valid. That as New Testament Christians we should stick to the New Testament, because the Old is past and done.
It’s true that the Bible makes a distinction between Israel and the church, as well as between the Old Covenant (the Law) and the New Covenant. It’s true that not everything after the cross is the same as it was before. It’s also true that the New Testament (particularly the epistles) provides teaching that is especially relevant for the church.
However, we need to ask ourselves: Has human nature changed since Pentecost? (No.) Has God changed? (Certainly not.) Has God’s basic moral standard altered? (No again.)
Think of how much we’d miss if we had no Old Testament! Think of the dozens and dozens of times the Lord Jesus or the apostles quoted from the Old Testament, or alluded to the truths found there. The Old Testament was their Bible. How can we presume to abandon it?
When Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable” (II Tim. 3:16), what “Scripture” was he talking about? The New Testament had not all been written by that time, let alone assembled. Paul was referring to the Old Testament. He also said, “Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Rom. 15:4).
The Old Testament provides necessary background for a proper understanding of the New. Years ago New Tribes Mission realized they were short-changing those they ministered to by starting with the New Testament’s gospel message. With that, they developed a chronological study of the Bible that began in Genesis, working its way through the Scriptures. They have found that the tribes respond with greater understanding to this teaching. We need the Old Testament!
Because human nature is the same in any age, we can draw helpful life principles from the Old Testament. Adam blaming Eve for his troubles, and Eve blaming the serpent, or Jacob’s wheeling and dealing to cheat his brother Esau, or David’s succumbing to temptation to commit adultery and murder–these are real people with whose weaknesses and failings we can identify. And God’s dealings with them are instructive.
Further, we have what are called types and anti-types. An Old Testament type is a person, a thing, or an event that God has designed to be a helpful illustration of New Testament truth (the antitype)–particularly truth about His Son and the work of redemption. The ark of Noah’s day is a wonderful type of Christ (the antitype), as is godly Joseph, and the furnishings of the tabernacle, and there are many more. These are God-given illustrations that shouldn’t be ignored.
Then we have the devotional material found in the Psalms (and elsewhere in the Old Testament). How can we say there is no value in the Psalms today? It was not only the hymn book of Israel, but the hymn book of the early church. Every emotion and condition of the heart is found there–joy and sorrow, pride and humility, and so on, as well as inspiring expressions of praise and worship. The psalms should be read and studied by every Christian.
In addition, we have the many prophecies in the Old Testament. There are approximately a thousand prophecies in the Bible. And half of those have already been fulfilled, as many of them relate to Old Testament events, or to Christ’s first coming. But another five hundred of them have to do with Christ’s return. If we are to properly understand the future, we need to study Old Testament prophecy.
Currently, I’ve been filling in as the interim pastor of our church. And for the last two years I’ve done most of the preaching and teaching. In our mid-week Bible study, we’ve covered a variety of topics and Bible books (Old and New Testaments).
But Sunday mornings, for the past year, we’ve stayed pretty much in the Old Testament, except when there are special events such as Christmas and Easter. I announced a series called “Great Texts of the Bible” and, starting with Genesis 1:1, I’ve preached key texts from Genesis and on into Exodus.
I feel this has great benefit, and the congregation seems to agree. No key New Testament truth is being missed, because I relate each message to the present day, and show how it connects, and how it relates to us.
For example, when we studied how Moses struck the rock at God’s command to provide water for the people in the wilderness (Exod. 17:1-6), I drew a parallel to Christ (the Rock) being smitten by the judgment of God on the cross, so that the water of life could flow out to all who would receive it (type and antitype). There is ample evidence that this is a valid comparison.
Bottom line: We must not abandon the Old Testament, which is three quarters of God’s holy Word, and it is “profitable” (II Tim. 3:16-17).
I have been challenged several times regarding this description of the Christian. Doesn’t its very absoluteness (“only”) render it incorrect? Not necessarily. It depends upon the purpose of the speaker or author.
The phrase was popularized by a gospel song, published in 1905. It was written by Dr. James Martin Gray, a Reformed Episcopal clergyman who eventually served as president of Moody Bible Institute (1925-1934)–years, during which my father was a student there. The song, called Only a Sinner, says in part:
Naught have I gotten but what I received; Grace hath bestowed it since I have believed; Boasting excluded, pride I abase; I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!
Only a sinner, saved by grace! Only a sinner, saved by grace! This is my story, to God be the glory— I’m only a sinner, saved by grace!
Tears unavailing, no merit had I; Mercy had saved me, or else I must die; Sin had alarmed me fearing God’s face; But now I’m a sinner saved by grace!
“Only” a sinner? No, of course not. We are much more than that. We are new creations in Christ. We are children of God, born into His family. We are elevated to the position of sons, and we are called “saints” (God’s set apart ones), and much more. But I’m quite certain Dr. Gray would have ably defended all of that.
It’s simply not practical to cover every aspect of soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) in one song. The focus here is on grace–God’s unmerited favour–and on making it crystal clear that nothing we could do, in ourselves, would make us acceptable to a holy God.
To demonstrate his fuller view of salvation, consider that James Gray also added a refrain to Aaron Wolfe’s gospel song, Complete in Thee. Gray’s addition, clearly taken from Romans 8:30, says:
Yea, justified! O blessed thought! And sanctified! Salvation wrought! Thy blood hath pardon bought for me, And glorified I too shall be!
All of that is true as well. It’s a matter of emphasis. Consider how the Apostle Paul described himself, long after his conversion. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief [i.e. the worst of all]” (I Tim. 1:15). Notice, he doesn’t say he was the chief of sinners, or he used to be, before he got saved. It is “I am.”
Actually, we can see quite a similar thing elsewhere in the Word of God, which is one reason proof-texting with an isolated verse here and there is dangerous. We need to take context into account, and what else the Lord has to say on the particular subject in view.
For example, Paul wrote in Romans that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). But that’s not the whole story. “All?” He might well have said, “All have sinned, with the exception of Jesus, and fall short of the glory of God.”
Or take another example. In Galatians, Paul says, “Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing [cause for boasting] in himself alone, and not in another” (Gal. 6:4). “Boasting [the meaning of the Greek word kauchema] in himself alone? What about rejoicing or boasting in the Lord, and thanking the Lord? Well, yes, and Paul deals with that elsewhere (I Cor. 1:31; 15:10; II Cor. 3:5, etc.). It just wasn’t what he was trying to say in the Galatians text.
Bottom line: I am only a sinner saved by grace, in terms of how I gained accepted with God. It was not by any merit in myself. But, in Christ, I’m also a new creation, justified, sanctified, and certain of the glory to come. Praise the Lord!
Question: Can Christians biblically use Jeremiah 29:11 today? I think the verse is overused. Was not this verse given to God’s people for a specific time? I believe God is a good God, but pleasant things do not always happen to us. I like to think, “Yes, God is good, and what happens, good or bad, is for my good and God’s glory.” Your thoughts?
Answer: Thanks for your good question. You point out a common error that some believers make. It reminds me of a little chorus we used to sing in Sunday School when I was a boy. It begins, “Every promise in the Book is mine, / Every chapter, every verse, every line.” But that is simply not true–or it needs to be qualified carefully.
Proper hermeneutics (the interpretation of the Scriptures) requires that we consider the historical context of each passage. All the Bible was written for us, in the sense that it all has things to teach us from which we can “profit” (II Tim. 3:16-17). But not all of it was written directly to us. Did the Lord command us to build an ark? Or fight some Midianites? To fail to consider who a passage was written to, for what reason, and under what circumstances, is to make a muddle of Bible study.
One of the important distinctions we need to keep in mind is the one between Israel and the church. Israel is an earthly nation, with a land promised them forever, by God, and an earthly throne. The church is a spiritual body made up of all nations, with the ascended Christ as its Head. As Christians, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20), not on earth. Israel is God’s earthly people, the church is God’s heavenly people.
Some today espouse what’s called “Replacement Theology,” that denies that Israel has any future in the program of God (which it does, Rom. 11:28-29). They believe instead that the church has replaced Israel and has taken over her promised blessings in a figurative sense.
This then opens the door to a subjective spiritualizing of the Old Testament promises to Israel. So, for example, when the Bible tells us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Ps. 122:6), it means we are to pray for the church. In spite of the fact that the next verse talks about city walls (vs. 7), we are to make this a prayer for spiritual blessing on the body of Christ!
I’ll get to Jeremiah 29:11 in a moment. But you speak of the verse as being overused. Another verse that has been definitely overused and blatantly misapplied by Christians is Second Chronicles 7:14, which says: “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
Yes, we need to humble ourselves before God (I Pet. 5:6-7); and yes, many individuals need spiritual renewal (Rom. 12:2). But this wonderful verse in Second Chronicles often is appropriated wholesale by Christians today, some even going so far as to apply it to their own nation (whether the United States, Canada, or some other). The thought is that, if only we would pray earnestly and humbly, the Lord would not only restore us spiritually, but cause our nation to prosper materially as well.
But it is Israel that is “called by God’s name,” the “el” portion of their God-given name being short for Elohim. And the promise concerns the conditions under which they can enjoy the blessings of the land God has given them. If the Jews refused to obey God, He warned, “Then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them” (II Chron. 7:20).
No other nation on earth can fully apply these words, because no other has been designed to be a theocratic state with a divinely appointed territory which is theirs in perpetuity. While it is true that humble prayer and repentance will bring God’s blessing to God’s people today, we mustn’t wrench the text from its moorings and rob it of its primary application.
However, having said this, I go back to what I said earlier. All Scripture was not written directly to us, but it has been preserved for our profit. There are examples to learn from, and universal life-principles illustrated on every page. For example, the command to build an ark was given to Noah, not to us. But the blessing of obedience to God that he experienced can be ours too, if we do what He wants us to do.
With that in mind, let’s look at Jeremiah 29:11, first in its context. “Thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer. 29:10-11).
The historical context is the captivity of the Jews in Babylon. It was to last for seventy years (which it did). Then the Jews were to be allowed to return to the Holy Land (which they were). That is the primary application of the text. However, there is nothing in verse 11 itself that applies to Israel exclusively, or applies only to that time on the other side of the cross. It is given a direct application to Israel in the context, but its principles can be applied generally without doing violence to the meaning.
The NET Bible renders verse 11, “I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.'” And is that not true for every child of God today? Ronald Knox paraphrases, “‘I have not lost sight of My plan for you,’ the Lord says, ‘and it is your welfare I have in mind, not your undoing; for you, too, I have a destiny and a hope.'”
As you note in your question, we Christians definitely go through some trying times in our lives, and face many different challenges. But you’re correct in stating that whatever happens is for our good as His children (Rom. 8:28), and for God’s own glory (Rom. 11:36). Even so, given our weakness, it’s possible to get down and discouraged sometimes. I think Jeremiah 29:11 helps us to keep the bigger picture in view, just as Romans 8:28 does. In a way, the verse in Jeremiah is an Old Testament version of the Romans text.
Question: What is your view on whether God answers prayer by believers for those who are not yet believers, about things other than their salvation (such as illness, or difficulty of some kind). And does God answer the prayers of unbelievers?
Answer: These are good questions. Prayer is both the responsibility and the great privilege of believers (Lk. 18:1; Col. 4:2; I Thess. 5:17). Christians are on what we might call “praying ground,” because of our standing in Christ. Through faith in Christ we are born again of the Spirit, become part of the family of God (Jn. 1:12-13), and are even heirs of the King, through Christ (Gal. 4:7).
Because of this standing, we have the right to “come boldly” (with cheerful confidence) before the throne of God, and not only worship and praise Him, but make our petitions to Him (Phil. 4:6-7; Heb. 4:15-16). “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry” (Ps. 34:15). We do need to keep in mind, however, that sometimes the answer of an all-wise God is “No” (II Cor. 12:7-10). That is an answer too, as is, “Wait. Not yet.”
1) Among those petitions will be our prayers for the salvation of those who are still outside of Christ (Rom. 10:1). The Lord will not answer such prayers by saving them against their will. As William MacDonald put it, “He is not going to populate heaven with people who don’t want to be there.”
However, the Spirit of God may deal specifically with the individual in answer to prayer, perhaps by bringing new conviction of sin, or by sending someone into their lives who will witness to them, or by leading them to watch a Christian television program. The decision to trust in the Saviour or reject Him is theirs. But I believe the Lord will work in their lives in answer to prayer.
2) Now, what about us praying for unsaved people for things other than salvation? Yes, of course we can. We, who are on praying ground, can pray for the blessing of God on the lives of others. We are simply praying that the Lord will act in their lives in such a way as to bring glory to Himself, and bring whatever help is needed for them. God blessed heathen Potiphar for godly Joseph’s sake (Gen. 39:5).
The Lord is a merciful and compassionate God. “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). And if He can, within His sovereign will (I Jn. 5:14), lift the burdens or ease the pain of that unsaved person in answer to our prayers, He will do it.
As Paul puts it, “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men [a generic term including all women]” (I Tim. 2:1). When a person tells me their troubles (whether saved or unsaved) I offer to pray for them–sometimes on the spot. I have never been turned down yet–though my wife was, once. It can actually be a means of witnessing.
A personal illustration. In a town near us is a wonderful Chinese restaurant. When the waitress was expecting their second child, I said I’d like to pray for the safe delivery of the baby, there at our table. She looked terrified, as though I had threatened to shoot her! But she stood there as I prayed, and God answered prayer.
There is also the providence of God to factor in (His pro-video, His before-seeing). God works in all the circumstances of our lives for our future good and blessing (Rom. 8:28), and one of the instruments He uses in that process is believing prayer.
In the passage in First Timothy, Paul goes on to give a specific example: we are to prayer for our leaders (“for kings and all who are in authority,” vs. 2). Are all our politicians Christians? Hardly! But we are to pray for them, because wise decisions in their leadership will do good for our country and our community, and it can maintain our freedom to worship God and share the gospel (vs. 3-4).
3) Finally, does God answer the prayers offered by unbelievers themselves. This is a different matter. “We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, He hears him” (Jn. 9:31). This is emphasized again and again, in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament (cf. Job 27:8-9; Ps. 18:41; Prov. 15:29; 28:9; Mic. 3:4; Zech. 7:13).
Unbelievers are not on praying ground. Even as believers, if we harbour unconfessed sin in our hearts, we have no right to expect God to answer (Ps. 66:18; Isa. 59:2). It would be like holding out one hand to receive a blessing, while waving a fist in God’s face with the other! We need to deal with our sin (I Jn. 1:9).
I would not go so far as to say, though, that the Lord never, under any circumstances, will answer the prayers of the unsaved (other than a Spirit-empowered prayer for salvation). God would be perfectly within His rights to ignore such prayers. But He is a gracious, loving God. He loves the unsaved and is concerned about them.
Even an unbelieving murderer named Cain got a gracious response to his whining complaint against God (Gen. 4:13-15). And God, through Elijah predicted the doom of a wicked, Baal-worshipping king named Ahab (I Kgs. 21:17-26). But when the king humbly appealed for mercy, God withheld judgment for a time (vs. 27-29).
We know, concerning the natural man, there is not in him an understanding of God, or a desire to seek Him (Rom. 3:11; I Cor. 2:14). Therefore, even a weak and superstition-laden prayer for help by the unregenerate would, I believe, be an evidence of the working of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
There may be, in God’s answer to that prayer, what theologians would call a salvific intent–that He seeks to get the individual’s attention, to the end that he or she will turn to Him for salvation. It’s as though He said to the sinner, “See, I have helped you with this. Now, won’t you trust me with the destiny of your eternal soul?”
Or, it may be that the Lord will answer such prayers providentially, because of their positive effects on others connected with the situation. Let’s say an unsaved father prays, in desperation, for the healing of his critically ill son. Perhaps the Lord will answer that prayer, and the witness of that believing son, years later, will lead to the salvation of his father. Such things have happened.
A work of art is something very special. It reveals the imagination and skill of the creator, produced both for his own satisfaction, and for the enrichment and enjoyment of others.
About two hundred years ago, in the city of Cremona, Italy, there lived a violin maker named Antonio Stradivari. Stradivari was committed to creating instruments of the highest quality, and he took infinite care with every one he made. As he worked, each part of the instrument received meticulous attention. The pegs, the finger board, the curve of the body, even the precise formula of the varnishes to be used–no detail was too small to escape his attention.
Such was his skill that he is now considered the greatest at his craft of anyone who ever lived. His instruments “sang” with a depth and richness of tone that was unsurpassed. Even today, there is nothing to match the musical quality of a Stradivarius violin. And the relatively few of his instruments still in existence are treasured be musicians and collectors, and occasionally bought and sold for fabulous sums.
Yet for all the near-perfection of the instruments Antonio Stradivari made, each has one serious limitation. It is absolutely powerless to make music on its own. Beautiful, graceful in line, bursting with potential, but utterly silent. What is missing is the application of the master’s skill. Only when the creative genius of the musician is employed in drawing the bow across the strings in just the right way will the instrument’s full potential be realized.
A similar situation pertains in life. Long ago, the eternal God conceived a grand design, a living “instrument” called Man. Scripture tells us that He took infinite care to form this creature to a precise pattern–His own image–breathing into him the breath of life (Gen. 1:26-27; 2:7). Each detail was given special attention; even the hairs of his head were numbered (Matt. 10:30). All the potential for a full and meaningful existence was built into this crown of creation.
“We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). His “workmanship.” The Greek word is poiema, from which we get our English word poem. It is appropriate to say that we are each unique works of art, designed, and to be brought to our full potential, by the patient work of the Master Craftsman.
There has been just one problem from the very beginning with the realization of God’s purpose. It is impossible for us to achieve it on our own. And there is a sinful independence within each of us that prompts us to take control of our own lives–in effect, to wrench the instrument from the Master’s hand in a foolish attempt to make our own life’s music. Such can never be. Frustration and failure are the inevitable result, and ugly discord abounds, where the Lord wants to hear glorious harmony.
If that has been your experience, let me encourage you to place the instrument of your life in the Master’s hands, once and for all (Rom. 12:1), and allow Him to create something of beauty and eternal worth. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him [as Your Lord], and He shall direct your paths” (Prov. 3:5-6). In the Master’s hands, your soul’s music will bring meaning to your own life, enrich the lives of others, and truly glorify your Creator.
What should Christians do about guilt feelings for sin already forgiven?
Question: A Christian writes, “I have repeatedly gone back to my old ways of living two lives, and I have been a terrible hypocrite. I love Jesus, and God my Father, and I believe I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
As I enter my later years I have made a decision to avoid sinning in every way, but I live with the guilt of the years since Jesus opened my eyes to His truth. How do I handle this guilt?”
Answer: Thank you for your frank description of what’s happening in your life. It’s not easy to give a short answer to your question, but let me cover a few things.
1. Standing and State
It’s important to distinguish between these two great realities. (See diagram.) When a person trusts in Christ for salvation, he is said to be “in Christ” as far as his legal standing is concerned (I Cor. 1:30). God sees him as participating in Christ’s death and resurrection, “in Him.”
He is clothed in the righteousness of Christ (Gal. 3:26-27), and has an eternally perfect standing before God (Heb. 10:14), because that standing is based on Christ’s unchanging righteousness, not his own.
But the Bible also speaks of another reality, that Christ is dwelling within us, by His Holy Spirit. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). That has to do, not with our standing, but with our spiritual state.
We are to live out the life of Christ implanted within us. While our standing can never change, because Christ never changes, our state is quite different. It’s to be hoped that we will continue to grow in our Christian lives. But we do stumble from time to time. Even as children disobey their parents, we disobey our heavenly Father.
We look forward to the day when what we are as to our legal standing will also be true of us eternally as to our state. He is “Christ in [us], the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). But meanwhile we have to deal with sin in our lives, when it rears its ugly head.
2. Dealing with Sin
We are assured that, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (I Cor. 10:13).
The Lord can strengthen us against temptation as we regularly study His Word (Ps. 119:9, 11), and pray for His help (Matt. 6:13). He has also provided spiritual armour to help us (Eph. 6:10-18, see http://www.wordwise-bible-studies.com/christian-armour.html).
We also need to avoid, as much as possible, those situations that we know are particularly tempting to us, and choose friends that will not pull us back into those situations. Sometimes, the best thing to do when we are confronted with temptation is to run away. That is not cowardice, it’s godly wisdom. Joseph did it (Gen. 39:7-12), and Paul urged Timothy to do so too (II Tim. 2:22).
It’s to be hoped that we will grow stronger and more able to keep to the right path, over time, but we are weak and fallible creatures, after all. “If we say that we have no sin [no sinful nature], we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us….If we say that we have not sinned [committed sinful acts], we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us” (I Jn. 1:8, 10).
Dealing with our tendency to sin, because of our fallen nature, has to do with recognizing the fact, and daily depending on the Spirit of God to do right.
We are to deal with the second problem by confessing our sins to God (I Jn. 1:9). To “confess” means to agree. We are to agree with God about our sin. This will include or imply several things: the admission that it is wrong, and that we have offended a holy God, plus the desire to forsake our sin and not repeat it.
We ought to keep what are sometimes called “short accounts” with God. That is, we need to confess our sins as the Spirit of God convicts us, and not put it off. Sometimes we need to seek the forgiveness of another person as well, and make restitution, depending on the particular sin. When we “confess” our sin, God’s promise is that “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (vs. 9).
3. Remembering Our Sin
God promises “their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Heb. 8:12). But how can an omniscient God actually forget? In one way, He can’t. But it means the Lord is pledging never again to bring them up, never again to allow them to affect our fellowship with Him.
After we have sincerely confessed it, if we were to say, “Lord, I need to talk to you about that sin I committed,” His response would be, “What sin?” We can move on with the assurance that our sin is gone, completely wiped off the record.
However, we likely remember it! What we have done in the past may continue to come to mind. That was true of Paul. He told the Galatian Christians, “I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it” (Gal. 1:13). He told the Corinthian believers the same thing (I Cor. 15:9), so it obviously bothered him.
In a way, this is not a bad thing. It helps to keep us humble! To realize how we have offended God, who loves us so much He sent His beloved Son to die for us, will also help us to think twice before we do so again.
In Psalm 51, where David confesses his great sin involving Bathsheba and her husband, He says “My sin is always before me” (vs. 3). Painful memories can have a positive effect. But, having said that, we do need to move on.
4. Recalling God’s Promises
Paul talks about “forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Phil. 3:13). Again, this “forgetting” is like God’s, mentioned previously. It’s not that we get some kind of amnesia. We know what we did! But we purposely do not allow it to dog our steps, and interfere with our lives.
It’s the devil’s work to cause us to do that. He’s the “accuser” (Rev. 12:9-10), trying to cripple us with guilt. At such times we may feel guilty, but we’re not, in any legal sense. God doesn’t see us that way, and it’s His view of us that counts.
What did the Lord promise to those who confessed their sin to Him? That “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (vs. 9). Another verse says, “You [God] will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:19).
It is worthwhile for us to mark such verses in our Bibles, and commit them to memory. Then, when guilty feelings assail us from the accuser, we can remind ourselves of what God has said. “If our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (I Jn. 3:20).
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Ps. 103:12). That’s an interesting one. What if the Bible had said, “As far as the north is from the south.” That wouldn’t be very reassuring. If we travel north, we’ll eventually come to the pole and begin travelling south. North meets south, at the poles. But you can travel east forever, and never come to the point where you are going west.
The One who said, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30) meant it! “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses [purifies] us from all [from every] sin” (I Jn. 1:7).
And we have an Advocate (a counsel for the defence) seated at the right hand of the Father (I Jn. 2:1). The wounds He bears are sufficient testimony that our sin has been dealt with, and will never be brought up against us again. Amen!…
Question: [In some detail, the writer explained the conflicting beliefs of two friends. The gist of his question seemed to be: what is the content of saving faith? Must we believe in the deity of Christ, or other important doctrines, in order to be saved?]
Answer: Good question. How many things does a person have to believe in order to be saved? Some swing the pendulum far in one direction or the other. They either cut the matter down to simple faith, without an adequate consideration of related questions (e.g. What is saving faith? And, faith in what or whom?). Others go to the opposite extreme, adding a great deal of doctrinal content to what a person must believe in order to be saved.
What is the good news (the gospel)? “I declare to you the gospel,” says Paul, “that Christ died for our sins…and that He rose again” (I Cor. 15:1, 3, 4). The cross and the empty tomb are the foundation of the gospel of grace. And how does one appropriate Christ’s saving Calvary work personally? It is by faith, apart from relying on any works or merit of our own (Eph. 2:8-9).
Various forms of words such as believe, and faith, are used in the New Testament over 500 times. They suggest such things as: an inner conviction, persuasion, and assurance about Christ, and trust in, confidence in, dependence and reliance on Him. Saving faith requires some knowledge of what the Lord Jesus did for us on the cross, an assent to what the Bible says about that, and dependence on Him alone for eternal salvation.
“What must I do to be saved?” asked the Philippian jailer. And the answer came back, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:30-31). Everlasting life is granted to “whoever believes in Him” (Jn. 3:16). And it is through faith in Christ that the individual is born again into the family of God. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born…of God” (Jn. 1:12-13).
But you raise a good point. Many members of cults and isms claim faith in Christ in some way. Jesus is certainly significant to theological liberals in Christendom–at least as a good man and a wise teacher. Mormons will say they believe on Christ. Muslims believe on Him too. Even demons believe–in a limited way–and tremble (Jas. 2:19).
But the precise content and outworking of these beliefs is quite different from what is found in God’s Word, and what is needed for salvation. Is there a conviction of sin and desperate need, a realization that Christ is the only answer, and an understanding of the “by grace through faith” principle which rules out human merit (Rom. 4:4-5; 11:6)?
Further, there are what we might call implied or underlying doctrines associated with the call to trust in Christ for salvation. How do we know about Christ and God’s saving work? We learn about the plan of salvation from the God-breathed revelation in the Scriptures. So the one who turns to Christ for salvation is accepting that the gospel content of the Bible is a message from God.
And if Jesus were merely a man who died, then He could not be our Saviour. He would, of necessity, have to die for His own sins (Rom. 3:23; 6:23), and could not die for those of others. To see Him as the Saviour implies at least an elementary understanding of His deity. Other important doctrines relate to that–His virgin birth, His sinless life, His bodily resurrection.
Clearly we have a cluster of interrelated doctrines behind the substitutionary death of Christ. And we must also ask: Is my list complete, or are there other things that should be included? What all must I accept to be saved? And how clear and thorough an understanding of these things is required? And who is going to “grade” the person’s comprehension in order to give him or her a pass or failure?
I know of adults whose testimony, consistent lifestyle, and sacrificial service for the Lord, convince me they are born again believers, but they would have a difficult time articulating some of the doctrines I’ve mentioned.
What about young children? Speaking personally, when I was seven years old I understood that I was a sinner, and that Jesus died to take the punishment for my sins. In the evening of August 14th, 1948, I put my faith in Him. Could I explain total depravity, or the doctrine of the Trinity? No. But I’m confident that I received God’s salvation at that time, though I did not know much about what I’ve termed the implied doctrines behind my decision.
Or consider what happens to those facing imminent death. Would we say they are not saved, if they cannot comprehend and articulate all the right things? Must we deny there are any true children of God who do not accept our particular list of doctrines? (And who’s got the correct and complete list?)
Such a stance puts us in danger of going beyond what the Word of God requires, and substituting man-made rules for the gospel of grace and an inner working of the Holy Spirit. So is there any way to resolve the matter? Is it possible to be biblically doctrinal without becoming rigidly doctrinaire? Let me suggest several things I believe it is wise to keep in mind.
1) There is a significant difference between a lack of knowledge and understanding on the one hand, and an outright denial of the truth on the other. The latter implies knowledge that has been wilfully rejected. I would agree that doing so with key doctrines would certainly put the individuals claim to saving faith in doubt.
2) Salvation is a sovereign work of God (Jn. 6:37, 44, 65). It is also an inner work of the Holy Spirit, and as such is invisible to us (Jn. 3:6, 8). Also, the new birth is instantaneous (a person is either dead or alive), but there will usually follow the new birth a maturing process, and growth in enlightenment and understanding.
Some cannot pinpoint a precise point in time when they were saved. They received Christian teaching at home, or at church, and grew into faith, over time. From God’s perspective, there was a definite time of rebirth, but such individuals may find it difficult to identify it. Are they any less saved?
3) Over time, we would expect to see evidence of growth, and spiritual fruit. To use the analogy of the Lord Jesus, we cannot see the wind, but we can see the physical results when it blows. The indwelling Holy Spirit will bring about such things as: the development of Christlike character; a love for God’s Word, and a desire to learn more; a love for the Lord and a desire to praise Him and please Him; a love for the people of God and a desire to meet with them, and so on.
4) Finally, we must not discount the tender mercies of God. When the individual is a small child, or a person with a mental disability, or someone on the brink of death, an elementary understanding of the gospel may be all that is possible. When they reach out in faith to Jesus, they are looking to One who has infinite love and concern for them. And keep in mind that it’s childlike trust that the Lord desires (Mk. 10:14-15). Will He deny such an approach?
At some point, we must leave the matter with God. In the words of Abraham, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Gen. 18:25).
Was Jesus’ death and shed blood necessary for sin to be forgiven?
Question: Why did Jesus come to earth? Is it to cleanse our sins? But Jesus forgave many people before his death (Luke 7:48). Is the death of Jesus, and shedding of His blood necessary to cleanse the sins of anyone?
Answer: Those are important questions. First, you ask why the Lord Jesus came to this earth. There are a number of reasons. Here are several of them.
1) For one thing, as perfect Man, He gave human beings a pattern to follow. When He lived among us a sinless life, the Lord Jesus was able to show us the perfect example of goodness, love, righteousness, and so on (Acts 10:38; Heb. 4:15; I Pet. 2:21-22).
2) As God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, He gave us a revelation of God. The Bible says, “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col. 2:9). In Him people saw “the glory of God the Father” (Jn. 1:14).
The Jewish leaders were right when they said, “Who can forgive sins but God alone” (Lk. 5:21). By the occasions when the Lord forgave sins (as you point out that He did), He was showing His deity and divine authority. But He still had to die to provide the final answer, as we’ll see.
3) He also came to fulfil promises made to Israel, long before. Promises concerning their coming Messiah-King (Isa. 9:6-7; Lk. 1:31-33). In this role He was rejected the first time. But He’s coming back again to set up His kingdom, and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16).
4) Most importantly for us, today, He came to pay our debt of sin. So many Scriptures say this that it’s impossible to miss. The Lord Himself told us He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28).
In His saving work, He fulfilled a promise made to Adam and Eve, after they sinned in response to Satan’s temptation. God gave a promise that One would be born of woman who would crush the serpent’s (Satan’s) head (Gen. 3:15).
And He fulfilled the promise made to Abraham that, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Jesus was born of a descendant of Abraham (Matt. 1:1). He also fulfilled the prophetic vision of Isaiah that “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa. 53:6).
God had provided a temporary answer to the sin problem from the beginning. The death of sacrificial animals, when offered in faith, provided forgiveness of sins, until the coming of Christ. They all represented the death of an innocent substitute in place of the guilty sinner. When an individual placed his hand upon the sacrifice (Lev. 1:4), he was saying, in effect, “This is me; this animal is dying in my place.”
However, the Bible makes it clear that the death of an animal can’t, in any full and perfect sense, deal with the sin problem (Heb. 10:4). The many sacrifices were all pictures of Christ, the final “innocent Substitute.” They pointed forward to the Saviour yet to come, the one John the Baptist called “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29).
The New Testament writers understood and confirmed that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3). He “Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (I Pet. 2:24). “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (I Pet. 3:18). “Nor is there salvation in any other” (Acts 4:12; cf. Jn. 14:6).
In fulfillment of the Old Testament symbolism (Lev. 17:11), it was necessary that the Lord Jesus shed His blood on the cross, because, “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission [forgiveness]” (Heb. 9:22). For that, He had to become Man (Heb. 2:9), as He did through the virgin birth.
Note, in the following verses, how many times the shed blood of Christ is mentioned.
Through the cross, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (I Jn. 1:7). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). “Being justified [pronounced righteous] freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation [the full satisfaction of God’s justice] by His blood, through faith” (Rom. 3:24-25). “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” (Rom. 5:9).
Was it necessary for the sinless Son of God to shed His blood in order to save us? Yes! That is the provision God has made for our need. And it is the repeated testimony of the Word of God (see also: Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:14; Heb. 9:12; I Pet. 1:18-19).
Salvation for all men has been paid for in full by Christ on the cross. That is what the Lord meant, when He said from the cross, “It is finished” (Jn. 19:30). In the Greek language in which John wrote, that is only one word, “Tetelestia!” It’s a word that was often stamped at the bottom of bills when the debt was paid. It means “Paid in full.”
Now, God’s salvation is received as a gift is received, through simple faith in Christ. We cannot work for our eternal salvation. Nothing we can do will fully satisfy the justice of a holy God (Eph. 2:8-9). But there is no need to try to earn our salvation. It has already been paid for on the cross.
When we put our faith in Christ as Saviour, we are accepting His payment on our behalf (Jn. 3:16). When the jailor in Philippi asked how he could be saved, Paul’s answer was plain: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31).
